A change of direction

So the time has come to change direction slightly as far as my writing goes. I've decided to start my own website, so I'd be grateful if you could all check it out.

The logo needs a bit of work but I'll get on the case asap. Also, there's just the one article at the moment, but I shall get cracking very soon. Thanks!

http://bloodsweatandtiers.webs.com/

Graeme Swann reignites a dying flame; The art of off-spin is back on the market

A very familiar sight for England fans; Graeme Swann celebrates another wicket

English off-spinners are a bit like Wispa chocolate bars. They come and go because they don't stand out from the Galaxy or the Mars Bar, and every so often you have the urge to change course, perhaps to a Dairy Milk or a Twix. They don't satisfy your needs for very long.

In recent history, England have had a number of flirtations with various off-spin bowlers, more frequently of the left-arm variety. Phil Tufnell, Ashley Giles, Monty Panesar, even Ian Blackwell at one stage. Whilst the first 3 aforementioned names never did much wrong, they failed to produce what England really needed to become a threat on the world stage. Tufnell was a great character, a committed, all-action bowler. He was comedy gold with the bat and in the field, something that ultimately let him down throughout his England career. You could never quite take him seriously. The same can be said for Mudhsuden Singh Panesar, commonly known as 'Monty'. He was arguably a better bowler than Tufnell ever was, but his regular fumbles in the outfield and his inability to improve on his limited batting prowess meant that he was never really going to be a long-term candidate to fill the spinner's void. Indeed, it was clear that should his form with the ball waver, his place in the XI would be very much under scrutiny. Thanks to a number of disappointing performances, Monty has failed to nail down a first team spot ever since the unsuccessful tour of the West Indies in 2009. In fact, his only outstanding contribution since the Port-of-Spain test came with the bat. He defied belief in the opening test of the Ashes last summer, as a partnership of 19 with James Anderson for the last wicket secured a draw at Cardiff. It proved to be a vital period of the summer, as England went on to regain the Ashes with a 2-1 victory. Unfortunately for Monty, that proved to be his last contribution for the side to this day.

Sandwiched somewhere in between Tufnell and Panesar was Ashley Giles. Equally as affective with the ball as Tuffers and Monty, but far more adept with the willow in hand. Giles, comically known as the 'King of Spain' thanks to a misprint on the merchandise at Warwickshire, was to play vital roles in the victorious tours of the West Indies and South Africa in the mid 2000's, as well as in the historic 2005 home Ashes series. Whilst he struggled to consistently deliver wickets for his side, he scored crucial runs at exactly the right time to ensure England were rarely playing catchup. Nevertheless, Giles was in the side for his wickets, and the 2006/07 Ashes series down under saw the end of his international career. Injury and loss of form were the prime reasons for his disappearance from the England scene.

Gone are the days of Tufnell, Giles and Panesar. Enter Graeme Swann. A late developer into the England fold, Swann has the bubbly character of Tufnell, the stalwart work-ethic of Giles, and the constant excitement that Panesar always seemed to ooze. He is that, and so much more. Having made his international bow way back in 2000 against South Africa, Swann had to wait a further 8 years to get a 2nd bite at the cherry, and boy has he taken it. He made a quiet, but solid introduction to test match cricket in Chennai two winters ago, and has not looked back since. One-and-a-half years on, and Swann is on the verge of claiming his 100th test match wicket, 50th ODI wicket, and also occupies 4th position in the ICC world rankings for bowlers. At 31, Swann is doing his best to make up for lost time, in the same way Michael Hussey has done with the bat for Australia. He is arguably the most feared spinner in the world now that Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan has hung up his boots. It's fair to say he has taken the world by storm, and there seems to be no stopping him.

Swann's recipe for success is simple. He drips with self-confidence, almost arrogance at times, and that makes him who he is. He has a certain swagger, unparalleled with few in the modern game. Kevin Pietersen has it. Sachin Tendulkar has it. Swann is in great company. He also has an attitude to be admired by every youngster aspiring to be an international cricketer. He knows his limits, he knows how good a player he can be, and he does everything he can to fulfill that potential. He constantly strives to be the best, he lives and breathes cricket, and he simply loves representing his country, something that our footballers should take a very long look at.

Along with a superb attitude and untouchable confidence, Swann's ability cannot be ignored. Not only when ripping those offys and slipping in the odd arm-ball, but also when he's batting. He's an aggressor, someone who can take the game to a team. He can change the momentum down the order and lift spirits in the dressing room, even with a quickfire 30 or 40. It's an ability that the likes of Giles and Panesar didn't have, and whilst Giles could offer admirable support and resolution at number 8, Swann can do much more in a shorter space of time. His slip-catching shouldn't be ignored either. Lower-order big-hitting off-spinners don't tend to have a place in the slip cordon, but SwannCollingwood. All in all, it's a very impressive catching unit.

Whilst all this is a blessing for England, there is one thing in particular that makes Swann so special. It's very easy to be just another off-spinner. They're hardly the most spectacular bowlers on the planet, with the exception of Murali who was a unique entity. They are not the type of bowlers that you'll hear your kid say, "I'd love to be an off-spinner. They're so exciting". However, Swann has re-invented the art of off-spinning, somehow. He turns it big, he has a brilliantly disguised arm-ball, but it's something else that makes him stand out from the rest. It's the fact that as soon as he enters the attack, something happens. Panesar had that knack for a period of time, but nowhere near as frequent and remarkable as Swann's ability to make a breakthrough immediately. Including the ongoing test match against Pakistan at Edgbaston, Swann has taken a wicket in the first over of a new spell 20 times. It's a staggering statistic, and one which makes him such a prize asset in the England attack. What is more impressive is the fact that he doesn't necessarily bowl on big-turning wickets. English tracks aren't historically big rippers, and he has only played on the subcontinent once for England. It's a credit to Swann for his cricketing brain and his consistency with the ball that such a statistic exists.

With the 2010/11 Ashes series on the horizon, Swann is playing at the top of his game. He is also extremely well-supported, with James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Steven Finn producing some wonderful form. Salman Butt, Pakistan's newest captain, recently suggested that his bowling unit of Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul are the best in the world. Having watched and analysed the performances of England's pace trio, along with Swann himself, I would tend to disagree with that assessment. It's a unit which goes a long way to ensuring England don't endure another 5-0 whitewash at the hands of the old enemy, and for Graeme Swann, it's a great time to really push his case to be one of England's greatest spin bowlers.

Lampard and Terry included in England B team

Bobby Zamora takes a break from pretending he's a footballer

Fabio Capello decided to tackle a couple of bottles of wine whilst naming his latest England B team squad to face Hungary next week. The inclusions of Ben Foster, whose career highlight is being Edwin van der Sar’s number two for several years, Paul Robinson, who subsequently retired from international football having got the call-up, Bobby Zamora, England’s answer to Nicklas Bendtner, and those two world-class Chelsea legends Frank Lampard and John Terry, has got England fans drooling at the prospect of watching our beloved national team battle it out against that footballing superpower, Hungary, 3 days before the Premier League season kicks off. Oh, what joy!

What Fabio Capello has done is everything the nation wanted him to do, but with the wrong players. We wanted him to drop the drivel and engage with the exciting young talents that England has at its disposal. Having had a good rummage around, Capello felt that Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka and Kieran Gibbs were the answer. He also felt that the performances of Gareth Barry, Wayne Rooney, Lamps and JT merited a recall. I couldn’t agree more Fab. Afterall, we did reach the 2ND ROUND of the World Cup! Moreover, the exclusion of Joe Cole has got me thinking; What was going through the mind of Fabio Capello when he chose this latest crop of ‘stars’?

Way back at the start of the Italian’s reign as England manager, he stated that he would only be picking players based on form and game-time. To my knowledge he hasn’t verbally abandoned that strategy, but you do wonder whether he’s had a change of heart and resorted to choosing proverbial benchwarmers and mediocre performers. Wes Brown? Phil Jagielka? Darren Bent? Carlton Cole? Oh, and not to mention there’s a recall for Theo Walcott, who has clearly impressed Fabio more whilst lying on a beach in a beautiful European/South American country, than he did when ‘trialling’ and convincing everybody else in the world that he should be on the plane to South Africa.

I go back to Joe Cole’s emission from the 22-man squad. The only plausible motive for Capello to drop Cole is due to a falling out. If that’s the case, why the bleeding heck are John Terry and Frank Lampard still given reason to call themselves ‘world-class’ players? Terry couldn’t resist spouting his mouth off in South Africa, an incident that everybody thought would lead to his dropping post-World Cup. Lampard himself thought it’d be a great idea to criticise the timing of the match against the side ranked 62nd in the world. I read the response to his comments in the Daily Telegraph recently, and one fan got it spot on; “You need all the practice you can get you overpaid prat”. It’s what we’re all thinking, apart from the man that matters unfortunately. Lampard and Terry shouldn’t be anywhere near the England team.

Jermain Defoe is another player who has bizarrely been left out in the cold. What on earth did he do wrong in SA? He scored the goal that saved us from ultimate humiliation at the hands of Slovenia. Well, the other side of the argument is he scored the goal that dropped us right into the s*** against Germany, and perhaps that’s why Capello showed him the door. Surely there’s no other reason for doing such a thing? Defoe is a proven goalscorer, and he was one of 3 players in SA that wore the shirt with pride and looked like making things happen. Joe Cole was another, and James Milner makes up the trio. With Defoe and Cole dropped, Milner is the only outfield player in that squad, arguably along with Ashley Cole, who deserves the call. Everyone knows Wayne Rooney was abysmal so why is he still there? Gerrard was below-par, Glen Johnson looked a complete shadow of the player that earned him so much praise in his early days as an England player, and Gareth Barry is another prime example of an overpaid wotsit who has more of a place on the scrapheap than he does in an England team. Looking back, it was embarrassing how people were praying Gareth Barry would be fit and ready for the opening game of the World Cup against U.S.A. If we can’t do without Gareth Barry, what hope have we got?

There aren’t many in this current squad that I can say, yes, that’s a good call Fabio. Joe Hart is a superb goalkeeper and he was always a stick-on. I still don’t have a clue why he didn’t get a shout this summer, but that’s another strange Capello decision. He’s definitely in line to nail down the no.1 jersey now that David James and Robert Green are out the picture. Ashley Cole has done no wrong, as much as I severely dislike the bloke. Michael Dawson is a decent player who will give his all. It’s also nice to see Ashley Young getting another chance, although I’m still not convinced that he’s of an international standard. Time will tell there. Finally, Arsenal’s exciting prodigy Jack Wilshere has an opportunity to put his name on the footballing map and display his talents to the world. He looks a wonderful prospect for England. Lets hope he’s not half Welsh, ain’t that right Giggsy?

Finally, I’d like to wish good luck to all those hearty souls who have bought an overpriced ticket to watch an overpriced team play on the once hallowed turf of Wembley. I admire you for your committment. I certainly wouldn’t waste my wages on watching England B struggle to overcome the Hungarians. I think… No, I know I’d get more for my money spending an afternoon on the touchline at Ludlow Town FC.

Bristol City state ambition with the signing of David James

David James has given The Robins the thumbs up on a surprise move to the Championship club

Bristol City have confirmed that they have captured the signature of England goalkeeper David James on a free transfer. James has put pen-to-paper on a one-year deal with the club, a move that is a sure signal of The Robins’ ambition this season. James, who turns 40 this weekend, took over England’s goalkeeping mantle at the World Cup following Robert Green’s embarrassing howler against the USA in England’s opening game of the tournament. He was one of a minority of players that escaped criticism on return from South Africa, and now has his sights firmly set on helping Bristol City achieve promotion into the Premier League.

A statement on the club's official website read:

Bristol City FC have agreed a deal to sign England international goalkeeper David James. The 39-year old passed a medical at Ashton Gate today (Friday) and has agreed a one-year deal with an option of a further year.

James turned down interest from SPL runners-up Celtic as well as Steve Bruce’s Sunderland to become a part of the setup at Ashton Gate, and has confirmed that the chance to be a part of an historic period at the club was too good an opportunity to pass by. “I know all about the plans for a new stadium and desire to win promotion to the Premier League”, James said. “The club is ambitious and that is what I am”.

Many people expected James to make the move north and join Neil Lennon at Celtic, but having called off negotiations due to ‘personal problems’, James has decided that his future belongs in England, and for the time being, in Bristol. This is certainly the first small step towards achieving what City narrowly missed out on last season, as a poor start to the 2008/09 campaign ultimately cost them a place in the play-offs. They eventually went on to finish a very respectable 10th, but chairman Steve Lansdown and manager Steve Coppell will be aiming for better this time around.

There is certainly a fair amount of money knocking around at Bristol City, and Steve Lansdown is very clear on where he wants his club to be.

My ambition is for this football club to play at the highest level – the Premier League – and in the best surroundings, hence the work on the training ground and the new stadium. We need good quality players to make that happen and that’s why I’m thrilled that David has agreed to come on board.

So what do we think – Can Bristol City launch another play-off challenge or was last season as good as it will get for them? Vote at wdkf.co.uk!

Blackpool may have difficulty in shaking off the 'jokers' tag, but could it play to their advantage?

This may come to be a familiar sight throughout the coming months as Ian Holloway prepares for his first PL campaign as a manager

Blackpool is best known for its pleasure beach, arcades, and thousands of bald-headed, sunburnt British tourists that flock to the seaside each year. You wouldn’t automatically associate Blackpool with football, and you certainly wouldn’t have predicted this time last year that they had a realistic chance of reaching the play-offs, let alone actually gaining promotion to the Premier League. A relegation battle would have been a more customary suggestion, with a low to mid-table finish the ultimate objection. But Ian Holloway built a team combining youthful exuberance and a die-hard work ethic, and throughout the duration of the 2009/10 season, Holloway and his men slowly but surely began to prove everybody wrong. Now, they are on the verge of embarking on their first ever Premier League journey.

William Hill have Blackpool at 4/5 to finish bottom of the PL this season, whilst their odds to stay in the division are 11/4. On paper, Blackpool are sure-fire favourites to go straight back down, but it’s a label that could well work in their favour. Ian Holloway is a very stubborn manager, and a very stubborn man. He’s arguably one of the most honest men in the game, and whilst he’s voiced his concerns over the strength and depth of his squad in recent days, he also insisted that people shouldn’t write them off. As we witnessed last season, Blackpool defeated the odds and the opinion of most football fans across the country, to reach a remarkable achievement in the club’s recent history. Who’s to say they can’t overachieve once more?

Naturally teams find it very difficult to adjust to life in the Premier League, with the odd exception. In Reading’s first season in the top flight they performed admirably and above all expectations to reach an astounding 8th position in the league. Unfortunately for them, relegation loomed the very next season and they were back in the Championship. Stoke City are another team who have risen to the occasion of playing against the Manchester United’s and Chelsea’s of this world, and to this day remain very sturdy opposition in England’s top flight. Blackpool aren’t expected to be as successful as those two clubs in their first season, and they’d be foolish to aim any higher than surviving their first PL season. Indeed, I’m sure that is all Ian Holloway has his sights set on, but he knows he needs to add a number of new names to his rather small first team squad.

It’s very clear that Holloway’s personality and football character has somewhat rubbed off on his players over the last 12 months or so. Indeed, the team’s work rate is reminiscent of the way Holloway likes to work, although it would be unfair to dismiss his style of play on the field. Make no bones about it, Holloway likes his teams to play football on the deck, contrary to regular opinion of football league sides, the majority of which prefer a more direct, long-ball approach. Holloway is not that kind of manager. When asked on Sky Sports News whether he would have to abandon that style of play from time to time in the Premier League, Holloway replied, “you mean stop playing football on the deck and start hoofing it up in the air? If that’s what you mean by abandon”. It was a typical Holloway response, and one that suggests he is determined to keep moulding his side into the product that he prefers, rather than the one that would have the best chance of succeeding in the top flight.

West Brom are another of the promoted sides along with Newcastle United, and they are a side who also prefer to play their football on the grass. However, that style of play may well have flattered many in the Championship, but when it has come down to Premier League football, The Albion have been lacking something extra to keep them in the division. As a result, they have come to be known as the ‘yo-yo’ team of English football. For Blackpool to work as a unit in the Premier League, and to avoid any potential embarrassment at the hands of the bigger teams, they’ll need to show more fight and determination than West Brom have in previous seasons. However, I don’t think that will be a problem, as Ian Holloway has always been a stickler for work-rate and a winning attitude.

The one thing that may work in Blackpool’s favour is the ‘new boy’s’ tag. Few of the current Premier League sides know too much about Blackpool, and whilst they’ll all do their research before taking on the division’s newest side, Blackpool’s x-factor could be the fact that they are an unknown entity. They will also have excellent support, despite possessing the smallest stadium in the league, and no doubt the fans will get right behind their team when Sir Alex Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti turn up at Bloomfield Road. Opposition sides can expect a hostile, unwelcoming atmosphere, and this may be something that unnerves and unsettles visiting sides. Blackpool would love that to be the case, but there is no hiding the fact that they have to sign 5 or 6 decent players to have any chance of staying alive in the PL. As we know against teams such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham, if you don’t have a well-organised, efficient defensive line, you’ll have problems, as Wigan found out to their embarrassment against Spurs at White Hart Lane last season as they went on to lose a record 9-1. Wigan are far from being Premier League new boys now, having gained promotion back in the 2004/05 season. That probably further highlights the importance of being solid at the back, something that I know Blackpool are in the process of addressing with the potential signing of Dekel Keinan from Israeli giants Maccabi Haifa.

If Ian Holloway didn’t know it already, Blackpool’s pre-season campaign has alerted him to the problems his side may face if they enter the season without adding to their squad.  Holloway has also been struck with the news that Billy Clarke is likely to miss the entire season with damaged cruciate ligaments. 22-year old Clarke is highly rated in the Blackpool ranks and he may prove to be a big miss for them come April and May next year.

I’m sure that if Ian Holloway had a fully-fit, stronger squad, he’d be showing far more confidence in Blackpool’s ability to defeat the odds in the Premier League this season, but there are a couple of things that could work in their favour. To survive their first season in the PL, they’ll need a great deal of effort, a whole lot of luck, and a committed, understanding fanbase behind them. Good luck to them!

Javier Mascherano to quit Anfield; Inter Milan remain favoured destination

Mascha and teammate Fernando Torres after Liverpool's 2-1 victory over Marseille in the Champions League in the 2008/09 season

Fernando Torres’ future is still very much up in the air. He may stay, he may go. One member of the squad that Roy Hodgson can be certain wants to leave Anfield this summer is Argentina captain Javier Mascherano who is unsettled on Merseyside. It is believed that Mascha wants a reunion with ex-Reds boss Rafael Benitez, who is now the manager of Italian giants Inter Milan.

In a statement to the press, Hodgson said:

Yes, he wants to leave the club. He has made that perfectly clear. I think he wanted to leave a year ago. He wants to leave now but he is contracted to Liverpool so whether he leaves or not will not be our decision.

Whilst it is not 100% that the tenacious midfielder will quit Liverpool before the end of the current transfer window, usually when a player states his desire to move on, the deal happens. Now, despite many of the current crop of players voicing their concerns over their personal treatment during the Rafael Benitez regime, Mascherano is one of the very few players to stick by the Spaniard, and now has his sights set on making the move to San Siro.

Liverpool’s American owners, George Gillet and Tom Hicks, would be foolish to keep Mascha at the club. They’d also be foolish to let him leave for less than £25mill, especially to a club like Inter Milan who are
currently in talks with Manchester City over the sale of £30mill-rated Mario Balotelli. It seems that the sale of the controversial forward would fund the potential deal to bring Mascherano to Italy, meaning that the Liverpool board should be looking for a deal worth in excess of £25mill. Anything less, and there would be substantial uproar against the owners, something they are not unfamiliar with.

Mascherano has been a fantastic servant to Liverpool throughout the 3 years he has been with the club. Despite not winning any silverware at Liverpool, he played vital roles in the 2007 Champions League campaign that saw Liverpool reach their 2nd final in three years, and also in the 2008/09 Premier League season, a season in which Liverpool came agonizingly close to winning their first title in 19 years.

Unfortunately for Liverpool, last season Mascherano was one of the many players who failed to reproduce the goods from the season before, and a lack of form coupled with a typically unhealthy disciplinary rate on the field means that this summer is probably the right time for Masch to call time on his Anfield career. As much as I rate him as a footballer, and think he was one of the few excellent players Rafael Benitez brought to Liverpool, £30mill could be used to bring in two or three top-class players to replace him and fill in a couple of the other vacant positions that are present in the Liverpool squad. It may also be a chance for Alberto Aquilani and Lucas to really come to the fore and show what they can do as first team regulars.

People may draw comparisons to the sale of Xabi Alonso in 2009, a sale that proved to be a massive loss for Liverpool last season. The fee received for that particular deal was also £30mill, which was spent on Roma’s Aquilani who spent the majority of the campaign on the sidelines with various injuries. Whether that was a wise piece of business is open for debate and may well be confirmed in the next 3 or 4 months, but Aqua will certainly be determined to prove his worth on Merseyside this year. The difference between the Xabi Alonso sale and any potential deal taking Mascherano to Milan, is that Alonso was playing the best football of his career and was a linchpin in the Liverpool team. Mascherano is probably not quite at that stage, and whilst I agree he was a very important cog in Rafa’s system, now is definitely the time for him to move on and for new manager Roy Hodgson to start the search for a worthy replacement.

As a Mascherano supporter, I’d like to wish him the best of luck if he does make the much expected move to Inter Milan, and hope that one day he returns to Anfield to a warm welcome and deserved applause.

A little less conversation, a little more Torres please: Why Liverpool's prize asset has no choice but to stay at Anfield

Fernando Torres quickly established himself as fans' favourite at Anfield

Whenever Liverpool fans read a news headline boasting the name Fernando Torres, their heart usually sinks and they let out a dull sigh of resignation. “Torres to Chelsea”, “Torres to Manchester City”, “Torres to Real Madrid”. Same old, same old. But don’t fret Reds’ fans, I’m here to inject a bit of optimism into the situation. Fernando Torres won’t be leaving Liverpool this summer, and here’s why.

As the whole world witnessed at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Torres was out of sorts. He had a tournament to forget, culminating in tearing a thigh muscle in the closing minutes of Spain’s victorious final victory over Holland. That particular moment was almost symbolic of the rollercoaster year or two that Torres has experienced; a World Cup final appearance and winner’s medal, overshadowed by a goal drought and yet another muscle injury right about summed up the last 18 months in the career of Fernando Torres. It was enough to make Liverpool supporters everywhere spit up their dinner and reside to the bedroom for an early night. However, as daft as it may seem, it may have been a blessing in disguise for the Reds in the face of intense interest from Chelsea and Manchester City.

Before the tournament began Chelsea were prepared to pay £50mill for the emphatic striker, and the deal seemed inevitable. A 7th-place finish and a sour end to Rafael Benitez’s career looked as if it would also spell the end of the road for Torres as a Liverpool player. Immediately after the conclusion of that historic final however, Chelsea’s interest waned and they are no longer in the front-running to sign Torres. It seemed that a lack of form, coupled by frequent long-term injuries caused Ancelotti and his troops to turn their focus elsewhere. One has to wonder, if Torres has netted 5 or 6 goals and played more of an integral part in Spain’s triumph, would he still be a Liverpool player as we speak? This also causes me to believe that Manchester City would only sign Torres as a last possible option, and with the money knocking around at Eastlands this summer, that situation looks unlikely to occur. I wonder if Manchester City fans would be happy for their club to spill out £40-50mill to bring an out-of-form, injury-prone striker to their club when the money could be used on a much fitter, much happier player? Perhaps they would, and perhaps Roberto Mancini would be that ruthless, but with the news that City have to ship out at least 12 players before the transfer window closes, and with James Milner and Mario Balotelli likely to arrive at Eastlands in the near future, I should think Torres is last on Mancini’s list of priorities.

As well as the question of fitness and form comes the question of game-time. I’ve raised the point in the past regarding James Milner’s potential decision to join City, and whether he would become a regular member of Mancini’s side. In my view, Milner’s role at the club would be as a squad player, someone who will occupy the substitute’s bench until injuries and suspensions started to clock up, and only then would he get his chance to perform. The same goes for Torres. Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor will be very hard to shunt, whilst David Silva and Mario Balotelli are just two of the other potential attacking options Mancini will have at his disposal. Of course, there is the obvious attraction of money, and Torres would be offered a substantial amount. However, surely Torres would be more content at playing week-in-week-out (providing he’s fully fit) for a club that worships him like a god, and gives him a fairly decent wage despite Liverpool’s much-publicised financial troubles. I would hope so being a Torres and a Liverpool fan. If he wants regular football and an adoring fanbase, Liverpool is the place for him.

The problem at the moment is the constant lack of certainty surrounding the Spaniard and Liverpool Football Club as a whole. Roy Hodgson is still waiting for Torres to commit himself, or not as the case may be, to the club, and until he does just that, it’s difficult for the new Anfield boss to make his plans and bring in a couple of new faces. There is also the small matter of the transfer fee that Torres would require, which I’ve already mentioned would be in excess of £40-50mill. With none of that money to work with just yet, Hodgson can’t act to bring in a high-quality replacement for Torres, or indeed fill in a couple of the positions that need strengthening before the big kick-off on August 15th. As much as I understand Fernando has a big decision to make, still being unsure two-and-a-half weeks before the season begins isn’t an ideal situation for the manager. However, it is also due to the length of time Torres has taken to make his mind up that I believe his final decision will be to stay at Liverpool. If he desperately wanted to leave the club, he would have at least made it clear that was his ambitious. In fact, he probably still wouldn’t be with us today, and I think that tells a lot about his feeling and love for the fans of the club. Whilst he’s voiced his concerns over the treatment of some of the players, including himself, during the Rafael Benitez regime, he’s always had a special affection for the Anfield faithful, and vice versa. Hopefully that will be enough to keep Torres at Liverpool.

If it isn’t, then there’s always the ideas and plans that Roy Hodgson is putting in place at his new club. Through the transfer of Joe Cole, Hodgson has already persuaded Steven Gerrard that his future lies at his beloved local club, and the 62-year old will be praying that it will have the same affect on his influential talisman. Last season, the support to Torres was nothing more than average, with the likes of Dirk Kuyt, Lucas and even Gerrard himself not delivering the goods as expected. Not only with the signing of Joe Cole, but also with the arrival of Serbian international Milan Jovanovic, plus the potential deal to bring Rafael van der Vaart to the club may be enough to keep Torres on Merseyside, and ultimately get Liverpool back into the top four and challenging for honours again.

So there you are Liverpool fans, don’t worry about a thing. For the aforementioned reasons, I believe Fernando Torres will remain a Liverpool player for the foreseeable future, and our wonderful club will be in great shape to get back amongst the Chelsea’s and Manchester United’s of this world next season. You’ll never walk alone!

Who is the greatest manager of all time?

Chelsea central defender and Real Madrid target Ricardo Carvalho has stated his desire to join up with former-boss Jose Mourinho at the Santiago Bernabeu. Carvalho also described Mourinho as the "greatest manager in the history of football". This got me thinking. Who is the greatest manager ever?

Below are the four men I consider to be among the best of the best in football management, and now it's your chance to vote for your favourite. The poll will be closed when votes stop coming in, and the winner will have the honour of being named Article 2010's greatest ever manager!

(If you vote for 'none of the above', please state your own choice in the comment box).

Who is the greatest manager of all time? Jose Mourinho Sir Alex Ferguson Sir Alf Ramsey Brian Clough None of the above View results

(If preferred, you can vote at wdkf.co.uk)

Can Manchester City win the League or is it a case of too many cooks?

Yaya Toure is one of Roberto Mancini's superstar signings this summer

I’m certainly not the first person to start a discussion as to whether Manchester City will be good enough to challenge for the Premier League title this season, nor will I be the last. Until it is mathematically impossible, and until either Chelsea or Manchester United lift their 4th or 12th respective trophies, people won’t stop debating. Even then attentions will turn to the 2011/2012 season and whether City can strengthen their squad and push for honours again. Since the high-profile takeover of the club in 2007, the days of questioning City’s credentials as a Premier League club are long gone, and mid-table expectancies are a distant memory. The talk has now switched to top four, Champions League, and champions of England. Last season City came ever so close to breaching the once unbreachable ‘big four’, that thanks to Liverpool no longer exists. It’s now the ‘big three and whoever else is good enough to join them’, but unfortunately for City, last season belonged to Tottenham, and it will be Harry Redknapp’s side that will have the chance to compete with Barcelona and Inter Milan in Europe’s biggest competition.

Whilst it’s extremely possible that Manchester City can go one better this season, I’m still unconvinced that they are potential challengers to Chelsea and their Manchester rivals. Of course, every Manchester City fan and follower will tell you that they have as good a chance as anyone. That’s what they’d like to believe. However, life is divided into two types of people; The idealists and the realists. I have the feeling that every one of those City fans falls into the idealist bracket, and the reality is they are still not a team capable of putting together a serious march to the summit of the Premier League. Indeed, it is a fantastic time for Manchester City and their fans. It’s a very exciting period in their history as a football club and they have every right to be ambitious, optimistic, and idealistic. I’m not here to be an ideal. I’m here to be real.

City’s spending this season has been typically outlandish. Yaya Toure, Jerome Boateng, David Silva and now Aleksandr Kolarov have arrived at Eastlands in big money deals, and you wouldn’t bet on them stopping there. James Milner and Landon Donovan are two other potential signings that could add to the sizeable roster City already have on their books. Those are some fantastic names I’ve just mentioned, and some superb footballers. They arrive at the club with huge reputations to live up to, and face the challenge of integrating into a side that isn’t all too familiar with each other. There’s my problem. The Premier League consists of 38 matches, each of which nowadays is a solid obstacle to defeat. 38 matches is a lot of time for a team to be found out, and for weaknesses to start showing. 38 matches divides the teams from the individuals, and at this stage of their rapid progression as a football club, Manchester City are not yet a fully functional, well-oiled unit. They are a squad made up a number of individual stars, who on their own terms are good enough to play for anyone. Football isn’t an individual sport. It’s not tennis, it’s not golf. It’s a team game. Yes, it may all sound very cliché, but so be it. These are the facts.

You may argue that a 5th-place finish last season was a fantastic effort from a side I’m branding as not yet a team. Nevertheless, you would expect 5th place as a minimum for a team consisting of the likes of Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor, Robinho and the rest. To better a 5th-place finish is a monumental task, one which City fans shouldn’t take for granted. I may well be very wrong come the end of the season, but analysing City’s situation at this stage, I would say I won’t be. It takes time for foreign players to adjust to the ‘English way’, and to adapt to the infamous pace of the Premier League. It takes double the time to settle into a team that has not played a great deal of games together, especially when 4 or 5 players arrive at the same time. In a 38-game season, you cannot afford to miss out on 6 or 7 games through the need to gel and bond as a team, especially when your priorities lie at the top. Pre-season friendlies are designed to give the players a chance to do exactly that, but with City bringing in a player a week at the moment, it isn’t an easy task. Having seen the highlights of their first friendly of the campaign against Sporting Lisbon in New York, it is evident that a lot of work needs to be done, and whilst I understand that pre-season friendlies are a useful tool to scrape all the rust off and get the mistakes out of the way, time is ticking before the Premier League season kicks off, and the pressure is on Roberto Mancini and his troops to make sure they are in the best possible frame, both physically and tactically, to make their much expected challenge for the title.

Having assessed what may prove to be the downfall of Manchester City this season, I cannot escape what has to be the catalyst for what they hope to be is their best ever Premier League season. That catalyst would be the strength-in-depth that they clearly possess, a tool that comes to be very useful in football today. With so many matches in a season, particularly with increased European and cup participation, to have 3 or 4 players who can play in every position is a real luxury, and whilst some teams may struggle with that aspect of their dynamics, City have the guarantee that they’re progress won’t be slowed by injuries and suspensions. At least, it is their’s to throw away. If used correctly and at the right times, then silverware is a very realistic objective. If neglected and if Roberto Mancini sees no benefit in using his whole quota of players, Champions League possibilities could slip away.

Shay Given and Joe Hart are two top-class goalkeepers who should enjoy a hefty tussle for the number 1 jersey throughout the next 12 months or so. Micah Richards, Nedum Onuoha, Pablo Zabaleta and Jerome Boateng should keep each other occupied in the full-back slots, whilst Wayne Bridge will have to fight off new signing Kolarov for the left-back berth. Vincent Kompany, Kolo Toure, Joleon Lescott and Dedryck Boyata are all contenders to play at the heart of the defence, meaning that Mancini has at least 10 defensive options at his disposal. The Italian also has his fair share of options on the wings with Silva, Bellamy, Wright-Phillips and Adam Johnson in the mix, plus youngster Vladimir Weiss who may well find himself loaned out of Eastlands for a second consecutive season.

With the arrival of Yaya Toure, Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry will be kept on their toes, whilst Stephen Ireland, Michael Johnson and Patrick Vieira will be used in a more box-to-box role. Up-front, the City fans have the joy of watching Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor and Jo ply their trade, leaving Roque Santa Cruz to twiddle his thumbs and ultimately look for another club. His injury-corrupted career has done him no favours in the scheme of things at City.

So, there’s a lot to choose from for Mancini, who will have his work cut out to keep everyone happy at City. Still, he’d rather that than have a small group of unmotivated players on his hands, and how he deals with a first team squad containing more than 35 players will be the key to any success City will have this season.

What do we think folks? Are they living in dream land or is it plausible to say they’ll be the new name engraved on the Premier League trophy in May 2011?

New decade, new era for Manchester United, but what exactly will the future hold for the next generation?

Danny Welbeck is one of the many bright talents looking to make the break into the United first team

  

With another season on the horizon, and teams up and down the country gearing up for what they hope will be a successful season in their respective divisions, I investigate whether Manchester United's dominance in the Premier League in the last decade is at risk with a number of ageing stars reaching the end of their tether.

Manchester United's success since England's top division was re-branded the Premier League has been in no small part down to the contributions of the generation that produced Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville. Arguably, the introduction of Giggs was the kickstart for what would be a remarkable period in the history of Manchester United. Upon Giggs' breakthrough from the youth ranks in 1990, and having not won a major trophy since Sir Alex Ferguson's appointment in 1986, United started to turn the table. Not only had United not won anything since lifting the FA Cup in '86, but Sir Alex's search for a left winger since Jesper Olsen departed in '88 had been more difficult than he would have hoped. The impact Giggs was to have, therefore, was more significant than it may seem. He came into a side during a barren spell of success as United's big hope and a player that would be expected to play a part in regaining United's status as a major force in English football.

At the very same time, Paul Scholes was still making his way through the various ranks at youth team level, before joining United as a trainee in 1991. He didn't turn professional until 1993, and with United now back to their customary winning ways, he found it difficult to emerge as a recognised first team player. Indeed, it took him the best part of a season to force his way into Sir Alex's plans, and he made a long-awaited debut in a 2-1 victory over Port Vale in a League Cup encounter in September 1994. He also managed to play a small part in the FA Cup final that very same season, coming off the bench against Everton in a match United lost 1-0. However, thanks to the departure of Mark Hughes who made the much disdained move to Chelsea, Scholes was to make his first impact as a United player the next season.

Whereas Giggs was responsible for catalysing a new era of success at Old Trafford during the early 1990's, one may say that Scholes consolidated and supported that position. Together, Giggs and Scholes developed a partnership that would prove to make up one of the greatest midfield combinations, certainly in Premier League history. Of course, Roy Keane and David Beckham were the two other pieces that slotted into that particular jigsaw.

Over a decade on from the early days of Giggs and Scholes and United are farming through a new generation of starlets. However, as the Premier League continues to grow in stature and with competition amongst clubs as fierce as ever, can United's new breed be as effective and influential as Messrs. Giggs and Scholes were in the '90's?

We have seen a glimpse of what United's youngsters have to offer, with brief cameos from players such as Federico Macheda and Danny Welbeck in the last 12 to 18 months. There is quite obviously a great deal of talent there, something that can be developed and matured through the transition into the first team. What the aforementioned names and their teenage counterparts have in their favour is the opportunity to learn from the likes of Scholes, Giggs, and Gary Neville, something that generally speeds up the maturing process. Whilst that trio of United greats is nearing the end of their respective careers and beginning to think about what comes next, their value and influence on the team today is still vital in ensuring United's transition into a new era is as smooth and positive as possible. Very often, sports teams fail to inhabit change correctly, and it is extremely easy to fall down the ladder and drop into the sporting abyss for the next 20 to 30 years. A perfect example of that would be the West Indian cricket team, who are a shadow of the force they were in the mid-20th century when superstars such as Sir Garfield Sobers and Sir Viv Richards were gracing the cricket scene.

The difference between the change of today and the change of yesteryear is the success that United have experienced inbetween. As I mentioned, when Ryan Giggs began his blossoming United career 19 years ago, the shelves in the Old Trafford trophy cabinets have become a little dusty. Now, trophies arrive at the Theatre of Dreams as regularly as Wayne Rooney appears on the back page of the tabloids. The challenge for Danny Welbeck and co. is to slot into a fully functioning unit and ensure that the process of winning trophies and challenging for the title is not halted. Unfortunately for United, Sir Alex Ferguson is also reaching the end of his journey as the longest-serving United manager in history, and being one of the world's greatest man-managers and tacticians, the men behind the scenes will have one hell of a job on their hands to find a replacement capable of carrying on the work that Fergie leaves behind. However, being Manchester United, you can't help but feel that they simply will find that man.

The modern way is to send your young guns out on loan to clubs in a lower division, in order to give them the chance to experience what competitive first team football is all about. It's all very well turning out for the reserves and youth teams week in week out, but there's no substitute for the real thing. Fergie has recently said that he would like Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley to get some first team action under their belts, and you can't think it will be too long before a Championship club comes calling for their ability.

Many of United's Premier League counterparts can only look on in awe at the talent of some of the players they hold in their academy sides, but sometimes talent alone isn't good enough. Being a Liverpool fan I will be very interested to see how United cope through their transition in the next 4 or 5 years, whether those players dubbed the next Rooney and the next Giggs can become exactly that, or if the weight of expectation and challenge of the ever-progressing Premier League will be too much for them to handle. Of course, every side in the world has to go through periods like this, and some will be more successful than others. Being the club that they are, you have to feel that Manchester United's progression in the next few years will be more successful than others, and whilst it's easy for me to say that there may be a few stumbling blocks along the way, history suggests that United will do just fine, and those stumbling blocks will prove to be nothing more than the inevitable learning curve that every player experiences in their career.

Hodgson adds Scottish star to summer spending

Roy Hodgson has backed up the signing of England international Joe Cole by bringing in 18-year old Rangers centre-half Danny Wilson. The deal to sign the Scottish starlet is reported to be an initial £2mill with future incentives taking the total sum up to £5mill.

It has been a fantastic 10 months for Wilson, who made his debut for Rangers in the League Cup against Dundee United in October 2009. He also became Rangers’ youngest ever European representative when he started a game against Unirea Urziceni in the Champions League at the age of 17 years and 312 days.

That was just the start of things for Wilson, who in a superb debut season went on to win the Scottish Football Writer’s Young Player of the Year, Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year and Rangers’ Supporters Young Player of the Year awards. Such accolades clearly alerted the attentions of the big guns such as Liverpool, who showed interest in the versatile defender when Rafael Benitez was still in charge. Despite Benitez’s departure, the Reds continued their interest in Wilson and will now make him their 2nd British signing of the summer subject to a medical.

Cole signing sparks renewed optimism on Merseyside

Joe Cole has already been a great lift to Liverpool

Joe Cole's unexpected venture into the realms of Liverpool Football Club has got the Reds' fans drooling at the prospect, but whilst there is renewed optimism and hope surrounding Liverpool 24 hours on, there is no hiding the fact that Cole alone will not be enough for Liverpool to challenge for honours again this forthcoming season.

When a club makes a signing as exciting and beneficial as this particular transfer, it is easy for people to forget that it takes 11 to tango on a football pitch, and whilst I will join the thousands of Liverpool fans out there in saying that this is an extremely positive move, I will also warn people of the frailty of the rest of the squad. On paper, at least, Liverpool look much stronger going forward, thanks not only to the arrival of Cole, but also to the signature of Serbian international Milan Jovanovic, a player brought to the club by Rafa Benitez. Time will tell as to whether Rafa's last foray into the transfer market at Liverpool was a profitable or a questionable one, but for the time being I am content with Jovanovic as a Liverpool man.

All of a sudden, with the scribble of one name on a piece of paper, and the addition of one more pair of boots in the dressing room, there appear to be so many more options in attack. Cole is a very versatile player, as is Jovanovic for that matter. They can both play wide left, or in behind the striker, who is of course Fernando Torres. Indeed, Torres had a very disappointing World Cup in South Africa, culminating in yet another muscle tear in the final minutes of the final in Johannesburg. However, with support from Cole, Jovanovic and of course Steven Gerrard, perhaps it'll be easier than first feared for Torres to re-capture the form that has made him such a hero on the terraces at Anfield. Jovanovic himself can lead the line if for whatever reason Torres is unavailable for selection, and with Javier Mascherano, Lucas and Alberto Aquilani all in the running for the central midfield positions, there's plenty to choose from for new manager Roy Hodgson.

However, I'm going to let go of the positives for a second and take a look at the positions Hodgson should be most concerned about. Firstly, we have no senior left-back. Stephen Darby is the only realistic option for that position, and you certainly wouldn't sacrifice Daniel Agger's aerial ability, nor his defensive prowess to stick him out in unfamiliar territory, as Benitez did towards the end of last season, to little effect. The release of Fabio Aurelio, and the sale of Emiliano Insua to Fiorentina leaves Hodgson deprived of ideas in that area of the field, and one feels he will have to do a lot of work in the transfer market to bring in a suitable replacement for the aforementioned names. Former Tottenham and current Switzerland full-back Reto Ziegler has emerged as the latest candidate for the role, whilst Marseille's Taye Taiwo is another name that has been mentioned. Of course, it is still far too early in the transfer window to make any definitive suggestions, but it seems most likely that one of those two will be a Liverpool player come August 14th, and the opening Premier League fixture against Arsenal at Anfield.

Clearly, filling the left-back void vacated by Aurelio and Insua must be a priority, and I am also concerned about the opposite side of the defence, occupied currently by Glen Johnson, who didn't exactly set the world alight in South Africa this Summer. For too long, he has been branded a player who is excellent going forward, but vulnerable in defence. That has to change. For Liverpool to be a challenging force again in the Premier League, as well as in Europe don't forget, we have to have an unbreachable defence and I don't believe Glen Johnson to be the player to ensure that happens. Bringing in a player that is more adept and secure in the defensive third would offer Roy Hodgson the luxury of shoring up the backline and preventing the big teams from causing the same sort of problems that they did last season.

Finally, a second striker and therefore a potential partner for Fernando Torres is a necessity, and something that I know Roy Hodgson is setting his priorities for. Loic Remy, the France and Nice striker is a strong link at the moment, although with a bid already on the table from West Ham, and further interest from Tottenham, it is anybody's guess as to where Remy will end up this season. What is obvious is that no team can win trophies with just one top-class striker in their ranks. Defoe, Pavlyuchenko and Crouch at Tottenham. Rooney, Berbatov and Hernandez at Manchester United. Tevez and Adebayor at Manchester City. These are the big teams, and these are the teams Liverpool need to be challenging in the 2010/11 season. With one striker, it's not going to happen. Two strikers is essential.

I'm a huge fan of Joe Cole, both on the pitch and off it. I think he'll be a star at Liverpool and I'm sure he'll become a fans favourite as quickly as Torres became when he first arrived in England. However, I'm still concerned about Liverpool as a squad, and I hope that the areas I have pinpointed in this article will be addressed by Roy Hodgson sooner or later and Liverpool can set about their mission to break back in to the top 4 this season.

Roy Hodgson - The perfect man for the job or a cheap way out?

Is there a single country Roy Hodgson hasn’t managed in? Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, England, Denmark, Norway, Finland and the United Arab Emirates. It’s fair to say that he’s clocked up his share of air miles throughout his 34-year managerial career, but what the Liverpool faithful really want to see is a mounting number of trophies in the cabinets at the Anfield museum. Is Roy Hodgson the man to deliver?

Lets be realistic about this. He has been appointed as Liverpool manager because of his achievements with Fulham FC, particularly in the last couple of years. A 7th-place finish in the 2008/09 season was rewarded with a place in the newly-named Europa League, although with their first qualifier coming as early as July 30th last year, it seemed to be more of a burden than a reward. However, despite playing an extraordinary amount of games, and finishing the season in mid-May, Hodgson managed to guide the Cottagers to the final of the Europa League, where they narrowly lost out to a strong Atletico Madrid side. At the same time, he had the motivation and tactical prowess to ensure that Fulham did not sacrifice their Premier League campaign for a long run in Europe. A 12th-place finish represented an outstanding all-round season for the boys from West London.

However, having arguably never been the boss of a club with the same expectations and history as Liverpool FC, it is unclear as to whether he will be up to the task. At Inter Milan, Hodgson was brought in to oversee a rebuilding process, and led the Italian giants to the UEFA Cup final and 3rd place in his 2nd and last season with the club. This particular achievement, coupled with his time at Fulham, leads me to believe that the Liverpool job could not have gone to a more apt individual.

Many people will disagree with my point of view, which is fine, but I’d insist one thing. Don’t be sceptical. Before Hodgson’s arrival, Fulham were a very mediocre outfit. Arguably, they still are, with very few big-name or big-reputation players. They are a side made up of grafters and battlers, and perhaps not the best technicians on the planet, with the odd exception of course. Danny Murphy and Zoltan Gera would have something to say about that. Nevertheless, with the financial backing of Mohamed Al-Fayed, Fulham would say that they were the Premier League’s big underachievers. Hodgson arrived with Fulham in the mire and more than half an eye on the drop. His job was very similar to what was expected of him at Inter Milan, and he delivered the goods once again. After a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Roy Keane’s Sunderland, Hodgson was left to contemplate what was a likely relegation, and was almost reduced to tears in his post-match press conference. However, after winning their first away fixture in 34 attempts against Reading, Fulham went on to win 3 of their remaining 4 games to retain their Premier League survival. The rest, they say, is history.

Whilst Liverpool are far from being relegation candidates, and whilst expectations are far higher than those of Fulham’s back in 2007, they are a club slipping down the Premier League ladder, both in terms of finance and in terms of their on-the-pitch performances. Due to this, the expectations have dropped slightly, and the main focus now is to make sure that the slide is halted and the big money-spenders of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur don’t shove the Reds completely off the radar indefinitely.

Despite all the obvious optimism I have shown since his appointment was confirmed, I am still fully aware that the quality of players Liverpool have at their disposal is not good enough to mount a title challenge or even a bid to break back in to the ‘big four’. There are too many players at the club who lack the quality to compete with the two Manchester clubs and the clubs in the capital. A lot of money, which Liverpool don’t have, needs to be spent, and needs to be spent fast in order to build a squad which does look capable of getting back in amongst the big boys.

Hodgson’s record in the transfer market is pretty impressive. Upon joining Fulham, he strengthened their squad with a number of players, including Brede Hangeland, who proved to be influential in their eventual survival, and I’m hoping he can do the same for Liverpool on a different level. The chances are he’ll be given a relatively poultry transfer budget, and I just hope that he can spot the odd bargain or two and get rid of the dead wood in the ranks. Money gained from player sales could be very important in relation to who he brings in this summer. Lets just hope he doesn’t take Bobby Zamora with him. That’s the last thing we need.

I backed Rafa at the start of his tenure on Merseyside, and he delivered for a time. So now I’m going to back Roy, and until he proves me wrong, I will continue to do just that. The important thing that Liverpool fans need to understand is that it will take a bit of time for Hodgson to get Liverpool back on track in the Premier League and in Europe, and I’ll be praying that if Tom Hicks and George Gillett fail to sell the club soon, they give him sufficient time to work his magic with a very weak team.

Liverpool get their man: Hodgson to be announced as new boss this week

Liverpool sure know how to draw out a deal. As if the impending transfer of Serbian international Milan Jovanovic hasn’t gone on long enough, we’ve now had to endure the deal to bring Roy Hodgson to Anfield for the best part of 2 months. It’s been on, it’s been off, it’s been confirmed, it’s been denied. But now, with great pride and satisfaction, I can confirm that Roy Hodgson will be named as Rafael Benitez’s successor this week, or even by the end of today according to Liverpool FC.

Hodgson completed a wonderful three years at Craven Cottage by guiding Fulham into the Europa League final last season, ahead of European giants Juventus, reigning champions Shakhtar Donetsk and German champions Wolfsburg. He also established Fulham as a mighty tough Premier League side, finishing a record 7th place in the 2008/09 season before securing a mid-table slot last campaign, a superb effort considering the amount of games they had to play both domestically and in the continent.

The 62-year old topped a shortlist that also involved ex-Real Madrid boss Manuel Pellegrini, Galatasaray’s Frank Rijkaard and Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish, whose job it was, along with Managing Director Christian Purslow, to hunt down and appoint the right man for the job. Dalglish is now involved in the youth development side of the club, but was a strong favourite to be put in charge, prior to Hodgson’s arrival.

Mike Kelly, goalkeeping coach and Hodgson’s no.2 at Fulham, is expected to join up with the man who has managed the likes of Inter Milan, Bristol City and United Arab Emirates in his very successful career.

So, what do we think Liverpool fans? Is this the right move for the club? Is Roy Hodgson the man to take Liverpool back into the Champions League and get them challenging for honours again? Let me know what you think.

World Cup kitchen: Quarter-final no.1

We’re through to the quarter-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and whilst the football itself is getting exceedingly tasty, I’ve come up with an idea that will alert your taste buds even more.

Some people choose to fly their nation’s flag outside their bedroom windows. Others smear on face paint and slip into their favourite replica kits. However, the most committed World Cup fans out there will choose a more original and enjoyable idea to spice up their enjoyment of the World Cup finals.

For each of the 8 teams left in this year’s competition, I’ll be giving you an idea of what you could prepare in the kitchen in order to show your real support to the likes of Argentina, Germany and Ghana.

The first quarter-final will be contested between Holland and Brazil on Friday afternoon.

The Netherlands – Bruine bonen soup (brown bean soup)

A Dutch dietary staple, brown bean soup is nutritious, filling and easy to make. A great, simple meal that the whole family can enjoy infront of the television set whilst watching your favourite Dutch players do their stuff. It is accompanied well by buttered brown bread and a side order of Robin van Persie, Wesley Sneijder, and Dirk Kuyt. Not only that, but it matches the colours of the Dutch team as well! As if you couldn’t get enough orange already.

Recipe:
- In a large soup pot fry bacon in butter. Add shallots, carrot, leek and some ground paprika. Mix well before adding beans, tomato puree, stock and bay leaves.
- Bring the soup to the boil and then turn down the heat to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
- Season with salt, pepper, and Worcester sauce and then blitz the soup half-smooth.
- Add some celery leaves right before serving.
- Voila!

V

Brazil – Caruru de Camarao (shrimp and okra gumbo)

It may look a little suspect but don’t be put off by this delicious shrimp and okra gumbo, made with… Well… Shrimp and okra (fresh or frozen). Be sure to throw in some rice as well to complete a perfect lunchtime or dinnertime meal to match the mouth-watering prospect of Robinho and Kaka. The sauce is made out of manioc, a traditional Brazilian plant and can be found in very few supermarkets in this country. As a result, use a manioc substitute which could be anything from Hollandaise sauce to mayonnaise as far as I’m concerned.

Recipe:
- Boil the okra for 3 minutes, then drain immediately.
- Stir the manioc substitute into 2 cups of fish stock. Bring to the boil and cook whilst stirring, for 3 minutes.
- In a separate pan, saute some onion and garlic into olive oil until soft. Add the shrimp and saute until pink. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir the stock and manioc substitute into the pan with the onions and shrimp. Add the okra and stir until heated through.
- Serve, eat, enjoy.

So, who will you be supporting on Friday afternoon, and which delicious delicacy takes your fancy? Go on, give it a try!

(I shall not be held responsible for any food-related illness sustained after the consumption of either of these two dishes).

Is the modern Brazilian method the perfect way of playing football?

Brazil are the winners of a record five World Cups. They are the undoubted kings of football, and they produce what we like to call ‘special’ players. In an age in which the formation is a vital part of the game, I investigate whether the Brazilian way is the perfect strategy to be the best.

The Brazilian public are very proud people. They love football more than life itself and they value their national team as a jeweller would value their pearls. As a result, they wish and long to see the brand of football that made the Brazil of the 20th century so enterprising to watch. They seek a repeat of the era that brought the world Pele, Tostao, Rivelino, Jairzinho and so on. Unfortunately, the realism is that football works in generations. One generation may bring an extraordinarily good team, whilst the next may not be so fulfilling or rewarding for that same team. In the same way, one generation’s way of playing may prove more successful than the next, and therefore football has to change with the times. Whilst the Brazil of 1958 or 1970 brought such fluidity and grace to the football world, today’s Brazil is a seemingly different entity.

Those people who remember Brazil’s victorious 1994 squad will know only too well that Dunga was the inspiration behind the whole show that saw Canarinho lift their 4th global trophy. His dogged attitude, tireless work ethic and outstanding leadership qualities may not be at all characteristic of a Brazilian footballer, but having witnessed the class of 2010 dominate in this year’s World Cup, it may be clear to some that those characteristics have rubbed off a little on his current crop of stars.

I don’t need to tell you that Fabio Capello has come under much fire from the media and the England fans regarding his choice of formation and his overall approach to the match against Germany, in particular. a 4-4-2 strategy was dubbed naive by some, out-of-date by others, and completely flawed by all. Dunga, on the other hand, has not only shown Capello and co. that football has moved on from the days of the standard 4-4-2 formation, but has all but perfected the more modern approach of 4-2-3-1.

The 1994 Brazil were the first team in my lifetime to employ such a strategy, and whilst some may question whether it is too negative or if it is entirely necessary to play with two anchor men in the midfield, you can’t argue with a strategy that came to be so successful. Back then, Captain Dunga was partnered by Mauro Silva in front of a centre-back partnership of Marcio Santos and Aldair. This gave solid protection against the threat of the ‘trequartista’, a position now commonly known as the ‘playmaker’ role. This protection meant that the fullbacks were allowed far more freedom to bomb forward down the wings and support attacking moves. In 1994, Brazil had Cafu and Jorginho to do exactly that, and after Jorginho retired, in stepped Roberto Carlos to do the same job. Cafu and Roberto Carlos were regarded as two of the best fullbacks to have ever graced the Brazilian game, and they were fundamental to the success Brazil enjoyed leading up to and during the 2002 World Cup finals in East Asia. However, would this have been possible without the use of the anchor men, and would a different strategy have restricted Cafu and Roberto Carlos’ freedom going forward?

If we fast forward to today, Dunga has adopted the very same style that saw him lift the World Cup 16 years ago, and as of now, it has been extremely effective. Lucio and Juan, the two centre-halfs, are contrasting in style but equal in effect, a difference that means they compliment each other very well. Juan is very much an old-fashioned central defender, a player who is not afraid to hit the big challenges and put his body on the line. Lucio is what is known as a ‘footballing centre-half’, someone who looks to start the forward movement from the back with either simple 10-yard passes into the midfield, or long, flat bullets up towards the front man and out to the wings. He is comfortable in possession, and is quick enough to recover when Brazil have lost the ball. England have seeked a player like that for a very long time, and we thought we’d found the answer in Rio Ferdinand. Unfortunately for us though, Lucio is everything Rio Ferdinand tries and fails to be.

Maicon and Michel Bastos are today’s Cafu and Jorginho, and whilst Cafu is widely thought of as the best, Maicon is rapidly becoming a very similar entity. His pigeon-toed technique is very reminiscent of Roberto Carlos, who of course patrolled the opposite flank, and his sporadic darts forward are as effective as Roberto Carlos as well. Michel Bastos still has some way to go to match the quality of a Cafu or a Roberto Carlos, or even a Maicon, but with time and experience, he will turn into a mighty fine player.

With such a rigid heart, made up by the aggressive Felipe Melo and the unflappable Gilberto Silva, the more dynamic and creative players are allowed total freedom to do what they do best. Playmakers such as Kaka and Robinho have the knowledge that they are well protected behind the ball, and they have the ability to make sure that they use the ball in the best possible way. They are supported by Luis Fabiano, a tall, strong striker who is equally adept at holding the ball up as he is at beating players and scoring superb goals. Once again, the silky skills of Robinho, Kaka, Nilmar, Daniel Alves and the rest are perfectly balanced out by the physical prowess of Luis Fabiano, or going back to 2002, Ronaldo. In comparison to the 4-4-2 and England’s use of that particular formation, there is more creativity, more originality, more flexibility and more protection in the defensive 3rd. In a 4-4-2 it is very easy for either one of the central midfielders to forget their defensive duties, exemplified by the Lampard-Gerrard combination of recent times. Even with one anchor man, Gareth Barry, England and the 4-4-2 were vulnerable to the counter-attack and outnumbered by a 5-man midfield. The reason England conceded 4 times against Germany, and Brazil have conceded just twice in the whole tournament, is simply the numbers that the respective sides have in defence. If we take an attacking corner as an example, England would very often have just 2 back, with both centre-halfs and one fullback pushed forward, leaving just the other fullback and Gareth Barry to guard against the break. Indeed, Brazil would send both Lucio and Juan forward for the corner, but would leave both fullbacks and at least one anchor man back to defend any potential counter-attack. You don’t have to be a genius to realise that one system is far more effective than the other, and that is the reason England are on the plane home, and Brazil are in the quarter-finals.

It was a naive and clearly unsuccessful use of an outdated system by England, whilst Brazil have adopted a far more effective and modern way of playing the game. Of course, there will be the odd flaw, and when Brazil come up against a team such as Argentina, then their so-far unbreakable defensive 6 will be tested to the max. The Brazilian public may not be too impressed by such a strategy, but sure enough if Brazil go on to lift their 6th World Cup trophy, they will soon be converts to what I believe is the closest thing to the perfect way of playing football.

Time to enjoy some proper football

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the World Cup, because England are out!

Sure, it was exciting during all the build up and hype, and yes, I guess I was overly optimistic about England's chances, but that's what the World Cup is all about. We build our lads up, say they can win the whole thing, and expect exactly that. When it goes wrong we slaughter them and they become the country's most wanted. But now that it's over, I think we should be breathing a sigh of relief, and not getting caught up in the inevitable post-tournament anger.

Lets face it, England are crap. So why dwell on it? Lets just enjoy watching the Brazilians (not just the birds), Argentinians, Spaniards, Chileans, and even the bloody Slovaks, teach us how football should really be played. Lets forget how bad England are at the game we invented, the game we brought to the world, and lets remember that we can always move abroad if we get fed up with Steven Gerrard's extremely annoying voice and Ashley and Cheryl's on-off relationship.

In all honesty, watching England is as painful as spending 90 minutes sat on a barbed wire fence. There's really no need for it. Watching Argentina is far more beautiful and calming than cheering on our own nation will ever be, so what the heck, go crazy and buy a vuvuzela, slip a sombrero on your head, and hire a couple of dancing girls. Get into the real spirit of the World Cup, and forget all about how ugly we make the beautiful game look.

Woeful England thrashed in heaviest ever World Cup defeat

Frank Lampard's effort clearly crossed the line but the referee and his officials failed to see it

Put your hands up now if you were one of the millions of deluded people who believed England could win the World Cup.

We thought a dismal display and 0-0 stalemate with Algeria was the lowest of all lows, and it is clear that a good performance and result against the smallest nation in the World Cup, Slovenia, acted as a smokescreen to the reality that England were indeed a very poor side. Optimism and positivity were rife at the start of what the whole of England hoped would be a day to remember. Anger and disappointment are the overriding feelings now.

The story is simple. England were atrocious and Germany took complete advantage of the lack of pace and naivety that was so evident in the England defence. John Terry, apparently one of the best defenders in world football, was made to look distinctly village, not to insult the millions of Sunday League footballers that play with heart and belief week-in-week-out for their club sides. Matthew Upson faired no better, and with one of the World Cup's greatest ever goalscorers leading the line for Germany, there was only going to be one outcome. What Michael Dawson has done wrong to warrant a place on the substitutes' bench behind Upson is beyond me.

Whilst the likes of Spain and Argentina have their problems in defence, they don't look anywhere near as vulnerable as the English back-line looked against Klose, Podolski, Muller and co. The reason being; The aforementioned nations have picked players who are in form, and doing the business for their club teams. Carlos Puyol won La Liga with Barcelona last season, as did Gerard Pique. Sergio Ramos had a super season at the Bernabeu for Real Madrid. Argentina have Martin Demichelis, a Champions League finalist and Bundesliga winner, at the heart of their defence. To make a comparison with England's defensive options, they're about as far apart in terms of quality and form as Burnley and Chelsea were last season. Ever since the rumours regarding John Terry's personal life conspired, the Chelsea captain has not been the same player. He seems to have lost a great deal of pace, his reactions are slower, and his ability as a natural winner is completely absent. Indeed, Michael Dawson possesses all those qualities in abundance. He's had a fantastic season at White Hart Lane, almost single-handidly getting them into the Champions League with his late-season performances, and he's a far quicker player than John Terry is.

Matthew Upson has had an awful season at Upton Park, not just because of the under-par league position that the Hammers managed to achieve. His performances have been scratchy to say the least, and he's another player who has absolutely no acceleration or pace whatsoever. Therefore, playing Terry and Upson together against a team like Germany, the kings of the counter-attack, is a flawed idea. To play one of them would be a risk, but both in the same game is a disaster waiting to happen.

Due to the central defensive frailties that caused England so many problems throughout their short stay in South Africa, Glen Johnson and Ashley Cole have had their work cut out to cover the back line. Whereas Cole has performed admirably, Johnson has looked a shadow of the player that enticed Liverpool to pay £17m for him at the beginning of last season. It's much precedented that going forward Johnson is a useful entity, but when it comes to the defensive side of the game, questions need to be asked. Unfortunately for England in this tournament, he's been very ineffective in both thirds of the field. He's been clumsy in the tackle, poor on the ball, lacklustre in his attempts to thwart the opposition's attacking moves, and generally very poor in every circumstance. However, what Johnson didn't do in any of the 4 matches, Ashley Cole did do to a degree.

As much as I dislike the man, it pains me to say that he is one of 3 or 4 players who can genuinely hold their heads high and say that they did their part to help the team. In particular against Slovenia, Cole's forward runs and ambition proved to be one area where England benefited. He supported Gerrard well down the left side and looked threatening whenever he ventured into the opposition's final third. Defensively he was solid and he played with a desire that very few other England players did. Obviously though, one man can't make for a good team performance, and England needed 11 Ashley Cole's on the pitch, at least in attitude, to even stand a chance.

In the past I've said my piece on Frank Lampard, so I won't spend too long analysing his contributions, or lack of, on this occasion. Reputations mean nothing when it comes to the big showdown, and they say that world-class players are only world-class if they perform in the biggest competitions of all. You don't get any bigger than the World Cup, and to this day, Frank Lampard has gone missing for England. Throughout the tournament he has been the regular catalyst for attacks breaking down and for possession being handed back to the opposition. He's failed to score a goal, and whilst he was very unfortunate against Germany to be denied a clear-cut goal by the referee's assistant, that is no excuse for his lack of contribution to the England side. Critics have said that Lampard and Steven Gerrard cannot function together, but I have always believed that the problem lies squarely at Lampard's

It is open to debate whether Fabio Capelloneglection of Joe Cole throughout the tournament was correct or not. No game-time against USA or Algeria, followed by a pointless 15 minutes against Slovenia when all England were looking to do was keep the ball in the corner, and rounded off with half an hour against Germany when the game had arguably already passed us by. Cole is a proven match-winner and performer, for club and country, and his exclusion from the starting XI had everybody questioning Capello's credentials to lead England through the knockout stages. If Cole's absence was bizarre, then Rooney's lack of form was simply incomprehensible. There was no flair, no creativity, no excitement, and most importantly, no goals. His first touch was abysmal all the way through the competition, and in front of goal he lacked every quality that made him the potent force for Manchester United last season. It has been suggested that injury and lack of fitness have affected him, and that may well be the case, which leaves me to question why Capello persisted with him when it was clear he was going to have no affect on the game.

There is plenty more I could say and would like to say here, but I fear it would go on and on for pages. Therefore, I'll leave it to you, the fans, to debate what went wrong and what should have been done during England's dismal World Cup 2010 campaign. Let the post-mortem begin.

England's dominance has Ponting crying

Australian ODI and Test match captain Ricky Ponting has shed a customary tear after Andrew Strauss suggested England now held the bragging rights over their great enemy following 3 consecutive one-day victories over Ponting's men. Ponting has hit back at those claims by saying;

"If that’s what you think take a look at the head to heads and see who has got bragging rights. ODI, Tests and Twenty20. Tell me who has got the bragging rights?"

Pricky may be statistically right, but in recent times I'm afraid England win hands down. Ashes, ICC World Twenty20, and now just one more win away from claiming the Natwest series. Do the math Rick.

Perhaps 2 Ashes defeats in 2 away series' has got our Ricky a bit uptight, which is of course, great to see. His arrogance, freakishly hairy arms, and generally unlikeable personality means that England fans jump at the opportunity to lay into him whenever they can. With just a few months before the Ashes begins down under, the cracks are starting to widen in a once invincible Australian frame.

'mon the pomms!

Italy Kop sucker punch

For 73 minutes it was a game that summed up the overall theme of World Cup 2010. Slow-paced, sloppy, lacking ambition from either side despite the fact that Italy simply had to win to avoid failure in the group stage for the first time in 36 years. For the final 17+ minutes it was everything you could possibly hope for in a World Cup encounter. For Fabio Cannavaro, playing in his final match for Italy, it was a nightmare. For late Slovakian substitute Kamil Kopunek, it was the stuff dreams are made of.

You would have thought that Robert Vittek’s 25th minute opener would spark Italy into life. Quite the contrary. There was no imagination, no creativity, no flair, and perhaps most crucially, no belief. Bizarre so it is for the defending world champions, but even inspirational captain Fabio Cannavaro didn’t have the determination and spirit that comes so naturally to the Italian people, let alone their football team. To give credit to Slovakia, they passed the ball efficiently, worked cohesively throughout the first half and were worthy leaders at the interval. Lippi had to change it.

Change it he did. Fabio Quagliarella and Christian Maggio made their World Cup bow, replacing Gennaro Gattuso and Domenico Criscito respectively. It was Quagliarella who made the impact immediately and Italy looked closer to the team that turned up in Germany four years ago. However, there was still no end product and with Slovakia showing far more adventure than in their opening two games of the tournament, there was always the threat that they would score again. On 72 minutes, Vittek confirmed those fears by striking his second of the match, and third of the tournament to take him to the top of the leaderboard alongside Argentina’s Gonzalo Higuain. Giorgio Chiellini switched off, Vittek sneaked in front of him, and Federico Marchetti was helpless to the finish. At 2-0, Italy seemed down and out.

Even with the introduction of Andrea Pirlo, Italy’s progress in the final third was hampered and blocked by a resolute and determined Slovakian defence, led by Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel. Eventually though, the wall was broken down, and Italy flocked through to nick one back with 9 minutes to play. Ironically, it was the best move of the match, and probably the tournament for Azzurri, finished off by Antonio Di Natale. Hope.

Howard Webb’s hands were briskly filled by a scrap in the goal-net following Di Natale’s strike, and yellow cards were handed to Slovak ‘keeper Mucha, and Italy’s Quagliarella. Webb was superb all game, but it will be his English counterpart and fellow Premier League official Darren Cann who will make headlines for 3 outstanding decisions, that if given the other way, would have changed the outcome of the match, the group, and the World Cup. First, with the score at 2-1, a clearance off the line from Skrtel, met with shouts and cries from the Italian bench, and anger and frustration from the players on the pitch. Replays clearly suggested that Cann had no chance of seeing whether the ball had crossed the line, and the appeals and claims from every Italian in the stadium went in vain.

Second and third, two of the tightest offside decisions you could possibly wish to see in a football match. Both Di Natale and Quagliarella were denied goals by the linesman’s flag, and upon review, the width of a hair came between Italy and progression to the last 16. If the Premier League and Champions League proved to be biggest of stages for the likes of Webb and Cann, deciding the fate of the world champions in the World Cup beats those hands down.

87 minutes gone and enter Kamil Kopunek. Kopunek’s arrival on the world scene came later than expected, having been stripped and readied to replace Zdenko Strba just half an hour into the game, after Gennaro Gattuso had left his mark, quite literally, on Strba’s knee. The no.6 bravely continued though, and Kopunek would have to wait a great deal longer to get his chance. But boy, it was worth the wait. Having been on the field no longer than 3 minutes, Kopunek made a fresh-legged, exuberant run from the heart of the Slovak midfield to get himself on the end of a Juraj Kucka throw. The end result was something Kopunek will doubtless bore his grandchildren with for years to come. The throw-in met his run to perfection and all that was left to do was poke the ball past the outrushing Marchetti. 3-1, surely that was it for Italy. Kopunek’s celebration combined disbelief, relief, and joy all in one, and with the Paraguay – New Zealand match petering out to a 0-0 draw, it looked certain that Vladimir Weiss’ side had made it through to the last 16.

Indeed, that was to be the case, but not without one last flurry from the Italians, and an exquisit chip from Quagliarella that flew over Mucha in the Slovakian goal. It was a goal that will be replayed over and over in the World Cup’s greatest goals archive, at least for 2010, but it was no more than a consolation for Marcello Lippi and his team, and Azzurri will be making their way home with not even a win to their name. Shame, embarrassment, anger. If we thought the reception that France would get was tasty, just wait until touchdown in Rome later this week.