Article 2010

A change of direction

2010-08-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-08T05:18:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-07-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-07-25T05:49:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-07-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-07-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-21T02:26:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-20T09:16:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-06-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-30T02:46:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

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!

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?

2010-06-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-28T08:08:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-25T13:18:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

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.

Why the 2010 FIFA World Cup shall never be forgotten

2010-06-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

Nelson Mandela, the inspiration behind the 2010 World Cup

Ever since the proud nation of South Africa was pencilled down to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, those sceptics amongst us laid down the gauntlet of doom for a country most famous for the era of apartheid between 1948 and 1994, which saw millions of non-white inhabitants of South Africa curtailed and minority rule by white people maintained. We questioned how a country of such social and economic struggle could possibly host football’s greatest tournament, let alone lay on a spectacle that everybody would want to be a part of. Of course, we underestimated the power of will, and we were ignorant to the passions and desires of the people who make up the beautiful country of South Africa.

Nelson Mandela’s presence as Africa’s most influential individual has provided people with hope, ambition, and pride, not only in terms of sport. ‘Freedom’ was not a word that appeared in the vocabulary of any South African inhabitant during the second half of the 20th century, yet thanks to the work of this incredible figure, the people of South Africa, and the people of Africa as a continent have rediscovered a renewed hope, and a fresh sense of freedom that has provided the backbone to the first ever African World Cup.

Upon visiting South Africa, one thing that you will instantly notice is the contrast between the rich and the poor. If you’re rich in South Africa, you can expect to have a very fulfilling and rewarding life. If you’re rich, you’re very rich. If you’re poor in South Africa, you’re poverty-stricken and any sense of quality of life is completely absent. Shanty Towns can be seen just over the back of many of the World Cup venues, including Cape Town Stadium and Soccer City in Johannesburg. Homeless people roam the streets with regularity and are typically ignored by the better-off locals with chilling normality. It is for this reason that so many of us doubted South Africa’s motives to launch themselves onto the world scene and put their own poverty-ridden country into the shop window for so many of us to see. Couldn’t the money go to a better cause? Why are so many people in desperate need being ignored by the authorities at the expense of building state-of-the-art sports facilities? To what cause will any profit made from the World Cup go towards? These are just some of the questions that have been asked, and if we’re brutally honest, will probably never be answered.

The World Cup took 80 years to reach Africa, and it those questions that also answer why. Africa hasn’t got the financial backup that a continent such as Europe has, although in modern times Europe’s economic progression is being halted at a dangerous velocity. Africa doesn’t have the stadia of an England, or a France, and the development of such facilities just adds more pressure and more money onto the host country’s production team. However, whilst we can spend all day and all night analysing and criticising Africa for what it does not possess, it is the qualities that it’s most southern country does contain that makes it stand out from the crowd.

A lot has been talked of the lack of spirit, desire, and commitment that the England team showed in their latest Group C encounter with Algeria. “The players didn’t want to be there”, “there was no passion, no flair”, and “they are not fit to wear the shirt” will sound extremely familiar to every England fan out in South Africa, and back at home. It has been suggested that it is not part of our culture’s dictum that we should be flamboyant and expressive in the way we go about playing our football, but at an African world cup you can’t help but think that spirit and character are the two things you need most of. There is no doubt that the likes of Ghana and South Africa have those qualities in abundance, and whilst they may not be the most gifted footballers on the globe, they’re attitude towards playing, and their love for their loyal supporters make them more special than any European, South American, or Asian team will ever be.

The word ‘vuvuzela’ has been used on so many occasions in the past few weeks that the customary ‘horn’ has gone out of business. Perhaps it has been overused, both in speech and in practice, but who could possibly complain about something that is so reminiscent, so representative, and so essential to the culture of the people of Africa, as well as inevitably being one of the memories of World Cup 2010?

It can be argued that the same love and joy that the World Cup has brought to Africa was evident in the 2002 tournament hosted by South Korea and Japan, yet I resent that notion entirely. There are distinct differences between East Asia and Africa, both in terms of culture and in social standing. Asia is rapidly becoming the world’s most powerful force, so much so that even the United States of America will potentially to be made to look like your typical sales representative, rather than the billionaire business tycoon it is made out to be today. Whilst the people of East Asia have a unique love and affection for football, it is only unique because it doesn’t come anywhere near to the feeling that the African people hold for Bafana Bafana and sport in their beautiful continent. You only have to look at what football has brought to the youth of Africa to see what a difference the World Cup has made, and will make in the long-term.

The World Cup may well be held in England in 8 years time, and it may well be a superb occasion for the whole world. However, one thing is for certain; No matter where, and no matter who, nowhere and no one will ever be able to match up to the unique and truly spectacular experience that South Africa and its people have provided for the rest of the world.

2010/2011 Premier League fixtures announced

2010-06-17T06:20:00.000-07:00

The fixtures for the 2010/2011 Premier League season have been announced this morning much to the excitement and anticipation of football fans all across the country. The main focus of attention was who newly promoted Blackpool would draw in their first Premier League match for 39 years. As it goes, it wasn’t that spectacular, as Wigan Athletic have been drawn as the first side to visit Bloomfield Road, the smallest stadium in the League.

Manchester United open their campaign against Championship winners Newcastle United at Old Trafford, whilst Premier League champions Chelsea take on the 3rd of the promoted teams, West Brom at Stamford Bridge. Wolves and Stoke will battle out the first Midlands derby of the season, whilst Aston Villa host West Ham and Birmingham travel to Sunderland in the other matches involving Midlands clubs.

Europa League finalists Fulham welcome Bolton to Craven Cottage, but doubts still remain over whether Roy Hodgson will be the man to lead them out on August 14th, after reports claimed he is in talks with Liverpool over the hotseat at Anfield. Bolton’s Lancashire rivals Blackburn host Everton on the first day, with the Champions League’s newest team Tottenham Hotspur welcoming Manchester City to White Hart Lane.

The most sumptuous tie of the opening round comes at Anfield, where Liverpool will entertain Arsenal.

Other dates to look out for:
Arsenal v Blackpool – Sat, 21st August
Man City v Liverpool – Sat, 21st August
Man Utd v Liverpool – Sat, 18th August
Chelsea v Blackpool – Sat, 18th August
Man City v Chelsea – Sat, 25th August
Chelsea v Arsenal – Sat, 2nd October
Everton v Liverpool – Sat, 16th October
Man City v Arsenal – Sat, 23rd October
Aston Villa v Birmingham – Sat, 30th October
Liverpool v Chelsea – Sat, 6th November
Man City v Man Utd – Wed, 10th November
Arsenal v Tottenham – Sat, 20th November
Tottenham v Liverpool – Sat, 27th November
Blackpool v Man Utd – Sat, 4th December
Man Utd v Arsenal – Sat, 11th December
Chelsea v Man Utd – Sat, 18th December
Arsenal v Chelsea – Sun, 26th December
Blackpool v Liverpool – Sun, 26th December
Arsenal v Man City – Tue, 4th January
Liverpool v Everton – Sat, 15th January
Tottenham v Man Utd – Sat, 15th January
Birmingham v Aston Villa – Sat, 15th January
Chelsea v Liverpool – Sat, 5th February
Man Utd v Man City – Sat, 12th February
Tottenham v Arsenal – Sat, 26th February
Liverpool v Man Utd – Sat, 5th March
Blackpool v Chelsea – Sat, 5th March
Chelsea v Man City – Sat, 19th March
Liverpool v Man City – Sat, 9th April
Blackpool v Arsenal – Sat, 9th April
Arsenal v Liverpool – Sat, 16th April
Man City v Tottenham – Sat, 16th April
Arsenal v Man Utd – Sat, 30th April
Man Utd v Chelsea – Sat, 7th May
Liverpool v Tottenham – Sat, 14th May
Man Utd v Blackpool – Sun, 22nd May

Liverpool face tough start to new Premier League campaign

2010-06-17T05:41:00.000-07:00

Liverpool have drawn the short straw has far as the start of the 2010/11 Premier League season is concerned. Many felt that on the back of such a disastrous season last term, a good start to the new campaign was essential.

Now, that will prove difficult as Liverpool open the new season with a clash with Arsenal at Anfield, before making the trip to Eastlands to take on Roberto Mancini’s title hopefuls Manchester City on August 21st. Following ties against two of the Premier League’s Midlands clubs, West Brom (H) and Birmingham (A), the Reds then return to Manchester to take on Sir Alex Ferguson and his men, the fixture that all Liverpool fans will be looking out for. Keep the date September 18th free in your diary.

The two Merseyside derbys are scheduled for October 16th at Goodison Park and January 15th at Anfield and Liverpool end their season with a tough visit to Aston Villa May 22nd.

England v Algeria: Redemption day

2010-06-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

Fabio Capello faces some tough selection issues

The usual questions will be, and have been placed in front of Fabio Capello ahead of England’s crucial Group C encounter with Algeria on Friday night. On the back of the disappointment of England’s performance and result against USA on Saturday, the 3 Lions will have to put in a shift worthy of progression to the last 16 of the World Cup.

Robert Green’s embarrassing howler in Rustenburg has somewhat masked what we all know was a below-par performance from Capello’s men, but his place as England’s no.1 goalkeeper is still very much undecided. Capello himself has admitted that he is unsure whether to keep faith in the West Ham man or to replace him with David James or Joe Hart, who have both been impressing in training. The only doubt over either of those two is David James’ fitness, as the Portsmouth custodian has been struggling with a knee injury since arriving at England’s training base.

One can’t criticise Capello for being unsure about who his goalkeeper will be in Cape Town on Friday. The emission of Green could ultimately spell the end of his entire England career, and who knows what it will do for his confidence. England captain Steven Gerrard has stuck by Green, saying that “everybody makes mistakes” and it is “just one of those things”. But you cannot deny that error, that came to prove so costly for England, is still playing on the mind of Green.

The obvious selection, for me, would be Joe Hart. The Manchester City ‘keeper spent the entirety of last season on loan at Birmingham City, and proved himself to be England’s brightest young goalkeeping hope. Therefore, if you’re confident and bold enough to make him a part of your squad, why not make the most of his talents? His form is superb, his confidence is sky-high, and his temperament is second to none.

David James’ experience is the one thing that may thrust him into the Cape Town limelight in 2 days time, and whilst the nickname ‘calamity James’ tells you everything about his tendency to let the odd clanger slip out of his grasp, his attitude and mindset going into such a big game may prove vital.

As the goalkeeping quandary keeps one half of Fabio Capello’s brain busy, you have to feel that England’s formation is weighing on the other. 4-4-2 clearly didn’t work against the USA, as England were often outnumbered in the midfield and the wide players had little effect. Capello has confirmed that Manchester City anchor man Gareth Barry will definitely start against Algeria on Friday, and that leads me to believe that he could go one of two ways. 4-1-4-1 is certainly an option that the Italian will consider. Barry’s presence in front of the back 4 will add extra protection and meat to the midfield, whilst it would mean that Steven Gerrard could continue in his favoured, and best position, through the centre. James Milner looks unlikely to make his 2nd start of the competition, with the obvious replacement being Joe Cole, who’s exclusion from the side for the USA game left everybody flummoxed.

The 2nd potential formation for Capello to use is the 4-4-1-1. Unfortunately, this would mean that Gerrard would be pushed out to the left side of midfield, a position that doesn’t bring out the best in the Liverpool skipper, and certainly doesn’t benefit England to any extent. Frank Lampard’s form warrants a place on the substitutes bench, but we all know that is as likely as North Korea going on to win the World Cup. It’s seems his reputation goes before him when it comes to his England selection.

Finally, Wayne Rooney’s role in the team, no matter what formation Capello adopts on Friday, is crucial to the way England play. We saw against USA that he likes to drop deep to receive the ball and dictate the play. In a 4-1-4-1 or 4-4-1-1 it is important that Rooney doesn’t leave his strike partner (likely to be Emile Heskey again) isolated. Heskey’s job as a target man was effective to an extent against the Americans but his task was made all the much harder by the fact that Rooney constantly left him all on his own up front. For England to get the right result, and perhaps more importantly play well, Rooney needs to stay close to Heskey, feed off his strong back-to-goal play, and look to push the team forward from there.

Capello’s job as England manager got a little bit tougher after the USA match, and it’s now up to him to revitalise England and get them playing the way every England fan wants to see.

Chelsea yet to approach Liverpool over Benayoun deal

2010-06-16T06:40:00.000-07:00

Despite some reports speculating that a deal for Israel International Yossi Benayoun has been confirmed, Liverpool officials insist that they are yet to receive an approach from Chelsea for the dynamic midfielder.

Those reports, claiming the deal is around the £6m mark, are premature at this stage, but Yossi himself has hinted that he wants to leave Anfield this summer. This comes just a year after Benayoun signed an improved contract with the Merseyside club, although even before the departure of Rafael Benitez, Benayoun has suggested he would be on the move in the summer transfer window.

The 30-year old has been nothing short of a star for the Reds since joining from West Ham United in 2007. But, with Liverpool’s poor performance in the League and Champions League last season, and with their current financial situation the way it is, it’s inevitable that the American owners will have to take the cash on one or two of their big names if any major signings are to be made before the start of the new campaign.

Vuvuzelas cause a rumble

2010-06-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

‘A blowing horn of up to approximately 3ft 3in in length, commonly blown at football matches in South Africa’. That is the definition of the vuvuzela (provided by Wikipedia), the instrument that has not only caused a number of spectators to go deaf over the course of the last couple of weeks, but has caused a small rift between the players of the World Cup’s representative nations and the governing body, FIFA.

The vuvuzela is deemed by some players to be far too loud, as they claim that they are unable to communicate with their teammates and their coaches during the matches, to such an extent that the noise made by the traditional African horn is now being used as a common excuse for players who either kick the ball away in anger after the referee has blown his whistle, or for misplaced passes intended for their teammates. Robin van Persie is the latest star to claim that the bee-like noise prevented him from hearing the referee stop play for offside in the Netherland’s Group E opener against Denmark on Monday.

Despite the obvious fact that the vuvuzelas are extremely loud, banning them would be a tragedy on the same scale as the confiscation of all horns during the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies. Just as they are in Africa, the horns were ideal to add to the festival atmosphere in the Caribbean, and is part and parcel of sporting life in that part of the world. The catalyst for such an atmosphere and spirit in Africa is also the use of horns, and other musical instruments, such as drums. The question I’d like to ask is; How many less people would turn out to watch the World Cup games if they were not allowed to create any atmosphere with the use of the vuvuzela?

So far, in the 5 days of tournament that we have watched, the football hasn’t set the world alight. With the exception of Germany and perhaps Argentina, no team has played exhilarating football to the extent that the atmosphere inside the ground has been ferocious anyway. We’ve had a number of extremely dull, and sometimes extremely poor matches, and the grounds haven’t been completely full all of the time. One has to think that the banning of the vuvuzela and other such instruments would hinder the World Cup’s spirit, something that has made the African tournament so special.

The authorities have stated that they will not be banning the vuvuzela, and I firmly hope that they don’t make a u-turn on this decision and potentially ruin one of the most special World Cup tournaments in history.

Hodgson set for talks with Liverpool

2010-06-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is set to open negotiations with Liverpool officials regarding the top job at the Anfield club. Since Rafael Benitez’s departure from Merseyside, Hodgson has been touted to succeed the Spaniard having led the Cottagers to the Europa League final last season.

However, Fulham chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed is prepared to offer Hodgson a lucrative pay rise and a hefty transfer budget to temp the 62-year old to remain at Craven Cottage for the foreseeable future. Despite this, Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow is ready to make his move in a bid to get Liverpool Football Club back on track following a disastrous 2009/10 campaign, both domestically and in Europe.

Hodgson has never ruled out a move to Liverpool, neither has he said he definitely wants to leave his current employers. However, having confessed that a move to a bigger club, or even the England national team would be too good to turn down, it seems probably that Hodgson will make the move north to join Steven Gerrard and friends.

The swoop for Hodgson has ultimately spelled the end of Kenny Dalglish’s ambitious attempt to land the hotseat at Anfield, and even though the Liverpool faithful would be more than happy to see their beloved legend make the step back into management, Hodgson remains the favoured choice amongst supporters.

There is no great hurry for Liverpool to install a new manager, as Rafa’s ex-assistant Sammy Lee has been placed in charge of First Team affairs until a no.1 is named. The Liverpool players are scheduled to be back in training on July 5th, in readiness for their Europe League qualifier later that month. Of course, those players performing at the ongoing World Cup in South Africa may be allowed extra time to recover in time for the new season.

South Africa & Mexico share the spoils in World Cup curtain raiser

2010-06-11T09:45:00.000-07:00

Sip Tshabalala celebrates scoring the first goal of the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Whatever your assumption or opinion on Africa’s social and economic status within the world, you cannot deny that they know how to party. Even without the presence of South Africa’s inspirational ex-President Nelson Mandela (his absence was due to the tragic death of his great grand-daughter in a motorway accident on Thursday night), the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg had a typical carnival feel about it, a true representation of the spirit and joy that Africa is so famous for.

As for the football, you couldn’t have wished for a better spectacle to mark the opening of what is sure to be the most special World Cup in its 80-year history. The hosts entered the game on the back of a 12-match unbeaten run, which stretched back to November of last year. In Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira, Bafana Bafana have a man who knows how it feels to lift the World Cup trophy, having led his home nation to victory in the 1994 tournament. The message from Parreira; Relax and enjoy the moment.

No matter how wise his words or how calming his presence, South Africa started the Group A match like rabbits in the headlights. Ex-Tottenham forward Giovani dos Santos looked to be the most threatening, and any concerns that Parreira was reported to have had over his left-back were duly confirmed. Lucas Thwala looked sickeningly out of his depth, and was ultimately replaced at half-time by the more experienced Tsepo Masilela.

Despite having the best of the opening quarter, Mexico gradually allowed South Africa, led by Portsmouth’s Aaron Mokoena, back into the match, and although chances were few and far between, the threat of national star Steven Pienaar and Kaizer Chiefs’ Siphiwe Tshabalala was becoming more and more prominent. However, you can never let slip against a flair-ridden South American nation, and recently-released West Ham striker Guillermo Franco showed exactly why as he forced a superb one-handed save out of charismatic shot-stopper Itumeleng Khune, after Arsenal’s Carlos Vela had neatly fashioned himself a yard of space. That remained the best chance of the first 45, and both sides went into the interval relatively happy with their first-half work.

The second period started much the same as the first, with both sides reluctant to take any undue risks, or push too many men forward. However, 10 minutes in, a lovely flowing South African move, arguably the best of the match, resulted in Tshabalala finding himself one-on-one with Mexico’s bald-headed custodian Oscar Perez, and in typical emphatic style smashed the ball into the top left corner of Perez’s net, only to set 70,000 Bafana supporters inside the stadium, and millions outside absolutely wild. Cue the dancing.

For a while Mexico seemed shellshocked, either by the unexpected South African counter-attack, or most probably by the eruption of noise primarily made by the traditional vuvuzelas (an African horn). But, as the shock wore off, Mexico slowly but surely got themselves a foothold in the game, and after Giovani brought out another wonderful save from Khune, and Teko Modise had a rather soft penalty appeal turned down, the moment everybody in Africa feared arrived. Substitute Andres Guardado crossed, the South Africa defence pushed out, and Rafael Marquez found himself onside and unmarked at the back post. With the whole world watching on, the Barcelona anchor man pushed the ball past the helpless Khune, and silenced the thousands of Africans who had clamoured to see their heroes in action.

The stuffing had well and truly been knocked out of the spirited hosts, and there seemed no way back. That was until the 91st minute, of course. South African Premier League top-scorer, and Bafana’s talisman, Katlego Mphela, made one last hopeful burst forward with only Francisco Rodriguez to shrug off and Perez to beat. As Soccer City held one last deep breath, Mphela poked the ball past Perez, only for the right-hand post to stand in the way of Mphela’s inevitable glory. The whole nation put hands to head, and that was game over. 6 years of hype and excitement and the opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was over in 90 minutes of enthralling football.

As Adrian Chiles quite rightly put it; “63 more of those please boys”.

Inter confirm Benitez as manager

2010-06-08T14:10:00.000-07:00

Inter will be expecting silverware next season under new manager Benitez

They say if plan A fails, give plan B a try. In the case of Inter Milan and their president Massimo Moratti, forget plans A, B, and even C. Rafael Benitez, the club’s 4th choice to succeed Jose Mourinho as manager, is expected to confirm his appointment tomorrow morning following his exit from Liverpool just last week.

Ever since the news that Jose Mourinho had practically pre-signed a deal to join Real Madrid as head coach emerged, speculation had been rife that Benitez would become his successor at San Siro, but with names such as Manuel Pellegrini and Fabio Capello also being bandied around, it seemed unlikely that Benitez would be the man to eventually land Milan’s top job. But, against most people’s expectations, he will be named as Inter Milan manager at a press conference in the morning.

Benitez’s troubles throughout the last season at Anfield have been much talked about, and he will be the first man to admit that he underachieved in his time at the club, especially since the 2005 Champions League triumph. a 7th place finish in the Premier League last season was the final straw for the Spaniard and the American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks sought to find a new man to lead the Reds forward. Despite a drought of silverware in the last 3 seasons however, Rafa Benitez will still be held in high regard by the Anfield faithful, and there’s no doubt that it’s the owners and not the manager who have felt the full force of the supporters’ brunt in recent months.

So, the time has come to predict how well, or more importantly, how long Benitez will last at Inter, and as with all great journalists, a chance to criticise a boardroom decision shall not pass me by. Whilst I’m a great fan of Benitez, admittedly I did call for his sacking on a number of occasions last season. Not because I don’t like the man, not because I don’t think he’s up to the task of managing a big club, but because I thought his time had come and gone, and it was a chance for a new, fresh face to come in and shake things up. Now, for me, Inter Milan is not the right club for Benitez to join. Jose Mourinho is ‘The Special One’, for obvious reasons. A domestic double and European glory last campaign was a remarkable achievement, arguably an achievement that no other manager in the world could deliver. The expectations at San Siro are now at an all-time high, and for Benitez to replicate or even get within touching distance of Mourinho’s honours would be a miraculous achievement.

For me, a case of one-season-wonder (one-season-no-wonder may be more of an appropriate name) is probable. A failure to win the Champions League and lets say Italian Cup, even with a Serie ‘A’ title may not be enough to keep Benitez in his job, as is the current footballing climate. The European Cup is more valuable and more financially lucrative to clubs these days, and as we’ve seen at Real Madrid, failure in that competition effectively leads to the removal of the boss. I believe that Benitez should have taken a bit of time out of the game, assessed his options and moved to a club with expectations and ambitions that he could realistically deliver. Unfortunately, I do not think Rafa can deliver the goods at Inter, and I’m certain that he’ll be finding himself a new club come this time next year.

I hope I’m wrong as I’d love to see Rafa succeed in management wherever he goes, but I just don’t see it. I wonder what Inter Milan fans think about their new gaffer?

Ferdinand injury paves the way for true heroes to show their colours

2010-06-05T03:11:00.000-07:00

Gazza crying at Italia ’90, Beckham’s red card at France ’98, and Rooney stamping on Carvalho’s prized possessions at Germany ’06. It’s moments like these which epitomise the World Cup for England, and are the catalyst for some very painful memories amongst the masses. Rio Ferdinand’s injured knee doesn’t fall into the same category as Gazza’s crying shame, or Beckham and Rooney’s petulant acts of violent conduct, but I get the feeling it’s going to cast a rather dark cloud over England’s 2010 campaign in South Africa and fuel the pessimism amongst many England supporters. Not for me, however. In fact, it has the opposite effect.

Rio is recognised as a senior player in the England squad, and one that Capello would rely upon to lead the side with pride, strength and more importantly an example to follow for the other, less senior players in the 23, both on and off the pitch. That isn’t available anymore, and people will be questioning where that will come from. Well, I can see plenty of players bursting at the seams with determination and inspiration, two qualities that are essential for a successful World Cup campaign.

Now that the captaincy has been handed over to the correct man, Steven Gerrard, we not only have a person capable of invigorating a group of overpaid showmen to perform like they’ve never performed before in an England shirt, we have a footballer who knows what being a captain means. Since he took over the Liverpool armband from Sami Hyypia back in 2003, Gerrard has led the Reds as if he was Regimental Sergeant Major of the British Army. His desire to win and determination to be the man to bring success home makes him the perfect choice to lead England into their 11th World Cup since the 1966 triumph on home soil.

As for Wayne Rooney, he’s a bulldog and a true fighter. He will never give up, no matter what the situation and no matter how poorly the team are performing as a unit and as a group of individuals. He showed signs of that in the turgid friendly victory over Japan, with crunching tackles and a dogged work-rate which delivered him the man-of-the-match award. His goals will be crucial for the team, and his attitude on both sides of the touchline will be priceless. He’s Capello’s prize asset, and one that should be wrapped in cotton wool until the big kick-off in Rustenburg on 12th June.

Rooney has shown on numerous occasions for Manchester United his will and hunger to play football and achieve at the highest level, and he matches and even lies superior to Gerrard in that respect.

Finally, Joe Cole becomes the 3rd member of a trio that will be so important to England’s World Cup hopes this Summer. He’s been out of action for 90% of the season but has returned, and returned to form at just the right time for Capello and England. He’s a fantastic trickster on the ball, has the ability to beat any defender in the world, has scored more than his fair share of important goals for both Chelsea and the national team, and remains a fans’ favourite. He’s another one, like Rooney and Gerrard, who will give his left leg to win the World Cup and whether it’s Brazil or Honduras standing in their way, 110% is what will be given. Forget Ferdinand, who I don’t think knows the true meaning of being a leader and being an inspiration, and forget Terry who’s shown exactly what kind of man he is in the past 6 or 7 months. The country’s hopes of winning the World Cup rest on the shoulders of Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney, and Joe Cole.

Don’t get me wrong, the other 20 players in the squad will play a big role if we were to lift the trophy for the first time in 44 years. It takes a team, a unit, an entity to win such a massive tournament. What I’m saying is, just as Messi, Tevez and Aguero will be a fundamental part of Argentina’s formula, Gerrard, Rooney, and Joe Cole will be the same for England.

So, with Ferdinand out of the World Cup and bemoaning his luck, or lack of, with injuries this season, it brings about the opportunity for someone else to step up and be a hero for their country. A chance to embed their name in the hearts of every single person supporting England forever. Ferdinand’s replacement will be Michael Dawson, arguably Tottenham’s main man in their successful quest for 4th spot in the Premier League. He arrives in Africa with confidence at an all-time high, and the overriding emotion of jubilation evident on his pale, blonde-haired exterior. Whilst it’s probable that Dawson won’t start a single game in SA, Ledley King’s fitness is still under question, and this may leave him in the frame for a call-up alongside Jamie Carragher, who will also act as Glen Johnson’s understudy.

If King is fit enough to participate in the best part of the tournament, there’s no doubt in my mind that he would be the perfect man to do the job alongside Terry at the heart of England’s defence. Carragher would be next in line for me, with Dawson behind him, and Matthew Upson even further down the pecking order. Upson, for me, just doesn’t have it at International level, and I don’t even think he’s done a particularly solid job for West Ham this year. Whilst it’s unfair and irrational to blame one man for a club’s downfall, Upson does make up a very important part of the West Ham side, and some of the blame for their disappointing form this year has to be dealt out to him. However, as Owen Hargreaves showed in Germany 4 years ago, previous form and reputation go out of the window in such a high-pressured environment, and a World Cup may just be the making of Matthew Upson, provided he gets a chance in the limelight.

So, no Ferdinand could be a blessing in disguise in my mind, and as a Liverpool fan and a Gerrard fanatic, the prospect of him leading out England in the World Cup is something I’m very much looking forward to.

Tamim leads Bangla fightback

2010-05-30T13:00:00.000-07:00

Tamim Iqbal celebrates a superb hundred 4th day at Lords

So, we're through 4 days of Test Cricket at Lords and whilst England took the honours on the first day, there's no doubt that Bangladesh have overshadowed the hosts on days 2, 3 and 4. Jonathan Trott's 175* lit up the home of Cricket on Thursday, an innings that displayed remarkable resilience and positivity (a word that hasn't often been associated with a Trott innings) before he fell for a first-class best of 226 on Friday morning.

The South African-born Warwickshire batsman has had his doubters over the past 7 or 8 months, stemming from a disappointing tour of his home country after introducing himself to English fans with a match-winning 119 at the Oval against the old enemy. A Test series best of 69 and average of a smidge over 27 didn't do justice to the ability and technique that Trott undoubtedly possesses, and his place as an England 5-day player was under close scrutiny. He didn't fair much better in Bangladesh either, making a turgid, stodgy 64 in the Mirpur Test practically summing up the way he'd been playing. Prodding and nurdling was becoming the accustomed way for Trott, and there didn't seem to be a place in the side for such a player, particularly with Paul Collingwood aka 'brigadier block' in fine form and giving the selectors no reason to replace him. However, as is usually the case with England's selectors, they kept faith in an out-of-form batsman, and on this occasion it paid off.

Trott's 226 was one of the finer Test innings' that Lords had witnessed, and whilst there will always be those people who say 'it was only Bangladesh', the old adage of 'you can only score runs against the bowlers you play against' certainly comes into play here. 20 immaculate boundaries in nearly 6 hours at the crease underlines the mental capacity that Trott contains, and he's made himself a certainty for the Tests against Pakistan later this Summer.

Despite such a superb display of batsmanship however, I'm afraid the plaudits for this particular game will have to go to Tamim Iqbal, a left-hander in the mould of Chris Gayle, or closer to home Virender Sehwag. A first-innings 55 was nothing compared to his second stint of the match as he clobbered England's bowlers to all parts of the most famous ground in Cricket. James Anderson, a world-class swing bowler of great experience and expertise, was made to look distinctly second-rate against the quick hands and supernatural timing of Bangladesh's most exciting talent. In a team full of youngsters, Tamim has done remarkably well to stand out from the crowd, and his maturity and apparent disrespect for some of the best bowlers make him a priceless fortune that Bangladesh would be foolish to waste.

Having been asked to follow on after an under-par 282 in their first knock, Bangla hit back with an uncompromising 328-5 at the close of play on day four, with an England victory far from in the bag. Imrul Kayes showed great patience in his knock of 75, one half of a 185-run opening stand for the tourists, almost double their first innings effort. Junaid Siddique has also made it a match to remember with scores of 58 and 66* as he continues to resurrect an International career that didn't exactly set the world alight in its early stages. A contribution of 46 from Jahurul Islam has consolidated Bangladesh's position in the match, and gives them an excellent chance of saving a game they should have been well out of this time yesterday.

Ballack only has himself to blame

2010-05-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

I’m not a huge believer in fate and things ‘meaning to turn out the way they do’, but I do believe in the common saying ‘what goes around comes around’. It’s not by any kind of divine intervention, or some force from above, but things usually come around to bite you in the backside, and whilst it’s all very sad that our beloved Michael Ballack will miss out on what is probably his last chance of playing in a World Cup finals, he had it coming to him sooner or later.

Kevin Prince Boateng’s badly-timed (or well-timed, depending on where you come from) tackle on Germany’s skipper has got the ageing Chelsea star in a bit of a huff, so much so that he claims he’s contemplating legal action against Boateng, who incidentally will potentially be facing up against the Germs in South Africa in a matter of weeks. There’s also the possibility that his half-brother, and Manchester City target Jerome Boateng will be involved in that game too. It’s all very complicated. The fact is, Ghana’s very own KP has the facts all right, and as far as I’m concerned, Bollock hasn’t got a leg to stand on. Literally.

Here’s what Boateng had to say about the incident:

"There is my foul on the one hand, and his slap on the other, and I think that violent conduct is far worse than a foul. Ballack really does surprise me. He complains for weeks when (Lukas) Podolski slaps him and yet he does it himself… What kind of behaviour is that? When I hear that, I can see that he has two different ways of seeing things. Can his captain slap whomever he wants? That was clearly violent conduct. If I had done that, I would have been banned for two years. That is why I left the Germany setup to represent Ghana."

Pretty fair stuff from Boateng there. The point clearly being that you can’t moan and winge about something and then go and do exactly the same to someone else. What goes around comes around Michael. See you in South Africa! Oh no.. That’s right. We won’t.

Barcelona sign David Villa, so what now for Cesc?

2010-05-19T04:46:00.001-07:00

Barcelona have completed the signing of Valencia and Spain striker David Villa in a deal said to be around £34.2m. Since the 2009/10 La Liga season concluded with Barcelona lifting their 20th League title, speculation increased by the day as to the future of Valencia’s most prized asset, and whilst the rest of the world are talking about whether Cesc Fabregas will make the move back to the club he started off at, Barca have quietly gone about the business of securing the 28-year old on a four-year deal.

The arrival of Villa could well spell the end of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s career at Camp Nou just 12 months after it began. The big Swede could only manage 16 League goals this term, and compared to the 47 scored by Lionel Messi, Ibrahimovic looks distinctly 2nd rate. Villa hit 28 in all competitions for 3rd-placed Valencia, and with El Guaje a national favourite as well, there seems little room for the big frame of Zlatan to fit into the Barcelona team. Roberto Mancini has hinted at a reunion with Zlatan in the near future, after the Italian managed him for two years at Inter Milan. Barcelona have not denied that they would stop Ibrahimovic leaving either.

Not only could the signing of Villa open the door for Zlatan to leave, but it could mean that Barca are unable to bring Fabregas to the club as well. Whilst the Catalan giants have more than most when it comes to money, they certainly don’t have a bottomless pocket, and another 40 million Euros may prove a bridge too far for Joan Laporta. However, with Laporta giving up his President’s seat in the very near future, he’s determined to secure Fabregas as one of his signings, rather than leave it to the man who is expected to take over from Laporta, Sandro Rosell. A number of figures have been suggested for the transfer of Fabregas, with 40 million Euros being the most likely. Perhaps selling Zlatan should be more of a priority than it currently is, in order to raise the necessary funds to bring the Spanish wonderkid to Camp Nou.

Capello faces tough call on final 23

2010-05-13T12:26:00.000-07:00

Adam Johnson has had a superb first season at Eastlands, but does he merit a place in Fabio's final squad?

The countdown is on until the World Cup finals in South Africa, and together with the customary excitement and expectation of every England supporter comes Fabio Capello’s final squad announcement before the big kickoff, and there are still a few unanswered questions.

The main talking points would be the inclusion of Jamie Carragher and Adam Johnson in England’s provision 30-man squad. Whilst the former has called an end to his International exile, Johnson has experienced his first senior team call up, something the Manchester City winger will be looking to make more of a habit of in the future. Johnson’s fantastic run of form has earned him a well deserved opportunity in the National side, and it can’t be argued that his move to Eastlands has been the catalyst for this bright talent’s enigmatic displays.

A big money move from Championship underachievers Middlesbrough may have put too much pressure on the 22-year old, but he’s thrived under the expectation of such a hefty price tag. His efforts for ‘boro (big rivals to his hometown club Sunderland) didn’t go unnoticed amongst the Premier League’s big names, and City beat both Chelsea and Arsenal to his signature, which says a lot about the nature of the Premier League these days. However, Johnson is determined to prove his worth to City, and a dip into South African waters this summer will doubtless do just that. It may also pencil him in for a regular England place for the European Championship qualifiers that come later this year.

As for Carragher, he was cast aside under Steve McClaren, and decided to hang up his boots on the national side. His performances for Liverpool this season have been unusually uncharacteristic, and he will be the first to admit that he wouldn’t place himself amongst the forerunners to start England’s first game of the tournament on June 12. Nevertheless, Capello clearly has faith and confidence in him, and judging on the form of Matthew Upson and John Terry in recent months, you could do worse than Carra.

Perhaps the pace of some of the tournament’s hitmen – the likes of Messi, Robinho and Torres – may leave Carragher vulnerable to exposure, but when it comes to committment and experience, there’s few the fit the category as accurately as he does. Terry’s also had his problems with pace recently, and Upson is no Usain Bolt himself. Rio Ferdinand’s regular injury worries may also cast a doubt over his fitness, which could mean either Michael Dawson or Ledley King will be lining up to take on USA in Rustenburg.

With the revelation that is Johnson rapidly appearing on the scene, Joe Cole may be fearing for his place, particularly as his matchtime adds up to nowhere near as much as his left-sided counterpart. Cole’s been a fantastic player for England in the past, but right from his first day in office, Capello has stated that in order to get into the England team, you have to be playing day in, day out, something that Cole has been unable to do. However, with Cole’s skill and trickery, and the experience of major competitions with both England and Chelsea, he should be on the plane along with Johnson.

Another problem area for me is in attack. Wayne Rooney, Peter Crouch, and Jermain Defoe are shoe-ins, which leaves a battle between Emile Heskey and Darren Bent for the final striker’s slot. Heskey’s International goalscoring record leaves plenty to be desired, but Capello is a big fan of his muscular presence in attack, and believes he is a perfect foil for Rooney. However, you cannot ignore a man who has ended up as the Premier League’s 3rd top scorer, and that for a club that finished 13th in the table. Surely one giant is enough, and Crouch’s goalscoring ability is far greater than Heskey’s. Goalscorers are what you need to win trophies, and Bent possesses just that skill. So for me, it’s Bent ahead of Heskey.

Finally, does Theo Walcott go or doesn’t he? Everybody has their doubts about Walcott, and this season has been somewhat disappointing for the so-called ‘wonderkid’. He has his moments of magic, there’s no doubt about that, and perhaps that could prove the difference in a tight quarter-final match against a France, or a Brazil. But is that enough? Defensive prowess – Poor. Work rate – average. Influence – Inconsistent. It would be a gamble, and I think there are better options out there. However, I have a feeling he’ll get the nod over Shaun Wright-Phillips, and it’s probable that he’ll be making his 2nd World Cup squad at the age of just 21.

Pietersen the key as England head for semis

2010-05-09T04:40:00.000-07:00

Kevin Pietersen has regained his form at the perfect time for England

Since he burst onto the International scene back in November 2004, Kevin Pietersen has gathered a reputation of being England's best thing since sliced bread. Now, 5 and a half years on, Pietersen is relighting the fire that saw him smash a triplet of hundreds against the country of his birth in his first high profile International series.

As the England team seemingly embarks on an exciting new era under ex-Zimbabwean Test and ODI batsman Andy Flower, Pietersen is determined to remain the linchpin of the top order. An impressive start to the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean has got the 29-year old smiling again, after 9 months of battling injury and form. During that short period of time, pundits spoke about the 'Pietersen of old'. The Pietersen who used to stride arrogantly to the crease and swat away anything the bowlers threw up for him. The Pietersen who would look so imposing and confident in his upright stance and domineering aura. That Pietersen was lost for a while under a blanket of self-doubt and confusion, but now he's back.

England's latest win in Barbados, coming against a powerful South African lineup, epitomises the transition that is taking part in the camp. From being a timid, lacklustre Twenty20 outfit, Flower has transformed his team into an aggressive, fearless unit, in no small part down to the inclusion of Craig Kieswetter, Michael Lumb, and Michael Yardy. Kieswetter and Lumb have provided firepower at the top of the order, signified by 2 of the highest powerplay scores for any side in this tournament. Whilst neither have gone on to make a substantial contribution, Lumb has often got the innings off to a flyer, and a tournament strike-rate of 152.17 is reflective of that. Kieswetter has been a touch more sedate, but a workmanlike 41 against SA proved to be crucial, in a partnership worth 94 with Pietersen.

As for Yardy, he's added a subtle balance to the side, and despite being an opening bat for Sussex (where he is also captain), he's found a new birth at number 8 for the national side. However, it's been his bowling that has been the real talking point amongst fans of this unorthodox left-hander. His first over of the victory against Pakistan was smacked for 12, and needless to say Collingwood had seen enough. That was until a few overs later when he brought Yardy back on, faith that was repaid with a fantastic spell of 3-0-7-2 (final figures of 4-0-19-2). It says a lot about Yardy's temperament for him to produce such a spell under pressure.

Despite the new faces in the England ranks, the fundamentals of the team have remained. Pietersen at 3, captain Collingwood in the middle order - able to switch gears with ease - Eoin Morgan and Luke Wright at 5 and 6 giving England much firepower in the final overs. The one grey area for me would be the inclusion of Tim Bresnan in the side. Batting at 7, Bresnan looks out of his depth, and wickets aren't a formality with the big Yorkshireman. Perhaps there would be room for James Anderson in the team, with Yardy, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann all pushed up one in the order.

Nevertheless, this is an impressive England outfit, and a far cry from the team of the past. The likes of Ian Bell, Ed Joyce and the retired Michael Vaughan seem in a different class from the exciting, youthful exuberance that the 2010 England side portray. New Zealand are England's next obstacle in the World Twenty20, and a win would see them top the group with a 100% record. England's quest to win a first global tournament is well on its way, and who would bet against them this time?

One hit wonders or in for the long term?

2010-05-08T05:56:00.000-07:00

As Tottenham Hotspur players allow the events of Wednesday night to slowly sink in, the ears of thousands of North Londoners will still be ringing from one of the greatest nights in the club’s history. However, as the reality of Champions League football hits home, I’m asking the question; can Spurs cement a place in Europe’s elite, or will this season’s forage into the big time remain a one-off wonder for Harry Redknapp and his men?

People talk about the difficulty of defending the title, and whilst Manchester United have made a bit of a habit of doing just that in recent years, Chelsea are on the verge of crashing the party that would see the Red half of Manchester lift their 4th consecutive Premier League title and overtake Liverpool as the top flight’s most successful club. Now, the task that confronts Tottenham is of similar difficulty. Not only do the majority of Tottenham fans expect to be watching the likes of Barcelona and Inter Milan at the Lane for years to come, but the expectation will go beyond that should Spurs perform admirably in next season’s competition, and retain their illustrious fourth place position.

As the ‘big four’ becomes the big three, Tottenham are drooling over the prospect of attracting superstar performers to the Lane with the millions of pounds of prize money they will gain from the Champions League. ‘arry has promised the Spurs faithful that money will be spent in the summer to enhance Tottenham’s credentials and ensure that the club will once again challenge for a fourth place spot. Getting through the group stage of the Champions League must also be a big priority of Redknapp’s.

However, Liverpool have shown this season that the weight of expectation can have adverse effects on a club’s fortunes, and from being title challengers at the beginning of the season, the Anfield club has been fortunate to qualify for Europa League football next term. The difference between Liverpool and Spurs, however, is money. Liverpool have none, Tottenham will have a lot. Whilst bringing in top players and handing the likes of Gareth Bale and Ledley King new contracts shan’t be a problem, the inexperience of defending major achievements may prove a little too strong for Tottenham, who’s last appearance in the European Cup was way back in 1962. Since then there’s been the odd flirtation with the old UEFA Cup, and a sporadic Cup Winner’s Cup, but nothing of the magnitude or reputation of Europe’s big daddy.

In Harry Redknapp (named Premier League Manager of the season), Spurs have a manager that can take them places. Winning the Champions League is far from realistic at this stage, and Spurs need to look at the big picture. Beating Real Madrid or AC Milan is certainly out of Tottenham’s reach, but Redknapp will doubtless look to build a squad which is capable of challenging those teams, and going further than just the group stage of the competition. For me, Redknapp is the best manager England have never had, and if I was a Spurs fan I’d be mighty proud of his achievements. If there’s one man you’d want to lead you in your first Champions League campaign in over 40 years, it’s ‘arry.

Fulham take the plaudits after remarkable season

2010-05-02T11:48:00.000-07:00

Thousands of people have written thousands of articles on Fulham’s 2009/10 quest past the gloss and glamour of Europe’s elite, and it was only a matter of time before someone put their own account here on the WDKF site, so here it is.

Before the start of the season, the regular Fulham fan would have settled for progression to the 2nd round of the Europa League – European Champions Cup’s younger brother – and expectations would not have exceeded that by much. A mid-table position in the Premier League was a given considering the stature of their manager and the moderate array of talent that the Fulham squad possesses. A mediocre team with a vastly experience manager and decent financial backing. That’s Fulham for you. At least, it was.

In the space of 10 months, since playing their first game of the season way back in late July away at FK Vetra of Lithuania in the Europa League 3rd round qualifier, Fulham have wriggled their way from the back of the country’s mind, right to the forefront, so much so that their wonderful story isn’t far off outshining the race for the title. The rather predictable Manchester United vs Chelsea battle for the summit seems somewhat insignificant in the face of such an unlikely story, but don’t tell United or Chelsea fans that.

‘It’s what dreams are made of’ is the old adage, and although I’m not one for clichés and soppy fairytales within Football, even I have been fixed to this truly unique conquest. As far as I’m concerned, Roy Hodgson is a miracle maker, and a manager I could see lifting any trophy around the world. Including the World Cup. Future England manager? Fabio Capello’s successor? Who knows. But if I was Trevor Brooking and co. at the Football Association, he’d be first on my shortlist of candidates.

As a fan of Liverpool, and with that a viewer of the stupendous decline of the Anfield club over the last 12 months, I’m constantly on the lookout for possible candidates to take over from Rafael Benitez at the end of this disastrous season, and with Hodgson not entirely committed to Fulham, Liverpool may be on the phone to the Cottage sooner rather than later.

Switzerland, Inter Milan (X2), Udinese, UAE, Blackburn, and Finland are just a few of the clubs the 62-year old has been in charge of, and his CV doesn’t stop there. UEFA Cup winner 96/97 with Inter, Swedish Cup winner on two occasions with Malmo FF, as well as two Championship medals, a Danish Cup and League title with Copenhagen, a now a Europa League final with Fulham. It doesn’t get much more impressive than that, and although some may argue that the stature of most of the clubs he has managed isn’t very impressive, you can’t ignore a man who has so much silverware locked up in his cabinets.

His style of play is another notable achievement to add to the list. Fulham are a side who have always looked to play on the floor, but have never really achieved too much with it – perhaps like today’s Wigan Athletic. Tigana came and failed, Coleman lasted a decent time without winning anything, and Sanchez barely had time to blink before he was out. But in Hodgson, Fulham have found a man who has continued and enhanced an attractive style of football, but actually turned it into a winning formula as well, and that is priceless in football.

Some people who may not have followed Fulham all the way through this season, or even at all, may not understand the enormity of the task they’ve achieved. As if creeping past the likes of AS Roma, CSKA Sofia, and Basel in the group stage wasn’t enough, they then went on to beat competition holders Shakhtar Donestsk (3-2 ag), and Serie A giants Juventus (thanks to an unbelievable 5-4 aggregate win, having been 4-1 down after 4 minutes at the Cottage), before overcoming German sides Wolfsburg and Hamburg over the two legs. A date with Atletico Madrid is the prize, an encounter that is sure to water the mouths of numerous Fulham supporters.

Perhaps the exit of Liverpool on the same night as Fulham’s triumph has been a good thing for the Europa League. I don’t know about anybody else, but I would have made Liverpool favourites for the match, and that’s not being biased. It would have been a great shame for Fulham to go all that way and then fall at the final hurdle. But for me, Fulham have to be favourites for the final against Atletico, who’s dreadful League campaign has been forgotten thanks to 2 Cup finals, including the Copa del Rey. There’s no doubt that I’ll be rooting for Hodgson and his men on 12th May, if only to alert the attentions of the Directors at Anfield to the managerial ability of Hodgson, if they haven’t already noticed.

A 3-2 win at home to West Ham today still isn’t enough for Fulham to qualify for next season’s Europa League, but should they emerge victorious a week’s time, they’ll be competing for bigger honours alongside the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid. What a season. One that this generation of Fulham fans will never ever forget.

The Drug Debate

2010-04-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

There’s never a good time for a footballer to be found guilty of taking drugs, but the latest controversy surrounding ex-Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu has come at a rather interesting time for me. Whilst studying A-level Physical Education, one of the things that I have been required to do is debate about the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs), and whether or not they should be legalised or indeed remain completely unacceptable.

Despite the fact that Sibutramine (the drug Mutu has been found guilty of taking) isn’t an obvious choice for a professional athlete to use, it is still against the law. In 2004, Mutu was found guilty of taking a much more recognised drug, cocaine, and was slapped with a 7 month ban. On that occasion, his current employers Chelsea sacked him with immediate effect, but the story is a little different this time. Italian giants Fiorentina have vowed to stand by the Romanian International and he will not have his contract terminated. Mutu is due to return in October, having already served 2 months of the ban.

So, should PEDs be legalised?

The argument for the use of illegal substances is fairly straight forward and understandable. One may say that the use of drugs increases the entertainment factor of sport, as athletes are able to perform well above their ability; Breaking world records, running quicker times, playing better football, and making bigger tackles are all things that truthfully we would all love to see. PEDs enable these goals to be achieved, and make sport a much more exciting prospect. That is, if everybody used them.

In the case of Usain Bolt, he’s a unique sprinter. There has never been anyone as quick as him, and possibly never will be. When Bolt lines up for a 100m race, you don’t give any of the other athletes a hope in hell. The use of PEDs would level out the playing field and bring competition much closer together. Bolt wouldn’t be a consistent, predictable winner, and there’s the potential for much closer, more watchable races.

Whilst a lot of athletes who take PEDs are caught, there a lot of others who get away with it. Random drugs testing makes it very hard for athletes to escape punishment, but for the number that do, they can enjoy a career full of success and personal achievement. Those arguing for the use of PEDs may say that due to this fact, every athlete should have a right to use any drug they want to enhance their performance, instead of wasting time training for major events, only to be beaten to the post by someone who may be on drugs. The introduction of drugs would stop this happening, and again, would level out the playing field entirely.

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a drug which increases the number of red blood cells in your body, and therefore helps the flow of blood around the body and increasing the amount of oxygen in the blood. This, of course, aids performance. EPO is a banned substance. Altitude training is a method used by a lot of athletes, particularly long-distance runners, before major events, and this too increases the number of red blood cells in your body. Altitude training is legal.

So, what’s the difference? They both increase one’s number of red blood cells, and they both carry the same health risks; nausea, increased heart rate/blood pressure. Yet one is illegal and one is legal. Does that make sense?

Whilst the arguments for the use of PEDs is extremely valid, there are of course counter-arguments that so far have stood firmer in society and sport.

Any form of drug taking is seen as cheating. It’s illegal in society, and illegal in sport and any one who is caught taking drugs receives a vast amount of negative press. What people may not understand is the pressures and expectation that sport brings with it today, from the media, supporters, and significant others. It’s enormous, and some athletes are unable to deal with that pressure without breaking the rules. However, that is no excuse.

Drug taking is against the original Olympic Ideal; to play fairly, to the best of one’s ability, with the value of taking part being regarded as more important than winning. That Olympic Ideal still stands today of course, yet is constantly broken by drug-taking athletes.

One may argue that drug taking completely defeats the object of being a professional sportsperson. The idea of working towards a goal goes completely out of the window, and there must be very little satisfaction in gaining success with the knowledge that you worked very little to get there. Perhaps athletes don’t care about those values, and just want to win at whatever cost. The Lombardian ethic has perhaps influenced a lot of drug taking in recent times.

Finally, drugs bring with them extreme health risks, including a dangerous rise in heart rate, blood pressure, and somatic anxiety as well as physical risks and even death in some cases. Surely for the benefit of sport and for youngsters growing up with aspirations to become professional athletes, it is the responsibility of athletes to resist the temptation to take PEDs and uphold the values of sport and the Olympics.

It’s a tricky topic to comprehend, and one that will go on forever. People will always take drugs no matter what, and perhaps it is inevitable that one day, PEDs will become legalised and sport will become no more than a selection of the world’s most dedicated drug users coming together to run, jump, and compete against each other.

Terry sees red as Chelsea show signs of cracking

2010-04-19T12:52:00.001-07:00

You wouldn’t have said this 3 days ago, but the aesthetically calm and professional Chelsea seem to be displaying significant signs of wilting under the pressure of another title race, which looks like it will go right down to the last sinew of the season.

John Terry’s red card against London rivals Tottenham at the weekend is not only representative of a man who has completely lost the plot since allegations over his private life surfaced, but may also be a warning of things to come for the Blues. An atypically off the boil performance from Carlo Ancelotti’s men, together with a vital late Paul Scholes header at the City of Manchester Stadium, has meant the title race is firmly back to a 2-horse battle, with United now the ones neighing strongest, and boy can Chelsea hear it.

With United now only a point adrift in second place, results against Stoke (H), Liverpool (A) and Wigan (H) now look imperative for Chelsea. Fergie’s Devils have the task of overcoming Spurs at Old Trafford, Sunderland (A), before ending the season with what could be the deciding fixture against Stoke at the Theatre of Dreams. If I was to choose, I’d favour towards Chelsea’s run in, but if the inconsistent Liverpool can take 2 or even 3 points off a side they’ve struggled to dispatch in recent times, United will feel it’s their’s to lose.

Terry’s drop in form hasn’t cost his side too much in the scheme of things, but they say one moment can turn a season, and who’d bet against it being ‘that’ match? England fans should be worried with the World Cup less than 50 days away. The man, who 6 months ago was playing reasonably well, with no real alarms, and captaining Fabio Capello’s England to WC qualification, has suddenly thrust himself into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, and at completely the wrong time. Doubts over Rio Ferdinand’s fitness add a touch more anxiety to the mixture and Terry now has a job on his hands to prove his worth to the National side.

Michael Dawson has had an outstanding season for Champions League-chasing Tottenham and unluckily for Terry, it’s been timed to perfection – reminiscent of his brave defending at WHL. A World Cup year is a nervous year for everyone involved in and around the National setup, and Terry will know that his place is far from certain. Clearly, he’ll be on the plane to South Africa and there’s no doubting that’s the correct decision. However, starting XI come June 12 in Rustenberg? Debatable. It could all depend on the final few games of the season, one of which Terry will miss.

Could Capello be so ruthless and brave to leave him out of his first team? Can he possibly base his decision on Chelsea’s end of season success? You’d say no, but the Italian has shown in the past he’s not afraid to make a brave decision or two, particularly against Terry. Nervous times ahead for Mr. Controversial.

Caption Game

2010-04-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

A pretty simple one here. Gary Neville and Paul Scholes kissing after the Manc derby. Who's got the best entry?

Adebayor turns back on National team

2010-04-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

Emmanuel Adebayor, the Manchester City forward, has made the courageous decision to hang up his International boots after failing to get over the traumatic events that rocked the Togo National team back in January.

Whilst Adebayor and his teammates were travelling to the African Nations Cup in Angola earlier this year, their team bus was attacked by a group of armed men who injured numerous players and officials and took the lives of 3 of the passengers, including the driver of the bus.

In a statement on the Manchester City website, Adebayor said:

“Following the tragic events during January’s African Cup of Nations, in which two of my fellow countrymen were killed by terrorists in Angola, I have made the very difficult decision to retire from international football. I have weighed up my feelings in the weeks and months since the attack, and I am still haunted by the events which I witnessed on that horrible afternoon on the Togo team bus. We were just footballers going to play a football match and represent our country, yet we were attacked by people who wanted to kill us all. It is a moment I will never forget and one I never want to experience again.”

One has to respect Adebayor’s decision, which is clearly a direct result of the attack. For a world class talent like Adebayor to quit the International scene displays the difficulty that he has had getting over what he witnessed that day, and the memories are obviously too horrific for Adebayor to step back on a Togo National team bus again.

Spurs slip up to hand Pompey final date

2010-04-11T11:01:00.000-07:00

Frederic Piquionne celebrates breaking the deadlock at Wembley

Goals from Frederic Piquionne and Kevin-Prince Boateng have seen Portsmouth progress to the FA Cup final after battling their way past an unfortunate Tottenham Hotspur side at Wembley.

In a game hyped as being a walkover for Harry Redknapp’s men, cash-strapped Portsmouth were more than their equals with numerous chances throughout the 90 minutes. Piquionne was the wasteful culprit the majority of the time, but Spurs ‘keeper Gomes was also on top form. Spurs had more than their fair share of chances too, with Peter Crouch and Tom Huddlestone coming closest.

With neither side able to break the stalemate in normal time, it took just 8 minutes of extra time for on-loan Lyon striker Piquionne to put Avram Grant’s side ahead. An untimely slip on the much talked about Wembley surface from Spurs’ skipper Michael Dawson presented Piquionne with the easiest of his chances, and for once Gomes was left helpless. In a last throw of the dice, Redknapp brought on Eidur Gudjohnsen, no stranger to Wembley occasions after his days with Chelsea. Gudjohnsen had little impact, and in a last attempt to push forward and find a last gasp equalizer, gaps were left wide open in the Tottenham defence, and Aruna Dindane was allowed to burst through only to be brought down in the penalty area by Wilson Palacios, who received a yellow card as a result of the challenge. Perhaps in a different scenario and with a less sympathetic referee, the colour may have been a different one. Kevin-Prince Boateng confidently stepped up against his old side, and dispatched the spot kick to Gomes’ right side. Game over.

These were two teams bristling with similarities on the field, with Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Niko Kranjcar all turning out against their former side, and with the aforementioned Boateng amongst the Portsmouth ranks, there was plenty of reason for niceties to be shared, both pre-match, and after the final whistle. Despite such obvious on-field comparisons, the two sides could be no different off the pitch, and nobody is ignorant to Pompey’s trials and tribulations behind the scenes this season. People talk about the romance of the FA Cup in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd rounds, but no one can doubt that a little bit of that old adage rubbed off on the boys in blue today.

With Chelsea awaiting the winners of this tie in the final on the 15th May, it was written in the script somewhere, deep inside, that Avram Grant would be reunited with the club where he introduced himself to English football. Now, can he go one step further and produce the greatest cup story of recent times by leading relegated, depleted Portsmouth to FA Cup glory?

FA Cup semi-final preview

2010-04-10T04:40:00.000-07:00

Injuries is the word of the day as Aston Villa, Chelsea, Portsmouth and Tottenham gear up for their respective FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley this weekend. Spurs are sweating on the fitness of influential centre-half Michael Dawson for their match with Portsmouth, while Martin O’Neill will have to make late calls on midfielder James Milner and central defender Richard Dunne for the re-run of Villa’s 7-1 drubbing at Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago.

Despite that result, Martin O’Neill insists his men are ready to set the record straight against Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who are on course to do the double having taken a 2 point lead over Manchester United at the top of the Premier League. “Those players will want to make sure they don’t end up getting another result like that”, O’Neill told Soccernet.com. “It won’t be 7-1, that’s for sure, it’s going to be a close game”.

Villa have had a superb season under O’Neill but there is speculation that he will leave at the end of the season, with bigger names calling. Having narrowly lost out to Manchester United in the Carling Cup final back in February, O’Neill will be eager for victory this time. If Villa are to overcome the League leaders then Richard Dunne will need to be fit, as will Milner, and they’ll need every ounce of Emile Heskey to stay on his feet against Terry and co. Stopping Drogba and limiting Lampard will also be key, and the running of Ashley Young on the left side may play an influential role.

As for Chelsea, Ancelotti’s season can go either way. If they do end up as League Champions, as well as win the FA Cup, he’ll be deemed a huge success. However, if United pip them to the post and Villa complete their revenge mission on Saturday afternoon, questions over his future will inevitably be asked. It’s a thin line managing Chelsea these days, and Ancelotti will know just what is expected of him.

Daniel Sturridge is Chelsea’s leading goalscorer in this year’s competition, but he most probably won’t start. There is also doubt over who will start in goal, with Chelsea’s Cup ‘keeper Hilario struggling with a groin strain, with Branislav Ivanovic likely to return to the side after shaking off a knee injury.

Prepare for a close game between two counter-attacking sides, with perhaps extra time and penalties to follow.

George’s prediction: Aston Villa 1-1 Chelsea – Chelsea to win on penalties

Tottenham go into their match with Portsmouth as strong favourites, but with nothing for Pompey to play for in the League they’ll be determined to go all the way in the Cup. Harry Redknapp has also stated that his side will be going all out to win the FA Cup, with their chances of finishing in 4th place not at all a certainty.

Spurs will be without Aaron Lennon, Vedran Corluka, Tom Huddlestone, Ledley King, Jermaine Jenas and Jonathan Woodgate for the tie, and there are also doubts over Michael Dawson’s fitness. 20-year old midfielder Jake Livermore is in line for a start, but not in his usual position. With Woodgate and King both out, and with Dawson unlikely to start, Livermore may be forced to partner Sebastien Bassong in the heart of the defence. Younes Kaboul and Kyle Walker will play no part either, as they are both cup-tied.

Avram Grant has no fresh injury worries ahead of Sunday’s game, with the only problems remaining off the field with new contract rows brewing. Grant will be fully focussed on on-the-field matters however, and one has to feel that if his side are to come away with a win, Aruna Dindane and Frederic Piquionne will be key. Experienced goalkeeper David James knows a thing or two about Cup ties as well, so a good performance from him is a necessity.

Spurs will look for the aerial prowess of former Pompey man Peter Crouch, while Jermain Defoe will look to reignite his early season spark. For me, it will only go one way, and that’s the way of Redknapp’s men. Ideally, they’d look for an early goal and not let Portsmouth settle in the game. Avram Grant will want a solid start, to not concede, and try and hit Spurs on the counter with the pace of the likes of Belhadj and Dindane.

George’s prediction: Tottenham 2-0 Portsmouth

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All English final beckons as Fulham & Liverpool storm through to Semis

2010-04-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

Zoltan Gera, Roy Hodgson and Mark Schwarzer share a smile as Fulham see off Wolfsburg in Germany

Forget about the Champions League, it’s the Europa League that is bringing the most success to English clubs this season, with both Fulham and Liverpool through to the Semi finals of the competition after respective wins over Wolfsburg and Benfica.

With no English Semi-finalist in the more illustrious of the two competitions for 7 years, Hodgson’s Fulham and Benitez’s underachieving Liverpool have done the nation proud, and now lie just two matches away from an all English final in Hamburg at the end of the season.

Fulham’s route through has been spectacular, with victories over holders Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus, the latter having been 4-1 down on aggregate at one stage. As for Liverpool, their journey through has been a little more straight forward with wins over Unirea Urziceni and Lille before seeing off the tough challenge of Portuguese League leaders Benfica.

Fulham can now look forward to a Semi-final against Hamburg, who have their sights set on reaching the final staged on their home turf. Liverpool are up against Atletico Madrid who saw off Spanish counterparts Valencia on away goals to secure a reunion with Fernando Torres.

Both English clubs will face away ties first before the second legs at home, played on the 29th of April.

Wolfsburg (1) 0-1 (3) Fulham
Fulham travelled to Germany in a rather precarious position having won the first leg at the Cottage by 2 goals to 1. Despite getting a much desired victory, Wolfsburg’s away goal, courtesy of a late Alexander Madlung header in the 89th minute, had made them slight favourites. However, the night couldn’t have started much better for Hodgson’s men, as the in-form Bobby Zamora further stated his claims for an England World Cup spot with a brilliantly taken goal after just 22 seconds.

Despite having a goal disallowed in the first half, and hitting the post, Wolfsburg were unable to break Fulham’s resistence and Zamora’s goal proved to be the decider.

Liverpool (5) 4-1 (3) Benfica
It was a similar story at Anfield as Liverpool looked to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg against a Benfica side unbeaten in 27 games in all competitions. Benfica clinched the first leg after coming from behind, with two Oscar Cardozo penalties in the second half. Liverpool would be without Ryan Babel and Emiliano Insua, both banned after the first match in Lisbon.

Liverpool started nervously but slowly grew into the game, and Dirk Kuyt gave them the lead after 28 minutes with a header from point-blank range. There was slight controversy as the linesman on the far side put his flag up to indicate Kuyt was offside, before the referee over-ruled him and awarded the goal. Just 6 minutes later and Lucas Leiva doubled Liverpool’s advantage and put them ahead on aggregate with a superbly taken goal. Gerrard’s through ball was met by a perfectly timed run by the Brazilian who rounded ‘keeper Cesar to slot home in front of the Benfica fans.

15 minutes after half time and it was 3 for the Reds, as an out of soughts Fernando Torres finished off a wonderful counter-attacking move to seemingly put the game beyond doubt. An Oscar Cardozo free kick added a sense of tension to the occasion but that didn’t last long as Torres completed the scoring with a sumptuous chip over the onrushing substitute ‘keeper Moreira.

It was a thoroughly satisfying night for English football, and fans of Fulham and Liverpool can now look forward to mouth-watering Semi-final ties against strong opposition.

Eddie Howe: Miracle Man

2010-03-30T09:22:00.000-07:00

Eddie Howe - Bright face, bright future

Some people say that the Chelsea job is the hardest in Football. Some claim that Fabio Capello has the toughest role of any manager in the world. Clearly those people have never been in Eddie Howe’s position, or have any idea of what the AFC Bournemouth boss has achieved in the last 12 months.

Last year I wrote a piece on the trials and tribulations of Bournemouth Football Club in an attempt to raise awareness for the then struggling League 2 outfit, and educate people on what going into administration may mean for a lower league club. I like to think that to some extent I achieved exactly that, but in no means am I taking any credit for the unbelievable turnaround that has taken place at the Fitness First Stadium over the last 2 years.

Eddie Howe’s playing career was unfortunately cut short due to a knee injury that he failed to recover from, but he was immediately offered the role of player/coach by former manager Kevin Bond (now sitting alongside Harry Redknapp in the Tottenham Hotspur dugout). Despite losing his job at the same time Bond was sacked, Bond’s successor Jimmy Quinn reinstalled Howe as assistant manager, before he was appointed caretaker manager, and then manager after Quinn’s dismissal. At the start of the 2009/10 season, Howe won 8 out of the first 9 games, a club record, and as a result gained interest from Championship side Peterborough United. Howe turned down the move to Cambridgeshire, much to the joy of the Cherries’ fans.

However, forget being offered the manager’s position at a Championship club. The greatest achievement of Eddie Howe’s short, blossoming managerial career has undoubtedly been the remarkable rise from the doldrums of the Football League over the last 24 months or so. Before the 2008/09 season even started, Bournemouth were handed a huge disadvantage, one which many people thought was impossible to overcome. The Football League docked Bournemouth 17 points for entering administration and failing to follow the league’s insolvency rules. Kevin Bond and Jimmy Quinn came and went within 5 months, and it was down to the blonde bombshell Howe to lift his beloved Bournemouth out of the mire.

Despite not being able to purchase any new players during the 2009 January transfer window due to an enforced transfer embargo, and having to deal with the smallest squad in the Football League, Howe pulled off the greatest of great escapes and managed to preserve Bournemouth’s status as a Football League club. One may wonder if it could get any better for the south coast side after this, and the answer would be yes.

Bournemouth currently occupy 3rd place in League 2, 11 points behind league leaders Rochdale, but firmly in amongst the forerunners for the 2nd and 3rd automatic promotion slots. An amazing achievement considering the diabolic financial events of the previous season, made all the more remarkable by the size of the squad. For the majority of Bournemouth’s games this season Howe has been forced to name 42-year-old assistant manager Jason Tindall and schoolboy Jayden Stockley on the bench. The severity of the matter was made even more farcical during a recent away trip to promotion hopefuls Shrewsbury Town. With Jeff Goulding the only pro on the bench, and with Jason Tindall unable to play much of a part in the game due to a lack of match fitness, Bournemouth had to call upon Stockley to make a contribution. However, the teenager turned up at the ground 20 minutes after kick off having been driven all the way from Bournemouth, and didn’t even have his match shirt with him. Shrewsbury went on to win the game 1-0.

Words can’t do Eddie Howe justice, but they can go some way to explaining the miraculous job he’s done for Bournemouth. Should they gain promotion to League 1, there’s no doubt that bigger opportunities will come calling for one of England’s most promising managers. Having already turned down Peterborough United, all eyes will be on the local hero to see whether he’ll stay loyal to his hometown club, or seek bigger fortunes elsewhere. And who could blame him if he did. You can’t argue that he deserves it.

Arsenal slip up as Chelsea & United cash in

2010-03-28T05:18:00.000-07:00

It was at this very ground last year where Arsenal’s title challenge seemed to stall and peter out, not in the least down to ‘that’ injury to Eduardo. Over a year on and Arsene Wenger’s face tells the story as he sees his side concede an injury time equalizer at St. Andrews. Kevin Phillips was the man, hitting his 250th career league goal, and sending the Blues fans into raptures as they celebrate a truly remarkable year in the top flight.
Whilst Arsene and his boys were dropping points in the Midlands, Messrs. Ferguson and Ancelotti were enjoying their respective sides rip apart Bolton and Villa, the latter challengers for that 4th Champions League spot which has seemed so unbreakable in recent years.

A Wayne Rooneyless Manchester United faced a potentially tricky trip, albeit short trip, to the Reebok Stadium where Owen Coyle had turned his Wanderers side into a resilient, competitive outfit. Bolton have played United’s nemesis in recent years, but with so much at stake for the visitors, they weren’t going to let their Lancashire rivals spoil the party. Jlloyd Samuel gave the Red Devils a helping left foot as he calmly, coolly, and collectively placed the ball into Jussi Jaaskelainen’s bottom right corner to give the visitors a lead. Rooney would have been proud. Dimitar Berbatov doubled the lead after Darren Fletcher’s shot was pushed out by the Finland number 1, and shortly afterwards made it 3-0, before Darren Gibson rounded off the victory with a smart finish late on.

Meanwhile, Frank Lampard was enjoying himself at Stamford Bridge, as he scored 4 in a 7-1 demolition of Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa. Florent Malouda (2), and Salomon Kalou also got themselves on the scoresheet, with John Carew netting Villa’s solitary goal.

So with such strong messages sent out by United and Chelsea, and with Arsenal dropping points at St. Andrews, the title race takes another turn. For me, and as much as it pains me to say it, United have taken another step towards lifting the trophy for a record 19th time, thus leapfrogging Liverpool as the most successful top division team in history. Even without Wayne Rooney, and missing Rio Ferdinand at the back, United look a side who are unbeatable, and their fantastic record against the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea in recent times means that they surely have to be favourites. Chelsea have certainly got themselves back in the mix after so many people had written them off at Ewood Park a week or so ago. 12 goals in their last 2 games is impressive reading, but they still have some tough obstacles to come and I can’t see them finishing above United at the end of the season.

Of course, next weekend is the ‘big one’. Chelsea go to Old Trafford in a match that they will feel is a must win if they are to gain advantage over United in the race for the title. They then face tough trips to Spurs and Liverpool plus home games against Stoke, Wigan, and Bolton, which they will feel is 9 points in the bag. With United still in the Champions League, there could be grounds to argue that fatigue may play a part, and the distraction of winning Europe’s most illustrious competition is also possible. Also, looking at United’s run-in, the job is far from done. Other than that oh-so-important fixture against Chelsea, Ferguson’s side face visits from Spurs and Stoke, as well as trips to Blackburn, Sunderland, and The City of Manchester Stadium, where Roberto Mancini’s boys will be playing for a Champions League spot. It’s anybody’s guess.

I may be being a little too conclusive in writing Arsenal out of the race, but I just feel they lack conviction when it comes down to the last few matches of the season. They don’t seem to possess that extra ‘oomph’ that will get them over the line ahead of Manchester United and Chelsea. Their run-in includes a trip to London rivals Spurs, as well as home matches against Fulham and Manchester City, and if they are to bring home the glory to the supporters who haven’t witnessed such a thing since 2005, you have to feel that they need to win all 6 of their final games.

I hope United don’t win the trophy, and similarly I hope Arsenal do, but the realist inside me says that won’t be the case, and it’ll be Giggs and co. celebrating yet another Premier League title come 9th May.

Get out while you can, Gianfranco

2010-03-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

Gianfranco Zola - A man under pressure

The majority of West Ham United fans would have been a little sceptical when a former Chelsea star was appointed as their new manager back in September 2008. But as Gianfranco Zola’s tenure seems to be coming to a rather abrupt end, the overriding emotion of the Hammers’ faithful is sympathy.

Zola is regarded as one of the nicest men in football, even described as “too nice” by some. Managing a football club takes nerves of steel, a strong mind, and the ability to shake off any criticism thrown at you. To this day, Zola has displayed remarkable positivity, even amongst a couple of shambolic years behind the scenes in East London. On the day he put pen-to-paper with the club, BBC news confirmed that the team’s main sponsor, XL Leisure Group, had been placed into administration. The next day West Ham cancelled all links with the company. Then, earlier this year, former Birmingham City owners David’s Gold and Sullivan completed a 50% takeover of the club, giving them overall operational and commercial control. Just two months after that takeover, and West Ham’s first foreign manager finds himself on the brink of leaving the club.

As is the case with most takeovers, the new owners often look to replace the existing manager with someone they believe can take the club to the next level. Call me naive, but I had a feeling that this one would be different. It seemed to me that things at West Ham were finally settling down, and Zola could now concentrate on all things football, rather than be distracted by off-the-field circumstances. How wrong was I.

For me, Zola is an icon and a true footballing legend. He could do things with a football that you wouldn’t think possible, and on his best of days he was unplayable. As a man, he’d seldom be seen without that famous horse-like face disguised with the widest of smiles, and because of this I feel a duty and an obligation to defend him. Despite having the lowest win % in West Ham’s history, he’s a manager with potential for success. Clearly he’s by no means the finished product and there’s still a lot we’ve yet to see from Zola, but it’s there, I’m sure.

Experience is something that people in football rave about, and nothing seems to be more precious. 629 appearances, 193 goals, and 21 years of being a professional footballer. You can’t argue with that. So what makes Messrs. Gold and Sullivan believe they have more ground to pick the West Ham team than someone with 629 times more footballing pedigree than the two combined?

Football is a business of course, and when owners feel their club are not performing to their expectations, they’re obviously going to feel the need to intervene, despite probably knowing as much about tactics and team selection as my nan. It’s at times like these when you know a manager hasn’t got long left, and it’s time for Zola to hand in his resignation before he gets the boot. Zola has far too much pride and dignity to let himself be sacked by these two cretins who will only end up digging West Ham United into too big a hole to climb out of. The inevitability of these situations seems too ridiculous to comprehend, and Zola would be better off looking for employment elsewhere.

It’s true that West Ham have been performing well below expectations this season, and with the quality of players they have at their disposal you wouldn’t have bet against them pushing for a Europa League spot. Matthew Upson, Carlton Cole, Scott Parker, and Robert Green have all played for England, with Upson, Cole, and Green pushing for a place in Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad. Valon Behrami is a full international for Switzerland, and Guillermo Franco has played 20 times for Mexico. And there’s more. But can you blame the Hammers for being a little off colour with the constant facades off the field being such an obvious distraction? And can you blame Zola for not getting the best out of his players?

There has been speculation that Zola will walk out of West Ham following his team’s match against Stoke City today, regardless of the score. I hope he does, and I hope he goes on to show Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Gold just what they’ll be missing.

Are you Liverpool in disguise?

2010-03-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

Expectation. Hope. Excitement… Disappointment. Reality check. Unrest. Am I talking about Manchester City, or Liverpool? Take your pick – They seem to be the same thing.

The cloud of expectation that looms over the City of Manchester Stadium is rather too quickly brewing into something resembling a storm-cloud, and there doesn’t seem to be a solution for it. Roberto Mancini arrived in the city boasting two of the world’s richest clubs with the task of guiding the blue side of Manchester into the top four as they seek to become Premier League champions within the space of 24 months. His mission was clear. No one said it would be easy, but it was clear. Now, he’s fast learning that being the manager of a club with Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor and half of Robinho on its books is not as illustrious as it may seem.

Rafael Benitez has a much easier job on his hands. Or so it seemed. His mission? Keep the indispensible Fernando Torres at the club, continue to build a team that is capable of winning their first top flight title in over 20 years, and make sure fortress Anfield remains exactly that. 1 down, 2 to go. Liverpool’s demise has been as quick as City’s rise to the top of the money lists, and the fans on Merseyside are seeking change. Rafa has served Liverpool loyally and successfully over the course of 5 years, and he is a person and a manager who will be fondly remembered by all Liverpool fans. Forget his cautious approach and reluctance to kill a game off when we’re 1-0 up. Forget Albert Riera’s outburst that Rafa has no communication skills at all. And forget his often straight-batted comments under interview. He won the Champions League in his first year and brought Fernando Torres into our lives. That’s enough for me. For now.

This season has been nothing short of a disaster for Rafa, something that Mancini can sympathise with. Whilst his record as Manchester City manager is not in the slightest bit disastrous – 10 wins in 19 games – it’s not spectacular, and as far as Mr. Bin Zayed Al Nahyan is concerned, it’s not good enough. The highlight of his brief City career is undoubtedly a superb performance and result at the City of Manchester Stadium against the old enemy. Perhaps the forgiving, sympathetic portion of Blues fans will settle for that, but finishing in the Europa League spots is not what Mancini heard in his mission briefing. The same goes for Rafa. There’s one option, and one option only; Champions League football.

Not only are the two clubs similar in ambition, but they’re similar in strategy too. Those of you who watched the dour display of what was called football just over a month ago, you’ll have seen how both teams cancelled each other out and how a lack of ambition cost vital points for both parties. A lack of confidence, lack of morale, and general group disconnectivity led to one of the dullest 0-0 draws you’ll witness in the Premier League. It resembled more of a relegation scrap than a match between two sides boasting world-class players, fighting it out to play in Europe’s most prized competition. It is exactly this which looks like forcing Roberto Mancini and Rafael Benitez out of their respective clubs, sooner rather than later.

With the money in the pocket of the Arab owners, there is no margin for error for Manchester City. Neither is there time for the brave (or stupid) man that accepts the challenge of the City hotseat, and boy is it hot. It seems these days, it’s one slip up and you’re out. Mourinho, Hiddink, Ancelotti, even Guardiola. Those are names you’ve heard, and will hear in the future as to Mancini’s successor. They’re mission? Win the Premier League, and secure Champions League football for the next decade. Good luck.

With a lack of money at Anfield, there is more margin for error and a lot more time – especially when the clueless American owners can’t afford to sack the manager. For the next man to take on the Liverpool job, it will be a fantastic challenge to take Britain’s most successful club back to the top of the Premier League and winning trophies again. Mourinho, Klinsmann, Hiddink, and Martin O’Neill. The usual suspects. They’re mission? Fill that trophy cabinet and bring back the good days to Merseyside. Bring it on.

Ramsey injury sparks debate

2010-02-28T05:33:00.000-08:00

Aaron Ramsey lies in agony after breaking his leg against Stoke

Arsenal FC have confirmed that 19-year-old Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey will miss the remainder of the season after fracturing his right fibula and tibia in the Premier League match at Stoke last night.

The injury, which brought back horrible memories of Eduardo’s career-threatening injury at Birmingham two years ago, was caused as a result of Ryan Shawcross’ challenge – an incident that resulted in Shawcross receiving a straight red card. The defender, who was later confirmed in Fabio Capello’s England squad for the friendly against Egypt on Wednesday, left the field in tears at the horror of the injury.

Ramsey is the 3rd Arsenal player to be on the receiving end of dangerous tackles in the last 5 years. Abou Diaby broke his ankle against Sunderland in 2005, before Eduardo’s horrendous leg break in early 2008. It’s something that Arsene Wenger believes is not a coincidence.

"I’m not very happy with the tackle. We know what we are expecting, a battle everywhere, but we have now lost three players on horrendous tackles and I refuse to believe it is always coincidence."

Wenger’s words, understandably said with anger and sadness, has sparked a debate over team’s over-aggressive approach to playing Arsenal. Cesc Fabregas felt that incidents like this have no place in football.

"In five years I’ve seen three of them. Abou (Diaby), Eduardo, and now Aaron. What can I say. It’s difficult. You could say we are not protected enough. We are victims… There are things that are a little too much but three times in five years is a little bit too much."

So are Arsenal victims of their own gameplan? Many pundits have suggested that the pace in which Arsenal play their football is one of the reasons that three horrifying injuries have occurred in a short space of time. People like Martin Taylor (the Birmingham defender responsible for breaking Eduardo’s leg) and Ryan Shawcross are certainly not as quick as their Arsenal counterparts, and this may play a role in the timing of their challenges.

Certainly there was no malice on Shawcross’ part. Tony Pulis claimed that Shawcross “left the field crying his eyes out”, and the pictures clearly prove that. He was distraught, and highly apologetic after the match, and I’m sure will be visiting Aaron Ramsey in hospital in the near future.

Wenger surely has a point though. This can’t be coincidence. It’s been suggested that the only way to stop Arsenal playing their enterprising style of football is to be ultra-physical against them, as they can’t handle a battle. Now this isn’t to say that professional players go out there to deliberately injure fellow professionals, but when a team partakes in a more aggressive style against the Gunners, the risk that someone is going to get seriously hurt is obviously higher. It’s just very unfortunate that Aaron Ramsey has become a victim of such play.

Could referees offer Arsenal more protection? I’m not sure there’s much they can do, apart from send players off for bad challenges, and make sure that they diffuse any potentially dangerous situations. Football is a competitive game, and things like this are always going to happen. Arsenal receive as much protection from officials as any other club in the League, so I’m not sure that Cesc Fabregas has any ground for argument.

It’s obviously a horrible feeling for the players at Arsenal, who have had to witness at least 2 horrendous injuries in recent times. The reaction of both sets of players underlined how much events like this effect players, and one only hopes that it doesn’t happen to them.

Many say that Eduardo’s injury was the turning point in Arsenal’s season back in 2008. They were top of the table, 5 points clear of Manchester United and 3 points at St. Andrews would have made them sure fire favourites to run away with the title. However, the injury to the Croatian international, who is still feeling his way back into the Arsenal first team, had a massive effect on his teammates. William Gallas was resigned to sitting on the pitch at the end of the 2-2 draw, almost in tears, and ended up losing the captaincy over his actions that day. Arsenal never regained their composure, and ended up finishing 3rd, 4 points behind the eventual winners Manchester United.

It seems the experience of the final few months of that season played an important part in last night’s 3-1 victory. For a few minutes after Ramsey was carried off the pitch on a stretcher, very few tackles were made, and there was a certain lull in the game. However, in the last 7 or 8 minutes, Arsenal stepped up a gear and managed to find two goals to put them firmly back in the title race. A Fabregas penalty, and Thomas Vermaelen’s 8th goal of the season sealed a precious 3 points for Arsene Wenger, and gave Arsenal something positive to take to the bedside of Welsh football’s next big thing.

From all of us here at WDKF, we wish Aaron Ramsey a very speedy recovery to full fitness, and we wish to see him back in action as soon as possible.

Point deductions & transfer embargos make existence hopeless

2010-02-18T09:21:00.000-08:00

Who should the finger of blame be pointed at?

Going into administration is the one thing that owners of Football clubs fear the most. Loss of massive amounts of money, the folding of a professional Football club, and a tarnished reputation that will never be regained. The current financial climate gives Football little hope, emphasising further the pointlessness and lack of sensitivity that the FA show towards clubs at the bottom of the money leagues.

Portsmouth FC and Crystal Palace FC have felt the full force of the FA’s lack of remorse in the situation. Let me put the question to you. How is a Football club, already at the bottom of the Premier League table fighting for survival, supposed to pay off their debts when any slim chance of retaining Premier League status, and thus a substantial sum of money, is whisked away from them by the governing body?

Now this hasn’t happened to Portsmouth yet, but it seems 99% likely that they will go into administration and be deducted the customary 10 points which would ultimately and indefinitely sink them into the Championship next season, unless of course they fold completely and their existence is banished. The scenario is still realistic.
With no chance of survival, and no chance of gaining any money from the Premier League for survival, Portsmouth would have no means of paying off their debt and little chance of retaining their status as a professional Football club. It bewilders me how the Premier League can implement such costly punishments to clubs who are already at the pit of survival, and not offer any support for that club in their battle against ceasing. Surely the last action you would take is to deduct points from that club?

The only way for clubs like Portsmouth to pay off their debt is if they are given the opportunity to retain their Premier League status, which at this stage of the season is still realistic, yet a challenging task. Come the end of the season, should Pompey be relegated, then points can be deducted from the next campaign. At least then, the FA have given Portsmouth a realistic chance to earn some money to pay towards debts.
The situation at Selhurst Park is slightly different to that at Fratton Park. Crystal Palace were riding high in the Championship, sitting just outside the play-off positions before they were sanctioned with a 10 point deduction. Palace now find themselves fighting the drop, and lie in 21st place, a point off safety. How can that be justified?

Palace may well have been promoted this season, meaning they’d receive an influx of money from the FA for their performance in the Championship and for competing in the Premier League the following season. This would mean that the majority of, or perhaps even all, of their debts would be paid off and Palace could concentrate on matters Football. It seems extremely irrational and illogical to strip Palace of any hope they had of reaching the top division in England.

The Football Association should be an organisation which helps Football clubs in times like these, instead of punishing them for matters off the field. As well as point deductions, transfer embargos are sometimes used, although not that often anymore. An inability to draft in new players means that clubs are stuck with players who may not be good enough to keep them in their division, thus costing them more money. If allowed to bring in a few players during the transfer windows, whether on loans or on transfers with money borrowed from the bank, then clubs may have more of a chance of surviving in their division, and therefore claiming a bit of extra cash which would be used to pay back the banks. Should the clubs not stay up despite all that, then punishments can be issued accordingly.

Is that not logical?

There have been developments today on the South Coast with Portsmouth appealing to the Premier League for permission to sell players outside of the transfer window. However, it is understood that the appeal will have to be passed not only by the Premier League, but by the FA and FIFA as well. Portsmouth are desperate to raise £4m to pay this month’s wages, and resolve more cash-flow issues.

Should Portsmouth be allowed to do this, or will this be unfair to other clubs in the Premier League and the rest of Europe?

For me, Pompey need all the help they can get, and if that’s being allowed to sell outside of transfer windows, then so be it. Nobody likes to see Football clubs go under, so help is needed for clubs like Portsmouth to get themselves out of trouble.

Did you know that...

2010-02-18T08:41:00.000-08:00

… Lionel Messi could have signed for Como?

Yes, that’s correct. The Barcelona and Argentina star had the opportunity to sign for Italian 3rd-tier side Como back in 2002, but the directors of the club blocked the transfer.

Messi was only 14 years of age at the time, but ex-Como President Enrico Preziosi revealed he was offered the wonderkid for $50,000.

"I was told, ‘you can take him home for $50,000′ but the Directors blocked the operation. At the time every player I signed for Como wasn’t very good. There is a definite regret. If I had only gone with my instinct."

That’s a pretty big miss from the Como club, who were promoted to Serie A for the 2002/03 season but were relegated straight back down. Preziosi is now the President of Serie A side Genoa, after joining them immediately after Como’s relegation.

So what could have been? Messi at a small club like Como seems ridiculous, but it could have been a very different story had he made the small-money move to Italy.

Messi signed for Barcelona in 2000 from Argentinian club Newell’s Old Boys, and The Catalan giants will be extremely relieved that they didn’t let this one slip through the net.

Calamitous refereeing leaves Wenger fuming

2010-02-18T05:31:00.000-08:00

Controversy was the flavour of the night in Lisbon, as Arsenal went down 2-1 to a mediocre Porto side in the Estadio do Dragao. Perhaps fortunate for Arsenal, the match won’t be remembered for the Football but for a series of blunders from both referee Martin Hansen and from Gunners’ goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

Fabianski played a major hand in Porto’s opener as he spilled a Varela cross into his net after placing himself in a rather dubious position. However, the lead and Fabianski’s red face didn’t last long, as Sol Campbell headed the equalizer from a corner which was headed back across goal by Tomas Rosicky. 1-1 after 20 minutes.

It was the second half that brought about the most controversial and bizarre moment of the match. On 50 minutes Lukasz Fabianksi picked up a very unnecessary and perhaps not entirely purposeful back-pass from Sol Campbell, and Porto were awarded an indirect free-kick inside the penalty area. In an attempt to hold up play and allow his defenders to get back and form a wall, Fabianski kept hold of the ball whilst protesting with the Swedish referee. However, Fabianski forgot one of the most fundamental rules of being a goalkeeper; get back on your line as quickly as possible.

The Polish International then obliged to the referee’s demands to throw the ball back, before turning to the linesman some 50 yards away on the touchline to partake in yet more protesting. Whilst his back was turned, Ruben Michael took a quick free kick to his teammate Falcao who duly slotted the ball into an open net. 2-1 Porto.

The referee’s performance has been subject to a lot of criticism since the incident last night, the majority of which has come from the mouth of Arsene Wenger, who isn’t shy to voice his displeasures when he feels his side are hard done by.

"What can you do about the second goal? The back-pass was accidental, whenever do you see the defender kick the ball with his toe? The ball hits Sol, it was not on purpose and it has to be intentional to be a free kick. It is difficult to understand how the referee can interpret that."

For me, if the referee sees that Campbell has hit the ball back at Fabianski with any part of his foot, it has to be a back-pass. Campbell’s reaction (pictured) is perhaps a giveaway, as he goes straight to hold his head in his hands before rising to place his hands on his hips as if to say ‘what have I done?’. It’s a clear back-pass in my opinion and the referee got that bit exactly right. Wenger went on to say:

"I have never seen that and I have been in the game a long time. It is difficult to understand. It is completely inappropriate that he allows that in such a situation. When the referee gives the free-kick he has to allow us a chance to defend it, otherwise it is better to give a goal straight away."

Once again, I believe that Wenger is wrong here. It is completely within Porto’s rights to take a quick free kick, and the referee is 100% entitled to allow them to do just that. I’m sure had the incident been given at the other end, and Arsenal had been disallowed a goal because they’d taken a quick free kick, Mr. Wenger would be equally as angry. It’s clever thinking, and quick-minded play from the two Porto players.

The one area of the incident which hasn’t received any coverage, and comes as a surprise to me, is the referee’s position as Porto take the free kick. Mr. Hansen is stood directly in front of Sol Campbell, blocking his attempt to stop the taking of the free kick. Surely had the referee not been stood blocking Campbell’s way then Campbell would have been able to prevent the goal. He may have been booked for doing that, but Arsenal would not have conceded. Can there be any blame pointed at the referee for that?

Martin Hansen has been involved in his fair share of controversial moments in the last 6 months or so, none more so than Thierry Henry’s infamous handball that knocked Ireland out of the World Cup. But I feel he handled the situation as well as he could have done on this occasion.

Hansen’s performance obviously left Arsene Wenger fuming, but even with a Fabianski own goal and a controversial Falcao goal, Arsenal didn’t deserve to win the match. Their performance was nothing short of woeful, and they were lucky to lose by just the one goal. Fabregas, Diaby, and Nasri were all way short of top form, and constantly gave possession back to the home side with sloppy short-range passes and a willingness to keep hold of the ball for far too long. The Gunners didn’t look at all threatening in the final 3rd of the pitch either, and it was only when Theo Walcott came on that they started to attack Porto. Even then, they didn’t get the ball to the tricky winger often enough.

Sol Campbell looked unfit and nervy at the back and Denilson was an ineffective foil in front of the back four. As for the goalkeeper’s performance, this will be a match that Lukasz Fabianski will want to forget rapidly. Arsene Wenger refused to criticise the Pole, however:

"I do not want to come out individually on Lukasz’s performance, and judge him in front of everybody. You have to accept you lose as a team and win as a team. Any individual performance is not to be analysed publicly."

So after such a poor performance and result for Arsenal, it can only get better at the Emirates in 3 weeks time. The one positive they can take is they have the vital away goal heading into the second leg. They may even have Andrey Arshavin, Alex Song, and Manuel Almunia all fit again, leaving them with a thin silver lining to a thick cloud from Lisbon.

Ancelotti hails Rooney as world's best, and he may just be right

2010-02-07T09:21:00.000-08:00

24 years of age and still improving by the day. Wayne Rooney has fast made a name for himself since making a storming introduction to English Football back in 2002, announcing himself as England’s brightest young talent with a fantastic strike against Arsenal at Goodison Park. Then just 16 years old, he was tipped to become one of England’s best, and now it’s time to question that prediction as he finds himself in the best form of his career.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has come out and made the bold statement that Rooney is currently the best player on the planet. That’s some praise. Pele, Maradona, Best, Ronaldo, Henry, Ronaldinho, Messi… The list of players who have received such accalades goes on, and one gets the feeling that Rooney isn’t about to stop here.

The Manchester United number 10 has scored 17 goals in the Premier League this campaign, including 4 against Hull City at Old Trafford, and has played a major part in United’s battle for the title. For Ancelotti, there’s none better:

At this moment he is the best in the world. Manchester are using Rooney very well right now. He improves his quality with every game and I am surprised his level never drops. Instead he always improves his performance.

Many have said that Rooney is the ‘complete’ player, and the stats suggest that may be true. 86 goals in 181 Manchester United games, to go with 15 for Everton, and a ratio of almost a goal every 2 games for the National side make him the most lethal marksman in English Football right now, and potentially the world. So what about Messi and co? Is Rooney really better than Barcelona’s most precious asset?

Messi is two years younger than Rooney, so there’s an argument to say that Messi has more time to improve than Rooney. Messi’s goal per game ratio is better than Rooney’s, as is his assists per game ratio. But Messi has never played in England, and for me that could be the deciding factor. Could Messi adjust to the vastly different style of the Premier League, and would Rooney be as affective, if not more in the Spanish League? Those are all things that we may not ever get to witness, and can only speculate about.

Perhaps Ancelotti’s statement is a little too premature, but at this moment in time you would have to agree that Rooney is right up there with the best. The key for him is to stay fit and consistent, and with so much time left in his fledgling career, there’s plenty more of Wayne Rooney to watch. One thing is for certain, best player in the world or not, he will be an influential figure at this year’s world cup, and the catalyst for any success Manchester United experience in the next 10 years or so, providing he stays at Old Trafford.

Euro 2012 draw throws up England v Wales

2010-02-07T08:53:00.000-08:00

England have been drawn in Group G for the Euro 2012 qualifiers alongside Switzerland, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and most notably Wales. The two sides last faced each other in the World Cup 2006 qualifiers, with England emerging victorious on both occasions.

The group has been described as one of the two toughest groups in the draw, with Group A also being predicted to be extremely tight.

Fabio Capello shared the view that Groups A and G would be the toughest.

I think the worst groups were Group A and Group G and we got Group G. It’s a tough group because each game will be strong games to play.

Other British interest saw Scotland drawn alongside defending champions Spain in Group I, while Republic of Ireland will face trips to Russia and Slovakia as part of Group B, and Northern Ireland will come up against world champions Italy in Group C.

Euro 2012 qualifiers draw;

Group A
Germany
Turkey
Austria
Belgium
Kazakhstan
Azerbaijan

Group B
Russia
Slovakia
Republic of Ireland
FYR Macedonia
Armenia
Andorra

Group C
Italy
Serbia
Northern Ireland
Slovenia
Estonia
Faroe Islands

Group D
France
Romania
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Belarus
Albania
Luxembourg

Group E
Netherlands
Sweden
Finland
Hungary
Moldova
San Marino

Group F
Croatia
Greece
Israel
Latvia
Georgia
Malta

Group G
England
Switzerland
Bulgaria
Wales
Montenegro

Group H
Portugal
Denmark
Norway
Cyprus
Iceland

Group I
Spain
Czech Republic
Scotland
Lithuania
Liechtenstein

Disgraced Terry faces captaincy axe

2010-01-30T07:40:00.000-08:00

John Terry faces a nervous few days following stories that he had an affair with model Vanessa Perroncel surfaced last week. Terry, who is married and has two daughters, has failed in his attempt to ban publication of the incident after a High Court judge lifted the order yesterday, allowing disclosure.

Now, with only 5 months until the World Cup Finals are held in South Africa, Terry is forced to sweat over his status as captain of the England team, with the majority of pundits and supporters calling for the Chelsea defender to be axed from the role. However, Chelsea have vowed to stand by and support their much-loved skipper. A spokesperson said:

This is a personal matter for John Terry. The club will give John and his family all the support they need in dealing with it.

The FA have declined to comment on whether the story will cost Terry the captaincy of the National side, but with more details of the incident expected to be revealed in tomorrow's newspapers, it seems inevitable that Terry will be sacked.

Perroncel, the girlfriend of Terry's England and ex-Chelsea teammate Wayne Bridge, has hired publicist Max Clifford to represent her, after she phoned him last night.

So should JT lose the England captaincy or not?

In my opinion he should. The stories are clearly true, emphasised by the fact that Terry hasn't denied them, and his attempt to cover them up by trying to use a "super-injunction" in court. Right at the start of his reign as England boss, Fabio Capello stated that he wouldn't be taking any nonscence, on or off the pitch, whoever the culprit. This is surely the kind of thing Capello was referring to; Newspaper stories revealing all about his players' personal lives, especially when it's to do with affairs and what have you. For me, Capello has no other option but to sack Terry of his captaincy, and drop him from the team.

It comes back to the old cliche that there are thousands of kids out there who would give an arm and a leg to play for England, so why should professionals like Terry be allowed to piss it all up the wall and get away with things like this? Sacking Terry and dropping him from the World Cup squad would not only teach Terry a very big lesson, but also show that Capello really doesn't take any crap from his players. It would send a message to the whole footballing nation.

Professionals like Terry are role models to youngsters who aspire to play for England, meaning that they set the example both on and off the pitch. This is not the kind of example Terry should be setting, and he shouldn't be let near the England team again until he's proven that he's learnt his lesson.

What are your thoughts?

Wish us luck!

2010-01-24T07:46:00.001-08:00

Back in October I wrote a piece about Independent School’s Football in an attempt to broaden people’s knowledge about School Football. At that time Shrewsbury School’s 1st XI had just beaten Lancing School of Brighton 2-0 in the 2nd round of the Independent Schools Football Association Cup, and now, 3 months on, we’re just 10 days away from a semi-final clash with Millfield School of Somerset.

Earlier on in our season we were involved in a thrilling match with Millfield, albeit just a friendly. We took the lead early on, before the home side clawed themselves back into the game to lead 3-1. With only 20 minutes remaining on the clock, we pulled a goal back through a penalty, before equalising soon after. Had it not been for a certain someone missing a sitter in the final minute of the game, we would have come away with a memorable win. Now we have our chance to set the record straight.

Millfield are in the top 3 sporting Schools in the country, as are we. This is a massive rival clash and one that for the winner will earn a place in the final to play at Stadium MK, home of the MK Dons, against Either Manchester Grammar School or Repton of Derbyshire.

Wednesday the 3rd of February is the big day, and everyone is chomping at the bit to get out there and get ourselves into the National Final. Wish us luck!

Tevez did what others daren't

2010-01-24T04:41:00.000-08:00

For so long, probably since Sir Alex Ferguson took over as manager of Manchester United a whole 25 years ago, players, officials, and coaches have been scared to mutter a bad word against them. Whether that's because they know that Sir Alex is a trained assassin and I don't, or just that they're worried he'll say something insulting back at them. Oooh how naughty! That's until now of course.

Carlos Tevez' unbelievable, and frankly brilliant rant about Gary Neville on Argentinian radio, for me, has set a new precedent. Neville gives out his fair share of chat, usually bulls***, and he's disliked by the entire population of Britain, bar a small section of Manchester of course. So it's about time a fellow player, and former teammate got stuck in to the guy.

For those of you that have been in hiding for the last few days, and have no idea what's been going on, I'll run you through the basics. Manchester City played their United counterparts in the Carling Cup semi-final on Tuesday and won 2-1. They were 1-0 down until Carlos Tevez turned the game around in the second half and snatched City a memorable victory. For his goal celebrations, Tevez firstly put his hands to his ears in a "I can't hear you" gesture which he later claimed was merely a copy of an Argentinian puppet from a kid's TV show, before signalling to Gary Neville to stop talking, which Neville had been doing a lot of in the build up to the match. Neville, whilst warming up on the sidelines, spat in Tevez' direction before appearing to stick up the 'v's' in the direction of the City celebrations.

Over the course of the next couple of days, Tevez called Neville a "moron" and a "boot-licker", before both managers and the police got involved. So it's quite a big deal right now, if only in Manchester. Tevez will be looking forward to the return leg at Old Trafford, I'M SURE.

So lets just take a moment to analyse the facts. Neville is a moron, and he is a complete boot-licker, so Tevez is right on two accounts there. Ferguson has told his squad that if anyone steps out of line "they are dead", perhaps indicating that he is a trained assassin afterall. And finally, if there was a bit of trouble between supporters on tuesday night, what are the odds on there being twice or even three times the amount come the second leg at OT next week? Carlos will do well to get out alive to be honest, especially if he scores the winner again.

As a neutral and an avid United hater, I was absolutely delighted to hear about Tevez' comments and couldn't stop grinning for an entire 2 hours. I'm hoping that in the future, we'll hear more of these kind of diatribes from players and coaches about United, because it's nothing more than they deserve. It's also about time that referees and officials stopped being such lightweights and giving in to Ferguson's demands of 7 minutes added time every single game, just so he can win. If it's 3 minutes, it's 3 minutes! And why do people get fined and banned from the touchline for saying that Ferguson is a pillock? The truth shouldn't be punished.

Well that's me done. I love a good old rant about the most hated team in England from time to time. Hope you enjoyed!

Premier League round up - Saturday 16th January

2010-01-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

Another eventful weekend in the Barclays Premier League has produced goals, red cards, disappointment, joy and the odd goal on debut.

The highest scoring game of the day came at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea hammered Steve Bruce's Sunderland 7-2. Nicolas Anelka and Frank Lampard both claimed two goals, while Florent Malouda, Ashley Cole, and Michael Ballack chipped in as well. Boudewijn Zenden and Darren Bent found the net for the Black Cats but in vain. This result comes as somewhat as a surprise, as Sunderland have been flying rather high in the Premier League this year. Steve Bruce's sides are usually quite well organised, so this is a super result for Ancelotti's boys.

Elsewhere both sides were reduced to ten men in Wigan's 2-0 win over Wolves at Molineux. Richard Stearman was the first to be dismissed just before half time, but from the resulting penalty Hugo Rodallega missed, meaning Stearman's error didn't cost Wolves too much. However, just 15 minutes after half time James McCarthy notched his first goal for the Latics, before Hendry Thomas was dismissed for the away side. Even with ten men Wigan pressed on and managed to seal the game through Charles N'Zogbia in the 73rd minute.

Tottenham Hotspur will be disappointed with their afternoon, especially as it was at home. Hull City were the ecstatic visitors to the Lane as they managed to claim an all important point from Harry's team. Manchester United won convincingly at Old Trafford over Burnley, now under the control of Brian Laws, but it took until the 64th minute for the Red Devils to open the scoring. Dimitar Berbatov doing just that before Wayne Rooney doubled United's advantage 5 minutes later. United capped off the win in the final minutes as debutant Mame Biram Diouf netted. Diouf has been touted as a real star for the future, and this goal will certainly help those claims.

Finally, Liverpool's woes continued as they conceeded another late goal to drop two points at the Britannia Stadium against Stoke. Sotirios Kyrgiakos opened the scoring on 57 minutes, but a late Robert Huth goal clinched a vital point for Stoke.

Steyn 5 puts South Africa into the driving seat

2010-01-14T05:42:00.000-08:00

Dale Steyn made his mark on the series at Johannesburg with a career-best haul against England of 5-51. 1-0 up in the series and requiring only a draw for victory, England would have been hoping to win the toss and really put the hosts to the sword by batting them out of the game. Andrew Strauss got the first part right, but not much else went his way on a cloudy morning at the Wanderers.

For the first time since 1937 an England opening captain was dismissed first ball of the match, as Strauss guided one straight off the face of his bat only to be caught superbly by the diving Hashim Amla. Ironically, the ball followed Amla around the field for the entirety of the innings, but he failed to hold on to anything else. Graeme Swann benefited momentarily from an Amla drop in the deep later on the innings.

Things didn't get much better for England as they were reduced to 39-4 by Morne Morkel. Jonathan Trott looked unusually nervous before being trapped lbw by Morkel for 5. He was followed shortly after by Kevin Pietersen, who's horribly out of form, after he pulled straight to debutant Wayne Parnell at mid-on for 7. Alastair Cook went via a review that revealed what looked to be a clear no-ball from Morkel, but don't expect 3rd umpire Daryl Harper to make a correct decision. Cook on his way back for 21, lbw.

Paul Collingwood (47) and Ian Bell (35) resurrected the innings through the morning and reached 115-4 before England's second and last batting collapse begun. Collingwood chipped South African's other debutant Ryan McLaren to point, and Ian Bell was undone by a world-class piece of fast bowling by Dale Steyn. Matt Prior (14) then gloved a bumper from Steyn through to Boucher, Stuart Broad (13) lobbed to mid-on off Kallis, and Ryan Sidebottom (0) edged behind off Steyn. England's lower order that had come to the rescue already twice in the series failed to dent South Africa's progress. Only Graeme Swann was successful in his attempt to attack the South African quicks, but even he didn't last too long. After smashing Morkel for six over square-leg, and caressing back-to-back boundaries off Kallis, he edged behind for 27 and England were all out for 180.

Despite such a low total after winning the toss, Strauss and his men shouldn't get too downheartened. The pitch looks like it will still provide some assistance for the quickies, and although not much turn is expected, Graeme Swann's form and luck right now seems to suggest that he'll have a part to play in the next day or two.

Maxi the man for Benitez

2010-01-14T05:22:00.000-08:00

Rafael Benitez has made his first move to bolster the Liverpool squad in an attempt to improve his side's fortune on the pitch by capturing the signature of Argentina International Maxi Rodriguez from Atletico Madrid on a free transfer. Maxi's contract at Atletico was due to expire in the Summer, and as he had fallen out of favour with the Spanish giants, he was seeking to gain some regular first team action with the World Cup Finals just 147 days away.

Maxi has signed a 3-and-a-half year deal at Anfield, and could make his debut this weekend against Stoke. The winger, who is also capable of playing through the middle, introduced himself to the Anfield faithful before kickoff in last night's FA Cup third round replay against Reading. The bad news was the he actually had to watch that miserable excuse of a performance from his new teammates.

Rafael Benitez gave us an inkling of what we're in for:

"We were looking for players with character and a good mentality... He is comfortable on the ball, can pass and keep possession. He is good at getting into the box and scoring goals and is a good finisher... I think he will adapt to English Football because he is a clever player and takes up good positions on the pitch."

Sounds like a decent purchase then for Rafa, and he'll certainly be hoping that Maxi can adapt to the pace of the English game as soon as possible. Liverpool's season continues to go from bad to worse, and now with only the Europa League to challenge for, the chance of any success this year is fast running out.

Coyle's move to Bolton described as "sideways move" by Burnley

2010-01-09T08:17:00.000-08:00

Owen Coyle, one of the brightest young Managers in English Football at the moment, guilty of making one of the most stupid Managerial moves ever, or a sly career move that will pay dividends in the end?

Coyle's move a few miles south from Burnley to Bolton has really got people stumped. Burnley are currently 14th in the Premier Division, and while they're far from clear of the drop, you'd definitely back them to stay up, especially against Bolton. Bolton are 18th following the departure of the much unloved Gary Megson, and I think it's safe to say they will be in the relegation mixer come the 36th, 37th, and 38th games of the season. So why, oh why did you make that move Owen?

Money can't be an issue, as neither Bolton nor Burnley have that much. You could argue that Bolton's budget is slightly bigger than Burnley's, but not so much as to attract a Manager from a very similar Club.

Burnley have some of the most passionate supporters in England, and I'd know as one of my friends is a Burnley fan through and through. They love their team, and were delighted with the job Coyle was doing. There were very few people who believed Burnley would avoid the drop in their first Premier League season, and I'm not too sure many of their own supporters believed that would happen either. So 14th after 20 games is more than decent.

Bolton's style over the years has been very direct. Sam Allardyce got them hitting target men, most notably Kevin Davies and pretty much feeding off the scraps he left. They'd be made up of big, strong players who wouldn't be afraid to go through you with a 'take no prisoners' attitude. Burnley aren't quite like that. They play more, and probably better passing Football, as is Owen Coyle's style. So can we expect a change in strategy from Bolton now? I should think so, but that will have to start straight away by investing players in the January transfer window that fit that system. Bolton don't possess too many Footballers that would please the purists.

It confuses me as to why Coyle would want to leave Burnley in the middle of such a progressing, successful project there. For a start he got them into the Premier League against most odds, and with a pretty limited squad and budget. Now he's more than holding his own in that League. I mean, Burnley have beaten Manchester United at Turf Moor, and have only lost once at home all season. That's a remarkable record for a newly promoted team. Surely he'd want to finish off that project by ensuring Burnley finish in a respectable position, which would probably class as anything above the drop zone. I could understand if he'd left at the end of the season after achieving Premier League status for another year, but half way through staggers me.

The only reason I can think of for his sudden move is that Bolton still holds a place in his heart from his playing days. Coyle spent two of his twenty-three playing years at Bolton, and made 54 appearances. Even that doesn't seem credible. It wasn't a long stint at the club, but it must have been special to him if that is the reason he wanted to move. Lee Dixon suggested on BBC's Football Focus that Coyle may feel he has a better chance of staying in the Premier League with Bolton, but their League position and recent results don't suggest that to be the case.

Burnley Operations Director Brendan Flood revealed his dismay at Coyle's decision.

"They have got a bank debt of £44m, we have got none. They do not have a history of spending a lot of money over the last few years. I think they can say a lot of attractive things to tempt Owen in, but whether they deliver on those, I think history will tell."

Chairman Barry Kilby admitted that the move was a "sideways step" for Owen, and one that didn't represent any great ambition.

So no one quite knows why Owen Coyle has made the move to South Lancashire, but time will tell as to whether it was the correct one.

Roberto Mancini played for LEICESTER CITY?!

2010-01-09T07:57:00.000-08:00

Whaaaaaaaaaaat. Okay, so I found out today that Roberto Mancini a.k.a. 'the man with the scarf' signed for Leicester City way back in 2001! What is all that about?

Mancini made his name at Sampdoria where he hit 173 goals in 563 games, before joining Lazio where he was less successful. Then Peter Taylor somehow lured him to one of the shittiest cities in England. He only turned out four times for the Foxes though, and didn't get a goal. So it was a waste of time, eh Robbie!

Mancini is of course now Manchester City's new gaffer, and is looking as suave and sophisticated as ever. I'm just struggling to picture him stood alongside Robbie Savage. Complete mug against Italian Stallion. What an earth was he thinking?

Togo National Team bus attacked by Angolan gunmen

2010-01-08T10:59:00.000-08:00

An incredible story coming out of Africa today reports that the Togolese National Team, on their way into the Congo ahead of the African Nations Cup, were attacked by a group of armed Angolan rebels on the boarder between the two countries. The driver of the bus has been killed, and two of the players injured in this unprovoked ambush.

FC Nantes striker Thomas Dossevi revealed the horror that he and his teammates experienced.

"I am fine but several players are in a bad way. We are at still at hospital. We were attacked like dogs and had to hide for twenty minutes under the seats to avoid the bullets. We were shot, although we had two police coaches on our sides. There are two injured players and also some staff."

This attack brings back memories of when the Sri Lanka Cricket Team's bus was attacked whilst on their way to the 3rd day's play of a Test Match against Pakistan. As on this occasion, players and staff were injured and there were a few casualties in Karachi.

The two injured players are reported to be GSI Pontivy goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale and Vaslui FC defender Serge Akakpo. Grenoble player Alaixis Romau said he could count 7 injured people. He explains the effect the attack has had on the team.

"We are not thinking about possible actions just yet, but it's true no one wants to play. We are not capable. Before everything we have to think about the health of the injured. There was a lot of blood on the floor."

One must wonder whether the African Cup of Nations should be allowed to go ahead. There has to be serious concern about security in the light of such an incident. I'm sure that all the teams participating will be considering forfeiting and contemplating their actions extremely carefully. It's a very very sad day for Football, again emphasising the state of affairs in continents such as Africa. No doubt Fifa President Sep Blatter will have a few things to say about this.

For now, thoughts are with the families of those injured, and we all hope they make a speedy recovery.

Vieira to join City - Mancini spots a bargain

2010-01-07T10:26:00.000-08:00

Patrick Vieira is all set to become Roberto Mancini's first signing at Manchester City, providing the French International passess a medical at the club. Vieira is currently out of favour under Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan, and has decided that to prolong his career, a move to England is required.

For Vieira, the choice is a simple one. He wants to play for his country again, and the only way he can do that is by playing on a regular basis.

"I set an objective for myself. I want to go to the World Cup. The important thing for me is to go to Manchester City and to show the coach (Roberto Mancini) I'm the same player as when he was in charge of Inter."

Vieira's always been a very loyal Footballer. He served Arsene Wenger and Arsenal remarkably well, and I don't think anyone can argue that he is sorely missed by all Gunners' supporters. I'm sure he'll receive a standing ovation whenever he returns to the club with City, and I'm also sure that the signing of Vieira will be a big boost to the fortunes of Manchester City, when it comes to winning trophies.

He may be 33 years old, but Vieira is still a top class player. He was a fantastic servant to the Premier League, and a real winner. Getting him on the cheap is certainly a great piece of business from Mancini and the directors at City, although with Vieira being out in the dark at San Siro, it was a good time to make an enquiry.

England hold on yet again in Cape Town thriller

2010-01-07T09:26:00.000-08:00

First Cardiff, then Centurion, and now Newlands. England have conquered all. And the common denominator? Paul Collingwood, or Brigadier Block as he has been aptly nicknamed by the Sky Sports commentary team.

Collingwood scrapped and fought to 40, scored off 188 balls, in a match-saving partnership with Ian Bell, who's silenced his many critics with a 213-ball 78. However, an England draw wouldn't be an England draw without the customary nailbiting last hour of play. At 272-5 entering the final 15 overs, England looked certain to bat out the rest of the day with comfort. Then, JP Duminy, far more threatening from South Africa's frontline spinner Paul Harris, removed Paul Collingwood with the help of Jacques Kallis at slip. Just minutes later Matt Prior fell thanks to a wonderful close catch by AB de Villiers. Two more wickets fell shortly afterwards. First Stuart Broad who reviewed in vain against one that hit his gloves and ballooned up for de Villers again, followed by Ian Bell who nicked a rising short delivery from Morne Morkel.

Welcome to the crease, Graham Onions. Onions was the hero at Centurion when he saw off the last over from Makhaya Ntini, and he did it again here, this time negotiating the far more threatening Morne Morkel. England saving another Test Match by the skin of their teeth.

12 months ago it was England who were on the receiving end of a superb rearguard action, on three occasions. Fidel Edwards was the hero for the West Indies as they saved 3 consecutive Tests to claim a 1-0 series win. Chances are, that feit will be repeated by England in Jo'burg in a week's time.

A new year brings new resolutions

2010-01-07T03:02:00.000-08:00

As we embark on a new year, and a new decade, the one thing that's on my mind is how much more sport I can cram in to an already busy schedule. Where would I be without Sport?

This year, my Sporting resolutions are:
- Feel proud of my beloved Liverpool, no matter what happens, and no matter what people say. I've felt enough disappointment and rage in 2009 to last a lifetime.
- Watch even more Sport - that's more Football matches in every division, and more days of Cricket than ever before.
- And finally, get tickets to watch Liverpool, and at least 3 days of Test Match Cricket.

We're only 7 days in to 2010, but already there's been a scattering of Sporting drama. Leeds United triumphed over Manchester United in the FA Cup, even with the custom 5 minutes of injury time that comes with in the whole United/Sir Alex package.

Down in South Africa England's Cricketers are battling hard to save the 3rd Test Match in Cape Town and preserve their 1-0 lead heading into next week's finale in Jo'burg.

And Australia pulled off one of the most memorable Test wins ever in Sydney. Heading into the 4th day, the home side led by just 80 runs in the 3rd innings of the match, with only 2 wickets remaining. But a Mike Hussey century, and a handy contribution from Peter Siddle ensured Australia set Pakistan 176 to win. Still a very average total, but one that enabled the Aussie bowlers to have a go at. The tourists folded for just 139, with Nathan Hauritz claiming his 2nd Test Match 5-for. Damn those Aussie B******s!

What are your Sporting resolutions for 2010?