Eddie Howe: Miracle Man

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

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

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?

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

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

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...

… 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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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?!

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

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

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.