Benny's Beijing Blog

ROONEY'S IMPENDING SUSPENSION IS YET ANOTHER HEADACHE FOR CAPELLO. OR IS IT?

2011-10-08T07:32:00.000-07:00

I am not part of the ludicrous group of fools calling for Wayne Rooney to be left out of England's squad for Euro 2012. Whether he receives a one, two or three game ban is irrelevant - he is simply too talented and too important to be left at home, whatever mangled state of mind or innate lack of temperament he possesses.

It is currently only a one game ban hanging over the Manchester United forward's head following his red card in Montenegro last night. However, there is a fair chance this may be increased to two or even three matches if you consider the nature of the offence, as four years ago a precedent was set.

In a similar scenario to Rooney, Andrei Arshavin was banned for two matches after being needlessly sent off in Russia's final Euro 2008 qualifying match in Andorra. However, in a bizarre twist of fate, this suspension appeared, actually, to provide the then Zenit St Petersburg star with the hunger and the platform to perform quite brilliantly in the final group game of the tournament (versus Sweden) and enabled him to build up some fantastic momentum in the knock out stages while other players and teams tired.

In the end, in face, the little Russians' performances in Austria and Switzerland meant he was one of the stars of the tournament and dramatically elevated his status on the world stage (just a shame he doesn't show the same commitment and desire to the cause at the Emirates these days).

There are other examples that support such a hypothesis. Zinadine Zidane sat out three matches for stamping on an opponent in the 1998 World Cup, but ended up being the French hero come the final in Paris. Ronaldinho was sent off in the World Cup quarter final against England for 'doing' Danny Mills (who can blame him really?) in 2002, but was a vital player come the final.

More recently, there was also Italy's Daniele De Rossi and his brutal assault on the USA's Brian McBride during the 2006 World Cup. The Roma star was banned for four matches for violent conduct following the group match - only to come on and score a crucial shoot out penalty in the final.

These are all truly symbolic examples of people going from hero to zero in the space of days, but the common theme... All three of these players eventually helped their countries' end victorious, so it is certainly not the end of the world for 'our Wayne'.

I am not predicting that the former Everton star will have the same impact next summer in Eastern Europe. But he is one player in a squad of 23, and with the talent he possesses, he is well worth the risk. In addition, his form this season appears to suggest he is back to his best, and he may even be (say it quietly) approaching his peak.

But there are other issues that now need addressing within the England camp. Does Rooney feature in England's warm up matches and is there any point? This could well depend on the severity of the punishment, but should Fabio Capello go with say - Darren Bent and Andy Carroll as a pair?

Can the Italian experiment with Danny Wellbeck and Jermaine Defoe, or perhaps go with a Bent and Wellbeck partnership? Such a pairing will certainly have pace, but is there enough guile? Could Capello even be so bold and attempt to implement fringe players such as a revitalised Peter Crouch and an in-form Daniel Sturridge into the starting line up?

These kind of tough, reputation defining decisions are what the former Real Madrid boss is paid six millions pounds at year to do. Hopefully now, we can finally observe the Italian fully demonstrate his worth without the services of his most prized asset.

To some extent, Rooney's suspension may even be a blessing in disguise. Capello has often been accused of having no plan B - but now it is imperative he does have. 'What is the next best option if Rooney is not firing' now becomes 'what is the next best option?' If Rooney doesn't feature in two or perhaps even all three of the group matches in Poland and Ukraine, can the fit again Steven Gerrard play the "Rooney' role behind the striker? Does it mean that England can now have Jack Wilshere and Gerrard (providing they are both fit) in the same side?

In addition, the loss of Rooney removes a headache that Capello would probably have had to treat. Crucially, the manager can now play a defensive midfielder alongside the two playmakers instead of having to try and juggle the old 'Gerrard-Lampard' chestnut of accomodating two wonderfully gifted players in central midfield without any protection behind. In this formation, without Rooney, Gerrard can play further forward, while Scott Parker or Gareth Barry (who appear to be Capello's first choices as the defensive midfielders) can screen in front of the back four. This is especially significant as Frank Lampard now appears to be nothing more than a squad player at best. The Chelsea star will be 34 come the finals, and England really do now need to look to the future generation.

Ashley Young, Wilshere, Stewart Downing and Theo Walcott are all options that should be nurtured and cherished, but what of Gerrard you may ask? Well, the 31 year old is two years younger than Lampard and is still good enough and young enough to figure come June. However, whether or not the Liverpool skipper should still be considered for Brazil in 2014 depends on the state of his body and his hunger. But surely that has to be a discussion for after the finals and for the new manager to decide on. For now, the Liverpool talisman simply has to be in the side.

There are some critics who will argue that Rooney's record at major tournaments makes his loss less of a negative than many pundits may claim. But let's not forget his brilliant Euro 2004 tournament in Portugal as a teenager, where he scored four goals in three games. At the 2006 World Cup in Germany, meanwhile, he was not fully fit - through no fault of his own, it must be said. But he was only 20 at the time and desperate to play, so you can't question his commitment to the England cause, despite what the press and some fans may claim today.

In South Africa last year, Rooney was very poor, but we all know the reasons why - and while there is not much of a defence for what Rooney did yesterday, it was perhaps understandable considering the stress he was under. Perhaps he should have been more honest about his frame of mind before the game, but you certainly can't blame Capello for this, and Rooney is certainly not the first high profile player to act foolishly in a big game on more than one occasion.

Some of the world's greatest players lose their heads at the most inappropriate moments - but it's this unpredictability which makes these individuals so stunningly brilliant. Rooney, who is 26 this month, still has time on his side to prove he is up their with the very best of all time.

Memories can hark back to Spain 1982, when a certain Diego Maradona was dismissed in the group stages for an appalling challenge on Batista against Brazil. Zindane Zidane - such a timid figure off the pitch, is one of the few players to be sent off in two World Cup's, and both times for violent conduct. We all know what happened in the 2006 final, and who can possibly claim that he didn't let France down? But do most of us care? No. He was a supreme player and as close to a football artist as I have seen.

As Englishman, we just have to hope that Rooney learns from this. In 2006, he didn't have to suffer the misery of sitting out the semi final as England were knocked out on penalties against Portugal anyway, following his sending off. This time, perhaps, having to suffer the indignity of watching his nation begin their European Championships campaign without him will hopefully increase his desire and enable him to harness his anger as to make sure he does not do something similar again.

In addition, the absence of Rooney during the opening stages may also dampen down expectations back home, and may be just the fillet that England need to prove the critics wrong and have a decent tournament. Capello will surely have learnt from the mistakes he made in South Africa, and he must now fully realise that English men are not Italians.

Although we can do without mimicking the Rugby lads' behaviour down under this autumn, we can at least hope that the players are in the right frame of mind to give as good as they've got. And with the quality England have at their disposal, and with the luck of suspensions and injuries going in their favour, you never know what could happen.

However, one thing is for sure. England have no chance of going all the way, without a certain 25 year old LIverpudlian in their ranks.

FERNANDO JOSE TORRES SANZ - THE PAINFUL DEMISE OF A FALLEN IDOL. BUT IS THERE ANY WAY BACK FOR THE FORMER GREAT?

2011-09-09T06:57:00.000-07:00

The exclusion of Fernando Torres this week from Spain's match squad was a shock to many of his ardent fans around the globe. But really, on the face of it, why?

The Chelsea striker has played 21 competitive games since his record £50 million move from Liverpool in January, and has, without mincing my words, been a total disaster. In fact , with his shocking return of one goal, he is well on course to be the biggest flop there has ever been in English football. He is even currently managing to out-fox Steve Daley's fateful stint at Manchester City following his record transfer from Wolves in the late 1970s (although in fairness to Daley, he wasn't supposed to be a goalscorer).

The omission of the 87 times capped striker from Vincente del Bosque's 18 man crew had been coming. If match squads were selected on name only, Torres would be the first name on the team sheet. But they are not, and the 27 year old has not scored in nearly a year for his country. On form, it's clearly the right decision, and, in the long term, might even be the best thing that could happen. The Spanish are hardly short on options are they?

This is not a sudden occurrence, however. Torres' lack of form is not confined soely to his spell at Stamford Bridge. He has not been the same player since he limped out of Liverpool's Europa League quarter final against Benfica nearly 18 months ago. Four days previously, the much maligned Rafael Benitez had withdrawn him after an hour during a 'must win' Premier League match at St Andrews against Birmingham. The iconic image of Steven Gerrard's shaking head as Torres departed may well have been the beginning of the end of the Benitez era at Anfield. But in hindsight, was Torres' fellow Spaniard actually justified and only trying to protect his fellow countryman? Was the then manager acutely aware of the severity of Torres' injury problems and the issues they were causing?

Torres was subsequently ruled out of Liverpool's last five league games that campaign following knee surgery and the club missed out on a Champions League place. However, the striker faced a race to be fit in time for the start of the World Cup seven weeks later. The Spanish star won that race, but has the pressure he put on himself to make that squad destroyed his career? Has it left him worn out and a shadow of his former-self? It certainly appears to be the case. He failed to score in seven matches in South Africa and has never looked the same since.

Before that injury, Torres - always somewhat of an injury prone player in his time at Anfield - still boasted an incredible goalscoring record during his time in England. He hit the net 18 times in 22 league games during the 2009-10 season, and up to that point, his injuries, however regular, never seemed to particularly affect his comebacks. 72 goals in 116 games at Anfield during a prolific - often brilliant, but fragmented period at Liverpool are statistics second to none in the club's history. In fact, earlier that season, Torres had become the fastest ever player to score 50 league goals - faster than Rush, Owen or even the wonderfully gifted and precocious Robbie Fowler.

Between 2007 and 2009, it would be hard to argue that Torres wasn't the best frontman in world football. In addition, his partnership with Gerrard was as potent as any attacking force in Europe during those years. The dynamic and almost telepathic on-field relationship they had is probably the best combo there has been at Anfield since the days of Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush in the early 1980s. Yes, it was that good at times.

But despite his lack of domestic silverware, we shouldn't forget that Torres has won both the European Championships (where he scored the winning goal in 2008) and the World Cup with Spain. Has he simply, just lost his desire? The striker - despite ''proudly' displaying a Liverpool scarf during Spain's post match celebrations following their World Cup triumph, reportedly desired a move to Chelsea during the summer of 2010. He was persuaded to stay in the north-west, but, under Roy Hodgson, his form continued to dip dramatically.

There were moments of brilliance under the former Fulham boss - the double strike versus Chelsea being the stand out performance, as well as the brilliant volleyed winner at home to West Brom. But you could sense that this was a player who had lost the passion to play for his club. It was a club where he was idolised and worshipped, under the affectionate nick-name of 'El Nino'.

Although Torres' performances were well below par at Anfield during this period, he wasn't alone. The whole team struggled under Hodgson's stewardship and were 13th in the table by the time he was dismissed in early January. Ironically, following Kenny Dalglish's arrival, Torres immediately started to perform the 'Torres of old'. Three goals and two assists in four games under the guidance of the Liverpool legend appeared to have turned the corner and, once again, Torres was smiling. But was this step up in form due to Dalglish's influence and renowned man management skills, or, in fact, was it the player's desire to force through a move during the January transfer window? It appeared to be the latter - so you would have thought....

After requesting a transfer, 'Nando' finally grabbed the move he had been looking for. However, a lacklustre debut in a 1-0 home defeat to his former club only rubbed further salt into the wounds. The Spaniard - who had now been out of form for nearly the whole of the previous nine months, was now at his lowest ebb. Game after game he failed to score for his new club.

Eventually, in his 12th game for the Blues, he scored (all be it with the aid of torrential ran) against West Ham. Surely the flood gates would now open, but no.. He failed to score during the last four games of the season as Chelsea's title challenge faltered. His confidence was low once again, but so too, and most worryingly, appeared to be his effort and desire. Maybe it was indeed Dalglish who had got the best out of him in his final days at Liverpool - because despite now being at the club he reportedly so wanted to join, he now (in a new season) looks even more sub-standard than he did under Hodgson at Anfield. In fact, the opening day defeat at Stoke aside, Torres' touch has been akin to a schoolboy, while his movement, at times, would make Jan Molby feel embarrassed.

Perhaps all of these issues can be put down to one thing - burn-out. Torres made his debut for Athletico Madrid shortly after his 17th birthday and was captain at 19. But he has also (as we have gathered earlier in the passage) had his fair share of injuries, so he has not been shorn of career breaks. Many football analysts suggest that his lack of a summer break from 2008 through to 2010 are reasons for his lack of form - not to mention his lack of a pre-season at Liverpool during the summer of 2010. But surely, that's a contradiction in terms. Players such as David Villa and Xavi Hernandez - both older than Torres, have hardly suffered from so much summertime football in recent years have they?

Several pundits and media have pinpointed Chelsea's lack of a 'Steven Gerrard' or 'Xavi Alonso' in the Chelsea side. But to many outsiders looking in, this claim doesn't really cut the mustard. Torres' form is not fundamentally down to a lack of chances being created. He has had, and indeed missed, several 'simple' chances at Chelsea - four or five a game at times. While in his pomp at Liverpool, he would have had the confidence and pace to beat the last man, at Chelsea, he regularly gets tackled or loses control of the ball.

In truth, Chelsea probably create more chances than Liverpool did under Benitez - where his teams were often counter attacking outfits. Maybe this is part of the problem, as Torres is now just one of many fish in a large pond, whereas at Anfield he was, at that time, one of the two main men and the focal point of the side.

I heard Chris Sutton on Talk Sport this week, stating that Torres was 'still a great player and will come good'. He also rolled out that marvellous old cliche that 'you don't become a bad player overnight'. Coming from the mouth of Sutton (another big money failure), that's interesting, as he never managed to come good at the Bridge, despite endless opportunities given to him by Gianluca Vialli. There must also be a grave concern at Chelsea this time around too, despite the transparent media facade they appear to be creating.

Many Torres believers (and there is plenty of them) have all been saying for nigh on eight months now that Torres will come good, but people tend to forget (as I suggested earlier) that for nine months previously, his form was 'patchy' to say the least. Sure, he hasn't become a bad player overnight, but appears to have become a bad player since he motored down the M6 and the M40 to London on that cold winter's night last January (I know - perhaps he came by helicopter, but you get my point).

Torres' body language suggests, that even at a new club, he lacks desire and he is clearly, well past his best. This scenario does, quite interestingly, mirror the careers of two other of Anfield's former greats - Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen. Both of these players were also pretty much 'washed up' by 27, after a succession of serious injuries. Such a regular frequency of injuries will un-doubtebly take their toll and Liverpool, despite the fans much publicised displeasure when Torres left the club, must be turning cartwheels now.

Whether or not Dalglish could have continued his rehabilitation of Torres had he stayed, we will never know. But Luis Suarez, Craig Bellamy and Andy Carrol l(who despite the criticism, has at least scored three goals in 12 games and is far from the finished article) for Torres along with a handy £7 million appears, on the face if it, to be good business.

The recent arrival of Juan Mata at may help Torres somewhat, and he may improve marginally. But anyone who expects him to repeat the goalscoring feats of his Anfield days are living in a dreamworld. The Spaniard scored 56 goals in 78 league games during his first three seasons at Anfield, and I, like many Torres sceptics am 99.9% sure that those days are long gone.

Chelsea fans and Roman Abramovich will hope that their partial funding of Dalglish's second 'revolution' at Anfield will yet be re-paid and justified. But there is something worth noting. The three times Premier League winners could have picked up two and a quarter Luis Suarez's (three years younger remember...) for what they paid for Fernando Torres.

So the jury is still out in West London on the man who was voted the third best player in the world less than three years ago. But, let's be fair, they should have gone home along time ago with the verdict 'guilty as charged' ringing in their ears.

SCOTTISH FOOTBALL - IN LONG TERM DECLINE OR IS IT JUST A BLIP?

2011-08-26T23:49:00.000-07:00

The exit of three Scottish clubs from the Europa League on Thursday night was disappointing to say the least. However, I personally don't believe Scottish football is at that lower ebb.

While the Scottish domestic scene is undoubtedly encountering a rough period, both on and off the pitch, in truth what do the Scots really expect? They are a small nation and have punched above their weight for many years.

As recently as 2007, Celtic took AC Milan (the eventual winners) all the way to extra time in their second round knock out match at the San Siro. Earlier that same season, the Hoops defeated Manchester United at Celtic Park. A year later, Walter Smith guided Rangers to the UEFA Cup final in dramatic style, overseeing several away performances as good as any one could hope for in European competition. So why the sudden demise?

As recently as last season, Rangers were still involved in European competition up to March. So why should this be deemed a failure? It is true that both Glasgow sides are massively supported around the globe, but they are involved in a league without the finance, competition or infrastructure to really expect any more than that.

It should also be noted that during the late 1960s, 70s and 80s, when Scottish football experienced it's so called 'golden period', things were very different, both politically and within the sporting world. Football was not the prolifically global game it is now, and there were far less teams and indeed countries to compete against.

Remember, back then, the Soviet Union was just one country, and one league - as was Yugoslavia. Scotland were far more likely to qualify for major tournaments in those days - and they frequently did. In fact, between 1974 and 1990, the Scots qualified for five World Cups in a row - an astonishing feat for such a small footballing country. They even managed to make it to Euro 92 (in the days when only eight teams qualified). However, it has been pretty much all downhill from there.

The Scottish national side have needed to re-group, and the emergence of the previously exiled countries, such as Ukraine, Croatia, Serbia, the Baltic States and the other Balkan states have made Scotland's hope of qualifying for major tournaments even harder. In the qualifying campaign for the 2002 World Cup, for instance, the Scots were eliminated by the Croats. While in recent years, they have suffered several disappointing defeats in in Eastern Europe - to opponents they would not have had to have faced back in the 'glory days'.

If you assess the qualifying campaign the national team undertook for the last European Championships in 2008, for example - Scotland very nearly made it! They twice beat France (under Walter Smith, and then under Alex McLeish), but lost in Georgia and and Ukraine. Scotland have a habit of raising their game against the 'bigger' sides, which, to some extent, illustrates the passion and ability they possess. But they also have an unfortunately poor record against 'minnows' when it really matters. Costa Rica and Peru, for instance, are just two of the names Scottish fans probably like to blank out of the minds altogether.

As with the English, football is undoubtedly in the Scot's 'blood'. They haven't only produced players of top quality - good enough to play in the world's top teams and top league's in the past, they have, in fact, produced some of the very best.

Kenny Dalglish would perhaps, alongside George Best, be most people's choice as the finest ever player to emerge from the UK. During the late 1970s and early 80's, there were few players in the world who could compete with Dalglish on both a domestic and European scale for guile and technique. If he had been Dutch, German, French, or even English, he may well be ranked in many's people's top ten greatest ever players. But, although, he pulled on the shirt of the less 'glamorous' Scotland on 101 occasions, his country never progressed beyond the group stages of a major tournament - despite his own gut-busting efforts.

Other players, such as Denis Law - a European Footballer of the year in the 1960s, Alan Hansen - a winner of three European Cup winners medal's at Anfield and Graeme Souness, the captain and lynchpin of the all conquering Liverpool teams of the early 1980s, were players, who were at the very top of their profession, domestically and on the European club stage. They were the equivalent of a David Villa, a Gerard Pique or a Xavi by today's standards. While perhaps most potently there was the legendary Celtic "Lisbon Lions' - the glorious 1967 European Cup winning side consisting of eleven home grown players - all born within a 50 mile radius of Glasgow. This will surely never be done again, as, let's be honest, football just isn't like that anymore.

However, what can be done again is bringing through the quality of players there once was. Granted, Glasgow has changed a lot over the years, and, following it's elevation as the European City of Culture in 1990, has grown into a far more prosperous place - almost un-recognisable in parts.

Maybe you don't find as many kids learning their trade on the streets of Britain's third biggest city any more - having a 'kick about' with their mates, and perhaps this is fundamentally the problem. Of course, Glasgow still has it's social problems, but perhaps the industry based mentality that graced some of the those ex-players (many are now top managers) needs to be re-instated into the minds of the young Scottish kids. They certainly possess the right DNA to make it to the top.

The fact that there are so many great Scottish managers is an illustration of how the Scots appear to have the 'right DNA'. But maybe this is also part of the problem. During the early 1980s, for instance, when Aberdeen were a power-house of European football, their manager was a certain Alex Ferguson. Perhaps the fact that most of the best coaches are snapped up by English teams now is restricting the Scottish youngster's development in their own nation, while the Scottish sides are left with the 'best of the rest', who are not quite up to scratch.

The so called 'Glasgow Mafia' of the Premier League are prudent to this argument. Two of the very best - Sir Alex Ferguson and Kenny Dalglish are from the rough and tumble of Glasgow's gritty past. David Moyes, Owen Coyle and Steve Kean also hail from that part of the world. In addition, there is Paul Lambert, a former European Cup winner and boss at Norwich, while Alex McLeish (a former Scotland boss is) now managing another huge club, Aston Villa, and was a League Cup winner last year at Birmingham City.

Perhaps if these managers didn't have to fly the nest and head to England, then Scotland may have more of a chance to be a footballing heavyweight once more. But with the lack of finance available to the Scottish League, there is little hope of these top managers staying and it appears for now to be like 'pie in the sky'.

There, is however, some hope on the horizon. Scotland - now under the stewardship of Craig Levein, have made a solid start in their qualifying campaign for Euro 2012. In fact, for the first time since the mid 1990s, they can now boast players who are playing top English sides.

Darren Fletcher is a regular starter at Old Trafford, and when fit, is probably their first choice central midfielder. There is also the much improved Charlie Adam, who is settling into his new role as the midfield playmaker under Dalglish at Liverpool. In addition, Barry Bannan is a very talented young player coming though the ranks at Aston Villa and Gary Caldwell is a regular starter at centre back for Wigan Athletic. While, adding even more to the Scottish kudos south of the border, Phil Bardsley is a regular full back at Sunderland, Alan Hutton, likewise, at Tottenham, and James Morrison has developed into an excellent attacking midfielder in Roy Hodgson's fledgling West Bromwich Albion side.

As well as those fore-mentioned top flight stars, Craig Mackail-Smith, a rather late developer, lower down the leagues, is a goalscoring machine at Brighton, and appears to be set for the top too.

Things certainly look rosier, and hopefully the grim days of George Burley having to pick players from the English championship to compete with the Xavi's and Iniesta's of this world look, at this current time to be a thing of the past. In fact, to be perfectly blunt, a fully firing midfield pairing of Charlie Adam and Darren Fletcher alongside each other at Hampden is quite a daunting prospect for any opposing teams to face. These two names alone, suggest it's not all doom and gloom north of the border.

Perhaps a smidgen of success for the national team (such as qualifying for a major tournament for the first time since the World Cup of 1998), can help bring about and inspire a new crop of Scottish footballer's to rival the greats of yesteryear. This is turn will not only aid the plight of the Scotland team, but also, hopefully, bring a little ray of light to the domestic game.

PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON PREVIEW 2011-2012

2011-08-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

The upcoming Premier League campaign promises to be another classic campaign. If the relegation battle is anywhere near as good as it was last year then we are in for a treat. Last season, we ended up with five teams attempting to avoid the two remaining relegation places on the final day. The thrilling drama even entered the last three minutes, when Stephen Hunt's late goal for Wolves eventually sent Birmingham City (who only a few weeks earlier had appeared safe) down. It was as dramatic a any final day as any in the last decade. At one point, Blackpool even led at Old Trafford, before eventually succumbing to relegation after a wonderfully brave fight. Let's hope for more of the same drama at the bottom of the table over the next nine months.

Talking of Old Trafford, and focusing firstly on the top of the league - Manchester United are clear favourites to claim their 20th league title. They have lost several key players, but appear to have replaced them as well as they could have hoped.

David de Gea is probably the newcomer under the most pressure. He is the second most expensive goalkeeper in history and at the age of 20 is vastly inexperienced. In addition, acquiring goalkeepers has not always been Sir Alex Ferguson's greatest asset, so it will be interesting to see how quickly the young Spaniard settles in. His talent is not in doubt, but he is prone to the odd glaring error, especially when it comes to long range shooting. His performance in the Charity Shield will offer other teams some hope, but it is very early days. de Gea is at the right club, but there is no doubt that Edwin Van de Sar will be incredibly hard to replace. It is virtually impossible to re-create that presence and respect overnight.

The retirement of Paul Scholes is the highest profile of all the departures. But Scholes had not been a regular starter for a couple of years now. If the club signs Wesley Sneijder they have a ready made replacement and a world class player. However, if the Dutchman's wage demands prevent a move to Old Trafford occurring, the midfield will continue to fall short of challenging the supremacy of Barcelona on the European stage. And this is what Sir Alex really craves.

I would also suggest Ashley Young is rather a strange acquisition. Is he really needed? The club already have Park Ji Sung (who has reportedly just signed a new contract), Ryan Giggs, Nani and Antonio Valencia on the flanks. You would expect the club to play Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez up front, so where does Young fit in? Will Rooney drop back into midfield? Of course Young's presence strengthens the depth of the squad, but Nani, Valencia and Young are are very good players who will not want to be sat on the bench regularly. They are all too talented for that, so something is going to have to give.

United's defence is particularly strong. The two youngsters, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are excellent back up to Vidic and Ferdinand and can also play anywhere across the back four. John O'Shea and Wes Brown have departed to Sunderland, but shouldn't be missed too much, despite their versatility.

I do think Manchester United will retain the league title, but not at a canter. They are probably looking at gaining around 80 points again, but I doubt they will finish nine points clear this season. I expect a sterner challenge from their rivals and in particular a challenge from a side much closer to home than in previous years.

I can envisage Manchester City finishing runners up and I expect them to at least reach the knockout stages of the Champions League in their first season. In fact, the pool of players that Roberto Mancini has at his disposal are possibly better suited better to Europe and that should make them major contenders. Players such as Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli, David Silva and Yaya Toure are class acts, and are as good as most players in their positions in the world.

To win the league however, Mancini probably needs to execute a more positive approach away from home. And, now they have achieved their initial aim of winning a trophy and ensuring Champions League qualification, the board will probably expect a step up in playing style and league position. The amount of investment they have pumped into the club demands a more expansive playing style, surely.

A top two finish and a good Champions League run is the least they should expect at the newly named Etihad Stadium, and I think it will happen. They should run their neighbours very close.

I can picture Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal battling it out for third and fourth place. Chelsea will be excellent defensively, but they are lacking in midfield. Michael Essien is set to be out for a while with a nasty injury and will be a huge loss, while Frank Lampard is 33 and cannot go on forever. The England midfielder has also started to pick up more injuries - something that never happened earlier in his career. Lampard's goals are so crucial to Chelsea's success. Florent Malouda is inconsistent, as is Salomon Kalou, while the Brazilian star - Ramieres, still has a much to prove if he is to succeed in the Premier League.

Under Andre Villas-Boas, the Blues will be well organised and hard to beat, but ultimately, I think they will fall short. Nicolas Anelka is ageing, as is Didier Drogba. Fernando Torres is a shadow of his former self and they will need a vast improvement from him and from the rest of the team if they are to challenge for the title once again.

The trump card at Stamford Bridge, however, could turn out to be Daniel Sturridge. He is still relatively raw and will need to improve his general play if he wants to step up to the plate, but expect a more appearances from the former Manchester City player under Chelsea's new coach - he seems to like him.

Saying that, I predict no higher than a third place finish with perhaps another decent run in Europe for the West London giants.

Liverpool should snatch the final Champions League place. A lot has been made of their overcrowded midfield, but at least they now have several variable options going forward- something they have severely lacked in recent years.

Critics have also discussed at length - their weaknesses in defence. However, since Kenny Dalglish took over at the turn of the year, their defensive performances has been up their with the best in the league. Clearly aided by Steve Clarke's expert tutor-ledge, the Reds conceded only 12 goals in their last 16 league games last season - this is as good a record as anyone. The defensive problems are perhaps a myth created by Roy Hodgson's catastrophic reign at the club, although much does depend on the fitness of Daniel Agger - a class act.

The impending signing of Jose Enrique though, certainly strengthens that back four, and in addition to that - the creativity of Charlie Adam and the width and energy of Stewart Downing are clearly improvements on last season. There are also an enviable array of striking options available to Dalglish. Andy Carroll, Dirk Kuyt and the brilliant Luis Suarez all bring something different to the table. I think the Liverpool fans can look forward to a pretty good season at Anfield resulting in a Champions League place at the end of it.

The Reds could well claim fourth spot at the expense of Arsenal. Although unlike many pundits, I don't believe Arsenal will give up their top four place without a fight. However, no one can dispute the fact that they are losing two of their three best players (along with Robin Van Persie). Cesc Fabregas will depart to Barcelona and Samir Nasri is all but certain to move to Manchester City before the end of the transfer window. The Gunners' new summer signing, Gervinho, is a terrific talent, but the Gunners will need Van Persie to stay fit for the majority of the season to challenge. However, history suggests this is unlikely.

Much will be expected of Jack Wilshere, once again - and he is a supremely talented player. But at 19, he is no 'Fabregas' yet, and he is carrying an awful lot on those young shoulders, for both club and country. Can he deal with it? We shall certainly discover over the coming season.

Scott Dann has been linked with a move to the Emirates today, but he is really the missing piece of the jigsaw. When you compare Arsenal's goalkeeper, the defence, the midfield and their set of strikers with the other teams in the top five, even the top six (including Tottenham), the Gunners appear to be weaker in most positions.

Arsene Wenger has proved critics wrong many times down the years, but this is a massive season for him. He has never finished outside the top four in his time at Arsenal, but it will take something very special to prevent them from slipping out of it this year. My prediction: A 5th place finish and an early knockout stage exit from the Champions League. Difficult times at the Emirates...

The relegation battle should be another cracker. I can't see Wigan surviving this year. Losing Charles N'Zogbia is a huge loss, and they have also lost Tom Cleverley, who has returned to Old Trafford. Roberto Martinez is a shrewd manager, but the club lack the pulling power of other clubs. In addition, if they lose James McCarthy (many clubs are pursuing the young Irishman) they can surely kiss goodbye to their seven year stay in the top flight. I can actually picture the Latics propping up the rest of the league come May - which would be a shame, as they play decent football.

At QPR, the future is impossible to predict. The Loftus Road club are like a soap opera. If they have a bad start, I can see Neil Warnock (perhaps fairly or unfairly) being quickly dismissed as manager, immediately causing instability and unrest. But in contrast to that , if Warnock does see out the season (very unlikely) I can see Rangers surviving.

However, merely 'surviving' will probably not be enough for the QPR board, despite their frugality in the transfer market. And, because of that, I doubt whether Warnock will last the season. This likely scenario may also hasten the exit of Adel Taarabt too, and with that, any hopes of survival will surely go up in smoke.

I, like most pundits, can also see Swansea struggling, but I don't think they will be stranded at the bottom like some suggest. Unlike QPR for instance, the South Wales just don't have the resources to buy top quality players, so much will depend on the methods of their progressive and dogmatic manager - Brendan Rodgers. In addition to that, the Swans will be attractive on the eye and will have passionate support. Their defence is probably the strongest of the three promoted sides, and I can see Scott Sinclair and Danny Graham causing many defences problems in attack. I expect the club from the Gower to be battling it out with QPR and Blackburn to stay up, and they might just do it!

The reason I think the Welsh side may just stay up is partly due to the mess that has been created at Blackburn Rovers. Phil Jones has departed and I would be surprised if Chris Samba saw the season out in Lancashire. I am also yet to be convinced that Steve Kean can really cut it at this level, and this combination may be enough to send them down.

Again it's a pity, as they have some excellent young players at Ewood Park and it would be good to see them survive. But behind the scenes they appear to be in totally disarray and have barely spent a penny. Remember, they only survived last year by the skin of their teeth, after appearing to be relatively safe around March.

I predict that the third of the promoted sides - Norwich City, will survive. Paul Lambert appears to have the magic touch and has signed some hungry young players. I also think Grant Holt and Steve Morrison will prove to be hits in the Premier League. How long the club can keep hold of Lambert though, remains a concern for the Carrow Road faithful, especially if he keeps them up this year.

Finally, I, like many critics, can see Stoke City as the surprise package. They may have Europe to distract them, but Tony Pullis has built his team into a formidable outfit. Their pool of centre halves - Ryan Shawcross, Robert Huth, Jonathan Woodgate (if he stays fit, and it's a big 'if') and Matthew Upson - are as good as pretty much any other squad in the league. It is a clear sign of the their newly formed strength in depth. Just imagine if Arsenal had had this set of defenders at their disposal over recent seasons? They would probably have one league at least once. A top half finish for Stoke and a good run in Europe are not beyond the realms of possibility for the club from the Potteries.

It should be another compelling year in the top echelon of English football.

So here we go... Last season, I predicted the top four exactly right. Let's see how I do this year..

MY PREDICTED FINAL PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE (COME MAY):

1. Manchester United
2. Manchester City
3. Chelsea
4. Liverpool
5. Arsenal
6. Tottenham
7. Everton
8. Stoke City (surprise package)
9. Sunderland
10.Bolton
11.Aston Villa
12.Fulham
13.West Brom
14.Newcastle
15.Wolves
16.Norwich City
17.Blackburn
18.Swansea
19.QPR (unless Warnock stays for the whole campaign)
20.Wigan

MY SEASON ENDING THOUGHTS AND AWARDS...

2011-06-03T00:09:00.000-07:00

The season came to an exhilarating end last Saturday as Barcelona produced a magical performance to defeat Manchester United and claim their fourth European Cup win. It's almost unimaginable to think that as little ago as 2005, the Catalans had only won half as many European Cup's at Nottingham Forest. Now, the current side at the Nou Camp is arguably the best club side since the early 1970s, when Johan Cruyff's Ajax side swept all before them, and a Bayern Munich side containing Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Muller were the cream of Europe. Has anyone ever seen Manchester United chase shadows as much as they did at Wembley? Sir Alex Ferguson certainly appeared shell-shocked, but I have to day many of us did predict it.

A wonderful side Barca certainly are, but is Lionel Messi the best ever? Two World Cup's still suggest otherwise, but he is still young enough to put that right.

Domestically, it has been a fascinating, if not vintage season in the Premier League. There is much debate about who has been the best player. Some say Scott Parker - but in the end he was part of a team which finished bottom of the league. Some may say Carlos Tevez. But for me, there is a touch of the 'Steven Gerrard's' about the Argentine. A fantastic player yes, but perhaps he dominates the side too much. In the closing stages of the season, when Manchester City needed to step it up to claim a top three finish and win a trophy, he was not available for the large part. In my view, City were a more coherent side without him and their second half performance in the FA Cup semi final win over their city rivals was terrific. Yaya Toure was the real star of City's wonderful end to the season, and he would also be in my team of the year.

For what it's worth, there are two players who really stood out for me. Firstly, there is Javier Hernandez. Without doubt, the bargain of the season. He mirrors a young Michael Owen which his pace, directness and awesome finishing prowess. And, with the former England striker as his mentor at Old Trafford, the Mexican will surely only get better. He is an awesome predator and deserves all the praise he gets. In addition, the Mexican's work rate is also phenomenal, and without him, there is no question, United would not be Champions. Who would have predicted he would bring such importance to the three times European Champions?

My second choice is a player who won nothing and missed half the season. But, in the second half of the campaign, Robin Van Persie illustrated his 'world class' abilities. He became the first player to score in eight consecutive away games in the Premier League, and at times, carried Arsenal's hopes. He scored 17 league goals from January onwards and did this in a side lacking confidence and running out of steam. The Dutchman may just be starting to wonder whether or not his future lies at the Emirates. Watch this space...

On my list, there are two contenders for manager of the year. One replaced the other, but Roy Hodgson's desperately disappointing tenure at Anfield should not overshadow the incredible job he did at West Bromwich Albion. When he joined the club in February, the Midlanders were in dire relegation trouble. But within a matter of weeks they were in the top half of the table and playing, exciting, attacking and un-inhabited football. They eventually finished in 11th place, and for this, Hodgson deserves great credit. It demonstrates the mental strength he has.

Nobody, but himself and the players can know just why it went so horribly wrong at Liverpool, and he certainly had to go in January. But he has re-invigorated his standing in English football and deserves to be a contender for the next England manager's position once again. However, is a return to Craven Cottage more likely?

'King Kenny' as he is affectionally known at Anfield, was dismissed my many as a 'has been' when he returned to the hot seat in January after a 20 year hiatus. But people tend to forget just how good a manager Kenny Dalglish was, and probably still is. His abilities as a man manager are probably over-looked by many and immersed under the facade drenched sheets of the God like status under which he is held at Liverpool. He won the title at Blackburn Rovers and was runner up at Newcastle in both the league and FA Cup. He also built one of the finest teams ever to grace English football. The 1987-88 Liverpool team was his own, and was not inherited. The star players, John Barnes and Peter Beardsley, were Dalglish signings. He was a special player (which attracts other players to the club) and he is a special manager. He also oozes personality and passion for the club, as well as demanding respect. In Steve Clark, he has an assistant full of experience and one who has worked with and learnt from the very best (Jose Mourinho). Expect a couple of stellar signings this summer at Anfield. And in addition, don't be surprised if there is an unexpected title challenge from Merseyside next season.

In a Premier League season which has arguably been the most competitive since it's inception in 1992, there are endless matches to choose from as 'match of the year'. But I have plumbed for a match, which at the time, appeared to be a minor blip in Arsenal's pursuit of glory. They were still gunning for victory in four competitions. And although many critics point to their defeat by Birmingham in the League Cup final as where it 'all started to go wrong' for Arsene Wenger's side. I believe the match at St James' Park destroyed their confidence, to a point of no return.

In the first half of the match, Arsenal were irresistible. Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott and Robin Van Persie were in imperious form. The Gunners were 3-0 up in the first 10 minutes and 4-0 up half way through the first half. But five minutes into the second half, Abu Diaby was needlessly dismissed at it went from being a 4-0 drubbing with 25 minutes left to an enthralling, dramatic 4-4 draw at the final whistle. A wonderful volleyed equaliser from Cheik Diote salvaged an unlikely point for Newcastle, and both teams could even have won it at the death.

It displayed Arsenal's defensive frailties and inability to close out matches. It was also the first time in Premier League history, that a team had come back from a four goal deficit. An absolutely incredible match and one few will ever forget. It was also an outstanding advert for English football and a perfect example of the unique never say die attributes that it's teams possess.

Domestically, there are two individual performances that stands out in my view. Firstly, there was Luiz Suarez's unbelievable performance against Manchester United at Anfield. Dirk Kuyt took the match ball through a '7 yard' hat-trick, but Suarez (only a month into his Premier League career)'s un-inhabited willingness to run at defenders and virtually single handedly destroy the league leaders was 'Gascoigne -esque' in it's execution. The Uruguayan is a special talent, but also a feisty character who, under the stewardship of another great Liverpool number seven (the greatest of all)should prove to be one of the outstanding players in the Premier League over the coming seasons. He is a prolific poacher, a dribbler, a team player and has strength and power to burn. Liverpool are fortunate to have him and, in the long run, he could be an even better capture than Fernando Torres proved to be.

The other performance that caught my eye was Wayne Rooney's second half performance against West Ham United. The Red Devils trailed 2-0 at the break and looked to heading to an unexpected defeat. But the much maligned Rooney, who was having a poor season by his own very high standards, stepped up to the plate. A blistering second half hat-trick blew the Hammers away, and set United well on the way to claiming their 19th title. It was a turning point in the campaign and was something we have come to expect from United. But Rooney delivered when it mattered most and illustrated that his desire and performances are still at the pinnacle of the game. In addition, his relief was prudently there for all to see as well, as his four letter outburst into a Sky camera demonstrated. He was banned for the next two matches, but this shouldn't distort what was a fantastic individual performance from a man under pressure, when it was most needed. Both his free kick and 'drilled in' third strike were right out of the top draw.

The biggest surprise of the season, has to be the sacking of 'Big Sam' Allardyce at Blackburn Rovers in December. Rovers were sitting pretty in mid table. And after a 10th place finish last season, were looking to improve once more. As with all Allardyce's teams, the football was not always pretty, but it was effective and several exciting young players, such as Phil Jones and David Hoilett were enabling Blackburn to become a more attractive outfit.

Scot, Brian Kean took over the reigns, and after a promising start, the team fell deep into relegation trouble during the spring. They only survived following a last day victory at Wolves and whether or not Keane will stay on is open to debate. But one thing is for sure, with Allardyce at the helm, Rovers would certainly have been safe well before the last day, and would probably even have finished in the top half.

The question is, will Alladyce's methods succeed at West Ham. He will probably get them promoted, but will the style of football be satisfactory for the demanding Upton Park faithful? Between 2006 to 2008, Alan Curbishley took the team from a relegation outfit to a 10th place in 18 months. At the start of the following season, he led them to six points in their first three games. But the supporters did not appreciate the rigid, pragmatic style of football on offer and the former Charlton manager was quickly dismissed and never to be seen again.

Now in his defence, I have seen Allardyce's sides play exciting, attacking football. The team he built at Bolton, which included Jay Jay Okacha was a team, which, at times, was quite pleasing on the eye. But this was only really demonstrated in patches, and usually only at home. Such in-frequency at the Boleyn may not sit particularly well with the fickle fans from the East London academy.

Finally in this segment, there is is the 'biggest flop' award..I don't think may people can look beyond Fernando Torres. But has the whole episode really been that surprising? I personally don't believe Torres has been the same player since his operation last April (2010). Many critics talked about his lack of service at Liverpool being a problem. But he thrived on being the lone striker.

At the World Cup with Spain, he didn't score throughout the whole tournament, despite playing every game, and starting four of them. He was a peripheral figure in the celebrations and despite having three of the world's most creative midfielders supplying him from midfield, in Xavi, Iniesta and Xabi Alonso, he could still not muster a goal, even against the likes of Honduras.

In addition, Torres' first touch is currently as poor as any player I have seen in the top flight over the season, and his concentration levels seem to be far more 'off' than they are 'switched on'. He is pale shadow of his former self, and in my view, Liverpool have obtained a fantastic deal. Andy Carroll and especially Luiz Suarez, are young, hungry players, willing to give their all. Torres, meanwhile, has become a sulking, self involved bench warmer at Chelsea.

Week after week, you heard commentators saying that the Spaniard would come good. But one goal in 17 games is quite frankly, pathetic!

With an extended rest and a full pre season behind him, not to mention some confidence boosting words from a new manager (Guus Hiddink perhaps?), Torres' form may well improve. But few can possibly believe he can hit the heights of his first season at Liverpool, where in my view, he was the world's greatest striker. Now he would do well to be mentioned among the most elite 20 forwards in the Premier League.

I may be proved wrong, but it appears 'El Nino' is a victim of a teenage prodigy, who is beginning to suffer from burn out. It happened to Robbie Fowler, it happened to Ronaldo (the bigger one), it happened to Alessandro Del Piero (although he maintained a very good level, but not the levels we had come to expect), and it happened to Michael Owen. Can Torres recover? At 27 there is still time, but does he need a Steven Gerrard in his team? It it the way Chelsea play? Or is it just that Torres is just not good enough? Only time will tell, but it is important to remember that Torres has not been injured more than a year now. Surely that is a long enough period to rediscover your best form. Next year, I predict an average season at best, for the Madrid born striker. It appears to be another, yet even more expensive flop at Stanford Bridge. But at least Andrei Shevchenko had the excuse that he was in his thirties to fall back on. Torres, at 27 should be approaching his peak. But, let's face it, he peaked about three years ago.

So a unique, and fascinating season has drawn to a close. Roll on Season 2011-12 and a European Championship at the end of it, to cap it all off. Can't wait…!

2011-05-24T20:32:00.000-07:00

To all my readers out there. You will have noticed there has been no blogs for nearly four months. This is due to the fact that I broke my wrist in February and was unable to write.

I shall be writing a season review next week. Thanks for sticking with me.

Ben

MANCHESTER CITY CAN WIN THE TITLE... BUT IS IT REALLY FAIR THAT THEY CAN?

2011-01-20T19:22:00.000-08:00

At the start of the season, most pundits stated that Manchester City would probably be happy with a top four finish and a place in next season's Champions League. But now, as we enter the final third of the season, there is no doubt in my mind that City can actually win the title.

The squad at Eastlands contains an unbelievable amount of quality and experience, and Roberto Mancini is definately a manager capable of winning titles, as he demonstrated in Italy. The 46 year old claimed three Serie A titles in his time at Inter Milan.

I have over-heard some analysts make several ill advised comments in relation to their squad. These so- called experts (I constantly gripe at ex-players who make outrageous statements just for affect without backing them up with any real evidence) have suggested on numerous occasions that the players lack the winning mentality of those at Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge. But this is absolute nonsense.

Granted, the players at City have not yet won any silverware together, but the squad is littered with players who have won trophies at the very highest level at other clubs.

There is Kolo Toure, a member of the Arsenal 'invincibles' of 2003-2004, and a player who was twice an FA Cup winner while in North London. His younger brother - Yaya Toure - has twice been a Champions League winner at Barcelona and three times a La Liga winner with the Catalans.

There are other players with experience of winning silverware on these shores. Patrick Viera won three titles at Arsenal (including two doubles), and was skipper of the superb 2004 Gunners side. In addition, the Frenchman has won international honours with his country and appeared in two World Cup finals. You can't get much more experienced than that! As well as Viera, Carlos Tevez has picked up two league titles at Manchester United and has a Champions League winners medal to his name.

The newly acquired Edin Dzeko, has a Bundesliga title under his belt from his time at unfashionable Wolfsburg, while David Silva has won two major titles with Spain and the Copa de Ray with Valencia.

Nigel de Jong has won the championship in Holland with Ajax, while even the temperamental Mario Balotelli has experience of being involved in the pressure cooker of a title race. The Italian international has won three titles in his homeland (one of which was under the tutorledge of Mancini) and the Champions League (all be it as a substitute). This is made more remarkable by the fact he is still only 20 years old.

No club in the league has better attacking options than City. Their four first choice strikers have a combined transfer value of over £120 million and Silva has really began to adapt to the pace of the Premier League in the last couple of months. The Spaniard has been in sparkling form and this has coincided with a terrific run of the results for the team.

I actually thought Silva (along with Marcus Senna) was Spain's best player at Euro 2008, and he is starting to demonstrate that talent at Eastlands, especially away from home. His ability to keep the ball in tight situations and his tremendous passing and speed of thought on the counter attack are a vital weapon in the team's armour.

In addition to City's attacking threat, the central midfield shields the defence superbly. They need to, because the back four, although solid, contains no great superstars. There are few better holding midfielders about than Nigel De Jong and Gareth Barry, who compliment each other superbly.

Yaya Toure, meanwhile, in my view, is one of the best midfielders in the world. Very few players are able to fill the role of defensive midfielder and attacking midfielder to equal effect, but the Ivory Coast international offers this unique versatility. He is a wonderful player, and the sort of player any team would like to have in their side. Even Barcelona may live to regret letting him go (although on second thoughts, probably not).

Mancini also has valuable options within his rotation system, where he has has two hungry English players in James Milner and Adam Johnson at his disposal. They are both match winners on their day and vital to City's hopes. It is always important to have English players within a squad and the Italian coach recognises this. These players offer an authentic element crucial in certain matches throughout the campaign, ie the proverbial 'wet Wednesday night at Stoke' fixture. Every side needs them.

While much of the burden in the first half of the season has fallen on Carlos Tevez's shoulders, the arrival of the Bosnian internation, Dzeko, means that the Argentine can be rested occasionally if needs be. Although whether the Argentine wants to be rested at all is open to debate. I have personally never seen a work get through so much work during a match, but also be such a match winner at the same time. For me, Tevez is the player of the season so far, although Luka Modric, Rafael Van de Vaart and Sami Nasri are not far behind.

But.. and this is an important question. Is the power of City's spending really fair?

Of course market forces dictate football (especially in England) but six strikers all acquired for over £19 million is ridiculous, un-precedented and excessive. Surely there should be some type of law imposed concerning the amount of games played by these individuals every season or a maximum amount spent on players per position. There could even be a law implemented which puts a quota on the maximum amount of players per position within the squad (ie a maximum of five strikers).

Players of the calibre of Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz have barely pulled on a City shirt this campaign. But how can two players worth over £40 million combined be allowed to rot in the reserves, while other clubs could be reaping the rewards of their services. It is not anywhere near approaching a level playing field and it will destroy the competitiveness of the league in the years to come.

I have also noticed how City have clearly laid out money on players to deny their rivals the opportunity of buying them. Chelsea did this with Shaun Wright Phillips several years ago, but Manchester City seem to do this even more frequently now. After all the Abu Dhabi group have an endless pot of riches and are able to execute such methods.

In addition, the club, it seems, refuse to sell or loan any players to anyone within the top six clubs. Poor Shay Given, Shaun Wright Phillips, Joleon Lescott and Adam Johnson will probably have to take a step down the league ladder or risk rotting on the bench, as Wayne Bridge has just done, moving to West Ham (the league's bottom club). I also suspect that Craig Bellamy's surprise move to Cardiff at the start of the season was not singularly down to the Welshman wanting a move back to South Wales. He was probably not given the option of joining any other of the major clubs.

It does all seem a little unfair, but until the rules are altered, City have the power to do as they please. They are not breaking any EU rules and have plenty of English players to fill their UEFA quota of home-grown talent. It could be said... good luck to them, but in American sports this would not be allowed to happen.

Now I am not a big fan of American sports aesthetically, but I do like the way in which they attempt to keep the leagues competitive by implementing strict laws on spending and wage boundaries. It is not always the same teams competing for titles every year and this is a good thing, in my view. And although the franchise system (teams changing location etc) would not be welcome in English football, surely we could replicate some of the financial ideologies into our game. It is certainly something that should at least be considered.

On the playing side, in recent games City have even become quite an entertaining team, something that would have been un-heard of at the start of the season. While some people criticise their defensive performance at Arsenal (the Gunners actually dominated play and missed plenty of chances in reality) few seem to say anything remotely negative about a number of Manchester United away performances this season.

At both Old Trafford and Eastlands, United were superb defensively but offered very little going forward. The majority of the press hailed the defensive brilliance of Vidic and Ferdinand on those occasions (especially at White Hart Lane), but at the Emirates, Mancini's outfit were branded negative. This is just another example of the 'pro-Fergie - pro Manchester United' press that exists in this country.

This is an argument for another day… But Manchester City could well topple their much loved Manchester rivals come May. And, on the flip side of their excessive spending power, it can, this season anyway, surely only be good for football.

MY CHRISTMAS COMEDY TEAMS

2010-12-07T04:22:00.000-08:00

As this will be my last blog before Christmas, I could, of course, harp on about the World Cup voting fiasco - but I won’t. It’s probably all been said already and I wrote an article a fortnight ago about the clear dislike for England at FIFA. It’s no surprise..

In addition, I could talk about Chris Hughton’s sacking at Newcastle. But similar to the events in Zurich last Thursday, it was, once again, all so predictable. It is only really the timing of the decision that I find a little odd.

So, instead of the usual rant, I’ve decided to create four alternative line up’s of players, both from the current eras and the past. This idea (for those who care) was, in fact, brought on by some drunken discussions with my friends over the weekend.

Judging by the teams, you will soon realise the hair colour of one of those friends’. And his team acted as a catalyst for the other three I have created. Look what happens once you get started…

All four of the sides' will contain a 4-4-2 formation and include a captain. In addition, there will be five substitutes, a manager and an assistant manager.

Naturally, some sides are easier to select than others, and the players are decided upon by a mixture of prowess on the pitch and also the ability to appropriately fit into the correct criteria.

To begin with then, here is my all time best ' FOLLICLY CHALLENGED ELEVEN ‘

Bruce Grobbelaar (Zimbabwe)
Geremi (Cameroon)
Alan Wright (England)
Jaap Stam (Netherlands)
Frank Lebeouf (France)
Zinadine Zidane (France)
Bobby Charlton (England)
Gary McAllister (Scotland)
Attilio Lombardo (Italy)
Wayne Rooney (England)
Gianluca Vialli (Italy) (c)

SUBS:
Esteban Cambiasso (Argentina)
Yordan Letchkov (Bulgaria)
Pepe Reina (Spain)
Jan Koeller (Czech Republic)
Claude Makelele (France)

Manager: Arrigo Sacchi (Italy)
Assistant: Rafael Benitez (Spain) .

AESTHETICALLY CHALLENGED ELEVEN (Remember it's just for fun!)

Steve Ogrizovic (England)
Andy O’Brien (Ireland)
Phillip Neville (England) (c)
Trevor Peake (England)
Trifon Ivanov (Bulgaria)
Luke Chadwick (England)
Thomas Graveson (Denmark)
Nobby Stiles (England)
Franck Ribery (France)
Iain Dowie (Northern Ireland)
Peter Beardsley (England)

SUBS:
Oliver Kahn (Germany)
Paul Merson (England)
Sasa Curcic (Serbia)
Gennaro Gattuso (Italy)
Dirk Kuyt (Netherlands)

NB… It’s a great quality bench isn’t it?

Manager: Steve Bruce (England)
Assistant: Phil Thompson (England)

AESTHETICALLY BLESSED ELEVEN
Victor Baia (Portugal)
Glen Johnson (England)
Paolo Maldini (Italy) (c)
Alessandro Nesta (Italy)
Robert Ayala (Argentina)
David Beckham (England)
Leonardo (Brazil)
Jamie Redknapp (England)
Patrik Berger (Czech Republic)
Thierry Henry (England)
Fernando Torres (Spain)

SUBS:
Andy Carroll (England)
Marcel Desailly (France)
Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria)
David James (England)
Freddie Ljungberg (Sweden)

Manager: Jose Mourinho (Portugal)
Assistant: Roberto Mancini (Italy)

BEST EVER GINGER ELEVEN

Steven Pears (England)
Steve Nicol (Scotland)
John Arne Riise (Norway)
Mark Wright (England)
Alexi Lalas (USA)
Alan Ball (England)
Paul Scholes (England)
Nicky Butt (England)
Gordon Strachan (Scotland) (c)
John Hartson (Wales)
David Fairclough (England)

SUBS:
Gary Doherty (Ireland)
Mark Pembridge (Wales)
Mikael Forssell (Finland)
Perry Groves (England)
Andy Campbell (England)

Manager: Neil Lennon (Northern Ireland)
Assistant: Steve Staunton (Ireland)

ARE ENGLAND DISCRIMINATED AGAINST?

2010-11-23T08:07:00.000-08:00

Although this article may, at first glance, appear a little jingoistic, it is certainly not meant to be. And, initially, the statement I put forward in the title could be perceived as sour grapes, arrogance or twisted logic. Call it what you will...

But I firmly believe, with some justification, that England and English football are - more than any other major footballing nation - discriminated against during major tournaments or crucial matches.

Whether this discrimination comes directly from the football authorities or from the officials themselves, I really couldn't say. But nobody in their right mind can deny it happens surprisingly (or indeed unsurprisingly) and suspiciously frequently.

You only need to look at the current World Cup debacle, where FIFA are unscrupulous enough to blame the British media for attempting to expose corruption within FIFA. Shouldn't they be thanking England and the UK for exposing such rotten eggs? Instead they appear, at every opportunity to be vilifying the UK media. It is just another example of the vendetta that exists against English football. And although people are scared to say it openly, it is clear as pie.

The question I would like to ask the readers is... Is there really any other nation who has a history of so many bad decisions against them during major tournaments? To some, this may seem a little 'off-topic' but this is something I have felt for a long time, as I am sure many other England supporters have too.

I need to point out that I didn't want to write about this during an emotional storm (for example after a World Cup defeat). The argument at that stage may appear to lack logic and perceived as a bitter and twisted rant.

For example, if I had written this article in the aftermath of the World Cup defeat to Germany last summer, then it would be written off by many as just me being quote 'lost in the moment'. So I have waited until the calm after the storm to voice my frustration, and I truly believe that many other countries' fans who are ardent football followers, would, if they are honest, probably agree with me - to some extent anyway.

An alternative argument some may use, is that in reality, England are just not good enough on the world stage. That may well be the case, but that is not the argument I am trying to make..

In 2002, for instance, this was clearly the case and the quarter final performance against Brazil in Japan that year, when playing against ten men, is the poorest I have ever seen England have play (and that is saying something). The Brazilians were reduced to ten men that night, not England. This is actually one of the rare occasions where decisions actually went England's way in a major tournament, and they couldn't take advantage.

But if we look through the recent record books, there are several examples of stunningly bad decisions going against the Three Lions at crucial moments in crucial matches.

The 1994 World Cup qualifier in Rotterdam was the first of a long line of bizarre refereeing decisions that have gone against England during my lifetime. Norway were winning the group, while England and the Netherlands had drawn 2-2 at Wembley the previous April. The game in October 1993 was, quite literally, a play off for second spot in the group and a place at USA 1994.

Half way through the second half, with the score at 0-0 and with England on top, David Platt, the then England skipper, raced onto a long pass and found himself one on one with the Dutch keeper - Ed De Goey. Platt had initially beaten Ronald Koeman to the ball and was subsequently and very clearly pulled down by the Barcelona defender. It was the clearest professional foul you are ever likely to see.

At first, the referee, Karl-Josef Assenmacher, awarded a penalty, but then changed his mind. Well.. we all thought, at least this will be a red card. It wasn't. It was yellow.

Minutes later, Holland were awarded a free kick just outside the box. The first one was charged down, fairly enough, by Paul Ince, but a retake was strangely given for encroachment. To add insult to an already excruciatingly painful metaphoric injury, that same man (Koeman) so memorably involved minutes earlier, clipped the ball past David Seaman and it was the beginning of the end for England.. Agony and anger...

The whole of the footballing world, even Dutch fans, knew that the blond haired set piece specialist should have been back inside the changing room taking an early bath. It was truly unbelievable!

A draw that night, would have left England in pole position to qualify. But they didn't, and the Netherlands went on to lose a narrow quarter final to eventual champions Brazil the following year. England and the 'hapless' and probably unfairly maligned Graham Taylor (remember the Cutting Edge programme?) parted company. But very few people remember just how well England played that autumn night. It was a 'travesty' in every sense of the (football related) word..

It is not only that dismal referring performance that haunts England fans. In addition, there was, of course, Maradona's hand of God. But that has been recreated enough times to make a Hollywood documentary about it, so I won't delve into that one.

There is however, the 1998 World Cup in France. Nobody can ever try to persuade me that David Beckham's red card wasn't a harsh one. And if you look back on it objectively (without getting angry with young David as we all very much did back then) the initial challenge by Diego Simone is far worse than the childish and petulant kick that the English man handed out to the Argentine seconds later. The way Simone fell and the fact it was 'David Beckham' meant the referee was only going to give one decision.

During the World Cup semi final between Germany and Spain this year, I noticed Lukas Podolski do a similar thing to Sergio Ramos. It was away from the core of the action, but was still quite easy to spot. But the players were immediately separated, told to calm down and the referee cooled the situation. No action was taken against either man,, but this was because the Spanish full back (Ramos) had not exaggerated the incident.

Couldn't the notorious Kim Milton have done the same thing back in St Etienne and not been fooled by Simone's antics? The answer of course, is no. He wanted to be remembered as the man who sent off David Beckham in the World Cup. And despite refereeing the 2004 Champions League final, we will all remember him for that far more, won't we. What a celebrity... I even heard him on Talk Sport today. He's still around.

Later in the same match, Sol Campell had a perfectly legitimate goal disallowed, as he did in Euro 2004, although in truth, the latter 'goal' is probably more open to debate. I'm surprised the Danish referee didn't find a fault with Michael Owen's wonder goal that night twelve years ago. He managed to scrape together an issue with everything else England did ( I know I sound so bitter, but it is justified)

In 2006 meanwhile, I remember thinking prior to the contest, why is an Argentinian referee in charge of England versus Portugal?

Now, of course, I have nothing against the Argentinian people generally, and this is not meant to be a racialist argument in any way. This article is football related and nothing else. But everyone knows that Argentina and England are arch enemies when it comes to football. Surely a less controversial choice would have sufficed for such a huge match.

Isn't it leaving the highest footballing authorities open to criticism and suspicion when they appoint a referee from a rival nation? Maybe FIFA enjoy the attention it brings. Who knows?

The referee that night (Horacio Erizondo) made some particularly dubious decisions not consistent with others he made during the tournament. Aside from the Wayne Rooney sending off - when the official had previously failed to penalise the constant kicking and abuse the England forward had received from the Portuguese defenders throughout the match - in addition, Aaron Lennon was hacked down in the box during the last minute of normal time.

The South American official awarded no penalty, but in the final of the competition in Berlin, that same referee awarded an even more dubious penalty to France when Florent Malouda clearly dived. Why? Where is the consistency?

There are other examples. In Euro 2004, when Michael Silvestre brought down Wayne Rooney for a penalty (which David Beckham missed), wasn't the Everton man actually through on goal? The French defender was only booked...

Then of course, the one still active in most people's minds - Bloemfontein 2010. We all know Frank Lampard's chip was two feet over the line and most of us could see it at the time. And, although England played very poorly during the tournament, who knows what would have happened to German heads had the goal been given. As we all saw in the London derby on Saturday, when a team gives away a two goal lead, the psychology and the outlook of the whole occasion changes completely. This is especially the case in a high pressure showdown during the World Cup.

I am not completely blinkered of course. Opposition fans can point to the Euro 96 quarter final at Wembley, when Spain had a legitimate foal chalked off against England for offside. It clearly wasn't, but it was a very marginal decision.

It must also be remembered, that there have been endless examples of these narrow offside decisions going against the attacker in thousands of games down the years. Although it doesn't make it right, there is, in my view, an excuse for these type of human errors. Lampard's 'goal' or Koeman's 'sending off that never was' are just ridiculous and puzzling acts of incompetency.

We are all fully aware that England are more than capable of shooting themselves in the foot, whether the gods appear against them or not. But haven't the team paid enough for 1966 now? Geoff Hurst's shot was probably not fully over the line, but you can't hold a grudge forever, it was 1966 after all. The Beatles were just about to release Revolver and the Walker Brothers had just been ousted from the top of the charts - yes, that's how long ago it was! But there there is far less excuse for making such errors in this day and age.

Besides, surely Maradona's 'hand of god' goal in 1986 was the karma the football world required to exercise the injustice of Sir Geoff's 'goal'.

If there is any other country that has had so experienced so many high profile, controversial decisions at nearly every major tournament in living memory, I would like to know who they are.

And while Fabio Capello's current England are not playing well, and deserve all the criticism they are getting, when it comes to major tournaments, please let us at least lose for just being plain rubbish, instead of having our media and excuse to constantly paper over the cracks by harping on (annoying so) about incompetent refereeing decisions and vendetta's against our national team

The 2nd of December now looms large and it is certainly all set to be a fascinating day. Personally, my money is on Russia getting the nod for the 2018 World Cup. But I really do hope I'm wrong.

Hopefully England, for once, will get the correct decision in their favour. Somehow though, I sincerely doubt it!

WHY ARE FOOTBALL AUTHORITIES' STILL SO LAX ON DIVING AND PLAY ACTING?

2010-11-09T04:30:00.000-08:00

Last week's thrilling 2-2 between AC Milan and Real Madrid was a wonderful advert for the Champions League. Wonderful except for one thing - Christiano Ronaldo's play acting.

During his early days at Old Trafford, Ronaldo was regularly criticised for his diving and play acting, but he had appeared to have grown out of these antics in recent years.

However, he was back to his old ways in the World Cup group match against the Ivory Coast last summer, and last Wednesday night, his blatant 'cheating' was enough to make any football fan let out a huge sigh of disappointment.

So why does such a gifted player have to act like this? Is Jose Mourinho - his fellow countryman - having a negative influence on him? The ultimate king of gamesmanship in my view, Mourinho is not entirely innocent himself of attempting to use every trick in the book to win, at any cost. The Portuguese boss will do anything it takes, even if it means damaging the integrity of the game.

But, despite this negative outlook, there have been some positive recent developments from some unexpected places. Serie A has, in the past, been a league where diving and play acting have frustratingly become the norm. During the nineties, when all the world's best players played in Italy, I was so often frustrated by the frequent cheating that unfortunately supplemented the terrific football being played by the great Milan and Juventus teams of that era. But last month, Juventus winger Milos Krasic was handed a two match ban for diving against Bologna. While the same punishment was handed out to Fiorentina's Alberto Giladino for a similar offence last season.

They are, refreshingly, clamping down on this cancer of the game, in the league, where in my view, it all started. So why doesn't UEFA deal out the same punishment in the Champions League? Is it because Ronaldo is one of the world's most famous and most gifted players? Is he too important to receive such a punishment in a PR sense. He was, after all, the World and European player of the year in 2008. Are UEFA just scared?

While on this occasion, Ronaldo was not guilty of diving, he was clearly trying to get a fellow proffessional sent off. In my eyes, this is an action which deserves an even greater ban, and the sight of the winger grabbing hold of his face, after barely being touched in the throat was appallng, even by his standards.

The Real Madrid star is not the only offender. There have been many top players whose reputations have been tarnished by their exaggerated theatrics down the years. Jurgen Klinsmann was one, and he even managed to glamourise his diving antics within his goal celebration at Spurs. Hristo Stoichkov was another supremely talented player, who, despite his awesome body strength, also found it difficult to stay on his feet at times.
And of course, there is the famous clip on Rivaldo clutching his face in 'agony' after being hit in the chest by a ball in the 2002 World Cup in Japan.

In addition, modern day stars such as Eduardo and Robert Pires have also sadly managed to tarnish their reputations due to carying out what can only be described as outrageous dives.

But diving has always been in the game, and not only on the continent. It is a false and unfair stereotype because this form of cheating is very much imbedded in our domestic game too. Francis Lee was a so-called artist of the 'theatrical dive' during the 1960s and 1970s, But the question that interests me is, is it really actually that easy to define what is and what is not a dive?

In my view, a dive is only really a dive when a player falls over forward after no contact from an opponent. This is not, in my view, in any way ambiguous.

However, if a player is barely touched and goes down, it is difficult to penalise them for diving because the contact, however slight, is still there for all to see. It may be annoying, but it is a grey area that is difficult to define objectively in that situation.

Players such as Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen have all been accused of going down too easily in the penalty area. But they very rarely go down after no contact. I am not only saying this because they are English players. On the contrary, if they dive after no form of contact, they deserve to be punished as much as anyone else.

There is, however, another more sinister issue here, and it is something that I have been concerned about for a while. In fact, both Sid Lowe of the Guardian and the BBC's John Motson have pointed the issue out in recent months.. And that is the recklessness of goalkeepers in the modern game.

Victor Valdes' clattering of the FC Copenhagen striker - Dane N'Doye- last week was not punished at all by the referee. But it should have been a straight red card. It brought back horrible memories of Harold Schumacher's shocking challenge on Patrick Battiston in the 1982 World Cup semi final.

This is not though, a new phenomenon that has just crept (back) into the game. Pepe Reina , I think, is often guilty of rushing out of his box with his feet raised, as is Edwin Van de Sar.

At times it almost feels like goalkeepers believe it is their right to challenge an opposing player recklessly, in the same way that a forward does. Commentators will often say 'ooh that's a forward's tackle' when a striker makes a late tackle, and maybe goalkeepers feel they can also get away with such crudity.

On the other hand however, if a forward even brushes a goalkeeper in the six yard box, a foul is given. It all seems a little unfair to me, and goalkeepers really do get too much protection these days.

And, despite my criticism of Eduado's dive against Celtic last year (and it was a form of cheating) the nature of the goalkeeper's antics cannot be overlooked. I can (somewhat contradicting what I have written before) in some ways understand Eduardo's reasoning.

Artur Borac (Celtic's goalkeeper at that time) certainly did race out of his box in a particularly reckless fashion. And Eduardo was, probably understandably, a little afraid. He has, after all, already had one career threatening injury and probably didn't want another.

But the Brazillian born Croat did not want to appear cowardly by merely just avoiding the Polish keeper, so he went down instead. It may have looked quite bad at the time (and I was as bigger critic as any), but in hindsight it actually makes a little more sense. Nothing is clear cut in football is it?

Some players are, in nature, just blatant cheats, and that needs to be stamped out. But when a dive also involves a goalkeeper racing out in a clearly reckless fashion, it becomes yet another grey area in my view.

It is another thing FIFA, UEFA and the FA etc need to clamp down on fast. Valdes should have been punished and wasn't. Is this because he plays for Barcelona? I would suggest maybe it is.

There are so many different areas of the game that need addressing and it is impossible to cover them all in one blog. But away from the drama of the imminent World Cup 2018 decision in December, there are also quite a few disturbing on field issues that are beginning to develop within the beautiful game.

If things continue the way they are, association football could well become the 'ugly' game. And wouldn't that be such a shame for all of us millions of fans around the world who live and breath this sport. Please UEFA, FIFA and the rest.. sort it out, before it's too late!

WAS ROONEY RIGHT TO REQUEST A TRANSFER?

2010-10-25T21:46:00.000-07:00

The story on everyone's lips this week has been the dramatic events unfolding at Old Trafford. But was it really of much as a surprise as people think?

It is important to remember that Rooney has achieved pretty much everything he can at Manchester United. In six seasons at the club he has won three league titles, three League Cups and played in two Champions League final's (winning one of them).

While he has not won the FA Cup, he has played in two finals and has experienced a cup final with United at Wembley. Is there really anything more he needs to prove behind the theatre of dreams?

The England striker - who turns 25 today, is in a different position from what some of his team mates have been in previously. Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs have been at the club since they were barely out of primary school. But Rooney doesn't share the emotional attachment with United that players who have come through the youth set up understandably do.

He also, quite openly, doesn't 'bleed the red of Manchester' like a David Beckham or a Darren Fletcher. Rooney is still very much an Everton fanatic and less than two years ago, in fact, it is reported that Rooney was at Wembley supporting his former club being narrowly defeated by Chelsea in the FA Cup final.

Despite being quoted in the very recent past, stating that he categorically wished to remain at Old Trafford for the rest of his career, maybe he actually meant Manchester - the city of Manchester. A big money move to Manchester City in the new year is still a possibility in my view, despite 'our Wayne' signing a new contract today. And despite, what appears on the surface as ruthless case of brinkmanship, I still believe all is not well with the forward, both on and off the pitch.

Rooney has probably (and quite understandably, considering his profile) become disillusioned watching every major star leave the once hallowed environment of the prawn sandwich brigade's club. In the last 18 months, he has seen Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez depart Old Trafford within days of each other. And he has underwhelmingly seen them replaced with Bebe, an ageing and still injury prone Michael Owen, and a talented, but very raw Javier Hernandez.

Of course, we have seen this before from Ferguson and his almost un-parellelled ability to nurture raw, young players into damn good team players or even world superstars. But have we actually, in reality, seen it as much in recent years?

Ferguson's development of youngsters has nearly always been supplemented with a major big money signing. However, who was the last really major signing the club actually made. Does Owen Hargreaves count? And he hasn't played for over two years.

There been other mixed bags. Anderson has clearly not lived up to his early potential, and Michael Carrick - while still only 29- seems to have completely gone off the boil. There is Nani, who, after a really poor first couple of seasons, has been in terrific form over the last six months,. But will the Portuguese winger really go on to become a world beater? Will Darren Gibson go to become another Roy Keane?

Another question that needs to be asked is will Antonio Valencia recover sufficiently well enough from his serious knee injury to continue his very impressive and rapid progress? And then there is the goalkeeper. As good as Edwin Van de Sar has been and still is (most of the time, 40 is a watershed age for a keeper, and he has reached it. Who is going to replace him? Ben Foster was a disaster and their doesn't appear to be any obvious candidates waiting in the wings,

They are all un-answered questions, but obviously issues that Rooney fears (or feared) will continue to stagnate the club's progress without new investment.

Maybe the Liverpool born player fears that Sir Alex will not be around at the club to over-look the development of these talents. Or maybe he just wanted the chance - as most of us anticipated - to earn the really huge money he is able to before his body (already beginning to show the effects of him bursting onto the scene at such a young age) declines in front of his own and our eyes.

I've heard some people suggest, foolishly perhaps, that Fergie is over the hill, and is beginning to lose touch with the modern footballer. This is certainly not something I would accuse the great man of. After all, he has dealt with Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, David Beckham and Christiano Ronaldo in the past, and dealt with them brilliantly. Beckham and Ronaldo in particular, are/were the ultimate breed of modern footballer and Sir Alex certainly guided them through some of their greatest triumphs.

But despite Rooney's change of heart, it is plain to see that the United manager is unable to exert such influence over both his players and the overall running of the club that he used to. The club are in serious debt, through no fault of his own of course, and he is probably unable to make the sort of cut throat decisions that he has become renowned for.

The Scot probably has to run over every decision with the Glazers across the pond first, and by then the whole kudos and ethos of the decision has probably been lost. He certainly appeared more downcast about this particular saga then at any other time I've seen him. Even the Eric Cantona kung fu episode back in 1995 didn't seem to leave him with such a negative view.

Roman Abramovich altered the whole dynamic of English football when he took over the reigns at Chelsea in the summer of 2003. The Russian created an un-precedented snowball effect of hugely rich foreign businessmen investing into the Premier League market. Who would have thought, even three years ago, that Manchester City would be able to offer players such as Wayne Rooney three or four times the salary they would be able to get at Old Trafford. It's actually quite surreal when you think about it.

Sir Alex will turn 70 next December and this may well turn out to be the last straw, despite Rooney's change of heart. At his age, it may just be beyond him to build another great side.

And despite the surprise u-turn, the tide certainly appears to be turning towards the blue side of Manchester as we begin a new decade.

The wages Chelsea were offering back in 2003 were one thing, but the Manchester City owners from Abu Dhabi have an endless pit of funds even within the face of a fierce financial crisis. Maybe Fergie should call it a day now, or all of his quarter century of hardwork may well be lost in the blue mist of Eastlands.

Watch this space. January could be an interesting month..

JAMIE CARRAGER, A TRUE LEGEND - BUT IS IT TIME HE WAS GIVEN AN EXTENDED BREAK?

2010-09-23T22:12:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago I suggested Frank Lampard should be dropped from the England team. The Chelsea star is now a veteran at 32 years old, and so to is the player at the forefront of this week's article - Jamie Carrager.

Unlike his Chelsea contemporary, Carrager's international career is officially over, but he remains an integral part of his club side. However, I feel he is living off past reputation rather than being in the team due to his current form.

The Bootle born star has been a magnificant servant at Anfield for well over a decade, and his performance when up against Didier Drogba in the second leg of the Champions League semi final in 2007 was one of the best I've ever seen from a defender.

The Chelsea star barely got a kick during both the 90 minutes and extra time and Carrager was fair but firm throughout. Even Drogba acknowledged this during the game and the lack of play acting we have become accustomed to from the Ivory Coast star during that game demonstrated the high regard he gave to Carrager's performance.

Carrager has never been a quick player, and although he is no slouch (recent games aside) his determination and anticipation are his key assets.

His ability to quickly recover from mistakes has also been a key element of his game down the years, but this trait has also appeared to have dwindled rapidly in the last year or so.

Early last season, the little known youngster, Zavon Hines, destroyed Carrager while playing for West Ham at Upton Park. It was a sign of things to come, and although Carrager's form improved as the season went on, his performances early on, most notably away to Fulham where he was sent off, contributed emphatically to Liverpool's awful season and their eventual, dismal 7th place finish.

Carrager though, has always had a habit of rising to the occasion. Last season, despite under-par performances at some of the teams in the lower echelons of the Premier League, he was superb in fixtures such as the two Merseyside derbies, at home to Manchester United and Tottenham and the away game at Arsenal.

But even this seems to no longer be the case. During last week's game at Old Trafford he was beaten to a header by Dimitar Berbatov for the winning goal - hardly a player remowned for his heading abiilty - and generally looked shaky throughout.

In additon, both last season and this, not to mention during the World Cup finals, Carrager has developed an annoying and quite obvious habit of shirt pulling and fouling players who do him for pace.

In years gone by he would probably haver either sheparded the opposing player away from goal or not have been so badly positioned in the first place. Either way, it is a clear sign of his ageing legs. In South Africa the Liverpool star was booked for bad fouls in both group games that he played. Not many players can say that can they? And on both occasions it was down to him being beaten for pace.

There was a time when Carrager should have been in the England team as first choice centre back. Between 2004 and 2008 he was superb for Liverpool and was arguably the most consistent defender in the top flight.

Despite being a virtually ever present member of the squad during this period, he was very rarely handed the opportunity to play in his preferred positon of centre half. He felt this was unjust and this consequently contributed to his decision to retire from international football at 29 in 2007.

At that time, it was perhaps a fair assessment. During the Champions League campaigns of 2005, 2007 and 2008 he was able to hold off and combat some of the world's finest centre forwards, and was twice voted one of the best defenders' in the competition.

He was at the peak of his powers back then, but this is no longer 2008. These days, Carrager is a far cry from the world class defender we knew back then and the question really has to be asked, is he really any better than the other central defenders at Anfield?

He should, in most people's view, still be well ahead of Sotirios Kyrgiakos in the pecking order. But in my opinion, he should now be only third in line.

At this point under Roy Hodgson, and usually under Benitez, Carrager and Martin Skrtel are or were the first choice centre back pairing. But under Benitez, you may argue, this was mainly down to Daniel Agger, in many people's eyes, the most gifted of all the options, having his progress stalled by seemingly endless injury problems during his stint at Anfield.

Now, however, they appear to be behind him and perhaps now is the time for the Dane and Skrtel to be given the chance to develop a partnership together at the back. Both players
are 26 years old. Both, Agger in particular, are class acts and approaching their peak. While both, especially Skrtel, are seasoned internationals and integral parts of their countries' make up.

They appear to also be the perfect combination. One is left footed and one is right footed. And while Skrtel is a brute of a centre half - strong, hard but fair in the tackle and good in the air, Agger complements him superbly. A player in the Franz Beckenbauer mold with a superb long range strike and a supreme ability to dribble the ball out of the defence or spray 50 yard passes.

One thing is for sure, he is not a left back (he has been played there more than once under Hodgson and was roasted by Adam Johnson at Eastlands) as he lacks the pace and crossing abilty, but he is wonderful option at cente half. The fact the AC Milan, Inter Milan and Real Madrid have all shown an interest in recent years reinforces that argument.

Most importantly, Agger can also defend brilliantly and offers more options than an ageing Carrager, who is more similar to Skrtel in stature.

While you can never compensate for the lion hearted, win at all costs, local boy - done good approach of Carrager, if the legs are not up to it, what can you do? It is definely time for a change.

I have heard some fans suggesting the same in recent weeks. But is it the majority of fans at Anfield or are they still so keen to have a local lad orchestrating matters in defence?

The Liverpool fans are not stupid and they will be aware of Carrager's faults and limitations. But he is such a popular figure (demonstrated by the massive crowd who recently attented his testimonial) they will just hope it is just rusty early season form.

It has to be remembered that 32 is not really that old for a defender in this day and age and players such as Tony Adams, Sami Hyppia and Martin Keown demonstrate this.

Roy Hodgson is under pressure, and perhaps the safe option for now would be to keep Carrager in the side. He is expected to be handed a new contract very soon, which suggests he is bound to stay in the first eleven and is still a first choice player for a while yet. However, a boss of Hodgson's experience will surely begin to see the gaps in Carrager's armour appearing and you would think at his age he will not be afraid of making big decisions.

But Carrager is such a legend at Anfield and is one of the all time greats. It is a difficult call. But in Liverpool's current situation, is there really any room for senitment?

The fact he wasn't in the side during the mid-week League Cup defeat to Northampton will surely aid his case to stay in the side. But the Scouser is a great professional, and if he is dropped from the side in the coming weeks, I am sure he will accept it with grace and continue to fight for his place.

There are some big decisions for Hodgson to make, and I this is probably the biggest and most sensitive of the lot. Dropping Carrager from Liverpool, unthinkable surely?? But in my view, it has been coming for a while. And it's about time that a wonderful player, virually ever present since 1998 is given an extended break. If not just to see how he reacts.

Unlike other areas of the pitch, Liverpool are not short of options at centre back. It's important that Hodgson acknowledges this and does what he is paid to do, make big decisions for the better of the club. Because as we know one player is never bigger than the club, even Jamie Carrager (although he comes damn close).

HAS THE TIME COME TO PULL THE PLUG ON FRANK LAMPARD'S ENGLAND CAREER?

2010-09-11T02:31:00.000-07:00

It is a question that has been on a few journalists’ lips this week. Has the Chelsea star still got another major tournament left in him?

Lampard is now 32. And although he is still banging in the goals from midfield for Chelsea he is just not the same player for England. Hasn’t he been given enough playing time? I believe he has. He has not delivered in the three lions shirt for many years.

People will suggest you could say the same about Steven Gerrard, but there some important differentials to be made.
Firstly, Lampard has, bar the very odd and rare occasion, been played in his natural position of central midfield. Whether it has been along side Gerrard, Owen Hargreaves, Michael Carrick or Gareth Barry, he has not been really been asked to play in a position somewhat un-familiar to him.

Gerrard is a different case. His superior ability and versatility has (paradoxically) often been a hindrance. Such a gifted player in a number of positions, he has been stuck on the right of defence and midfield under McClaren, often played on the left side of midfield under Capello, located up front under Eriksson and even played in a defensive midfield role under Keegan.

Only in the first dozen or so of his 87 caps has the Liverpool skipper played centrally or behind the front man, where he is so effective for his club side.

Lest us not forget, Gerrard has been voted in UEFA’s team of the year on five occasions in the last seven year. He is a wonderfully gifted individual, but needs to be played centrally.

As possibly the finest contemporary exponent of the late run into the box, Lampard has probably deserved his numerous opportunities in central midfield. His marvelous record at Chelsea over the past seven seasons, where he has scored over 20 goals a season on numerous occasions is phenomenal. But it doesn’t make him ‘un-droppable’ for the national team.

Gerrard, two years younger than his England team-mate, should now be sole owner of the advanced midfield role alongside either a Gareth Barry or a fit Owen Hargreaves (unlikely I know). And his outstanding performances as captain over the last three games suggest he should now also be installed as permanent skipper. Can we really rely on Rio Ferdinand to be fit often enough?

In his defence, during his early days for England, Lampard was a revelation. Three goals in four matches at Euro 2004 appeared to be sign of things to come. His performances in the qualifying matches for the 2006 World Cup were also outstanding. He scored five goals in ten matches, but then, somewhere along the line, it all seemed to go wrong.

Having entered the tournament as runner up in both the World and European player of the year awards the previous year, he under performed dramatically. Despite having 25 shots during the tournament (more than any other player) he failed to score in any of his five matches.

Steven Gerrard, although not outstanding, and appearing to be playing the less advanced of the two, scored two goals in four matches and was a far more potent and reliable threat.

At this year’s World Cup finals, hopes were high again. Lampard entered the tournament on the back of his most outstanding season to date, having scored 27 goals in all competitions.

In South Africa, however, he was once again a major flop, failing to score in the group stages. Like every other England player, he was abysmal in the second group match against Algeria. But at Chelsea, Lampard is renowned for his ability to score goals in drab low scoring games, so why can’t he do the same for England? Surely games such as these are tailor made for him to demonstrate his un-doubted talents.

It would of course be unfair to single Lampard out as the only poor performer in that game, but I’m sure you all get where I am coming from and he is supposed to be one of the star players'.

The Romford born boy will for ever be remembered as the man who ‘scored but didn’t' against Germany in Bloemfontein, and although he also hit the bar in that match, he has now (officially) gone nine World Cup matches without a goal. For a player with Lampard’s reputation and ability, that is clearly not good enough.

Gerrard meanwhile, though not outstanding during his three major tournaments (plus a 20 minute cameo versus Germany in Euro 2000) has scored four goals in three separate tournaments and was probably (in most people’s view) England’s best player at this year’s World Cup. This despite being stuck out on the left of a four man midfield.

The Liverpool star is, quite simply, a far more effective and dynamic option who offers so much more to the team than Lampard, who, if he not scoring, offers very little else to the team.

He certainly doesn’t’ offer any more than Gerrard does if he not scoring goals, and Gerrard’s delivery from free kicks and set pieces is equal to, if not better than the Chelsea man.

Certain statistics also make for some interesting reading. Lampard has played 83 times for England and scored 20 goals, while Gerrard has four more caps and scored 19 goals. This surely goes against my argument you may suggest?

No. Lampard has been England’s regular penalty taker since 2004 and has scored five penalties for the national team (while also missing a couple as). He can’t even score regularly from 12 yards these days for England.

Another interesting statistic is their comparative records while playing for England. Lampard has been on the winning side on 49 occasions in his 83 matches, while Gerrard has won 59 of his 87 matches while in the side. The Liverpool man has also only lost 10 of those 87 games, while Lampard has been on the losing side 16 times.

Of course, there are ten other players in the team and these figures can be attributed to a number of reasons. But I still believe they make for some significant viewing and definitely strike the right note in the Gerrard side of the argument.

This is not supposed to be an anti Frank Lampard rant (although it may appear to be). I am a fan of his, and agree that his performances at club level have made it nye on impossible to leave him out of the England side. This, even when he is not performing to his best at international level.

He has been a wonderful player for Chelsea and has probably been a more consistent performer at club level than his Liverpool counterpart. All the international bosses he has played for have probably been right to persevere with him.

But the stats and the performances, not to mention his age, suggest that Lampard’s time in the centre of England’s midfield is surely coming to an end. After all, Steven Gerrard is the captain and will not be dropped, meaning Fabio Capello has an interesting selection headache for the next game.

Theo Walcott is injured and James Milner is suspended, so will Fabio bring back Lampard and stick Gerrard back out wide. Wouldn’t it be a step backwards?

Maybe Lampard can be stuck out on the wing this time. He has had long enough in the centre and perhaps he can do a ‘Gerrard’ if it is so important for him to be accommodated.

Adam Johnson really has to play after his dynamic performances over the past week and there is no doubt in my mind and many others watching, that Gerrard looked like a different player without Lampard in the side. The current skipper appeared liberated, so what will the Italian manager do?

Lampard fans who are reading this may point to the fact that against Croatia two years ago, Lampard played in the 4-1 win in Zagreb, while Gerrard was back in England nursing an injury.

It was similar circumstances to the win in Switzerland this week. However, that was two years ago and England need to look forward now. Lampard will be 34 in 2012 and 36 come the next World Cup in Brazil. He has scored only nine goals for England since October 2005 and four of those have been penalties.

Gerrard may only be two years younger, but I would suggest there is a big difference between 32 and 34 years old, and as captain and in his most fruitful role of central midfield he can certainly lead the team to Ukraine and Poland.

There are some big decisions for Capello to make, but is he brave enough to make them? If he is not (and I fear he he isn't), we will all back to square one once again with the ‘Gerrard-Lampard’ debate. It's just so tedious.

Only when he played with Ledley King at defensive midfield did any manager (Sven Goran Eriksson) attempt to accommodate both Lampard and Gerrard in attacking midfield positions. I remember in a 3-2 win against Argentina in Switzerland in 2005 they were both outstanding. But at that time David Beckham also had to play which meant Gerrard was still stuck out on the left.

The idea petered out, and was rarely attempted again. And why that is, only the managers involved will know. It may have been that Gerrard was not comfortable playing that position on a regular basis or perhaps foreign managers' on the whole, don’t believe English players are flexible enough to play anything other than 4-4-2.

You can counter that by saying many play in these formations at club level (all be it with foreigners around them), but it certainly appears to be the case with the current manager.

Whatever the formation, the days of playing both Lampard and Gerrard – probably the finest duo of midfield players England have possibly ever had during the same generation - have to come to an end sometime.

As I suggested before, is time to look forward for England, and the performances of Joe Hart, Theo Walcott, Adam Johnson, James Milner and even Andy Carrol over the past few weeks suggest the future may be brighter than we had hoped.

Unfortunately for him (in the first eleven anyway) that future, in my view, no longer requires the services of Frank Lampard.

WHO WOULD BE IN YOUR WORLD ELEVEN?

2010-08-28T01:49:00.000-07:00

During the 'thrilling' Champions League draw on Thursday there were also the presentations of the (Inter Milan dominated)UEFA players of the year awards. It got me to thinking, which players would currently be in a world eleven constructed by me.

With the World Cup still fresh in all our thoughts (unfortunately), it’s obvious that the players who performed well in South Africa would have to be at the forefront of any team. Rightly so as well, this, after all is the pinnacle of the sport, despite the fact that the Premier League and the Champions League are probably a hell of a lot more entertaining.

Who would be in your current world eleven? Kaka, Ronaldo, Lampard, Drogba, Rooney, Gerrard, Torres, Asharvin, Milito????

Many of the domestic global stars had very poor tournament's in South Africa for several reasons. Some lacklustre performances could be attributed to injury, some to a lack of form. But either way, they cannot really justify a place in my side if they failed to perform on the biggest stage. I think most critics would agree.

So... In a slightly left field blog this week, here is my current 'August 2010 World Eleven'.

Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid and Spain)

It may seem like a simple choice, but I do actually believe there are better goalkeepers out there. Gianluca Buffon is a fantastic keeper, but has recently become very injury prone, while Peter Cech was probably better than Casillas is now, pre 2007.

The Brazillian and Inter stopper - Julio Cesar - should really be winning this award, but he tarnished his reputation with a horror show against the Netherlands in South Africa.

In contrast, Casillas barely put a foot wrong during the World Cup and any keeper that can keep Pepe Reina (opening weekend error aside) out of a team (and also someone who can be so candid in front of his girlfriend on live television) is good enough for my elite group of stars.

Right back: Maicon (Internazionale and Brazil)

This was a close call. Philip Lahm certainly performed better during the World Cup and also (in opposition to Maicon at Bayern) played in the Champions League final this year.

The German is probably better defensively, but lacks the dynamicism of the Brazillian. He is also not capable of scoring such a spectacular array of goals.

So Maicon gets the nod, but it’s touch and go and this was probably the most difficult of all the positions to decide on.

Left back: Ashley Cole (Chelsea and England ‘hater’)

This is not a vintage period for the left back position. There is no Paolo Maldini or Roberto Carlos around these days. Brazil don’t even have an out and out left back.

But Ashley Cole is a prolific medal winner and a terrific all round full back.

He can defend well and attack with vigor and despite his well publicised social life, he is a supreme athlete and a fantastic professional.

Cole may be a little mouthy on the pitch, but Jose Mourinho stil coverts him and that is probably enough to get him the nod.

The former Arsenal star is always one of England’s better performers and the best of a bad bunch.

Centre half: Gerard Pique (Barcelona and Spain)

It has to be said that letting Pique leave Old Trafford was not one of the better decisions Sir Alex made. Credit where it’s due for noticing the Spaniard's gifts as a youngster, but to shift him out of Old Trafford just when Rio Ferdinand's injuries were really beginning to hamper him was a lack of judgment not usually associated with the great man.

Pique, meanwhile, has gone from strength to strength at a stunning rate of progress.

After picking up a league title and Champions League winners medal at Old Trafford, but barely featuring in 2008, in the subsequent two years he has won a treble with Barcelona, another league title and capped it all off by adding a World Cup winners medal to his tally in July.

For me, the best defender in South Africa, his inclusion is an easy one.

Centre half and Skipper: Lucio (Internazionale and Brazil)

A World Cup winner eight years ago, a European Champions League winners medal this year was the icing on the cake for a player who was in the Bayer Leverkusen side defeated way back in 2002 (remember Klaus Toppmoller anyone?)

Lucio had a good World Cup up to the Holland match where he (along with the rest of his team mates) was poor in the second half. However, this cannot disguise his superb season at Inter where he was the rock of all rocks in their miserly defence.

There is arguably no better ball playing defender in world football, and in addition the Brazillian is a superb leader.

Despite a frustrating amount of play acting during many games, his bravery is also second to none.

A fantastic leader and my choice as captain.

Defensive midfield: Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich and Germany)

Finally came of age this year, and although still only 25, has been a potentially brilliant player for many years.
The German used to be a right midfielder, but has discovered his true niche in front of the back four.

Schweinsteiger was magnificent for Bayern in the second half of last season and during the World Cup, in my view, there was no midfielder who could rival him for consistency throughout the competition.

At his age, what price Schweinsteiger? If James Milner is 26 million?????....

An easy choice, a wonderful year, and he can only get better.

Midfield: Michael Essien (Chelsea and Ghana)

This may sound crazy, but I believe Ghana may well have reached the World Cup final with Essien in their team.

He was cruelly ruled out of the World Cup, but the African side were still only a penalty kick away from the semi finals. No one could possibly suggest that the Ghanians would have been inferior with the colossus that is Essien in midfield.

A supreme athlete, Chelsea can also only be stronger this season with him in their side if he can steer clear of injury. He was injured for much of the last campaign.

The former Lyon star can pass accurately, he can shoot from anywhere, has a supreme engine and he can finish like a forward.

Michael Essien is the ultimate midfielder.

What a player!

Midfield: Wesley Schniejder (Internazionale and the Netherlands)

Bizarrely, I don’t actually think Sneijder played that well in South Africa, but he just kept on scoring and ended up as joint top scorer.

However, he is obviously a standout match winner who has a magnificent shot and a wonderful range of passing. Real Madrid should be ashamed they let him go so cheaply.

There are not many players on Sneijder’s level when it comes to technique and for someone who is not very big he can also hold his own physically against much bigger players.

Along with his fellow Dutchman, Arjen Robben, the shaven headed playmaker was arguably the best player in last year’s Champions League.

But the fact he missed out on World Cup glory and did not play particularly well in the final may count against him come the end of the year awards.

A fantastic year though, and a true superstar of the game.

Midfield: Andres Iniesta

The Barcelona star is probably (along with Sneijder) the main contender for the Ballon d’Or and World Player of the year. The scorer of the winning goal in South Africa, the little genius was fantastic during the knockout stages and really performed when it mattered.

He can pass brilliantly, both long and short, while his first touch is magical. He can also dribble and is able to use both feet comfortably.

Considering Iniesta was injured for much of last season and was a doubt coming into the World Cup, his performances should be given even more kudos.

Iniesta is arguably the world’s best player right now and deserves every ounce of praise he receives, despite the presence of the next player in my team.

Attacking Midfield/Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Argentina)

It was tough to leave Arjen Robben out of the side, but Messi is a better team player and plays more games.

The little Argentine however, does not deserve to retain his World and European Player awards from last year as he did not have an effective World Cup, despite a promising start. He was way below par and for such a prolific player at club level to score no goals was very disappointing.

Messi appeared to tire during the knockout stages, but did perform the best out of the so called ‘big three’ coming into the tournament, of himself, Wayne Rooney and Christiano Ronaldo.

His supreme performances for Barcelona mean he has to be in the side. But South Africa proved he still has some way to go before he can compare himself to Maradona.

Striker: David Villa (Barcelona and Spain)

I still have to admit I am not his greatest fan. He is a great finisher, but I believe he is a little too selfish and still needs to prove himself on the really big occasion.

This may sound ridiculous considering what he has just achieved and no one (including me) can deny his ability to win games.

And, while Villa was certainly crucial to Spain in South Africa where he often played as a left sided attacker cutting in, he will probably play as central striker at Barcelona, where I don't consider him to be so effective.

In fact, with the service he will have coming from behind him at the Nou Camp he should really score over forty goals this season. But I don't think this will be the case.

While Fernando Torres’ lack of fitness meant that Villa dramatically outshone him in Spain, Torres is arguably a more effective team player and a better lone striker. I may be proved wrong, but I am still not convinced.

Basking in all Spain's glory, it's easy to forget that Villa's performances against the really top sides in South Africa were still a little disappointing, as they were in Euro 2008. He failed to score in both the semi final and the final and was quite subdued on both occasions.

Although you may think I am being churlish, Villa, while being really good player, will never be a ‘true great’ in my eyes.

However (despite reservations about playing Villa as a lone striker), his main compeition for the striker's berth in my team following the World Cup is Diego Forlan, so there is only one winner really isn't there?

For all your qualities Diego, I just can't include in a world eleven of superstars. Sorry.

BENNY'S VALUABLE INFORMATION OF THE WEEK

2010-08-20T06:58:00.000-07:00

The final round of Champions League qualifying took place this week.

Watching it made me suddenly consider some Champions League stats from the last 18 years.

Here are a few of them (remember the Champions League began in season 1992/1993. Before this it was the old style, straight knockout European Champions Cup).

Player with the longest period between first final and last final: Paolo Maldini (AC Milan): 14 years 1993-2007

Player(s) with longest period between first and last winners' medal: Edwin Van de Sar* Ajax and Manchester United): 13 years 1995-2008 and Paolo Maldini: 13 years 1994-2007

(NB. Paolo Maldini: first final and winners medal in old European Cup was in 1989; 18 years)

Most Champions League winners medals: Clarence Seedorf: 4 (1995 Ajax, 1998 Real Madrid, 2003,2007 AC Milan)

Most consecutive finals: AC Milan 1993-95, Juventus 1996-98.

Most Wins: AC Milan 3 (1994,2003,2007)
Real Madrid 3 (1998,2000,2002)

Most successful managers: Carlo Ancelotti (AC Milan 2 wins, 1 defeat)
Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester Utd, 2 wins, 1 defeat)
Jose Mourinho (2 wins, Porto and Inter Milan)
Vincente Del Bosque (2 wins, Real Madrid)
Ottmar Hitzfeld (2 wins, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, 1 defeat)
Marcello Lippi (Juventus, 1 win, 3 defeats)

Two managers have taken their sides to three successive Champions League finals:
Marcello Lippi (Juventus, 1996-98)
Fabio Capello, yes Fabio Capello (AC Milan) 1993-95.

He was good once you know...

* indicates still playing

ENGLAND'S FAILINGS - GRASS ROOTS, TOO MANY FOREIGNERS OR JUST REALITY?

2010-08-14T06:07:00.000-07:00

Football is a funny old game game isn’t it? Spain are the team of the moment, but people in football have short memories and forget just how much things can change in such a limited space of time.

Many analysts and pundits are suggesting that the Spanish model of coaching should now be introduced into English football. But there are many questions that should be addressed first.

Are Spain really the right model to follow? Does their history suggest it is right to do so? And do they just happen to be experiencing the fruits of a a cyclical 'golden generation'?

In addition, will this Spanish team keep on winning? Will they even win one of the next two major tournaments?

The answers to all those questions (as the law of averages suggests)are probably not.

Football is, on the whole, both a cyclical and un-forgiving business and in two years time, we will probably all be talking about the next model we should be following.

It is important to remember that the Spaniards also crashed out in the second round of the World Cup four years ago, just like England this time round. They were a side well beaten by an ageing French team and there was no indication then of the world domination that was to follow.

In Euro 2004, they didn’t even progress past the group stages, so is it really the best idea to follow their model of coaching? (whereby they coach children to play the game for fun and not in a competitive manner. The main aim being to keep possession of the ball). In truth, is it actually even the Spanish FA who deserve the credit?

Spain have been fortunate in that they have so many players playing together at club level In many respects much of Spain's current success can be attributed to Frank Rijkkard and Pep Guardiola at Barcelona. Eight of the eleven players who started the World Cup final in South Africa play together at the Nou Camp and the understanding and continuity between them is there for all to see.

Players such as Iniesta, Xavi and Busquets instinctively seem to know where and who each other are. And while it does suggest that this could be the recipe to success, it is still unlikely to transmit itself to England in the near future.

The Premier League is, without doubt, the most cosmopolitan league in the world, and the top clubs such as Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City would do well to field even eight English players between them at the current time.

Even Manchester United regularly field more foreign players than they used to.

Tottenham and Aston Villa possess many English players in their starting line ups, but these are not players who are playing at the very top level of European football week in and week out. Although Tottenham will attempt to show the way this season and be successful in the Champions League, it is highly unlikely that they will advance past the last 16 at best.

What also has to be considered, is that the 'Barca' model is not one that always automatically brings success even at the very highest level. The Liverpool European Cup winning vintage of 1977 consisted of eight Englishmen, two Welshman and one Irishman. But bizarrely, this coincided with probably the most depressing period in English football history.

The national team failed to qualify for both the 1974 and 1978 World Cups, so the argument in this instance (probably the best example concerning a top English side) carries little weight, both in the ideology of top clubs having so many English players in their side or indeed bringing through as many English players as you can from the youth set-up's.

In opposition to the argument concerning clubs having too many foreigners. The Italian national team that travelled to the USA in 1994 are probably the best example. At that time Serie A was by far the most cosmopolitan of all the top European leagues, but it didn't stop the Italians progressing to the World Cup final that year.

In a domestic capacity, there was also the marvellous Dynamo Kiev team of the late 1990s. This was yet another example of a team which was virtually all made up of native Ukranians. However the national team of that period was nowhere near the top of the international football ladder.

On the other side of the coin however there are notable examples of strong club sides clearly aiding their national teams.

The Bayern Munich side of the mid 1970s coincided with perhaps the greatest period of dominance the (West) German team has ever had. While there were also the Ajax teams of the early 1970s who preceded the golden generation of Dutch football, when they reached two consecutive World Cup final's.

As with most things, there are arguments both for and against, but it is certainly not something that is carved in stone. Even though having so many players playing regularly together at club level surely helps, there are not many examples concerning England or English teams which really suggest it makes that much of a difference.

For me, the issues go much deeper. There is something intrinsically defective within the English psyche. There have been so many false dawns, but time and again we put that to one side and always believe that 'this time' it will be different.

Germany and (usually Italy) appear to have that X factor in their psyche that they can perform right up to the very final stages of mosts competitions, time after time. Perhaps this is not the case every four years, but certainly every eight or twelve years they seem to get to at least one major final.

England’s history suggests otherwise and perhaps, reluctantly, we just have to face reality.

These floors could be put down to a number of reasons. Perhaps the players suffer from severe home-sickness, or perhaps they are just a group of players unable to play well enough as a team due to the immense pressure. Maybe even the club issues that cause rifts within the camp are worse than we think. Who knows?

One thing is for sure. The trials and tribulations of the England football team cannot all be attributed to Fabio Capello's lack of English. It didn't seem to be a problem during qualifying did it?

Perhaps it is now the time to take a leaf out of the German's book. They are not afraid to use 'foreigners' who, under citizenship and naturalisation laws, qualify to play for Germany, despite not being born in the country.

Players such as Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski are examples of German internationals who have benefited from these laws and have gone on to flouish for their 'adopted' country.

I firmly believe that Mikel Arteta - now eligible for England and unlikely to ever play for Spain - should be brought into the England squad. He is a more mobile, more skilful and younger version of Gareth Barry and is better technically too. He is just what England require to free up the dynamic and under-utilised Steven Gerrard.
It's a must....

It is not all doom and gloom though. England do have promising young players and analysts who harp on about the development (or lack of) of youngsters in this country do not look at all the facts.

England won the European Under 17s title this year, reached the semi final of the Under 19s version and last year, progressed to the final of the Under 21s tournament. If that is not promising, I don’t know what is! Are we supposed to win the lot?

Joe Hart (goalkeeper), Adam Johnson, Jack Wilshere, Keiran Gibbs, Theo Walcott, Jack Rodwell, Tom Huddlestone, Jamie O’Hara and Mark Noble and are all gifted, technically able players.

It may be a cliche, but as I stated at the beginning of this passage, things can change frightningly quickly in football. Just ask the Netherlands...

They didn’t qualify for the World Cup in 2002, went out in the last 16 in 2006, but were only four minutes away from a penalty shoot out in the World Cup final this time round.

If you had read the press reports in South Africa, you would have thought that the Dutch were a far superior football nation to England, but history suggests that this is clearly not the case.

England are in some respects, very similar to the Netherlands in that they have endured endless high’s and low’s in previous tournaments and qualification campaign. In fact the Dutch are possibly even worse at penalty shoot-outs than England are.

Both nations lack the consistency of the Germans, the Italians or the Brazillians and fundamentally just have to wait their turn when it comes round. These nations at the top of the second tier of football require everything to just fall into place at the right time. Remember this was Holland's first final for 32 years. Success does not come easily, no matter who you are.

Maybe it’s just a matter of England having to wait until 2018 to win the damn thing, hopefully on home soil. We’d take that right now, wouldn’t we?...

PREDICTIONS FOR THE COMING SEASON:

For what it’s worth, these are my predictions for the Premiership season ahead:

1 Manchester United
2 Chelsea
3 Manchester City
4 Arsenal
5 Liverpool
6 Everton
7 Tottenham
8 Blackburn
9 Sunderland
10 Aston Villa
11 West Ham
12 Fulham
13 Bolton
14 Stoke
15 Newcastle
16 Birmingham
17 Wolves
18 West Brom
19 Wigan
20 Blackpool

TOP SCORER: Wayne Rooney (Man Utd)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Wayne Rooney (It’s bound to happen)
YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Adam Johnson (Man City)

FA Cup Winners: Liverpool
League Cup Winners: Manchester City
Champions League Winners: Inter Milan

SPAIN... EXCITING OR BORING?

2010-07-11T11:46:00.000-07:00

One of the big talking points over the last few days has been whether or not Spain are an exciting team to watch.

When I saw Barcelona play Arsenal at the Emirates back in April, their slick passing game was indeed a joy to watch. The link up play between Xavi, Messi and co was at times breathtaking.

The Spaniards however, are slightly different. They have a slower, more patient and far less attacking style of play. Perhaps some of their slow build up and pedestrianism could actually be attributed to them lacking a Lionel Messi type player, who knows??.. But I don't feel like jumping of the edge of my seat.

Maybe if Fernando Torres was fully match fit they may well have played with a little more urgency during this competition. But their tactic has involved keeping possession, wearing the opposition down and then banking on conjuring up a goal when the opposition starts to lose concentration in the second half.

In fact, during the knockout stages, Spain have won three games 1-0 and not one goal has been scored before the hour mark. It is a tactic that is obvious, but still extremely difficult to counteract. They also have a very strong defence, which obviously helps.

So, although it is clearly effective, is Spain's style of play actually that exciting?

I witnessed Alan Hansen drawling over their performance after the Germany game. I also heard Ray Parlour and Micky Quinn on Talk Sport suggesting that you could not possibly be a football fan if you didn't find Spain’s style of play invigorating. I have to say I disagree.

Although I admire their astounding ability to keep the ball for long periods of play, there is, to some extent (Andres Iniesta apart) a sense of the ‘catenaccio’ about them, especially in the midfield.

And, while it may not mimic the standard form of 'catenaccio' synonymous with Italian teams of the 1970s and 80s, it must be noted that the phrase did originally stem from defences spraying the ball around to each other in their own half without showing any desire to win the game.
The scenario, therefore, would be that the opposition were virtually bored to death by the middle of the second half and the more negative team were able to pounce.

Is this really the style of football we want from such a talanted team? Of course Spain are not identitical because they want to win the game, but only when it suits them.

While such choice is a wonderful gift to have, I feel their midfield, on several occasions during their World Cup matches, has lacked ambition. It is not entirely dissimilar to 'catenaccio' is it?

I would personally rather watch the current German side play. They may lack the individual ability of the Spanish players but they always attack with purpose and on mass. They also have the talent to retain possession well in the middle of the field, but they certainly show a greater desire to score goals.

Scoring goals are the main objective in football isn't it? Or is it keeping possession? Football is entertainment after all.

Just imagine how good this Germany team could be come Brazil 2014? And although this young side may have been out-passed by the Spanish last Wednesday, I still consider them to be a more exciting team to watch.

Some analysts have suggested that this current Spanish side mimics the Holland teams of 1974 and 1978. But in my opinion, there are some notable differences.

Those Holland teams didn’t just inter-pass, they also interchanged. It was ‘pass and move’ football at its best and was far more fluid because they also played with width. This Spanish side do not play with as much width and do not inter-change with such velocity. It means they often remain static and they rely on their full backs for width.

Perhaps some of you are thinking that I am not pragmatic enough and that I am just too used to the English game, which despite being techincally inferior, is full of passion, speed and excitement. But despite my criticisms, I would obviously be delighted if England could have done what Spain have done in this World Cup, but it doesn't mean they are entertaining.

Or does it alter the fact that in the first half of most of their matches, the Spanish, deliberately or not, have sucked the life out of most of their games and destroyed them as spectacles.

And what makes it even more frustrating is that we know that these players are capable of so much more. Is it down to Vicente Del Bosque being afraid to lose? I can't answer that.

But did Spain really need to play both Busqets and Alonso in midfield against Paraguay? They may have won the game (quite fortunately as it happens), but not in the free scoring style we have come to expect from them in the last two years.

John Ashdown of the Guardian hit the nail on the head. He suggested that the Spanish contingent of Alonso, Xavi, Iniesta, Villa etc are so much better technically than any other side, they can just pass it side to side, very rarely lose possession and gradually wear the opposition down into a state of mental supression. And it will probably be the same story tonight.

But if Marc Van Bommel (the Holland midfielder) continues to bizarrely escape punishment for the endless fouls he commits, perhaps the Netherlands can manage to nick the ball from the Spaniards at the right times and catch them on the counter attack. And with Robin Van Persie and, particularly, Arjen Robben at their disposal, the Dutch are more than capable of causing problems for Spain's defence.

In addition to that, on the flanks, Sergio Ramos and Joan Capdevila (the full backs) are the weak links of the Spanish side. So if both Dirk Kuyt and Robben (again) can be bold and frequently put them under pressure, Spain may well be punished for their ‘Arsenal like’ over indulgence and desire to score the perfect goal. But I doubt it.

While anything is possible when you have players such as Robben and Wesley Sneijder in your side, I still predict either a 2-0 or 2-1 win for Spain.

Aside from their obvious talent, the fact that Spain have seven first team players from Barcelona is probably the clearest explanation on why they are able dominate possession so much in the first place and why they have become such a successful side.

The Spaniards will, in fact, create a record this evening for fielding the most players from one club side (Barcelona) in a World Cup final, if, as expected, Pedro starts the game in place of Torres.

This statitistic alone, surely reinforces the view that English teams should try and develop as many home grown players as they can if they want to be successful at international tournaments (boring or not). But that is can of worms waiting to be opened on another day...

For now, let's just hope I am proved wrong tonight and that it's a match to remember in Soccer City. Unfortunately for football fans around the world, I fear we will all be left feeling disappointed.

MY SOUTH AFRICA 2010 TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT

As I believe the final will be a low scoring match with no one individual truly standing out, I will (all be it dangerously) select my team/squad of the tournament prior to the final.

Please take a look below and see if you agree...

I have selected a 4-1 3-2 formation with seven substitutes.

GK: Vincent Enymea (Nigeria)
Not a great tournament for goalkeepers, but Enymea was truly outstanding against both Argentina and Greece, despite making an error late in the latter clash. Deserves a move to a bigger club - currently at Maccabi Haifa.

RB: Philipp Lahm (Germany)
He has barely made a mistake and is a superb leader of men. A giant, both defensively and attacking wise. There is no competition as far as I’m concerned.

LB: Giovanni Van Bronkhurst (Holland)
He is 35 and his best days are well behind him. But his leadership qualities are there for all to see and his 40 yard semi final thunderbolt is worth a place in this team all on it’s own.

CB: Gerard Pique (Spain)
The former Manchester United youngster has matured into an outstanding centre back. He can tackle, is good in the air and also so calm in possession. Was superb in the semi final win over Germany.

CB: Jorge Fucile (Uruguay)
Uruguay conceded no goals in the group stages and went on to reach the semi finals. The determination and ability of this man is a major reason for this un-expected run.

DM: Bastian Schwiensteiger (Germany)
Was by far the best defensive midfielder in the competition and was truly awesome during the knockout stages. Comfortable in possession but knows exactly when to ‘sit’ or attack. Frank Lampard should learn a thing or two from the Bayern Munich man, six years his junior. Truly world class.

CM: Keisuke Honda (Japan)
The Spartak Moscow midfielder is superb in possession and is positive and dynamic going forward. He was one of the few central midfield players to truly shine. Is still only 24 and his best years are certainly ahead of him.

CM: Wesley Sneijder (Holland)
I don’t think he has been at his dynamic best during this tournament, but has scored goals when it has really mattered. He has also battled when he has needed to and at times his passing has been nothing short spectacular. What a season for him and Real Madrid are looking a little foolish.

AM: Thomas Mueller (Germany)
The best young player of the tournament and his late runs into the box have been fantastic. He looks a hell of a lot older than his age and has played like he is a seasoned international. Brilliant.

CF: Diego Forlan (Uruguay)
Runs his heart out and scores spectacular goals. Has been a breath of fresh air.

CF: David Villa (Spain)
Has been Spain's match-winner on five occassions and has kept the Spanish in the tournament single-handedly at times. He has certainly proved me wrong. Looks more dangerous when coming in off the left flank.

SUBS:

Alexis Sanchez (Chile)
Andres Iniesta (Spain)
Eduardo (Portugal)
Arjen Robben (Holland)
Bruno Alves (Portugal)
Mesut Ozil (Germany)
Kevin Prince Boateng (Ghana)

FORLAN IS HAVING A LAUGH. ISN'T HE??..

2010-07-06T08:05:00.000-07:00

So the first of the World Cup semi final clashes takes place in Cape Town tonight. But the question I want to ask is, are this quartet really the best four teams in world football ?

Germany are certainly there on merit and probably so to are Holland. But are Uruguay really one of the four best teams out there, or have they made it this far mainly due to the luck of the draw?

Prior to the World Cup, Spain would clearly have been selected by nearly everyone as one of the four best teams, but have they honestly been better than Argentina, Brazil, Ghana or even Japan during this tournament? They were fortunate to beat ten-man Chile and were very poor against both Switzerland and Paraguay.

The European Champions' only decent performance came in the second half against Portugal. But maybe this suggests that they can raise their game against the so called ‘stronger’ teams. We shall see tomorrow night.

I am debating this point because of something Diego Forlan blurted out, and it made me think. Forlan was interviewed by ITV immediately after the shoot out win over Ghana (this may explain his outrageous statement) and he suggested that Uruguay are now one of the four best teams in the world. Are they really? They are according the record books.

Of course Luis Suarez – by handling on the goal-line- did what any member of any team would have done. And this event was especially high profile and given abnormally wide coverage because it was done in the last minute of a World Cup quarter final when the scores were level.

If it had been in the 15th minute, no one would really have remembered it. But the fact remains that the Ajax striker did cheat, and that’s why Forlan’s statement left me a feeling a little ill at ease.

Holland (or the Netherlands, let’s not be pedantic here..) meanwhile, remind of me a lot of France in 1998. They are more functional than the fluent passing team we often associate with the Dutch and they possess hard working and willing runners ready to do the so-called -dirty work'.

Players such as Marc Van Bommel, Dirk Kuyt and Nigel de Jong are far from the ‘total football’ type Dutch players were are used to enjoying, but they are proving to be effective.

The combination of those players and, in addition, two or three fantastically gifted flair players is doing the trick for Holland. And just like the French in 1998, they are winning without performing at their best and by very narrow margins.

In addition, the twice beaten finalists have an excellent goalkeeper in Maarten Stekelenburg and an extremely organised defence – something many of us thought would be their downfall. Make no mistake, they have been lucky at times, but you need that to win this competition.

We must also remember however, that the Dutch have been very unfortunate in tournaments gone by, so maybe now is their time. It is clear that Suarez is a huge loss to Uruguay and I expect another narrow win for the Netherlands tonight. Wesley Sneijder will probably once again prove to be the difference.

Holland's defeat of Brazil was mainly down to the Brazilian’s uncharacteristic errors and lack of discipline. Dunga’s side should really have killed that game off before the break when they were totally in the ascendancy. Previous Brazil teams would have done that, but this team lacks a certain cutting edge.

The five times winners were disappointing throughout their campaign. And though I didn’t expect them to display a lot of flair during the tournament, I did expect their defence to be tighter. It was much vaunted prior to the competition.

They do however lack the graceful, exhilarating players of the past, and you have to question Dunga’s decision to leave both Pato and Ronaldinho out of his squad. Of this crop of players, Robinho is inconsistent (this tournament was almost like a miniature version of his Manchester City spell) while Fabiano can frequently go missing and get frustrated. Kaka looked short of match fitness throughout and appeared to have the whole world on his shoulders at times.

But in four years time, despite the pressure of being the host nation, you wouldn’t bet against them would you? This last eight years have been a blip in their colourful World Cup history, but 12 years is nothing really, try 44…!!!

The outstanding team of the tournament so far has been Germany. It is no coincidence that both England and Argentina – two fancied sides – capitulated against the swift counter attacking of Joachim Loew’s young outfit.

Much of the credit has to go to the coach, who pin-pointed the weaknesses of both teams perfectly. With England he pinpointed their lack of mobility in the centre of the pitch and against Argentina, Loew noted how little the front three of Tevez, Higuain (especially) and Messi track back past the half way line. The Germans punished both this flaw and the lack of creativity of the Argentines in the middle of the park and his tactics worked brilliantly.

Maradona probably regrets not playing Juan Veron in the middle, but quite honestly with that defence his team would still have been comfortably beaten. As Alan Hansen pointed out on the BBC – three of the German goals were from about three yards out!

Even if a team, such as Argentina, have a brilliant front three of four, you cannot have an average back seven and win the World Cup and there were just too many flaws, Messi or not.

I think the quarter finals were as good as the Argentines could have expected, and Maradona has had a decent first World Cup as boss. It will probably also be his last, but he can leave South Africa with his head held high (although that still wouldn’t be very high would it? And ironically his side was defeated by Loew...)

Bastian Schweinsteiger was the player of the quarter finals and has probably been the player of the World Cup so far. He keeps possession brilliantly, but being a natural right winger, is also not short of skill, as he demonstrated by his weaving run to create Germany’s third goal. Louis Van Gaal switched him to central midfield at Bayern Munich earlier in the season and must be given a huge amount of credit for identifying Schweinsteiger’s more natural gifts.

On Saturday, he was majestic and his performance was reinforced even further by the sound of his catchy German name. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a commentator mention one single player’s name as much as Schweinsteiger’s was said on Saturday. Or maybe Steve Wilson - the BBC commentator - just over did it for the effect. Either way it was an outstanding performance from the 25 year old.

Schweinsteiger’s central midfield partner, Sami Khedeira, has also been outstanding although in a less eye catching manner. And it just goes to show how teamwork and a clear understanding of the basics can defy age barriers when it comes to performance. England should take note.

Germany have revolutionised the traditional thinking of football analysts in this World Cup, and have been an absolute joy to watch. Would Michael Ballack have even made a difference had he been fit? It’s hard to imagine them playing any better.

Saying that, the Spanish will not present such as easy obstacle in the German’s next match, and I predict either a narrow Spanish win or a penalty shoot out in the second semi final in Durban.

It is a repeat of the Euro 2008 final when Spain were comfortable winners and I feel their passing game may just wear out the Germans this time round. The Spanish are more creative in midfield than both England and Argentina and have very few weaknesses. They give little away at the back and I believe the German’s counter-attacking game may actually be nullified by the similar style of the Spanish.

I am also predicting a Fernando Torres goal as I feel the Spanish (also remarkably reminiscent of France in 1998. Although minus Zidane, they have better attacking players) will finally come to life and show the world what they are capable of tomorrow evening.

While Spain were average against an organised, but functional Paraguay side, they should have had another stone wall penalty and just about deserved to win. I think the fact that the team are still in South Africa when they probably shouldn’t be will inspire them.

Expect a much better performance from Del Bosque’s side and one thing’s for sure, it certainly won’t be a three or four goal German victory, mark my words!

Finally a small mention has to go to everyone’s second team – Ghana. While they were average in the early group stages, against Germany in the last match of Group D they began to show signs of their potential.

The heroes of Africa undoubtedly grew as the tournament progressed and it was genuinely heart-breaking to see them crash out on Friday night in such dramatic fashion.

In both the last 16 game against the USA and in the quarter finals the Ghanaians were terrific. The team - who were without Michael Essien remember? – worked tirelessly, passed fluently and played some of the best football of the competition in extra time against the Uruguayans.

Kevin Prince Boateng’s stock must have risen three fold during this tournament and unlike so many African teams of the past, Ghana were very organised at the back and kept their discipline in midfield. Also, despite them only playing one up front, they were still invigorating to watch in the true African style. And let’s face it, without meaning any disrespect to Uruguay, Ghana deserved a semi final place.

Just imagine how good they could have been if Essien had been fit? We will never know, but I felt almost as disappointed for Ghana - and especially their Rennes striker – Asamoah Gyan - as I did when England lost to Germany. At least the Ghanaians gave everything.

Hopefully other African nations can be inspired by the performances of Ghana and begin to produce several teams of a similar stature in the near future. We have all been waiting for that African domination but it has never come close to happening. Maybe this could be a turning point.

Congratulations to Ghana for their sterling contribution in South Africa. They have been a shining light in a tournament that, in all honesty, has been quite disappointing.

Now let’s hope it produces two memorable semi final matches over the next two days. And I for one cannot wait for the Germany-Spain clash tomorrow night.

Many people are craving for a repeat of the 1974 final between the then West Germans and Holland, when the ‘boring’ Germans defeated the Johan Cruyff inspired, ‘total football’ Dutch side. This time it could be classed as roles reversed if the two countries meet on July 11th, but I don’t think this will happen.

I fully expect it to be a Netherlands v Spain final on Sunday night in Johannesburg. Watch this space...

ROY HODGSON FINALLY GETS HIS CHANCE AT A MAJOR ENGLISH CLUB... BUT IS HE THE RIGHT CHOICE?

2010-07-03T02:50:00.000-07:00

There has been no action in South Africa over the last three days, but the biggest domestic news story of the summer was one we have seen coming for a while.

In Tuesday’s article I suggested that Roy Hodgson would be an excellent choice as England manager, but that will not now be the case. The 62 year old is heading to Anfield in a three year deal.

The Croydon born coach surely deserves his chance at a major English club and now has what he calls ‘the biggest job in football’, but I have some doubts about the appointment.

The main issue must be his age. He is old enough for a free bus pass and this is clearly not an appointment with a clear vision of the future. Yes, Sir Alex Ferguson is 68 years old but he been at Old Trafford for 24 years, Hodgson is starting from scratch

In addition, the former Finland and Switzerland boss has no record of winning things in his homeland. Isn’t this what Liverpool fans crave most? - Winning things. Or is it just a matter of stabilising an apparent ‘sinking ship’ and attempting to get the team back into the top four? Is that really enough?

As a Liverpool fan, another thing that would concern me is Hodgson’s status and prestige. Rafa Benitez was a glamour name and was able to attract some of the biggest names in football. Can Hodgson attract stars with the stature of Fernando Torres, Javier Mascherano, Glen Johnson, Maxi Rodriguez and Xavi Alonso to the club. Does he even have the pulling power to attract top young stars such as Ryan Babel and Daniel Agger to Anfield. At the time they were both purchased by Benitez, they were two off the hottest young properties in Europe. The Spaniard did have that knack that not many managers possess.

In his defence, Hodgson can certainly spot a talent when he sees one, and perhaps due to Liverpool’s limited budget and apparent lack of spending power, he is the suitable choice.
The former Fulham boss also has excellent contacts around Europe and is able get the best out of his players.

If Hodgson can manage to keep the majority of his stars and bring that extra ten per cent out of the young, promising players such as Lucas and Emilio Insua, Liverpool could be in business.

I also think Hodgson could be the right man to get the best out of some of Liverpool’s under-used gems. Ryan Babel and Alberto Aquilani are individuals full of supreme talent and in Babel’s case, untold potential. But they were players who were not always fully utilised by a stubborn Benitez.

In fact when you observe how Hodgson has transformed Bobby Zamora and revitalised Danny Murphy’s career, he has certainly demonstrated what an excellent man-manager he is. This is probably the one thing Benitez really lacked and I personally feel Babel is a similar type of character to Zamora who needs to believe in himself more. If Hodgson can help the Dutchman fulfil his potential then I believe there is a real star in the making.

It has already been rumoured that Gilberto Silva and/or Danny Murphy could be signed if Javier Mascherano decides to leave Anfield. Hodgson certainly does like that mix of vast experience and young players in his side and perhaps a calm, experienced head in the centre of the park is what Liverpool have required ever since Alonso’s departure last summer.

Another reason why the Englishman may prove to be a shrewd choice is that he appears to be from the ‘Liverpool school’ of coaching and management. He does have that kind of Bob Paisley or Joe Fagan feel about him in the way that he is fully respectful to others, rarely gets flustered and knows the game inside out, but portrays this knowledge in a quiet, modest manner.

Hodgson is a true gentleman who lacks any form of arrogance, but must also have a tough streak somewhere to have got as far as he has. Maybe just maybe that is exactly what is needed at Liverpool in these uncertain times.

Hodgson actually began his management career at the time when Liverpool were the top club in world football. So I’m sure he is fully aware of the history and expectations at England’s most successful club. This makes him ideal for the job in some ways, and perhaps gives him a greater grasp of the club that another foreign manager may have.

He is also an articulate, clever man who speaks five languages. It is a skill that is obviously an important element in the modern game, but perhaps at such a big English club it is particularly helpful – especially in their current predicament - to have a fluent English speaker at the helm.

As I've stated before, I felt that Benitez was so often a victim of ‘lost in translation’ games conjured up by the English press and frequently appeared to be the victim of a media witch hunt. Hodgson will surely not fall for those tricks and he certainly doesn’t attract them.

It is shrewd appointment by the Anfield board for commercial and emotional reasons as well. Hodgson is not known for being confrontational and could even be perceived as a bit of a ‘yes man’ . It is probably something that the board will appreciate following on from Rafael Benitez.

But ‘our Roy’ is also very likeable, and this makes it difficult for the fans to really turn against him. The Anfield faithful will certainly give him a chance, that’s for sure, and he will certainly not be hated at any point, you can guarantee that.

On the playing side however, there are grave concerns. The London born coach clearly did a terrific job at Fulham, but hey were a club who were only really able to play their best at Craven Cottage. Whilst at the club, Hodgson's side only won nine away games in two and a half seasons.

At Liverpool, the team will always be strong at home, whoever is in charge, but last year they also fared very poorly away from home.

Hodgson will need to alter his style on Merseyside and the Anfield faithful will obviously expect more than what Hodgson offered at Fulham. While I’m sure he is fully aware of this it will probably take a little time for him to stamp his authority on the team and the team's style, but does he have time? He has a three year contract and is approaching 63 years old. This is the concern.

What’s also a little worrying is that Hodgson, although vastly experienced, does lack any long term experience at a truly, globally renowned club. He had two short spells at Inter Milan, but only really as an interim manager with limited success.

The biggest job he has had in England was at Blackburn Rovers, where he had money to spend. But after a good first season he had a disastrous second campaign. The Ewood Park club actually ended up going down that year following Hodgson’s dismissal in December. He will be hoping his second stint in the North West of England is a better one.

Liverpool will not be relegated, but can he get them back into the top four? He says he can, but with only 12-15 million currently available in the transfer market, he’s going to need to use all his persuasive skills and use his full quota of contacts to get this great club back to the top.

As I stated earlier though, good luck to the man. He certainly deserves this chance, whatever happens…..

ENGLAND - THE POST MORTEM BEGINS HERE..

2010-06-29T02:26:00.000-07:00

We often over-react to an England defeat and we often try to find someone or something to blame. The difference this time however, is that there was no penalty shoot out. The team was emphatically beaten and alarmingly outplayed.

The Frank Lampard ‘phantom goal’ can be discussed until we are blue in the face, but as Steven Gerrard said after the heavy defeat to Germany yesterday, England conceded four goals. In truth, it could have been six or seven.

Firstly, questions must be asked about the organisation of the team. Why was the defence so exposed on the third German goal and why were so many men thrown forward at that point? There was still over a quarter of the game remaining. Most of these players are experienced, seasoned internationals, which made it all the more baffling.

‘Baffling’ is certainly the appropriate adjective to sum up England’s disastrous tournament, and I’m sure all the reasons, or indeed excuses, will come out somewhere down the line in someone’s autobiography.

In my view, the problems all come down to the relationship between the FA and the Premier League. Countries such as Brazil and Germany place their national team at the forefront of importance. But in England domestic football takes precedence due to the greedy, fat cats at the Premier League. We need to implement some stricter laws if we don’t want to have to experience this inevitable disappointment every four years.

It is not the coaching that is the problem. Grass root levels produce some excellent talent – as illustrated by the recent European Under 17s Championship win. The Under 21 side progressed to the final of the equivalent competition at their age level last summer, and were only beaten, in the end, by a special German team, including several players who played yesterday.

The overwhelming issue is that the players are not given the chances at the top clubs. Managers such as Arsene Wenger and previously, Rafa Benitez and Jose Mourinho, appear to trust foreign talent more. Therefore these young English players don’t gain the valuable experience they need and subsequently drop down the leagues or even out of the game completely.

For the national team to improve, I would suggest there needs to be a rule that a squad should include at least six or seven English players every week. That is a squad of 18, not 25.

EU laws relating to freedom of employment make this idea difficult to implement, but for once I actually agree with Sepp Blatter who wants to force teams to play with at least five players born in the same country as the league they are competing in. It is certainly something that should help England.

So what was the issue in South Africa this time around? In Germany four years ago it was the WAG’s. Was it ‘Terry gate’ in 2010? England have certainly not played well since the Wayne Bridge incident occurred back in February, while before that they appeared to be united as illustrated in a blistering qualifying campaign. Did those events really damage team spirit so severely?

Or is it that these ‘spoilt’ players cannot stay away from home for so long? None of the players live abroad or play abroad, so maybe they are too pampered and can’t deal with being homesick. However, they are not the only team facing this experience, so if that was the case, maybe other players should have been selected.

Was it the altitude? If it was, this is no excuse, as every country has to deal with this problem. It is interesting however, how the South Americans appear to be coping better with this issue. But on the other hand, the Netherlands are still in the tournament, so need I say more?

Wayne Rooney’s performances were bizarre and can't be ignored. He’s a wonderful player and to say he was being affected by nerves is ludicrous. He was either injured, exhausted or suffering from severe altitude sickness. We all know Wayne Rooney has supreme ball control, but that was severely lacking in South Africa, during every game. His performances are just impossible to explain. The only other thing I can imagine is that he has been affected by his impending multi million pound court case. If that’s the case, there surely should have been more psychological help at hand.

The Manchester United star wasn’t the only player who appeared sluggish over the last fortnight. Glen Johnson is usually a free flowing, blisteringly quick and very skilful full back who runs at and attacks the opposition with verve and purpose. Both yesterday and in the previous matches, he appeared like he was treading water. Bizarre again!

The excuses about the Premiership having too many games and the argument that there should be a winter break do not hold any weight I’m afraid. Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano and Dirk Kuyt all look fine to me. And point me to any players who run around more than them during the season?

Capello’s excuses relating to that appear to be weak, but maybe it was was another loss of translation. Maybe he was, in fact, referring to fitness and not tiredness. Steven Gerrard, Ashley Cole, Wayne Rooney and Glen Johnson all had quite long lay offs during the season, But I think it’s just another façade of trying to paper over the cracks of his failure to do the job he is paid six million pounds a year to do. Yes, six million a year for that…

Yesterday’s main problem was the defence, something which appeared to be one obvious strong area earlier in the tournament. Matthew Upson could obviously not handle the big occasion, but John Terry also needs to be held accountable. He is vastly experienced, but the first goal was ‘schoolboy’ defending and he should have known better. The two played together regularly in qualifying so why was the positioning so poor? Once again it’s just bizarre to the point of sheer disbelief.

I don’t adhere to the belief that foreign players make English players look good for their club sides and that we rate our players too highly. Having a foreign player alongside him doesn’t make Wayne Rooney control the ball better. Having Claude Makelele or Michael Ballack alongside him doesn’t make Frank Lampard strike the ball better. These are still technically gifted players whose technique seemed to suddenly desert them when they pulled on the Three Lions shirt.

Although it’s easy to use hindsight now, I have to say I did question Fabio Capello’s appointment when it was made in January 2008. The Italian coach has got an excellent record at club level, but only with Latin teams. The pinnacle of his managerial career was with the great AC Milan team of the mid nineties, but that is a long time ago now.

Since those heady days, Capello's teams have had a very poor record in knockout compeitions and especially the Champions League, where his teams have frequently lost (three times to Liverpool incidentally) in the early knockout stages or even the group stages. This has happened again with England and is not really that surprising.

But collective responsibility should be taken and despite the manager’s floors, I was certainly optimistic after such a wonderful qualifying campaign.

But what now and most importantly, who now?

I think it’s pretty clear that the Italian will leave, but who will the FA – in their amateur and infinite wisdom – appoint this time? It has to be one of three candidates – Harry Redknapp, Roy Hodgson or Sam Alladyce.

Harry Redknapp should be the clear favourite. He clearly brings the best out of his players, but would the FA appoint him? There is no doubt he carries some baggage.

Roy Hodgson would be my choice. He is popular with his players and crucially, has international experience and knows the world game inside out. I think he deserves the job, but will he go to Liverpool? Is he a big enough name for the elitist FA?

Sam Alladyce is probably a less popular choice, and his style of football may be an issue for some. But frankly who cares? England fans want to win don’t they?

Alladyce has again proved to be an excellent manager with Blackburn Rovers and can clearly deal with big names. Nicolas Anelka, Youri Djorkaeff and Jay Jay Okacha all thrived under ‘Big Sam’ and revived their flagging careers. This is certainly what we need in the England national team at this point.

This time though, it has to be an English manager, but a more experienced one that either Glen Hoddle or Steve McClaren were is required. It has been been proved over the last decade that a foreign manager does not win you a World Cup, and the facts demonstrate that as well. It has never happened.

Players such as Frank Lampard may well have played their last major tournament. The media invented ‘golden generation’ were not even a bronze generation. In fact they were not even highly commended.

But I do believe, despite the hype, that things need to be put in perspective. England have never reached the final of a major tournament outside their own country. Maybe it’s time to accept that they are a second, even third rate football nation at this point. And anyway, once the league season begins again, we will probably all forget this disappointment. After all, we have the ‘most exciting and best league in the world’ remember?

This is all very well, but it doesn’t make those fans coming back from South Africa feel any better. They have been let down horribly by this team, and someone somewhere needs to be held accountable.

We've been here before haven't we...?

JOHN TERRY - A JUSTIFIED OUTBURST OR ALTERNATIVE AGENDA?

2010-06-23T02:27:00.000-07:00

John Terry is a passionate player. Nobody in their right mind can suggest that he doesn’t give one hundred per cent every time he steps on to the field of play. But was his outburst in front of the press on Sunday pre-mediated or was it just a badly advised moment of madness?

Is the Chelsea captain still annoyed about being stripped of the captaincy back in February? And can much of the a problems in the squad be partially put down to that espisode concerning Wayne Bridge?

It is rumoured that Bridge was a popular member of the England squad and that Terry's actions have actually caused a split in the camp and been the catalyst for the apparent lack of cohesive team spirit.

Some of the points Terry made on Sunday were probably things that every fan and most journalists agreed with. But to actually question the manager publically, was in all honesty, a complete lack of respect.

This is not Avram Grant Mr Terry! Fabio Capello has won nine league titles, been in three Champions League finals, played in World Cup’s for Italy and managed some of the biggest stars in football. If it wasn’t for the lack of centre backs, Terry may well be on the plane home right now. He is a lucky boy.

Concerning tonight’s clash. There are two important points I'd like to make.

Firstly, shouldn't Peter Crouch be playing up front? He has a terrific goal-scoring record at international level and is England’s version of Miroslav Klose. Although he is not so effective at club level, just like the Germany forward, he seems to thrive on the pressure of playing for his country where the teams are not so familiar to his presence. I think tonight would be a perfect platform for the Tottenham forward, but it appears Capello will play his club-mate, Jermaine Defoe alongside Wayne Rooney.

Secondly, not a lot of fuss has been made about the referee selected by Fifa, but I am a little concerned by their decision. It has created a grey area, which could probably be avoided.

Wolfgang Stark of Germany has previously officiatied three England matches of which England has won all three. However, during the World Cup there are not supposed to be any 'conflicts of interest' concerning the officials. The fact that either England, Slovenia or any of the teams in Group C could possibly face Germany in the next stage surely constitutes a conflict of interest. Isn't Steven Gerrard on a yellow card?

Whoever the referee is during the clash with Slovenia, England do not need to play well. They just need to win. It may sound simple, but performances are not what are important in the World Cup qualifying groups. There are endless examples of teams playing fantastically in the group stages and then subsequently falling short in the knockout stages, and vice versa.

Four years ago, Spain and Argentina were the eye-catching teams in qualifying, but both crashed by the last eight.
On the opposite side of the argument, France and Italy were the two finalists in Germany, but both – especially the French – were very patchy in the group stages.

In 1998 meanwhile, Argentina (again) were superb in the group stages, as were Nigeria, but again both teams failed to progress beyond the quarter finals. Take note Argentina: This is a bad habit you have developed down the years.

Speaking of the French team, what a farce their World Cup campaign has been. They may as well have let Ireland take their place in South Africa and a lot of aggro concerning that notorious 'handball' could have been avoided.

Whatever the players think of Raymond Domenech, they should still respect their fans enough to give their all. Four years ago there were apparently also issues with Domenech's methods, but the team took the opposite route and pulled together. However, they have no talisman in Zidane this time, who has publically and rightly condemned the squad.

Last night, only Hugo Lloris –the French goalkeeper - showed any sort of fighting spirit. A better side than South Africa would have won 6-0.

In the next couple of days, England, Germany and Italy could all, quite easily, be eliminated. If England’s draw with Algeria was perceived to be terrible result against a team ranked 22 places below them, New Zealand are ranked 78 - a massive 73 places below the current world champions.

We’ve been here before with Italy though, and Marcello Lippi is such a shrewd coach. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them still in the tournament come the quarter finals. But a second round blockbuster clash with the Netherlands awaits the Azzuri, and that's a mouth-watering prospect.

It is now, in my opinion, where the World Cup really starts and it should be a roller-coaster next three days. As the (quite disappointing in my view) group stages come to an end, hopefully the quality of matches will begin to improve and the games on the pitch will begin to match up to the atmosphere in the crowd, which has been magnificant (from the armchair anyway)

On a final note, the manager, the press and the fans have talked endlessly about how much pressure the England players are under. But lets put this in perspective and I’m not jesting here. Imagine the pressure on the North Korean players (The DPRK) after their 7-0 defeat to Portugal on Monday night. Remember it was, for once, screened live on terrestrial television, but imagine the reaction back home? They were probably terrified of the prospect of playing live in front their dictator. Now that’s pressure ladies and gentlemen....

IS IT THE PLAYERS OR IS IT CAPELLO?

2010-06-19T01:53:00.000-07:00

England’s performance against Algeria last night was so poor that it was actually boardering on the bizarre.

How can players who play at the highest level of world football so regularly, season after season, be so inept when they play together.

England’s players are certainly not over-rated, because as I said, they are consistently performing well on the biggest stages. Over-rated players are players who fail to perform on the big occasion when more is expected of them. Although that may have appeared to be case last night, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Jamie Carrager and Wayne Rooney have played in 22 Champions League semi final's between them and performed well.

England have at least half a dozen players who started the game last night capable of competing with anyone in the world. So why were they so lack-luster and, most importantly, where was the urgency?

One player, who has also featured in four Champions League semi finals himself, did not figure at all last night. One has to wonder exactly what Joe Cole has done to upset Mr Capello. England were crying out for his creativity and un-predictablity last night. His lack of playing time is puzzling, even if it is only as a substitute.

There were a few positives. After Robert Green’s unfortunate, traumatic week, David James looked composed and an imposing figure. Jamie Carrager looked solid at the back, although his yellow card rules him out of the last group game, while Gareth Barry played the full 90 minutes. Now I'm really clutching at straws aren't I?

Apart from that, England looked worringly void of ideas. Glen Johnson was poor in possession, which is usually his strong point. Steven Gerrard looked jaded, while I don’t think I’ve ever seen Wayne Rooney play so badly for club or country. He looked like the whole world was on his shoulders. Either that or the Manchester United star was drunk.

The players often look afraid to express themselves. Is it the Robert Green effect of being afraid to make a mistake. On one occassion Steven Gerrard cut in from the right in a perfect opportunity to unleash a shot with his fantastic right boot. At Liverpool he would have shot, no question, but instead he tried to square it across the penalty box to no one in particular.

Is it the manager who is the problem? Is he too aloof and not close enough to his players? Or are the players just not capable of dealing with the huge expectation? Is the language barrier causing problems within the camp?

Being an expat abroad I know how difficult it is to learn a language. But, if I was earning six million pounds a year, I think my English would be a hell of a lot better than Capello’s after two and a half years in the job. He is 64 years old, but surely instant communication is vital in a tournament such as this. If you remember back to January 1998 when he took the job, he said he would be fluent in a month.

It is all very well that the media is questioning why the Italian naming the team two hours before the game, but this wasn’t an issue in the qualifiers. Then, the players really did appear play for him, but now we are all asking the same old questions. The honeymoon period is well and truly over.

The only possible reason (tough in cheek, I hope) I can give for England ‘s woeful performance was that they are trying to come second in the group because Germany will probably not win their group, and they could face them in the last sixteen. But should they really fear the Germans? They are even missing penalties these days.

Slovenia is a tough match, but England simply ‘have to’ perform. I still think they will get through, but I cannot say that with a lot of confidence.

But the Three Lions are not the only team who are struggling. There are many other teams who, comically, would love to be in England’s position. Remember everything is still in England’s hands, and their fiercest rivals - the Germans - have, in the space of two days, gone from being everyone’s most impressive team to being in a fight to actually remain in the tournament.

The Germans are in the strange position of knowing that six points may still not be enough to qualify, while they are without their talisman Miroslav Klose for their final Group D showdown with Ghana. His red card was ridiculous and both yellow cards were probably not actually yellow card offences.

The referee from Spain was poor, but Germany had their chances even with ten men, and I would have put my house (if I had one) on Lukas Podolski burying that penalty. It was very un-German like.

A victory for Ghana over Australia today would leave the three times winners in big trouble and on the verge of possible elimination What an amazing turnaround. Will Franz Beckenbauer be feeling a little nervous at this moment? I suggest yes.

England are bad, but at least they are not France. The neighbours from across the channel are packed with terrific individuals from Patrice Evra to Florent Malouda to Franck Ribery but do not seem to want to play for the shirt. You can argue to the hilt that Raymond Domenech is the problem, but surely the players still need to try their hardest for their country. They appear to just be going through the motions. It will take a miracle for Les Bleus' to qualify now, and quite honestly they may not even beat the hosts – South Africa – anyway, on Tuesday.

Credit must go to the Mexicans though, who played some terrific and incisive counter attacking football. And the new Manchester United signing - Javier Hernandez - looks like a very talented player.

Argentina are the form team of the tournament so far, and Maradona’s antics aside have been entertaining on the field too. Lionel Messi, unlike Wayne Rooney, looks full of confidence and was fantastic against South Korea.

But the Argentina defence is still a cause for concern for them and that may hamper them later in the tournament. Four years ago, remember, they were also fantastic in the group stages and flattered to deceive in the knockout rounds. It will be interesting to see how they fare then, but if teams continue to let Messi roam around the pitch and run at them , they are asking for trouble. Why is nobody man-marking the little Barcelona forward? Surely it’s not rocket science. Bring back Martin Keown I say….

And then there is Spain. They didn’t play badly, but they must be panicking. Switzerland need to take four points off Honduras and Chile to finish first in the group and have a canny old fox in Otmar Hitzfeld at the helm. The result shocked me, but the match, in some ways, was a metaphor for this World Cup so far. It’s been interesting, without really excelling yet. The matches have been tense, but many have lacked flair and defences have regularly been on top.

After the Swiss scored, Spain never really looked like scoring. The Spanish need Fernando Torres back fit and firing, but that will take time and thhey don’t have time. A probable second round clash with Brazil awaits.

The fact that, bar, Argentina, nobody is dominating their group actually makes for a thrilling competition. The football may not be up to much, but the last round of group matches will be compelling viewing in terms of tension.

Will Germany and England both crash out? Will France pull off the great escape? Will Group B contain the first ever team to make it through to the knockout stages with two defeats? And will Slovenia – the smallest nation in the tournament knock out the biggest nation – the USA?

Picking a winner of the World Cup at this stage is nye on impossible. And what more can you ask for?

PS. Match of the tournament so far: Slovenia v USA followed by Greece v Nigeria. Terrific end to end stuff!

IT IS THE "DPRK" NOT NORTH KOREA. WE ALL NEED TO KNOW..

2010-06-15T00:55:00.000-07:00

More of that later…

We are four days into the 2010 World Cup, and most of the talk has been about vuvuzelas, not football. Luckily, the noisy, but appropriately cheerful instruments have helped disguise the fact that the football has, on the whole, been pretty drab.

Of all the games so far, only the opening game and the Germany game have provided anything approaching scintillating viewing. But as England fans will need to tell themselves, it is still 'very early days’.

Today could prove to be the most intriguing yet. New Zealand are an unknown quantity who beat non other than New Caledonian, Fiji and Bahrain to get to this World Cup. They take on a Slovakia team competing in their first ever finals as a single nation, so at least there is a novelty element we don’t get so often in today's media dominated World Cup tournaments.

Brazil versus the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea should also be a fascinating clash. The Guardian reports that the DPRK will have no fans at all in Johannesburg. However, the Chinese have sent along around 100 pseudo supporters. It’s a shame, because the quiet hand clapping of the mass, cheerless North Koreans all dressed in red would have been another alternative feature of this already unique World Cup.

The DPRK football team themselves are ultra defensive. And this has been further demonstrated by the fact that they are still trying to implement their goalkeeper, Kim Myong-won, as a striker, or is the other way round? Brazil should win comfortably, but I don’t think it will be by the large margin that everyone might expect.

Today’s action also includes what could be the match of the tournament so far. Sven Goran Eriksson’s Ivory Coast take on Nani-less Portugal, with Didier Drogba hoping that FIFA will accept his request to play in a cast. The Chelsea striker broke his arm only eleven days ago, but is apparently desperate to play in what will probably be his last World Cup finals.

But the often brutal Portuguese are bound to target him and it could be a painful 90 minutes for the African player of the year. We may even bring ourselves to feel sorry for the big striker, as for once, he won’t actually be faking his apparent discomfort. However I do feel a sense of karma about the whole situation or am I just being nasty? Good luck to you Didier, and 'our Sven'.

So what do we make of the tournament so far?

I felt the opening game lived up to the hype and South Africa were outstanding. They played well above their capabilities and it just goes to show how much home support in the World Cup really can lift a side. The hosts now have a decent chance to qualify out of a group which is of little quality and already appears to be the hardest of the eight groups to call.

France against Uruguay barely deserves a mention, apart from the amusing irony of watching Thierry Henry appeal for a soft penalty in the last minute. He believed there was a handball you know? But as the former Arsenal striker should know, you need to handball it twice to get the decision. He even had the audacity to look outraged.

As for Saturday’s action – Greece were under-whelming, just as I predicted, and are possibly the poorest team in the World Cup. Although I must stress I will reserve judgment until New Zealand play. How the Greeks got past Ukraine in the play offs I really don’t know and their football team perfectly mirrors their economy at this moment in time. Adject!

Credit to the South Koreans though, who play so well as a unit. They are certainly a threat in Group B.

And what did we make of Argentina? Well Messi was fantastic and appears to be unaffected by his long season at Barcelona., But the little Argentine was - as he probably always be - upstaged by his coach.

Maradona was as exhilarating on the touchline as he was as a player on the pitch, and nobody can pretend they didn't enjoy his antics, surely... But will it become annoying later on in the competition?

In that Group B clash with Argentina, the Nigerian keeper - Vincent Enyeama - in my opinion produced the display of the tournament so far. He made three of four World Class saves and Nigeria were right in that match until the end. Does Argentina’s apparent endless supply of world class striker actually create a paradoxical problem for Maradona? Can Juan Veron last the tournament and can a team with a Newcastle midfielder at right back win the World Cup? We shall see, but they should at least qualify with ease.

The England scenario was as expected in my view. Many people including myself, predicted a draw, but certainly not the manner of it.

Fabio Capello has a big decision to make on Robert Green, who appears to be a very nice guy. Although that has nothing to do with the bigger picture, if it had happened to John Terry for example (perhaps a defensive howler), maybe there would be less sympathy directed towards the Chelsea skipper. Actually I thought the West Ham stopper handled the media scrutiny extremely well. But at this level, should an international keeper be making such an error? This is an especially potent question when the player represents a nation in the upper tier of the world game. The Italian manager could have a sleepless next three days.

Saying that, I still believe England will qualify comfortably in first place. The Algeria versus Slovenia game was a very poor game played out by two un-inspiring teams. England’s chances were also enhanced because Ghezzal -the Algerian star striker - has ruled himself out of the England match after receiving his marching orders for two yellow cards. The second of which must nail him the award for ‘idiot of the World Cup so far’.

Serbia were very disappointing on Sunday and surprisingly lacked cutting edge. The penalty against them was unlucky, but foolish and was certainly the correct decision. The referees have actually been very good so far, and have probably better than the players on the whole.

Ghana surprised me with their display, which was full of energy and verve. They should now qualify and I feel they will definetly give the Germans a run for their money next week in a clash which may well decide which teams plays England.

Many analysts are raving about the Germans, and much of their performance may be down to the fact that most of the team have been using the much publicised World Cup ball in the Bundesliga this season. However, the Australians were unforgivably poor and as I predicted (blowing my own trumpet once again) they appear to be the whipping boys in the group.

I prefer to judge Germany after three matches, not one. But the Aussies, now without Tim Cahill - who picked up a deserved red card – may as well book their flights home right now.

In Group E, the Netherlands looked efficient, if not spectacular, but they have Arjen Robben set to return, which should enhance their chances. However, Robin Van Persie looked particularly off the pace and that is worrying for the Dutch.

The Danes were very disappointing, as were Cameroon, who were surprisingly beaten by the Japanese. That clash was a dreadful game and the Danes will take heart that they still have to play both these teams. Incidentally, Honda drove in Japan’s solitary winning goal. Get it??

So four days in, and very little to write home about. Italy, looked like, well… Italy last night, but apart from that I see no clear patterns emerging. Perhaps after Brazil and Spain complete their opening matches in the next couple of days we may have a clearer picture of the early contenders.

However, as I suggested before, I do believe every team deserves to play at least two games before they can be judged effectively. But of course the big question on everyone's lips is will England even have any central defenders left after these two games?

One thing we must all remember though is that it is called the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” and not North Korea, The DPRK coach says so. He - that is Kim Jong-Hun - informed the world’s media of this in yesterday’s press conference in South Africa, fervently objecting to his team being called North Korea.

The fact that that is probably the best moment of the World Cup so far suggests we haven’t really got going yet. But as the great D:Ream once said … "Things can only get better". Let's hope so!

PS. Please keep reading my World Cup blogs. They will be posted every four days throughout the tournament.

Sources/References used:

Guardian podcast - guardian.co.uk
Talksport.net

BENNY’S WORLD CUP PREVIEW

2010-06-11T01:47:00.000-07:00

GROUP A: France, Mexico, Uruguay, South Africa

PREDICTIONS:
Winners: France
Runners Up: South Africa

I have actually had a cheeky bet on France to crash out in the first round. Their form hasn’t been particularly inspiring leading up to the competition and last week’s defeat to China was as bad as it gets. They seem to be lacking in central midfield, and when you consider that in recent World Cups they had midfielders in the class of Viera and Zidane, it just goes to show how much they are lacking in that department.
Much depends on Franck Ribery, and Lassana Diarra is a huge loss. However, in my opinion they do have the best goalkeeper in the world in Hugo Loris, so they will always have a chance. I think the French will qualify, but not convincingly. And a repeat of four years ago is highly unlikely.

South Africa are unbeaten in 12 games leading up to the tournament and have a vastly experienced coach in Carlos Alberto Parreira – a World Cup winning manager.
The Bafana Bafana proved in last year’s Confederations Cup that they are an organised outfit and with the vociferous home support may well just reach the knock-out stages.

Uruguay are always competitive, and in Diego Forlan and Luis Alberto Suarez they have two real match winners. However, they are not the power-house of previous campaigns and I don’t think they will qualify.

Mexico had a torrid early qualification campaign but they just about got to South Africa.
They always play attractive football and have many gifted players. The Mexicans nearly always seem to get out of the group stages, but I think they will fail this time will be going up early for the first time since failing to qualify for Italia 90.

GROUP B: Argentina, Nigeria, Greece, South Korea

PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Argentina
Runners Up: Nigeria

Argentina have the best squad at the tournament as far as I am concerned. Their four strikers are un-paralleled, while Angel di Maria is a fantastic young player. But they are a little shaky in defence and Cambiasso is a strange omission in midfield. Will Messi even start? Will he be suffering from burn out?
I think they will get to at least the quarter finals, but will probably play Germany. Whether or not Maradona can tactically outwit the Germans will be fascinating. The South Americans are a difficult team to call, and actually rather like England and Spain, have flopped dramatically in recent tournaments. They are unpredictable, just like their manager, but I think they will have a decent tournament.

Nigeria do not have the household names of the past, but always have talented players and decent strikers. I think they will sneak into second place, although the clash with South Korea will decide their fate. Yakubu is a big player for them, in more ways than one, and hopefully for the Nigerians he has shed some of the weight he gained from his long term injury at Everton.

South Korea are a decent team who can always be competitive and are incredibly fit and athletic. What they lack in skill they more than make up for in endeavor, and I think they will run Nigeria close.

Greece have gone backwards since 2004, and although they still have the same manager I think they will be the whipping boys as they were in Euro 2008.They are an ageing squad who peaked sensationally six years ago, but they will not progress from this group. They actually did well to qualify in the first place.

GROUP C: England, USA, Slovenia, Algeria

PREDICTIONS
Winners: England
Runners Up: USA

England have had several recent poor performances in friendlies, but they still won the games without playing well which is a good sign. But the experience of Ferdinand will be missed despite the poor season he has had.
The two full backs will be crucial to England’s chance and I think they have the best set of full backs at the tournament, often a trait of a World Cup winning team.
So much of course depends on Wayne Rooney, but I think Gareth Barry’s fitness is also crucial as he creates the platform for Gerrard and Lampard to plough forward.England have the best draw of all the leading contenders and I think they will make the semi finals. After that, they may just come up a bit short. I hope I’m wrong though!

The USA are a talented side and possibly the fittest outfit in the competition. They have a terrific goalkeeper and a solid defence and are excellent on the counter attack.
They also demonstrated how dangerous they can be when last summer they should have won the Confederations Cup. I think they will go through as runners up and actually think they will draw with England. The Americans will progress to the knockout stages but no further.

Slovenia defeated Guus Hiddink’s talented Russian side to progress to South Africa and that cannot be underestimated. However, while they are very strong at home, they are not the greatest travellers. They do not have a star with a real spark like they did in 2000 and 2002, when they had the enigmatic but supremely gifted playmaker- Zlatko Zahovic. In those days they were a good side, but his time round, although I anticipate some tight encounters, ultimately, early elimination is likely.

Algeria will be the whipping boys in this group. They have some talented players but are in-disciplined in defence and I think are just happy to be here. Their World Cup final was beating Egypt. I was not impressed with the Algerians in the African Nations Cup and they have not had the best preparation, so expect them to finish bottom of the group.

GROUP D: Germany, Serbia, Ghana, Australia

PREDICTIONS:
Winner: Germany
Runner Up: Serbia

Germany are Germany and will always be a threat. But I don’t believe they are major contenders this time around. They do not have the quality of goalkeeper this time around and Michael Ballack is a big loss, probably more in the dressing room than on the pitch.
Miroslav Klose is the vital statistic though. The goals have dried up for him this season and although a renaissance wouldn’t surprise me, I feel his best days are behind him.
Although many of the squad were part of the Bayern Munich team who made it to the Champions League final, I think they will go out in the quarter finals or possibly the last four, but certainly no further.

Serbia are an excellent outfit and they had a supreme qualifying campaign. They have a terrific defence and an exciting attack in a side that includes multiple Champions League winning players. I am especially exited to see how the new Liverpool signing - Milan Jovanovic performs. I think they will qualify from this group but I believe England will overpower them in the second round, although it may take extra time.

Ghana have lost their best player – Michael Essien and he is a huge loss. With him I would have made them favourites to qualify in second place, but without him, I can’t see them qualifying. However, the ‘Africa’ element may inspire them and prove me wrong.

Australia’s fans bring colour to the tournament, but I can’t see them repeating their performance of four years ago. Their players are four years older, and many of their stars are in the twilight of their careers. I think they will come bottom of the group and fail to achieve their dream of a probable second round clash with their arch sporting rivals – England.

GROUP E: Holland, Cameroon, Denmark, Japan

PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Holland
Runners Up: Cameroon

Holland are, as always, full of class players and like Germany, will always be a dangerous proposition. However I don’t see them as potential winners and I predict a quarter final exit to Brazil. They will score plenty of goals and in Schneider, Van Persie, Kuyt and Robben they have an exciting front four with Van Bommel and Van de Vaart behind. However, the defence is low on quality and that will cost them in the later stages. So much depends on Robben’s fitness.

Cameroon are my dark horses for the tournament. They have Samuel Eto, who is the jewel in the crown, and they played quite well in the African Nations Cup. I just think they are better than the other teams in the group and I think playing in Africa may inspire them. I think they are the giants of African football and it’s the perfect stage for them.

Denmark are a functional side, but do not have the quality of years gone by. Nicolas Bedtner is their main striker, and for me, that fully demonstrates their problems.
They have a solid defence and midfield, but I think Cameroon will pip them to the runners up spot as they will score more goals. But the Danes, as we know, are always capable of springing a surprise.

Japan played well in the recent friendly with England, but are generally out of form. They were well beaten by Asian rivals South Korea and the Ivory Coast in recent weeks, while a recent change of coach has not helped continuity. There is no Nakata either, which equals a first round exit for the second successive World Cup finals.

GROUP F: Italy, Paraguay, Slovakia, New Zealand

PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Italy
Runners Up: Paraguay

If England and Spain were happy with their groups, Italy must have been ‘over the moon’ with theirs. The defending champions are not in form, but they will cruise through this group. But although the Italians are often written off and then prove every critic wrong, I am pretty sure they won’t regain their title. I think a quarter final exit to Spain is a likely scenario, although a second round match with Cameroon could also be a potential banana skin. This is one World Cup too far for the Italians and although France proved that old squads can get to World Cup finals, Italy have no Zidane and even under the brilliant Marcello Lippi I cannot see them being there in the last week of the tournament.

Paraguay will probably go through as runners up by default. They are a decent side and had an excellent qualifying campaign. But they have lost their star striker Salavador Cabanas, who was tragically shot in Mexico recently. They will score goals, so I think they will scrape into second place.

Slovakia are an efficient side entering their first World Cup. There are not many household names but an excellent team spirit. They play some decent football, but lack a real genuine star to open up the opposition’s defence. An early plane home awaits I’m afraid, but look out for their young midfielder, Marek Hamsik, who is an excellent prospect.

New Zealand are the poorest team in the tournament in my view. It is a ‘World Cup’ but Bulgaria, Ireland, Sweden, Egypt and Columbia are not in this tournament and the Kiwis are. The fans will enjoy it, but I predict no goals and a minus goal difference, possibly in double figures.

GROUP G: Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast, North Korea

PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Brazil
Runners Up: Portugal

Brazil are my tip to win the tournament. They are not an attacking team, full of flair that we would expect and Dunga is a rather dogmatic coach. Kaka is of course, a vital element, and I think after his injury hit season he will be fresh and hungry. I also believe Luis Fabiano will be a star in this competition, while Robinho will show us just what we missed in the Premiership. The former Manchester City star is much more comfortable with his Portuguese speaking team mates and should be fully focused. I firmly believe this methodical, but ‘machine like’ Brazil team will finish as champions.

Portugal have suffered a big blow with the loss of Nani, who has started to illustrate his full potential this season. Ronaldo is not the same animal at international level, and as always the team do not have anything approaching a world class striker. Saying that, they are always capable of an upset, but I don’t think CarlosQuiroz is an effective man manager, despite being an excellent coach. Portugal were lucky to qualify and a narrow second round exit to Spain looms.

Ivory Coast are full of excellent individuals, but a little like England, have never really looked like a winning golden generation. I believe that they should qualify above Portugal, but they won’t. The probable loss of Didier Drogba for the opening games obviously hinders them, but maybe his lack of presence could be a good thing. Maybe other players can express themselves more.
Sven Goran Eriksson is an astute appointment, but I feel he has been left too much to do in a short time. The Portugal game is crucial, but I feel the Elephants will go out early, possibly on goal difference.

I can’t wait to see the North Koreans play. I have watched them play on Chinese television, and they are very well organised and difficult to break down. I don’t think they will concede too many goals, but they won’t score many either. I think they will give a good account of themselves but ultimately finish pointless. Look out for the Japanese born striker Jong Tae-Se. He is an exciting player with excellent technique.

GROUP H : Spain, Switzerland, Chile, Honduras

PREDICTIONS:
Winners: Spain
Runners Up: Switzerland

Spain are the favourites for the competition and rightly so. They have been splendid over the last three years. Their midfield is second to none, and the fact that Fabregas may not even start speaks volumes about their strength. I do believe that the fitness of Fernando Torres is key because in my opinion he is more effective in tight games than David Villa. Spain should reach the final, but they do have a potentially tough route to the final and some of their Barcelona stars such as Xavi and Puyol may feel lethargic in the latter stages.
Marcos Senna is a strange omission by Vincente del Bosque and probably means Xavi Alonso will be the main holding midfielder. I think it may be a decision that haunts the Spanish boss and I believe the Spanish will fall just short. But will still have their best ever World Cup campaign.

Switzerland are a solid team with an excellent manager in Ottmar Hitzfeld. The defence is very solid, but Alexander Frei has had some injury problems and he is crucial to the way they play. I think they will come through this group just ahead of Chile, but will come up against a Brazil side who will be too strong.

Chile are a very exciting, attacking team who will score a few goals, but will also concede a few as well. They were impressive in qualifying and have some excellent attacking players, including Humberto Suazo and Matias Hernandez. However, this is a tough group, and although I think they could grab the runners up spot, I slightly favour Switzerland due to their outstanding tactical manager. I could easily be proved wrong though. Tough to call!

Honduras are just happy to be in South Africa. We know Wilson Palacios is an outstanding holding midfielder, but the rest of the team are not quite up to his level. A good experience and some very noisy supporters, but ultimately I fear they will be on the plane come June the 25th.

BENNY’S CRYSTAL BALL OF FINAL OUTCOMES.

Winners: Brazil
Runners up: Spain
England: Semi Finals (not patriotic, I really believe it!)
Surprise package: Cameroon or South Africa
Top scorer: Luis Fabiano (Brazil)
Biggest disappointment; David Villa (Spain) (in the knockout stages anyway)
Player to watch: Angel di Maria (Argentina)
Player of the tournament: Robinho (Brazil)

BENNY'S VALUABLE INFORMATION OF THE WEEK

2010-05-07T21:26:00.000-07:00

As we enter the final weekend of the Premier League season, the league actually makes for some interesting reading.

If you are quite a sad person, like myself, who is fascinated by football statistics, you will see that despite what the press says, the top half of the league is getting stronger, while the bottom half is getting much weaker.

Thankfully for most, the gap between the very top teams is actually not as large as it has been in previous years.

To illustrate these observations I have compiled a league table showing the highest points totals for each position in the history of the Premier League. This will only cover the period of which it has been a 38 game season.

BEST EVER POSITIONAL POINTS TOTALS’ OVER A 38 GAME PREMIER LEAGUE

YEARS 1995-2010

Pos/Team Year Pts GD This season’s best possible scenario
1. Chelsea 2004-05 95 +57 Chelsea 86
2. Liverpool 2008-09 86 +50 Man Utd 85
3. Chelsea 2008-09 83 +44 Arsenal 75
Arsenal 2007-08 83 +43
4. Liverpool 2007-08 76 +39 Tottenham 73
5. Leeds 2001-02 66 +16 Man City 69
Ipswich 2000-01 66 +15
6. Chelsea 2001-02 64 +28 Aston Villa 67
7. Blackburn 1995-96 61 +14 Liverpool 65
8. Tottenham 1995-96 61 +12 Everton 61
9. Nottm Forest 1995-96 58 -4 Birmingham 53
10.Leicester 1997-98 53 +10 Stoke 50
Tottenham 1999-00 53 +8 Blackburn 50
11.Newcastle 1999-00 52 +9 Stoke 50
Coventry 1997-98 52 +2 Blackburn 50
12.Middlesbrough 1999-00 52 -6 Fulham 49
13.Everton 1999-00 50 +10 Fulham, Sunderland
Blackburn, Stoke47
14.Fulham 2002-03 48 -9 Bolton/Wigan 39
15.Leeds 2002-03 47 +1 Bolton/Wigan 39
16.Aston Villa 2002-03 45 -5 Wolves 38
17.Bolton 2002-03 44 -10 West Ham, Bolton
or Wigan37
18.West Ham 2002-03 42 -17 Hull City 32
19.Middlesbrough 1996-97 39* -9 Burnley/Hull 30
20.Nottm Forest 1996-97 34 -28 Portsmouth 22#

*3 pts deducted that season
#10 pts deducted this season

Five possible conclusions to draw from the results:

1) - It’s not a vintage season at the top of the league.

2) - Rafael Benitez has performed better at Liverpool than some people might suggest.
He has the highest ever 2nd place and 4th place finishes in Premier League history.

3) - The teams challenging for the minor European places are stronger than ever.
The points records for 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th are all likely be broken this weekend.

4) - The mid-table teams are not as strong as they once were.

5) - The points totals needed to stay up have fallen dramatically. West Ham were relegated with 42 points in 2002-03. However, this season they would already have secured at least 14th place.

REFERENCES:

Wikipedia.org

WINNING UGLY OR PLAYING BEAUTIFUL FOOTBALL. IT IS A GREAT CATCH 22, BUT WHICH ONE IS UTOPIA??

2010-05-01T02:49:00.000-07:00

I am not Jose Mourinho’s biggest fan. I find him self obsessed, arrogant and conceited.

Even though this may be an act, I find the hero worship that he receives from Chelsea fans annoying and unjustified, considering that the much vilified Avram Grant actually took the club closer to the Champions League glory they so crave.

The 'special one' meanwhile, was tactically out manouvered by the much maligned and ‘incompetent’ Rafael Benitez in two Champions League semi finals.

This time, however, I have to defend the Portuguese manager and his tactic of diluting Barcelona in this week’s Champions League semi final.

I think too much has been made of Inter Milan's 'spoiling' tactics which were only brought on to them due to a very harsh red card. Why hasn’t more been made of Thiago Motta’s sending off and the displicable play acting from Sergio Busquets that preceded it? That is a bigger worry within the beautiful game as far as I’m concerned.

Anyway it’s not like Inter were negative in both matches. I thought they played some outstanding attacking football in the first leg. Mourinho is supremely tactically aware in this way, just like he was at Porto.

Even he, himself, admitted that his team let Barca have the ball after the sending off, so his team would find it easier to keep their shape. Attempting to attack the home team would only have created more gaps for Messi and co.

When he was first at Chelsea, Mourinho often played with Damien Duff and Arjen Robben as his wingers to exploit the full width of the pitch. There was some terrific football to watch in those early days.

However, when the need came he would use a more narrow formation and mix it up, especially away from home. This is what a coach is supposed to do isn’t it? He is supposed to be pragmatic.

What is Mourinho expected to do in the situation he found himself in on Wednesday night? Attack Barcelona and get beaten 5-0. Arsenal tried these tactics and got hammered, and that was with 11 men. Wenger could do with some coaching from Mourinho on how to nullify Lionel Messi, that's for sure.

I was tuned into Talk Sport on Thursday listening to Adrian Durham's Drive time show. As usual, the flame haired presenter played devil’s advocate, this time concerning Inter Milan's performance. Streams of fans called in to respond.

Many Arsenal fans were critical and said they would much rather play the 'Wenger way' and get thrashed. But would they really? Hand on heart? You play to your strengths in line with the opposition’s strengths and you adapt on that given day.

Do any Arsenal fans out there recall the 2005 FA Cup Final? A very negative Arsenal team appeared to play for a draw as they were too afraid of handing Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo the space the needed to destroy them on thatbig Milennium turf. They succeeded –just about- and won the game on penalties. They clearly played for the shoot out, but did Arsene Wenger care? I doubt it.

Arsenal have not won a trophy since, but they play attacking football which is easy on the eye? Which is better? That, or heading into their sixth trophy-less season?

There are numerous examples of stylish teams who usually play attacking football but are forced to adapt on the odd occasion that it is required.

Manchester United and their stylish 2007-2008 side were ultimately victorious in the Champions League semi final (1-0 over two legs) by nullifying Barcelona, creating a scrappy affair and hoping for one flash of genius to win the tie. They got it courtesy of a long range blockbuster from Paul Scholes, but they were incredibly negative over the two legs.

But how many people remember this? Not many, due to the dramatic way in which they won the final. Very few people remember how drab those semi final fixtures were two years on.

How often has the most attractive team failed to win the trophy because they couldn’t adapt to the situation in hand? And do we remember them as much as the overall winners?

Cameroon were by far the best team to watch in the 1990 World Cup, but they were defeated by England in the quarter finals, mainly due to their inability to tackle and their naive defending. Who is remembered more? The African team or West Germany - the eventual winners.

Dynamo Kiev, under Valeri Lobanovsky, were an exhilarating side in the 1998-1999 Champions League campaign and in my opinion were the best team throughout the competition. But, when leading 3-1 against Bayern Munich in their semi final first leg, they were unable to 'shut up shop' and eventually drew 3-3.

The Ukranians lost 1-0 in the return leg, but who remembers them more than Manchester United that year? Probably not many.

Looking from at it from a slightly more 'half full' angle, I wonder if the Red Star Belgrade players of 1991 care how they won the European Cup final against Marseille? It was an awful game and they blatently played for penalties.

It was curious how and why Belgrade did this, because they had played such glorious football to get there. But they still ended up lifting the trophy and going into the record books.

In fact that May night in Bari 19 years ago, the French side - including our own Chris Waddle - were certainly the more attacking team. However ,they themselves used similar spoiling tactics two years later to defeat a far more talented Milan side. Do Barthez, Desailly Deschamps, Boli et al care how they won that night in 1993? I doubt it.

Holland, of course, have still never won the World Cup, despite their reputation of playing the game 'how it should be played'. In 1974 they played ‘total football’ and lost the final to West Germany. But wasn't it actually ‘nearly total football’? They didn’t win.

The team the Dutch lost to that day have proved to be the masters' of adapting, and have showed it on so many occasions down the years. Sometimes, when they haven't even had the best players.

Denmark were the team to watch in the 1986 World Cup, but couldn’t defend. Football, lest we forget, is about both defending and offensive play. That’s why we love this game, and that’s why, in my opinion, it is the 'world game' and basketball isn’t. A great piece of defending is just as good on the eye as a great piece of attacking play. Bobby Moore's tackle on Pele anyone?

The ultimate 'adapters' of recent years were probably Greece. Did they care about how unattractive they were in Euro 2004?

I personally found it very interesting to observe just how Zidane, Nedved, Ronaldo and Figo failed to break them down.

Again what was Otto Rehhagel supposed to do in these games? Let the other teams walk all over them because they had superior players? No, they played to their strengths and deserved to win. They scored the goals when it mattered, and it’s down the the opposition to break them down with their superior skills. They didn't.

Of course, there have been several examples of the most attractive team winning.

In international terms, Brazil in 1970 is the obvious one, while France in 1984 is another example.

In domestic football, there are the Ajax teams which won the European Cup and the Barcelona side of last season. Although am I alone in thinking that they were quite negative when they played Chelsea in the semi finals and were very lucky to progress? And if Inter steamroll Bayern Munich in the final will anyone remember this week's game at the Nou Camp? I doubt it very much.

Fabio Capello’s Milan team of the mid nineties were the perfect mix of flair and defensive solidarity. And this was wonderfully demonstrated in their 4-0 demolition of Barcelona in the European Cup final of 1994. It was fantastic to watch and it was counter attacking at it’s best.

Counter attacking is, as is sometimes forgotten, based on having solid, but ball playing defenders and sometimes playing in a more defensive manner. But it can also be exhilerating to watch.

An interesting question would be, do Brazil’s World Champions of 1994 and Nottingham Forest’s double European Cup winning players really care how they won the finals of those competitions? Or, are the players just happy they have the medals to show their grandchildren?

If Brian Clough was a tactical master then, then why isn't Jose Mourinho now?

Inter Milan are certainly not a negative team. I watch Italian football quite regularly, and anyone who saw them destroy AC Milan 4-0 at the San Siro earlier in the season cannot say they are a wholly defensive team.

It’s an interesting debate this one. Isn't football mainly about the fans and the players? And don’t they want to win most of all, when push comes to shove?

Does Cesc Fabregas, for example, want to be remembered for being a great player or having lots of medals? Tony Currie and Stan Bowles are in this catergory. I would imagine Cesc would like both, but probably one more than the other.

As I said earlier, I fear too much is being made of Mourinho’s tactics and not about the real killer of our modern game - play-acting! But we can't possibly criticise our precious Barcelona can we?...

That, however, is a debate for another day.

As a football fan, I am intruiged by Louis Van Gaal clashing with Mourinho on May the 22nd. It will be interesting to see whether the Ajax 'total football' Champions League winning coach of 1995 can defeat Porto's 'more pragmatic' winning coach of 2004.

Bring on the final in Madrid...

BENNY'S VALUABLE INFORMATION OF THE WEEK

2010-04-23T23:07:00.000-07:00

As we approach the World Cup in South Africa, how experienced are England’s players?

Today, I took a look at the most capped players of all time and also look at how much of the current squad can be classed as vastly experienced internationals.

In addition, I also take a look at some goal scoring statistics of the national team.

ENGLAND’S 25 MOST CAPPED PLAYERS

Name Clubs Caps Years

Peter Shilton Leicester, Stoke, Nottm Forest, 125 1970-1990
Southampton, Derby
David Beckham Man Utd, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy 115 1996-
AC Milan
Bobby Moore West Ham Utd 108 1962-1973
Bobby Charlton Manchester United 106 1958-1970
Billy Wright Wolverhampton Wanderers 105 1946-1959
Bryan Robson WBA, Man Utd 90 1980-1991
Michael Owen Liverpool, Real Madrid,Newcastle89 1998-
Kenny Sansom Crystal Palace, Arsenal 86 1979-1988
Gary Neville Manchester United 85 1995-
Ray Wilkins Chelsea, Man Utd, AC Milan 84 1976-1986
Gary Lineker Leicester, Everton, Barcelona 80 1984-1992
Tottenham
John Barnes Watford, Liverpool 79 1983-1995
Steven Gerrard Liverpool 79 2000-
Frank Lampard West Ham, Chelsea 78 1999-
Stuart Pearce Nottingham Forest, West Ham 78 1987-1999
Terry Butcher Ipswich, Glasgow Rangers 77 1980-1990
Ashley Cole Arsenal, Chelsea 77 2001-
Rio Ferdinand West Ham, Leeds, Man Utd 76 1997-
Tom Finney Preston North End 76 1946-1958
David Seaman QPR, Arsenal 75 1988-2002
Gordon Banks Leicester City, Stoke City 73 1963-1972
Sol Campbell Tottenham, Arsenal, Portsmouth 73 1996-
Alan Ball Blackpool, Everton Arsenal 72 1965-1975
Martin Peters West Ham, Tottenham 67 1966-1974
Tony Adams Arsenal 66 1987-2000
Paul Scholes Manchester United 66 1997-2004

Eight of the top 25 are current internationals, while four of the top 20 are definite starters in South Africa, if fit.

Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole – both still in their twenties are well placed to reach 100 caps in the next couple of years.

Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand though, are both approaching their 32nd birthday's, and for the latter especially, age appears to be catching up with them in their pursuit of the ton.

The current crop of players are actually very experienced, and, while David Beckham and Michael Owen will definitely not be going to South Africa, Gary Neville’s recent run of games at Manchester United may well still see him selected as back up to Glen Johnson at right back.

Sol Campbell would probably require a whole host of injuries to other centre halves if he is to add to his 73 caps this summer.

ENGLAND’S 25 LEADING GOALSCORERS (Post war)

Name Goals Years (includes the first to last goals)

Bobby Charlton 49 1958-1970
Gary Lineker 48 1985-1992
Jimmy Greaves 44 1959-1967
Michael Owen 40 1998-
Tom Finney 30 1946-1958
Nat Lofthouse 30 1950-1958
Alan Shearer 30 1992-2000
David Platt 27 1990-1996
Bryan Robson 26 1981-1989
Wayne Rooney 25 2003-
Geoff Hurst 24 1966-1971
Stan Mortensen 23 1947-1953
Tommy Lawton 22 1938-1948
Mick Channon 21 1973-1977
Kevin Keegan 21 1974-1981
Peter Crouch 20 2005-
Frank Lampard 20 1999-
Martin Peters 20 1966-1973
Johnny Haynes 18 1954-1961
Roger Hunt 18 1962-1967
David Beckham 17 1998-
Steven Gerrard 16 2001-
Tommy Taylor 16 1953-1957
Tony Woodcock 16 1979-1984
Paul Scholes 14 1997-2004

ENGLAND’S 25 BEST POST WAR GOALSCORERS

(Only includes players with over 10 international goals)

Name Caps Goals Strike rate

Tommy Lawton 22 23 95.65%
Stan Mortenson 23 25 92.00%
Nat Lofthouse 30 33 90.91%
Robert Smith 13 15 86.67%
Tommy Taylor 16 19 84.22%
Dennis Wilshaw 10 12 83.33%
Jimmy Greaves 57 44 77.19%
John Milburn 10 13 76.92%
Gary Lineker 80 48 60.00%
Peter Crouch 37 20 54.05%
Martin Chivers 13 24 54.17%
Roger Hunt 34 18 52.94%
Allan Clarke 10 19 52.63%
Geoff Hurst 24 49 48.98%
Alan Shearer 30 63 47.62%
Bobby Charlton 106 49 46.23%
Mick Channon 46 21 45.65%
Michael Owen 89 40 44.94%
David Platt 27 62 43.55%
Wayne Rooney 25 58 43.10%
Wilfred Mannion 26 11 42.31%
Tom Finney 30 76 39.47%
Tony Woodcock 16 42 38.10%
Paul Mariner 13 35 37.14%
Francis Lee 10 27 37.03%

Peter Crouch may have had a poor season in front of goal at Tottenham, but his international record is terrific. He has 18 goals from only 17 starts (he has appeared 20 times as a substitute). He could yet turn into an all time great England striker.

Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard can both still enter the top ten leading goal scorers list if they manage to repeat their prolific club form on the international stage.

And then there is Wayne Rooney, who, at still only 24, is almost certain to move into the top five leading scorers within the next year. Injuries permitting, the Manchester United star may well break Bobby Charlton’s long standing record and become the first England player to score 50 goals.

But, a note of caution is needed. A few years ago we all said without any hesitation, that Michael Owen would be the first England player to do this, but persistent injuries appear to have destroyed his hopes.

A quick mention has to go to Bobby Charlton and indeed, David Platt. They were both midfielders, but have goal scoring record's any international striker would be proud of.

REFERENCES:
www.englandfootballonline.com
www.thefa.com

WENGER v BENITEZ, WHO IS THE MORE EFFECTIVE MANAGER?

2010-04-16T23:48:00.000-07:00

Considering the current problems at Anfield, this may seem like a ridiculous question to ask. However, what should remembered is that a year or so ago some people were beginning to question Arsene Wenger’s future at Arsenal.

Their records over the last six seasons in the Premiership – since Benitez arrived in England – are amazingly similar, with the Spaniard actually holding the slight edge.

This may surprise some, and this is why I have raised the question.

Now let’s not kid ourselves here, football is all about what is happening in the moment, and there is no doubt that Liverpool have had a poor season. But they may well still finish the season with a trophy, something Arsenal have not achieved for five years.

In the time since Arsenal won the FA Cup in 2005, Liverpool have won three trophies and are clear favourites to win another.

The Gunners have also been involved in two title races during this time, while Liverpool have been involved in only one. But (this season included) both clubs have finished above each other three times.

Benitez’s average points total is slightly higher that Wenger’s during this period (he averages 75 points a season compared to Wenger’s 74). This is despite the fact that he has been a manager in the Premiership for eight years less than the Frenchman.

Crucially you may think, Wenger has captured three league titles in England, including two domestic doubles, but does that give him the edge?

I believe, we as football fans, are quite insular in this country and think the Premiership is the ‘be all and end all’ of European football. This is not the case, and when you look just how far Real Madrid and Barcelona are ahead of the rest in La liga this season, Benitez's achievements when he was manager of Valencia look even more remarkable.

In three seasons at the Mestella, Benitez guided the club to two league titles, defeating the Galactico’s at Real Madrid and the superstars at Barcelona in the process.

The Spaniard has also won two European trophies, whereas Wenger is still yet to win one, although in his defence, he has lost three finals in his 23 years as a manager.

But since Jose Mourinho came to Chelsea in 2004 - and began to spend Roman Abramovich’s endless millions - Arsenal have not won the league and have only finished in the top two once. Wenger has been unable to crack the so called ‘big two’.

Some of you may argue that the same flaw applies to Benitez. But the Arsenal boss has three league titles behind him and vast experience of the Premiership. Has he ever so slightly lost his magic?

Is football at the highest level about winning trophies, or is it about playing swift attacking football and bringing through young players? All three would be ‘utopoia’ but it must surely be a debate which is split between the Emirates faithful.

No one is suggesting that Wenger should be sacked, but considering how many trophies he won with players he inherited from the George Graham generation, the squad's that he himself has built have not lived up to the same standards. How long are we going to have to wait until these ‘young’ players finally deliver some silverware? Is being ‘close’ good enough in this day and age?

Of course, Wenger has been rightly lauded for his ability to buy players on the cheap and nurture them into world class players. He is a master at this and probably the best around.

Patrick Viera, Nicolas Anelka and Emmanuel Adebayor are just three examples of players bought for very little money and sold on for a huge profit. Marc Overmars and Thierry Henry (the unboubted crown in the jewel) were players who were bought and sold on for a very healthy profit. While in the current side, Cesc Fabregas, was plucked from the Barcelona youth system at a very young age in the early 2000s, and is now one of the world’s best midfielders.

But, I am also of the opinion that Benitez has made some excellent bargain signings too.

Despite his well publicised failures in the transfer market – of which many have been sold on for a profit – the Liverpool boss has also discovered some absolute gems.

Pepe Reina was bought for 6 million pounds when he was still a youngster at Villarreal, and is now one of the top three goalkeepers in the world. Fernando Torres was bought for 20 million pounds, and many people at the time questioned whether or not this was good value. How much is he worth now? 50 million?

There is Yossi Benayoun too, who was bought for a mere 4 million, but at the end of last season and before his injury this season he was being hailed as one of the most creative players in the Premier League. How much has his value increased? Three fold? And Xabi Alonso was also a great bit of business. He was bought for 10 million and sold on for a 20 million pound profit five years later.

Of course, Liverpool are weaker without Alonso, but Arsenal have never really recovered from losing Viera either have they?

Another factor that has to be taken into account between the two managers is their age. There is more than ten years difference between the two managers, Arsene Wenger being 60, while Benitez is actually celebrating his 50th birthday today. Yet, Benitez has one two more European trophies than Wenger and two less league titles. It’s not a huge difference for such a large age gap is it?

However, Wenger is so often deemed untouchable by the English press and Benitez is often perceived to be a bit of a joke. Is this really fair? He is one of the world’s top coaches, without a doubt.

In Wenger’s defence again, he claims to have had very little money to spend in the last few years, or has he?

We never actually seem to know the answer to this question. The former Monaco boss has a degree in Economics and has he just become obsessed with running the club as a business and demonstrating his powers of negotiation more than winning trophies? Could he do a little more in the transfer market?

Sure, Rafael Benitez has spent more money, but he has also had to deal with horrific issues at boardroom level for two or three years now. That he still almost managed to capture the league title last season under these restrictions is verging on a miracle, but does he get much credit? No.

Arsene Wenger, meanwhile, has pretty much been left with the freedom to run his club how he wants to, but there is no doubt he has struggled a little since his chief ally in dealing with transfers - David Dein – departed the Emirates.

One question is, if you could inherit Arsenal or Liverpool right now, which team would you inherit? The answer of course, would be Arsenal on current form. However, one year ago, many would have said Liverpool. Football can change so quickly, so who knows what the answer will be in one year’s time.

The main reason I have raised this debate is because I do feel Rafael Benitez gets a very rough ride from the press in England. They are so vindictive towards him, despite the fact he may just be about to reach his fourth European final in six years.

Yes, the Merseyside club have had a poor season and Benitez has been criticised for the lack of strength in his squad. He has also been very heavily criticised for having only one out and out, injury prone striker at his disposal. But is this his fault? Are his hands tied? Did he have the money to spend on a striker?

I don’t think the question about which of these two is the better manager has such an obvious answer. Like it or not, these days trophies mean everything at the highest level of modern day football.

I often hear journalists and fans say ‘How long is Benitez going to live off Istanbul 2005?’ However the same could also be said of Wenger and his 2004 team of invincibles. How many of those players still remain at the club?

People can rightly point to Arsenal’s youth set up, but remember that Liverpool’s youth team (closely supervised by Benitez) won back to back Youth Cup's in 2006 and 2007 and also reached the final in 2009, where they were defeated by Arsenal.

Will we see the fruits of these Liverpool teams coming to fruition in the next two seasons just like Arsenal's? Who knows?

The conclusion I come to is that I would probably rather Wenger was my manager in the Premiership (although Benitez’s record does compare favourably while they have both been Premiership managers), mainly due to Wenger’s record in the Premiership in an overall sense, and not in the last six years.

In European competition, however, you would have to choose Benitez. His record in both the Champions League and the UEFA/Europa tournaments is quite exceptional for such a short career in management at the top level.

In fact, if you wanted to point to evidence concerning head to head Champions League clashes between the two managers, I believe it reads quite significant viewing. The two managers have met four times in the Champions League, and Wenger has never managed a winning side. On both occasions, Benitez's team's knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League. This occurred once with Valencia in 2003 and also when Liverpool eliminated at the quarter final stage two seasons ago.

This again reinforces Benitez's European pedigree, and whether or not you believe European football to be important or not, his record in such competition is superb.

Last year it was reported that Benitez and Wenger were Real Madrid’s top two choices to take over as boss. If that’s the case, it’s obviously a very hard one to call just who is the better boss.

Maybe we should analyse Benitez’s record in ten year’s time, then perhaps we can finally get a clear answer, once and for all.

By the way, as a journalist who doesn't dislike Benitez as much as most others appear to. Happy Birthday to you Rafa!

BENNY'S VALUABLE INFORMATION OF THE WEEK

2010-04-02T03:45:00.000-07:00

As we enter the home straight of a fascinating and unpredictable Premier League campaign, it looks like the race for the title will go right down to the wire.

Manchester United and Chelsea – the teams currently first and second – clash at Old Trafford tomorrow. However, Arsenal, in third - four points behind United - cannot be discounted.

On paper, the Gunners have the easiest run in, and the fact that their two main rivals play tomorrow means something has to give.

The phrase ‘the closest Premiership title race in years’, has been used many times in previous seasons, but how close is it really this year? Is it the closest race in history?

Below, I will present a few facts and figures from seasons gone by, illustrating some tight Premiership title races between three clubs.

At this point, all three teams at the top have played 32 games.

So how close was the title race after 32 games in the selected previous seasons, and what eventually happened?

SEASON 1995-1996

Liverpool’s legendary 4-3 defeat of Newcastle United meant that only four points separated the top three teams with six games to go. However, the Merseyside team would only take nine points from their last six games and dropped out of the title race.

The race between the top two, however, went to the wire, with Manchester United crowned as champions with a last day victory at Middlesbrough.

Newcastle were 12 points clear with only 13 games left in February, but eventually inished four points behind.

League table after 32 matches
P Pts
1 Manchester United 32 66
2 Newcastle United 32 65
3 Liverpool 32 62

Final League table

1 Manchester United 38 82
2 Newcastle United 38 78
3 Liverpool 38 71

SEASON 1998-1999

This season will always be synonymous with Manchester United and their unique treble. But what is often forgotten is that the title race went down to the final day. Any one of three teams could still have won it.

Chelsea, under Gianluca Vialli, were contenders from day one, and on many occasions throughout the season, the title looked like it could be heading for Stamford Bridge for the first time in 44 years.

However, tremendous late runs from Arsenal and Manchester United meant that the West London club missed out and the trophy headed to Old Trafford for the fifth time in seven seasons.

The title was clinched following a David Beckham inspired 2-1 victory at home to Tottenham. Ten days later, Alex Ferguson’s men had also won the FA Cup and the Champions League. The rest as they say, is history.

League table after 32 matches
P Pts
1 Manchester United 32 65
2 Arsenal 32 63
3 Chelsea 32 61

Final League table

1 Manchester United 38 79
2 Arsenal 38 78
3 Chelsea 38 75

SEASON 2001-2002

This particular season turned out to be an enthralling three way race for the title.

At the half way stage only four points separated Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle, but the Tynesiders couldn’t maintain their challenge and it subsequently became a three way battle for the crown.

Manchester United’s surprise home defeat to Middlesbrough on week 32 meant that Liverpool went top for the first time in four months following a last gasp win over Chelsea.

In fact, the Anfield club won 12 of their last 14 matches, and perhaps in any other season this may have been enough to clinch the title.

However, Arsenal – who always had vital games in hand throughout the run-in - won all of their last thirteen matches, and clinched the title with a sweet victory at Old Trafford in the penultimate league game of the season.

Arsene Wenger’s team went onto win the double, while Liverpool had the consolation of finishing runners up in the Premier League for the first time. This is to date, the only time the club have finished above their great rivals – Manchester United – in the Premier League era.

League table after 32 matches

1 Liverpool 32 65
2 Manchester United 32 64
3 Arsenal 30 63

Final league table

1 Arsenal 38 87
2 Liverpool 38 80
3 Manchester United 38 77

SEASON 2007-2008

Week 31 had seen a huge weekend of matches, which, in the end, proved to be crucial in a tight three way battle for the title.

Arsenal, who led the table for so many months up to March, lost, after taking the lead at Chelsea.

Manchester United went to the top of the table after defeating fourth placed Liverpool 3-0 at Old Trafford.

Week 32 saw Manchester United surprisingly held at Middlesbrough, while Arsenal could only draw at home to Liverpool.

A tremendous late surge from Chelsea (including a 2-1 win over United at Stamford Bridge) took the title race right down to the last day. But, while Chelsea were being held at home by Bolton, Manchester United won at Wigan, giving themselves and Ryan Giggs their tenth Premiership titles.

The two teams would also meet in the Champions League final in Moscow ten days later, with United again prevailing in a dramatic penalty shoot out victory.

Arsenal, meanwhile, were left to rue a crucial 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford in week 33 after taking an early lead. This six point swing in Manchester United’s favour was to prove fatal in Arsenal’s bid as they eventually trailed the champions by four points in the final reckoning.

League table after 32 matches

1 Manchester United 32 72
2 Chelsea 31 68
3 Arsenal 31 67

Final League table

1 Manchester United 38 87
2 Chelsea 38 85
3 Arsenal 38 83

References:

Wikipedia
youtube.com
bbc.co.uk

WHICH MANAGER IS CURRENTLY ENGLAND'S BEST?

2010-03-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night’s FA Cup clash at White Hart Lane pitted together the two finest English managers of their generation.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp and Fulham’s Roy Hodgson are the same age, but their careers have followed very different paths.

Both are clearly very different creatures. Hodgson, is, by all accounts a quiet, unassuming English gentlemen and a true student of the game. He is also someone who appears to throroughly enjoy the tactical side of football.

Redknapp is a little more brash, emotional and outspoken. He portrays a true ‘cockney geezer’ persona and relies on his man-management techniques and jovial personality to get the message across to his players.

So who do you think is more effective?

The two bosses have very different backgrounds. Hodgson entered coaching at a very young age and has carried out most of his best work abroad, becoming multi-lingual in the process.

Harry Redknapp has plied his trade closer to home, having never left the south of England. He was also far superior player to Hodgson, excelling as a winger at West Ham in the early 1970s.

So the question I want to ask this week is: Who is the currently the finest English manager in the game?

I used to think Alan Curbishley was. The former West Ham player achieved wonderful things at Charlton, but I can’t really include him in my list as he is currently, scandalously, out of work.

I have narrowed the list down to four and will suggest what I think are the various merits, and downfalls, of each contender.

The two names formerly mentioned are the elder statesmen of this elite group. But I also want to include two much younger candidates. They are Sam Allardyce and, perhaps surprisingly for some, Steve McClaren.

I believe the latter deserves a mention. A year or so ago, I wrote a blog commending his achievements at FC Twente in Holland. His side went on to finish runners up in the Eredivisie last season and lost in the Dutch Cup Final. This is not a bad first season by anyone’s standards.

This season however, he is faring even better, and Twente are well on course to win the Dutch title for the first time in their history – they currently lead by four points with six games left.

McClaren has competed with, and appears to have beaten, the two giants of Ajax and PSV Eindhoven to the championship. He has also managed to do so by playing attractive and attacking football, elevating the club from a fourth place finish two years ago to the position they are now. He deserves huge credit for re-inventing himself after the fiasco he endured as England boss.

It is now evidently clear that he was appointed national manager too early in his career, but is this his fault or is it the FA’s? Let's be honest, how many English managers would turn down the England job? Whatever the candidates' age, it might be their only chance.

It must also be remembered that the two teams that finished above McClaren’s England in qualification for Euro 2008 both had very good tournaments.

Guus Hiddink’s Russia went all the way to the last four, while Croatia, under Slaven Bilic, were themselves only thirty seconds away from a semi final berth.

Of course the critic’s will not pursue these facts, they just like to destroy a man when he is down. But McClaren has proved he is mentally strong enough to come back and for this he has to be respected.

I believe that he may be an outside contender for the now vacant Celtic job. Watch this space…

Sam Allardyce is a chronic over-achiever in my view, but deserves it for his innovative and unique ideas. He was one of the first top flight bosses to implement sports psychology into his regime at Bolton Wanderers, and has, down the years, proved himself to be an excellent manager who can compete with the very best.

I have to say, as a character, I am not his biggest fan. I feel his bullying tactics towards Rafa Benitez over the last year have, at times, made him look pathetic and vindictive. But no one can knock what he has achieved in the last decade, even Newcastle United fans.

‘Big Sam’ was not given a fair crack of the whip at Newcastle. And I am not alone in thinking that Newcastle certainly wouldn’t be in the Championship now if he was still there.

His teams may not play the most attractive football, but they are effective, and Blackburn have quietly lifted themselves into 11th place this season, mainly due to a terrific home record.

While Allardyce’s teams know how to rough opponents up, they can often play a bit too. One thing is for sure, the former Notts County boss certainly knows how to motivate his players.

I think he is particularly skilled at rekindling the careers of players who appear to be in rapid decline. And there have been several examples of this under his stewardship.

At Bolton, he certainly helped Youri Djorkaeff, Jay-Jay Okocha and Ivan Campo play on at the highest level for longer than anticipated. In addition, he also helped Kevin Davies to fulfil some of the outstanding potential he showed as a youngster, all-be-it as a rough and tumble target man.

At Blackburn, meanwhile, he has made Paul Robinson believe in himself again. He has worked wonders with the club, who were bottom of the league when he took over from Paul Ince in December 2008. And, once again, he has done this, under most people’s radars.

Most significantly though, Allardyce was a revelation at Bolton Wanderers. After gaining promotion in 2001 he took them to a Cup final and four consecutive three top eight finishes between 2004 and 2007, as well as two European campaigns. In 2004-2005 they even finished level on points with Liverpool – the Champions of Europe that year – and they only finished three points off a Champions League spot. This is a remarkable achievement for such an unfashionable club.

His successes in Lancashire have been somewhat overlooked in the aftermath of the Newcastle debacle, but he certainly, in my mind, deserves to be in this elite list.

All of which brings us back nicely to Harry Redknapp and Roy Hodgson. Only five months separate the two Londoners and both have been in management for over 25 years, so it is difficult to separate them. Both their teams play decent football, so I don’t believe a differential can be made on that basis.

Hodgson has won Championships in Sweden and Denmark and has also guided Inter Milan to a European final when they were perceived to be a very average side in 1997. The Fulham boss has also managed to guide Switzerland to a World Cup in 1994 – at that time their first finals in 50 years.

Just before he hooked up with Fulham, Hodgson also took the Finnish national team to within a win of Euro 2008 qualification, a stunning achievement for such a small foot-balling nation.

There have been low points too, including poor spell at Udinese, and, following a bright start, a disastrous second season collapse at Blackburn Rovers.

But what Hodgson has achieved at Fulham is nothing short of miraculous. He has given the supporters at Craven Cottage an un-paralleled last couple of years they could only have dreamed of when he was appointed in December 2007.

The club were staring relegation in the face for pretty much the whole campaign. But a dramatic last day win at Portsmouth (ironically managed by Harry Redknapp) and an incredible 12 points from their last five games kept them up by the skin of their teeth. Since then, the club have gone from strength to strength.

Fulham finished last season in seventh place - their highest ever top flight finish - and are currently in the Europa League quarter finals after an incredible recent second leg comeback against the mighty Juventus. They have defeated Manchester United twice and Liverpool comfortably in the last year, and in addition have reached the last eight of the FA Cup in both of the last two seasons.

But perhaps his greatest achievement at Fulham (and I am not joking here) is how he has moulded Bobby Zamora into a feared Premiership striker with a superb all round game and strike rate. For that achievement alone, he surely deserves to be top dog, doesn’t he?

But then there is Harry Redknapp. I, like many have mixed feeling about the Spurs boss. As Barry Glendenning stated on the Guardian Podcast this week, Redknapp has helped to destroy Bournemouth, Southampton and Portsmouth with his free spirited spending in the transfer market, and that has to be taken into account when you analyse the success he has had.

Portsmouth’s FA Cup win in 2008 still ranks his greatest achievement as manager, but are we now seeing the true cost of it at the Fratton Park club? What seemed such a magical achievement at the time does not seem so wonderful two years down the line does it?

He is, however, not the only big name manager to have spent a lot of money. In fact many bigger names than him have failed miserably in this respect.

Plus of course, it has to be remembered that the board does have to give the green light to a manager before they spend, so not all the blame can be placed on Redknapp’s broad shoulders.

That said, his record at Tottenham is pretty remarkable, although he has had money to spend.

If you consider that the club were rock bottom when he took over in November 2008 and now lie in a Champions League place with eight games left this season, it speaks volumes.

Redknapp also guided his sole club, West Ham United, to their only top six finish in the last 25 years. But perhaps, most potently, he deserves a huge amount of credit for the stream of top players who came through the much yielded West Ham youth system to become true global stars.

Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, and Joe Cole are all players who began their careers under Redknapp’s tuterlege. They now have 11 Premiership winners' medals and over 250 England caps between them, and it cannot just be a coincidence that Harry Redknapp was their first boss. They are starlets from his academy and his nurturing skills cannot be overstated.

This list of stars, more than anything, has to be the reason why he just get’s the nod ahead of Hodgson on my list.

And if Redknapp can deliver the FA Cup and a Champions League place to Tottenham Hotspur over the next two months, he will certainly be classed, undeniably, as the greatest English manager of his generation.

However, if the un-thinkable happens, and Roy Hodgson delivers the Europa League trophy to Craven Cottage in May, then a re-count may well be on the cards.

BENNY'S VALUABLE INFORMATION OF THE WEEK

2010-03-19T01:48:00.000-07:00

So who do you think should go to the World Cup?

It is pretty much nailed on that Fabio Capello will pick four strikers to go to South Africa.

But which frontmen deserve to go?

We all have our opinions, but who has the best goalscoring records of the contenders?

The following stats from the last five seasons make for some interesting reading.

The figures below are taken from the beginning of the 2005-2006 season up to and including each player's last Premiership appearance. The figures include premiership goals only

Name Clubs Appearances Goals Strike rate

Gabriel Agbonlahor Aston Villa 148 44 29.72%

Darren Bent Charlton, Tottenham,Sunderland 157 67 42.68%

Peter Crouch Liverpool, Portsmouth, Tottenham 152 38 25.00%

Jermaine Defoe Tottenham, Portsmouth, Tottenham 155 68 43.87%

Emile Heskey Birmingham, Wigan, Aston Villa 153 24 15.69%

Wayne Rooney Manchester United 156 79 50.64%

Of course, these figures can be deceptive. Darren Bent was often a substitute at Tottenham, while Peter Crouch was frequenyly used as a subsitute at Liverpool, perhaps distorting his figures.

In addition to this ambiguity, Emile Heskey, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Wayne Rooney have not always been selected as srikers during their careers.

However, on goalscoring records only, the four strikers going to Africa should be Wayne Rooney, Jermaine Defoe, Darren Bent and Gabriel Agbonlahor, according to the figures.

Although being a striker is not all about goals, it is, I would suggest, quite important. Are you taking note Mr Capello?

REFERENCES:

Wikipedia
Answers.com

WAYNE ROONEY - FINALLY LIVING UP TO EXPECTATIONS...

2010-03-12T01:22:00.000-08:00

One year ago I wrote a blog claiming that Wayne Rooney had not yet lived up to the unbelievable potential he had shown as a teenager.

I outlined many reasons for this, ranging from Rooney being forced to play the wrong position for Manchester United to the frequent suspensions the former Everton star gathered.

At this point, on the 11th March 2010, the England star is without the doubt, currently the best player on the planet.

Where would Manchester United be without him this season? In the same position as Liverpool or even lower I would suggest.

But the 24 year old is at Old Trafford, and even in second gear last night, he helped demolish an all-be-it poor Milan side with yet another expertly taken headed goal.

This is an area of the game we weren’t expecting Rooney to excel, but at this point of his career, the striker seems to be capable of anything. Nine of his last eleven goals have been headers and he has added yet another dimension to his already outstanding repertoire of skills.

The England front man now has 30 goals in 35 games this season and has a more than even chance of surpassing Christiano Ronaldo’s 42 goal total of two seasons ago.

But let’s get one thing straight here. Ronaldo, as good as he was (or is) didn’t carry United. As I commented a year ago, the Portuguese star had two excellent players – Rooney and Carlos Tevez - frequently doing his donkey work and creating the space he needed.

Rooney has no such luxuries week in week out. His usual strike partner, Dimitar Berbatov is anything but a work- horse, and United no longer possess the wonderful players they used to have in midfield.

Nani,on his day, can be a thrilling player, but not on a consistent basis.

Antonio Valencia, meanwhile, is a terrific crosser of the ball, but, is neither a work-horse, or indeed a Ronaldo.

Park Ji-Sung is a willing runner and certainly aids Rooney, when he plays. In the league, however, the Korean is not a frequent starter.

Most of the credit has to go to Rooney himself, and he has distinctly carried the team at times this season.

As England fans, we must hope that Rooney doesn’t suffer from burn out, and that he can show the same form for England this summer in South Africa.

His recent form in an England shirt certainly bodes well. He was the overall top scorer in the European World Cup qualifying pool with eight goals, and was outstanding. He was however, certainly aided by another work-horse - Emile Heskey, alongside him.

The Aston Villa striker is a crucial side kick for the United front man. He keeps defenders busy, and, as he so often did for Michael Owen before him, creates the platform for Rooney to excel.

Rooney has been a completely different player for England under Fabio Capello, and is now, without question, the main man for both club and country.

The Liverpool born forward has also improved his discipline and big game temperament. He already has four goals in the Champions League knock out stages, and has barely missed a game through suspension in the last year.

He also scored the winner in the League Cup final at Wembley and in all truth it is difficult to find any obvious flaws in his game.

For England however, it’s important that Rooney is given every chance to show his worth. In the recent friendly against Egypt he started alongside Jermaine Defoe, but this looked an un-balanced combination. Defoe is a good goal-scorer, but a selfish player who is not a particularly intelligent footballer.

The Tottenham striker is not always aware of the position of players around him and expects the team to play to his strengths.

But Rooney, not Defoe, is England’s key player. And, while Heskey may lack Defoe’s predatory instincts, the former Liverpool forward is a far more intelligent and team orientated individual.

In the Premiership his season, Wayne Rooney has 23 goals in 27 games. While this may surprise many, it doesn’t surprise me. He has always been a great finisher with supreme technique, he just needs to be playing as the furthest man forward to demonstrate this talent.

Capello has to be given much of the credit. He, and not Alex Ferguson installed this belief into Rooney, that he could play as the out and out front man.

Since the Italian has been England manager he has tried to revolve the team around Rooney and Steven Gerrard, two wonderfully gifted footballers who are also good friends away from the pitch. This is a simple, but very important master-stroke that seems to be paying dividends.

Rooney’s personal life may also be a factor in his greater consistency this season. He is now a father, and perhaps this increased responsibility off the field has helped make him a better role model on it. It certainly appears to be the case.

He is certainly the player of the season so far, both in Europe and domestically. And, just to add icing onto Rooney’s already delicious cake, Ronaldo’s Real Madrid team are out of the Champions League.

One major rival for World and European player of the year has surely left the reckoning by exiting the world’s premier club competition at such an early stage.

If ‘our Wayne’ can light up South Africa in June and July and perform to anything like his best, then surely global recognition beckons at the end of the year.

Let’s hope so….

BENNY'S VALUABLE INFORMATION OF THE WEEK.

2010-02-26T01:54:00.000-08:00

In January 1996, Fulham were second from bottom of the old third division - 91st in the English football league. Only Torquay United, who they lost to that season, separated them from rock bottom.

Four months later, Juventus, under Marcello Lippi, won the European Champions League final in Rome. They defeated a brilliant Ajax team and had a side including Alessandro Del Piero, Gianluca Vialli, Paulo Sousa, Gianluca Pessotto and Antonio Conte.

In two weeks time, the two clubs will face each other in the UEFA Cup fourth round.

This is a terrific example how much football can change in fourteen years. It is also viable proof that football fans should never give up hope, whatever the circumstances surrounding their club.

Portsmouth fans, take note… There is hope for everyone.

GAY FOOTBALLERS - IS IT TIME TO COME OUT?

2010-02-19T01:11:00.000-08:00

It is a sensitive question, especially in the ‘macho’ world of football, but is now the time for a professional footballer to admit he is gay, or would it just be opening up a whole new can of worms?

It is often stated that approximately ten per cent of the population are gay. If that is the case there are definitely some gay footballers playing in our leagues in Britain and around the world.

The recent admission by Welsh Rugby star Gareth Thomas has been received warmly and without much fuss in the egg shaped ball game. But the culture and environment within that game is very different to football.

It appears to be a far more accepting pastime and perhaps (a controversial statement) the personnel involved in the game are more educated. The game certainly appears to have a more mature fan base.

Rugby Union is mainly perceived to be a middle to upper class sport (although ironically probably not in Wales. Therefore, homosexuality will probably be more freely accepted into it.

For instance, you only have to watch a Rugby match to see the respect the players and fans have for the officials. People appear to solely care about winning the game and not much else.

Football however, is the traditional ‘working man’s’ sport and perhaps still has some way to go before an openly gay individual can be accepted at the top level.

There will be people reading this who believe that this should not even be an issue, but the fact is, in football, it is.

There are several reasons for and against footballers coming out. Although I am skeptical both ways (no pun intended) it does appear that there are more viable reasons for a player admitting his sexuality than not.

Like many issues in football, if one player breaks the ice, then many more are bound to follow suit. A snowball effect occurs in the same way it did with black players in the 1980s. The more black players that were playing, the less of an issue it became.

Sheer numbers will gradually drown out the cries of the ignorant -so called fans, and their prejudice will eventually become more tedious and less pronounced.

What is true is that the first player may at first, have to deal with some horrendous abuse - which no individual should have to suffer.

But if it changes the football fraternity in the long term then that first person becomes a pioneer and a true hero to so many people. It will surely be worth it, for both the individual and the game as a whole.

The players who do make the admissions will also help to encourage gay youngsters to play the game, when previously they may have felt afraid to enter such a ‘macho’ world.

I would imagine that many skilful footballers are not being discovered because they are homosexual and too shy to express themselves for the fear of being teased by their peers, it is human nature.

Last season at Fratton Park, when Sol Campbell was (for no apparent reason) subjected to ‘gay jibes’ was horrifying. It was perhaps a sign that the world of football, in the Premiership anyway, is not ready for the bombshell of a top footballer admitting he is gay.

But it has to be noted that it was just a small section of ‘idiots’ and most people would in all probability, not care at all.

If the FA and Premier League want to encourage freedom of expression in football, then laws should be implemented that strictly forbid homophobic chants, just as anti-racism jibes are severely punished.

But this too would be a grey area. It may have the unfortunate affect of destroying a unique aspect of English football – the atmosphere. Perhaps supporters would be caught in a conundrum about what they can and can’t say at football matches. Without the banter, football would just not be the same.

On the other hand, is it really necessary for a gay footballer to admit he is gay anyway?

And is it really worth all the hassle and publicity?

It is true that the player may become an icon, but most importantly any abuse could affect their professional performance If that is the case, they would be given even more criticism from all corners of the media, and not just from within the crowd. Of course, it may also spur them on, but this still doesn't make it right.

Straight footballers are not expected to tell the world that they are heterosexual, so why should gay footballers have to say that they are homosexual? Is that not discrimination as well? It should be up to the individual if they feel comfortable with it.

In ten years (hopefully) this debate may not even be a talking point, if only someone could start the ball rolling.

In so many instances, society has moved on, in everything it seems, but football.

The armed forces, for example, have openly gay men and women representing our country. And despite some initial issues, it seems to have run relatively smoothly since the laws were changed in the year 2000. It could be said that is the most 'macho' of all environments, so why should football be any different?

Also in the UK, the church accepts gay priests and bishops, so why shouldn’t our other ‘religion’ accept gay players. Surely football can be just as accepting as the Church of England.

Thirty or fourty years ago it was still relatively taboo in show business to admit your sexuality. It was plainly obvious to people watching them that many stars were gay or bi-sexual, but they couldn’t admit to it publically. It drove some to despair and highly publicised battles with alcohol, drugs or depression.

If this is the case, surely it is better for the person just to admit they are gay, for their own sake. Nobody deserves to have to fight such demons. Surely a little public embarrassment is a far better option.

I just hope that football can surprise us all and the issue can pass with minimum fuss. Now that a Rugby player has come out, then it is to be expected that some time or another football will follow suit.

Although not really publicised - which can only be a good thing, there have been encouraging signs previously.

Elton John, one of Britain’s most famously openly gay superstars, is a huge football fan. The musician was the long time chairman of Watford and is still a regular at many games as he still owns a stake in the club.

Does he get gay jibes from the crowd? I am not aware of any and cerainly not on any sort of large scale.

In Europe, in places such as Spain and Italy, there are still huge problems concerning racism in football. I would suggest that in very traditional catholic countries such as Italy the game may also struggle to deal with openly gay footballers as well.

In England though, racism has been severely and successfully dealt with through massive campaigning. It is still not perfect, but it is the best around and something to be proud of.

English football deserves to be identifed as the pioneer of clamping down on this prejudice and hopefully in the future the defeat of homophobic jibes in football can also be credited to our country.

Some of you may be thinking, what about the players in the dressing room? But I believe, minus a little banter here and there, it will not be a big issue. It is the crowds that concern me

The million dollar question is, do the majority of fans really care? I certainly don’t think so. Homosexuality has been accepted into society, so why not – in time – can this not be transmitted into our football stadia.

Some supporters will probably suggest that top footballers are paid enough money to justify taking any sort of abuse labeled at them.

I don't adhere to this, but until one brave gentleman takes the big step of opening up to the world, we will never know how much or how little reaction there will be.

TERRYGATE: THE CALM AFTER THE STORM?..

2010-02-11T20:18:00.000-08:00

The John Terry news story has dominated both the front and back pages in the last fortnight. But now the situation has cooled slightly, maybe now is the time to assess it more objectively.

The injury to Ashley Cole at Goodison Park last night will, in all probability, mean that Wayne Bridge will be in England’s starting line up against Egypt next month. Chelsea skipper, Terry, is of course odds on be in the team as well.

The press build up to the game will be, to put it mildly, unique and the team as a whole will be under intense scrutiny for probably the first time under Fabio Capello.

But what does this actually mean for the England team and their World Cup hopes?

And is Capello justified in making an example of the (now former) England skipper and stripping him of the captaincy?

I personally think there are arguments for and against keeping the 29 year old as captain.

Sepp Blatter, the FIFA president, had his usual, un-called for say on the situation today. He suggested that Terry would be applauded in other countries’ for his misdemeanors. The Swiss said that in places such as France and Italy, the centre half would be admired, not vilified.

If this is the case, then I have to ask why did Capello act so quickly in sacking Terry? He obviously deemed the situation to be unacceptable, but he is Italian.

This was yet again, another ill-informed Blatter rant. How much longer do we have to listen to this clown? Let’s just hope, for his sake, the South Africa Would Cup is successful, as this will be his true legacy.

Now I am ranting.....

I do believe that Capello’s decision was the right one. The England captaincy is the greatest honour you can receive as a sportsman in this country, and if any position in football carries the ‘role model’ tag, then this is the one.

Terry was made captain for a reason and whether or not the position is so important on the field of play is irrelevant. You are expected a leader off the pitch and you must be fully respected by the other players.

As the player who gives the most press conferences, he must be prepared to take the brunt of the pressure. The England captain is surely better off having a balanced home life without any distractions.

In World Cup year, in my opinion, it is vital that Terry is fully focused on his football and this is clearly not the case.

But there are notable examples of players performing against the odds and being inspired by outside pressures, thus spurring them on to greater heights.

Paolo Rossi in 1982 is the prime example. He entered the tournament having barely played for two years following a match fixing scandal and many thought he shouldn't have even been in Spain. But the Italian striker finished the tournament as top scorer and claimed a winners medal.

I have heard suggestions from fans suggesting England are being hypocritical in dismissing Terry. Sven Goran Eriksson was notorious for more that one affair during his six year spell as England boss, but he wasn’t sacked.

The difference, I guess, is that the Swede wasn’t married and didn't have an affair with a girlfriend or ex girlfriend of a member of his team. He was also on a huge, long term salary, which probably played a big part in the outcome.

In Terry's defence, it is also important to remember that previous England captains have not always covered themselves in glory either.

Alan Shearer 'appearing to' kick Neil Lennon in the face shortly before the 1998 World Cup is a famous example of an England captain acting in a 'thuggish' matter on the football field.

Another former captain, Tony Adams, had been in prison for drink driving five years before he was made England skipper. In most people’s eyes this would have to be deemed a far worse sin than John Terry’s, but it was quickly forgotten due to Adams' strirring displays in the England strip. Maybe the same can happen to Terry.

On a far more contemporary level, is Rio Ferdinand (the new England captain) the ultimate role model?

He missed a drugs test and has been convicted of drink driving, but that was a long time ago. Does it make any difference? Maybe it does, but Ferdinand is 31 now, and has certainly matured off the pitch, as well as on it.

Perhaps Capello believes that Terry is not as mature as he first thought, and this event, coupled with his not so squeaky clean past has tipped the Italian over the edge. This was obviously Terry's last chance even if he wasn't aware of it, but I, like many, thought he had matured sufficiently.

The defender has certainly let himself down, not to mention his family and he needs to show all of his trademark mental strength to pick himself up from such a tirade of media speculation.

It's important as a football journalist, not to elevate too much of a moral high ground here. Terry is certainly not alone in making errors of judgment, and there are several other members of the England team who have certainly not covered themselves in glory during their careers.

Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Jermaine Defoe, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney are just a few high profile squad members who have been in the headlines for the wrong reasons during their careers. In this context, it would be unfair to label Terry as a monster who has embarrassed his family and let down his club and country.

But the rumours are that Terry tried his upmost to hide the story of the affair from the papers. When he was stripped of the captaincy he reportedly weeped and begged Capello not to fire him.

If this is true, is he really fit to be England skipper? Integrity and bravery are surely key traits required for such a high profile position, and perhaps he is too self-centred to be England skipper.

This is not something any football fan would have previously associated with Terry. He throws his body on the line week after week for Chelsea, but maybe we all over-estimated him.

One factor that has to be applauded is Capello’s efficiency. He made the decision ruthlessly and susequently refused to comment on it afterwards. He is moving on (in his own mind) and has once again given the impression that he will take no prisoners and demands respect.

In that aspect he is very different to both Eriksson (who seemed to be too close to David Beckham, giving him too much power) and Steve McClaren who, initially attempted to come across as a strong leader in dropping Beckham. In fact he was not doing it for the good of the team, it was just a facade. Beckham was later recalled.

Capello expects his players to be role models and respect the Three Lions shirt to the upmost.John Terry abused that privilege and obviously did not respect Capello enough to adhere to his demands.

He has paid the ultimate price. The other players will certainly has taken note.

Today, Terry has reportedly headed off to Dubai in an attempt to save his flagging marriage, which includes two children. His mistake against Everton last night perhaps illustrates that he is not one hundred per cent focused. But he needs to be.

With Chelsea fighting for the title, Terry will need to be at the top of his game in the coming weeks.

In all honesty, Wayne Bridge is not as vital as John Terry in the England set up. But the Manchester City full back is, according to multiple sources, a very popular member of the squad.

We, as England fans, will just have to hope that team spirit has not been affected.

With less than four months to go until the ‘greatest show on earth’ we should have known after such a fantastic qualifying campaign, that it couldn't all run so smoothly.

Something had to give, and it has, in volcanic proportions.

THE WELCOME RENAISSANCE OF A FALLEN GIANT

2010-01-26T01:11:00.000-08:00

One of the most pleasing features of this football season has been the re-emergence of a club that up to four years ago had won more European Cups than Barcelona.

Nottingham Forest (who also least we forget, signed the first million pound footballer) have been dragged through the mire more than most over the last decade. But under the measured stewardship of Billy Davies they currently lie second in the Championship and are currently on a stunning run of eighteen games unbeaten.

After flirting with relegation for the whole of last season, Forest initially made an awful start to this campaign, losing two of their first three league games.

The former Preston and Derby manager’s job was severely under threat after just three weeks of the new season. However, Davies’ young squad recovered brilliantly, and, along with Norwich City, are currently the form team in the country.

When I was growing up in the Midlands and starting to become interested in football, Forest were one of the top teams in the country. A full decade after they had been kings of Europe, the club were coming to the end the legendary Brian Clough era, but were still winning trophies as we entered into the 1990s.

The East Midlands club won back to back League Cups in 1989 and 1990, and finished third in the old first division in 1988 and 1989. The team were full of stars from that era, including Stuart Pearce, Des Walker and Neil Webb, all of whom were part of England’s celebrated 1990 World Cup squad.

They had other fine players too, such as Nigel Clough, Garry Parker, Lee Chapman, and, latterly, Clough's jewel in the crown, Roy Keane.

However, after losing the FA Cup final in 1991 and the League Cup final to Manchester United a year later, the wheels began to come off and the club went into a dramatic decline.

They finished bottom of the table in the first season of the Premier League, thus signaling a sad end to the Clough legacy.

A new era commenced under Frank Clark, himself a European Cup winner under Clough, and initially, the club remained at the top of English football.

Under the shrewd guidance of Clark and with a side including the brilliant front pairing of Stan Collymore and Brian Roy, Forest finished third in 1994-95. They also reached the UEFA Cup quarter finals the following year, but the selling of their major stars and the departure of Clark during the 1996-97 season initiated another decline that the club is only now beginning to pull itself out of.

The 1978 League Champions have been out of the top flight since 1999, and even dropped out of the top two divisions in the middle of the last decade. This gave the club the unfortunate distinction of being the only European Champions to ever drop out of the top two divisions, in any country.

Big name managers came and went. David Platt was a particularly huge name, and it was hoped that he could attract high profile players. But his inexperience was evident and the club languished in mid-table during the early part of the century.

Absolute turmoil followed. Forest, as one of the bigger names in the second tier, were hit more than most by the collapse of ITV digital in 2002. The club had budgeted for the TV money at the start of the 2001-02 season and found themselves in horrendous debt when the income was never forthcoming.

They were forced to sell their outstanding young players such as Jermaine Jenas and Michael Dawson, and despite getting to the play offs under Paul Hart in 2003, never really looked like seriously challenging for promotion again.

Another big name, Joe Kinnear, was expected to rekindle the club, but his reign was unsuccessful. Forest subsequently found themselves in League One at the start of the 2005-2006 season.

Gary Megson was appointed, but failed to deliver in his short reign at the City Ground.

It wasn’t until the appointment of Colin Calderwood, that the club’s fortunes finally began to turn around.
Calderwood’s side reached the League One play offs in 2007 (losing to Yeovil Town) and were then promoted back to the Championship in 2008.

After finally recovering financially, the City Ground club were one of the big spenders in the Championship in 2009As we near the end of January, only Newcastle United stand between them and the top of the Championship.

In Robert Earnshaw they have a goal-scorer as prolific as any in the second tier, while in the 23 year old Pole, Radoslaw Majewski, they have uncovered a superb midfield playmaker.

Paul Anderson, formerly a Liverpool youth player has also proved to be a handy winger and a bargain buy, but most importantly, under Davies, the club are finally playing the free flowing, attacking football that the City Ground faithful are accustomed to. Their long suffering fans at least deserve that.

Club football, like it or not, is built on reputations. When provincial clubs come from nowhere with a relatively small budget and a relatively low fan base to conquer all before them, they tend to stick in the hearts of neutrals.

Nottingham Forest are one of these clubs and if they are back in the Premiership come May, I, as a fan of football, am telling you straight, it will be a better place for it.

As they say (although I don't know who 'they' are) the cream will always rise to the top in the long term.

DO FOOTBALL CLUBS MAKE TOO MANY QUICK FIRE DECISIONS?

2009-10-30T04:09:00.000-07:00

With the amount of scrutiny projected onto football these days, it is hardly surprising that managers seem to be sacked more frequently that Jordan appears on the front page of the Daily Star.

But do clubs really think things through?

Are they really so influenced by the numerous online fanzines, radio phone in’s and blogs that are so freely available both to the football fan and the board room members.

Nobody can tell me that some club executives don’t read or tune into these media outlets ? I’m sure some of them do.

There are numerous examples of sets of fans probably regretfully thinking ‘we should be careful what we wish for next time’. And for me, two examples in particular, spring to mind.

Firstly, there is Alan Curbishley at Charlton. He originally took the London club up to the Premiership in 1998, but they went straight back down again in 1999 after a season which saw them lose twelve successive league matches.

However, the former West Ham and Birmingham midfielder had learned his lesson and was up to the challenge.
Curbishley took the Addicks back up as champions in 2000 and there they stayed until 2006.

The club not only escaped relegation with ease throughout those six years, they were more often that not in ‘nose bleed’ territory for a club with such a small fan base.

In 2001 and 2004, Charlton finished in the top ten. In 2003-2004 they only finished three points off a European place, completing a league double over Liverpool in the process. It was their highest top flight finish since the 1950s.

In the other four seasons the club were positioned comfortably in mid-table come the season’s end, and were rarely under any serious threat of going down. But fans’ expectation had been lifted. The near miss of glory in 2004 meant that various fans dialled into various radio shows calling for Curbishley to go after the club had finished a mere 11th in 2005.

The boss, rightly so, felt hugely hurt by this and he quit the following year.

A short lived Iain Dowie stint followed, but his reign was a disaster and the club were relegated to the Championship in 2007.

This year Charlton were relegated again and now languish in League One.

From being a mid-table Premiership team as recent as May 2006, the Addicks are now lumbering in the same league as Yeovil Town and Hartlepool United. Sometimes fans really should be careful what they wish for.

The other club that springs to mind are Newcastle United. A club, who in my view, perceive themselves to be a little bit higher than their natural station suggests.

After two seasons of Champions League football in the early part of this decade, the Toon reached the UEFA Cup semi finals in 2004, as well as finishing fifth in the Premiership. It proved to be Sir Bobby Robson's last year at the helm, as the boardroom's thirst for success and an unrealistic expectation that the club could topple all of the big four, took fruition.

Following a poor opening three games of the 2004-2005 season, the former England manager was shipped out. Despite being 71 years young at the time, there was no obvious candidate who could be talked about in the same breath as the football legend.

In the five years he was there, Robson had led Newcastle from the bottom of the table to a third place finish in 2003.

Graeme Souness took over. Hardly a man with a terrific track record at big clubs, he was a disaster from the moment he began, finishing well down the table in his first season and being ousted half way through his second.

Glen Roeder then took over and started off brightly, steadying the ship. But in 2007 ‘big’ Sam Allardyce, who’s outstanding record at Bolton almost got him the England job, landed the Newcastle hot seat.

The club started off with some excellent results, but by December, they had slipped into mid table and once again the impatient Toon faithful grew restless.

While, still being a big improvement on Sounesss, the football he played was deemed un-attractive by the supporters. The board once again bowed to fan power and 'Big Sam' was sacked at the end of 2007.

The return of 'King Kevin' Keegan steered the club away from relegation by the end of the season, and being the fans choice, the former boss was a popular appointment.

Again though, the boardroom squabbles proved to be too much for Keegan and he walked out at the beginning of the 2008-2009 season.

Despite having a squad worthy of a mid-table position in the Premiership, the club now find themselves in the Championship.

Alan Shearer, the expected ‘saviour’ didn’t deliver at the end of the last campaign, despite having eight games to get just four points. He was once again paraded as the club legend and local boy who would turn around the fortunes through his passion for the club. It backfired terribly.

The power of the supporters at St James’ Park has left the club in ruins. They wanted Keegan, they wanted Shearer, but they didn't want Allardyce and were given what they wanted. Has it paid dividends? No.

When the fans called for Alladyce to be sacked two years ago, they probably never envisaged being in the Championship eighteen months later. If the former Bolton boss had stayed, and I doubt many fans disagree with me, Newcastle would certainly still be in the Premiership, and probably in the top half. This is not unrealistic, when you consider Big Sam’s track record.

There are other examples of fans over-reacting to a few bad results and then later, looking like fools. It is, thankfully, because the boardrooms involved, sensibly didn’t react to their supporters' over-exaggeration.

Steve McClaren is another manager who deserved far more respect than what he got from a minority of supporters when he was manager at the Riverside.

The Yorkshire man won the League Cup in 2004, Middlesbrough's first major silverware. He then took the club to seventh place in the league and European spot in 2005. To cap it all of, he took the team (and the fans) on a roller coaster ride to the UEFA Cup final in 2006.

What do supporters really desire? Following a heavy home defeat to Aston Villa in February 2006, McClaren had a Boro shirt thrown at him in the dug out by a ‘fan’. Two weeks later the club beat Chelsea 3-0 and all was forgotten as he took them on that unforgettable run. I'm sure McClaren, himself, didn't forget though.

Every club has periods of poor results. Sir Alex Ferguson is the most famous example of a manager who was under-achieving and probably even deserved the sack, but didn’t get it. The rest as they say, is history.

The Scot was on the verge of being given the boot in January 1990. The club had been First Division runners-up in 1988, but had finished a lowly 12th in 1989 after an appalling run of results. They were again languishing in mid table in the middle of the 1989-90 season and had crashed out of the League Cup at home to Tottenham at the third round stage.

The Scot's team went to Nottingham Forest (then a superior side under Brian Clough) with an injury-ravaged team. Media knives were sharpening, knowing that a defeat would almost certainly spell the end of Ferguson's three year reign. They won the tie courtesy of a Mark Robins header, went on to win the FA Cup (primarily down to Robins’s goals) and we all know what happened in the subsequent two decades that followed.

Eleven league titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, two European Cups and one Cup Winners’ Cup later, only us old enough to remember know just how close he was to leaving that cold January day in Nottingham.

The 'big' clubs tend to stay big clubs over a long period because they are loyal to their managers and don’t panic when things go a little awol. There have however, been occasions when loyalty has stretched too far.

Liverpool, for example, stuck with Graeme Souness far too long. The former midfield legend led the club to two sixth place finishes in his two full seasons in charge. He also managed to watch his team crash out of the FA Cup third round in successive seasons to lower league clubs at Anfield.

It was a far cry from the Daglish, Fagan and Paisley years that preceded him.

The Scottish boss managed to destroy the club, by trying to change the old guard too quickly and really should have been fired a year earlier when the club were in 17th position in March 1993.

The Merseysiders also stuck with Gerard Houllier too long. At the beginning of November 2002 the club were top of the league with 30 points from 12 matches, but were seventh by mid January and had only taken six points from a possible 33. He somehow kept his job for another 17 months.

However badly a manager is performing though, sticking by him for as long as possible keeps the club stable and the players settled. This is why Liverpool will always be somewhere near the top most of the time, and the same rule applies for clubs such as Aston Villa, Everton and Arsenal.

Chelsea are a very recent example of not being particularly objective with their managers and actually bowing to another modern day phenomonen, player power.

The West London club can attract the biggest names, but the only one of their recent managers not to be a big name was the one who was an inch away from being the greatest.

When Jose Mourinho left the post in September 2007, the club had 15 points from nine games and were already ten points off the pace in the league. Avram Grant, known little outside his native Israel, turned their fortunes round quite spectacularly. Whether this was by luck or judgment, his record as Chelsea boss is astonishing.

They reached the League Cup final (losing to Tottenham) and reached the FA Cup quarter finals. But most remarkably, they took the title race down to the last day after being six points behind at the end of March, and finally defeated Liverpool in the Champion’s League semi final, something the ‘great’ Mourinho never managed to do.

The Blues were one John Terry penalty kick away from European glory and also twice hit the woodwork during the 120 minutes played in Moscow.

The Israeli was therefore, a fraction away from immortality, but was sacked and replaced by a bigger name, Phil Scolari.

The Brazillian was nowhere near as successful in his time there, but once again was only given six months at the helm. Who knows what he might have achieved given time, however, he was once again, as with Grant, forced out of the exit door by player power.

Carlo Ancelotti has made a similar start to that of Scolari, but it wouldn’t surprise me if a bad sequence of results gets the spoilt Chelsea players and fans in a pickle once again

Martin Jol led Tottenham to two fifth place finishes in the middle part of this decade, but had a poor start to the 2007-2008 season and was fired.

His replacement Juande Ramos, won only four league games in charge, and despite winning the League Cup with Jol’s team, he was a complete flop.

After taking only two points from his first eight games as boss in 2008-09, the Spaniard was un-surprisingly given his marching orders.

People now talk up Harry Redknapp’s team as Champions League contenders and top six material, but they also were under Martin Jol. In fact in the 2005-2006 season, they were fourth until the last day.

It’s taken an expensive dismissal and appointment to take the club back to where they were two years ago. Was it really all worth it?

Back to the current day, and the speculation regarding Phil Brown’s departure is, in my opinion, disconcerting.

Hull City’s fans must remember where the club was three years ago and where it is now. Who would be his obvious replacement?

In his two seasons at the club he has achieved both of his aims – promotion and staving off relegation. However, he just happened to beat a few big teams along way to provide the Hull fans with some novel excitement. That’s all it should be.

Instead it has raised expectations to a much higher level than they should be.

Hull are not at breaking point, they have a few points in the bag this season. Granted, the manager's record in 2009 is woeful, but the club are still in dreamland and the fans should remember that. I have a feeling they may 'do a Charlton' if Brown is forced out.

The eccentric boss has earned the right to take the club through another full season in the top flight. He did, after-all, get them there in the first place.

Middlesbrough’s recent dismissal of Gareth Southgate is puzzling. They were only one point off the top of the Championship at the time, but Steve Gibson – who can never be criticised for being disloyal – has a lot to answer for on this occasion.

Make no bones about it, Boro were awful last year. But why wasn’t Southgate fired in the summer, and not when the team lies in fourth place in their league?

I personally think Southgate will go on to become an excellent manager, and it shouldn’t be forgotten that he led the club to mid-table finishes in 2007 and 2008, so he can manage competently at the highest level.

It also has to be remembered that his transfer budget was slashed and he was forced to sell key players. Any manager would struggle when placed in the same boat.

Rafael Benitez, Fabio Capello and Marcello Lippi are a just a few big names who have been fired more than once in their managerial careers. Clubs and fans should be more patient with their managers' and ignore some of the ridiculous media tirades that occur in this day and age.

The examples of Charlton, Newcastle and other clubs like Norwich City (who sacked Nigel Worthington) and Southampton (Gordon Strachan) should be assessed and taken note of by other clubs looking to make what could be make or break decisions.

The decision makers involved only have to look at where those clubs are now, and look at where they were when the fore-mentioned managers were dismissed.

This is one of the more frustrating aspects of our wonderful modern game. Everyone just needs to step back and take a deep breath.

Things take time, just ask the Old Trafford faithful. What were you thinking back in September 1989 when you lost 5-1 at Maine Road to your biggest rivals? They probably don't even remember.

BENITEZ REALLY DOES DESERVE MORE RESPECT

2009-10-22T22:26:00.000-07:00

Following the defeat to Lyon on Tuesday, I listened in despair to ‘so called’ Liverpool fans dialing into various radio phone-in’s calling for Rafael Benitez’s head.

This scenario would be sheer madness, and really could spell the beginning of the end for the eighteen times league champions.

It’s easy, when things are going badly, to blame the manager. And, while Liverpool have had money to spend during his tenor, Benitez has often had to sign his second or third choice player, rather than his desired choice.

There are numerous examples of this actually happening, but the media endlessly criticise his bad judgement in the transfer market. Sometimes there even appears to be a witch-hunt against the Madrid born coach.

Two seasons ago the Spaniard was keen to sign Florent Malouda instead of Ryan Babel, but ended up buying the Dutchman due to Malouda's wage demands. Back in 2006 the Spanish boss wanted to sign Simao, but ended up purchasing the enigmatic Jermaine Pennant. That same season Benitez wanted to purchase Daniel Alves (then a Seville player), but instead signed the much cheaper, although vastly underrated Alvaro Arbeloa.

More recent examples are the farce of the board choosing to sign Robbie Keane and not Gareth Barry, and, in August, the acquisition of Sotirios Kyrgiakos. Benitez would have preferred Michael Turner or Matthew Upson as more powerful options in central defence.

One welcome piece of news for Red's fans is that Alberto Aquilani, an expensive Benitez signing, played fifteen minutes for the reserves last night.

A judgment can be made on him in the very near future and the Italian certainly does have the ability to influence games with his neat passing and powerful shooting. And despite the undoubted pressure being placed on his shoulders the former Roma star should prove a hit with the Anfield faithful.

It must also be remembered that Daniel Agger is back in the side and building up his match fitness. Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Glen Johnson will all be back sooner rather than later and none of their injuries are long term. The fortunes of the Anfield giants could well look very different in a month’s time.

While it is disappointing for Liverpool that they have lost four games in succession, it’s still very early in the campaign.

In the league, so many teams have been dropping points to each other and it seems the Premiership has finally become the unpredictable circus we have all craved.

Many are already predicting that Liverpool will be out of the top four by the end of the season, but haven’t we heard this all before concerning the big four?

I vividly recall the 2001-2002 season. Manchester United had lost six games by the end of November, and were being written off by endless ‘experts’ and by the bookies (they were as much as 12-1 for the title at that stage). Inspired by Ruud Van Nistelroy, United then won eight league games in a row, and by the beginning of January were top.

It only takes a run of wins (which Liverpool are more than capable of) and a decent run of fixtures for everything to change.

No one can say that the five times European champions are playing well, but having a bad run in October does not automatically mean the end of the season.Liverpool supporters bemoaning Benitez’s decision making need to be more objective.

I heard a fan call Five Live on Tuesday night suggesting that Benitez was still living off the Istanbul drama of 2005. The caller also said that Liverpool won the FA Cup in 2006, but were lucky. Most annoyingly, he suggested that they had done "nothing" since. This observation is totally unfounded. Has this 'fan' forgotten that the team got to the European Cup final in 2007? Yes, the European Champions League final, is that really "nothing"?

Two years later, Liverpool nearly won the title, completing the double over Manchester United and Chelsea, and only lost two games in the entire campaign. No supporters, however frustrated, can say that during the three trophy-less years at Anfield, the club have not been in contention for the major trophies some way or another.

At this juncture I want to point out an obvious, but often discarded fact. Only one team can win each competition, something fans seem to forget in all the aftermath of disappointing defeat.

The 'big' clubs such as Liverpool or Arsenal should always be challenging on all fronts, and that's what the fans should expect. Liverpool have certainly done that, home and abroad in recent seasons.

Unhappy fans need to imagine the possible follow-on effects of sacking Benitez. If he left, would his Spanish or Spanish speaking players follow him out of the Anfield exit door? Quite possibly. Reina, Mascherano, and most unthinkable of all, Fernando Torres would probably all depart to pastures new.

Rafael Benitez is a top manager. As I have mentioned previously, in Gerard Houllier’s last season, Liverpool were eliminated in the UEFA Cup fourth round and scraped fourth place in the league with a megre 60 points. Last season Benitez’s team finished second with 86 points. There is no comparison.

If some people reading this are thinking that one season is too little a time to make a judgement, it must also be added that Houllier’s team were fifth the previous season with 64 points. The Frenchman’s team had been going backwards for a while. Benitez’s team have just had a few bad results in the last month or so.

Twice a La liga winner winner with Valencia, Benitez has taken his Liverpool team to two European Cup finals, a semi final and a quarter final. He has led the club to three comfortable top three finishes, an FA Cup win, and a League Cup final in his five years as boss. Anyone comparing his record to Houllier's is a fool.

In fact, if you compare the former Valencia manager’s record with that of Arsene Wenger’s over the same period, it is far superior.

The Gunner’s exciting start to this season has meant that Wenger is now a media darling once again. But football fans and pundits’ alike have short memories.

Arsenal are being praised to high heaven for their performances this season, but this time last year the Londoners had lost five league games. There were plenty of fan's calling for Wenger's dismissal then, but now the Gunners are being held in a positive spotlight once again.

People are so fickle and contradictory concerning their football analysis. We constantly hear how teams like Holland are technically superior and how all their players are comfortable on the ball, when England play badly. However, we also regularly hear how Liverpool's two Dutchman, Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel are not good enough to play for Liverpool.

Meanwhile, last night, Real Madrid were beaten 3-2 at home to AC Milan (a poorer team than Lyon), but Xavi Alonso was in the team. Where was his protective midfield play there I wander? Is he really so special now?

There is hope for Liverpool. Two seasons ago they only had one point from their first three Champions League group games. Subsequently, the team won their last three group games and qualified in style.

They then went on to beat Inter Milan and Arsenal in the knockout stages, and only lost in an incredibly tight two legged semi final to Chelsea, that went to extra time.

When all the players’, particularly Aquilani, are fully fit, Benitez can be judged more thoroughly. For now, it’s too early in the season.

In my view, the most important statistic Liverpool fans must look at is that the Merseysiders finished 29 points behind the champions Arsenal in 2004, when Benitez took over. Since then, Benitez’s Liverpool teams have finished above Arsenal in three out of the last four seasons and finished 14 points ahead of them in the last campaign.

Just five months ago they finished four points behind the current champions and 14 points ahead of Arsenal (a 43 point swing over five years). Have Liverpool made progress under Benitez’s stewardship? Of course they have.

Finally, if you believe in coincidences, the last time Liverpool lost four games in a row was late in the 1986-1987season. A mere four months later they were playing the most exquisite football with a team being heralded by many as the greatest side they ever had. The team went 29 games unbeaten and won the League at a canter the following year.

Things can change so quickly in football, just ask Sir Alex Ferguson. Mark Robins, the City Ground anyone? Watch this space.

THRILLING END OF SEASON FINALE BREWING OVER IN THE FAR EAST..

2009-10-16T06:05:00.000-07:00

Although the standard of football here in China is not the best, there can surely not be a more compelling title race in world football.

Beijing Guo an (my adopted team) are currently leading the table on goal difference from Henan Jianye. But there are only two points separating the top six teams, with three matches left of the campaign.

In a mildly exciting statistic, there is a similar scenario concerning Guo an than that of Liverpool. The seven times champions have not won the 'lian cai' since 1990, however, unlike the Merseysiders they have had several near misses in recent times.

I have become quite a passionate 'qui mi' (fan) of the Peking side over the last six months (glory hunter that I am) and have, on a few occasions headed to Gong ti (The Workers stadium) to watch their games.

What's especially amusing during the games is when the stadium blasts out rock music at the point when supporters begin to chant out abusive words. This is done to prevent the people watching on television from having these vulgar obscenities transmitted into their living rooms.

It certainly brings a smile to the faces of visiting expats such as myself.

There are currently six teams involved in the title race. In addition to Beijing and Jian ye, Tianjin Teda, Shanghai Shenhua, Shandong Luneng and Changchun Yantai are also in contention.

Shandong and Changchun are arguably the two most fluid teams, but Guo an are the team with the least defeats and by far the best goal difference. They also appear to be the team acquiring the most luck as every time they slip up, all the other challengers manage to drop points as well.

With a superior goal difference to Jianye, three wins will almost certainly clinch the title for the team from the capital. Their final league game happens to be on the evening of Halloween, so hopefully there will be no ghosts to exercise next season.

As always, the state of Chinese football is an emotive topic in the People’s Republic.

As I have stated previously, there are many skilful players, but unfortunately, they have a tendency to panic when in possession of the ball.

The goalkeepers are excellent, and the technique of the midfielders and wide players are sound enough. But the finishing of some of the strikers frequently leaves a lot to be desired.

I do to some extent, think that many Chinese coaches under-rate the Chinese players too much and select some of the foreign players in their squad just for the sake of it.

There is such a lack of confidence in the ability of Chinese footballers at the moment, that many coaches just automatically think that any foreigners they have available will be better.

For instance, there are three Australian players in Beijing’s team who I believe are no better than the Chinese players who play in the same position. In fact they are technically far inferior, but seem to play virtually every week.

Several months ago I wrote an article on Chinese football suggesting possible reasons why it is at such a low ebb.

After further research I believe there are several other reasons for it's downfall, including one particularly important factor.

China first entered the World Cup during the qualification stages for the 1982 tournament and were agonisingly close to qualifying.

It took a freak 5-0 victory for New Zealand over Saudi Arabia to eliminate them, when the Kiwi’s needed to win by four goals. It left the nation pulling their hair out in disbelief at such an astonishing turn of events.

In 1986, a victory at home to Hong Kong in Beijing was all that was required, but a surprise 2-1 defeat ensued, resulting in the worst scenes of football violence ever witnessed in China. There has not been in an international match played in the city since.

China have only qualified once for the finals, in 2002. However, that was more down to the fact that Japan and South Korea - the traditional powerhouses of Asian football - qualified automatically as hosts.

China were therefore able to breeze through what would usually be an extremely difficult qualifying process.

The fans were not fooled though. They were fully aware this achievement was not down to their team showing any signs of prowess on the international stage.

The national team has gone even further down the world pecking order since then, and these days, is not even competitive in Asia. It is an eternity way from the heady days of the 1980s.

So what is the main reason for this decline? It's simple – the one child policy (and quite possibly the two child policy that preceded it).

Now let's get something straight here, I'm not giving a view on whether this policy is correct or not in a social sense, but it is certainly a major reason why the football team has had such poor results.

Before 1975, families could have more than two children, and many couples had half a dozen children or more.

But in the last two decades the single offspring (girl or boy) has been expected to study hard at school, go to university (often studying subjects that their parents want them to study) and earn a good salary so they are able to take care of their parents when they get older.

Before the mid 1970s, it was a totally different scenario and this generation of children included the Chinese footballers who helped the national team peak in the 1980s.

Players born in the late 1950s and early 1960s were largely from big families and were able to take a risk and exercise their talents on the football field. And it would be left to the other siblings to study attentively and, if possible, achieve on an academic level.

Nowadays with only one child there is hardly any chance of this happening at all. Study and security is the number one priority. The risk involved in becoming a footballer is something frowned upon in Chinese society.

In a recent change of policy it is now possible for two children from the one child generation to marry and have two offspring. This is a welcome social change, but whether or not it can improve the fortunes of the Chinese football team is yet to be seen.

Perhaps though, it just offers that little ray of sunshine that the Chinese public need. After all, they are not asking for world beaters, they just want a team that is not down right embarrassing.

IS THERE A MYTH ON MERSEYSIDE?

2009-10-09T02:21:00.000-07:00

I’m probably not the only football fan fed up with the lack of insight that so many football pundits seem to have these days.

The two words ‘Xabi’ and ‘Alonso’ are predictably mentioned every time Liverpool lose a game, but are predictably, barely used when they win.

It is the nature of the game's media to jump on certain bandwagons, but this also appears to be yet another media tirade against poor Rafa Benitez.

Firstly, I want to get one thing straight here. Xabi Alonso is a terrific player who is capable of scoring spectacular goals (occasionally). He also has the ability to control the pace and direction of a game and protect his defence, due his sound positioning and desire to receive the ball.

He is not, however, irreplaceable.

Pundits harp on about Alonso in the same way that they harp on about Ronaldo, but the Portuguese star won three league titles in his six years at Old Trafford.

The Spanish midfielder won no league titles in five years at Anfield.

Liverpool crave the league title, so why shouldn’t Alonso be sold for three times the amount he was bought for.

I don’t recall any people saying Liverpool missed the Spaniard when they took ten points from their first eight games in 2005-2006. I don’t remember pundits suggesting Liverpool needed Alonso when they lost three out of their first seven league games in 2006-2007.

I also don’t recall people suggesting Liverpool missed Alonso when they only collected 16 points from their opening eight matches two seasons ago (only one more point than they have now).

The reason - because he was actually there and contributing to these 'poor' results.

I am not suggesting Xabi Alonso will not be missed by the five times European Cup winners, he may well be. But now is way too early to judge.

Alberto Aquilani, his replacement, is set to make his debut before the end of the month, but even he needs a little time to adjust to the pace of the Premiership.

If Liverpool fail to finish in the top four (or finish 5th and win the Champions League), a scenario which never occurred while Alonso was at the club, then it would be right for pundits to say the 27 year old has been missed.

I would personally like to know on what basis he has been missed so far. As usual I don’t believe people are looking at the bigger picture.

In Europe (against continental sides) I think there may be an argument to be made. Against Fiorentina, Liverpool lacked somebody to control and dictate play. Steven Gerrard was forced to retreat backwards to collect possession and was therefore not so effective further up the pitch.

In the Premiership however, there is substantial evidence to suggest that Alonso’s influence is a ‘Merseyside myth’.

I can point out plenty of impressive recent Liverpool performances of note which did not include the former Real Sociedad star in the starting line up.

While I admit one off games are not always an effective tool of judgment, the emphatic 4-1 victory over Manchester United last season was achieved with a midfield two of Javier Mascherano and Lucas. Yes Lucas Leiva everybody. Are any pundits actually aware of this fact?

Did anyone mention Alonso’s absence after that game last March? No of course not, but they would have had Liverpool lost (but they didn't).

What about the 2007 Champions League semi final at Anfield against Chelsea? This was a game which Liverpool won and progressed to the final in Athens. Alonso was surprisingly left on the bench by his fellow countryman, Benitez. Any mention of this after the game? No.

How about the superb 1-0 win against Inter Milan in the San Siro two seasons ago?

While Alonso was in Merseyside attending the birth of his first child, the much maligned Lucas produced a very solid performance resulting in an excellent win against the Champions of Italy. Again, there was no mention of the Spaniard (concerning on-field matters anyway).

Nobody is suggesting Lucas is a superior player, but he is still young. He is also a Brazillian international who does really deserve more respect.

Alonso was terrific for Liverpool in the first half of his first season (2004-05), and the first half of last season.

But, for three years in the middle of that period he did not produce the same form on a consistent basis. This is why Benitez wanted to sell him in the summer of 2008 and sign Gareth Barry.

Of course in hindsight, Alonso had a very good campaign last year, so people highlight his loss more.

At this juncture, it is important for me to point out Alonso's weaknesses and suggest that thirty million pounds is an incredibly good piece of business from Benitez.

His passing, could at times, be so good that the amount of times he gave away possession (which was in fact relatively frequently) was actually forgotten.

I actually believe if I had a pound for the amount of times a commentator said "Ooo Alonso has given the ball away, that’s so unlike him" I think I would be approaching millionaire status by now. Again the word 'myth' springs to mind.

Xabi Alonso's absence is not the reason for Liverpool’s defensive problems so far this season.

I think Javier Mascherano has been distracted by both the summer interest of Barcelona and Argentina’s qualification problems. As captain of the national side he is taking much of the burden. The former West Ham star’s performances have been so below his normal standard that the defence has suffered and Lucas has been left to conduct the job of almost two players. Hence, the Brazillian's mistakes have been highlighted so much more.

In addition to being caught in possession a lot more than people think, Alonso didn’t score enough goals. The Euro 2008 winner also frequently slowed down Liverpool’s tempo, especially at home, when more urgency was needed. This certainly, contributed to Liverpool's inability to break down the so called 'weaker times in the last campaign.

If anyone saw the game at home to Hull City last year, they will know what I am talking about. And as long as Aquilani manages to stay clear of injury (and it's a big if), he should provide more going forward than Alonso ever could.

2-2 and 0-0 draws at home to Hull and Stoke City last year have been upgraded to 4-0 and 6-1 victories respectively this campaign. But of course, all that is forgotten in the media hype that surrounds a defeat.

Liverpool did lose to Chelsea last week, and yes they did win there last season with Alonso in the side.

However, the Spaniard also played in four Liverpool sides that lost at Stanford Bridge and was involved in three further defeats at to the Blues at Anfield during his five seasons.

Any arguments that he was severely missed last week are actually floored when all the evidience is analysed.

As I stated before, this article is not a vendetta against the Real Madrid star. He is a gifted player who will be remembered as a fine servant to the club.

But the press and punditry medium really need to hold fire and look at the facts before releasing such rubbish.

Xabi Alonso wanted to leave Liverpool and return to his native homeland.

Alberto Aquilani, a slightly different, more attacking player, is a new chapter in the history of Liverpool Football Club. With eleven caps for Italy and at only 25, he may just be the final part of the jigsaw for Rafa Benitez's team (although we have heard that one before).

If he is not, and Liverpool are not in club football’s biggest competition next season, then I will be content to eat my words.

I do though, somehow doubt, that this will happen.

MATCH OF THE DECADE???

2009-09-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

The Manchester derby was certainly one of the best games of the Premier League era.

It had everything from goals and controversy, not to mention outrageous errors. It included players rolling back the years, other players wishing they could roll back the years, and helpless fans getting whacked by star players.

Firstly, I want to give my view on the stoppage time saga. According to Fifa's directives, referee Martin Atkinson got it right. He added on the right amount of time for Craig Bellamy’s goal celebration and for Michael Carrick’s substitution (a very canny move by Sir Alex).

The reason the whole affair is such an issue is that these directives do not always appear to be carried out correctly. Even with a goal in stoppage time, referees never seem to add on so much time.

For example, if three minutes stoppage time is allotted, usually, give or take a few seconds, three minutes is allowed.

I think many of us are blinded by the fact that the game was at Old Trafford and therefore it is a bigger issue than it should be.

It is, after all, so rare for two goals to be scored after 89 minutes 47 seconds, as was the case on Sunday. This is the reason why added on time lasted so long, and why it’s grabbed everyone’s attention.

Many people have correctly pointed out that in the seven minutes added on, Manchester City could also have scored, so why are they so unhappy?

What also has to be said is that the momentum is always with Manchester United when they are the home side, and, it was always going to favour the Champions to have the extra ‘extra’ minutes.

Manchester City though, only have themselves to blame. I don’t know if it’s the effects of having swine flu in the summer, but Michar Richards’ positioning for Michael Owen’s winning goal was unforgivable.

However, it was a super finish and once again the former Liverpool star has proved many doubters wrong just at the right time.

That goal was typical Owen. There are few strikers in world football who are better equipped in such a high pressure situation. That’s why he’s so special, and that’s why he was bought.

It’s moments like this which illustrate why Owen should be in the England squad. Even as a substitute he can change a game in an instant. Be honest, who would you rather have in that position at that time? Michael Owen or Jemaine Defoe?

Another thing which struck me about Sunday was an unexpected, but welcome statistic.

Of the 22 players who started the Manchester derby on Saturday, 14 were British or Irish born. In addition, Michael Carrick and Michael Owen also made substitute appearances.

In the modern English game, where so much is said and written about the lack of players from the British Isles playing at the very highest level, both teams had plenty of players from these shores. Better still, all seven goals were scored by British players.

Manchester United, Manchester City, plus Tottenham and Aston Villa (both of whom also have a large pool of English first team regulars) will probably all finish in the Premiership top eight this season. This is encouraging and keeps a respectable amount of authenticity that many people thought has disappeared from our game.

Two of those seven goals were scored by the enigma, better known as Craig Bellamy. Is he finally living up to his undoubted talent at the age of 30?

It’s just amazing how something always happens to Bellamy which makes us forget how well he played in the game.

Both of the Welshman’s goals were terrific. One goal was engineered due to superb technique, while the other goal was glittered with frightening pace and awareness.

However, at the end of the match in true Bellamy style, he appeared to slap a helpless fan (who, granted, shouldn’t be on the pitch) while the stewards are holding him back. It was like something out of a Godfather film.

The FA have said they will take no further action, but is this incident not worse than Adebayor’s goal celebration last weekend? Surely it is.

Equally as bad as Adebayor’s antics, in my view, were those of Gary Neville’s. A player with 85 England caps he may be, and that may be the reason he got away with it.

The way in which the Manchester United skipper celebrated towards the Manchester City fans was quite comical, but under the FA’s guidelines should definitely be classed as incitement.

No action will be taken against Neville either. But why does he escape any punishment?

Again there is no consistency from the FA, and they appear to be just as incompetent as UEFA.

There were endless talking points during Sunday’s contest, and it does have to be said that the best team won the game. However, the victors have issues that need addressing.

As an England fan I am particularly concerned about Rio Ferdinand.

It’s not just the individual errors that are worrying. The former Leeds captain is prone to those on rare occasions. It is the fact that he was outpaced so emphatically by Bellamy, a player also injury prone and approximately the same age.

At his best, Ferdinand is one of the world’s top defenders and very rarely gets beaten for pace. But it is alarming how frequently he gets injured these days.

The veteran of three World Cups has had both back trouble and calf trouble in recent years, but also seems to pick up injuries that crop up in different areas of the body. These types of injuries are, to some extent, of more concern than a one-off long term injury, because they suggest the body is breaking down.

I just hope that two of Ferdinand's poor performances this season (one on Sunday and one for England in Amsterdam last month) were down to lack of match practice and not the rapid decline of a great player.

Talking of great players, it would be churlish to sign off without once again heaping praise on Ryan Giggs.

Like many, I questioned his PFA award last year and placed it down as a sentimental gesture.

However, in the last three games the veteran has been nothing short of sensational.

One slalom style run he had on Sunday was vintage Giggs and it was almost like the clock had been turned back to 1994.

Despite the poor performance of Michar Richards at right back, Giggs showed that if you keep yourself in good shape, you can play at the very highest level well into your thirties. His pass to Michael Owen for the winning goal was wonderful awareness.

It must be remembered that the 35 year old has had many injury problems throughout his career. But now, maybe the long, frustrating lay off’s have actually helped keep him fresh and prolonged his career.

The former Welsh captain is one of the few United players of the last fifteen years who seems to be respected by everyone, fans and players alike, whatever team they support. He fully deserves his Indian summer, and we will all miss him when he finally retires, if he ever does.....

Even Liverpool and Manchester City fans should take a bow to this true legend of the game.

EVERYTHING SEEMS TO REVOLVE AROUND ARSENAL THESE DAYS..

2009-09-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

Two main issues this week have been Emmanuel Adebayors’s antics at Eastlands and the overturning of Eduardo’s two match European ban.

The former topic is something I have mixed feelings about. But the latter is a ludicrous decision and yet again sends out the wrong message.

The Togo international’s goal celebration on Saturday was predictable, but it could have been worse. He ran up to the Arsenal fans, celebrated and let off steam. Football is about scoring goals and milking it.

So many fans and critics often comment on how boring goal celebrations are these days (Alan Shearer springs to mind)and that there are no characters in the game stirring things up anymore.

Well, the Manchester City striker is certainly a volatile character, and was it really so bad to celebrate so wildly?

I recall Thierry Henry running the length of the field after scoring a wonderful individual goal. This was against Tottenham at Highbury in 2002. I don’t remember the Arsenal fans complaining too much about that at the time.

Football fans have short memories. And that particular celebration was incitement of the highest level.

I can understand the Gunners fans being disappointed with Adebayor last season. His performances when it really mattered were despicable.

Against Chelsea in the FA Cup semi final, he laboured around the field like he didn’t have a care in the world.

Against Manchester United in the Champions League semi final second leg, he actually gave up after United took the lead. Anyone watching the game that night could visibly see that.

Behaviour like this is not what you expect from a top class forward. It is moments like that when fans are justified to complain about the outrageous salaries that footballers receive.

Looking from a different angle, I fully agree with the view of the Times writer, Gabriele Marcotti. He stated that Robin Van Persie also has a lot to answer for concerning Saturday’s brutal encounter.

Adebayor has received a three match ban for his stamp, but I’ve looked at this incident many times on television and I don’t think anyone can prove if he meant it.

He possibly did mean it, but what seems even more viable is that Van Persie deliberately set out to injure Adebayor with his awful tackle.

Following the match, the Dutch international immediately went onto the Arsenal website and complained about Adebayor’s conduct. Sour grapes anyone??

Van Persie, magnificent player that he is, can hardly talk about other players' conduct. His disciplinary record is awful.

Considering the atrocious injury record the forward has you would think that he would try his best not to get suspended, considering the amount of games he misses.

If Adebayor intended to stamp on Van Persie then he deserves a three match ban, but it’s not entirely transparent unless he admits it, which isn’t going to happen.

What is far more clear cut is that Eduardo dived against Celtic.

As I’ve stated before, I was happy to see the Arsenal striker banned, and two matches seemed a fair punishment.

But now it’s been overturned, where do we go from here?

UEFA does this so often. They make a decision, then on appeal they decide to overturn it. Why?

The Croatian international clearly went to ground before he was touched. The Celtic keeper, Artur Boruc, was rash, but it was a completely different scenario to Wayne Rooney against Arsenal or Glen Johnson against Tottenham.

Both of these players were clearly brought down by poor challenges from the prospective goalkeepers.

Two matches is not a harsh ban. Arsenal will qualify from their group quite comfortably and Eduardo should have missed two fairly uninspiring group games.

However, the striker's presence may now affect the outcome of the Champions League group in terms of the position of the other three teams, and that's not right.

I wonder how Standard Liege felt about his winning goal last night. He should not have even been on the pitch.

Remember, Didier Drogba’s ban was also reduced on appeal. Again I ask, why?

Initily, missing four matches meant that Chelsea’s fortunes in Group D could have been substantially affected by losing one of their key players.

This to me is a fair punishment as Drogba misses the majority of their group games.

Reducing the ban by one match now means that he only misses half of the qualification matches.

The Ivory Coast international is such a vital player for the Blues, far more vital than Eduardo is for the Gunnets. He can now inspire them for one more match, and that could yet prove crucial. Qualification can so often depend on one or two points here and there.

I actually believe Drogba deserved a greater ban. He has had that sort of punishment coming for a while.

While he is a supremely giftted player, he does attempt to bend the rules more than any other player I've seen in recent times.

Drogba spends more time on the ground than Emile Heskey, he just get's away with it more because he's so good.

If the Chelsea marksmen scores the goal that decides whether they go through as group winners or whether they finish second in their group, then UEFA have once again made a mockery of the fair play system.

The governing body of European football really needs to take a long hard look at themselves. In my view we are undoubtedly back to square one.

NOW IMAGINE A DAY IN THE LIFE WITHOUT LENNON?

2009-09-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

John Lennon become a staunch left wing activist during his post Beatles days.

His namesake was doing the opposite to Croatia last night as he left the Croatian left back, Pranjic, feeling like a ‘Nowhere Man’ at times.

The challenge, by Josip Simunic made him look more like a night tripper than a “Day Tripper’.

Fabio Capello will not stretch further than saying ‘I Feel Fine’ after last night’s performance, but the England fans certainly need a ‘Ticket to Ride’ to South Africa now.

The second England goal was a delicious ‘From Me to You’ between Lennon and Steven Gerrard, and for England fans ‘Across the Universe’ it was time to celebrate.

Croatia were shouting ‘Help’ after only nine minutes. Slaven Bilic’s pre match comments about knowing England’s weaknesses were soon “Instant Khama’ in what can only be described as a ‘Hard Day’s Night’ for the team from the Adriatic.

Steve McLlaren can take note that ‘All You Need is Love’ in the England camp and it really can all ‘Come Together’.

Fabio Capello’s ‘Revolution’ is definetly in full swing and for the first time ‘In My Life’ I can see really see the ‘Wheels Go Round and Round’.

OK so that last one was pretty weak.

I could go on all night, but I won’t…

There are so many positives to come from last night’s performance at Wembley.

The media will always find negative aspects, but that will not bother Fabio Capello.

People will point out that the teams in England’s group are weak, but as I stated in a recent blog, this was the only qualifying group to features three teams ranked in the world’s top twenty at the start of play.

England’s goal difference of plus twenty six is astonishing in any one’s book.

I heard some critics saying Croatia were a poor side, but only 14 months ago, people were building this team up as potential European Champions.

Last night, England played in a ‘very English way’ obviously just to annoy Slaven Bilic, who seems to think he is a bit more special than he is.

The former West Ham defender is quite popular with the press, but I personally still remember his outrageous play acting to get Laurent Blanc sent off in the 1998 World Cup semi final. I still find it difficult to warm to him.

The old chestnut of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard not being able to play together was well and truly put to bed last night.

Special credit should go the Chelsea midfield star. He has adjusted his attacking instinct to become more of a defensive midfielder who occasionally motors into the opposition box.

The system is working, because Gerrard can drift and link up with Rooney. The scouse pair are England’s two most gifted players. It makes sense that they should be utilised in more free roles.

Much has been said about England’s right side, but it was outstanding last night.

Glen Johnson has been in for some unfair criticism in recent weeks, but Capello obviously trusts him. He was terrific last night and defended well too.

Johnson's wide play for Lampard’s second goal shows just what the Liverpool man can offer.

Emile Heskey’s contribution to the team needs to be analysed objectively. He is not in the team for his goals.

It is frustrating when he misses easy chances, but England have won eight out of eight
qualifiers with the Aston Villa man leading the line in six of those wins.

The 31 year old is there to drag defenders away and create space for Gerrard, Rooney and Lampard. I am sick and tired of people saying Crouch or Defoe should play. Remember that Wayne Rooney has been the top scorer in qualifying, so Heskey seems to be the perfect foil.

If it is not fixed it should be broken.

The stand out performer on the night was Aaron Lennon. But he is one of the few players in the team who not assured of their starting place.

The winger has been playing very well for Tottenham in the early stages of the season, and last night he showed how much he has improved.

His crossing and his running off the ball were terrific. And if this season’s evidence is anything to go by, his finishing has improved too.

The former Leeds player will be 23 come South Africa and is a real threat, but England have an embarrassment of riches on the right side of midfield.

Other options include Sean Wright-Phillips, David Beckham, of course, and the very similar Theo Walcott.

I believe that Walcott or Lennon will start the opening game in South Africa. It just depends on who is in the best form at that time. There is not a lot to choose between them.

I was listening to BBC Five Live on Monday night, and Ian McGarra of the Sun said he believed England have six world class players.

Robbie Savage, a proud Welshman said ‘Who are they then?’ McGarra replied by listing Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney. Savage reluctantly agreed.

I agree too. If you picked a world squad of 23 comprising of three goalkeepers, eight defenders, eight midfielders and four strikers, then I certainly think five of those players would get in. Rio Ferdinand may be the exception as he seems to be becoming very injury prone.

The Italian coach certainly has a very talented pool of players. It’s just important that key players stay fit.

Before the 2002 World Cup, both Beckham and Gerrard got injured.

During Euro 2004, Rooney limped off in the quarter finals after being the player of the tournament.

In 2006, the Manchester United star was injured before the tournament and was not fit, while Michael Owen hobbled out in the group stages.

If all the key players do stay fit, then I believe England have a great chance.

Roll on South Africa…

VIDEO EVIDENCE IS NEEDED TO SAVE OUR BEAUTIFUL GAME

2009-09-03T08:14:00.000-07:00

The time has come for use of television replays on ambiguous decisions.

Recent events have made this scenario a must, otherwise the game will become more and more farcical, not to mention un-watchable.

All of the old concerns about video evidence can be discussed until we are blue in the face. But nobody can tell me it will destroy football more than it has been already.

So what are the arguments against video evidence?

The most frequent argument used is that it will slow down the game. This is nonsense.

Video replays can be shown twice at two different angles to determine the right decision. This process should take been 30 and 45 seconds.

This is much quicker than the time it takes for a player to get up after play acting or how long it takes for a referee to usher away angry players. Even goalkeepers sometimes take up to 45 seconds to take a goal kick.

The other argument the old fashioned fan will put across, is that bad decisions are what the game is all about. Without them, what would we discuss down the pub?

Well, down the Rose and Lion, we can discuss how video evidence has improved the game, and how many matches a player should be banned for, for diving.

Diving has been a major topic discussion in recent weeks. The main headlines have concerned Eduardo’s antics against Celtic.

Firstly, lets get this straight. It was a dive and the Brazilian born Croat deserves to be banned. But he is not the first to do this. What about Carlos Tevez versus Tottenham at Old Trafford last season.

The Argentine forward went down in the area but was clearly not touched. This crucial decision cost Howard Webb his reputation, but was Tevez reprimanded? No.

It’s good that the Arsenal striker has been punished, but if we had had video evidence at the game it would have been quicker to make a correct decision than it took the Celtic players to complain about the decision. Eduardo would have been sent off and presented with a two or three game ban immediately.

Instead we had endless discussion and the usual bureaucracy trail coming out of UEFA, while they were trying to decide the best course of action.

I have my own solutions to diving.

Video evidence should be used on every penalty decision if the referee is in any doubt. Ninety per cent of the time, players spend 20 seconds appealing anyway. But there should only be one replay in my view, as not to waste too much time.

If it’s a clear penalty, then an easy decision can be made.

If the referee thinks the player was barely touched but fell over, the referee should book the player for diving.

If the player fell over and was not touched at all, that should be a straight red card for simulation and a three match ban. No questions asked, it is usually always clear.

There are other ways of stamping diving out of the game.

I was listening to a phone in on Talk sport radio on Tuesday and a caller made an excellent suggestion.

The fan, an Arsenal fan ironically, said that the other team should be awarded a penalty if a player dives in the opposition area and is not touched. This is an excellent suggestion, but again only after use of one video replay.

These ideas may come across as radical, but there are too many rash decisions given these days.

I remember when I first began to like football in the late 1980s. A penalty was an exciting event as they were given so rarely.

Now, due to players fundamentally cheating, but also changes in the rules, three or four seem to be given every weekend. Many of the spot kick’s given are not clear cut.

Two recent events have also made me believe video replays are the future of the game.

The first is the Freddie Sears’ goal for Crystal Palace against Bristol City that was not seen by the officials (although this rarely happens in football). The second, was an incident which happened in the Bolton v Liverpool match on Saturday which reinforced the use of video evidence.

Fernando Torres cut into the Bolton penalty area and was cleanly tackled by Zat Knight, the Bolton centre back. The Spaniard went down under the challenge, but did not look for a penalty and did not dive.

Both Knight and Gary Cahill preceded to shout aggressively at Torres accusing him of cheating. This would not have happened if the recent media frenzy on diving had not occurred.

If players are now going to accuse players of diving when they haven’t, we have moved full circle and they too deserved to be punished.

If video evidence is used, decisions on diving and any other debatable action in the game can be dealt with more quickly and efficiently

Of course there are grey areas. Referees are given less responsibility, but it also makes their job easier. To some extent, it also adds to the drama of the game, like it does in Rugby.

I do believe the evidence should only be used when a decision is within the penalty area and not outside. This would, of course, mean that Emmanuel Eboue’s disgraceful dive at Old Trafford last weekend would not be punished. But it can be punished at a later date.

The important factor is that if the offence is outside the area it leads to a goal far less frequently.

Nothing is perfect in football and that’s why we love it.

However, without video replays, many of us are in danger of falling out of love with the game completely.

LOOKING THROUGH A CRYSTAL BALL

2009-08-30T02:21:00.000-07:00

Next week is crunch time for many countries hoping to be at next year’s World Cup finals.

With nine months to go before the tournament kicks off in South Africa, who are the real contenders for the crown?

Will it be the same old names? Or will a dark horse sneak through the pack and surprise everyone?

Some major names are unlikely to be in Africa. Portugal are struggling to qualify, while Sweden also face early elimination.

It is therefore, a distinct possibility that we may not get to see either Ronaldo or Zlatan Ibrahimovic at next year’s showpiece event.

Spain appear to be most people’s favourites at this point, and rightly so.

The Liberians have the best pool of players and have won every one of their qualifying matches. This sequence included a victory in Turkey, a notoriously tough place to go and win.

They have a dazzling array of talent including Iker Casillas, the goalkeeper and a defence including two Champions league winners and Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid.

The midfielders are small but wonderful at keeping possession. Xavi, Iniesta, Alonso, Fabregas, Silva and Senna are all world class players.

Coach Vincent Del Bosque can afford to leave two of those players out. He really has an embarrassment of riches in that area.

The Spaniards also have decent options out wide. Liverpool’s Albert Riera has a terrific left foot and a fine turn of pace. He has really improved over the last year. His presence offers them another dimension.

David Villa and Fernando Torres are a duo of strikers unrivalled in world football. But, what would happen if one of them got injured?

Are the substitute strikers even approaching the same level? I would say no.

I believe here are question marks over the defence as well. Carles Puyol is not the player he was three years ago and does get caught for pace on many occasions. Gerard Pique, meanwhile, still lacks experience on the international stage.

The midfield is supreme when in possession, but what about when the team faces a physical outfit, like for example, the USA? They can be rattled, as we saw in the summer.

The Spaniards are the bookies favourites, but are beatable in my view.. They haven’t got that invincible feel that say, France had, at the turn of the century.

England have been superb in qualifying and have an excellent coach in Fabio Capello. He seems to be getting the best out of Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney and has moulded them into a tough outfit.

The 1966 winners concede more goals than they did under Sven Goran Eriksson, but they also score more.

Question marks still remain over the goalkeeper and the right back position. Although Glen Johnson offers so much going forward, it does enable Capello to play Lampard, Gerrard and Barry in a narrow formation if needs be.

Much has been said about Jermaine Defoe’s form. But he will not be a starter.
Emile Heskey or Carlton Cole will partner Rooney.

These players provide the Manchester United forward with the space he requires because they are prepared to do his dirty work. Defoe is not selfless enough for that role and he can only really be an impact substitute.

England should certainly get to the last four. It will be winter in South Africa, so the heat cannot be an excuse like it has been in previous World Cups.

I just worry what Capello’s frame of mind will be like if England meet Italy. That would be a fascinating scenario if it happened.

Italy and Germany can never be written off when it comes to major championships, and will qualify.

Both teams lack the superstars of years gone by, but both have experienced coaches and terrific team work.

Danielle De Rossi of AS Roma is a quality player for Italy, and has the ability to be a real star of the tournament. However the Italians are an ageing side and I believe this will be their downfall.

Michael Ballack remains Germany’s key man. It may well be his swan song, so he will want to go out on a real high.

One of those two giants will probably get to the semi finals, but I would be very surprised if both teams made it that far.

Of the South Americans, Brazil will always be a threat. But do they have the players this time around?

The five times winners currently lack any truly world class strikers.

In recent World Cups they have had Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Adriano to call on. But now they have no one even close to that standard.

Robinho and Kaka are the players on whom their hopes rest. But they are both inconsistent. Can they perform at their best for seven games in 30 days?

Gilberto Silva, Ze Roberto and Lucio are all veterans now, but Danny Alves is a fantastic option at wing back if Dunga decides to use him. I believe the Barcelona star could also be a star of the tournament.

Brazil will always be dangerous, mainly due to the fact that are ‘Brazil’.

I personally don’t think Argentina are contenders for the crown.

I don’t believe Diego Maradona is an astute enough manager, and like England, Argentina always go into the World Cup as one of the favourites and so often fail to deliver.

Since the two time winners lost the 1990 final, they have not gone beyond the quarter finals. In fact they even went out in the group stages in 2002.

Lionel Messi is obviously their main star, but I don’t think he can win the tournament on his own.

The Argentines have hardly set the world alight in the qualifiers, and their record playing at high altitude, as they may do in South Africa, is appalling.

I do not see the Netherlands as contenders either. They are terrific going forward, but have a particularly weak defence, which will get exposed at the highest level.

Dirk Kuyt is a decent player, but if he is Holland’s first choice central striker, I think this demonstrates their lack of strength in depth.

Russia have been a sleeping giant way too long, but they have continued where they left off in Euro 2008, when I thought they were the next best team after Spain.

Guus Hiddink’s side have a terrific balance of technique and pace, and seem to have a good team spirit. They are also frightening quick on the counter attack.

Hiddink has to take a lot of credit for this, and with players such as Andrei Arshavin, Yuri Zhirkov and Roman Pavlyuchenko (chronically under-used at Tottenham last season), they are a good bet to get to the last eight at least.

However, a word of advice for the gambler’s among you. Please note Hiddink’s losing record in semi finals. I predict the Russians will not go beyond that stage.

My dark horses for 2010 are Serbia.

They have an excellent defence marshaled by Nemanja Vidic, and have quality in midfield, led by the outstanding Inter playmaker Dejan Stankovic.

As with all former Yugoslav teams, they are supremely gifted technically. Many of the team have also grown up together and the spirit is excellent.

If the Serbs can win at home to France next week, and I think they will, they have all but assured qualification. Watch out for them next year!

Of the African teams, the Ivory Coast have the experience of the last World Cup to draw on. I think if the draw favours them, they are a good bet for the last eight.

The West Africans are a strong and technically gifted team and they also possess world class players in Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba.

Whether the Ivory Coast, like all the African teams, have the discipline to go all the way is still debatable. But no one will look forward to playing such a powerful outfit.

As things stand, I would make Spain slight favourites, closely followed by Brazil, England and Russia.

Injuries to key players can make all the difference so it’s difficult to make solid predictions at this stage.

But it should be an exciting end to the qualifying stages and I predict a few twists and turns to come..

The countdown continues. 285 days to go.

JUMPING ON THE PROVERBIAL....

2009-08-21T12:14:00.000-07:00

It comes as no surprise that the bandwagon jumping has already begun.

I like many other fans, just wish that journalists and analysts alike would not over-react to early season results.

This first week has been no different in the Premiership.

First Chelsea were under close scrutiny for an un-inspiring and ultimately lucky victory over Hull. Then it was Liverpool’s turn following a poor performance at Spurs.

Now suddenly after two games, Spurs are title contenders with some analysts and Manchester United will be struggling to get into the top four.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are now definite contenders with many critics to claim the title. And this after only one league game and one Champions League victory.

Let me ask one question? Instead of just looking at the results, why do analysts not observe what actually happened and assess the bigger picture?

The most important assessment I can make at this stage is that there are 36 games to go.

Chelsea are now the clear Premiership favourites with the bookies. But at half time on Saturday they were getting heavily criticised in many quarters. How football can change so quickly.

It is obvious that Carlo Ancelotti is still not sure of the right system to use, and is still getting accustomed to a new league.

His west London side have been terrific in the second half of both of their games, but very poor in the first half.

Ancelotti will be well aware that better teams than Hull and Sunderland could have killed them off before half time.

Liverpool are suddenly a good team again after thrashing Stoke, but are heavily missing Xavi Alonso according to many people in the press.

But let’s just assess this in more detail.

Xavi Alonso played away to Tottenham and at home to Stoke last season. Liverpool took one point from those two games, scoring one goal in the process.

This season they have scored five goals and taken three points.

Liverpool may well miss the Spaniard in the games to come, but analysts really should check their information before making such rash, pre-conceived judgments.

Another thing that has been scrutinized is Liverpool’s performance at White Hart Lane.

In an attacking sense they were poor, but defensively they also had a day to forget.

Martin Skrtel and Jamie Carragher were involved in a nasty collision in the first half and the Slovakian central defender could not actually move his head to one side for the rest of the game.

Carragher also seemed to be feeling the affects of the injury for the rest of the game, and this clearly restricted his performance.

This is not making excuses, it’s a fact and Tottenham took advantage of that.

Harry Redknapp’s side deserved the win over Liverpool, and the 5-1 thrashing away to Hull City was impressive too.

However, the North London club are not title contenders.

They have four very good strikers, but the defence and goalkeeper are not strong enough to win the league.

Ledley King can only play one game a week, and the full backs are not top class, let alone the replacements.

Wilson Palacios is a terrific player. But if he got injured, Tottenham have no replacement anywhere near as effective.

I do think Tottenham can challenge for a top four place, but ultimately I believe even that is beyond them. However, I expect a top six finish.

Manchester United were poor at Burnley and not particularly impressive at home to Birmingham.

But the Champions are notoriously slow starters and to write them off now would be foolish.

However, the loss of Christiano Ronaldo cannot be underestimated, and with him they may well have got a result at Burnley.

But like Alonso, the Portuguese star wanted to leave, so there is no use in the Red Devils dwelling on his departure.

United’s lack of creativity elsewhere in midfield has to be a worry though. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sir Alex Ferguson spent before the transfer window is closed.

Last, but not least there is Arsenal.

The Gunners had a terrific opening day win, but Everton were in tatters.

How many times do Arsenal score from two set pieces in one match? Very rarely I would say.

Joleon Lescott obviously had his mind on other things, and Everton will surely not play as badly as that again this season.

The fifth goal especially, where Cesc Fabregas ran the half the field without a challenge was scandalous defending, and Arsenal will not get that amount of room in most games.

Arsenal’s true worth can be judged on that game, although their confidence will be sky high, and that’s the really positive factor to take from that game.

I still believe that Arsene Wenger’s side are capable of losing when you least expect it and that will be their downfall.

Football wouldn’t be the great game we all love, if people didn’t over-react or make outrageous statements.

But former players especially do have a habit of making statements without really looking at the facts.

Let’s just see what the table looks like at the beginning of October, then we really can begin to make outrageous predictions.

A THREE HORSE RACE

2009-08-14T03:38:00.000-07:00

I don’t think I am alone in believing that it’s going to be an exciting title race this year.

Heard this all before?

In my view there is nothing to choose between Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool. Only seven points separated the three teams last year, but United showed the consistency when it really mattered.

They fundamentally claimed the title with a fantastic run of results in the winter months.

So let’s dissect the three teams.

Manchester United:

The Champions are certainly weaker.

Nobody can tell me that losing Ronaldo is a positive thing.

Granted, he is outspoken, has a horrible attitude at times and even seems to annoy his team mates on the field of play.

But, he has scored 66 league goals in three seasons and has been the match-winner on so many occasions.

Last season, when the Madiera born winger was not in good form for long patches, he still chipped in with 18 league goals, including some crucial goals in the run in.

Now of course, a lot depends on whether Wayne Rooney can step up to the plate in a far more expressive, central role. And he will now be their main threat.

It will also be interesting to see how Dimitar Berbatov performs. The Bulgarian is inconsistent, but can also be truly majestic.

Without Carlos Tevez breathing down his neck for a starting role, maybe Berbatov will become the player will he all know he can be.

The other intriguing prospect at Old Trafford is how Michael Owen fares. Can Sir Alex Ferguson get the best out of him? Or is he a spent force.

I personally think Owen will chip in with 15 goals plus, but as it always seems to be with Owen, he seems incapable of staying fit for more than several weeks.

Elsewhere, United’s midfield is certainly the weakest of the top three.

Darren Fletcher has improved so much but is still not in the very top bracket of world midfielders.

Scholes and Giggs can surely not to be more than bit part players this season.

And, while Anderson is a great talent, his development seems to have gone backwards in the last year.

Jung Si Park is an aimable workhorse, but for me was out of his depth in the Champions League final.

However, the Korean does often come in handy in the Premership due to his persistence and battling qualities, and will be valuable in tricky away games against lesser teams.

The defence is very strong, but there remains a question mark over the goalkeeping position.

Edwin Van der Sar is ageing and a little injury prone these days. While, Ben Foster still has a lot to prove. His kicking certainly needs vast improvement.

You can never write off Ferguson’s team, but this might well be a season of transition for the 11 times Premiership winners.

Liverpool:

Rafael Benitez certainly has a love-hate relationship with the media and probably his players too. But sometimes I believe the Spaniard gets unjust criticism.

The team he has built is unrecognisable to the one he inherited. It is a huge force in Europe and the team finished 26 points better off in 2009, than the team he took over from in 2004. That is progress in any one’s book.

Pundits have often referred to Liverpool as a ‘two man team’ but that is ludicrous. And the facts need to be stated clearly.

The Merseysiders finished with 86 points last season. But Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres only started 14 of the 38 league games in tandom.

When they did play together, predominantly in the last three months of the season, the team were unstoppable, but to say there are not other top class players at the club is insulting to players such as Javier Mascherano, Albert Riera, Pep Reina and Jamie Carrager.

Liverpool really clicked towards the end of last season. The Anfield club took 31 points out of the last 33 avaliable, and scored an incredible 34 goals.

If last year's runners up can start in the same vein this campaign, they have to be serious contenders.

Much has been made of Xavi Alonso’s departure. But I think Liverpool got a good deal.

He is 28 in November and the Reds have made a 200 % profit on a player they bought five years ago, and during a recession.

As good as his passing is, and when it’s good it’s really good. I have also seen the Spaniard give it away on numerous occasions as well.

Alonso is also very slow for a top class midfielder and doesn’t score enough goals for a player who strikes the ball as well as he does.

It should also be remembered that Liverpool’s best performance of last season did not include the Basque born player. He missed the 4-1 thrashing of Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Alonso will be missed at Anfield, but Alberto Aquilani is an Italian international, a crisp passer of the ball and scores more goals than Alonso. He is also two years younger.

However, the former Roma trainee appears to be quite prone to knocks, so there are question marks over his fitness.

Javier Mascherano is a vital cog in the Anfield machine. The club have managed to stave off interest from other clubs and he offers so much protection in front of the back four.

Liverpool miss the Argentine so much when he is not there. The 3-1 reverse at home to Chelsea in the Champions League last season being one such example.

One player that excites many Liverpool supporters is Yossi Benayoun.

The former West Ham man was one of the best players in the country during the last two months of last season. He chips in with vital goals and is also a very lively substitute.

The Israeli will be hoping for more starts, and with Aquilani not expected to be fit until October he may get plenty of them in the early months of the campaign.

Glen Johnson still has a lot to prove. He is very talented going forward has so much ability.

But the England right back’s defensive discipline is still a cause for concern, and 17 million pounds is an awful lot of money. Arbeloa was an excellent player and Johnson has a lot of pressure on him to fill thos boots.

Benitez can hopefully improve the former Chelsea man as a defender without nullifying his talent going forward. This can also be a major plus for England.

It’s a big if, but if Gerrard and Torres play in 80% of Liverpool’s games together, they are my tip for the title.

Chelsea:

I do sense a touch of de ja vu in the build up to this season.

Many people are building up Carlo Ancelotti as a master. But this also happened with Phil Scolari and look what happened there.

Once again, the Italian lacks Premiership experience. But, on the fip side he has vast experience in a European League and speaks better English.

I do feel there is a possibility it could all backfire for Abramovich, and the fact that Chelsea keep having to start from scratch season after season much be wearing for the players.

Ancelotti was at Milan for over seven years but only won one Scudetto in that time. But Roman Abramovich’s dream is to win the Champions League, and the 49 year old Italian certainly has an record to marvel at in that competition. Two victories and another final (in which they led 3-0) is a superb record.

So maybe the team could be a better bet in Europe.

However, with the players at their disposal Chelsea should certainly be in the mix in the league come the end of the season.

For all Scholari’s problems, the team did miss Michael Essien for five months of last season. He is their most important player and has so much power and ability.

I just hope Ancelotti plays him further forward because I think he is wasted in a defensive role. Hiddink used him more effectively, allowing him freedom to break forward when gaps appeared.

Zhirkov was one of the stars on Euro 2008 and is an excellent signing who will offer both defensive security and attacking zest.

While, like Benayoun, Florent Malouda was a star towards the end of last season, and if he continues that form, he will be a real handful.

As I have stated before, the Chelsea side is an ageing one, and have been for a couple of years now.

Nine of their starting eleven will be 29 or over come 2010 and I think this could play an important role later in the season.

Ancelotti, however, is not there to build a team. He is there to continue an on going project and it will be fascinating to see how he does.

His AC Milan team won the Champions League with a team of ageing players, but failed to challenge for the title.

Whether that will be good enough for Abramovich remains to be seen.

I do think that Chelsea’s priority is the Champions League, and a lot depends on whether Didier Drogba can stay focused and injury free.

It also appears like Nicola Anelka is finally the player we all believed he could be. While Frank Lampard will always be a threat, especially in the big games.

But I think a question mark remains over Petr Cech.

Again the Czech international should have saved Nani’s shot in the Community shield, but let the shot slip past him.

Towards the end of last season, the keeper had an horrendous time, and just seems to have lost his confidence.

If he can return to being the player he was four years ago, he will make a huge difference, and that might just be the difference that win’s Chelsea the title.

It's going to be a thrilling season and I believe the winning points total will be lower than in previous campaigns. I also think the race will go to the wire.

For what it’s worth. Here is my predicted final league table:

1 Liverpool (if Torres and Gerrard play 80% of the games)
2 Chelsea
3 Manchester United
4 Everton
5 Arsenal (but Arshavin to win player of the year)
6 Tottenham
7 Aston Villa
8 Manchester City
9 Sunderland
10 West Ham
11 Fulham
12 Blackburn
13 Bolton
14 Burnley
15 Stoke
16 Birmingham
17 Wigan
18 Wolves
19 Hull
20 Portsmouth

WENGER - Is it time to move on?

2009-05-22T05:49:00.000-07:00

Given what Arsene Wenger has achieved, it would be difficult to imagine Arsenal without him. But I think it is a distinct possibility in the near future.

Despite what the Frenchman has done at Arsenal, the North London club were a huge club before he arrived and will be after he leaves.

Granted, Wenger transformed the way Arsenal played and also re-addressed the fitness regimes, diets and mentality of the club. But he didn’t make Arsenal an overnight success.

Under George Graham they won two league titles, the FA Cup, two League Cups and a European Cup Winners’ Cup between 1987 and 1994.

Graham was a dogmatic and direct coach who built his team’s foundation on sturdy defences and skilful wide players. This is quite the opposite of the contemporary Wenger teams who concede a few goals and don’t score many goals direct from crosses into the box.

Although Emmanuel Adebayor’s presence has slightly altered this style, his teams are more suited to counter attacking and playing through the middle.

I was listening to Radio Five Live last weekend and Mike Ingham made a very valid observation. He added that the double winning teams of 1998 and 2002 and the 2004 championship winning side all contained an English spine, and importantly an English defence.

The likes of David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Tony Adams and Martin Keown spanned both double winning teams, while in 1998 Steve Bould and Nigel Winterburn were still regulars at the back.

In 2002, Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole, Dixon, Adams and Keown, were part of a solid, powerful defence. And Campbell, Cole and Keown were also there two years later, during the Gunners unbeaten season.

Ingham asked the question, would Wenger have signed Adams, Keown, Bould, Dixon, Winterburn and even Seaman? All three of these teams also included Ray Parlour and would Wenger have signed him? He didn’t sign Jimmy Bullard, a very similar player, despite being heavily linked to him in January. Is it because he was too old? Was it because he was too expensive?

The game has possibly moved on a little, and Arsenal have two English players close to, or playing in the first team. But Theo Walcott and Keiran Gibbs are raw, and need developing. Walcott is very special, but you would hardly call either of them spine players would you?

Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool all have a middle spine of English players, but Arsenal do not. Are players from these shores an important aspect of a successful Premiership team?

The Arsenal spine is weak. Almunia is the weakest of the top four goalkeepers while Kolo Toure is not the same player without Sol Campbell alongside him, Cesc Fabregas is top class, but Denilson and Diaby, are they top level? Adebayor has been very disappointing this season and Van Persie, although a top player, is injury prone and picks up a lot of suspensions throughout the season.

Tomas Rosicky is an excellent player, but will he get over his injury problems? It’s also difficult to see Eduardo being the same player after his horrific injury last season.

The injuries are not Wenger’s fault, but unlike previous seasons, Wenger’s team has not pushed on from the success of last season.

I remember once thinking that Wenger was the master when it came to developing players who had previously looked like lost souls. Later he would so often nurture them into superb players once they had adjusted to the English game. Some were even world class.

Robert Pires for example, took a whole season to adjust, but then won footballer of the year. Freddie Ljungberg looked like such an average player for a good two seasons, but then became one of the best goal-scoring midfielders in Europe, and was a crucial player in the 2002 run in.

Wenger converted Thierry Henry from a winger lacking confidence at Juventus to the most lethal striker in world football. And Edu, who looked way out of his depth in his first six months at the club, was shaped into a superb all round midfielder who had tenacity, a knack of scoring important goals and had an incredible engine.

Alexander Hleb also appeared overpriced at first. But after a year or so, his superb technique, wonderful close control and ability to keep the ball in tight situations was so terrific on the eye. But he was sold, along with Flamini. They reportedly wanted to go, but why? Was it the manager? Was it wages? Or was it the club?

The current crop of players may yet prove me and other doubters wrong, but the majority of the players from last year still remain. They haven’t pushed onto the next level. They have had injuries, but surely this is where Wenger’s highly rated and much lauded youth players should come into play and demonstrate the strength of his squad.

Last season Arsenal finished on 83 points, just four points behind Manchester United. That is one result away from the title. They also finished seven points ahead of Liverpool.

This campaign, the Gunners finished 14 points behind Liverpool and 18 points behind Manchester United, is that progress? Is that the young players getting even better? No.

The team haven’t kicked on, in fact they seem to have gone backwards. Maybe they just overachieved last year, but quite frankly in the semi final of the Champions league, they were out of their depth and could have lost by a lot more goals over the two legs. They were never in contention.

The worrying thing for Wenger is that many of the players who were injured earlier in the season were available. They were virtually at full strength across those two ties.

The majority shareholder at the Emirates, Stan Kroenke, has said he is unhappy at finishing so far behind the leaders. At the AGM it is believed that Wenger’s outstanding record in years gone by has given him breathing space. But it’s four years since they won a trophy and they have only challenged for the title once in five years. Even George Graham didn’t have such a lean spell.

Of course, these days it’s not only managers’ skills that win titles. Finances and pay structure play a huge role, and both of these factors have hindered Arsenal. The terrific Emirates stadium is great for the future and will in the long term, provide huge financial stability for the London club. But some fans are certainly becoming impatient after years of wonderful football and domestic success. They have been spoilt.

From what I’ve seen of Arsenal, they can still play some great attacking football, and the one touch play is a pleasure to watch. However, they lack a Viera, or even a Flamini to patrol in front of the back four. I’m not sure Diaby, Denilson or Song are up to this task, but I have thought this before about Wenger’s teams, so I will reserve judgment.

However, unlike the earlier years of Wenger’s reign, when he knew when to offload a player and get the maximum profit from him, Wenger’s judgement in the transfer market seems to have waned slightly.

Players such as Overmars and Petit were sold at the right time and he received excellent transfer fees for them. Nicolas Anelka was also a great bit of business, but with Viera he waited one year too long, and it appears like he has also waited one year too long to sell Adebayor. The front man has become a frustrating figure this season and was sulky and anonymous against Manchester United in the Champions League. I expected this to be the sort of high profile game he would shine in.

I bet Wenger wished he let him go last summer for 30 million pounds. He will do well to command such a fee now for the Togo striker.

You also have to question the Frenchman’s handling of Lassana Diarra. He is exactly the type of player they require now and it makes you wonder how he let him slip away. Would that have happened six or seven years ago? Again, probably no.

Despite my views on Wenger’s decision-making, I also believe Wenger has had his hands tied to a certain extent. The building of the stadium has restricted him in the transfer market, although he is also very stubborn and frugal. It must be his degree in Economics. You certainly wouldn’t find Wenger claiming for expenses.

Chelsea and Manchester United, and even Liverpool have bigger spending power. The record signings of these clubs illustrate that, and the Emirates club are in far less debt than any of the other ‘big four’. But fans demand instant success.

Wenger has given the Arsenal faithful some wonderful memories, but is it time to move on? He has not won the Champions League, something I believe hinders him in the transfer market, despite the obvious pull factor of London.

Although Andrey Arshavin was signed in January, I actually believe that many big name players are put off by the club’s lack of success in Europe, or maybe the fact that they cannot command such a high salary. But this has been the case for many years, it just appears that Wenger has lost the knack of solving this conundrum.

Wenger hasn’t just fallen behind Chelsea in recent years, but has also fallen behind Liverpool. The former Highbury club finished in the top two every year between 1998 and 2005. However, they have finished fourth in three of the last four seasons, and 2006 aside have never looked close to winning the Champions League.

It would be sad to see Wenger go, but maybe he has finally taken Arsenal as far as he can. It was interesting to see him say that Florentino Perez being voted in at Real Madrid was ‘an interesting project’. Perez is a long time admirer of Wenger and it would be an interesting proposition for the Arsenal boss.

The Strasbourg born coach has surprised us before and could well do it again. But me, like many others did not expect Arsenal to be so far off the top of the league this year. They team even had five consecutive goalless draws in January and February, something un-heard of among Wenger’s usual free flowing, prolific teams.

The speculation regarding Pat Rice’s departure from the club only adds substance to the possibility of the Frenchman ending his 13-year association with the club. He was even quoted in one newspaper recently, criticising the Arsenal fans and stating they were destroying his players’ confidence.

Whether you love or loath Wenger, you cannot deny the impact he has made. But have other managers just caught him up now? He was a revolutionary in English football, but seems to have reached a plateau.

One thing is for sure. All is not well at the Emirates, despite last week’s reports.

WHO SHOULD REALLY BE THE PREMIERSHIP MANAGER OF THE YEAR?

2009-05-12T07:16:00.000-07:00

Sir Alex Ferguson will almost certainly win the manager of the year award once again. And if the seasonal awards are based on trophies won then it is the right decision.

However, football management is so much more than winning, so everything should be analysed relatively.

I’ve followed football for over twenty years, and I have never known there to be so many contenders for manager of the year.

Along with Sir Alex, there is David Moyes at Everton, Roy Hodgson at Fulham, Gianfranco Zola at West Ham, Harry Redknapp at Spurs, Sam Allardyce at Blackburn, Tony Pullis at Stoke and even Gary Megson at Bolton. These names are all contenders in my opinion, and all deserve a mention.

At the end of most seasons, the manager of the Champions will win the award. And, as Manchester United are also in the European Cup Final, and won the League Cup, Ferguson does, of course, present a very good case.

However, every year we expect Manchester United to be challenging on all fronts.

Last year United won both the League and the European Cup, so in a perverse way it’s not really an improvement. Even their points total is going to be approximately the same as the last two seasons. Maybe the League Cup victory could be the difference.

For me, the major, decisive factor is who has improved his team so much, its almost incredible to believe?

Firstly, there is Roy Hodgson. With two games to go, his team is 14 points and ten places above last season’s final position. The Cottagers also have the fourth best defensive record, and are currently in the last EUROPA Cup position.

Hodgson has also conducted himself quietly and acted like a gentlemen.

An outside contender has to be Gianfranco Zola. He probably won’t win the award, but when you take into account the financial and internal problems at West Ham, and the players he’s had to sell, the Italian has done a terrific job. They are currently ninth, but could still finish seventh.

In recent months, the East Londoners have also been consistent and have never looked in trouble after Christmas. Zola has also moulded together a team of youngsters who play excellent possession football, and, as always he has conducted himself with dignity and humour. He is also very new to management, and has proved many doubters wrong after a difficult start to his reign at Upton Park.

The former Parma and Chelsea star demands respect from his players due to the player he was, while his gentle manner will probably mean he won’t fall out with players very often. He has a bright future…

Harry Redknapp also has to be a major contender for manager of the year. When he took over Tottenham, the team had two points from eight games. They now lie in eighth position, two points off a European place. His team have taken 46 points from 28 games since he became manager, and they also got to a cup final.

After such a poor start, Redknapp also had to build the players confidence, sand that would have taken some doing after the disastrous Ramos period. When the former West Ham and Portsmouth boss took over at White Hart Lane, he was just expected to keep his team up. He has exceeded expectations.

Some people will point at the money that Spurs have spent, but these are not really his players, and they are already up on last season’s position and total, despite such a dreadful start. He has also helped make Heurelho Gomes into a decent keeper. That, alone, deserves the award.

Sam Allardyce at Blackburn Rovers has not been mentioned much in the media as a possible contender. However, after the difficult period of stewardship under Paul Ince, it would have taken a lot to lift those players. The Lancashire club were on a horrible losing streak and were five points adrift at the bottom when Alladyce took over in December.

Rovers have now reached the magical 40 points with two games left and are now looking at a mid table finish.

Once again, the former Bolton boss has proved himself to be a terrific boss under pressure and a motivator of players. In fact, the position that Newcastle are currently in reinforces his track record, as it showed they were in a terrible state long before he was in the North East.

It just illustrates how well Allardyce was actually doing when he was there. I bet the St James’ faithful wish they were in mid-table now.

I believe ‘Big Sam’ has not been mentioned much in the reckoning because people expected him to turn Blackburn around. But, he has achieved what he was appointed for and more. It’s just a shame he acted like such a child as Ferguson’s ally against Rafa Benitez in the recent spat. That was pathetic.

Much has been said about Tony Pullis and the football that Stoke City play, but I for one, think he deserves all the credit he gets.

You have to think back to the start of the season when there was nobody, even many of their own fans, who thought Stoke would stay up.

The Staffordshire club have been criticised for their style of football and their use of Rory Delap’s long throws. But, how many of their goals have actually come from his long throws? Pullis’ team get the ball forward quickly, but they also defend with bravery and guts and do use the full width of the pitch to full effect. It’s up to the other teams to combat this.

It must be noted that they have beaten Arsenal and drawn twice with Liverpool.

James Beattie and Matthew Ethrington have been inspired signings and the club have not only escaped relegation, they are 11 points clear of the bottom three and now lie in 12th place. They have comfortably avoided relegation and their home record and home support are fantastic.

Stoke have been an alternative and passionate addition to the Premiership, and have surprised us all. Pullis also still has many of the players who helped the team up last year. Everything he has done has gone against everyone’s predictions.

The Stoke manager would be my choice as boss of the year. He gets on with his job and doesn’t moan about decisions going against him. He has also spent the majority of his managerial career in the lower divisions, making this achievement even more impressive.

David Moyes, contrary to popular opinion, has had money to spend in recent years. Yakubu, Fellani and Lescott have all been big money signings.

However, the unfortunate thing is that Yakubu and Saha have been injured since the turn of the year, and that’s why he deserves so much credit.

Everton have stayed inside the top six without any strikers and have had to play midfielders or youth team players as centre forwards. Mikel Arteta, possibly the team’s most creative player, has been out since February, and the club have reached the FA Cup Final, despite all those injuries.

The Merseysiders have also set a club record for clean sheets, and three of their back four have been in the England squad.

Moyes has to be a major contender. He has consolidated the club’s league position, but is also in the mix for trophies.

Gary Megson is perhaps a controversial choice. He is not particularly popular, even with some Bolton fans. He is also perceived to have a lack of charisma.

However, when Megson came into the job last season, they were bottom of the Premiership. They unexpectedly escaped relegation, but he was rightly criticised for not taking Europe serious and fielding a weakened team.

This year Bolton have been a mid table team and beaten the teams in and around them regularly. They have never looked in trouble, and I personally think that they have some really dynamic players and play some decent football.

Megson deserves a mention, considering some of the stick he has received in the past.

Ferguson is bound to win it again, but as I said previously, it’s all relative.Tony Pullis did not have any sort of track record at the very highest level, but now, none of us can say that.

What is particularly interesting is that five of these managers are English. Maybe we are not such a bad bunch of managers after all and can actually manage at the highest level. If only they were given the chance more often.

He should be advertising umbrellas, but did we judge Steve McClaren too soon..?

2009-05-05T04:23:00.000-07:00

Steve McClaren has become a bit of a laughing stock in this country, but is that really fair?

Who can forget his forlorn figure trudging off the Wembley pitch in the pouring rain, clutching an umbrella, after his last game as England manager.

However, following his unsuccessful stint as England boss, the Yorkshire man has reinvented himself in Holland this season.

Last August, I watched a very amusing clip of McClaren giving an interview to a Dutch journalist, and he was speaking English, whilst trying to imitate a foreign accent. It was cringe-worthy, but many of us do actually do this, quite naturally. I certainly do, living in China.

I couldn’t stop laughing at McClaren for producing yet another comical moment in a whole recent series of comical moments, but in all honestly, it’s unfair to judge the man’s career on his failing's as England manager.

At that time, I was just joining the flock of seagulls gathering, hoping that McClaren would fail again. But his successes in the Netherlands have certainly made many of us think again.

McClaren was a terrific coach at Derby and Manchester United, and has actually become a decent manager. He was carried off the pitch like a messiah by his players on Saturday, following FC Twente’s 3-0 win over AZ Alkmaar, the newly crowned Dutch Champions.

The result ensured that McClaren's team, FC Twente, would finish second in the Dutch Eredivisie. This is, without any doubt, a superb achievement.

Some insular journalists and supporters will ignorantly point out that it’s ‘only the Dutch League’, but we have to put this achievement into context.

PSV Eindhoven, Ajax and Feyenood are all historic European clubs.

Ajax have won the European Cup four times and have reached the last eight as recently as 2003. PSV reached the Champions League quarter finals only two years ago, beating Arsenal, while Feyenoord won the UEFA Cup as recently as 2002.

These clubs are so powerful across the North Sea and are the equivalent of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal in the English game.

McClaren has, to use a familiar analogy, taken a club like West Ham or Manchester City (big clubs, but not superpowers) automatically into the Champions League.

The former national coach has been playing an attacking 4-3-3 system for most of the season and has, according to some reports in Holland, helped to dispel the myth that English coaches can only play one way.

If Twente beat Heereveen on May 17th and lift the Dutch Cup, it will be the most successful season in their history. What more can you ask from the man?

It might be easy to be nostalgic at the Riverside, due to their current league position, but the majority of Middlesbrough fans appreciate that McClaren did a very good job as boss.
He gave them the best times they’ve ever had.

After reaching three domestic cup final under Bryan Robson in the late 90s, McClaren took the club to another level, after being appointed in 2001. He actually started off very badly, losing his first five league games, but you always know that Steve Gibson, the Boro chairman, will give his managers time, and his decision was justified. Boro finished a solid 12th in that first season and also reached the FA Cup semi finals.

McClaren did have money to spend in his five years on Teeside, but that doesn’t always guarantee success, and he steadily built the club into a major force during the middle of the decade.

Following another mid table finish in 2003, the club celebrated the first silverware in their history in 2004 by beating Bolton Wanderers in the Carling Cup Final. It also took them into Europe for the first time. Many journalists seem to conveniently forget this stunning achievement.

In fact, before Harry Redknapp won the FA Cup with Portsmouth last season, McClaren was the last English manager to win a major trophy.

The following season was, to some extent, even better. The team became a team to be reckoned with in the Premiership and was fighting for a European place all season. They became very tough to beat, especially at home, and also, at times, played some fine attacking football with players such as Viduka, Hasslebank and Zenden well nurtured by McClaren, and reproducing their best form.

The club finished seventh in 2005 and qualified for Europe in dramatic style on the last day of the season. The Leeds born manager had overseen another very successful campaign.

Another trip into Europe followed, and, having given a good account of themselves the previous season, Middlesbrough excelled beyond all expectations in 2005-06.

The Riverside club produced thrilling, classic second leg comebacks against Steua Bucharest and FC Basle. They also beat AS Roma along the way, in a match that proved McClaren could mix it tactically against strong Serie A teams.

The only major blip that year, was a Boro fan approaching McClaren’s bench during a 4-0 home defeat to Aston Villa and throwing his shirt at the future England boss. The team were 17th at that point in February, but in the next match beat the Champions, Chelsea, 3-0. They eventually eased away from safety and reached the FA Cup semi finals again.

McClaren’s side eventually went on to lose the UEFA Cup final in Eindhoven, but it was still a fantastic run, and had given the club’s supporters an unforgettable experience.

McClaren had had three terrific seasons with Boro, and landed the England job. However, in hindsight, he probably over achieved and wasn’t ready. Of course, this is easy to say now.

His time with the national team was a disaster, and was a reign filled with criticism and anguish.

A team including players such as Gerrard, Rooney, Lampard, Ferdinand, Joe and Ashley Cole, John Terry and Michael Owen should not be failing to qualify for a major championship. This is especially true, when the team are the top seeds in the group.

However, it is also important to be objective.

McClaren did make mistakes, and made some strange decisions. Some of them were very public, and showed a lack of experience.

He tried to stamp down his authority early, by dropping David Beckham. It famously backfired, and the Real Madrid man was recalled.

However, Fabio Capello also tried this tactic at Real Madrid, and look what he has achieved and where he is now. It’s often all about luck, as well as judgement.

Steve McClaren certainly did not have much luck as England boss. At times, so many things conspired against him, and I personally think some players let him down with their performances.

England went to Russia in the penultimate game knowing that a win would put them through to Euro 2008 with a game to spare. Rooney scored, but at 1-0 Steven Gerrard missed a chance that nine times out of ten he would have scored.

At 2-0 the game would have been all but over and England would have qualified. In acres of space, 15 yards out, coming in from the left on the half volley and on his right foot, Gerrard, with his technique and ability would normally bury such an opportunity. He didn’t and it proved to be a crucial miss.

Would Gerrard have missed that chance for Liverpool? Who knows, but it was a turning point and pretty much cost McClaren his job. Any England manager cannot legislate for his players making these errors of judgment, especially players with the quality of Gerrard.

In the last group game at home to Croatia, McClaren was desperately unlucky again. He had no first choice centre halves or full backs. Gary Neville, Terry, Ferdinand and Ashley Cole were all injured. His first choice strikers, Heskey, Rooney and Owen, were also unfit.

It is all very well saying that England deserved to go out of that group as the results were not good enough, but McClaren was without seven of his usual first eleven that night, and this has often not been mentioned. Of course it was a huge factor.

McClaren's case was also reinforced by the fact that both Russia and Croatia performed exceptionally well at the European Championships.

On the other hand, this also just increases the disappointment, and shows what McClaren might have achieved with just a little more insight.

The fact is, that England should have been good enough to qualify with ease and the campaign should not have gone to the wire. Nothing, however, is so clear and simple in football, and the England manager’s job is one of the toughest there is.

You have to respect Steve McClaren though. He has put his reputation on the line in Holland, and proved that he has talent. In all intense and purposes he’s a nice guy, who was too young for the England job. The FA just felt obliged to appoint an Englishman and he got the short straw.

But it was also an opportunity very few turn down.

He needed more experience, but he has shown he is more than capable. He has also proved himself in a foreign country, which is a testament to him and his ambition.

McClaren has now been linked with Sunderland, but shouldn’t he stay in Holland? FC Twente are already in the Champions League proper.

If he does stay, and I hope he does, maybe now he can really prove himself at the highest level of club football. Then, maybe some of us, can be left with at least a small egg on our face, and start thinking of some different umbrella scenario’s to jest about.