Post Match Pint

Ridsdale wastes no time in swinging the axe

2011-12-14T15:14:00.000Z

Preston chairman has wasted no time in stamping his authority in club, sacking the club’s manager Phil Brown barely a week in the job.

Brown took over the Lancashire club last January and was immediately plunged into a relegation battle.

Those who bet on the Championship certainly fancied Brown’s men to lose their fight against the drop, which they duly did, given the desperate nature of the situation it did not reflect poorly on Brown.

However, what was expected was a sustained assault on the League One title or at the very least a crack at the play-offs.

However, the season has not panned out as expected, with a mid-season run of 10 games without a win plunging them down to 10th – though they are still just five points off the play-off positions.

A statement released by Ridsdale pointed to a poor run of football scores as the key reason to letting Brown leave, though given Ridsdale has only been in the job eight days I suspect a clean slate was always on his mind.

It will do little to ease tensions among the Preston support, both about their league position and the arrival of Ridsdale. The spectre of Leeds United’s implosion still follows him round, seemingly becoming stronger with each rebuttal of responsibility that comes from his lips.

His repeated declaration that United’s troubles only occurred after he had left, following years of relative success under his watch, was scoffed at and mocked in equal measure, given their years of ‘living the dream’ was largely due to the irresponsible and unsustainable lending by Ridsdale and his fellow directors, and the troubles after – for which they are still paying the price – were similarly linked to his rash spending.

Is time at similarly cash-strapped clubs Barnsley, Cardiff and Plymouth has done little to repair his reputation – rightly or wrongly – and his first act at Preston has only deepened the sense of foreboding as to the club’s imminent future.

Dalglish uses DVD to point out ref failings

2011-12-09T13:41:00.001Z

Manager’s moaning about referee’s is nothing new, it has always gone and probably will always go on. But Kenny Dalglish took things to another level by playing a DVD during his weekly press conference to point out examples of where his club were hard done by against Fulham last Monday.

The game, which the Red eventually lost 1-0, also landed Liverpool in trouble with the FA after Luis Suarez was charge after giving the Fulham fans the finger, while the club was charged for failing to control their players after they surrounded referee Kevin Friend following Jay Spearing’s dismissal.

Dalglish though was not going to take any punishment lying down, and could not help but let his frustration at the FA pour out in front of the media. The Scot was angered further from he sees as double standards following the FA’s successful appeal to downgrade Wyane Rooney’s England suspension from three games to two, meaning he can play in England’s final group game at Euro 2012.

"If anyone wants to see the truth it's on the screen," Dalglish said.

"If we have infringed rules we will have to accept it and take the punishment, but I'm not certain what the rules are when it comes to disputing a decision," he added. “What I do know is that referees are inconsistent with their interpretations. The only intent in Jay's mind was to get the ball, and normally our discipline is good, as our film clip can prove.

We just want to be dealt with fairly," Dalglish said. "We want the same rules to apply to us as to everyone else. At Fulham I think we got the short end of a lot of 50-50 decisions that on another night might have gone our way. Anyone watching the clips can see that for themselves."

What Dalglish fails to recognise is that he isn’t the only manager who feels hard done by referees. In live football games across the country it is an almost weekly occurrence, and often managers do have video evidence to make their case.

Earlier in the season Dalglish was the beneficiary of a generous sending off by Martin Atkinson of Everton’s Jack Rodwell for a challenge that was barely even a foul. Dalglish, however, said he ‘didn’t see’ the incident.

To be honest I think Dalglish knows decisions swing this way and that, he surely has so too much experience to really think Liverpool – not too long ago one of the ‘big four’ – are picked up by referee’s.

Instead I think he is merely playing the game, trying to influence referee’s by manipulating the press – something Sir Alex Ferguson has mastered over the years.

Will it work and turn the football scores in his favour? Well, he has a task if he is to rescue Luis Suarez’s reputation, mud thrown in the direction of ‘divers’ tends to stick in the English game, rightly or wrongly.

But apart from that I would not be surprised if a ‘favourable’ decision goes the way of the Reds in the near future.

Bruce goes, Kean surely next?

2011-12-01T17:04:00.001Z

So Steve Kean at least avoided the ignominy of becoming the Premier League’s first coach to be sacked thi season. Poor old Steve Bruce has taken that title for him.

But with Rovers propping up the rest of the division and slung out of the Carling Cup by Cardiff in midweek, most managers in Kean’s position would be nervously awaiting a phone call from the chairman.

But in the bizarre world of Blackburn Rovers such performance earns you a pay-rise. Venkys’ loyalty to Kean is admirable and they do have a point when they say that stability is crucial to success. But that is only if you have the right man in charge.

Kean, with no managerial experience, was seemingly plucked from nowhere to replace Sam Allardyce (though the coincidence that he has the same agent as the company who brokered the Venkys deal raises suspicions).

His run of just six wins in 33 games is well and truly relegation form and his post-match interviews and denials of his teams’ failings are increasingly baffling.

If Ellis Short, Sunderland chairman, pointed to a furious supporter reaction towards Bruce as a key reason to sack his manager then Kean should have gone long ago.

A section of supporters – growing in number despite what Kean says – are demanding his resignation and have held several supporters protests before during and after games, even going as far as hiring a plane to fly a 'Kean out' banner over Ewood Park.

The football betting has Kean favourite to be the next manager sacked, but it seems Venkys are determined to keep their man, with a new contract on improved terms so appallingly timed that it merely acted as a slap in the face for the supporters who had forced the owners to leave a game at Wigan at half time such was the level of abuse aimed in their direction.

Games against Sunderland and Swansea set Rovers up for the bust festive period, with the fear of being bottom on Christmas day looming (only one team in the Premier League era has been bottom on December 25 and stayed up – WBA in 2005). If the club fail to get wins in either of those two games then Venkys would surely be forced to act, if not I would bet on the Championship welcoming Rovers next August.

But such is the rapid deterioration of the club since they took charge a little over 12 months ago, the question would be – who on earth would want to replace him?

AVB speculation sums up Chelsea’s weakness

2011-11-25T16:04:00.001Z

"I don't agree [that I need help.] I don't solve problems on my own; I solve problems with my group of people and my group of players.

Says Andre Villas-Boas, who apparently is already under pressure in his role as Chelsea manager.

True, they face a fight to stay in the Champions League and the premier league odds have drifted to 14/1, but it is still a ludicrous suggestion, but one that is symptomatic of the Abramovich era at Stamford Bridge.

When the Russian took over Chelsea in 2003 and promptly set Claudio Ranieri on a wild spending spree designed to turn the club into the world’s best; critics – now doubt fuelled with a tinge of jealousy – argued they had sold part its soul in exchange for riches.

That argument looked weak when Jose Mourinho led the club two consecutive league titles – the first in particular a near perfect campaign from start to finish.

However, Abramovich became greedy and didn’t just want titles, he wanted to do it with attacking flair, rather than Mourinho’s conservative but effective tactics. Not to mention his burning desire to win the Champions League.

That led to him interfering into club affairs and the start of a succession of incidents that have undermined the man in the manager’s hot-seat at the Bridge.

First of all, Abramovich chose to sign Andrei Shevchenko for £30million. A player Mourinho didn’t want but had forced upon him, while also preventing him from having any cash to spend in the following transfer window.

With Mourinho’s position undermined by backroom appointments he called it quits in September 2007, and there began a succession of crises, manager sackings and a seemingly endless spiral of revival and failure.

What also needs to be pointed out is as a clique in the dressing room – we all know the names – that appear to wield a corrosive power at Stamford Bridge.

The unassuming Avram Grant was deemed not good enough despite leading them to second and a European cup final. Luis Felipe Scolari lasted seven months while Guus Hiddink was a temporary fix.

Carlo Ancelotti led them to a magnificent double but standing still is as good as going backwards and a failure to foresee (or able to deal with) an aging and depreciation of a once great squad - as well as more backroom undermining - cost him dear.

Not that it was all his fault, Abramovich is clearly a man who gets what he wants and reacts wildly if he doesn’t.

So off went Carlo and in came Andre Villas-Boas, to the tune of £13million compensation to Porto. Now with just four months of live football in the Premier League under his belt he is under pressure.

It can be argued that the pressure was hyped up by the media – this is given weight by revelations that Roman has actually backed AVB and denied his job is under threat. English press in over hyping story shocker.

But chaos breeds uncertainty and the press are merely following on the pattern that has been set before.

It may hurt and be an unusual feeling for someone for whom money is the ultimate short-cut, but Abramovich may have to see things get worse before they get better. It may though lead to the type of success he was craving when he breezed into the Bridge eight years ago.

Ashley ends 118 years of history with Newcastle stadium re-brand

2011-11-10T10:14:00.001Z

Mike Ashley certainly has an impeccable sense of timing. Whenever Newcastle are going well the club’s owner always seems to cause unnecessary disruption and incur further wrath from the supporters.

His latest act is to rename the club’s home – St James’ Park – the Sports Direct Arena, after his own company. With their shirt sponsor due for renewal next summer, Ashley is hoping to provide potential sponsors a taste of what it could be like for a combined shirt and sponsorship deal, similar to the ones seen at Arsenal and Manchester City.

It is a typical hard-nosed business decision from Ashley, a man who holds no room for sentiment when it comes to making money.

However, the uneasy marriage of business and football that has grown since the dawn of the Premier League has often left sentiment – something supporters hold dear – out in the cold.

Newcastle have played at St James’ Park since 1880 and the fans are hugely proud of their history and heritage. They see this move as a slap in the face and ignorant of their history. The timing is also pretty rotten, given the club are currently defying the football betting to sit in third place in the Premier League table following and unbeaten start to the season.

In a statement, United managing director Derek Llambias explained: "Our aim for Newcastle United is to continue to deliver success for the fans and everyone associated with the club. We must make this club financially self-sufficient in order to deliver that success.

"To grow sustainably and allow us to invest in our future, we will need to rely increasingly heavily on commercial income.

"These are very difficult economic times and the board have a responsibility to maximise all revenue streams for the benefit of the club."

The idea makes sense, but given the past few months has seen the likes of Kevin Nolan, Andy Carroll and Joey Barton al leave with much of the cash received banked, the supporters feels their positive football scores this season are despite of Ashley and not because of him. This latest move is the equivalent of asset stripping the history of the club for profit and the fans are now hoping this disruption will not negatively affect a wonderful start that has given them hopes for a bright future after a difficult few seasons.

Sven sacking the price paid for rich ownership

2011-10-26T16:38:00.003+01:00

It cannot be denied that Leicester’s current position of 13th is not really good enough for a club that spent in excess of £15million over the summer and has the highest wage bill in the Championship.

But in what remains an immensely truncated division, the Foxes are just three points off fifth place and only a further four off the automatic promotion places. Having a bet on the Championship is a wildly unpredictable exercise these days.

Yet those facts didn’t appear to matter to the board of Leicester City, who sacked their manager Sven Goran Eriksson just 13 months into the job.

From the outside it seems extremely harsh – it does need to be considered that we don’t know the internal workings of the club and any faltering relationships between players and staff. Yet still, just three months into a season with such heavy investment it seems needlessly disruptive to sack a manager and his assistant, with the various compensation costs that such a venture brings, and install a new man in charge, who will bring his own ideas and players to the table.

It appears though that it is the price you pay for wealthy ownership these days. Leicester have already been compared to Chelsea, who have had the benefit of Roman Abramovich’s millions to spend but have also gone through seven managers as the Russian seeks instant success.

It is this doubled edge sword that makes the take-over of football by rich owners as worrying trend in the long-term (the uber rich and imminently successful Man City apart, though so vast is their wealth, they should be treated as a unique case). This constant hiring and firing, throwing good money after bad and the spiralling wages and transfer fees is going to eventually lead to a total meltdown and a number of clubs hitting the wall.

Back to Leicester and it seems Martin O’Neill is the favourite in the football betting and the man the fans seem to want back. The Irishman enjoyed tremendous success with the club at the turn of the century, establishing them in the top ten of the Premier League and winning the League Cup twice.

However, putting to one side the adage that you should never go back, would O’Neill want to risk his reputation by going to a club with trigger happy owners?

Rumours are he is seeking reassurances of both funds and patience, which if intertwined is an appealing combination for a football manager. But should O’Neill take the job, despite the inevitable hero’s welcome he would – and should – receive – he must know that only success, and quick, will see him last longer than his predecessor.

Kean finds no home comforts in India

2011-10-10T17:21:00.001+01:00

A mid-season tour of India was supposed to provide SteveKean with a bit of relief from the storm brewing among the terraces at EwoodPark.

Instead it has merely fuelled the fires, with a ‘Kean out’banner somehow making the journey to Asia with him and unfurled during afriendly and a third supporter protest planned upon his return.

He has received the backing of owners Venkys for now, thoughthey admit football scores needto improve.

However, speak to most fans and they see the Indian ownersas much of the problem as Kean.

The circumstances by which Sam Allardyce was sacked and Keanappointed raised suspicions and when you get off onto an uneasy start with supporters,you need to turn things round and fast.

Kean hasn’t, and neither has Venkys.

The Scot has won only nine games in nearly a year in charge,relying on a final day victory against Wolves to stay in the Premier Leaguelast May.

Five months later, five defeats from their opening sevengames has seen the Lancashire club slump to second bottom, and the natives are restless.

The owners must also take their share of the blame. Theyarrived with outlandish claims about Blackburn piercing the top six. I am notsuggesting it isn’t possible, but it won’t happen with the methods they are adopting,mainly name-dropping but then failing to deliver (Raul, Ronaldinho etc...)sacking an experienced boss and hiring a rookie replacement and embarking on a series of pr disasters which merely reinforces the feeling among some supportersthat they are merely in it to improve their brand in the UK and even if they docare for the club, their lack of experience in football management is startingto show. If things don’t change I would bet on relegation at the end of the season.

They now face a crucial few months which could define theirseason and immediate future. If Kean can spark a mini-revival and quell the dissentersthen this season can be salvaged.

However, when fans are unhappy it is very hard to win themback and so it will take decisiveness from Venkys to decide if and when theyshould replace Kean - the owners of West Ham admit they did not replace AvramGrant before it was too late. While I don’t like to see managers sacked butKean is approaching that point of no return and only a sharp upturn in results,I feel, will save him.

Moyes’ stance with Saha the right thing to do

2011-09-21T15:43:00.000+01:00

Premier League footballers and their mis-use of Twitter is rapidly becoming the primary source of news and entertainment for journalists and fans alike.

Free from the oppressive, bland media-trained arena of post-match press rooms, the modern day player on the internet is worryingly loose cannon for managers, with supporters and journos waiting on every tweet.

Whereas previously if footballers were frustrated they would shout their mouth off – at worst – in a pub, the dawn of social networking sites has made it easier to not only talk before they engaged their brain to the consequences, but also to spread it across the world in only a few minutes.

Not that Twitter is all bad, it has a flip-side that has allowed players and supporters to engage in way not seen since the commercialisation of the game 20 years ago rendered player celebrities who had no real connection with the clubs and supporters that paid them so handsomely.

But its compelling force for good matters little to managers like David Moyes when one of his players rants about not being selected before storming out of the ground.

Louis Saha is the player in question after he was left out of the squad for last Saturday’s game with Wigan for refusing to play in the reserves the previous Wednesday.

This is a striker, it has to be pointed out, who for most of his career has lurched from one serious injury to another, appearing to spend more time on the treatment table then playing live football, but who Moyes still took a chance on back in 2008.

At 33-years-old he isn’t getting any younger either, and the ravages of time will make his already fragile body even more brittle.

With finances tight at Goodison Park Moyes knows he not only needs everyone pulling in the right direction, but also to be fit enough to get the football scores the club needs to keep them in the upper reaches of the table - any hint of relegation will send the already worried bank managers into overdrive.

Therefore Moyes has every right to be careful with the Frenchman, especially as he hasn’t started a game for six months. For Saha to act like he did was childish, petulant and from what we can gather, out of character.

I must applaud Moyes’ tough stance though. Small squad or not he can’t afford to let players become comfortable in their positions in the side, there needs to be competition for places, even if much of it is an illusion.

For Saha it certainly isn’t an illusion anymore. Everton’s usually thin forward line has been boosted by the arrival of Argentinean forward Denis Stracqualursi and emergence of young Greek forward Apostos Velios, who nodded the vital second against the Latics on Saturday.

Tim Cahill has also been pressed into action as a emergency lone front man, proving that Moyes can be equally stubborn when proving a point to rule-breaking players.

I’m sure deep down Moyes knows he can’t afford to let go of Saha given the paucity of funds to buy a replacement – certainly one of Saha’s ability. However, discipline must be paramount if the club is to get the best out of his players – a hallmark of the soon-to-be ten year Moyes era.

Hopefully a further chance to reflect on his behaviour instead of playing in Wendesday's match against West Brom will be enough for Saha to put down his phone and concentrate on getting fit.

England need to be professional against improving Wales

2011-09-05T13:13:00.000+01:00

For those looking in on England’s progress over the past decade, it is clear that both supporters and media oscillate wildly from boundless optimism to the depths of despair.

The Three Lions are either World-beaters or a bunch of over-paid prima donnas not worthy of the shirt – you would be led to believe anyway.

The feeling has certainly been leaning towards the latter over the past year, as the fall-out from the disastrous 2010 World Cup continues to hang over Wembley like a bad smell.

However, a new season brings new optimism and following a convincing 3-0 win over Bulgaria in the first live football of the new international season that got England’s Euro 2012 qualifying campaign back on track, suddenly all the talk is of ‘new eras’ and ‘daring to dream’.

This is, of course, all part of being an England fan and the need to take a bucket load of salt with each glowing or scathing reference of the side has never been more important than when assessing the progress of Capello’s generation.

Hence why I feel the Italian should urge caution ahead of the crucial clash with Wales at Wembley on Tuesday.

It is a game, by rights, England should win easily. As bizarre as the FIFA rankings are they aren’t that inaccurate to suggest the gap between the two sides is any smaller than the current 113 places.

But the ‘derby’ aspect should not be discounted, with players on both sides familiar with each other from domestic encounters. In one of the more eye-catching football scores on Friday, Wales were mightily impressive in beating Montenegro – something England failed to do of course . And although they will be without the influential duo David Vaughan and Craig Bellamy, the presence of Tottenham’s Gareth Bale is enough to keep the England defenders busy.

Damaging draws with Montenegro and Switzerland mean England are still behind schedule in terms of sealing qualification. A tricky trip to Podgorica for their final game means they simply cannot afford any more costly slip-ups. The Euro 2008 nightmare is already rearing its ugly head at the backs of England supporter’s minds.

But a professional performance against Gary Speed’s men will mean only a draw against Montenegro will suffice to ensure qualification – and getting draws away in final qualification group matches seems to be something England are, unbelievably, quite good at.

Toffees stuck in the recession

2011-09-05T11:48:00.001+01:00

It’s no secret that Everton have been relatively inactive in the transfer market this summer – and also that this inactivity was not necessarily through choice. It has been revealed by Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright that their hands are tied by the financial constraints of operating in post-recession Britain – and there have been more unsettling words to have come from the man in charge of the Goodison Park purse-strings:

“We've come to a stage with our bank where we just can't borrow any more. We know the situation at the moment: we cannot spend money like other clubs – that is sensible, even if it is not very popular – but at least we have been able to keep our best players.”

And it is this approach of keeping hold of their best players that has concerned a number of fans.

Their worst nightmares were realised on deadline day when influential play-maker Mikel Arteta was sold to Arsenal, with the player later stating that the club needed the money. With Jermaine Beckford and Yakubu also leaving, the arrival of two loan players is not going to do much to allay the fans fears over the size of David Moyes’ squad heading into the new campaign, as well as their ability to keep hold of other established stars the next time the transfer window opens.

Having finished seventh in the league last season despite a nightmare start to the season in which they collected just two points from their opening six Premier League matches, Everton will need improve their opening few football scores this year as the strong manner in which they tend finish seasons could push them towards European qualification rather than away from relegation.

Having had their first live football of the season against Spurs postponed in the wake of the London riots that sprung up in the Tottenham area, and then going on to lose their first home league game against newly-promoted QPR, Everton grabbed a somewhat fortuitous win away at Blackburn courtesy of a controversial 90th minute penalty.

It wasn’t a display to inspire confidence and with the Arteta sale following soon after, many fans have reached breaking point, with a protest planned for their next home game against Aston Villa to voice their dissatisfaction to a board they feel is slowly killing the club through stagnation and inactivity.

Miracle maker Moyes is once again going to have to pull anotehr rabbit out of the hat to keep Everton competitive this year. But the growing feeling is that he may not be willing to do so for much longer.

Premier League off to false start

2011-08-15T15:36:00.002+01:00

One of the many vagaries of the transfer window (of which I am totally against) is the pattern of behaviour that leads to a mad-dash on deadline day.

The 24-hours sports news channels love it, and to an extent so do the fans, but for the clubs it sabotages the opening weeks of the season.

Because after surveying the 18 clubs that took part in the opening round of games it is clear we can't judge how they will fare during the season as they have not yet completed their shopping, making Premier League betting an unpredictable exercise.

Chairman and managers, desperate to get the best deals for their clubs, will haggle right up until the deadline. One deal could then have a domino effect, cascading through the divisions as managers urgently seek replacements with their new found wealth. But these deals could have been completed several weeks earlier, but the looming transfer window constricts deals into a few frantic weeks, days or even hours.

Therefore the teams we saw on the pitch over the weekend are not perhaps reflective of the ones we will see on September 1st. This phoney start can prove costly, scaring managers into hasty purchases, cost sides precious early points or – in Arsenal's case, with a Champions League qualifier looming and no creative central midfield to speak of – the fruits of last season's hard labour.

The transfer window has given us some memorable moments and intense excitement different to live football. But that doesn't necessarily mean it is a good thing. I would much rather the window be abolished, or pushed back to before the start of the season. Short-term excitement may be lost (Jim White may be out of a job for starters) but in the long-term it can only be good for the game.

Coleman blow bitter pill to swallow for Moyes

2011-08-10T16:50:00.002+01:00

In the season previews I have read about Everton, most of them have stressed the importance of keeping their small squad fit and being lucky with injuries if they are to succeed.

So to have one of their brightest young prospects and key attacking threats, Seamus Coleman, crocked before the season began, is an ominous sign for the Toffees.

Coleman was injured following a heavy and needless challenge by Villarreal's Carlos Marchena in the first live football of the season at Goodison last Friday.

It was poor tackle for a competitive game let alone a match designed purely to get players fit. It threatened to turn the game sour, with Everton players looking for revenge and the supporters booing Marchena's every touch.

The night had already gone wrong for Coleman though, and although an x-ray revealed no break a scan a few days later showed ligament damage, meaning a two month lay-off is likely.

With options thin on the ground Moyes will have to try and juggle his resources – Leon Osman can play out wide, as can Mikel Arteta. But for a side that only used 20 players across the whole of last season even one injury can result in a serious squad re-shuffle.

They remain the only side in the country not to have added to their squad so far and although funds are tight, you would think Moyes would approach the situation with a bit more urgency given there are only a few weeks left of the transfer window.

The likes of Joseph Yobo and Yakubu need to be sold off in quick time to free up funds, even if they go for less than what the club want for them. I think the cost of inactivity while haggling for a transfer fee is doing more harm than good.

If Moyes can bring one or two players in (that is only what is needed) then the squad would be capable of challenging for a top six spot and are a handy shout in the FA Cup betting.

If they don't however, and Coleman's injury signals a torrent of further lay-offs, then things could go down hill quickly for Everton.

Everton tired of treading water

2011-08-05T13:57:00.002+01:00

If you look down Everton's squad it is hard to see why their fans are so restless at present.

They have a team packed full of internationals and promising youngsters, with one of the best young managers in the game at the helm.

But look beyond that and you will see the fragile nature of the current side. Even the most mild of injury crisis would leave the squad down to the bare bones,

Plus their lack of an out and out goalscorer – their Achilles heel on several occasions last season – as well as the lavish spending of some of their near rivals and it starts to become clear why Toffees fans are so concerned.

The board run a tight ship at Goodison, and admirably so. The restrictions of their ageing Goodison Park home and the lack of Champions League cash means they simply do not have the income streams to compete with their top six opponents. Added to that the debts racked up in previous regimes and the bank's reluctance to offer any more credit and it appears the club have no spare cash to offer David Moyes.

The fans who watch football live at Goodison were initially accepting of this and applauded the prudent policy – but that was in 2008. Since then no player has been signed without a significant player leaving.

They fear that the club is stagnating and although the team remains competitive, without investment ageing players will not be replaced and the club will go on the slide – their Premier League betting odds increase with each passing transfer window. The nightmare scenario for the fans is if David Moyes, decides he has had enough. He is largely credited with keeping the team competitive and getting the best out of his small squad, as well as picking up bargains from the lower leagues and turning them into internationals.

If Moyes goes, then the decline could become rapid, which is what is stoking the fears among the restless Goodison faithful.

Premier League betting preview 2011/12

2011-07-25T20:36:00.001+01:00

With the start of the Premier League season just around the corner now is the time to get all you season bets down with the bookmakers. The coming season looks an exciting and competitive one and one that certainly could through up a few surprises. So with this in mind we’ll be looking at all the betting for the season and try and find that extra bit of betting value to help win that little bit more from the bookies.

Probably the most popular betting market for season betting will be for the winner of the Premier League. This market is certainly more competitive than it has been down the years and the bookmakers are well aware of it. Currently, as many would expect, Manchester United are the bookmakers favourites with most of them offering 7/4 for Manchester United to lift the title. Although Paddy Power have decided to go alone and offer the best bookies odds of 9/5.

Chelsea are next in the running to win the Premier League and most bookies have them around the 5/2 mark although 3 bookmakers, Stan James, Victor Chandler and Coral bookies, are all offering the current best odds of 11/4. Will Chelsea be able to justify those odds? Well that is what will be an interesting topic that many will have already discussed, especially with a new young manager and the injury to Essien there could be some interesting times ahead for The Blues.

Third in the betting are a team that many people will be quietly fancying , last seasons FA Cup winners, Manchester City. The pressure will most definitely be on manager Roberto Mancini to get Manchester City in the fight to win the title with all the money they have spent. Although it does look like they will be without the services of Carlos Tevez they have the financial backing to buy an adequate replacement and the bookmakers are expecting Man City to be involved at the end of the season. The best betting odds for Manchester City to win the league are 4/1 that a few bookies are offering including Betfred and Coral bookies.

The bookmakers are suggesting that those 3 will be the main players in the race for the title as there is a bit of a gap in the odds to the next team in the betting, Arsenal. The Gunners have the best bookies odds of 9/1 with many bookmakers including William Hill and Blue Square, although they are as short as 7/1 with some bookies. Much of Arsenal’s chance does however revolve around whether they manage to keep hold of the Spaniard Cese Fabregas, with reports suggesting a move to Barcelona is on the cards.

A team we think might be a little outside bet is Liverpool. They have the Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish back in the hotseat and have splashed quite a bit of money about in the transfer window. Most of the bookies have Liverpool at 10/1 but Coral have stood out on their own and are offering the best odds of 11/1. That could be a very good bet as Coral bookies are also paying a third of the odds on each way bets if they finish in the top 2.

Realistically these 5 are just about all you can throw into the hat to actually win the title although it doesn’t mean there is not any value elsewhere to have. As mentioned with the Liverpool bet the bookmakers are offering each way terms of a third of the odds for a top 2 finish. This is where a little bet on Tottenham Hotspur could be worth a go. 50/1 is the best bookies odds on Spurs to win the league so if they manage to kick on from last season and break into the top 2 then that is superb betting value.

After Spurs the betting odds start to get a bit silly and to be fair not many people will really believe that the teams real can mount a serious challenge. Everton are pulling odds of 300/1 followed by Aston Villa with the best odds of 400/1. Then you start looking at really big prices with Newcastle and QPR both having the best odds of 2000/1. And if you really want to have a big price then look no further than either Norwich City or Swansea City to win the Premier League. Both Stan James and Bet365 are offering huge odds of 10,000/1 on either of those teams to upset the apple cart and win the title!

Shay Given – football's nearly man

2011-07-20T10:04:00.002+01:00

While no-one was particularly surprised when Shay Given finally moved from the Man City substitutes bench in order to find first-team football at Aston Villa, the signing of a FIVE year contract may have raised a few eyebrows.

After all the deal would take him past his 40^th birthday, old for even goalkeeping standards!

Then again, if you consider Villa's previous number one, Brad Freidel, is the same age Given will be when his contract expires, there may be method behind the apparent madness. Plus to look at the Irishman, you wouldn't think he was 35!

He should prove a shrewd buy by new Villa boss Alex McLeish. Given has been one of the most consistent and talented goalkeepers of his generation. In fact a few year ago I feel he was the best 'keeper in the league.

But such is the vagaries of football Given is yet to pick up a single honour in his career – I doubt the 2011 FA Cup winners medal means much considering he didn't play a single game all last season. Meanwhile someone like Raimond Van Der Gouw played 37 times in six years for Man United and picked up two Premier Leagues titles, an FA Cup and one Champions League.

He was perhaps guilty of being too loyal to Newcastle, though for much of his time in the North-east they were challenging at the right end of the division and playing in Europe – it is perhaps to his credit that he didn't spit his dummy out when things started to go wrong, like many modern footballers do.

Sadly, like another black-and-white hero Alan Shearer, the Magpies' chronic trophy drought denied him silverware his talent perhaps deserved.

When he did eventually leave the club were on their way to the Championship, beyond salvation, even for someone of his abilities.

The move to Manchester City therefore made sense – a club on the up, buying players left right and centre, it was perhaps the ideal move for him.

He can consider himself unlucky then to be nudged out of his first-team spot by Joe Hart just 18 months later. City's initial scatter gun policy of transfers left a whole raft of initial signings – the first part of the 'project' – out of the team (albeit on high wages) as a new round of players came in.

It's perhaps telling that while Given has made the move the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor, Craig Bellamy and Wayne Bridge are still in (a very lucrative) limbo.

The one thing on Given's side is that goalkeepers' careers cans stretch on longer than their outfield counter-parts. The length of his Villa deal is a sign that there is plenty of time -fitness permitting - for Given to pick up the honours his career perhaps deserves.

And if that did happen, I doubt few would be grudge him it.

Brought to you by Footballscores.com, check them out for all the latest scores during the upcoming season.

Villa making big mistake in McLeish move

2011-06-15T12:26:00.000+01:00

The relationship between the second city's two clubs was frosty anyway, but relations between Aston Villa and Birmingham are now enveloped in a full blown arctic winter following the resignation of Alex McLeish from St Andrews.

Given the boards of major football clubs tending to have itchy trigger fingers nowadays it is unusual to feel sorry for them. But, on this occasion I do have some sympathy with the Birmingham board as they have been let down by McLeish after sticking by him despite Birmingham's relegation.

Yes he won them the Carling Cup but two relegations in three Premier League seasons is more than enough ammunition to fire him - chairman have done so to others for a lot less in recent years.

But, instead the board stuck with their man and even gave them funds to strengthen the squad - despite the relative financial hardship brought on by relegation to the Championship.

So for McLeish to resign via email - while one of the club's chief executives was abroad trying to sign a player - is bizarre.

Also what is bizarre is Aston Villa's desire to interview him for their vacant manager's position. Surely they realise how corrosive such an appointment can be? Plus he is hardly a Jose Mourinho-type inspirational figure either is he?

A graduate of the rugged, aggressive and direct school of football, his style is not what the Villa fans are looking for (I'd love to see the train of thought that went from Roberto Martinez to McLeish) and his average Premier League record is not what the fans were hoping for when Gerard Houllier left the club last month either.

Randy Lerner has done a lot of good things since taking over Aston Villa, he has been fairly loose with the purse strings and always backed his manager 100%.

But I fear he is making a huge mistake in going after McLeish, and one he - and the supporters - may live to regret.

Liverpool revival sparks excitement for the future

2011-05-10T10:26:00.000+01:00

To a certain extent Kenny Dalglish was in a no lose situation when he took over at Liverpool in January. Things could barely have got any worse than it had under Roy Hodgson and Dalglish’s previous achievements as both player and manager at the club meant he would have had plenty of patience from the supporters should things have gone badly.

But I imagine even the Scot is surprised about how well things have gone and just how different the team is playing compared to those dark days under Hodgson. They aren’t just winning games they are blasting the opposition apart. Fulham are the latest victims though Newcastle, Birmingham and Man City have all felt the full force of the ride tide while Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have all failed to beat Liverpool under ‘King Kenny’.

All of a sudden the club find themselves in fifth place, a position that seemed like a pipe dream in the Online betting stakes back in January, and even fourth is a distant possibility should Man City implode.

There is an argument that the Europa League is a distraction Liverpool could do without next season. But they are also a club that prides itself on being in Europe every season, if UEFA have chosen to ruin the competition by endless meddling the that’s not Liverpool’s problem. Plus I get the feeling some of the younger players Dalglish has fielded this year will get more game time in Europe next campaign.

The pressure now for the Scot is to deal with raised expectations, brought about his own success in the past four months. Liverpool fans were already misty eyed about their glory years in the ‘70s and ‘80s when Dalglish was first appointed, now they are playing free flowing attacking football again the excitement about next season is palpable.

But Liverpool have their fair share of false dawns when it comes to title winning squads, with each big summer signing seemingly being the ‘final piece in the jigsaw’ to finally nudge ahead of bitter rivals Manchester United and claim the league title they once thought was theirs almost by default. By their high standards even fifth place is deemed failure, even with Dalglish at the helm.

Now is perhaps the time for the board to fulfil their side of the bargain and back Dalglish in the transfer market in the summer to ensure he can make the fans dreams a reality.

Premier League Blog nominations 2010/11 - The vote is on!

2011-04-26T10:20:00.001+01:00

What a nice surprise it was to recieve an email from the guys over at the excellent EPL Talk to say that I had been nominated for best EPL blog 2010-11.

Considering work pressure has meant PMP has been pushed into the background recently it is a bit of a surprise but a nice honour to be recognised. It is only the qualification round and there is stiff competition, but if you do have a spare few minutes and would care to vote for me it would be much appreciated.

Click here to see the full list

Cheers!

Javier Hernandez – Man United's new baby faced assassin

2011-04-26T09:45:00.002+01:00

Money is said to be the deciding factor in football these days, with the old skills of actually, managing, coaching and scouting players displaced by a crude game of rich men’s fantasy football.

But at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford on Saturday you saw both old and new school try to prove their worth. Yes, Manchester United are one of the richest clubs in the world but they have never gone for the scattergun approach to player recruitment, in fact they have barely spent a penny since selling Ronaldo for £80million.

But they did spend £6million – or four Joleon Lescotts – on Javier Hernandez. Few had heard of the little Mexican striker when he joined last summer and many wondered whether Fergie was signing ‘lesser’ players in light of greater financial muscle among his Premier League rivals.

But how wrong have we all been proved as Hernandez – or Chicharito - as he is affectionately known – has hit 19 goals, many of the crucial like the opening goal in the Champions League clash with Chelsea and the late winner against Everton on Saturday,

United fans may see shades of another baby faced striker in Hernandez – Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer. The Norwegian was signed for just £1.5million in 1996 and again was a relative unknown at the time. But he went on to become a cult hero with the United fans as he always had the habit of scoring at the right time – most famously in the Champions League final back in 1999.

Contrast those two with Fernando Torres, who has endured a torrid time since moving to Chelsea, as well as £28million man Edin Dzeko at Man City, and it becomes clear that while money can buy you a lot, it isn’t the sole attribute needed for success. Both Torres and Dzeko have undoubted quality, but sometimes a player needs the right club, team-mates coaches and environment. I feel those two were brought in for their price tag alone, chucked onto the pitch and expected to perform, Whereas Hernandez was brought with the long term in mind, has slowly been allowed to settle in, and is now rewarding the boss with results.

Dzeko and Torres both opened the Premier League accounts last weekend, suggesting money does buy you quality in the end, but Fergie’s ‘little pea’ proves there are exceptions to that rule.

England fans are as tired with the media as they are with Capello

2011-03-29T11:33:00.000+01:00

International friendlies – especially those involving England – are never the most sparkling of affairs. But Tuesday’s game with Ghana is actually one that could be more entertaining than most, mainly due to the huge 21,000 away support that will provide the usually dour Wembley with some atmosphere.

It is frustrating then that the press have once again towed a negative line in the build-up to the game. Just like the string of England managers before him Fabio Capello can seemingly do no right and his decision to send five players home has resulted in a barrage of criticism by assorted journalists.

Some things don’t change eh?

Though actually in this case I think they have. Not with the ‘glass half empty’ scribes peddling their scripts of doom, but the supporters who see through the frankly desperate attempts to make headlines and boost dwindling newspaper sales.

The ‘England manager is clueless’ line is on that has been used for 40 years and we now see through it.

He can’t win. Friendlies are seen as a useless, time wasting exercise when he plays his strongest team yet when Capello looks to experiment, as he has done this week, he is accused of ‘cheapening’ the contest.

One journo even said this was an England team stripped ‘down to the bone’. What? Only five players were let go and one of those, Michael Dawson, is a relative newcomer to the international set-up.

You a far more likely to watch a better game with younger, more in-experienced players anyway as they are desperate to impress, rather than Rooney and co playing within themselves for 45 minutes under instructions from their club bosses so they don’t get injured.

Don’t get me wrong this England team and their coach still have glaring weaknesses but the supporters no longer need the press to point them out for them.

Instead they need to actually report and analyse on what is there rather than pursue yet another England manager witch-hunt before the weary paying public abandon their publications completely.

Arsenal have a right to feel robbed after Barca ref farce

2011-03-09T10:58:00.000Z

Journalists and stats fans have been quick to point out the vast disparity between Arsenal and Barcelona at the Nou Camp on Tuesday.

Ok I admit nineteen shots to nil and 724 passes to 119 don’t exactly add weight to Arsene Wenger’s assertion that Arsenal would have won the game had Robin Van Persie not been harshly sent off.

But when is any side going to out-pass Barcelona? Even a side like Arsenal?

Those stats were always going to be in the Catalan club’s favour, just as they were against Inter Milan last April, when Jose Mourinho’s smothering tactics worked perfectly and perhaps uncovered Barca’s only weakness – their tendency to over-pass and lack of a killer instinct.

That may seem like a churlish thing to say about a side that has Lionel Messi and David Villa up front but across these two games against Arsenal – up to Van Persie's sending off - Barcelona were wasteful and allowed the Gunners to stay in a tie that they perhaps should have been out of.

The first 45 minutes on Tuesday went pretty much to plan for Arsenal, until a suicidal back heel from Cesc Fabregas on the edge of his own box allowed the ball to be played through to Messi – now a scourge on Arsenal – to put the home side ahead.

Previous to that though Barca had looked subdued and when Arsenal grabbed a fortuitous equaliser in the second half it was not beyond the realms of possibility that Wenger’s men could hang on.

That was until he referee intervened with one of the most ridiculous decisions I have ever seen. It showed a complete lack of common sense and, in my opinion, showed him to be susceptible to influence by the Barcelona players.

As talented as they are and for all the plaudits they rightly receive, their behaviour towards the referee is a disgrace.

Be it rolling around on the floor or surrounding the ref to demand a booking, Barca new every trick in the book. But such is the style of their attacking play it seems to be bypassed by the media – would the Arsenal players get away with such things back in England?

I can perhaps grudgingly agree that, over the two legs, Barca had the better of the play. But I go back to last April’s game with Inter again where it was the same story.

And to suggest Barca were always going to win anyway is also a misnomer given the balance of the tie when the ref intervened. The referee changed the course of the game and made Arsenal’s holding task impossible. And for that they have every right to feel aggrieved.

The FA to blame as Premier League referee anger escalates

2011-03-07T11:33:00.000Z

I don’t think there was much surprise when Sir Alex Ferguson refused to speak to the press after his side’s defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.

He will, of course, been frustrated after his team were thoroughly dismantled to fall to their second defeat in a week. But he will also have been aware that the last time he spoke to the press he ended up with an FA charge.

That was against Chelsea in midweek when he questioned referee Martin Atkinson’s integrity following a number of controversial decisions. He already had a suspended touchline ban hanging over him so it was perhaps inevitable that he would be charged when he wondered whether Atkinson was ‘fair’.

While I do feel Ferguson’s comments do need to be reeled in a times - he is the master of mind-games and exerting psychological pressure on officials after all. I do feel a touch of sympathy for him as the FA appear to operate a one-way street when it comes to dealing with officials and manager’s actions.

You only have to look at last week for evidence of that.

Mark Clattenburg’s decision not to send off Wayne Rooney for a flying elbow went un-punished by the FA.

They said they were powerless as Clattenburg said he had dealt with the incident ‘appropriately’ - they can take no action if a ref has seen and dealt with an incident due to FIFA rules.

However, those FIFA rules dictate in exceptional circumstances punishments can be issues retrospectively, like the Ben Thatcher case a few years back.

The FA feel though this was 'halfway exceptional'.

A flying elbow halfway exceptional? So does the player need to suffer a fractured skull for the FA to be forced into action?

A referee has made a glaring error but isn’t punished and given a high profile game the following week. Managers though are hauled across the coals for even questioning some refereeing decisions.

This fierce protection of officials no matter what is why managers get so frustrated, even when it occasionaly goes their way like ot did for Fergie and Rooney last week.

I can understand the need to not question a ref’s authority but there is also a need to be seen to be accountable for their mistakes.

They are human after all and fans would appreciate that more if they and the FA came out and said “yes, they made an honest mistake”.

Instead they treat them like robots who make perfect decisions everytime, which as we have seen the past week, they most certainly do not.

There is no magic to be had at Crawley v Man United

2011-02-18T12:51:00.001Z

As the nation gears up for another FA Cup weekend journalists and TV producers are desperately searching around for the most romantic FA Cup angle to fill their endless coverage.

Non-league Crawley Town, the first side from outside the football league to get to the fifth round for 17 years, is an obvious story given they are heading to Old Trafford to take on the footballing behemoth that is Manchester United.

But ask any fan of non-league football and they will tell you the Crawley story isn’t necessarily the one of ‘plucky underdogs’ you might expect.

In a country obsessed with class and status any football club who flaunts their money round immediately guarantees themselves number one spot in the list of most despised clubs. Chelsea and Man City are recent examples of this while Crawley are the non-league version, albeit on a different scale.

Only four years ago they were on the brink of liquidation with extensive debts and unpaid bills but long-time Crawley fan and joint-owner Bruce Winfield sought investment with a group of mystery investors, principally from the Far East.

Little is known about the people involved in this investment, which only infuriates non-league fans further as that spending, akin with clubs two or even three divisions above them, continues.

They are now known as the ‘Man City’ of non-league, hardly a compliment in City’s Abu Dhabi oil money fuelled era, flying in the face of other non-league side’s recession-driven struggles by flashing the £50 notes around like some ‘80s yuppie.

Their popularity isn’t helped either by their outspoken manager Steve Evans. In 2001 while in charge of Boston United Evans was convicted of fraud after conspiring to cheat the public revenue. Boston were found guilty of avoiding tax by disguising players' wages as expenses allowing them to pay players more, which in turn attracted better players to the club and soon carried Boston into the Football League. They currently reside in the Blue Square North after a turbulent few seasons that included being expelled from the Conference for not exiting administration within a required deadline.

Many feel Evans shouldn’t be allowed to manage a club again while he hasn’t helped himself by a series of run-ins with referees and opponents during his time at Crawley - In 2008 for example he was sent to the stands five times in a season and was banned from the touchline for 13 games.

So while TV commentators while seek to keep you tuned in within sappy romantic tales of FA Cup romance, remember that football’s obsession and drug-like dependence of money is no longer the preserve of the Premier League and has in fact infiltrated the very place where we thought ‘real’ football would continue to exist.

For me that means the romance is well and truly dead.

Quinn right to have Sunderland FC vision but he can’t blame stay away fans

2011-02-18T11:36:00.001Z

Upon announcing losses of £25.5million – underwritten by owner Ellis Short – Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has gone on the offensive with regard to fans who watch his club’s games in the pub or on internet streams at home.

Quinn is concerned about falling attendances this season, despite the club hovering in and around the top six.

That wasn’t in the plan when he sold the future vision of the club in 2008 to Texan billionaire Short, who has invested a further £28million of his own money into the club this season alone.

The former Black Cats striker hoped three years ago that with attendances averaging 44,000 despite the club struggling near the foot of the table, investment in the playing squad and a subsequent improvement in results would see those attendances rise to close to the capacity of 49,000, giving the club scope for further growth.

So to see all those empty seats despite Short’s heavy investment comes across as a little embarrassing to Quinn and he fears his plans will be scuppered if he can’t get more bums on seats.

But the tone of his language when criticising those stay-away fans and the degree of emotional blackmail when it comes to persuading them to return has irked many supporters and demonstrated that even nice guys like the Irishman are out of touch with the fans.

He said he ‘despised’ those stay away supporters, which is frankly ignorant of the financial pressures being felt particularly in the North-East in the current recession. Don’t forget the club have the seventh highest average attendance in the Premier League and have won nothing since 1973.

Plus there is the small matter of seeing their hard earned cash go straight into the pockets of millionaire footballers who then jump ship at the sight of a larger pay-cheque.Despite the vast TV deals the Premier League is actually a dying compeition as the title becomes increasingly the preserve of two or three clubs. Why pay hundereds of pounds for a competition you know you will never come close to winning?

There is an increasingly apathy among supporters about a game dominated by money at a time where the normal man and woman is struggling to make ends meet.

Quinn – and Premier League football club’s in general - perhaps needs to come out of their millionaire’s bubble for a minute bit of inward reflection and also a bit of empathy before they lambast fans for not sending £600 on a season ticket year upon year.

West Ham win new stadium ahead of Spurs, but no-one seems completely satisfied

2011-02-10T13:45:00.001Z

In what has become an increasingly bitter and personal battle to win the right to take-over the Olympic Stadium West Ham appear to have won the race ahead of Spurs.

But if that proves to be the case, the decision has to be confirmed by London Major Boris Johnson and the government, you get the impression Hammers fans aren’t exactly ecstatic with the move.

In fact they appear more relived that Spurs won’t be making the bizarre move across London and leave their White Hart Lane home.

The reason for the mixed reaction seems to circle around the running track. No matter what West Ham say, a running track in a football stadium does ruin the atmosphere, especially in England where the fans are used to being very close to the pitch.

Spurs acknowledged this, hence their plan to knock-down and re-build a purpose built football stadium. They appear forced into this move after plans to re-develop White Hart Lane proved prohibitively expensive. Chances like this don’t come around very often, hence chairman Daniel Levy’s desperation to move the club to Stratford.

West Ham also see this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. True they still have to pay £90millon on re-configuring the stadium but some of that will be loaned to them by the council. They will never get a stadium handed to them on a plate like this again.
They are prepared to accept the running track as the option of staying at Upton Park will leave them worse off – they knew the thought of seeing a publically built stadium knocked down just weeks after being built wouldn’t sit well with the OPLC.

The losers here though are the football fans, who will have to put up with poor views from over a running track.

But they can’t blame the West Ham board as a new stadium, for such a small price, could transform their on-pitch performances – I can guarantee Sheikh Mansour wouldn’t have bought City if they were still at Maine Road.

Questions have to be asked though about why removable stands, that can cover the running track, weren’t factored into the original design. Then this whole mess would have been avoided.

Considering the 2012 Olympics was all about legacy that crucial design flaw is tremendously short-sighted and ill-thought out.

Arsenal's Wilshire latest victim of England hype machine

2011-02-09T10:08:00.001Z

Here we go again.

With the class of 2010 ruthlessly chewed up and spat out by the media; labelled spoilt over-paid, over-rated wasters, the press hordes have moved onto their next target.

That person is Jack Wilshire, a young player of extreme talent yes, but one who is already been placed on a pedestal he is not yet qualified to fill.

Fabio Capello was warm in his praise of the youngster in a pre-game press conference, comparing his nurturing of the 19-year-old to his time at Milan, where he managed young players like Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini – who went on to become household names worldwide.

But he was always going to say that wasn’t he? The lad is set to start tonight against Denmark for the first time in an England shirt, so what else was Capello meant to say? He wants him to take to the field confident in the knowledge his manager is behind him.

But no, the press take Capello’s comments as licence to run wild and write all manner of over-hyped articles. Sod Paul Gascoigne and Wayne Rooney, Wilshire is now the greatest English talent to wear the three lions, one journalist even compared Wilshire to Bobby Moore!

Now I know the scribes have deadlines to meet and pages to fill, and somehow trying to justify the importance of this ill-timed friendly is also a concern. But the over-hyping of Wilshire shows that they haven’t their lesson from the World Cup either, namely the over-hyping of the players and whipping up a national frenzy to such an extent unrealistic and over-bearing expectations are placed on the squad's shoulders.

We can only hope Wilshire can keep his feet on the ground and England fans, myself included, keep their expectations in check, something we have failed to do in since we won the you-know-what in 19-you-know-when.

Predictable drop-outs for ill-timed England friendly

2011-02-08T10:51:00.000Z

The difficulties in juggling club management and international management are once again in the spotlight this week with England set to play a pretty pointless friendly in Denmark.

Coming as it is between two sets of Premier League games and a week before the resumption of the Champions League it is little surprise there has been a flurry of drop outs.

Steven Gerrard, Peter Crouch and Ben Foster have all been released from the squad because of injuries, with Rio Ferdinand already out. In total 24 players from the four England age-group sides have been released this week.

For Fabio Capello he somehow has to get his message across the remaining players in a matter of days, before playing the friendly and waving the squad back off to their respective squads once more.

It must be terribly difficult for an international manager to try and build any team spirit or plan any tactics in such a short space of time. I agree they need these games to experiment, but to shoehorn them in almost as an after thought benefits no-one.

He must also be fielding several calls from Premier League managers asking that their players don’t play more than 45 minutes of the friendly in order to keep them fit for future domestic games. And god forbid one of them get injured as a demand for compensation will soon arrived at the doors of the FA from the players Premier League club.

International football at the moment is being treated like a irritable distraction. In order for it to work it needs to be given the space and time it deserves. I agree with the idea that two dedicated international windows should be set in the season, where the squad an gather for two, even three weeks and play all their qualifiers or friendly games. England will play nine games in total this season, that surely can be split into two windows of three and four matches?

It will give Capello vital time to work with his players and perhaps avoid the awkward club v country tussle that we are seeing now.

It seems like common sense to me – but that is exactly why I can’t see it being implemented any time soon.

Kenny Dalglish starts to make his mark on Liverpool

2011-02-07T10:58:00.000Z

For Liverpool fans this victory is by far the sweetest of the four consecutive wins under manager Kenny Dalglish so far.

Games between Liverpool and Chelsea always have an edge anyway. The Reds represent the old guard, with esteemed history and tradition but have grown weary and fallen on hard times. Chelsea are the cheeky
nouveau riche upstarts, a symbol of Premier League’s modern excess.

But the transfer of Fernando Torres added further hype to the occasion. The build-up was almost hysterical, even if the goal-blitz 24 hours previously had meant it had a lot to live up to.

In the end it didn’t have the spark we all hoped for but if the game at Stamford Bridge is to show anything, it’s that all the money in the world won’t help unless you have a careful and thought out plan.

Carlo Ancelotti has had to deny rumours he didn’t sign Fernando Torres and that it was a decision taken by owner Roman Abramovich. But it certainly seemed that way as he was shoehorned into the side alongside
Drogba and Anelka. The trio looked awkward alongside each other, constantly occupying the same space. I know time has to be allowed in order for an understanding to develop but I can’t help thinking they
are all too similar players to play together.

Liverpool meanwhile came with a specific plan and executed it perfectly. It isn’t as if Dalglish has merely galvanised the players, he has changed tactics, switched positions and given them a new found
solidity.

The result is four consecutive wins without conceding a goal and a place in the top six for the first time this season. They were perhaps a tad fortunate with the goal on Sunday, with Petr Cech displaying
unusual hesitancy and poor decision making when dealing with a Gerrard cross. But they thoroughly deserved their win given their defending – Chelsea barely registered a shot on target all game.

The calls for Dalglish’s permanent appointment will grow ever deafening from the Anfield terraces, as will the cries of what might have been had he not been overlooked for the job last summer. Luckily
for the Liverpool fans the board have acted quickly enough to ensure they won’t permanently regret that decision.

West Brom the latest club to push the panic button

2011-02-07T10:47:00.000Z

West Brom, usually a shining example of stability and sensible management at board level, have plunged their season into chaos by sacking their manager Roberto Di Matteo.

True, the club have been on a shocking run of 13 defeats in 18 games but as Di Matteo pointed out via the LMA on Sunday, they haven’t been in the bottom three since the opening week of the season.

He was hailed as one of the country’s top young bosses when he led them to promotion last season and then guided them to a positive set of early results, including a draw at Old Trafford and a win at the Emirates.

Plus this is a side who have been yo—yoing between the top two divisions since they were promoted in 2002, only ever staying up once on a dramatic last-day in 2005.

They didn’t spend millions in the summer so it should be expected that they would be down near the foot of the table.

But despite three relegations in six years they have been largely loyal to the manager, with Gary Megson’s departure in late 2004 the only time until now they have switched bosses in the middle of a Premier League season. They realised that sacking managers left, right and centre can trigger a few early results but the constant upheaval usually has a negative affect in the long-term.

With relegation six-pointers against West Ham and Wolves to come Di Matteo deserved the chance to try and steer the Baggies on an upward curve again.

But perhaps in keeping with the twitchy, trigger-happy nature of club bosses this season Di Matteo has been unceremoniously booted out before he could even begin to think about those games.

There are rumours flying around that other issues surrounded his exit and that maybe relations with players and/or other members had broken down. If this is the case then the timing is even more baffling, coming as it is just a week after the January transfer window shut – why not bring someone in a month earlier when they can at least try and bring some of their own players in?

But whatever the reason the decision has been made and the Baggies board will hope the ‘new manager’ effect will inspire the side to a few quick victories to guide their side away from trouble. A short-term view from a usually long-term thinking board.

Suarez sweeps in new Liverpool era

2011-02-03T09:35:00.002Z

A massive PR exercise has been taking place at Liverpool in recent days.

Make no mistake the departure of Fernando Torres was a hammer blow to the club’s morale.

He, alongside Steven Gerrard, was a talisman and the two players they could truly call World-class.

The signing of Luis Suarez was meant to persuade the sulky Spaniard to stay at the club, a sign of their ambition, and fans were drooling at the prospect of the pair playing together.

But Torres’ insistence that he wanted to leave left Kenny Dalglish and Liverpool board with a problem – not least what to do with the giant Torres mural outside the club shop.

The £35million last-ditch signing of Andy Carroll was their answer.

With the Torres money burning a hold in their back pocket I don’t think they cared how much they paid, in fact the bigger the better, anything to detract attention from the sight of Torres in a blue shirt.

Ex-Liverpool players-turned-pundits filled the sports pages and sports news channels, telling us all what a good deal it was, how Torres wasn’t that much of a loss and they are better off now anyway. All of a sudden a desperate situation had apprently been turned round.

Whether that is true or not is open to debate and will only ever be proven a few months down the line. But for the here and now Liverpool don’t care, they needed to give the fans a boost and bring back that air of anticipation back to Anfield rather than the Hodgson-era feeling of dread.

Complete things by giving Suarez the number seven shirt and Carroll the number nine and the supporters entered the ground misty eyed, remembering glory days gone by and believing a new chapter was about to begin.

It worked. Stoke did their best to batter and bruise the men in Red, holding on for 47 minutes before the deadlock was finally broken. Then, as if written in the script, Suarez came off the bench and scored to the delight of the home crowd.

The plan has worked perfectly so far. But with the window now shut, this is where the real work begins.

I'm not a Chelsea fan, nor a Liverpool hater, but I do find this funny

2011-02-01T12:24:00.000Z

A reaction to my story about Torres handing in a transfer request on Friday:



Anonymous said...

    lol ...dream on

Anonymous said...

    bull$hit story, will never happen. Torres won't hand in transfer request.

Anonymous said...

    Torres has loyalty. Sorry.

Imran said...

    Obviously written after a pint too many!
    Dream on ...

(at least Imran had the decency to put his name to his quote!)

Anonymous said...

    the drinking mans blog?...very apt cos you must be pissed rent boy...you couldnt call this the thinking mans blog after all could you? w*nker

Anonymous said...
Amusing rumour to liven up an otherwise rather pointless bid by Chelsea. Quite simply, no chance on earth. Liverpool will point-blank never sell Torres to another English club and the player has repeatedly made public his intention to stay at the club and honour his contract. I guess it's worth the risk to start the rumour, not as if the british press has any credibility to lose.
Anonymous said...

more bullshit

I'm guessing these are the same people who guranteed themselves a spot on the front pages of the nationals by burning their Torres shorts last night?

It just goes to show that lots of money and the ticking clock of the trasnfer window does strange things - just ask Jim White.

Torres' Chelsea transfer edges closer as Liverpool agree massive, massive fee for Andy Carroll

2011-01-31T15:12:00.001Z

This is turning out to be one of THOSE transfer windows, as in mental.

Liverpool have agreed a £35MILLION fee with Newcastle for Andy Caroll.

The world has indeed gone mad.

Don't get me wrong, I rate Carroll, I think he has immense potential and is an old-school centre-forward who could potentially link up with Suarez effectively. But, £35million is a lot of money for raw potential (he has only played regular PL football for six months).

Newcastle will hope they can limp on without him until the end of the season and then they can spend the cash - it could completely revitilise them. It is simply an offer they can't refuse.

Torres meanwhile, be it in a Audi or helicopter, is edging closer to a move to Chelsea. I think it is fair to say I didn't see these two moves coming.

What do you think Liverpool fans? Will Carroll make up for the loss of Fernando? Newcastel supporters, is it worth cashing in on him now?

Chelsea fans - will this revitilise your title bid?

Comment away!

Liverpool accept offer from Chelsea for Fernando Torres

2011-01-31T10:31:00.000Z

Ha! I told you so! All those Liverpool fans who gave me grief on Friday for daring to suggest Torres may push for a transfer request, it now seems Liverpool have accepted a bid from Chelsea for the Spaniard.
It is Darren Lewis at the Mirror who has spread the news, saying via Twitter 'his men' say Liverpool have accepted a bid.

I have to say I am surprised at the timing of the move. It appeared things were on a upward curve at Anfield following the arrival of Dalglish and then Suarez. If Torres wanted to leave why wait till three days before the deadline?

I am convinced the move will go through becasue the Reds PR machine, via much of the national media, is clicking into gear.

It isn't the departure of one of their best players apparently it is a symbol that 'no player is bigger than the club'. Hmmmm sounds like damage limitation to me and one designed to soften the blow to the fans who are seeing their best player leave, even if they haven't really seen the best of him for the past 18 months.

Because of the horrible timing Dalglish has little time to bring players in so I expect Charlie Adam would be the best they can hope for before 11pm tonight. But the closing of the window at least gives him six months to decide how to spend the money and start the re-building job in earnest next summer.

Ian Holloway offers to resign - knows it won't be accepted

2011-01-28T15:29:00.001Z

It was a game of brinkmanship well worth playing, as Ian Holloway wasn't alone in thinking the Premier League would actually fine him for fielding a 'weakened' team against Villa last autumn.

But now they have, Holloway has been true to his word and offered his resignation, though I'm sure he knows it won't be accepted. At least then he can save face as he stuck to his word.

I do feel sympathy for him though, it is an absolutely ludicrous decision given all the players were contained in Blackpool's named 25 man squad. As Holloway said - who are the Premier League to decide who fits in Holloway's strongest side?

And why, following Wolves last season, is it just the 'small' clubs who have been fined, excluding those at the top of the division who have been doing it for years - Hull v Man United 2008 anyone?

Oh that's right, it's called squad rotation at that level.

I truly hope Holloway doesn't leave, though I would admire his principles. He has been a breath of fresh air in the division this season and he has every right to feel lt down by the authorities who are supposed to act for the good of the game.

Fernando Torres to hand in transfer request to force through Chelsea transfer?

2011-01-28T14:30:00.000Z

I have admit I scoffed at the news headlines this morning that said Chelsea had bid £40million for Fernando Torres. Much like the Guardian's Twitter-publicised Gareth Bale non-story the day before, I thought it was at best a PR stunt by Chelsea.

But the noises this afternoon suggest Torres may actually be on his way after all.

Frist Guillem Balague told SSN that the strikers wanted Liverpool to open up negotiations with Chelsea. Then this Sun article (hardly friends of the Reds but still) suggested Torres wants to leave - followed by the Guardian

Now Twitter is being whipped up into a frenzy, with tweets suggesting he will hand in a transfer request this afternoon.

It would certainly be the story of the transfer window and may lead to Suarez'a move from Ajax. However, it would be a daming reflection on Liverpool's finances, supposedly on the rise after their take-over last October.

Losing his star striker was not what Kenny Dalglish had in mind when he took over, if Torres does end up leaving, the Scot's task will have become a whole lot harder.

Major squad re-shuffle ahead for Man United?

2011-01-20T11:03:00.000Z

Sir Alex Ferguson has always been a master at re-building squads over time, knowing the right moment to let players go and scouting out youngsters with potential and turning them into super-stars.

But in these days of financial uncertainty, with the Glazer’s self-imposed £500million debt hanging over the club, Ferguson faces a big a job as ever if he is to refresh the squad as well as balancing the books.

This summer looks like to be the first step of a major clear-out, with a number of squad players leaving. The contracts of Edwin van der Sar, Gary Neville, Owen Hargreaves and Michael Owen are all up in June and are set to leave or retire. Wes Brown and Tomasz Kuszczak are also expected to be transferred despite having another year to run on their deals.

Patrice Evra’s contract also expires in 2013 and rumours persist about his future, with Real Madrid reportedly interested. Ferguson also has to open contract talks with the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, John O’Shea, Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher and Ji-sung Park.

All these changes would necessitate a number of big money signings to replace departed stars – even if Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs sign new deals as expected; their influence will be limited due to their age.

But since the Glazer’s leveraged but out big signings haven’t been coming as frequently as they previously had and all the talk from chief exec David Gill about how United have “rarely bought the world star...We have made them world stars by playing for Manchester United” suggests that pattern will continue.

I have to say I disagree with Gill’s comments to a point. True, they have never taken the Real Madrid (and dare I say it Manchester City) style galacticos approach but United have always been at the forefront of the transfer market and bought the best players when available – Berbatov, Rooney, Ferdinand, Veron (though that didn’t work I admit) Van Nistelrooy – All world-class, big name players who have filled a whole in the team.

United just don’t seem to be in the market for those sort of players anymore and despite all of Ferguson’s wily skill in the transfer market he is up against it if he is to find adequate replacements for so many departing players on a limited budget.

Given his propensity to prove people wrong I’m not going to be foolish enough write Fergie and United off, but I think it is safe to say that given the financial climate he faces his biggest challenge ever if he is to keep United at the top over the next two or three years.

Arsenal captancy storm - Denilson has a point

2011-01-20T10:43:00.001Z

Whether mis-quoted or not (and I’m fairly sure he was) Denilson has made a valid point about the lack of leaders in the Arsenal side.

True his actual quotes were taken from an interview meant only for the Arseblog and Arsenal Brazil websites by a third party, sold to the sun and then put through their trashy, tabloid story spinner in order to make dramatic if mis-leading headlines.

But cut away the red-top tittle tattle for a minute I think Denilson has a valid point to make and one some fans have appreciated for a while.

I have to say that Cesc does a fantastic job, I’ll say that now, but I have always seen him and the captaincy as an awkward mix. It landed in his lap almost by default as he was the club’s best player following the William Gallas, er, ‘incident’.

It seemed like a sweetener to keep him at the club and an admission that there was no-one else really qualified for the job.

But as Wenger persists with his quest to build a title winning side full of kids it is true that the squad has no natural leader on the pitch. The spectre of Tony Adams and Patrick Vieira loom large over the current side, not only because of their fine achievements in an Arsenal shirt but the lack of a modern day equivalent.

After the defeat to Ipswich last week Fabregas moaned to the press about the Tractor Boys ‘rugby style’ tactics. Would Adams or Vieira have done that? I doubt it, they would have rolled their sleeves up during the game and pulled the rest of the players through it, rather than collapsing in the face of some agricultural football and whining afterwards.

It is a persistent problem with this Arsenal side, their apparent 'soft-centre' and image that they, to put it crudely ''dont' like it up 'em" , merely encourages technically inferior sides to try and kick lumps out of them in order to make up for the difference in quality.

Denilson won’t have meant to have caused such a storm and has perhaps learnt a harsh lesson about how the media can spin even the most innocent of comments. But they very fact he mentioned it suggests the players are equally aware of a glaring problem the fans have known for a while, but Wenger seems reluctant to tackle.

Bruce should know more than anyone about football loyalty

2011-01-19T10:56:00.000Z

In the wake of Darren Bent’s shock transfer to Aston Villa Sunderland manager Steve Bruce attempted to side with the fans by declaring his dismay at the strikers transfer.

Bruce said he felt ‘massively let-down’ by the forward, who completed his £18million move to Villa Park on Tuesday.

But loyalty in football is some mis-given belief shrouded over the game by supporters in attempt to keep the connection with their club and their players alive.

Loyalty in the game doesn’t exist anymore in this commercialised money-driven game except with the fans, who are always left to pick up the pieces.

Players and managers will drop their current club instantly if the promise of money or ambition (in that order) is offered somewhere else.

And I defy anyone in any profession who wouldn’t take a 30% pay-rise to do the same job somewhere else – all this badge kissing, ‘loving the club’ nonsense is designed to keep the boo boys ay bay and feed their egos by pandering to and taking advantage of the slavish backing of passionate supporters.

Bruce should know more than anyone about that, which makes his recent comments puzzling.

In his first stint at Wigan in 2001 he quit after just two months in order to take the job at Crystal Palace, who were in the Championship at the time. Then with the Selhurst club at the top of the Championship Bruce quit after three months in order to take the job at Birmingham – though he only actually made the move after a compensation package was agreed with Palace, who had slapped an injunction on Bruce to block the move.

So the former Man United defender is well verse in jumping ship in order to pursue loftier ambitions, maybe Darren Bent should remind him of that.

West Ham board have lot to answer for

2011-01-17T11:18:00.000Z

I doubt anyone could not feel at least a twinge of sympathy for Avram Grant on Saturday.

The West Ham manager’s dour persona means he isn’t one for displaying much emotion – in public at least. But he looked visibly moved at the end of the Arsenal game on Saturday; a man who knew his time at the club was up and had been let down by those above him.

If that proves to be the case then it is a sad way to finish, as the Hammers were swatted aside by an Arsenal side who barely broke a sweat. If Grant had asked his players for a passionate send-off it was a damning reflection of his reign, the support in the dressing room and the ability of his players.

But in my opinion the Hammers board need to take more responsibility for what has happened. They sacked the likeable Gianfranco Zola in the summer after the Italian had struggled for two years with little or no budget and replaced him with Grant, offering barely any cash to buy players either. So therefore it is a surprise the Hammers have struggled this season?

Their recent behaviour – which has seen Grant left in limbo, not knowing whether he is to be sacked or not – is nothing sort of disgraceful.

As pointed out on TV in Saturday I’m sure Grant could spill the beans about some of the chaotic goings on behind the scene at Upton Park but he hasn’t, maintaining a dignified silence on the matter.

The board meanwhile have refused to either back Grant or sack him, leaving him to deal with rumour-mongering from the press while simultaneously trying to rescue the Hammers season.

Their inaction is as much to blame for West Ham’s woes as Grant or the players and you would hope that whoever does eventually come in to the managerial hot-seat knows what they are letting themselves in for. Because if not I think they are in for a short,sharp shock.

Moyes struggles to balance the books

2011-01-12T12:09:00.000Z

It says a lot for Everton’s finances that David Moyes has to loan a striker to a Championship club - who will cover all his wages - in order to fund a loan signing.

But as the Scot desperately searches for a striker he is forced to release one of his current crop – admittedly one who has only scored once in 15 games – in order to have enough cash to do so.

The financial restraints at Everton are bordering ridiculous levels now. All the big money signings since 2005 have been funded either by the sales of Wayne Rooney and Joleon Lescott or on loans guaranteed against future income.

Now the well has run dry any money the club brings in though TV deals etc.. flows straight out on the players wages. Moyes has assembled a talented squad at Goodison no question, and one that has to earn big money if they are to stick around. But the imminent departure of Steven Pienaar, who rejected a £60,000 a week offer in order to get £70,000 a week over four years at Tottenham, highlights the problem David Moyes faces.

He desperately wants to keep his squad together, but with no cash to improve the pressure rises when results don’t go as planned – as we have found this season. Those big players then start to get restless, and so the team will start to slowly break up. Recent wins over Spurs and Scunthorpe have raised hopes of a better season than first anticpated, but with such a small squad any sort of injury crisis could be catastrophic.

Bill Kenwright’s determination to only sell to the right bidder is admirable, but if Moyes continues to be forced to work with little or no money then Kenwright will damage the club just as much as if he sold to an unscrupulous owner.

Hammers board need to put up or shut up

2011-01-12T10:40:00.002Z

After yet another post-match press conference dominated by questions about his future the same ‘will he, won’t he’ headlines appeared in the papers the next morning.

It is true that the press feed such speculation, their constant questioning of the Israeli immediately leads to more copy about his apparently imminent sacking.

But these rumours must have began somewhere. Someone deep in the corridors of power must have sparked off the story by suggesting the board were set to axe the Israeli.

If that is indeed the case then the board need to act decisively or give Grant the time and space needed to do his job.

Forcing him to manage the club not knowing whether he will have a job in the morning will only harm the club’s chances of staying in the Premier League this season.

Grant, as ever, has behaved with dignity over the past few weeks (I think his year as boss of crisis club Portsmouth helped with that) and a recent good run has lifted them back among the pack of club’s who they seemed cut adrift from just a few weeks ago.

Yet unlike his rivals around him in the table Grant seems to be the only one constantly batting away questions about his future.

It is time for the board to act – either end the speculation by publically backing their man or, if they do want to sack him, do so now to finally quash the negative vibes that are threatening to torpedo their survival hopes.

Man United rumble on

2011-01-05T10:21:00.001Z

If I had a pound for the every time I have heard how Man United have won this season without playing well I would be a very rich man. Virtually every time they have won this season it has been from a 'below-par' showing with Tuesday's 2-1 at Stoke, which put them three points clear at the top, the latest example.

But the unconvincing nature of their performances, instead of pointing towards a weaker squad than in previous seasons actually shows just how good a team United are. You don’t go 20 games unbeaten, a Premier League run bettered only by the 2003/04 Arsenal ‘invincibles’ side, without being a very good side.

Well drilled by manager Sir Alex Ferguson they play with a fierce determination and will to win, which can over come many obstacles. Which in United's case is the sale and non-replacement of key players and the aging of established stars.

They also still have a squad full of match winners, who on their day can produce a moment of magic to seal a game. With Wayne Rooney rested against Stoke on Tuesday it was left for Nani to be the main man, curling home a beautiful effort from the edge of the area just after the hour.

It is this ability to grind out results that makes them such a threat in the title race. Main opponents Manchester City and Arsenal arguably have as many flair and creative players in their side if not more, but you get the impression that on a bad day they are less likely to scrape a result as United are. Chelsea looked just as ruthless early on this year, but their poor recent run has highlighted obvious flaws in their aging squad. Spurs are definite dark horses, but it remains to be seen whether they can last the pace. It's been a while since they were last in a title race after all.

But for United the run continues and if critics are right in claiming they haven’t played well this season, the rest of league better brace themselves for when they do.

Ronaldinho bad move for Blackburn

2011-01-04T09:57:00.001Z

The new owners of Blackburn Rovers, the India-based Venky’s group, have not done much to endear themselves to the supporters since their take-over last November.

They started by sacking Sam Allardyce, citing a desire to compete in the top six rather than at the bottom (despite Allardyce leading them to 10th on a meagre budget last season).

They then appointed coach Steve Kean as caretaker manager, despite Kean having no managerial experience, and declared a desire to see Rovers push for Europe with a budget of just £5million.

Meanwhile their association with Kentaro sports advisory group has led to suggestions they are being told who to buy – with Kentaro clients top of the list.

To add to this increasingly bizarre tale news has emerged this week that the club are prepared to spend in excess of £6million on Brazilian striker Ronaldinho.

The 30-year-old is set to leave AC Milan and had been linked with a move back to Brazil, before Rovers stepped in. On the face of it it is a bold statement of intent by the Rovers owners and one that dismissed fears that they would only give Kean a meagre budget to work with.

But even if they persuaded the former Barcelona star to make the move (£20million over three years might help) is it the right move for the club?

After all it seems like the decision has been made purely by the owners rather than Kean and one designed to boost shirts sales rather than through any footballing idea.

Blackburn don’t have unlimited riches like City, so a scattergun approach to signings will not work like it did at Eastlands. They would be far better using the money for the Ronaldinho deal on three or four players who can improve the squad than one marquee player shoehorned into the side. Is he really going to relish playing up front alongside Jason Roberts?

It is a similar story, albeit on a smaller scale, to when Man City tried to buy Kaka. At that stage City were still a mid-table team and despite their riches on offer were laughed out of Milan by Kaka and his representatives. Should City go on and qualify for the Champions League this season they will have far more to offer the now Real Madrid playmaker. It’s the same with Rovers; they need to walk before they can run.

But sadly it seems my initial hunch about the Venky’s group – that they have no idea about how to run a football club – seems to be accurate.

Hodgson only extends his Liverpool agony

2011-01-03T10:55:00.000Z

For a few desperate minutes at Anfield on Saturday Roy Hodgson was staring at an inevitable sacking. A home defeat to Bolton, coming just days after a home reverse against Wolves, would have lifted supporter anger to insurmountable levels and the club’s new American owners surely would have had little choice but to relieve Hodgson of his duties.

Instead though a bit of magic by Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, something we with seen little of lately, brought the Reds level before Joe Cole snatched a last minute winner.

Relief was the main feeling billowing around Anfield with Hodgson quick to praise the fans after the game.

But while Hodgson can’t seem to stop praising the supporters after his criticism of them last week the feeling is definitely not mutual.

The former Fulham boss was never really popular choice in the first place, with Reds fans craving a bigger name to replace Rafa Benitez. But with the ownership issues that dogged the club last summer no big name would have gone near the club. Hodgson therefore was their best option.

He has had to deal with the change of ownership, limited funds and out-of-form star players but he has also been found out tactically. Their away form is awful, something Hodgson brought from his former clubs and some of his signings have proved disastrous.

This win has only extended his misery at the club; I can’t see their season turning around dramatically as they still could have easily lost this match such was their laboured performance.

If no potential suitors can be found now then Dodgson may lumber along until the end of the season.
But with terrace hero Kenny Dalglish waiting in the wings as a possible caretaker and the owners rumoured to be hunting a replacement; Hodgson’s days at Anfield are definitely numbered.

Hodgson blames everything else but himself for Liverpool struggles

2010-12-15T10:20:00.001Z

After yet another defeat away from home Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has come out fighting, stating his firm belief that no-one else could do better given the circumstances surrounding the Merseyside club.

Despite pre-season expectations of a top four spot the Reds currently lie ninth in the Premier League - nine points off the Champions League places - and have won just one game away from home, the fourth worst record in the division.

Hodgson made the move to Merseyside in the summer while previous owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett were battling to keep control of the club. During that time the prohibitive debts they had piled onto the Reds during the initial takeover were becoming harder to maintain.

Because of that Hodgson feels he has had one arm tied behind his back on the transfer front and believes an urgent cash-injection is needed in order for the club to progress He also worryingly believes that he “can't do more than I am doing….. I can't work harder, I can't work better."

Hmmm…

While I agree things haven’t been exactly easy since the 63-year-old made the move from Fulham, Hicks and Gillett were slowly paralysing the club after all, it can’t be denied he has made a less than convincing start.

Signings like Paul Konchesky and Christian Poulsen have failed to set the world alight while poor away form is something that follows Hodgson around. Out of 82 Away fixtures in the Premier League with Blackburn, Fulham and now Liverpool Hodgson has been on the winning side on just 13 occasions. A 16% win ratio is simply not good enough for a club with top four aspirations.

And if this is Hodgson at his best how are things going to improve?

The fans are already starting to get a bit restless and despite new owners NESV pledging their support of the 63-year-old you do wonder how long their patience will last. The events of the past week have demonstrated how trigger happy rich owners can be in the Premier League.

Liverpool now face a busy run of six games in 21 days ahead of a date at Old Trafford in the FA Cup on January 9th. If Liverpool’s woes spill over into the New Year and their old rivals dump them out of the cup, time could rapidly run out for Roy Hodgson.

Asia's Qatar plea highlights FIFA's blinkered thinking

2010-12-09T13:51:00.001Z

Dangers to fans and players have prompted the Asian Football Confederation to urge FIFA to reschedule the 2022 World Cup to January or February in order to avoid the scorching 40 degree summer heat in Qatar.

AFC General Secretary Peter Velappan also believes European countries may boycott in protest at the dangerously hot temperatures and that the proposed air-conditioned stadiums are not enough.

After the horse has bolted springs to mind.

Anyone could have told you that the heat in the summer months of Qatar make everyday tasks difficult let alone running around on a football field.

The Qatar bid may have sounded futuristic and clever, but the plans to cool the stadiums with solar powered air conditioning is totally unproven and neglects the fact that there is a lot more going on during a World Cup than just the matches.

A reschedule to January would cause all sorts of administrative problems to a score of FA's around the World and would further antagonise those angered at FIFA's decision to award the tournament to the small gulf state in the first place.

Their blatant disregard of these very serious issues just shows the lack of clear, coherent thinking that went into the FIFA Executive vote last week.

If Sepp Blatter is right in his claim that FIFA is financially clean and clear then the Qatar decision was one made to further some idealistic (and egotistical) crusade to spread the beautiful game around the World.

All very admirable and I agree that the World Cup should go to new places, but not at the expense of practical concerns such as dangerously high temperatures .But if it pads out Sepp’s legacy (and lines his wallet) anything appears to go.

If FIFA isn’t as clean as we all suspect then the decision looks to be financially motivated given the vast financial resources Qatar has to offer and the absence of any free media to check it is spent correctly.

Either way it has neglected a very basic problem with Qatar’s bid and one of the reasons it was labelled ‘high-risk’ in those much ignored technical reports.

Velappan couldn’t have been clearer though with his comments:

"Qatar is a nice country but there is no way football can be played in June and July there. No player will ever want to play in these conditions,"

Yet Qatar insist any plans to move the tournament weren’t in their bid:

"It has never been said by the bid team that the tournament would be staged in January. It will be in the traditional window. That is what has been proposed in the bid book and what the campaign has been based on."

A European protest would be very amusing and would perhaps force FIFA to think twice about making such pig-headed decisions in the future. But it would be needed to be lead by a country other than England. We are unpopular enough among the footballing community as it is so any moves by us to fight against the 2022 World Cup would be seen as another dose of sour grapes.

We are tied down, screaming at a brick wall. We are relying on the actions of others now to try and expose FIFA for the morally bankrupt, financially corruptible organisation we all really suspect it is.

Newcastle’s Ashley after more for his money

2010-12-09T11:27:00.000Z

Mike Ashley is a man used to making difficult decisions.

The business World isn’t a popularity contest and it is obvious he has made some controversial – if ultimately successful – decision in the past, given his vast wealth.

In business you always seek to maximise the return for every penny you spend, make the money work harder for you.

It appears Ashley is taking the same approach with another one of his assets – Newcastle United.

Fans, players and pundits alike were scratching their heads when Chris Hughton was dismissed this week.

But it later emerged that Ashley never saw him as anything more than a coach, a cost-effective safe pair of hands designed to carry the club through choppy waters.

He was also one of the lowest paid managers in the Premier League, a reflection perhaps of Ashley’s determination to balance the North East club’s creaking balance book.

But the 47-year-old’s desire to bring in a man with ‘more experience’ immediately got Geordie thoughts racing as to what possible replacement was lined up – Martin Jol, Martin O’Neill and even Jurgen Klinsmann were mentioned.

To say the fans were underwhelmed by the eventual appointment - Alan Pardew - is an understatement. To quantify it he received just 15 votes in a poll run by a local newspaper, just 2% of the vote.

But by appointing the former Charlton and West Ham manager is Ashley getting more bang for his buck?

After all, despite the lengthy five and half year deal (!?) I doubt Pardew will rank among the division’s top earners. The likes of Jol and O’Neill would have demanded big, big money - money Newcastle simply haven’t got.

In Ashley’s eyes he is getting rid of a coach and replacing him with a manager – for a similar price.

It is a dangerous game taking a business approach to football though – many a shrewd business man has been stung by the passionate, eccentricities of the beautiful game, that fly in the face of business logic. This is just another in a long line of risks taken by Mike Ashley.

And with Liverpool, Man City and Spurs lying in wait in the coming weeks, I doubt he will have to wait long to see if it was a risk worth taking.

Everton take over rumours re-surface

2010-12-08T12:49:00.000Z

The ultimate fantasy get out clause of a billionaire take-over has once again raised it's head in the murky world of internet rumourdom.

While most of the time we strive for the moral high ground when discussing our club's relative povery, saying stuff like "well I don't want us to buy success any way" or we are "doing things the right way" our morals would be swiftly dropped before you could say oil riches should a billionaire Sheikh come calling.

But according the not-always-reliable Goal.com that is exactly what is happening. Apparently Qatar's ruling Al Thani family, armed with in excess of £40 billion worth of assets, are interested in buying a Premier League club to captitalise on the country's increased profile since winning the right to host the World Cup in 2022.

Everton, Spurs and Newcastle were named. Whether there was any evidence obtained in naming these clubs or they are just three that are for sale I don't know. But it seems likely to me that we would be the last choice in that group.

For starters Spurs have the greater profile currently thanks to their Champions League run. Plus they are in London and are set to move to the Olympic stadium in three years time.

Newcastle, the Premier League's resident crisis club, also have the huge stadium and fan-base in place, meaning money will be purely spent on improving the squad.

Everton have the advantage of having a settled side and manager, a long history and, probably, a cheap asking price.

But given money is no issue I doubt that would count in our favour. Plus the owners will want prestige and glory quickly. To do that they will need to invest in the playing squad - Everton need a new stadium first and foremost. I doubt the Sheikh's will want to foot the bill for that when they can buy a side with a massive new stadium already in place. And I doubt they will care we once had a decent team back in the 80s either.

To be honest I am already viewing this story with weary sceptcism.We are just not a attractive proposition, simple as that.

Until we get a new ground sorted (and push up the table!) there are a long list of club's who will feature higher than us on a billionaires hit-list.

Pardew appointment adds to the Newcastle humiliation

2010-12-08T11:22:00.001Z

This piece was going to be headlined "Ashley needs big appointment to appease Newcastle fans," But given the news filtering through this morning I think my new one is far more accurate.

Make no mistake Hughton's departure was not at the behest of the fans, who have been accused in the past of allowing their hearts to rule their heads when it comes to whoever the latest 'messiah' is.

No the Newcastle supporters new Hughton was the sort of manager they have needed for years and deserved some loyalty from the board given he picked the club up from it's knees when no one else would in 2009, turning them into Championship title winners and guiding them to mid-table Premier League security in the space of 18 months.

The fact he seemed a nice bloke just adds to the feeling of disbelief. Newcastle’s relegation was partly down to the trigger happy nature of the board and their determination to go for big name bosses who often had style but very little substance.

So what if he has spent a lot of time as an assistant in the past? Coaches can make good managers and his results speak for themselves.

I have yet to meet a football fan – be is a supporter of Newcastle or not – who has seen the sense in Mike Ashley’s decision to sack him.

Hughton was the sort of quiet, unassuming character they needed. He wasn’t one for headlines and press attention. He instead focused on getting the best out of his players and with combustable players like Joey Barton and Andy Carroll in the side that is no mean feat.

The board say they want someone with more experience. But Alan Pardew, though more experienced than Hughton, hardly has the glittering CV required to justify the sacking of the 51-year-old. It is hard to see him doing any better than Hughton did. Especially as he will have to win over a mystified set of supporters and players first.

The fact some reports claim Pardew was mates with Ashley and director Derek Lllambas due to a shared love of a London casino just adds to the 'jobs for my mates' feeling surrounding the whole deal.

Ashley will never be a popular figure on Tyneside given the nature of his turbulent tenure at St James’ Park. But his latest indiscretion, just when he looked to be getting things right, will plunge his popularity to new depths.

I just hope, for the fans sake, Newcastle’s Premier League survival hopes don’t tumble down with him.

World Cup bid leaves bad taste

2010-12-03T16:34:00.000Z

So there we have it. After 18 months of political lobbying, journalist digging, scandal, corruption and a last minute Royal-infused, David Beckham inspired dash to the line, England’s 2018 World Cup bid ended in dismal failure.

We are not alone though. It was also a grim day yesterday for Australia and America as they missed the chance to host the World Cup to, of all places, Qatar.

After witnessing England and then America lose out in their bids it is easy to be accused of being bitter. And I admit I am gutted England lost. To see the World Cup come back to my own country would be a dream come true and I fear we may never get the chance again.

But, nearly 24 hours after the event and taking my England hat off for a minute, I still feel the whole bidding and voting process leaves a lot to be desired....

Read the rest of this blog

Gary Lineke sh*ts himself on the pitch at Italia '90

2010-12-01T18:43:00.002Z

The title speaks for itself!!!

The worst misses of the season so far

2010-11-25T15:37:00.001Z

Featuring our very own Yakubu, someone who somehow kneed the ball over from six inches out and possibly the worst miss of all time by a Qatari international....

Beware early Premier League contenders - the same teams will be there at the end

2010-11-24T13:19:00.000Z

In a league that is proving close, tight and unpredictable, journalists have been falling over themselves in recent weeks to declare new sides in the title race.

After last weekend’s games Man City, Spurs and Bolton were the latest names to be bandied about as positive results for all three lifted them into the top five.

Chelsea’s little slip up at the top has also got people excited again, given the league was all but sewn up a few weeks ago.

However, despite all the hysteria it is important to remember, without risking to sound like a football manager, there is still a long way to go (ok I did but bear with me).

The reduction in spending, especially among the ‘big four’, has evened the league up slightly, allowing for a more even spread of results. And part of the Premier League’s appeal is that, on their day anyone’s strongest XI can beat another’s.

But it is important to remember that we are only 14 games in and the most important parts of the season - where squad strength is brought into play - are set to come.

For starters we have the busy Christmas period, where a number of games in a short space of time can send teams high up (or down) the league table.

Then there is the January transfer window, which could see inspirational signings come and go (almost certainly at Man City) before the final run in to the finish in March and April.

It is in this period that the experienced teams come into their own – Manchester United for example are masters at grinding out results to finish the season strongly.

So therefore I thoroughly expect the same familiar and predictable names to be challenging for the title come April. Chelsea, Man United and Arsenal all have the squad and experience required to last the pace.

Man City are outsiders and much depends on whether Mancini can manage his player’s huge egos and show a unified front in the games that matter.

Spurs, despite Harry Redknapp’s bold prediction, still lie six points off the pace and are dogged with inconsistency, especially after European games.

Bolton meanwhile, as improved as they are under Owen Coyle, will not challenge for the title.

So I will still my neck out now and predict the same old faces will be there at the top and the almost weekly press prediction of a new title challenger will soon peter out as the big boys pull away at the top.

Mourinho up to his old tricks again

2010-11-24T10:05:00.000Z

You gotta love him.

Jose Mourinho has played the system again and despite the angry blustering reaction of the commentators, there is nothing anyone can do about it.

For those who didn't see it Real players Xavi Alonso and Sergio Ramos were shown second yellow cards for timewasting in the dying minutes of their 4-0 Champions League win over Ajax.

The result is that they will miss the now meaningless final group game with Marseille but in have a clean slate for when the knock out stages begin.

The link below shows several secret discussions between Mourinho, his backroom staff and several players, presumably hatching the crafty plan.

Is there much UEFA can do? Not really, they can't prove it was done deliberately and no rules were broken.

I suppose it is slightly against the spirit of the game but as Mourinho fan I say fair play to him. He has played the system and got away with it.

Have look below to see for yourself:

The real players/staff discussion the crafty scheme can be seen here.

What a difference a year makes

2010-11-23T12:46:00.000Z

Twelve months ago Bolton lost at home to local rivals Blackburn to slip into the bottom three. They had conceded 17 goals in six games, lost four on the bounce and boss Gary Megson, deeply unpopular with the fans, stood on the brink.

Megson was eventually sacked in December and former Trotters striker Owen Coyle was tempted to leave North West rivals Burnley to take the hot seat at the Reebok Stadium the following month.

His task was not only to keep Bolton up but to transform them into an attractive footballing side, ridding them of the long ball tag that had dogged them since the days of Sam Allardyce.

To say he has done his job is an understatement. In under a year Coyle has re-modelled the side with very little investment in the playing squad. Instead he has largely worked with what he has got but
crucially got under performing players to perform.

One of those is Johan Elmander. The Swedish forward signed for Bolton from French club Toulouse in a record £8.2million deal in 2008.

The 29-year-old struggled to make in impact in the Premier League though and netted only ten times in his first full two seasons at the club.

Labelled an expensive flop his turnaround in form perhaps symbolises the work Coyle has done at the Lancashire club.

Elmander is a transformed player, bagging eight goals already this term, including a contender for goal of the season against Wolves earlier this month.

A 5-1 over Newcastle briefly put Wanderers 4th in the league and the excited folks on Match Of The Day were even mentioning the words 'Champions League.'

Coyle was understandably quick to dampen expectations. There is suddenly a media frenzy surrounding Bolton at the moment following their recent good run which smacks of short-term, knee jerk journalism (Chelsea being crowned Premier League champions by the media in September is another example)

But while there is a long way to go in what is a gruelling Premier League season appears no reason why they can’t at least continue to fight it out in the top half of the table; which after the Megson years is a welcome sight for Bolton supporters.

Do Gunners lack the fight needed to win Premier League?

2010-11-23T10:21:00.001Z

The sight of Arsene Wenger slamming a bottle of water to the ground in frustration (giving Pat Rice a soaking in the process) is perhaps one of the images of the weekend.

It was also the only sign of passion or fight emanating from the Arsenal camp in a game against Spurs they should never have lost.

After two battling away wins at Wolves and Everton – results that caused many to tip the Gunners for the title – old flaws were once again exposed at home to their bitter rivals.

At half time everything was rosy and the players should have started the second half with a clear idea of what to do. The must have expected an early barrage from Tottenham who had to try and get an early goal to get back into the game.

Even after Bale’s strike the home side, with the array of attacking talent on offer, had no need to shrink into their shell like they did.

It reminded me of an FA Cup tie, with Arsenal the lower league team, who retreated further and further, hanging onto their slender advantage and losing mini battles all over the park.

The belief they had gathered in the first period slowly seeped across to the opposition – both on the field and in the stands.

So much so that it was almost expected when Younes Kaboul beat two Arsenal players to the ball to head home the winner late on.

For Arsenal fans it is an all too familiar tale of raised – and then dashed - expectations. Wenger’s hugely talented squad get themselves into winning positions but when it comes to the crunch (they could have gone top of the table with a win on Saturday) they appear to lack the fight, both physically and mentally, to go the extra yard.

What is the missing ingredient?

Well there appears to be a lack of leaders in the team, Cesc Fabregas apart. Sometimes you need players who can drag the team through difficult periods and make them believe in themselves (the sight of William Gallas wearing the Spurs’ captains armband won’t have helped).

Until Wenger solves that problem the spectre of Adams,Viera Henry and co will loom large over his underperforming squad.

West Ham on the brink

2010-11-23T10:01:00.001Z

The rapidly emptying seats in the away section at Anfield on Saturday said it all.

A section of West Ham’s beleaguered supporters voted with their feet as their side slipped to another disappointing loss against Liverpool.

The Hammers were 3-0 down within 38 minutes and the fans who did stick around to watch the rest of the game chose to voice their anger and frustration at what has been a nightmare season for the London club so far.

They sit bottom of the Premier League, five points adrift of safety with just one win to their credit all season.

Avram Grant bore much of the criticism, with supporters calling for former player Paolo Di Canio come in as boss.

Grant only took over the club in June after leaving another crisis club Portsmouth, but has not been able to revive their flagging fortunes.

To be fair to Grant things have been taking downward turn since before this season, with their well publicised financial problems hampering former boss Gianfranco Zola’s attempts to turn the club around.

Grant remains in a job for now, though his assistant Zeljko Petrovic has left the club this week and owners, Davids Sullivan and Gold, are reportedly keen on bringing in some more coaches –including Di Canio – to give the Israeli more support.

It is unlikely though that any new blood will be in by next Saturday, where the Hammers take on Wigan at Upton Park in a game that has already been dubbed a ‘save our season’ clash.

Ticket prices have been slashed in an attempt to secure a boisterous full house in East London against a side two places and five points above them.

A win could lift themselves off the foot of the table and just two points away from safety. A defeat will cut them further adrift, justifying their relegation favourites tag and leaving Grant fearing for his job.

New boys enter title race - can they last the pace?

2010-11-22T12:56:00.001Z

In a Premier League season that is proving as unpredictable as ever it also seems the title race is just as open.

The ‘big four’s’ monopoly on the top four positions may have been broken last season but many still saw the Premier League title as an honour bestowed on a select few clubs – namely Man United and Chelsea
in recent years.

That certainly seemed to be the case earlier this season, with Carlo Ancelotti’s Blues taking the division by storm and charging into a convincing lead at the top.

Many thought there was only going to be one winner.

But as autumn turned to winter the Londoners' apparent invincibility proved a fallacy and three defeats in four games has seen Man United draw level with them as well as a host of clubs who now lurk just
behind.

One of those clubs is Arsenal, who are just two points further back. They missed the chance to go top after conceding a two goal lead against North London rivals Spurs on Saturday.

Speaking after the game a refreshingly honest Harry Redknapp declared his Spurs side ready to challenge for the title. On the evidence of their performance at the Emirates, you wouldn’t bet against it.

Then there is Man City. Just three points behind Chelsea their apparently 'poor' run was blasted away by a goal filled display at Craven Cottage on Sunday. Carlos Tevez in particular was in great form
and when he scores City usually win.

Sitting three points shy of top spot and with Sheikh Mansour’s billions at boss Roberto Mancini’s disposal in January should he need it, they should not be ruled out either.

There is a long way to go, of course, and it needs to be pointed out that despite their poor recent results Chelsea are still joint top with Man United - are they likely to lose three of their NEXT four games as well? I doubt it.

It would also take a mammoth effort from either Spurs or City to usurp the usual top three, who always come into their own after Christmas and have the experience of gruelling title run-ins. But they have looked more vulnerable this season than they have in several years and are no longer streets ahead of the competition.

You never know, if City and Spurs (and Bolton don't forget!!!) keep their good form going, in May we actually get something we never thought would happen - a fifth name inscribed on the 18 year old Premier League trophy.

Are Spurs genuine title contenders?

2010-11-22T10:47:00.000Z

In a refreshingly honest and positive post match press conference (perhaps helped by the feel good factor a first away win over Arsenal in 17 years brings) Harry Redknapp declared his Spurs side as genuine
title contenders and capable of ‘beating anybody’.

On the evidence of Saturday it is hard to argue. As poor as they were in the first half Spurs roared back after the break with a dynamic and positive display that saw them comeback from 2-0 goals down to win
3-2.

Redknapp will also point to their win over Inter earlier this month as evidence of their progress. The Italian and European Champions were outplayed at White Hart Lane with Gareth Bale in particular
outstanding in a 3-1 victory for the home side.

They now look set to qualify from their Champions League group and lie just six points off the top of the Premier League, with the likes of Chelsea and Saturday’s opponents Arsenal stumbling just above them.

But in a season that is proving open and unpredictable, do Spurs have what it takes to lift their first title since 1961?

The key could be how their squad copes with the extra European games. The Champions League is a new adventure for Tottenham players and supporters this season and they will be keen to keep it going as long
as possible. But the effort and desire poured into those midweek matches could have an effect on their league displays.

They have won three, drawn one and lost two of their games immediately following a European match this season - not the severest of European hangovers - which is evidence enough to suggest they can indeed juggle
their squad enough to cope with the extra games.

The crucial period could be the weeks over Christmas, where a rapid run of fixtures can define your goals heading into the New Year.

It is easy to make those predictions now of course, but it does need to be pointed out that despite losing three of their last four Chelsea are still top. A few weeks ago the title was all but sewn up so to suggest they have now lost it is a little bit presumtious. But at least Redknapp is being positive and honest, a nice change from the usual 'take each game as it comes' type press conferences we usually see.

I'm sure Spurs fans will welcome his positivity and ambition, even if they do eventually fall just short.

PMP 2.0

2010-11-22T10:11:00.000Z

After an enforced absence PMP is being ressurected and hopefully will be as informative and witty (ahem) as ever....

Plenty has gone on since my last post, it has got colder for starters, but Everton's fantastic ability to start a season badly and so tarnish the rest of their season is still a familiar tale to tell.

As is England's continued demise under Fabio Capello, their sight of Jay Bothroyd being sent on to rescue a draw perhaps symbolises our current ineptness at International level.

There has been the English press and their determination to shoot down England's 2018 World Cup bid, or is FIFA so corrupt that we were never going to get it anyway?

The title race now appears open (though I still expect Chelsea to go on and win it) with Man United still joint top despite not playing well all season.

Wayne Rooney's own brand of contract talks proved successful, for a minute there I thought Everton were in for a payday thanks to a well placed sell-on clause. But some last minute scrambling saw a dramatic turnaround, with no one coming out of it looking particuarly well.

Owen Coyle's trasnformation of Bolton is nearly complete. He has got them playing decent attacking football and even has Elmander socring goals (the one against Wolves last week was a beauty). How long will it be before he is linked with a move to Goodison to replace the perrenially Man United-bound David Moyes??

The league in general is proving ridiculously tight, shown by Newcastle who are four points off the top but also four points off the relegation zone. It is lucky for us that it is so tight as our current position fo 16th is worrying, but at least a few wins will see us shoot up into the top ten.

We just need our strikers (especially Louis 'no league goals since signing a new contract' Saha) to start scoring.

Starting with Sunderland tonight (click here for my preview on Royal Blue Mersey)

There must be more to Rooney’s Goodison exclusion.

2010-09-14T06:52:00.000+01:00

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson maintained that he was right to drop Wayne Rooney for last weekend’s draw with Everton after the sordid tabloid revelations about his private life.

It certainly can be argued that they coped without him, despite the 3-3 draw. The Red Devils were comfortably 3-1 in front going into injury time and only two goals in two stunning minutes led to debates about Rooney’s whereabouts.

But regardless of whether United missed him on Saturday, questions still remain as to whether Sir Alex Ferguson’s reasons are strictly true.

Fergie said he wanted to save Rooney the ‘nonsense’ he would have endured at the hands of the Goodison crowd, who no doubt would have given him plenty of stick not only for his recent off-field indiscretions but also for his controversial departure from the Merseysiders six years ago.

But Wayne is a big boy now and is surely able to cope with a bit of verbal abuse from a rowdy crowd? He has after all played in Champions matches, European Championships and two World Cups in his already eventful career.

The Everton crowd are boisterous and rowdy but no more so than any other crowd who seek to intimidate the opposition.

It seems to me that the Evertonians are a handy excuse for Fergie to hide his real reasons for leaving Rooney behind.

But what are those real reasons?

It could be a disciplinary issue. Ferguson despises the ‘superstar’ culture that goes with modern footballers and expects certain levels of behaviour. Rooney has certainly fallen below those if the News of The World is to be believed so could have been a victim of Fergie strict disciplinarian side.

He could also, of course, been given time off to sort out his difference with wife Coleen, He had after all been away with England all week following the revelations and perhaps needed some family time.

But Ferguson, who is a master of diverting the media away from things he finds detrimental to the side, would prefer to blame the Everton fans and brush the tabloid chatter under the carpet then fan the flames by openly discussing them.

But Rooney is big news, whether it is for his on field actions or those off it, so any attempt by a Fergie to reduce the headlines – be it genuine or not - will probably prove futile.

Duncan Ferguson - An Everton hero

2010-09-08T10:14:00.000+01:00

In a shameless act of self promotion I am pointing you the way of another blog - Royal Blue Mersey - where I wrote a tribute piece to the legendary Duncan Ferguson. It is part of the new Everton: Classics section of the site detailing memorable players, seasons and matches.

I'm sure I'm not the only Evertonian to list big Dunc as their favourite player (especially those of a certain age) and certainly couldn't fit all of his special moments in one blog so if you have any special Ferguson memories you would like to share feel free to comment either below or over at Royal Blue Mersey.

To read the article click here

Should this the end of Lampard and Terry’s England careers?

2010-09-08T08:31:00.001+01:00

The wounds may not have completely healed from England bruising World Cup but two wins out of two in EURO 2012 qualifying has at least given the fans something to cheer about, even if it was against relatively weak opposition.

But two players, previously cornerstones of the England side, were absent from this round of games and you wonder whether they should ever return.

Frank Lampard had a groin operation last week and so missed out on England duty but the Three Lions coped admirably with Steven Gerard marauding forward in the space usually occupied by the Chelsea man while Gareth Barry swept up behind. The Lampard/Gerrard conundrum has haunted the side for nearly seven years now so maybe we will finally see a manager accept that they cannot work together.

At the back Phil Jagielka had two superb games and combined well with former defensive partner at Everton Joleon Lescott in Switzerland. With Gary Cahill pushing for inclusion and Rio Ferdinand to return is Terry also better off out of the England picture?

It isn’t just on the field where Terry and Lampard weren’t missed. Terry is reviled by many supporters after his alleged extra-marital affairs with the wife of former team-mate Wayne Bridge. Lampard too is another not universally popular with the fans, mainly due to the club he plays for.
Given the grief Terry had to put with when the Bridge story broke, plus the harsh criticism the pair received during last summer’s World Cup they both may ask the question – is it worth it anymore?

Chelsea would certainly see the benefit of having Lampard and Terry withdraw from England duty. Playing for your country involves not only the extra games but the extra travel time too which can pile a considerable load onto an already hefty football calendar. Many players extend their careers by several seasons after retiring from international football due to the extra rest time – I’m sure many Chelsea fans would rather they gave the England distraction a miss and concentrated on performing for the Blues.

The way I see it there are no losers, Chelsea benefit, the 'Chelsea-hater' England fans will be appeased, younger English players will be given their opportunity while Terry and Lampard will save themselves a whole load of grief.

Cup win should kick start Everton's season

2010-08-29T11:47:00.001+01:00

After a stuttering opening two games it was a relief to see Everton finally win and score some goals in the process.

Speaking of goals and I feel it was important Jermaine Beckford got off the mark. I get the impression people are queuing up to dismiss him as out of his depth at this level if the scathing write ups after the Wolves game are anything to go by. Even the BBC singled his performance out for criticism.

Beckford is a gamble by Moyes no question, but he was a cheap one and regardless of the transfer fee (or lack thereof in this case) a player needs time to settle in his new surroundings. Opening your account for a new club is critical for a striker so hopefully with that monkey of his back we will see more encouraging performances from the former Leeds front man

The 5-1 victory over Huddersfield in the Carling Cup should also have given David Moyes some pointers as to his team selection for the Villa match on Sunday.

Jack Rodwell and Seamus Coleman – both superb in pre-season – surprisingly found themselves benched for the opening two fixtures of the season. It was perhaps Moyes seeking to protect his young players and stick with the safe hands of experience (something he always tends to do unless injuries force his hand).

But there is also the adage ‘if you’re good enough you’re old enough’ and given their performances over the summer they deserved to be in the first team from the off. That was shown by their encouraging display in midweek, with Coleman bombing forward to set up a couple of goals while Rodwell managed to bag a strike himself.

Rodwell is developing at an alarming rate and having once being penciled in as a defender playing further forward he now looks to be turning into a goalscoring midfielder in the - dare I say it - Steven Gerrard mould. He is certainly giving Tim Cahill something to worry about.

Turning to Everton’s opponents Aston Villa and it could be argued the Toffees are playing them at the best possible time. The Midlanders lost their manager Martin O’Neill a week before the season started, sold James Milner to Manchester City, lost 6-0 to Newcastle last weekend and completed a miserable opening fortnight by crashing out of Europe on Thursday.

I do have some sympathy for Villa, an opponent with have gone toe to toe with in recent seasons, as it seems they are suffering because of the unsettling effect Manchester City’s dogged pursuit of James Milner has had on the team and management over the summer – just like Everton did last year following Joleon Lescott’s move to the City of Manchester Stadium.

It seems that O'Neill played hardball with City and the Villa hierarchy but with City's finances winning out and Lerner cutting costs, the Irishman stuck to his principles and jumped ship.

As I said with us last season if it is a deliberate tactic by City to not only strengthen their team but unsettle one of their rivals it has worked perfectly.

That isn’t to say they won’t be a threat on Sunday. Some of my favuorite games in recent years have been against Villa - most notably a 3-3 draw at Villa Park in April 2009 and the even more dramatic 3-2 defeat the previous December, when we equalised in injury time only for Ashley Young to steal in straight from the kick off.

Even though we lost the game sticks in the memory as it reminded me why I love football - not many things in life have the ability to take you from euphoric highs to despairing lows in the space of a few seconds. Well at least not without involving chemicals anyway.

Also in Villa's stable is the lumbering presence of John Carew who regardless of form or injury always seems to score against the Blues, like a modern day Les Ferdinand.

That said remain hopeful Everton can for once take advantage of another sides misfortune and get our league season going as it is vital the club avoid being hamstrung in the second half of the season as they were last year.

That motivation, the confidence taken from that Carling Cup win plus the uncertainty among the opponents makes me confident three points will be heading to Moyes’ men this weekend.

Six reasons for Everton to be cheerful (and counting!)

2010-08-07T09:18:00.000+01:00

It may only be pre-season but Everton's form so far has given all Toffees fans reasons to be optimistic.

The Blues have often been slow starters in the recent past, including last season's injury ravaged shocker. But David Moyes seems determined to shake off that tag this year.

The key I feel is team stability. A few new signings early in the summer gave the current players a lift but the fans always knew they needed to keep what they had before looking elsehwere. With the likes of Mikel Arteta and now even Steven Pienaar looking likely to stay Everton have a team that can compete at the top of the table.

Injuries could yet scupper their hopes, but the absence of energy sapping Europa League games could work in their favour this season.

Plus their performances this summer suggests Moyes will have more options than before.

For starters Jermaine Beckford's form suggests his rise up from League One to the Premier League could be a smooth one. Many Leeds fans I know hold reservations about Beckford's ability to cut it at the highest level, but one thing Moyes is brilliant at it getting the best out of hungry players keen to prove a point. Beckford, released by Chelsea as a youngster, definitely falls into that category.

In midfield Diniyar Bilyaletdinov's displays gives the fans hope that we they finally see the reasons why Moyes spent so much money on him last summer. To be fair to Billy he had played almost two years straight what with EURO 2008 and then the Russian summer season, so we were always going to see the best of him this year. He certianly holds 'Sheedy-esque' abilities in that left foot of his (and even his right foot if the Norwich game is anything to go by).He just needs to sustain his performance throughout the whole 90 minutes, something I feel he is slowly improving at.

A good start this year and I believe Everton truly can compete for the top four. City apart the spending elsewhere hasn't been great and the Toffees form in the second half of last season (when players were fit) showed they could compete - and indeed beat - the best.

A win over Wolfsburg today will only increase the feeling of optimism around Goodison, until all eyes move to Ewood Park for the big kick off on August 14th.

Agents keen for a piece of the Man City pie

2010-07-20T13:45:00.000+01:00

"Today he's at Chelsea. Maybe there will be surprises before August 31. I haven't spoken to just anybody. The only contact I've had directly was with City."

"At his age I can no longer hide the financial aspect. The club that want Didier will have to meet the price."

Thierno Seydi – Didier Drogba’s agent

There are so many things wrong with this quote it is untrue - starting with ‘we can no longer hide the financial aspect’.

What, because money wasn’t an issue when he moved to Chelsea in 2004?? In fact I bet the financial aspect has been at the forefront of any of his £80,000 a week contract negotiations since then and the very reason agents are so involved in football.

Reading between the lines, and that is all I can do unfortunately, it seems like either City have contacted the players agent with a mega bucks offer or Seydi is fishing to see what he can find.

These agents claim to work in their players best interests, but that seems only incidental to lining their own pockets.

City are a gold mine and their ensuring rush has seen clubs and agents desperately courting their attention in order to claim a piece of their wealth.

Figures released last year revealed that almost £13million was spent by City on agents and middle men in 2009, the most in the division. What do these guys do to earn all their money? Apart from unsettle players by addling their brains with promises of riches?

Would Drogba do a good job at City? He almost certainly would. But I can’t help feeling any move would be driven by the agent sniffing profit rather than any desire to improve his client’s well being.

For example at 32 Drogba isn’t getting any younger and possibly has just three season’s left at the top – would he leave the current English Champions who are desperate to win Europe’s top prize for a season ( and possibly more) of Europa League football?

I don’t feel any move to City by Drogba makes footballing sense – Mancini and co are looking to build a team to dominate for years rather than expensive short term buys.

But given Mr Seydi’s comments it seems football isn’t high on his priorities.

Jol leaves Fulham and the rest of us all confused

2010-07-20T09:26:00.000+01:00

I think Fulham would be doing a fantastic bit of business if they lured Martin Jol away from Ajax and back to the Premier League.

Apart from appearing thoroughly likeable (and we can’t have enough likeable coaches in the division in my opinion) they are getting a manager with a decent track record and European experience – attributes many Cottagers fans probably thought they had seen the back of when Roy Hodgson left for Liverpool.

That move is still in doubt, with Ajax scrambling to keep their man with promises of transfer funds and a stop to player sales. Indeed the reports surfacing this morning suggest The Dutchman has had an about turn and decided to stay in Amsterdam after all (the cynical side of me suggests he has played Ajax and Fulham off each other - maybe he isn't so nice after all!)

If Jol does return he probably fulfills all the criteria Fulham fans will have wanted in a new boss and perhaps more importantly will have a coach that has a point to prove.

I doubt Jol would say it out loud but he was very harshly treated at Tottenham.

A poor start to the 206/07 season saw the board panic and the Dutchman was immediately under pressure (just three games into the season – talk about knee jerk reaction) and Juande Ramos was allegedly offered the job at the end of August while Jol was still in charge.

Who knows what went on exactly behind the scenes but it seems the writing was on the wall before he was bombed out three months into the season.

This was despite leading the club to two successive 5th placed finishes and being a dodgy lasagne away from leading the club into the Champions League.

It also has to be noted some of the players he brought in - Gareth Bale Aaron Lennon, Michael Dawson, and Tom Huddlestone all formed a crucial part of last year’s 4th placed side. Dimitar Berbatov was sold on at a £20million profit just two years after he signed and even two of his perceived failures, Kevin Prince Boetang and Younes Kaboul (who left for Pompey then came back last season), have latterly proven to be handy players.

If Jol had been able to continue his work at Spurs I feel he would have taken them into the Champions League earlier than they already did.

Back to Fulham and with that burning sense of injustice inside him I think he will do a great job. He won’t have the same resources as he did at White Hart Lane but the alleged £20million transfer kitty given to him by Mohammed Al Fayed is handy enough.

And with a decent backbone already in place last year's Europa League final could indeed be the start of an exacting new era rather than the end of one as most people have been predicting.

Arsenal in for Jags, Rafa in for Pienaar – another Everton exodus begins?

2010-07-18T08:30:00.003+01:00

Well at least we beat Brisbane, is perhaps what most Evertonians will be consoling themselves with this morning after the Sunday press once more linked two of our best players with moves away.

The first is not a new one.

Arsenal have been linked with Phil Jagielka for weeks now and the Mirror alleges we have rejected a £14million bid with the Gunners set to raise their offer to £16million.

Well, sorry Arsene but don’t blame us blame Man City.

If the market dictates that Joleon Lescott is worth £24million the Jags is worth at least £30million, market forces and all that.

As Pat Nevin said last summer when Lescott made the big money move – “He isn’t even the best defender at Everton.”

Jagielka is a better all round player than Lescott and his leadership on the pitch brings the best out of players around him. It is no surprise a team like Arsenal want him and if he isn’t included in the next England squad it will be a crime. However, it is vital we keep hold of the defender and to be honest I think we will.

Arsenal don’t have the unlimited funds that City have and I am sure they will behave with far more class than Mark Hughes did last year, with his crude and very public tapping up of Lescott damaging the relationship between the two clubs almost beyond repair.

Plus given the way Arsenal have reacted to Barca’s attempts to snare Cesc Fabregas I doubt they will indulge in similar behaviour to other clubs.

Moyes doesn’t want to sell and unless Arsenal offer silly money - which I don’t think they will - I’m confident he will remain an Everton player.

I’m less sure about Pienaar though. In fact he is almost nailed on to leave for the first decent club that comes in for him. Rafa Benitez continues to wind us up even though he has left Liverpool by allegedly putting a bid in for the South African.

An offer from the European Champions maybe too good to refuse for Pienaar and to be honest, I wouldn’t begrudge him the move. I only hope the situation is sorted one way or another so we can have a settled squad for the start of the season.

And the latest star to roll off the Everton production line is....

2010-07-15T09:23:00.001+01:00

I don’t know where Everton would be without its excellent youth Academy.

Ray Hall and his staff deserve enormous credit for the fantastic job they have done over the past 20 years, producing some of the country’s best young talent.

I know many people talk about the West Ham Academy and the ‘golden’ generation of players at Manchester United, but you would be hard pressed to find a youth set up that has consistently produced quality young players like Everton’s.

If you think over the past 15 years we have had the likes of Francis Jeffers, Michael Ball, Gavin McCann, Richard Dunne, Wayne Rooney, James Vaughan and Jack Rodwell, who have all gone on to achieve international honours at various levels.

The work of the Academy is especially important in today’s times of austerity. Everton, to put in bluntly, ‘aint got a pot to piss in’ and after shelling out a relatively modest £2million this summer Moyes says the barrel is already empty.

The past two years have seen the club sell before it has bought but with Moyes digging his heels in over the likes of Steven Pienaar and Mikel Arteta; it is unlikely a big name will be sacrificed once more to fund recruitment elsewhere.

Thankfully some of our academy graduates look likely to step up. First there is Jack Rodwell. The secret is well and truly out now about Rodwell after that magnificent goal against Manchester United in February but Toffees fans, especially those inside the club, knew about this kid for a long time.

In a time where the media are talking about a dearth of English talent to replace our aging failures in South Africa they are ignoring a player who could eclipse the lot of them.

The composure, poise and no little skill shown by Rodwell at such a young age is outstanding and even though I’m slightly biased I truly believe he is an England captain in the making.

Another player most none-Toffees may not have heard of is Seamus Coleman. The young Irishman signed from Sligo Rovers for £60,000 in January 2009 and had a debut to forget in a 4-0 drubbing by Benfica in the Europa League. However, a fantastic cameo appearance against Spurs in December (which earned him the man of the match award – it shows how bad the rest were!) quickly got the fans excited. Moyes did the right thing and gave him some lower league experience at Blackpool, where he helped the Seasiders earn promotion via the play-offs.

Now back in an Everton shirt he put in another decent performance in a pre-season friendly against Melbourne Heart. The youngster won a penalty early on for the Toffees before crossing for Jack Rodwell to convert from close range.

One of our key forms of attack last season was the linkup between Pienaar and Leighton Baines on the left. Now we have a kid who is just as adept at going forward in the right, giving us an exciting balance on the other flank.

There are rumours Blackpool want to take him back on loan but given his progress I think he is ready for the Toffees first team now.

And given the club’s track record, he could go a very long way.

Arsenal and the great World Cup pundit conundrum

2010-07-14T13:22:00.001+01:00

It was interesting to hear the thoughts of the so called ‘experts’ following Spain’s World Cup final win over Holland on Sunday.

The Spanish were roundly praised for their dominant brand of possession football and were seen as deserved winners of the tournament. Holland meanwhile were heavily criticised for their aggressive style as they sought to unsettle the Spanish midfielders.

But one thing struck me as rather odd.

While Hansen and co on the BBC couldn’t find enough superlatives to throw at Spain and conversely had plenty of bad words to say about the Dutch, I wonder what they will be saying about Arsenal in a month’s time?

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has a similar footballing philosophy than the Spanish. He has assembled a group of technically gifted players who seek to play an attractive brand of attacking, possession football.

However, their main weakness in the Premier League has been their apparent ‘soft centre’. It is commonly assumed that the Arsenal players ‘don’t like it up ‘em’ and so are subject to rough treatment from opponents (just ask Aaron Ramsey).

This weakness is often cited as the reason why they have failed to win a trophy over the past five years and many believe Wenger should adopt a different style of play.

But why is it ok for teams to rough Arsenal up but it is ‘thuggery’ to try and do the same to Spain?

The ‘experts’ were calling for more protection for the Spanish players yet they are not so forthcoming about Arsenal. I know Spain have proven more successful than Arsenal in recent years but it hasn’t been through adapting their style of play, they will keep passing regardless of the opposition - just like Arsene Wenger's men.

There seems to be a common thought among TV pundits that everything the Spanish do is perfect – proven by how little was said regarding the frequent instances of play acting, diving and card waving that went on during Sunday’s fractious encounter.

I feel it is important to point out that I am not an Arsenal fan so do not have agenda. However, I do feel we should have as much consistency from our hypercritical pundits as we expect from our players and referees.

Gosling is making a far worse error than Everton

2010-07-12T05:16:00.005+01:00

It was the transfer story that came out of nowhere. Dan Gosling, a steady if promising young player at Everton, suddenly taking the club to a tribunal to force a free transfer away from the club.

We may never know exactly what went on but it seems Everton believed Gosling would sign a contract extension that they verbally agreed on some time ago.

Somewhere in the middle of that though Gosling has suddenly developed an oversized ego and began making demands regarding regular first-team football, his preferred position and level of wages.

Yes this is Dan Gosling we are talking about, not Jack Rodwell, who is a genuine talent worth keeping. He has scored two memorable goals against Manchester United and Liverpool I admit, but he still had some way to go before he could consider himself a first team regular. He certainly isn’t good enough to start demanding he play in central midfield (ahead of Fellaini, Arteta, Cahill, Neville, Rodwell and Osman? Er I don’t think so).

Everton must take some of the blame for their administrative blunder as they will now miss out on a transfer fee (though I don’t think Gosling is worth the £4million quoted) but they must also feel a bit let down by the player who has effectively played the system and betrayed the club’s trust in order to secure a big money move for himself.

It is no surprise then that Newcastle are set to sign the midfielder. Despite their relegation two seasons ago they don’t appear to have learnt their lesson. Their struggles, both on and off the pitch, came largely down to unmotivated, over paid players who happily at on their wages while the club spiralled down the division.

Gosling will no doubt pocket a nice signing on fee and earn £25,000 a week - a frankly ridiculous sum for someone of his ability.

With it now though will be the ego and the belief that he has now made it. The moment a player believes his own hype is the moment they lose the motivation to improve and their career grinds to a halt (Evertonians have heard it all before – Francis Jeffers and Danny Cadamarteri being two examples)

If that's the case with Gosling, then maybe Everton are better off without him.

Collective failure led to England’s demise.

2010-06-29T07:35:00.003+01:00

England’s crushing and ultimately humiliating exit from the World Cup was the result of critical failure from all levels of the national game.

It is still fashionable to blame the manager for the Three Lions failure, but as each manager comes and goes - with the same problems remaining - we are now waking up to the fact that serious changes need to be made if we are to re-build the England team.

That is not to say Fabio Capello is blameless. His strict and authoritative approach went completely out of the window in the run up to the tournament. It seemed like he had a look at the squad and panicked, resulting in some bizarre team selections that went against his wise policy of only picking fit and in-form players. During the tournament when things went wrong his stubborn refusal to change the formation made England look dated and rigid. But when people mention Harry Redknapp as a replacement and keep a straight face, it is critical Capello keeps the job as there is no just one better qualified out there at the moment.

The Italian has also been failed by the system had has had to work with. The Premier League has been a huge commercial success and brought enormous benefits to the English game. But it has now got out of control and has become a profit hungry monster threatening to eat away at our national team.

For starters the influx of foreign players has limited the development of young players. It has been quotes that Capello has only 40% of Premier League players available to be selected for England, just no good enough for a league of that strength.
For those who are considered good enough the long and physical nature of the league means they suffer burnout by the end of the season. What else would explain the side’s great form at the turn of the year but dismal showing from March onwards?

The money flowing into the league has also produced the most pampered arrogant and self obsessed generation of footballers ever produced. The apparent unrest in the camp, the chaotic build up (including the sacking of Terry for his err..indiscretions) is a sign of a bunch of players out of control and who put their own self interest ahead of their national team. The reaction of Wayne Rooney, himself one of the biggest disappointments, after the Algeria game showed how out of touch they are with public opinion.

England will always produce good players. We are a football mad country with plenty of top class academies and scouting system ready to pick out the vest talent. But once players enter the Premier League treadmill they find themselves on a system that is not longer focused on the England team, but profit. When the players are spat out at the other end those who have actually made it have become a jaded, over-paid shadow of their younger selves, who turn out lifeless performances like we have just seen in South Africa.

You can’t blame Capello or the 4-4-2 formation for that.

First published at Premiership Talk

New Twidget on PMP

2010-06-22T19:20:00.002+01:00

As you may have noticed I have added an excellent new Twidget on the left hand side bar of this site. It aggregates a number of excellent blogs (including this one!) and displays them in it's scrolling feed. It can also be found at sites such as footballfancast.com and football-talk.co.uk.
Thanks needs to go to the people at casino online for making the twidget possible

Shattered England divided by money and oversized egos

2010-06-22T16:28:00.002+01:00

Forget the scripted ‘apologies’ put forward by Wayne Rooney and John Terry this week. They were merely the FA’s attempts at firefighting the wreckage of England’s World Cup campaign.

No, the most eye opening revelation was Rooney’s impromptu outburst, spoken directly to the fans, at the final whistle in Cape Town on Friday.

There was Rooney without the backing of his media team, or the FA press officer, or his manager, it was his own views and I imagine one shared by the rest of the ‘senior’ (i.e. the most arrogant and therefore the most overpaid) players.

Rooney let out frustrations that have festered ever since their arrival in South Africa, be it with the strict regime of Fabio Capello or the cabin fever resulting from their relative isolation in Rustenberg as well as the poor performances on the field, where he and the rest of the players put in as dismal display as you will ever see from the Three Lions against Algeria on Friday.

But rather than that anger be rightly directed at himself and his team-mates, it was those perky fans who incurred his wrath. They had the ‘cheek’ to boo a rotten performance after travelling thousands of miles to support them. It is never their fault.

It gets better. John Terry, obviously forgetting he is not the captain anymore, decides to launch a public berating of Fabio Capello, dictating his methods, tactics and even team selection.

The problem with players like Terry, Rooney and Lampard is that they rule the roost at their clubs. They do what they want, are paid what they want and so have become so arrogant they oppose anyone who questions their authority.

We already know these players live in a different World to our own, but the reaction of a man who we thought was most in touch with his roots, who grew up on a council estate in Croxteth yet treats his own fans with such disdain, shows how distant they really are and the complete lack of empathy they have for the normal men and women who spend money they haven’t got to support the team.

Terry’s outburst also shows the chasm that now lies between the manager and players. The press have some many people to blame they are running out of ink, meanwhile we somehow have to pull together and salvage a World Cup we can still actually progress in if we beat Slovenia.

Do that and disaster will have been averted, but I can’t help but feel some of the cuts run to deep to ever truly heal.

Are we surprised at the England crisis?

2010-06-22T13:28:00.003+01:00

Given the bouts of mass hysteria breaking out across the country, the inevitable war-related tabloid headlines and angry boozed up, flag-clad supporters, England’s slow and painful elimination from the World Cup must be nearing its depressing conclusion.

There is something incredibly predictable about what has happened over the past two weeks. The England players, with oversized egos massaged by their Premier League stardom, carried their overstated sense of entitlement and self-importance into a tournament they were always unlikely to win.

However, throw in a frenzied media determined to refer to either 1966 or the second world war in every other sentence and some washed up celebrities releasing ridiculous ‘Eng-gur-land’ songs, all of a sudden then nation began to believe the team could actually achieve something.

To be fair, the manner of England’s qualification, which saw them score more goals than any other European team and included 4-1 and 5-1 wins over Croatia, suggested they could make an impression at the finals.
But the scale of England’s failure so far is, even by their standards, pretty spectacular. First up was the USA game and Rob Green’s contribution to football gaffes DVDs for decades to come. Though even then as England laboured to the 1-1 draw the fans convinced themselves it was a good result, as obviously the all conquering England team would steamroller Algeria to set up a place in the knockout stages.

But that was before we were treated an excruciatingly painful 90 minutes against the African “minnows” as the press called them. To be fair no one gave Algeria much credit for their performance. In a World cup that has now seen New Zealand draw with Italy and Switzerland beat Spain it is not unrealistic to suggest that Algeria got their tactics spot on and battled to a deserved draw.

But when you get Wayne Rooney, the street footballer from Croxteth, shouting at the travelling fans on live television, who needs to talk about the opposition.

The result has brought out the worst in everyone involved. The supporters are divided, with some apoplectic at such a poor performance given the amount the paid to travel and watch the team. Others feel it is all too inevitable and preferred to look forward to the new domestic season, while those who only watch football every four years have gone back to their gardening.

Read the rest of the story here.

England Should Beware Slow Start (and Germany) in Rustenberg

2010-06-11T08:34:00.003+01:00

Whether it is the fear of losing, lack of fitness or early tournament nerves England have consistently struggled to grab all three points in their recent opening matches at International tournaments.

The predictions for the England squad are varied when you compare football opinion, but one is for certain and that's a quick look at the history books shows that since 1986 The Three Lions have only won their opener on two occasions – against Paraguay in 2006 and Tunisia in 1998.
The 1-0 victory over the South Americans in Germany was also the first time in that period England have won their first game and also gone on win their group.

Altogether, including European Championships, England have won two, lost four and drawn four of their opening games since Mexico ’86. Certainly a worrying statistic as England prepare to face the USA in what will arguably be their toughest group game of the 2010 World Cup.
However, despite their stuttering starts England have never failed to make it out of their World Cup group in that time; suggesting they have enough bouncebackability on the biggest stage to get results in the second and third matches.
The difference this time around is the possible opponents in the knock-out stage. Germany are lurking in Group D and with the old enemy almost certain to top their group (they always do don’t they?!) England will want to avoid playing them for as long as possible – topping Group C will make their path to the latter stages a whole lot easier.
Read the rest of this entry.

Which Everton star will shine brightest in South Africa?

2010-06-11T08:24:00.002+01:00

With just days to go now until the big kick off a number of Everton players have touched down in South Africa in readiness for their countries’ opening matches.

But who will go furthest, whose reputation will be enhanced and who is using the tournament to engineer a transfer?

Here is how I think our international Toffees will progress:

Read the rest of this entry

David Beckham, Noel Gallagher, Ian Brown and Snoop Dogg in awesome Adidas advert

2010-06-08T13:45:00.003+01:00

Yes the big guns are pulling out all the stops in order capture our attention during the World Cup ad breaks - to and from visits to the bar of course.
We have already seen Nikes effort, premiered (I can't believe adverts now have premieres!!) during the Champions League final and now we have the effort from everyone's favourite training shoe maker (well, mine at least). The fact that it parody's one of the most famous scenes from Star Wars,another favourite of mine, guarantees it will be a hit.

I just hope Beckham doesn't take up acting, even his one line was unconvincing. Still a great advert though!

New Everton away kit 2010/11

2010-06-03T10:49:00.005+01:00

It's er...interesting!

I can't really see electric pink going down well on the streets of Walton but as pointed out by a mate of mine similar coloured rugby shirts have sold well. But then as I pointed out, not many Everton fans like rugby.

I'll leave it to you to decide but it's safe to say I won't be buying!

If you however fancy a purchase skip over to the official site.

Royal Blue Mersey: Baines World Cup snub

2010-06-02T06:01:00.001+01:00

While much of the footballing World focused on Theo Walcott's exclusion from the England squad, I for one was still digesting the news that Leighton Baines had somehow missed out too....

I admit that Baines had a poor game in the recent friendly with Mexico. But he wasn't alone in that respect. Indeed his lack of experience should have excused him from the bulk of the criticism when you consider the likes of Michael Carrick, with 22 caps to his name, was just as poor yet finds himself on the plane.

What makes the decision even more bemusing is that his replacment, Stephen Warnock, played no part in England's recent warm-up matches.In fact he has only played five minutes of international football ever.

Read the rest of this entry.

The rise and fall of Theo Walcott

2010-06-02T05:24:00.005+01:00

From England hero to England reject, it has been quite a couple of years for Theo Walcott.

The Arsenal winger was the headline making absentee from Fabio Capello’s England squad; paying the price for an indifferent 12 months with Arsenal, admittedly hampered by a succession of injuries.

Many Arsenal fans will not surprised at the decision. They have been underwhelmed by Walcott this year as he repeatedly failed to match his blistering pace with an end product (much like Shaun Wright-Phillips, who was included, but that argument is for another day).

But once again I feel Walcott has been a victim of English football’s media hype machine. Ever since Wayne Rooney, a once in a generation talent, burst onto the Premier League scene eight years ago, the press have been hungry to discover the next hidden gem, no matter how young they maybe.

Walcott stood out as a 16-year-old at Southampton, then a middle ranking Championship side. But a promising talent was all he was. Yet the sensationalist headlines soon followed making him out to be England’s next wonderkid.

But still, despite is raw talent, St Mary’s would have been the ideal place for Walcott to develop as player.

In his defence I think he then became a victim of circumstance. Firstly Southampton, heavily in debt, saw Walcott as an asset and when Arsenal came calling, they were only too happy to take the money.

All of a sudden Walcott was rocketed up into the Premier League’s top four, under a manager renowned for nurturing young talent. But he isn’t a Rooney or a Fabregas. Those two developed at much quicker rates than Walcott, yet he was judged like them and expected to hit the heights immediately.

Again things weren’t helped by his ridiculous inclusion in England’s World Cup 2006
squad. It was one of the final acts of a man truly losing the plot when Sven decided to include Walcott, despite never seeing him play and watching just half a training session.

Walcott’s image was racing way ahead of where he truly lay as a footballer. He was nowhere near international standard and to be honest, could have done with a few more years down out Southampton to aid his progress.

The ensuing years have been seen one injury after another and, one magic night in Zagreb aside, a stalling career that is threatening to never meet people’s sky high expectations.

His exclusion from the squad must now be turned into a positive. A clear summer to rest and re-cooperate before a committed bid to rediscover that lost potential.

Is Mourinho the right man for Real Madrid?

2010-06-02T05:23:00.001+01:00

On paper it is a match made in heaven. In one corner we have Real Madrid, the biggest club in the world, a side with some of the biggest superstars on Earth, men who are used to winning trophies year on year but have recently been usurped by their bitter rivals.

In the other corner we have Jose Mourinho, the self-styled Special One - a born winner who has now won the domestic title in three different countries as well as the Champions League with two different clubs. If there is anyone who has the self-confidence, charisma and the CV to take on the job at the Bernabeu it is Jose.

Read the rest of this entry.

2010-05-26T07:51:00.000+01:00

Although the ongoing Steven Pienaar contract farce continues to haunt our close season, the news that a number of key players are willing to commit their futures to the club should be more than enough to keep Everton fans feeling positive.

This week Jack Rodwell will sign a new five-year deal to ward off interest from Manchester United and Arsenal. I’m sure Toffees can’t hide their delight at this news as Rodwell is undoubtedly a star in the making. His progress in the past two years has been astounding and his calmness and composure on the ball belies his tender years. His strike against Manchester United gave us a glimpse of the sort of player he could become and it now looks like the fans will see Rodwell fulfil his potential in a blue shirt, rather than the red of United or Arsenal.

Read the rest of this entry.

Blackpool to live the Premier League dream

2010-05-26T07:48:00.001+01:00

The future’s bright, the future’s orange, or, to be precise about it, Tangerine. Blackpool’s promotion at the weekend was a headline writer’s dream come true, with “Blackpool rocks” and “tangerine dream” two of the more heavily used phrases in the wake of their play-off win.

The odds make them favourites to go straight back down and, given that many people were tipping them to be relegated from the Championship at the start of this season, this should come as no surprise. In fact, manager Ian Holloway had a clause in his contract giving him a bonus if he kept them up – promotion wasn’t even mentioned.

Read the rest of this entry.

Soccerpro Review

2010-05-25T07:53:00.002+01:00

Once again the lovely people at Soccerpro sent me some gear to review for you lucky people. First off I had a pair of Adidas Samba World Cup Edition trainers.

Now I admit from the off, I am a fan of Adidas trainers, so my review is always going to be tainted with favouritism but I will do my best to be impartial.
First off the Samba design, once of one Adidas’ earliest football shoe designs, is now a classic casual footwear design in its own right. And this latest incarnation is no exception. The modern twist is, of course, the colouring of the iconic three stripes which, in tribute to the upcoming World Cup, is yellow and gold for the countries of Brazil, Australia and Ghana.

Not that I will be supporting any of those countries mind, but I think they look good anyway!

The colours are, of course, personal taste but as the Samba shoe can be bought in a variety of colours you can disregard them for the rest of the review.

It is a good job these are for leisurewear as its comfort and design upon wearing is not suitable for sport at all. They fail to offer the ankle support for physical activity and quickly picked up scuff marks. My previous Sambas have also done this, becoming worn and marked very quickly.

However, if you’re watching the match rather than playing in it or you fancy a few drinks with your mates and you want to look good as well as feel comfortable, you can’t go wrong. They look smart but are also extremely comfortable to wear, as you would expect with a brand such as Adidas. They come highly recommended.

Details:
Adidas Samba Leather World Cup Countries - Brazil, Ghana, and Australia UK size 8/US size 9 $47.99 to buy go to Soccerpro’s Soccer Shop

Next up was a black and white Adidas Condivo Fleece Top.
Being a black and white fleece it was never going to receive any design awards and I certainly didn't see it as a fashion statement. Therefore I placed functionality above looks with this piece of Soccer Apparel.

Given my limited footballing ability (much to my eternal regret) this came in hugely handy when sitting on the bench for my football team (well, we don’t really have a bench of sorts, so I just sat on the grass!). The fleece is well made, with subtle white piping giving a classier design than those with just the traditional three stripes down the sleeves. Functionality wise it did the job, keeping my extremely warm for much of the game, before my five minute cameo at the end.

How does it compare with other, cheaper fleeces? It’s hard to say. It certainly looks and feels better than cheaper designs but whether it keeps me warmer is open to debate. At $60.00 I do feel you are paying a premium for the name, but it also guarantees you excellent design, warmth and comfort. And if that prevents you from freezing your ass off on the touchline, then it is a fair price to pay.

Details:
Adidas Condivo Fleece Top - Black with White: $60.00

To buy these products and more soccer gear please go to http://www.soccerpro.com

Jack Rodwell signs new Everton deal

2010-05-24T10:43:00.002+01:00

It's the news we have all been waiting for!

Hot on the heels of Seamus Coleman and Tim Cahill, it is being reported that Jack Rodwell has become the latest player to commit his future to the club by signing a long-term deal.

The Guardian reports that the England Under-21 international has signed a fiver year contract worth £30,000 a week, ending any speculation of a move to Manchester United or Arsenal.

I'm sure all Blues fans will agree this is great news. Rodwell has been long admired by the clubs coaching staff and from what we have seen over the past two years he has the potential to become an Everton great - I only hope he sticks around long enough to do so!

Read the rest of this entry.

Daily Mail misinterprets public opinion in World Cup row.

2010-05-24T10:17:00.004+01:00

Ah, the traditional British tabloid kiss-and-tell story.

Every other week sordid revelations of a celebrity’s ( and I use that term loosely) private life is splashed over the front pages of a Sunday newspaper. All in the name of the free press.

I can’t say I am a fan of these stories, but a lot of people clearly are and I do agree to an extent that those in positions of power duly have a responsibility to behave in a proper manner. Investigative journalism can help uncover crime and corruption, as well as those who publically display and profit from one image, yet offer a different one away from public view.

But all too often in my opinion the ‘public interest’ argument is trotted out by newspapers to defend their invasion of privacy in order to sell extra copies.

Take the Lord Triesman fiasco. The Daily Mail, a conservative newspaper, was always going to go after someone like Triesman, a labour peer. But their decision to run a story featuring comments made by him during a private dinner (though they called it a meeting) with a friend and former aide Melissa Jacobs, who, unknown to him, was recording it, appears a mistake.

Jacobs sold her story to the Mail for £75,000, with the publicist Max Clifford representing her. Alarm bells about her motives should be ringing already. One of Triesman’s stand-out remarks was allegations that the Spanish and Russian football associations were considering bribing referees at this summer's World Cup, in return for votes in the 2018 bidding process. Pretty serious accusations I admit.

The story inevitably led to the 66-year-old's departure, but defending himself in a statement he felt he was a victim of “Entrapment” by a friend which was an “unpleasant experience both for my family and me.”

The article also implied that Triesman had shared an “intimate relationship” with Jacobs. He vigorously denied the allegations, saying that their friendship had been “grossly exaggerated”.

Meanwhile the FA franticly began a damage limitation exercise, swiftly apologising to the Spanish and Russian FAs as well as swiftly removing the labour peer from his position.

Now I am not going to defend Triesman’s comments. They were ill-advised to say the least. Such comments are very foolish, especially for someone in his position, and so he s not entirely blameless in this sorry tale.

But is shouldn’t be forgotten that these comments were made in private to a close and trusted friend, and he had no idea it was being recorded. The Mail’s line in the story was that Triesman’s was now responsible for England’s faltering bid for the World Cup, accusing him of a ‘serious lapse of judgement’ for making such claims regardless of whether they were in private or not.

The Press Complaints Commission code of practice (which are voluntary by the way) states that the press must not seek to obtain or publish material acquired by using hidden cameras or clandestine listening devices;. But while it needs to be pointed out that the paper was not involved in the recording of the conversation, they ran the story when it was offered to them. The defence on this is whether the story is in the public interest which is defined by but not restricted to: Detecting or exposing crime or serious impropriety, protecting public health and safety or preventing the public from being misled by an action or statement of an individual or organisation.

You have to ask yourself then – is this in the public interest?

It’s very hard to prove that it its. After all any journalist worth his salt would have listened to his startling claims regarding corruption and looked into it further – that is the big story to come out of all this. If, as expected, the claims are baseless, then they are simply the mutterings, however irresponsible, of a man, in private, to a woman he was looking to impress.

Was he taking the allegations further? Probably not? Where they the views of the FA, certainly not.

It’s a non story. I defy anyone to deny they have made exaggerated or ill-advised claims in a private setting. In that context Triesman's comments are hardly a matter of public interest.

So why therefore did the paper run the story? Well, everyone loves a kiss-and-tell story don’t they? Everyone loves to see the downfall of those in power and hear their sordid revelations over their Sunday lunch. And that is how the story played out, with even transcriptions of affectionate text messages sent by Triesman to Jacobs printed.

This was a cheap an smutty attempt to sell extra copies, disguised under the ruse of ‘pubic interest’. But in doing so the Mail has scored untold damage on England’s World Cup bid (the revelations did after all come just days after England submitted their bid book to FIFA)

This surely outweighs any benefit revealing a 66-year-old love sick man's inner private thoughts would bring?

Judging by the nature and sheer number of vitriolic comments on the papers website they have grossly mis-judged the public mood, with the majority of the English public angry at the paper, not Triesman, and hold them responsible for hurting England’s chances of hosting the World Cup.

It does seem ironic that for such a patriotic publication their cheap quest for sales could cost England the World Cup, and so billion of pounds of investment and thousands of jobs. Not to mention the feel good factor of having the World’s greatest tournament on our shores. Is the story still in the public interest now?

Gary Lineker, one of the ambassadors of the 2018 bid, has quit his position as a columnist in the wake of the scandal; with his publicist Jon Holmes saying it was “crass judgment” on the part of the Mail. I’m inclined to agree.

Again I feel it is important to point out that the press should be independent and therefore shouldn’t cover things up in order to protect England’s bid. If the bid committee are seeking to win the World Cup by illegal means the press have a right to bring them to account - They still have a vital role in uncovering corruption and ensuring fair play.

But conversely they shouldn’t obtain stories using dubious methods and then proceed make sensationalist mountains out of molehills in order to create headlines and sell papers, with dis-regard for the consequences of their actions. The FA have enough faults as it is without their own press working against them.

England’s bid team believe they can recover from this PR disaster and prove to the FIFA committee that England is deserving of the World Cup in 2018. But with the British press the way they are, I’m not holding my breath.

The Web's Newest Everton FC blog - Royal Blue Mersey!

2010-05-21T08:37:00.004+01:00

Yes that's right the guys over at SBNation have asked my to be editor of a bran new Everton FC blog: www.royalbluemersey.com

Hope you like the name (it was my idea!)

PMP will still continue as a hub for all more blogs across the web but if your're looking for exclusive Everton content then RBM will be the place to be. Why not check it out an have your say. One of my first blog posts is a review of last season, check it out by clicking here.

Enjoy!!

More should follow Tim Cahill’s example

2010-05-21T07:01:00.002+01:00

Another year. Another transfer window. Another scattergun approach from the media.

Desperate to break the story first the press have obviously decided to throw enough transfer tittle tattle onto their back pages with the hope that one will stick, so when the player does make the move they can look all smug.

But even though I know most of these stories are fabricated, it doesn’t stop me from feeling anxious when most of them involve Everton players leaving rather than coming in.

The reason for this is because I, like most Blues, are still sore from the Joleon Lescott saga last summer. It was brilliantly orchestrated by Man City, who by consistently making public their interest in the defender, unsettled the former Wolves man (and much of the squad) to the extent that his mind had drifted across the M62 by the time the season had started. Aston Villa fans watch out, the same will happen with James Milner, trust me.

So when I read that Mikel Arteta is apparently off to Arsenal, Phil Jagielka is off to Man City and Jack Rodwell is off to United, you can’t blame me for feeling a little worried.

Loyalty carries little weight in these days of the £100,000 a week footballer. When we see players passionately kissing the badge and clapping the fans we like to think they are one of us. But the reality is very different and as we found with Lescott last year, those with the greater finances (sorry City I mean ‘ambition’) will nearly always win out.

I say nearly always because, thankfully, Tim Cahill has proved a very happy exception to that depressing rule.

The talismanic Aussie has become part of the furniture at Goodison now given the length of time he has been here. The very fact some fans became frustrated with him this season and even pondered flogging him to raise cash is evidence of the high standards he has set himself since his move from Millwall in 2004.

Even if he was not at his best at times this year, his presence on and off the field and his handy knack of arriving late in the area to grab crucial goals means he is still a vital asset to our squad, and the sort of player clubs pay top dollar for - what Man United could do with a goalscoring midfielder of his prowess to replace the aging Paul Scholes?

I reckon few would blame him if he sought one last big move, he has given six years loyal service after all and perhaps deserves to pick up more than just two FA Cup runners up medals in his career.

But Cahill strikes me as a man of principal. He is eternally grateful for what rewards the game has brought, the opportunity Millwall offered him as a young trainee miles away from home and the faith Eveton placed in him when they plucked him from obscurity.

He has since become a genuine World star and appears determined to reward that faith shown in him by the management, players and fans by committing the rest of his career to the club (and hopefully winning some trophies!)

His quotes upon signing the new deal are ones to cut out and keep:

“When you assess the situation, see where you are as a footballer, people question money and things like that, but there’s only so much more you can earn. The grass isn’t always greener.

“I don’t chase big moves. That’s the one thing I’ve done all my career, I’ve never invited clubs, I’ve never speculated.

“Everton know the way I work. It’s a sign of respect. With the history we’ve got, the future we’ve got, I feel there’s no bigger club.”

We should make a T-shirt with that on.

It is encouraging to know we have players who carry genuine affection for the club in the dressing room as they can only have a positive influence on the rest of the players. One of the most pleasing aspects of David Moyes’ transfer policy is his insistence on buying players with the right attitude as well as ability. I hope now that Cahill can be an example to players still at the club, as well as prospective transfer targets, that while we can’t offer the wages, we can offer the best environment for a player to develop in.

Yes I’m talking to you Mr Pienaar.

First published over at Everton Banter

Is debt scuppering Fergie’s transfer plans?

2010-05-21T06:58:00.000+01:00

The announcement by Sir Alex Ferguson that he may only sign one more player this summer must have been met by bemusement by Manchester United fans.

After all, despite losing the Premier League title by just a point, a series of poor results during the campaign revealed a squad that relied too much on Wayne Rooney and the aging legs of Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes.

The United manager has already signed Mexican forward Javier Hernandez from Guadalajara and defender Chris Smalling from Fulham, but they are hardly the big buys acquisitions many United supporters were expecting.

Read the rest of this entry.

Drogba the man for the big occasion

2010-05-19T05:00:00.000+01:00

With goals in two FA Cup finals and two semifinals it should have come as no surprise when Didier Drogba netted yet another vital strike at Wembley this past weekend.

The Ivorian’s superb second half free-kick, just minutes after battling Portsmouth had missed a penalty, proved the difference between the two sides, allowing Chelsea to lift their sixth FA Cup and complete a first ever league and cup double.

The former Marseille man is a controversial figure in the Premier League. Never one to shy away from the limelight, his early years at Stamford Bridge were full of allegations of diving, while his frequent passionate outbursts, most infamously after Chelsea’s Champions League semifinal defeat to Barcelona last year, have landed him in hot water with the authorities and made him unpopular with opposition supporters.

Read the rest of this entry.

Barcelona bag another La Liga

2010-05-19T04:58:00.001+01:00

So it appears that money can't buy you everything as high-rollers Real Madrid, who spent more than £200 million last summer, lick their wounds after being beaten into second place once more by their great rivals Barcelona.

The Catalan club, astutely managed by Pep Guardiola, clinched a second successive La Liga title on Sunday with a 4-0 win over Real Valladolid, ending the campaign on a hefty 99 points with 96 goals scored. Their great rivals meanwhile could only draw 1-1 with Malaga, meaning the title went to the Nou Camp for the 20th time in the club's illustrious history.

Read the rest of this entry.

Drogba ruins Pompey’s last hurrah

2010-05-19T04:56:00.001+01:00

The irony must not be lost on Avram Grant that missed penalties once again proved crucial in his fortunes in a major cup final.

The Portsmouth manager was in charge of Chelsea two years ago when John Terry’s slip and penalty miss in the Moscow rain cost the Londoners the Champions League.

Now, with Chelsea the opposition, he had a new nightmare from 18 yards as Kevin Prince Boeteng’s sloppy spot-kick was easily saved by Petr Cech, becoming only the third ever keeper to save a penalty in a FA Cup final after Dave Beasant in 1988 and Mark Crossley in 1991.

Read the rest of this entry.

Billy's wonder goal shows his true talents

2010-05-13T06:03:00.000+01:00

It won't be a game that will go down in history, but a dour, drab pedestrian end-of-season match against Pompey will at least be remembered for a glorious last minute strike from Diniyar Bilyaletdinov.

The Russian winger has divided opinion among Evertonians this season. Many see him as the 21st century version of Kevin Sheedy, while others think he is another one of David Moyes big money flops, along with the likes of Per Kroldup and James Beattie.

I'm sitting on the fence here, I know, but I think he is somewhere in between. For starters I always think it is fair to give foreign players a season to settle in. A move to a new country and new culture brings challenges both on and off the pitch and you often see better performances from players once they have settled in.

Bilyaletdinov arrived late in the transfer window from Russia, a vastly different division to the Premier League. He has also played a whole year without a break as the league in Russia is out of kilter with Western European football.

Read the rest of this entry.

Why Tottenham need to reign in expectations

2010-05-13T05:59:00.001+01:00

It has been quite a season for Spurs. Their eventful ride into the top four means they have the chance to play European Cup football for the first time since 1961.

Harry Redknapp has been talking about bringing in that “one special player” to brave Europe’s elite competition in a Spurs shirt, while the supporters are dreaming of a new glorious era and building a realistic title challenge.

Now far be it from me to rain on their parade and dampen expectations, but the fans need to keep their ambitions in check as plenty of banana skins lay ahead. The online odds suggest they will struggle to mount a title challenge again next season, and securing fourth could be just as tough as it was this time around.

Read the rest of this entry.

Chelsea hit 8 (eight) while United turn into Norwich

2010-05-13T05:52:00.001+01:00

You know you’ve had a hiding when the videprinter has to display the number of goals you conceded in brackets, just to stick the knife that little bit further – “Yes Wigan that was eight goals you conceded against a rampant Chelsea on Sunday.”

Given the Latics had already conceded nine in one game this season, and Chelsea had hit seven on three occasions at Stamford Bridge, it should have come as no surprise when the Londoners ran riot to secure the Premier League title.

Add to that the fact Wigan’s best defender, Titus Bramble, was missing, they conceded after two minutes, and they had a man sent off midway through the first half and you had all the ingredients for a nightmare.

It was no wonder the Man United fans up at Old Trafford quickly gave up hope of a shock title win and began shouting about the Glazers instead.

Read the rest of this entry.

Blatter looks to everywhere but England

2010-05-05T10:59:00.002+01:00

Another day, another comment from Sepp Blatter praising a county other than England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup.

What we have done to deserve such hostility from the suits at FIFA I don’t know, but it seems England’s hopes of hosting the World Cup rests not in their ability to host the tournament, but the bid committee’s skills of political persuasion.

Take Blatter for example. He has recently returned from Russia and has been quoted as saying: "...what they presented is remarkable. Russia is not a country but a continent and Russia has big plans to expand.

“Listen, it (England's bid) is the easiest bid in the world. They have the football already organised. They have everything. England has no problem in delivering a World Cup.

"The other bidders must convince the executive. England does not have to convince us.
"We know England can stage the World Cup. But England winning (the right to stage it) – I am not so sure."

So basically what he is saying is the decision will not be based on practical (and surely the most important) reasons, which is England’s strongest card.
Legacy has become a buzzword ever since Seb Coe’s successful London Olympic bid talked of a future for the capital beyond the games.

Blatter appears on a one man crusade to do something similar with the World Cup, handing out tournaments to developing football nations like sweets to children - he has already been quoted as saying it is the Arab World’s turn to host the tournament.

This is all well and good I agree, football is a global game now and it is only fair that a variety of countries and continents get the chance to host major competitions.
But you have to ask whether these countries are ready to host World Cup’s and European Championships?

A huge amount of infrastructure is required, not just Stadiums but transport links and hotels. Huge questions still remain over South Africa’s ability to host the tournament smoothly while the Ukraine, co-host of the next European Championship, have had to make promises to UEFA that they will have the stadiums built in time. England don’t need such timescales, they could host it tomorrow if they had to.

Yet that strength, the stadiums and infrastructure, has been dismissed as irrelevant, as though it is somehow their fault they built their stadiums 20 years ago. You can’t help feeling England are being made to fight on unfair ground.

Instead they have to play the political game to turn the executives heads, something we don’t appear very good at after the handbag fiasco, which saw vice-president Jack Warner return the gift for his wife to the FA complete with angry letter, saying it was: “a symbol of derision, betrayal and embarrassment for me and my family."

England face a huge challenge on the pitch this summer as they seek to replicate that 1966 World Cup win, but the task of playing another World Cup on home soil, appears much, much harder.

Originally posted at Footballfancast.com

What’s going on at Liverpool?

2010-05-05T10:55:00.002+01:00

The glee of almost certainly preventing bitter rivals Manchester United from claiming a record nineteenth league title was far outweighed by the multitude of problems Liverpool’s defeat to Chelsea highlighted on Sunday.

Although I doubt the players deliberately set out to gift Chelsea the win – all talk of letting the Londoners triumph was confined to the stands – the players did a pretty good job of disproving that theory as they cantered through an alarmingly desperate 90 minutes in front of an increasingly dispirited Anfield crowd. Yes, the football odds suggested Chelsea should win, but Liverpool barely even turned up.

Read the rest of this entry.

Steve McClaren - back from the brink

2010-05-05T10:52:00.000+01:00

He was subject to a torrent of abuse and ridicule when he led England to dismal failure in their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, but 30 months later, Steve McClaren has bounced back in style.

Soon after that now infamous, wet November night against Croatia, where he was dubbed, the "Wally with the Brolly", McClaren made the unusual, but ultimately wise move to take a job aboard.

It is unusual because most English players and coaches choose to stay at home. And it was wise because it gave him the time and space to rebuild his shattered career which had hit an all time low.

Read the rest of this entry.

Post Match Pint

Ridsdale wastes no time in swinging the axe

Dalglish uses DVD to point out ref failings

Bruce goes, Kean surely next?

AVB speculation sums up Chelsea’s weakness

Ashley ends 118 years of history with Newcastle stadium re-brand

Sven sacking the price paid for rich ownership

Kean finds no home comforts in India

Moyes’ stance with Saha the right thing to do

England need to be professional against improving Wales

Toffees stuck in the recession

Premier League off to false start

Coleman blow bitter pill to swallow for Moyes

Everton tired of treading water

Premier League betting preview 2011/12

Shay Given – football's nearly man

Villa making big mistake in McLeish move

Liverpool revival sparks excitement for the future

Premier League Blog nominations 2010/11 - The vote is on!

Javier Hernandez – Man United's new baby faced assassin

England fans are as tired with the media as they are with Capello

Arsenal have a right to feel robbed after Barca ref farce

The FA to blame as Premier League referee anger escalates

There is no magic to be had at Crawley v Man United

Quinn right to have Sunderland FC vision but he can’t blame stay away fans

West Ham win new stadium ahead of Spurs, but no-one seems completely satisfied

Arsenal's Wilshire latest victim of England hype machine

Predictable drop-outs for ill-timed England friendly

Kenny Dalglish starts to make his mark on Liverpool

West Brom the latest club to push the panic button

Suarez sweeps in new Liverpool era

I'm not a Chelsea fan, nor a Liverpool hater, but I do find this funny

Torres' Chelsea transfer edges closer as Liverpool agree massive, massive fee for Andy Carroll

Liverpool accept offer from Chelsea for Fernando Torres

Ian Holloway offers to resign - knows it won't be accepted

Fernando Torres to hand in transfer request to force through Chelsea transfer?

Major squad re-shuffle ahead for Man United?

Arsenal captancy storm - Denilson has a point

Bruce should know more than anyone about football loyalty

West Ham board have lot to answer for

More questions than answers for Everton and Liverpool

Moyes struggles to balance the books

Hammers board need to put up or shut up

Man United rumble on

Ronaldinho bad move for Blackburn

Hodgson only extends his Liverpool agony

Hodgson blames everything else but himself for Liverpool struggles

Asia's Qatar plea highlights FIFA's blinkered thinking

Newcastle’s Ashley after more for his money

Everton take over rumours re-surface

Pardew appointment adds to the Newcastle humiliation

World Cup bid leaves bad taste

Gary Lineke sh*ts himself on the pitch at Italia '90

The worst misses of the season so far

Beware early Premier League contenders - the same teams will be there at the end

Mourinho up to his old tricks again

What a difference a year makes

Do Gunners lack the fight needed to win Premier League?

West Ham on the brink

New boys enter title race - can they last the pace?

Are Spurs genuine title contenders?

PMP 2.0

There must be more to Rooney’s Goodison exclusion.

Duncan Ferguson - An Everton hero

Should this the end of Lampard and Terry’s England careers?

Cup win should kick start Everton's season

Six reasons for Everton to be cheerful (and counting!)

Agents keen for a piece of the Man City pie

Jol leaves Fulham and the rest of us all confused

Arsenal in for Jags, Rafa in for Pienaar – another Everton exodus begins?

And the latest star to roll off the Everton production line is....

Arsenal and the great World Cup pundit conundrum

Gosling is making a far worse error than Everton

Collective failure led to England’s demise.

New Twidget on PMP

Shattered England divided by money and oversized egos

Are we surprised at the England crisis?

England Should Beware Slow Start (and Germany) in Rustenberg

Which Everton star will shine brightest in South Africa?

David Beckham, Noel Gallagher, Ian Brown and Snoop Dogg in awesome Adidas advert