On Sunday 15th May 2005 I sat in a pub in a Wigan and watched the entire world fall apart. Southampton, having made a bright start, saw it all turn to ruins in the space of a minute, and the 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United sealed their fate. Relegated to the Championship for the first time in my life, it is not a memory that I look back on fondly.
In the subsequent years, Saints have been to the absolute brink. One decent year in the Championship, falling only on penalties to Derby County in the play off semi finals, proved to be a false dawn and in 2009 Southampton were placed into administration, and suffered the pain of a second relegation. That summer, the search for salvation seemed fruitless and by all accounts the club were staring ever further down the barrel of liquidation. The thought of not even having a club to support was equal parts bemusing, anger-inducing, and downright sad. Being honest, the thought of playing in the third tier of English football was not much better.
Then things changed.
Markus Liebherr, the Swiss businessman behind Liebherr construction (next time you walk past a building site look for the name on the big cranes, may well be Liebherr) purchased the club, saving it from the imminent death that seemed so likely. Markus, along with his Chairman Nicola Cortese, set out an ambitious plan for the club, initially to sort out the business side of things but also to provide the modest investment (but significant at that level) to bolster the playing side of things as well.
Saints had struggled by with a constantly transitional squad of loanees, youth team products and journeymen but were now able to set to building a squad with one goal: promotion. The ten point deduction took it's toll but also it seemed to be a while before Saints were able to adjust to life in League One. We finished that season just outside the play-offs, but with the huge consolation of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. Mickey Mouse, sure, but it gave 45'000 Saints fans (and one Swiss businessman) a fantastic day out at Wembley, and a reason to celebrate. The cathartic feeling I remember from that day was one that seemed to suggest that we were heading in the right direction, the dark days were behind us, and better times were coming.
The following season proved this to be true. Hit by the shattering blow of Markus Liebherr's sad and untimely death just before the start of the season, Saints seemed to be galvanised and driven to realise the dream that Liebherr and Cortese had set out to achieve. Nigel Adkins was brought in as manager after a disappointing start, and immediately the results improved. From 22nd in September, Saints roared up the table and by the half way mark were looking a good bet for promotion. An incredible run of 13 wins in their last 15 games of the season saw the Saints finish narrow runners up behind Brighton, but crucially they had ticked off the first part of the plan.
This season in the Championship has been just unreal. From the opening day, with an energetic and positive display to defeat Leeds United, Saints have been excellent. Literally never outside the top two for the entire season, and having scored more goals than any other side, no-one can deny that Southampton deserve this remarkable achievement of two successive promotions. Eventually we have finished just a point behind Reading, but their form since Christmas has been out of this world, and they deserve to be Champions. The main thing was always to achieve promotion and the fact that Southampton have done this at the first time of asking is phenomenal for everyone involved.
From a fan's point of view I feel I've learned a lot through the last 7 years.
First thing: there is life outside the Premier League, and it's not all bad. I don't think I have ever enjoyed a season as much as I have this one - 2002/03 was exceptional but to look at a league table and see Southampton at the top is something we just won't get in the big league.
In the lower leagues it's true that you get less of the histrionics and, frankly, bullshit that is all too prevalent in the Prem. Granted, the football is of much lower quality, but it does tend to feel more like real football. Turning up on the day, paying at the gate, visiting crappy old grounds that you previously would have struggled to name - there is for sure a certain charm about the football league.
All of that being said however, there is no doubt in my mind that the Premier League is the place to be. It's started to sink in that we are back, being able to plan trips to Old Trafford, Anfield and the like - not just to go to the stadium but actually to watch the team, my team competing as equals. Being on Match of the Day rather than the well-intentioned but blatantly inferior Football League show. Being in the Merlin sticker book (presume they stopped making them many years ago?) Yep we may well struggle, certainly we're going to have to learn a few lessons and I fully expect we'll take a few batterings...but this is where we belong.
Last night my main emotions were joy, sure, but also massive amounts of relief. It's a unique type of pressure, having led for so long and then looking like we might be able to throw it away - the result was emphatic however and gave plenty of time to reflect on what an incredible season it has been.
The last 7 years spent in exile have been one hell of a roller coaster. Taken down to the very depths of despair; watching us lose at home to Rochdale in the league in a half empty stadium with players I could barely name...through to playing some of the best football I've ever seen, going almost a year winning every game at home, topping the table for probably 85% of the season. There is a little part of me however that thinks this was all worth it, in a 'learning to appreciate the good things' kind of a way. Next season will be a challenge, but for now it's just exciting.
To Rickie Lambert, Kelvin Davis, Adam Lallana, Billy Sharp, and every single player who has contributed over these last couple of years. To Nigel Adkins and his entire staff. To Nicola Cortese; and most of all to Markus Liebherr: thank you.
Thank you for what you have worked so hard to achieve, thank you for getting our club back to where it belongs, and thank you for two and a half years of great times. Now, bring on the big time!
Sunday, 29 April 2012
Thursday, 26 April 2012
El Classic...Oh!
Pretty much everything in life can be related back to the Simpsons in some way. The latest Champions League events remind me of a moment in the classic 'Homie the Clown' episode. Homer: "That's it! You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college!" He runs out leaving the rest of the family sat at the table perplexed, when Bart delivers the excellent line: "I don't think any of us expected him to say that." Brilliant, and very much applicable to recent results.
The Champions League Final will be contested between Chelsea and (playing on their own patch) Bayern Munich. Prior to these semi-final ties, surely the vast majority of people would have had Real Madrid and, even more so, Barcelona as favourites to progress and set up the Classico to end all Classico's. Instead we're left with the final that should be dubbed 'El Classic..Oh!?!'. Or maybe, to continue the Simpsons theme and to more accurately reflect the view of the moneymakers who would have loved an ultimate showpiece, 'El Classic...D'Oh!'
I think it will be an excellent final, certainly it's intriguing, and for the record I think both teams thoroughly deserve their place. If the final matches the quality and excitement of the games before it, we're in for a treat. Nearer the time we will get into previews and predictions etc but for now the time is right to reflect on those epic semi final contests.
Chelsea's titanic effort was, fortunately for them, allied to a pair of Barcelona performances rare in their profligacy and bluntness. Had Alexis Sanchez's shot within the first ten minutes at Stamford Bridge dropped underneath the bar, things could have been different. Also, the last three games have been the most ineffective and frustrating that Lionel Messi has endured for absolutely years. Certainly Chelsea benefitted from the odd slice of fortune, but I refuse to take anything whatsoever away from them. Over two legs their resolve in defence was simply stunning. Sure they parked the bus (the sight of Drogba and then Torres at deep full back was hilarious) but consider this - how many times during the tie did you think a Barcelona goal is imminent? Clearly Barca had a lot of pressure, and in particular the two late shots in either leg which came back off the right hand post were the results of sustained pressure; but I don't think this result was miraculous, mind-boggling and/or inexplicable. Between Barcelona's second and third goals in last year's Champions League Final, they were tearing Man United to shreds. It was an irresisitble onslaught that had United completely beaten, and the third goal was an inevitability - had they continued they would have scored 6 or 7. At no stage during this tie did they do this to Chelsea - the possession and passing was there but the Wall of Blue/White stood firm.
Added to the defensive masterclass were two performances that should be hyperlinked in a dictionary under 'clinical'. Three chances in 180 minutes, and three goals. The only other real opening was when the immense Drogba muscled his way through and hit the side netting, but to be so effective in front of goal - particularly when you know how crucial every chance is - was remarkable. Ramires' finish was just sublime, Messi-esque (and that is a huge compliment, poor form or no) and as for Fernando Torres, what an important goal this one could prove to be in terms of his recovery. With the time to think about the enormity of his task, panic, stuff it up; Torres simply did what he used to do so routinely, and I won't be alone in being delighted for him.
The final word of this one has to go to the idiot Chelsea Captain. For me, and I reckon many, many others, it is hilarious that John Terry will miss the final; particularly given it is his own fault for his own stupid actions. I'm sure he has done that type of stuff in pretty much every game of his career - it's standard nasty Centre Back tricks, the pinches, stamps, dead legs - but Terry was caught bang to rights and I for one love the fact that he has robbed himself of the chance for redemption. A good friend and Chelsea fan summed it up neatly in a text: "JT...Captain, Leader, Wanker".
Either of Chelsea's opponents going into the second leg had reason to be optimistic, as well as reason to believe destiny was theirs. Real Madrid knew that their manager has always and will always had a deep connection to Chelsea, his former employer and a club over whom he continues to cast a long, handsome shadow. Bayern Munich on the other hand were playing for the chance to become only the third ever team to contest the European Cup Final on their own turf, and the first in 28 years since Roma succumbed to the Grobelaar spaghetti legs. The 2-1 first leg score gave both teams a real chance of progression.
It's Bayern who have fulfilled their destiny, although just as Chelsea before them, there was a time in the second leg when it looked like that dream had died. To pick themselves up from the hammer blow of two early Madrid goals and equalise was an immense effort; from there both sides had chances to win it. As with so often though when penalties roll around, it was the Germans who came out on top.
I was a bit disappointed to see the bulk of the initial celebration focussing on Bastian Schweinsteiger. An excellent player, don't get me wrong, and of course the guy who's penalty sent them home...but Manuel Neuer deserves all the credit. Excellently saving the first two penalties laid the foundations for Bayern to progress, even when they missed two of their own. A minor gripe I know but I always think it is good/right when the scorer runs straight to the keeper. In this case Bayern had a myriad of heroes.
Throughout the tie they matched Madrid, always threatening and dealing just about with the frightening weapons at Mourniho's disposal. Madrid themselves are an excellent team now, and will no doubt go at least this far in next year's competition. Not this year though.
Bayern have every right to contest this final, just as Chelsea do. They were not favourites, either of them, but over 180+ minutes of football both teams showed they have the quality, the determination and the sheer desire to be worthy Champions of Europe.
Now, if UEFA can just hastily arrange a 3rd/4th place final maybe everyone will be happy...
The Champions League Final will be contested between Chelsea and (playing on their own patch) Bayern Munich. Prior to these semi-final ties, surely the vast majority of people would have had Real Madrid and, even more so, Barcelona as favourites to progress and set up the Classico to end all Classico's. Instead we're left with the final that should be dubbed 'El Classic..Oh!?!'. Or maybe, to continue the Simpsons theme and to more accurately reflect the view of the moneymakers who would have loved an ultimate showpiece, 'El Classic...D'Oh!'
I think it will be an excellent final, certainly it's intriguing, and for the record I think both teams thoroughly deserve their place. If the final matches the quality and excitement of the games before it, we're in for a treat. Nearer the time we will get into previews and predictions etc but for now the time is right to reflect on those epic semi final contests.
Chelsea's titanic effort was, fortunately for them, allied to a pair of Barcelona performances rare in their profligacy and bluntness. Had Alexis Sanchez's shot within the first ten minutes at Stamford Bridge dropped underneath the bar, things could have been different. Also, the last three games have been the most ineffective and frustrating that Lionel Messi has endured for absolutely years. Certainly Chelsea benefitted from the odd slice of fortune, but I refuse to take anything whatsoever away from them. Over two legs their resolve in defence was simply stunning. Sure they parked the bus (the sight of Drogba and then Torres at deep full back was hilarious) but consider this - how many times during the tie did you think a Barcelona goal is imminent? Clearly Barca had a lot of pressure, and in particular the two late shots in either leg which came back off the right hand post were the results of sustained pressure; but I don't think this result was miraculous, mind-boggling and/or inexplicable. Between Barcelona's second and third goals in last year's Champions League Final, they were tearing Man United to shreds. It was an irresisitble onslaught that had United completely beaten, and the third goal was an inevitability - had they continued they would have scored 6 or 7. At no stage during this tie did they do this to Chelsea - the possession and passing was there but the Wall of Blue/White stood firm.
Added to the defensive masterclass were two performances that should be hyperlinked in a dictionary under 'clinical'. Three chances in 180 minutes, and three goals. The only other real opening was when the immense Drogba muscled his way through and hit the side netting, but to be so effective in front of goal - particularly when you know how crucial every chance is - was remarkable. Ramires' finish was just sublime, Messi-esque (and that is a huge compliment, poor form or no) and as for Fernando Torres, what an important goal this one could prove to be in terms of his recovery. With the time to think about the enormity of his task, panic, stuff it up; Torres simply did what he used to do so routinely, and I won't be alone in being delighted for him.
The final word of this one has to go to the idiot Chelsea Captain. For me, and I reckon many, many others, it is hilarious that John Terry will miss the final; particularly given it is his own fault for his own stupid actions. I'm sure he has done that type of stuff in pretty much every game of his career - it's standard nasty Centre Back tricks, the pinches, stamps, dead legs - but Terry was caught bang to rights and I for one love the fact that he has robbed himself of the chance for redemption. A good friend and Chelsea fan summed it up neatly in a text: "JT...Captain, Leader, Wanker".
Either of Chelsea's opponents going into the second leg had reason to be optimistic, as well as reason to believe destiny was theirs. Real Madrid knew that their manager has always and will always had a deep connection to Chelsea, his former employer and a club over whom he continues to cast a long, handsome shadow. Bayern Munich on the other hand were playing for the chance to become only the third ever team to contest the European Cup Final on their own turf, and the first in 28 years since Roma succumbed to the Grobelaar spaghetti legs. The 2-1 first leg score gave both teams a real chance of progression.
It's Bayern who have fulfilled their destiny, although just as Chelsea before them, there was a time in the second leg when it looked like that dream had died. To pick themselves up from the hammer blow of two early Madrid goals and equalise was an immense effort; from there both sides had chances to win it. As with so often though when penalties roll around, it was the Germans who came out on top.
I was a bit disappointed to see the bulk of the initial celebration focussing on Bastian Schweinsteiger. An excellent player, don't get me wrong, and of course the guy who's penalty sent them home...but Manuel Neuer deserves all the credit. Excellently saving the first two penalties laid the foundations for Bayern to progress, even when they missed two of their own. A minor gripe I know but I always think it is good/right when the scorer runs straight to the keeper. In this case Bayern had a myriad of heroes.
Throughout the tie they matched Madrid, always threatening and dealing just about with the frightening weapons at Mourniho's disposal. Madrid themselves are an excellent team now, and will no doubt go at least this far in next year's competition. Not this year though.
Bayern have every right to contest this final, just as Chelsea do. They were not favourites, either of them, but over 180+ minutes of football both teams showed they have the quality, the determination and the sheer desire to be worthy Champions of Europe.
Now, if UEFA can just hastily arrange a 3rd/4th place final maybe everyone will be happy...
Monday, 23 April 2012
The Premier League All-Stars
The official website for the Premier League is a great place to waste a bit of online time in between the amusing cats or leaked celebrity phone photos or whatever else you sick twisted weirdos are in to. Never more so than at the moment, since the site is running a vote for a number of different areas to commemorate 20 seasons of 'EPL' action.
Video shortlists for the best goal, save, match and celebration are excellent, (Le Tiss, Gordon, that 4-3 and Bullard) but what today's post is focussing on is the vote for the all-time greatest team. It gives you a selection of players for each position, all you need to do is drag and drop to form the best 11 that the twenty years have produced.
Let's walk through my selection:
Goalkeeper.
For me there is really just one choice here that stands just that little bit above the rest. Friedel and Given have been excellent for a very long time, Seaman, Cech and James all were superb. The greatest goalkeeper that I have ever seen however remains Peter Schmeichel. His presence alone was enough to put an element of self-doubt into even the deadliest striker - even in a one-on-one clean through situation you still fancied Schmeichel to make the save. His iconic starfish jump has been mimicked but never bettered, and some of his saves were breathtaking. Add to this his invaluable contribution as an organiser of defences (through basically terrorising them into playing well) and also as a potent attacking weapon with his excellent distribution; and for me there's none better than the Great Dane
Right Back:
Another fairly easy choice. Nowadays the best pundit around, putting the rest to shame, and for a long time the best right back around as well. Gary Neville was consistently solid in a position that just requires you to be consistently solid. A great foil for David Beckham, solid enough to allow Ronaldo free rein, capable of excellent delivery from the touchline and above all with a commitment to the cause that could never be questioned.
Centre Backs:
This is tougher, there are some excellent candidates on this shortlist so picking just two is not easy. Adams, McGrath and Bruce only played for a relatively short time in the Premier League so although both superb I'm ruling them out. Desailly was ever so slightly past his prime when he came to our shores so again he goes. Carragher and Terry are both outstanding exponents of the last ditch, but I'd prefer defenders in my team that don't need to rely on the last ditch; plus I want players who can bring it out of defence. For that reason my first pick is Rio Ferdinand - skilful, strong, quick and elegant - for a time around 2002-2005 Rio was rightfully viewed as one of he best centre backs in the world. My second choice is the colossus, Jaap Stam. He was ditched in what Alex Ferguson considers one of his few mistakes, but at the peak of his powers in an outstanding United team he was fearsome, ruthless and ever so slightly unhinged. You shall not pass.
Left Back:
This team is getting a bit 'best of Man United' but the left back slot mixes things up. One of relatively very few players to be an outstanding winner for two of the Sky Four Premier League clubs, Ashley Cole emerged as a quick, tenacious and dynamic young player at Arsenal where he went on to establish himself as the league's finest. His acrimonious move to Chelsea has delivered more silverware and although he is disliked by many, few would question his inclusion in this team. His epic battles with C-Ron were great to watch, and his general consistency throughout his career is one of the reasons why his place in the England team has been relatively nailed on for the best part of a decade.
Right Midfield:
Ideally I'd like to go for a 4-3-3 but the site only allows for a 4-4-2 and rules are rules. That does throw up the first real dilemma here. David Beckham or Cristiano Ronaldo? Ronaldo is a machine, an athlete that arrived on the scene looking like a show pony and left it as a thoroughbred racehorse operating at a level that no-one else in the country was even close to. His subsequent stats at Real Madrid just confirm his position as best footballer on the planet (in an alternate universe where Lionel Messi doesn't exist.) In this team, however, the role is going to Beckham. Why? When you see who we have up front, you'll understand. The best deliverer of a set piece in the entire game, D-Beck crosses will be a constant source of goals in this team.
Centre Midfield:
OK let's just cut straight to it... Le Tissier is in.
I know he won't do the work required in a two man midfield, I know he doesn't have the engine of some of the other options, I know he has a fat arse. But even in such illustrious company the fact of the matter is Matthew Le Tissier can do things with a football that most of the others would not even think of trying. Consider that he performed miracles on a weekly basis surrounded by the likes of Neil Shipperley, Jim Magilton, Neil Heaney and Egil Ostenstad; he was not able to rely on team-mates that United or Arsenal players could do. A one-man highlights reel, Le God is in.
The second spot requires someone willing and able to cover a hell of a lot of ground, provide some steel, tough in the tackle and with a drive and leadership befitting the crucial role he'll play in the team. It's a straight fight between two Premier League legends between whom the ongoing battle was one of the most definitive features of the league for a few years. Roy Keane vs Patrick Vieira. Both have hero status at their clubs and rightly so. I never liked Keane though, I thought he was little more than a despicable thug (a view presumably a certain Norwegian shares) and although a great player, not for me. Paddy V goes in and, at his irrepressible 98-03 best, he will do the business.
Left Midield:
A strong field, this one. With the possible exception of John Barnes who was in the twilight of his career at the birth of the Prem, every one of these players has been excellent. In fact I'd say every one of them has had a spell as arguably the best player in the league at one point in time. Only one of them has been basically excellent from the very outset though: Ryan Giggs is a Premier League institution and having redefined himself he continues to play a key role in Alex Ferguson's plans even at a ripe old age. I'm going for the flying winger of the 90's, the first Premier League superstar - flair, pace, incisiveness and a great counterbalance to the right sided threat of his club mate Beckham. Giggsy has clearly damaged his legacy with all the tabloid nonsense, but from a purely footballing viewpoint I'd argue his cause against anyone.
Forwards:
Les Ferdinand. Teddy Sheringham. Ole Solskjaer. Dwight Yorke. Michael Owen. None of these strikers has been included on the shortlist which says a lot - we are really dealing with the uber-elite here. My first pick is someone who was quite simply unstoppable for a long time. Super Alan Shearer took no time at all settling into his role at Blackburn Rovers and scored shedloads of goals there, before a world record move to boyhood club Newcastle United. The honours did not follow, and the nagging thought will always be what could have been if he had gone to Old Trafford (utter domination even more than they already had is the answer) but there is no questioning the brutality with which Shearer operated. Powerful, strong, but with no shortage of pure footballing ability, the man was a goal machine - and will finally fulfil the dreams of all Saints fans who always wonder what could have been if he and Le Tiss could have played together for a few more years.
Now, the final slot to make up my all time Premier League Eleven.
Take your pick, the remaining nine are all outstanding players. Goal factories like Cole, Fowler and Wright. Skilful visionary artists Bergkamp and Zola. Unhinged lunatics Rooney and King Eric. One of them however combines the lot (excepted the lunacy, always seems fairly switched on to be fair).
Thierry Henry spent a good few years playing with an almost embarrassing ease; he was so far above the rest of the division and it looked unfair at times. The classic debate was always Van Nistelrooy or Henry - my answer was always the Frenchman as he was so much more than just a finisher. Able to conjure a goal out of nothing and with a swagger and style to his play that was always so good to watch, he's a hell of an addition to this side.
The Great Dane
G Nev, Rio, Big Jaap, Cashley
D Beck, Le God, Paddy V, Giggsy
Super Al, Tezza
What a team.
There you have it then. It's good fun to do and generates a lot of great pub debate. No doubt you'll have a different opinion, so don't keep it to yourself...let the debate begin!
Video shortlists for the best goal, save, match and celebration are excellent, (Le Tiss, Gordon, that 4-3 and Bullard) but what today's post is focussing on is the vote for the all-time greatest team. It gives you a selection of players for each position, all you need to do is drag and drop to form the best 11 that the twenty years have produced.
Let's walk through my selection:
Goalkeeper.
For me there is really just one choice here that stands just that little bit above the rest. Friedel and Given have been excellent for a very long time, Seaman, Cech and James all were superb. The greatest goalkeeper that I have ever seen however remains Peter Schmeichel. His presence alone was enough to put an element of self-doubt into even the deadliest striker - even in a one-on-one clean through situation you still fancied Schmeichel to make the save. His iconic starfish jump has been mimicked but never bettered, and some of his saves were breathtaking. Add to this his invaluable contribution as an organiser of defences (through basically terrorising them into playing well) and also as a potent attacking weapon with his excellent distribution; and for me there's none better than the Great Dane
Right Back:
Another fairly easy choice. Nowadays the best pundit around, putting the rest to shame, and for a long time the best right back around as well. Gary Neville was consistently solid in a position that just requires you to be consistently solid. A great foil for David Beckham, solid enough to allow Ronaldo free rein, capable of excellent delivery from the touchline and above all with a commitment to the cause that could never be questioned.
Centre Backs:
This is tougher, there are some excellent candidates on this shortlist so picking just two is not easy. Adams, McGrath and Bruce only played for a relatively short time in the Premier League so although both superb I'm ruling them out. Desailly was ever so slightly past his prime when he came to our shores so again he goes. Carragher and Terry are both outstanding exponents of the last ditch, but I'd prefer defenders in my team that don't need to rely on the last ditch; plus I want players who can bring it out of defence. For that reason my first pick is Rio Ferdinand - skilful, strong, quick and elegant - for a time around 2002-2005 Rio was rightfully viewed as one of he best centre backs in the world. My second choice is the colossus, Jaap Stam. He was ditched in what Alex Ferguson considers one of his few mistakes, but at the peak of his powers in an outstanding United team he was fearsome, ruthless and ever so slightly unhinged. You shall not pass.
Left Back:
This team is getting a bit 'best of Man United' but the left back slot mixes things up. One of relatively very few players to be an outstanding winner for two of the Sky Four Premier League clubs, Ashley Cole emerged as a quick, tenacious and dynamic young player at Arsenal where he went on to establish himself as the league's finest. His acrimonious move to Chelsea has delivered more silverware and although he is disliked by many, few would question his inclusion in this team. His epic battles with C-Ron were great to watch, and his general consistency throughout his career is one of the reasons why his place in the England team has been relatively nailed on for the best part of a decade.
Right Midfield:
Ideally I'd like to go for a 4-3-3 but the site only allows for a 4-4-2 and rules are rules. That does throw up the first real dilemma here. David Beckham or Cristiano Ronaldo? Ronaldo is a machine, an athlete that arrived on the scene looking like a show pony and left it as a thoroughbred racehorse operating at a level that no-one else in the country was even close to. His subsequent stats at Real Madrid just confirm his position as best footballer on the planet (in an alternate universe where Lionel Messi doesn't exist.) In this team, however, the role is going to Beckham. Why? When you see who we have up front, you'll understand. The best deliverer of a set piece in the entire game, D-Beck crosses will be a constant source of goals in this team.
Centre Midfield:
OK let's just cut straight to it... Le Tissier is in.
I know he won't do the work required in a two man midfield, I know he doesn't have the engine of some of the other options, I know he has a fat arse. But even in such illustrious company the fact of the matter is Matthew Le Tissier can do things with a football that most of the others would not even think of trying. Consider that he performed miracles on a weekly basis surrounded by the likes of Neil Shipperley, Jim Magilton, Neil Heaney and Egil Ostenstad; he was not able to rely on team-mates that United or Arsenal players could do. A one-man highlights reel, Le God is in.
The second spot requires someone willing and able to cover a hell of a lot of ground, provide some steel, tough in the tackle and with a drive and leadership befitting the crucial role he'll play in the team. It's a straight fight between two Premier League legends between whom the ongoing battle was one of the most definitive features of the league for a few years. Roy Keane vs Patrick Vieira. Both have hero status at their clubs and rightly so. I never liked Keane though, I thought he was little more than a despicable thug (a view presumably a certain Norwegian shares) and although a great player, not for me. Paddy V goes in and, at his irrepressible 98-03 best, he will do the business.
Left Midield:
A strong field, this one. With the possible exception of John Barnes who was in the twilight of his career at the birth of the Prem, every one of these players has been excellent. In fact I'd say every one of them has had a spell as arguably the best player in the league at one point in time. Only one of them has been basically excellent from the very outset though: Ryan Giggs is a Premier League institution and having redefined himself he continues to play a key role in Alex Ferguson's plans even at a ripe old age. I'm going for the flying winger of the 90's, the first Premier League superstar - flair, pace, incisiveness and a great counterbalance to the right sided threat of his club mate Beckham. Giggsy has clearly damaged his legacy with all the tabloid nonsense, but from a purely footballing viewpoint I'd argue his cause against anyone.
Forwards:
Les Ferdinand. Teddy Sheringham. Ole Solskjaer. Dwight Yorke. Michael Owen. None of these strikers has been included on the shortlist which says a lot - we are really dealing with the uber-elite here. My first pick is someone who was quite simply unstoppable for a long time. Super Alan Shearer took no time at all settling into his role at Blackburn Rovers and scored shedloads of goals there, before a world record move to boyhood club Newcastle United. The honours did not follow, and the nagging thought will always be what could have been if he had gone to Old Trafford (utter domination even more than they already had is the answer) but there is no questioning the brutality with which Shearer operated. Powerful, strong, but with no shortage of pure footballing ability, the man was a goal machine - and will finally fulfil the dreams of all Saints fans who always wonder what could have been if he and Le Tiss could have played together for a few more years.
Now, the final slot to make up my all time Premier League Eleven.
Take your pick, the remaining nine are all outstanding players. Goal factories like Cole, Fowler and Wright. Skilful visionary artists Bergkamp and Zola. Unhinged lunatics Rooney and King Eric. One of them however combines the lot (excepted the lunacy, always seems fairly switched on to be fair).
Thierry Henry spent a good few years playing with an almost embarrassing ease; he was so far above the rest of the division and it looked unfair at times. The classic debate was always Van Nistelrooy or Henry - my answer was always the Frenchman as he was so much more than just a finisher. Able to conjure a goal out of nothing and with a swagger and style to his play that was always so good to watch, he's a hell of an addition to this side.
The Great Dane
G Nev, Rio, Big Jaap, Cashley
D Beck, Le God, Paddy V, Giggsy
Super Al, Tezza
What a team.
There you have it then. It's good fun to do and generates a lot of great pub debate. No doubt you'll have a different opinion, so don't keep it to yourself...let the debate begin!
Late drama gives Brisbane the Glory
Brisbane Roar have once again been crowned the A-League winners* following a second grand final in as many years; becoming the first team ever to go back-to-back.
The Roar have a real taste for the dramatic, and this 2-1 victory over Perth Glory was no different. Last year the Roar came back from 2-0 down with 118' on the clock, scoring twice to force a penalty shoot-out.
The little white spot 12 yards out was once more the source of their triumph, except this time they managed to do it before extra time. Mind you, with 7 minutes to play they were once again staring down the barrel of defeat. Shane Smeltz had been in red-hot form in the post season and although Perth's opener was in fact an own goal, it was one of those 'too busy worrying about the presence of a lethal striker to react when the ball hits you' type of oggies. Albanian striker Besart Berisha knows where the goal is himself though, and displayed good movement to meet a cross and steer it home for the Roar to set up the grandstand finish.
The drama of last year was perhaps even surpassed by the finale of this one though. Berisha again latched onto a ball on the edge of the box, and slalomed through a crowd of defenders. He went down with a huge air swipe, and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot...only for replays to suggest that in fact he was not touched at all and just lost his footing. Now cast as a villain on the West Coast, Berisha did not dive as such so I don't think can be blamed. It would have taken an almost unprecedented act of sportsmanship to ask the referee to overturn the decision, so fair enough to the Albanian striker for slotting the ball home. The time on the clock was 90+7, Perth Glory had no time to come back, and once again it's Brisbane who get the end of season plaudits.
*So, why the asterisk? Well, the match we've just discussed was the grand final. To explain for the uninitiated, here in Australia they play the league campaign just like everybody else. For some reason however, this does not do the job for Aussies, and they insist on having a ridiculously convoluted post season. The top two play each other over two legs, meanwhile 3-6 have straight knock out games. The loser in the top two match gets another go, the winner goes to the final, it all gets very muddled and confusing and leads up to a Grand Final which potentially could be played between the teams who finish in 2nd and 6th.
The Central Coast Mariners finished top of the league and leave with the not even consolation prize of being "Minor Premiers". No-one seems to give a toss about that award though and it certainly does not get the recognition it deserves. If you win the league, you've proven yourself to be the best over the full 6 months of the season - have one off day and the glory goes elsewhere. I feel sorry for Central Coast, they deserved better, and for me that is one of the big failings of this system.
The second is the mockery it makes of the league season. Sure, the structure gives you an advantage based on where you finish - it's theoretically easier if you come second than, say 5th, but it still boils down to one off games. Also, in a league of only ten teams, the top 6 qualify. 60% of the competition makes it to the finals. Apply that to the Premier League and there would be little between the achievement of Man City and Sunderland. Tosh, clearly. They love the format over here however, it is deeply ingrained in the system for the Super Rugby, the AFL and the NRL - so the A-League follows suit.
I've written recently about the shambles that the A-League threatens to become with the meddling of the FFA, and the constant chopping and changing of clubs. I don't think this format helps the 'product' either. If they went for a regular league format but threw in a cup competition they could still get their big final, without undermining and devaluing the entire league in the process. Next season has many unanswered questions to be addressed before it commences in October.
The Roar have a real taste for the dramatic, and this 2-1 victory over Perth Glory was no different. Last year the Roar came back from 2-0 down with 118' on the clock, scoring twice to force a penalty shoot-out.
The little white spot 12 yards out was once more the source of their triumph, except this time they managed to do it before extra time. Mind you, with 7 minutes to play they were once again staring down the barrel of defeat. Shane Smeltz had been in red-hot form in the post season and although Perth's opener was in fact an own goal, it was one of those 'too busy worrying about the presence of a lethal striker to react when the ball hits you' type of oggies. Albanian striker Besart Berisha knows where the goal is himself though, and displayed good movement to meet a cross and steer it home for the Roar to set up the grandstand finish.
The drama of last year was perhaps even surpassed by the finale of this one though. Berisha again latched onto a ball on the edge of the box, and slalomed through a crowd of defenders. He went down with a huge air swipe, and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot...only for replays to suggest that in fact he was not touched at all and just lost his footing. Now cast as a villain on the West Coast, Berisha did not dive as such so I don't think can be blamed. It would have taken an almost unprecedented act of sportsmanship to ask the referee to overturn the decision, so fair enough to the Albanian striker for slotting the ball home. The time on the clock was 90+7, Perth Glory had no time to come back, and once again it's Brisbane who get the end of season plaudits.
*So, why the asterisk? Well, the match we've just discussed was the grand final. To explain for the uninitiated, here in Australia they play the league campaign just like everybody else. For some reason however, this does not do the job for Aussies, and they insist on having a ridiculously convoluted post season. The top two play each other over two legs, meanwhile 3-6 have straight knock out games. The loser in the top two match gets another go, the winner goes to the final, it all gets very muddled and confusing and leads up to a Grand Final which potentially could be played between the teams who finish in 2nd and 6th.
The Central Coast Mariners finished top of the league and leave with the not even consolation prize of being "Minor Premiers". No-one seems to give a toss about that award though and it certainly does not get the recognition it deserves. If you win the league, you've proven yourself to be the best over the full 6 months of the season - have one off day and the glory goes elsewhere. I feel sorry for Central Coast, they deserved better, and for me that is one of the big failings of this system.
The second is the mockery it makes of the league season. Sure, the structure gives you an advantage based on where you finish - it's theoretically easier if you come second than, say 5th, but it still boils down to one off games. Also, in a league of only ten teams, the top 6 qualify. 60% of the competition makes it to the finals. Apply that to the Premier League and there would be little between the achievement of Man City and Sunderland. Tosh, clearly. They love the format over here however, it is deeply ingrained in the system for the Super Rugby, the AFL and the NRL - so the A-League follows suit.
I've written recently about the shambles that the A-League threatens to become with the meddling of the FFA, and the constant chopping and changing of clubs. I don't think this format helps the 'product' either. If they went for a regular league format but threw in a cup competition they could still get their big final, without undermining and devaluing the entire league in the process. Next season has many unanswered questions to be addressed before it commences in October.
Monday, 16 April 2012
The Weekend from Hell
Anyone who thinks life is fair is kidding themselves. As a kid if I used to moan about some perceived injustice (usually to do with bedtimes or vegetables) being "unfair" I'd more often than not be responded to with the simple but difficult to argue with: "Life's not fair".
Ever since day one of Southampton's rise to the Championship, I've been loving the fact that the team has been playing well, scoring goals and winning games; but always with a sense of 'it's too good to be true.'
The longer the season went on and we continued to excel, the closer we all came to believing. Last weekend however served up an absolute nightmare combination of results which threatens to be the turning point for when things do actually turn nasty. The Saints were beaten at home by a Reading side on the most incredible run of form that has catapulted them from nowhere in November to top of the Championship and within touching distance of the Premier League. Southampton had the better of the game and dominated possession and chances, but Reading defended with the resilience that they have displayed throughout this remarkable winning streak; and were ruthlessly affective and clinical when attacking on the break. Fair play to them, it was a deserved victory, even though it was extremely hard to take given the feeling that Saints, having equalised, could go on and win it themselves.
Then came the real sickener. With West Ham lurking back in third, six points behind, Saints were praying for a favour from fellow Southerners Brighton. After 10 minutes with 3 goals conceded it was fairly clear no such favour would be forthcoming. The pathetic capitulation, which finished 6-0, made for an 8 goal swing reducing the goal difference advantage to just three. The 'extra point' that Saints could rely on has all but evaporated now.
The final kicker was the unbelievable jamminess of Portsmouth, who with 90 minutes on the clock at the Keepmoat Stadium were being defeated 3-2 and relegated to League One. Two more lucky and dubious injury time goals and they still survive, at their host's expense. I value success for Southampton far more than failure for Portsmouth, I'm not quite in the camp of some Saints fans who cheer a Pompey defeat almost as much as a Saints win - but by Christ it would have been some small comfort to see them banished to where they belong, the cheats.
Ignoring Pompey who most likely will still drop, the most important thing to emerge from this nightmarish weekend was that, for now, Southampton remain in the automatic spots. It would seem a formality now that Reading will go on and clinch the title, something of a disappointment given that we had led for so long, but the objective has always been promotion. If it transpires that Southampton drop out of the automatic slots with only 2, 1 or even 0 games remaining, I don't think I will be able to cope with the sheer unfairness of it all.
Since an opening day defeat of Leeds United, Saints have never been outside the top two. To fall in at the death will be horrendous, and is surely a blow that will be impossible to recover from in time to regroup and perform in the play-offs. The momentum of the team that clinches sixth will be far more powerful a thing to call on than the abject disappointment of the team that fell at the final hurdle.
I'm trying to console myself with the knowledge that we still have it in our own hands - indeed, a win on Tuesday night coupled with West Ham failing to take three points against Bristol City, and things may look much brighter. Also, there is the knowledge that Saints never, ever do things the easy way and so we should have known all along that this would happen. I just can't help but fear the worst though, and I don't know what I'll do.
After the 94th minute Portsmouth equaliser a couple of weeks ago I threw an apple out of the window at 2am, as far as I could, just from the need to destroy something. God only knows what mental breakdown awaits if we don't get second.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sharing my view that life is not fair over here are fans of Central Coast Mariners, who this weekend were beaten in a penalty shootout by Perth Glory, who will go on to the Grand Final next week against Brisbane Roar.
Central Coast were denied despite having won the league - over here the team that finishes top after the regular season is deemed the 'Minor Premiers' whereas the real glory goes to the Grand Final winner. For my money it is a stupid system not befitting football - around the world league formats are simple, play everyone else and whoever ends up with the most points has proven themselves to be the best team. Central Coast will be forgotten about, and that's not fair.
Well... "life's not fair".
Friday, 13 April 2012
Rudderless England sailing too close to the rocks
In less than two month's time, England's Euro 2012 campaign gets underway with the opening fixture against France.
With all the excitement and intrigue being served up in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup, it seems that this situation is being glossed over somewhat. The prospect of England going into the tournament without a manager however looms ever larger, and is something that the FA surely need to address in the fairly immediate term, to avoid an utter shambles.
They have had over two months to act already since Fabio Capello quite understandably reached the end of his tether, and yet from the outside it seems the England team is no nearer to a solution than it was back in February.
The mitigant that the FA can fall back on is the fact that the season is moving into it's critical phase, and many of the possible candidates are currently incumbent in a managerial role with a Premier League club. Fair enough, their preferred candidates may be otherwise engaged at present, but to my mind that is cause enough to rule them out.
The Premier League season does not finish until May 13th, at which point there will be just four weeks until that testing opener avec Les Bleus. Even if they were able to get, say, Harry Redknapp to state on May 14th that he is leaving Spurs to become the England manager, what kind of preparation will he be able to do in that short space of time? Indeed, it's actually rather less than 4 weeks given the deadline for squads to be named is May 29. Effectively he'd have two weeks in which to assemble a squad, spend time working with them, assess the fitness, form and mentality of the entire group; decide on a strategy, identify the right players to complement that strategy, and then set to work getting that across to the players.
All the new man has in terms of actual football prior to the tournament are two friendlies, against Norway and then Belgium - although the game against the Belgians comes after the squad deadline anyway.
I'll not make any bones about my dislike of Harry Redknapp, I openly admit that I don't think he's the right man for the England job, and I don't want him to get it. But all of the problems listed above are not just problems that are exclusive to Redknapp - any other candidate currently managing a club has the same constraints. Alan Pardew has been touted by some due to his incredible season with Newcastle; Roy Hodgson is another seen as a possible candidate even if just in a caretaker capacity. Neither of them would be able to give the role the necessary focus and attention until they were finished with their club duties however, and that is why I would rule out anyone currently involved in club management.
All the noises from the FA, and the media clamour following Capello's exit, suggest that the next boss will without doubt be English. This therefore rules out Rafa Benitez, currently out of work, or Marcelo Lippi - who in fairness is probably finished with management now, and would be seen as far too close to Capello anyhow.
Glenn Hoddle recently announced his willingness to be considered, which is something I find interesting. Hoddle produced some exciting football from England and had us in seemingly good shape before his ill-advised (and in my opinion space cadet mental) views on reincarnation cost him the high profile position. I won't ever forgive him for the omission of Matthew Le Tissier from the France 98 squad, but I think he is tactically astute and capable of putting out an England side with intention to play attractive football. Reappointing Hoddle may carry too much potential PR baggage and could well be a can of worms that the FA would not want to open. In spite of this, he is available, eager, and could start his preparations now without delay.
None of these candidates come without their faults though. Whether it be through prior obligations to their clubs, dodgy past or even the wrong passport, there is no clear candidate. Well, not quite...there is one.
Stuart Pearce took caretaker charge of the England team when Fabio Capello left, he presided over the Holland friendly a couple of weeks later. His managerial career is not the most stellar, granted, but he is in there right now. He knows the set-up, he knows the players, he knows the score. His 'Psycho' image from his playing days will appeal to the Ingerlund brigade who want nothing more than passion. Indeed, in my lifetime I can think of no more hair-on-the-neck-raising iconic moment to demonstrate love for the shirt and pride for the country than Pearce's celebration after his penalty against Spain in Euro 96.
His calibre as a player is without question - one of the few candidates who can look at every player in the England squad and tell them I know what it is like to play in the World Cup and European Championship semi finals for England. None of them have achieved that, and perhaps the egotistical old guard may do well to have a bit of a reality check from a manager who has done it, and done it better than them.
Pearce's detractors will rightly point to the sometimes disappointing displays from his Under 21's side when they reach major tournaments, but I'd argue that third place and runner up is not half bad, a damn sight better than anything the senior team has served up since Pearce himself was in the team. Furthermore his at times dismal record in charge of Manchester City does not inspire massive confidence. Finally, he has signed up for the role of coach of the Great Britain Olympic football team, a possible sticking point given the proximity of the two tournaments.
I don't think that Stuart Pearce is necessarily the best possible long term candidate for the England job - but I think he is by far the outstanding choice to lead us into Euro 2012. The FA should act now, announce that Pearce will be in charge for the tournament, and leave the longer term decision until after that. No 4 year contract nonsense, give him the role until the day England are eliminated, and then review it from scratch.
The longer the FA delay the decision, the more harm it is doing to England's prospects, and the greater the potential for the Three Lions to suffer another disaster of WC2010 proportions.
With all the excitement and intrigue being served up in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup, it seems that this situation is being glossed over somewhat. The prospect of England going into the tournament without a manager however looms ever larger, and is something that the FA surely need to address in the fairly immediate term, to avoid an utter shambles.
They have had over two months to act already since Fabio Capello quite understandably reached the end of his tether, and yet from the outside it seems the England team is no nearer to a solution than it was back in February.
The mitigant that the FA can fall back on is the fact that the season is moving into it's critical phase, and many of the possible candidates are currently incumbent in a managerial role with a Premier League club. Fair enough, their preferred candidates may be otherwise engaged at present, but to my mind that is cause enough to rule them out.
The Premier League season does not finish until May 13th, at which point there will be just four weeks until that testing opener avec Les Bleus. Even if they were able to get, say, Harry Redknapp to state on May 14th that he is leaving Spurs to become the England manager, what kind of preparation will he be able to do in that short space of time? Indeed, it's actually rather less than 4 weeks given the deadline for squads to be named is May 29. Effectively he'd have two weeks in which to assemble a squad, spend time working with them, assess the fitness, form and mentality of the entire group; decide on a strategy, identify the right players to complement that strategy, and then set to work getting that across to the players.
All the new man has in terms of actual football prior to the tournament are two friendlies, against Norway and then Belgium - although the game against the Belgians comes after the squad deadline anyway.
I'll not make any bones about my dislike of Harry Redknapp, I openly admit that I don't think he's the right man for the England job, and I don't want him to get it. But all of the problems listed above are not just problems that are exclusive to Redknapp - any other candidate currently managing a club has the same constraints. Alan Pardew has been touted by some due to his incredible season with Newcastle; Roy Hodgson is another seen as a possible candidate even if just in a caretaker capacity. Neither of them would be able to give the role the necessary focus and attention until they were finished with their club duties however, and that is why I would rule out anyone currently involved in club management.
All the noises from the FA, and the media clamour following Capello's exit, suggest that the next boss will without doubt be English. This therefore rules out Rafa Benitez, currently out of work, or Marcelo Lippi - who in fairness is probably finished with management now, and would be seen as far too close to Capello anyhow.
Glenn Hoddle recently announced his willingness to be considered, which is something I find interesting. Hoddle produced some exciting football from England and had us in seemingly good shape before his ill-advised (and in my opinion space cadet mental) views on reincarnation cost him the high profile position. I won't ever forgive him for the omission of Matthew Le Tissier from the France 98 squad, but I think he is tactically astute and capable of putting out an England side with intention to play attractive football. Reappointing Hoddle may carry too much potential PR baggage and could well be a can of worms that the FA would not want to open. In spite of this, he is available, eager, and could start his preparations now without delay.
None of these candidates come without their faults though. Whether it be through prior obligations to their clubs, dodgy past or even the wrong passport, there is no clear candidate. Well, not quite...there is one.
Stuart Pearce took caretaker charge of the England team when Fabio Capello left, he presided over the Holland friendly a couple of weeks later. His managerial career is not the most stellar, granted, but he is in there right now. He knows the set-up, he knows the players, he knows the score. His 'Psycho' image from his playing days will appeal to the Ingerlund brigade who want nothing more than passion. Indeed, in my lifetime I can think of no more hair-on-the-neck-raising iconic moment to demonstrate love for the shirt and pride for the country than Pearce's celebration after his penalty against Spain in Euro 96.
His calibre as a player is without question - one of the few candidates who can look at every player in the England squad and tell them I know what it is like to play in the World Cup and European Championship semi finals for England. None of them have achieved that, and perhaps the egotistical old guard may do well to have a bit of a reality check from a manager who has done it, and done it better than them.
Pearce's detractors will rightly point to the sometimes disappointing displays from his Under 21's side when they reach major tournaments, but I'd argue that third place and runner up is not half bad, a damn sight better than anything the senior team has served up since Pearce himself was in the team. Furthermore his at times dismal record in charge of Manchester City does not inspire massive confidence. Finally, he has signed up for the role of coach of the Great Britain Olympic football team, a possible sticking point given the proximity of the two tournaments.
I don't think that Stuart Pearce is necessarily the best possible long term candidate for the England job - but I think he is by far the outstanding choice to lead us into Euro 2012. The FA should act now, announce that Pearce will be in charge for the tournament, and leave the longer term decision until after that. No 4 year contract nonsense, give him the role until the day England are eliminated, and then review it from scratch.
The longer the FA delay the decision, the more harm it is doing to England's prospects, and the greater the potential for the Three Lions to suffer another disaster of WC2010 proportions.
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
What's that Skippy? Trouble in the A-League? Fair Dinkum!
At a time when it should be at it's peak, Australian football has fallen into utter chaos.
The A-League is reaching it's climax, with the Grand Final just a week away. Last season's excellent champions Brisbane Roar await the winner of Perth Glory and Central Coast Mariners, in what promises to be another sold out spectacle up in Brisbane's Suncorp stadium in front of over 50'000 fans. The presence of Socceroo royalty Brett Emerton and Harry Kewell has raised the profile of the game immensely, even though the two stars will look back on a season of disappointment for their respective clubs. The end of season gala awards are being held, with much to celebrate after a regular season packed with drama, excitement and, crucially, commercial success. Attendances, membership numbers, and viewing figures have all been on the rise which point to a healthy sport on the up in a country dominated by rugby and Aussie Rules.
Despite all this positivity, the game here in Oz is in tatters right now. Where to start?
Firstly, the governing body, the Football Federation Australia (FFA) have, for want of a better phrase, killed a football club. Gold Coast United, three years after their creation, have been terminated. They are no more, they have ceased to be, they are an ex-club. Last year the North Queensland Fury fell to a similar fate, rubbed out never to return. The reason in both cases is simple, the attendances are low and so the club is not deemed to be profitable. Since the model in Australia has the FFA providing significant funding to the clubs, they obviously have a concern about those minnows which cannot generate sufficient revenue to meet their cost of existence.
Gold Coast have had an average attendance of less than 4'000 this season; a situation exacerbated by their 27'000 capacity Skilled Park home. There are plenty of clubs in League One and Two with similar figures, but their hardy followers aren't rattling around like brain cells in Wayne Rooney's head. Having a small crowd in a big stadium just looks pitiful and, frankly embarrassing.
Unfortunately for Gold Coast, at times their football has been just as humiliating as the sight of their empty stadium. Rock bottom of the league pretty much all year, with only 4 wins to cheer the gold and blue few, the truth of the matter is they have not been up to the task. What annoys me though is the response of the FFA to this mediocrity. In a fledgling league, they have to support the clubs and not scrap anyone who doesn't immediately pull in the big(ish) crowds that the likes of Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar enjoy.
With the salary cap and restrictions on foreign players, the A-League is a much more inherently equal system than any of the established European leagues. Money talks here the same as anywhere, sure, but not quite as loudly. Harry Kewell, the uber-marquee superstar, has done wonders for the profile of the game, but could not prevent Victory making a mockery of their name and finishing up 8th out of 10. Sydney, Melbourne Heart and in particular Perth Glory have all enjoyed significant improvements on their 10-11 campaign - Perth going from 9th to 3rd and as mentioned before, just a game away from the grand final. There is no reason why, with a bit of patience and persistence, Gold Coast United could not improve and build as a team and a club, but the ruthless blunderers in charge have put paid to that.
There is method to their madness, or so they will have you believe, in that they have set up a new club for the 2012-13 A-League; yet to be named but based in Western Sydney. This godforsaken area is something of a heartland for football and as such it is seen as an ideal place to launch a new club. Likely to become the Millwall of the A-League (on the news over here the words: 'someone was shot today' are always followed by: 'in Sydney's West') the FFA are hoping for big crowds and passionate support.
Passionate support is something that the Newcastle Jets have enjoyed - a recent derby defeat to Sydney FC in a great 3-2 battle for the playoffs saw them bring a couple of thousand Jetsons to the Harbour City. The club that boasts forgotten men Francis Jeffers and Michael Bridges are another in turmoil, with their billionaire owner basically pulling the plug and handing back the licence to the FFA. What this means for the club remains to be seen - it is perhaps not as calamitous as, say, Roman Abramovich ditching Chelsea; but with the constant ins and outs of the A-League no-one is ruling anything out. The Jets averaged gates of over 12'000 this year and, if they were to fall apart, would leave a significant hole in a league currently looking increasingly shambolic.
The chopping and changing is in my opinion completely self-defeating, and the FFA are killing their own product with their stupid actions. I accept that 3'000 fans on average is not great, particularly with the running costs of such a large stadium. But every league has it's minnows, every league needs it's minnows. The A-League is not going to become the Bundesliga overnight, the simple fact of the matter is that football does play second fiddle to rugby league, union and AFL. The FFA may dream of packed out stadiums but this is something that has to be a long term aim, and even if the current improvement does continue, there will still be smaller teams with smaller fan bases - this is a relatively small country in terms of population and outside of the major cities, there just aren't that many people around.
The Western Sydney experiment is an interesting one, and I accept that the theory behind the location of the new club is sound. But what they don't seem to understand is that you can't just manufacture a club and expect instant loyalty and devotion. It takes years for a football club to truly become embedded in the identity of a town or region. A club needs to have a folklore behind it; classic players, famous victories, organic rivalries that arise based on injustice or disloyalty, glorious successes and misery too. Western Sydney may well develop this over the coming years - but so would Gold Coast United, and North Queensland before them. If the FFA keep killing off clubs as soon as they think they are a bit small, they will never have a chance to achieve a league that reaches it's full potential.
Having written on here about idiocy in the English FA, UEFA, FIFA, the Argentinian FA and more; it appears to me that, wherever you are in the world, even a long way from home, one thing remains constant. The governing bodies of this beautiful game tend to be incompetent, infuriating, detached and deluded. Sadly, Australia is no different.
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Done and dusted
Saturday's Premier League results have, in the majority of cases, thrown up more questions than answers.
Down at the bottom of the table, wins for Bolton, Wigan and QPR have kept all three well and truly in the fight; and at the same time dragged a resurgent Blackburn and a no-longer comfortable Aston Villa into the mire also. In fairness, Bolton's come from behind win at Molineux does look to have condemned Wolves to the drop, as they now sit fully six points from safety with no signs of encouragement to suggest a comeback is within their power. Wolves aside though, it looks to be a fight between as many as five clubs to stay out of those final two spots.
Of the basement dwellers, Mark Hughes' QPR team were surely the least expected winners. They put an end to Arsenal's outstanding recent form, with a 2-1 win to end a streak of 7 successive wins for the Gunners. This result has thrown the race for fourth back into very interesting territory - if Tottenham can overcome Swansea on Sunday they will move level on points with their bitter North London rivals. Given the ten point lead they held not so long ago, this is perhaps not a reason to be dancing in the streets for Spurs fans - but of late it has looked increasingly like Arsenal were going to pull away and leave Redknapp's men for dead. Not so any more, this one can be expected to go the distance as well.
Hard on the heels of the two North London clubs come West Londoners Chelsea, who are still in with a shout of sneaking into the coveted top four. Roberto Di Matteo continues his impressive cameo, posing the question for Comrade Sackovich to consider who he should hire and fire next.
Meanwhile, Everton battled to a win over Roy Hodgson's West Bromwich Albion which saw them leapfrog Merseyside rivals Liverpool into 7th spot. The Toffees may not maintain that lofty spot until the end, but I would not bet against it, and for me it begs the question of what David Moyes could do without the constraints that he has operated under throughout his entire outstanding tenure in the Goodison hot seat. Fair play to Gollum, year after year he has delivered excellence that none of his 'also-ran' peers can rival.
So, as we are seeing, plenty of questions. There was one fixture though which we've yet to mention, and as far as I'm concerned it's one that rather than delivering a question, gave us an answer.
Manchester City lost their 100% home record in a 3-3 draw with Sunderland. The fact that they salvaged a point when trailing 3-1 with five minutes to go is commendable, but it's not enough. I think this result has settled things...Manchester United are going to win the league.
This may seem a bit premature with a lot of football still to be played, but I think this result has proven it. I simply cannot see Alex Ferguson's men relinquishing top spot now, particularly given that a win against Blackburn on Monday could provide them with a five point cushion. United still have to go to City of course, but if the lead is five points that fixture may well lose it's relevance - indeed, with City's faltering form it could even be a nightmarish scenario for the Sky Blues of their fierce rivals claiming title Number 20 right before their eyes.
The reason I think it is now time to declare this race over, is that over 20 years of Premier League football, in order to beat Ferguson, teams have had to be consistently excellent. Every Wenger Arsenal team that lifted the trophy was outstanding - either for an entire season or, in the case of 97-98, from Christmas onwards. Jose Mourinho's Chelsea vintage of 05 and 06 set new benchmarks of consistency and effectiveness - even Carlo Ancelloti's team in 2010 totted up an enormous number of points and goals. Blackburn in 95 is perhaps the only team which could arguably be seen as anything less than legendary, but they possessed the irresistible goal threat of the infamous SAS and were deserving champions.
Manchester City, since around Christmas time, have fallen well short of the level that is required to beat a Fergie team. They have found already that slip-up's are costly and mistakes will be punished, and that when you're in the same league as Manchester United, anything below your best is not likely to be good enough. This latest draw is in itself not necessarily the fatal blow, but it is indicative of a recent inconsistency that simply won't do. They only have themselves to blame - by Christmas they could and should have been miles clear, but even then with the incredible run that United are on (and the easy fixtures they have in front of them) I'd still think City would have reason to be fearful. As it is, losing further ground and handing further initiative to the Red Devils, I just don't see any way back.
I firmly believe title number 20 will be going to Old Trafford, and there is nothing Roberto Mancini can do now to stop it. If and when they do lift the trophy, we'll look at the question of just how such an average United team can come out on top yet again, but that's a topic for another blog. As it is now, the only question is have City blown it? In my eyes, the answer is yes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
