The landscape of football is about to take a dramatic change if UEFA and Michel Platini are to get their way.
Since Platini took over as UEFA President in 2007, the Frenchman has always stated his desires for financial fair play across Europe.
Mar 29, 2010
Football Is Not Recession Proof, Now UEFA Know and 2012 Begins a New Era
The landscape of football is about to take a dramatic change if UEFA and Michel Platini are to get their way.
Since Platini took over as UEFA President in 2007, the Frenchman has always stated his desires for financial fair play across Europe.
Arsenal Mugged Again...at the Scene of a Previous Crime
Just like Bruce Wayne going back to Crime Alley to see where Batman was born in fire, Arsenal returned to St. Andrews—the very ground where the foundations for this current side were built when Eduardo broke his leg.
Just like Batman, there turned out to be a real Joker in the pack—Manuel Almunia.
Two years ago, Arsenal's title tilt faded badly after Eduardo broke his leg in a tackle with Martin Taylor. The club did not know how to deal with such a setback.
William Gallas, the captain at the time, made an absolute spectacle of himself by sitting in the centre circle in protest after the match.
Their manager, Arsene Wenger, castigated Martin Taylor in the press for the forceful nature of his tackle, but the French manager retracted his comments sometime later after he realised there was no real malice in the tackle.
Their young squad struggled to come to terms with everything falling apart around them.
Cesc Fabregas was eventually made captain as Gallas was stripped of the honor, and so the first few bricks were placed in the foundation of this current side.
Roll on two years, and Arsenal are very much contenders for the title.
While they may have a young squad, their players are incredibly experienced.
They have overcome many obstacles during this season, and their manager deserves a lot of credit for dragging the team into the ring for the title fight.
Many pundits had written Arsenal off at the start of the season. Almost everyone said they didn't have a chance when they lost Robin van Persie in November, and when Manchester United and Chelsea took them apart.
However, each and every time, their manager and captain have picked up their teammates, dusted them off, and gotten them ready for the next battle.
At the beginning of March, the club lost Aaron Ramsey to a horrific leg break in the game against Stoke City at the Britannia. As before, all the right elements were in place for their title challenge to capitulate once again.
Not this time.
Having suffered through crimes like this before, Arsenal knew how to deal with the situation, and turned the tragedy to their advantage—running out 3-1 winners.
No captains crying in the centre circle this time. No, this time around, Cesc Fabregas stood tall when his team needed him most and fired home a penalty when the whole world was watching.
Miss—and his mind was elsewhere. Score—and send a message that this team are real, and will not give up without a fight.
Fabregas scored.
Their birthing at St. Andrews was beginning to show.
Arsenal returned to the scene of the crime on Saturday...the scene of their birth.
It was a game where they did everything right. They played well, and on another day would have walked away with a win.
Media everywhere were in the middle of writing another list of plaudits for this newer, stronger, better Arsenal team when Kevin Phillips scored an equalizer in the 93rd minute—forcing a complete re-write.
Manuel Almunia's Joker act in goal costing his team an invaluable three points that very few teams take from Alex McLeish's team in Birmingham.
The 1-1 draw at St. Andrews puts a dent in their title hopes, but it has not extinguished that flicker of hope.
It will take more than that to beat this Arsenal team.
On Tuesday, the Gunners travel to Camp Nou to take on the most beautiful footballing side in the world—Barcelona.
It will be an epic battle, and will go a long way in declaring Arsenal's hopes for not only the Champions League but the English Premier League as well.
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Just like Batman, there turned out to be a real Joker in the pack—Manuel Almunia.
Two years ago, Arsenal's title tilt faded badly after Eduardo broke his leg in a tackle with Martin Taylor. The club did not know how to deal with such a setback.
William Gallas, the captain at the time, made an absolute spectacle of himself by sitting in the centre circle in protest after the match.
Their manager, Arsene Wenger, castigated Martin Taylor in the press for the forceful nature of his tackle, but the French manager retracted his comments sometime later after he realised there was no real malice in the tackle.
Their young squad struggled to come to terms with everything falling apart around them.
Cesc Fabregas was eventually made captain as Gallas was stripped of the honor, and so the first few bricks were placed in the foundation of this current side.
Roll on two years, and Arsenal are very much contenders for the title.
While they may have a young squad, their players are incredibly experienced.
They have overcome many obstacles during this season, and their manager deserves a lot of credit for dragging the team into the ring for the title fight.
Many pundits had written Arsenal off at the start of the season. Almost everyone said they didn't have a chance when they lost Robin van Persie in November, and when Manchester United and Chelsea took them apart.
However, each and every time, their manager and captain have picked up their teammates, dusted them off, and gotten them ready for the next battle.
At the beginning of March, the club lost Aaron Ramsey to a horrific leg break in the game against Stoke City at the Britannia. As before, all the right elements were in place for their title challenge to capitulate once again.
Not this time.
Having suffered through crimes like this before, Arsenal knew how to deal with the situation, and turned the tragedy to their advantage—running out 3-1 winners.
No captains crying in the centre circle this time. No, this time around, Cesc Fabregas stood tall when his team needed him most and fired home a penalty when the whole world was watching.
Miss—and his mind was elsewhere. Score—and send a message that this team are real, and will not give up without a fight.
Fabregas scored.
Their birthing at St. Andrews was beginning to show.
Arsenal returned to the scene of the crime on Saturday...the scene of their birth.
It was a game where they did everything right. They played well, and on another day would have walked away with a win.
Media everywhere were in the middle of writing another list of plaudits for this newer, stronger, better Arsenal team when Kevin Phillips scored an equalizer in the 93rd minute—forcing a complete re-write.
Manuel Almunia's Joker act in goal costing his team an invaluable three points that very few teams take from Alex McLeish's team in Birmingham.
The 1-1 draw at St. Andrews puts a dent in their title hopes, but it has not extinguished that flicker of hope.
It will take more than that to beat this Arsenal team.
On Tuesday, the Gunners travel to Camp Nou to take on the most beautiful footballing side in the world—Barcelona.
It will be an epic battle, and will go a long way in declaring Arsenal's hopes for not only the Champions League but the English Premier League as well.
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Tottenham Cruise Past Pompey, as Redknapp Takes a Subtle Pop at Rafa, Man City
Tottenham Hotspur cantered to an easy 2-0 win over Portsmouth in their FA Cup dress rehersal yesterday, giving Spurs a five-point advantage over their nearest rivals in the battle for fourth.
However, on the eve of the game, Harry Redknapp, the Lilywhites' manager, had a subtle dig at Rafael Benitez and Manchester City over their extravagant spending.
The result was never in doubt. It was always going to be a case of by how many Spurs were going to win by. In the end, the affair was settled by two first-half goals, first from Peter Crouch and then from Niko Krancjar.
For their part, Tottenham never had to get out of first gear and after the first goal went in, the game took on something of a procession. Pompey were abject and one begins to wonder if the slow dawning of relegation and all it entails has finally hit them.
It only compounded matters for Portsmouth that two of their ex-players scored while the win for Champions League chasing Spurs was orchestrated by their old manager.
Redknapp left Pompey for relegation-threatened Tottenham in October 2008, and has since turned them into one of the best sides in the league.
On the eve of the match, Harry Redknapp had a very subtle dig at Rafael Benitez and Manchester City for their garish spending over the last five years and this season, respectively.
Under Benitez, Liverpool have spent £210 million in six seasons while Manchester City have spent almost that figure alone since Sheik Mansour took over in 2008.
In his 26 years as a manager across almost every division and six clubs, Harry Redknapp has spent £208 million and re-couped an incredible £230 million. To read his transfer and career history click here .
The Spurs boss maintains that there are real bargains out there and that all clubs and managers have to do is take a little time and analyse the transfer market properly.
His adroit dealings certainly make Redknapp look like one of the better managers operating today.
Redknapp said: “You can find players. There are some out there. I took Kanu off the park when I was at Portsmouth. He was not playing. He was training on his own.
“He didn’t have a club four days before the league started. I didn’t have a second forward.
“I am sitting there and thinking ‘Where has he gone after he was a free at West Brom? They said that he had gone nowhere, so I tracked him down and got him in.”
“Its not about spending lots of money. Its about spending the money on the right players," he added.
“And there are players. When I took Kanu, people who worked with me said ‘He’s finished Harry, you can’t take him. I said ‘no’ and I took him and he did fantastic for us.”
Niko Kranjcar is a prime example of Redknapp's eye for a bargain. Less than a year after Portsmouth turned down £13.5 million for him from Arsenal, Spurs were able to sign the player for just £2 million after he refused to sign a new contract at the South Coast club.
He has gone on to become on of Tottenham's most important players this season, and has been instrumental in their climb towards fourth place.
As the league stands, Spurs are five points ahead of Manchester City who have a game in hand, and seven points clear of Liverpool.
The two Northern clubs remain favourites to finish in fourth as Tottenham have the hardest possible run in, including three games against Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United in the space of 10 days.
By firing the most elusive of opening shots, Redknapp is indicating to his team that they will have to fight against everybody and that everything is against them as they strive to finish as high as possible.
There is also the small matter of an upcoming FA Cup Semi-Final against Portsmouth at Wembley to deal with, and should Tottenham overcome them they will be all set for one of the greatest finales to their season in a long time.
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However, on the eve of the game, Harry Redknapp, the Lilywhites' manager, had a subtle dig at Rafael Benitez and Manchester City over their extravagant spending.
The result was never in doubt. It was always going to be a case of by how many Spurs were going to win by. In the end, the affair was settled by two first-half goals, first from Peter Crouch and then from Niko Krancjar.
For their part, Tottenham never had to get out of first gear and after the first goal went in, the game took on something of a procession. Pompey were abject and one begins to wonder if the slow dawning of relegation and all it entails has finally hit them.
It only compounded matters for Portsmouth that two of their ex-players scored while the win for Champions League chasing Spurs was orchestrated by their old manager.
Redknapp left Pompey for relegation-threatened Tottenham in October 2008, and has since turned them into one of the best sides in the league.
On the eve of the match, Harry Redknapp had a very subtle dig at Rafael Benitez and Manchester City for their garish spending over the last five years and this season, respectively.
Under Benitez, Liverpool have spent £210 million in six seasons while Manchester City have spent almost that figure alone since Sheik Mansour took over in 2008.
In his 26 years as a manager across almost every division and six clubs, Harry Redknapp has spent £208 million and re-couped an incredible £230 million. To read his transfer and career history click here .
The Spurs boss maintains that there are real bargains out there and that all clubs and managers have to do is take a little time and analyse the transfer market properly.
His adroit dealings certainly make Redknapp look like one of the better managers operating today.
Redknapp said: “You can find players. There are some out there. I took Kanu off the park when I was at Portsmouth. He was not playing. He was training on his own.
“He didn’t have a club four days before the league started. I didn’t have a second forward.
“I am sitting there and thinking ‘Where has he gone after he was a free at West Brom? They said that he had gone nowhere, so I tracked him down and got him in.”
“Its not about spending lots of money. Its about spending the money on the right players," he added.
“And there are players. When I took Kanu, people who worked with me said ‘He’s finished Harry, you can’t take him. I said ‘no’ and I took him and he did fantastic for us.”
Niko Kranjcar is a prime example of Redknapp's eye for a bargain. Less than a year after Portsmouth turned down £13.5 million for him from Arsenal, Spurs were able to sign the player for just £2 million after he refused to sign a new contract at the South Coast club.
He has gone on to become on of Tottenham's most important players this season, and has been instrumental in their climb towards fourth place.
As the league stands, Spurs are five points ahead of Manchester City who have a game in hand, and seven points clear of Liverpool.
The two Northern clubs remain favourites to finish in fourth as Tottenham have the hardest possible run in, including three games against Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United in the space of 10 days.
By firing the most elusive of opening shots, Redknapp is indicating to his team that they will have to fight against everybody and that everything is against them as they strive to finish as high as possible.
There is also the small matter of an upcoming FA Cup Semi-Final against Portsmouth at Wembley to deal with, and should Tottenham overcome them they will be all set for one of the greatest finales to their season in a long time.
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Every Jersey For The 2010 World Cup: The Good The Bad and The Ugly
In June, 32 nations will kick off the world's biggest tournament. There will be a worldwide audience of almost half the planet.
With that captive audience in mind, every competing team has released home and away kits for the month-long tournament.
And with FIFA's new ruling that games will be "home" and "away", every nation will get to wear all of their wares.
Here we take a quick look at some of the jerseys on offer.
The good, the bad, and the downright ugly...
Click here to see a slideshow of the jerseys.
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With that captive audience in mind, every competing team has released home and away kits for the month-long tournament.
And with FIFA's new ruling that games will be "home" and "away", every nation will get to wear all of their wares.
Here we take a quick look at some of the jerseys on offer.
The good, the bad, and the downright ugly...
Click here to see a slideshow of the jerseys.
Share
England's Midfield Problems Solved, Everton's Uncapped Spanish Ace Mikael Arteta
With the World Cup just around the corner, England's injury problems are beginning to mount. Ashley Cole and Aaron Lennon are very doubtful while David Beckham is definitely out. However, the solution is simple. Everton's Spanish play-maker: Mikael Arteta.
A product of Barcelona's youth academy, Arteta has 12 Spanish U-21 caps to his name, but has never made the jump to the senior side. Perhaps this has to do with his unorthodox rise to the upper echelons of the game, as Arteta has always been out of sight and out of mind regarding the national side of Spain.
A successful two year stint in the wilderness of the Scottish Premier League with Rangers was followed up with a brief unhappy return to home soil with Real Zaragoza. Seeing his potential, David Moyes then moved to bring the Spaniard to Goodison Park in 2005 as a replacement for Thomas Gravesen.
In the Everton engine room, Arteta proved an instant hit and helped guide the Toffees into the Champions League positions.
Since then, Arteta has become an integral past of David Moyes' plans. Ever present in the first team, he has played 139 games for the club since 2005. Despite his being one of the Premierships best kept secrets, the creative midfielder has never managed to break into his country's national team.
The closest he has ever come to donning the famous red of Espana was in 2008 when he was called into the first team squad for the first time. However, disaster was to strike in a league game against Newcastle when he ruptured the ligaments in his right knee, forcing him to withdraw from the squad.
The irony of that injury is that it has left the door open for Fabio Capello to call him up for England through a loop hole that allows foreign nationals to declare citizenship after living in one country for five years.
Since January 1, Mikael Arteta has been living in England for five years.
As the World Cup in South Africa nears, England's problems in midfield are mounting. Aaron Lennon is an extreme doubt to make the finals having not played for Tottenham Hotspur since January. David Beckham is definitely out having torn his Achilles tendon last month, and Owen Hargreaves has only recently returned to training at Manchester United.
The solution to all of these problems, and to the dreaded left sided dilemma, is Mikael Arteta.
At this late stage, he is not going to break into the Spanish squad, such is the strength in depth at Vincente Del Bosque's disposal.
Xavi Hernandez, Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva, Marcos Senna, and Serqi Busquets all command positions in the squad, and truth be told, Arteta is not going to get past any of these guys to fulfill his dream.
That is where Fabio Capello could exploit the situation. Arteta is an excellent player, incredibly comfortable on the ball, has the eye for a perfect pass, a great work ethic, and above all, he is arguably better than any other midfielder Capello already has.
He can play right, left, deep, in a support role, or as an orthodox central midfielder. He is also an expert from set pieces, something England now lack that Beckham is out. In short, the options he could provide would be incredible.
Now all Fabio has to do is to convince the Spaniard that his future lies with the Three Lions.
If he was to help England to a World Cup victory, few would argue that he was not born there.
At this stage of the game, sentimentality has to be pushed out the window and cold hard science has to take over. Mikael Arteta is one of the best players in the EPL. He would compliment any side, and Fabio Capello owes nothing in loyalty to any of the players who have brought their country to the fringes of World Cup victory.
His loyalty is to England's fans, and it his job to bring the cup back. To do that he has to look at every option and players he has available to him. And he would be breaking no rules if he was to bring the Spaniard into his 23 man squad.
For when push comes to shove and the slim difference between winning and losing is analysed, few would care if Arteta scored the winning goal in the final, unless it was against Spain of course...
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A product of Barcelona's youth academy, Arteta has 12 Spanish U-21 caps to his name, but has never made the jump to the senior side. Perhaps this has to do with his unorthodox rise to the upper echelons of the game, as Arteta has always been out of sight and out of mind regarding the national side of Spain.
A successful two year stint in the wilderness of the Scottish Premier League with Rangers was followed up with a brief unhappy return to home soil with Real Zaragoza. Seeing his potential, David Moyes then moved to bring the Spaniard to Goodison Park in 2005 as a replacement for Thomas Gravesen.
In the Everton engine room, Arteta proved an instant hit and helped guide the Toffees into the Champions League positions.
Since then, Arteta has become an integral past of David Moyes' plans. Ever present in the first team, he has played 139 games for the club since 2005. Despite his being one of the Premierships best kept secrets, the creative midfielder has never managed to break into his country's national team.
The closest he has ever come to donning the famous red of Espana was in 2008 when he was called into the first team squad for the first time. However, disaster was to strike in a league game against Newcastle when he ruptured the ligaments in his right knee, forcing him to withdraw from the squad.
The irony of that injury is that it has left the door open for Fabio Capello to call him up for England through a loop hole that allows foreign nationals to declare citizenship after living in one country for five years.
Since January 1, Mikael Arteta has been living in England for five years.
As the World Cup in South Africa nears, England's problems in midfield are mounting. Aaron Lennon is an extreme doubt to make the finals having not played for Tottenham Hotspur since January. David Beckham is definitely out having torn his Achilles tendon last month, and Owen Hargreaves has only recently returned to training at Manchester United.
The solution to all of these problems, and to the dreaded left sided dilemma, is Mikael Arteta.
At this late stage, he is not going to break into the Spanish squad, such is the strength in depth at Vincente Del Bosque's disposal.
Xavi Hernandez, Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva, Marcos Senna, and Serqi Busquets all command positions in the squad, and truth be told, Arteta is not going to get past any of these guys to fulfill his dream.
That is where Fabio Capello could exploit the situation. Arteta is an excellent player, incredibly comfortable on the ball, has the eye for a perfect pass, a great work ethic, and above all, he is arguably better than any other midfielder Capello already has.
He can play right, left, deep, in a support role, or as an orthodox central midfielder. He is also an expert from set pieces, something England now lack that Beckham is out. In short, the options he could provide would be incredible.
Now all Fabio has to do is to convince the Spaniard that his future lies with the Three Lions.
If he was to help England to a World Cup victory, few would argue that he was not born there.
At this stage of the game, sentimentality has to be pushed out the window and cold hard science has to take over. Mikael Arteta is one of the best players in the EPL. He would compliment any side, and Fabio Capello owes nothing in loyalty to any of the players who have brought their country to the fringes of World Cup victory.
His loyalty is to England's fans, and it his job to bring the cup back. To do that he has to look at every option and players he has available to him. And he would be breaking no rules if he was to bring the Spaniard into his 23 man squad.
For when push comes to shove and the slim difference between winning and losing is analysed, few would care if Arteta scored the winning goal in the final, unless it was against Spain of course...
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Harry Redknapp's Transfer History, 1984 to 2010: The Best Record in Football?
Harry Redknapp is recognised as being the best English manager in the game today. He has always had a reputation of being a wheeler dealer. However, does he have the best transfer record in English football?
Between playing and managing, 'Arry's career has lasted over 40 years. With a playing career that lasted for 15 years and 276 games combined and a managerial career that has seen him manage in almost every division, Redknapp has seen everything the game has to offer.
Now in the twilight of his career, 'Arry is managing the biggest club of his career, Tottenham Hotspur, one of the great sleeping giants of English football.
Strangely enough, Redknapp began his career at the Spurs when, as an 11-year-old, he was brought to the club by chief scout, Dickie Walker. The love affair didn't last too long though, as West Ham snapped the promising youngster up at 15 and away from Bill Nicholson, who was just beginning to mould one of English football's greatest sides.
For the vast majority of his career, Redknapp was employed as a winger. An honest, skillful, industrious player, he played 149 times for the Hammers after making his debut at 17. From there he moved to Bournemouth for four years before a one game pit stop at Brentford, and then finally on to the NASL and the Seattle Sounders.
It was here in Seattle that Harry found the taste for management, acting as assistant manager for three years before becoming Bobby Moore's right hand man at Oxford United.
His first job in management was at Bournemouth, but he only got the job at the second attempt. Despite being the clubs assistant manager, he was overlooked when David Webb moved on to Torquay.
However, with the team floundering at the bottom of Division III under the new manager, Don Megson, the club was forced to act and they sacked their new manager handing the inexperienced Redknapp the task of saving the club.
Not only did 'Arry save the Cherries, but Bournemouth pulled off the biggest shock of the FA Cup when they dumped Manchester United out.
Redknapp had pulled off two major coups in only his first season as a manager.
Even then he had an eye for a player, and his very first signing was to offer one of the game's great journey men an in road into football, Steve Claridge.
Amazingly, between 1984 and 1992, Harry Redknapp only signed 19 players for Bournemouth and spent a massive £1.12million, but earned £1.77m during the same period.
Many of the players he signed were making their first forays into professional football. Looking back we can see that Redknapp had a keen eye for potential.
Steve Claridge, Sean Teale, Gavin Peacock, Efan Ekoku, Jamie Redknapp, Vince Bartram, and Jimmy Quinn are just a few names who all went on to bigger and better things after Bournemouth.
In 1987 the Cherries romped home as Division III Champions, but only lasted in Division II until 1989, when they were relegated.
In the summer of 1990, Redknapp was in Italy, watching the World Cup with friends when he was involved in a car accident which killed five people. A passenger in the vehicle, Redknapp was badly shaken and escaped relatively unscathed, only losing his sense of smell. He decided to take a break from football in 1992.
However, sometime later he returned to the fold in the guise of Head of Youth Development at West Ham.
In 1994 he was coaxed back into football with West Ham, who were struggling in the newly formed Premier League. Redknapp and Frank Lampard Sr. had been working tirelessly in the youth ranks at the Hammers and following Billy Bonds' resignation in August, they were promoted to first team affairs.
Again Redknapp went to work in the transfer market, except this time he augmented his work there with the internal promotion of some of the brightest talents in English football.
Between 1994 and 2001 at West Ham, he signed 58 players for the Hammers, spending £52.09 million, bringing £77.01 million into the club.
Again his work in the market can be judged by looking back at some of the 58 players he signed in that seven-year period.
Mark Rieper, John Hartson, Eyal Berkovic, Stan Laziridis, Steve Lomas, David Unsworth, Paulo Di Canio, Marc Vivien-Foe, Jermaine Defoe, and Igor Stimac are all prime examples of good signings during his West Ham years.
Young players like Mike Marsh, Joe Cole, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, Rio Ferdinand, and Joey Beauchamp all broke into the team under Redknapp too.
Of course there were some spectacular failures too, but they were few and far between. The two worst signings are Paulo Futre, who barely kicked a ball in anger for a whole season as one of the highest paid players in the league, and Florin Raduiciou.
It is worth knowing that at this time both of these players had huge reputations and initially looked like great deals for the club, however, the reverse was to be the case.
Both players commanded wages of something like £2.5 million a season on top of huge signing on fees, and are real examples of foreign signings that just did not work in England.
Those five-and-a-half years in charge at the Irons, Redknapp guided them to finish 14th, 10th, 14th, eighth, and a brilliant fifth.
Considering the resources available to him at West Ham these results were superb, but again Redknapp was vilified with being a wheeler dealer and a risk taker; it is only now that we can look back and see how much of a profit he actually made in his dealings.
He was unceremoniously sacked in May 2001 after he spoke to a fanzine over the signing of a new contract with the club, the club's chairman was extremely unhappy over comments Redknapp made at the time.
He was not out of work for long and he moved to Portsmouth as Director of Football in the summer of 2001.
Ironically, Redknapp took over as manager of the Division I club and guided them into the Premiership as Champions in 2002, replacing West Ham.
In just two years at Fratton Park, 'Arry signed 41 players for £7.65 million and sold 41 players for £5.4 million.
Redknapp resigned as manager of Portsmouth in November 2004 in dispute over the owner, Milan Mandaric, bringing in a Director of Football to the club.
Even though Redknapp only spent two years at the club, he did manage to bring in some real quality, namely Dejan Stefanovic, Lomano Lua Lua, and Yakubu.
He then made the controversial move down the coast to local rivals Southampton. Redknapp had been brought in as a fire fighter, with the job to save the club from almost certain relegation, which he was unable to do.
In just one season at the club he signed eight players for £2.57 million, but sold 18 players for £16 million as he began a clear out at the club.
That did not last too long though as Harry resigned after Southampton brought in England rugby manager Clive Woodward in a technical role at the club. Many felt that the rugby supremo was being lined up to learn from the wily old manager before replacing him.
A couple of weeks later, Redknapp was back in charge of Pompey who were hurtling out of control towards the second tier of English football.
However, there was to be a big difference at Portsmouth this time around. Alexandre Gaydamak, had just taken over, had made huge sums of money available to Harry in an effort to establish Portsmouth as a force in the Premiership.
Pompey finished four points above relegation that season ('05-'06), but the next ('06-'07) they finished a club record ninth. That was followed up the following season with another record season when Pompey finished eighth ('07-'08)
The club was on the crest of a wave and also won the FA Cup in 2008.
That was the beginning of the end, though, as Alexandre Gaydamak stepped down from the board and withdrew his backing, and all of a sudden Portsmouth were in trouble.
Backed up with Gaydamak's money, Redknapp was given permission to spend, and spend he did. £68.3 million left the club in just two seasons with only £29.07 million coming in while Redknapp held the reins.
As with his previous record, players of a high standard were brought to the club for cheap prices.
Niko Krancjar, Sulley Muntari, Glen Johnsen, Papa Bouba-Diop, and Jermaine Defoe are very good examples of Premiership players who were brought in to aid Portsmouth's cause.
It is worth noting that although Redknapp's time in charge of Portsmouth ended in a deficit of some £40 million, the club has since gone on to sell many of the players he signed while he was there, giving the club a staggering £103,940,000 million in sales in just three years. A massive profit of around £30 million for the struggling club.
In October 2008 Harry Redknapp took over relegation bound Tottenham Hotspur after Juande Ramos' ill fated reign.
Again 'Arry was quick out of the blocks as far as the transfer market is concerned, and re-signed Jermaine Defoe and Robbie Keane as well as bringing in Wilson Palacios to bolster midfield.
The new signings worked a treat as the Spurs roared up the league and only missed out on Europe on the final day of the season following a defeat at Anfield to Liverpool.
Last summer saw Tottenham strengthen their squad substantially by adding Peter Crouch, Niko Kranjcar, Sebastian Bassong, and Kyle Naughton to their ranks giving the Spurs a squad depth capable of challenging for Champions League positions.
As it stands, Tottenham are in a four-way fight to the death with Liverpool, Manchester City, and Aston Villa for the last Champions League qualifying position.
Harry Redknapp has had a remarkable career, over 1,000 games as manager, placing him in an elite band of men to achieve that rare milestone. While he has never managed a club that has challenged for trophies, he has become one of the best managers in the game through sheer hard work.
One thing that has really stuck with him throughout his career is his reputation for spotting a bargain.
Certain parts of his reputation are unfair, as he has had more successes than failures, and when you sit down and look at his transfer record over his 26 years as a boss you find that he has spent £208.23 million and recouped £230.37 million.
A quick comparison with Rafael Benitez has the Liverpool manager spending £210 million since 2004 and only accruing £125 million in the same period.
While in almost 24 years at Old Trafford, Alex Ferguson has spent £392.44 million on 89 players and made some £244 million by selling 216 players in that same time.
Arsene Wenger's record is quite impressive given the rewards he has managed to bring the club during his 13 years in charge.
Le Prof has brought 86 players to Arsenal at a cost of £220 million, and he has sold 162 for £194 million. A brilliant record, you'll agree, to almost break even after 13 long years.
Given the resources available to Ferguson, Wenger, and Benitez, it is little wonder that the three clubs are constantly challenging for the top three positions in the league.
Redknapp's record stands up for itself, a quite excellent record in the transfer market since 1984. He has never had the opportunity to manage a club with the resources to challenge for the title, but with Daniel Levy's backing you get the feeling the club would rather challenge than sit in mid-table.
Spurs' fans will be hoping that Redknapp manages to work some magic in the transfer market. He'll have to if they are going to make that huge step up and actually challenge for the Champions League positions, and maybe even the league someday.
Tottenham Hotspur Dispatch Stoke, Take Vital Lead in Race for Fourth
Tottenham Hotspur traveled to the Britannia Stadium, a graveyard for many teams, and after a professional display, beat Stoke City 2-1 to cement their place in fourth with eight games to go.
Spurs had set down a marker in August, signaling their Champions League ambitions by winning their first four games of the season. That was the last time that Spurs had taken maximum points four games in a row...
Now that the race for fourth is entering its final straight, a win over Stoke at the Britannia was going to be vital if they wanted to have a say. Win and Spurs would move four points ahead of rivals Liverpool, and five ahead of Aston Villa.
Looking at Tottenham's fixture list with games to play against Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Arsenal coming up and anything less than a win would leave Spurs' hopes of finishing fourth an uphill challenge.
As expected, Stoke's main weapon was Rory Delap's long throws, and all of their forward attacks in the first half were from the arms of the Irishman.
However, this Spurs side are extremely big, and led by the excellent Michael Dawson, they dealt with these set pieces quite easily.
Tottenham for the most part were very patient, keeping the ball for long periods of play, forcing the home crowd to boo every pass in an effort at putting Spurs' players' concentration off.
Roman Pavlyuchenko was forced off midway through the first half after jarring his knee in a tackle with Abdoulaye Faye.
The Russian forward is the most in-form striker in the English Premier League at the moment, and it was a real blow to Harry Redknapp when he limped off, to be replaced with Eidur Gudjohnsen.
A professional Spurs saw out the half despite a set-piece flurry from Stoke, and then started the second half in spectacular fashion.
Peter Crouch's perfect lobbed pass found Gudjohnsen in yards of space as he raced into the Stoke box and he fired high into the net to put Tottenham in front.
It was Gudjohnsen's first Premiership goal in over four years. And it meant that Stoke now had a large hill to climb if they wanted to have a say in this match.
That hill became a mountain for Stoke minutes later, when Dean Whitehead was unluckily sent off after receiving a second yellow card.
Luka Modric had flicked the ball past the ex-Sunderland midfielder who could not get out of the way and the little Croatian smashed into him.
Stoke have always been linked with a physical approach to the game, and it is something that many struggle to understand.
While some feel that it only encompasses the Potters kicking teams, it is in reality as scientific as any other approach to the game.
Under Tony Pulis, Stoke have become an incredibly tough team to beat. They harry every player, mark supremely tightly, and generally choose their challenges well. The exception to the rule being Ryan Shawcross' poor challenge on Aaron Ramsey.
Spurs went in search of a second and really pressured Stoke, but all that good work was undone when Benoit Assou-Ekotto pulled Dave Kitson over in the box and gave away a penalty.
Ex-Tottenham player Matthew Etherington, doing his late call up chances for England no harm,fired in the equalizer from the spot.
Minutes earlier, Spurs had been wondering how many goals they were going to win the game by, and in the blink of an eye they were level, battling a fervent Stoke.
It summed their season up perfectly. While Spurs have improved leaps and bounds under Redknapp, they still have that incredibly soft underbelly and lack concentration when it is needed most.
All of a sudden, ten man Stoke were on top and all of Tottenham's frailties looked like being exposed.
Just when Harry Redknapp and Spurs fans everywhere began to scratch their heads at what looked like another one of those days, Niko Kranjcar popped in to score a fantastic goal.
The goal combined everything that has always been associated with Tottenham over the year. Power, pace, pin point passing, and intelligence.
Benoit Assou Ekotto made amends for his dreadful defending by powering down the left, his run left the Stoke defence very flat-footed, and his pin point pass to Gudjohnsen was laser like in precision.
But just as everyone expected the Icelandic international to latch onto the ball, he dummied it perfectly and left it for the onrushing Kranjcar to score.
The dummy caught every Stoke player out and made the job of scoring all the easier for the brilliant Croatian.
For the first half of the season, Spurs were overreliant on Aaron Lennon. The phenomenally quick right-sided midfielder was in the form of his life before a groin injury robbed Tottenham and England of his services.
His importance and the lack of penetration on the left, had left Spurs as an easy team to neutralise. But a combination of injuries has all of a sudden left Spurs with possibly the best left-side combination in the Premier League.
For all too long, Gareth Bale was a player who threatened to become a good one. He is blessed with every attribute a leading player would want, but lacked that vital spark. However, since Christmas, something has changed.
With Assou-Ekotto and Bale on the left, Spurs possess two players who are excellent defenders, but who are also brilliant going forward.
Today, Bale and his Cameroonian teammate caused Stoke all kinds of problems, leaving many to wonder what Spurs will be like when Lennon eventually returns from injury?
In the end, Spurs had to endure a late onslaught, and you know what? They actually knew how to handle the situation. It was a very important win for Spurs, who have the toughest of remaining fixtures when it comes to all the teams going for fourth place.
A fourth win in a row for the first time since August and Spurs are now in the driving seat to finish fourth.
This win leaves them four points ahead of Liverpool who travel to United tomorrow, five points ahead of Villa and Manchester City, who they have yet to play.
Are Spurs finally growing into a good team? We will see in eight weeks' time...
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Spurs had set down a marker in August, signaling their Champions League ambitions by winning their first four games of the season. That was the last time that Spurs had taken maximum points four games in a row...
Now that the race for fourth is entering its final straight, a win over Stoke at the Britannia was going to be vital if they wanted to have a say. Win and Spurs would move four points ahead of rivals Liverpool, and five ahead of Aston Villa.
Looking at Tottenham's fixture list with games to play against Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Arsenal coming up and anything less than a win would leave Spurs' hopes of finishing fourth an uphill challenge.
As expected, Stoke's main weapon was Rory Delap's long throws, and all of their forward attacks in the first half were from the arms of the Irishman.
However, this Spurs side are extremely big, and led by the excellent Michael Dawson, they dealt with these set pieces quite easily.
Tottenham for the most part were very patient, keeping the ball for long periods of play, forcing the home crowd to boo every pass in an effort at putting Spurs' players' concentration off.
Roman Pavlyuchenko was forced off midway through the first half after jarring his knee in a tackle with Abdoulaye Faye.
The Russian forward is the most in-form striker in the English Premier League at the moment, and it was a real blow to Harry Redknapp when he limped off, to be replaced with Eidur Gudjohnsen.
A professional Spurs saw out the half despite a set-piece flurry from Stoke, and then started the second half in spectacular fashion.
Peter Crouch's perfect lobbed pass found Gudjohnsen in yards of space as he raced into the Stoke box and he fired high into the net to put Tottenham in front.
It was Gudjohnsen's first Premiership goal in over four years. And it meant that Stoke now had a large hill to climb if they wanted to have a say in this match.
That hill became a mountain for Stoke minutes later, when Dean Whitehead was unluckily sent off after receiving a second yellow card.
Luka Modric had flicked the ball past the ex-Sunderland midfielder who could not get out of the way and the little Croatian smashed into him.
Stoke have always been linked with a physical approach to the game, and it is something that many struggle to understand.
While some feel that it only encompasses the Potters kicking teams, it is in reality as scientific as any other approach to the game.
Under Tony Pulis, Stoke have become an incredibly tough team to beat. They harry every player, mark supremely tightly, and generally choose their challenges well. The exception to the rule being Ryan Shawcross' poor challenge on Aaron Ramsey.
Spurs went in search of a second and really pressured Stoke, but all that good work was undone when Benoit Assou-Ekotto pulled Dave Kitson over in the box and gave away a penalty.
Ex-Tottenham player Matthew Etherington, doing his late call up chances for England no harm,fired in the equalizer from the spot.
Minutes earlier, Spurs had been wondering how many goals they were going to win the game by, and in the blink of an eye they were level, battling a fervent Stoke.
It summed their season up perfectly. While Spurs have improved leaps and bounds under Redknapp, they still have that incredibly soft underbelly and lack concentration when it is needed most.
All of a sudden, ten man Stoke were on top and all of Tottenham's frailties looked like being exposed.
Just when Harry Redknapp and Spurs fans everywhere began to scratch their heads at what looked like another one of those days, Niko Kranjcar popped in to score a fantastic goal.
The goal combined everything that has always been associated with Tottenham over the year. Power, pace, pin point passing, and intelligence.
Benoit Assou Ekotto made amends for his dreadful defending by powering down the left, his run left the Stoke defence very flat-footed, and his pin point pass to Gudjohnsen was laser like in precision.
But just as everyone expected the Icelandic international to latch onto the ball, he dummied it perfectly and left it for the onrushing Kranjcar to score.
The dummy caught every Stoke player out and made the job of scoring all the easier for the brilliant Croatian.
For the first half of the season, Spurs were overreliant on Aaron Lennon. The phenomenally quick right-sided midfielder was in the form of his life before a groin injury robbed Tottenham and England of his services.
His importance and the lack of penetration on the left, had left Spurs as an easy team to neutralise. But a combination of injuries has all of a sudden left Spurs with possibly the best left-side combination in the Premier League.
For all too long, Gareth Bale was a player who threatened to become a good one. He is blessed with every attribute a leading player would want, but lacked that vital spark. However, since Christmas, something has changed.
With Assou-Ekotto and Bale on the left, Spurs possess two players who are excellent defenders, but who are also brilliant going forward.
Today, Bale and his Cameroonian teammate caused Stoke all kinds of problems, leaving many to wonder what Spurs will be like when Lennon eventually returns from injury?
In the end, Spurs had to endure a late onslaught, and you know what? They actually knew how to handle the situation. It was a very important win for Spurs, who have the toughest of remaining fixtures when it comes to all the teams going for fourth place.
A fourth win in a row for the first time since August and Spurs are now in the driving seat to finish fourth.
This win leaves them four points ahead of Liverpool who travel to United tomorrow, five points ahead of Villa and Manchester City, who they have yet to play.
Are Spurs finally growing into a good team? We will see in eight weeks' time...
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Manchester United vs. Liverpool: EPL Destiny on the Line for Both Clubs
Manchester United and Liverpool meet at Old Trafford this Sunday in a game that will almost certainly define their seasons.
If United loses, they will lose ground in the title race, while a loss for Liverpool will increase the mounting pressure on their beleaguered manager, Rafael Benitez.
Ferguson the Wily Manager
For many reasons, it is probably the wrong time for Liverpool to be traveling to the white-hot cauldron of Old Trafford. Having dispatched AC Milan 4-0 with childlike ease last Wednesday, Fulham then walked into the lion's den—and were duly sent packing with a 3-0 drubbing.
In short, United are on song—and they are very much the team you do not want to travel to at this stage of the season. One of the most vital elements of Alex Ferguson's coaching acumen is his uncanny ability to get his team to peak as we enter the business end of the league.
His team has stepped up a gear during the last couple of weeks—since Everton beat them 3-1—and not since 2002 have they managed to score as many goals in one season: 70 in 30 games. And you have to go all the way back to January to find the last goal they conceded at home.
Wayne Rooney has been firing on all cylinders since the start of the season, and he has carried the team through games when it looked as if this title challenge was going to slip away before it really started.
Much to Ferguson's credit, other players have begun to share in the burden Rooney has carried for so long. Antonio Valencia, despite a quiet start to his Red Devils career, has been brilliant since November.
Paul Scholes still defies Father Time and produces performances that players half his age would die for, and Dimitar Berbatov is finally beginning to give regular quality performances.
If he can keep this up, United's attack will be simply frightening as the end of the season draws in.
Park Ji-Sung has continued his selfless existence in the United midfield—and given his recent form and phenomenal honesty on the pitch, it is almost impossible to see him out of the side to face Liverpool this weekend.
United's Predicted Starting Lineup
Edwin Van Der Sar is guaranteed to start in goal. Since his return to the United starting lineup, they have managed to keep five clean sheets in eight games—no small coincidence.
Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic will also start—and it will be very interesting to see how the giant Serbian stands up to the power and pace of one Fernando Torres, who always seems to give him a torrid time. Rio Ferdinand should partner Vidic at the back, so the only real question is who Fergie will start at right full.
Given the options, it will either be Gary Neville or Rafael. Despite Neville having a field day against Ronaldinho, who managed to make the United man look 21 again, he should not play. His legs are gone at this level, and the pace his protege will provide could be key to United shackling Torres.
The next big question is whether Ferguson will start with four or five in midfield. Again, the system Benitez has always employed dictates that the Scot has to match him man- for-man—and for that reason, I see United going 4-5-1, which means Berbatov will start on the bench.
Valencia, Park, Fletcher, and Carrick will all start—be it in a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1—so the only question remains for midfield: Scholes or Nani?
The importance of the game would suggest that Ferguson will go with tried and trusted over flair and unpredictability—with Scholes getting the nod over Nani.
That leaves Rooney as the lone striker. This season, he has really come to the fore as a world-class talent—and now the other players look to him to not only make things happen, as before, but also to dig them out of their holes, too.
His industry and honesty mean he will always be a threat for this Liverpool defence—which is blessed with neither the speed nor the strength to combat the United front man.
A win for United would serve as a huge psychological boost as the intensity of their run reaches fever pitch—and it would set them up nicely to welcome Chelsea two weeks later.
Tough Times for Liverpool and Rafa
Liverpool, for their part, have had their worst season in living memory. Dumped out of the Champions League before Christmas and losing 15 matches in one season, the high- spending Anfield outfit now faces the extra embarrassment of missing out on the Champions League completely.
This is a must-win game for Rafael Benitez and his lacklustre side. Lose and the odds of them finishing fourth will increase exponentially—and despite Thursday's 3-0 win over Lille, the Reds flattered to deceive on the night, and they have yet to turn the corner on a miserable season.
This game not only provides that corner, but it also resembles a last chance for the Reds.
Should Liverpool lose and their rivals win, the points difference would almost certainly be too much for them to bridge, given there are so few games left to play.
Liverpool's Predicted Starting Lineup
Pepe Reina is the only player who has lived up to his billing this year, and without him between the sticks, it is frightening to think of what could have happened to Liverpool's season.
Glen Johnsen will start at right full, with Park most probably his opposite number. It will be interesting to see how the duo combat each other and how United look to break the indiscipline of the defender—or whether he will stay loyal to Rafa's orders and guard the "bank."
Emiliano Insua should start on the left. So far this season, his performances have ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous. The Argentinian youngster is not blessed with pace— and as such, he must choose his forward forays carefully. The enemy he faces on Sunday will be ruthless and swift should he stray out of position too often.
Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger, and Kryiagkos will battle it out for the central berths, but the Greek international should at least find himself on the bench.
As ever, Javier Mascherano will shield the back four, with the only question for Rafa being Lucas or Aquilani. Looking at the season, it is clear that the Spaniard prefers the creatively numb Brazilian—but he will offer a defensive mind and honesty that the Italian is incapable of offering in the middle.
Dirk Kuyt, Yossi Benayoun, and Ryan Babel will battle it out for the two wide positions as a fully fit midfield should provide Rafa with plenty of questions—except for Albert Riera, that is...
Steven Gerrard and Torres will act as link and striker, and the key to unlocking United will fall to this pair—as it almost does in every match.
So far this year, Gerrard has been a shadow of his former self—and he will be looking to improve upon that poor form as the World Cup gets closer. He is no longer the untouchable player he was—and given the right circumstances, he could find himself outside Fabio Capello's starting XI for Aston Villa's James Milner.
Not only does this game represent a turning point in Liverpool's season, but it also represents a turning point in Gerrard's season.
Torres, who unbelievably finds himself on the bench for Spain, will be the key for Liverpool. His Indian sign over Vidic is sure to be on the mind of the Serbian—and it would not be unusual to see Liverpool try to isolate Vidic early on.
Only One Winner?
Looking at the form book, one could only pick United as a winner of this game. But these matches notoriously have their own style of ecosystems and are literally impossible to call.
For instance, no one would have predicted that Liverpool would have destroyed United 4-1 in this fixture last season.
When push comes to shove, I expect Manchester United to have too much for Liverpool in this game.
United will push their wide players right down onto Liverpool's full backs—but with Liverpool pretty much employing a defensive eight and trying to catch teams on the break, they will contribute to their own lack of ambition.
That will leave United's midfield to pick up Gerrard in an effort to snuff out their one consistent creative source in midfield.
Saying all that, Liverpool will fight tooth and nail for every inch of ground—and the onus will be put on the likes of Fletcher and Carrick to create something out of nothing as the Reds will leave no blade of grass unguarded.
Almost too difficult to call, but it is hard to see United not scoring...
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If United loses, they will lose ground in the title race, while a loss for Liverpool will increase the mounting pressure on their beleaguered manager, Rafael Benitez.
Ferguson the Wily Manager
For many reasons, it is probably the wrong time for Liverpool to be traveling to the white-hot cauldron of Old Trafford. Having dispatched AC Milan 4-0 with childlike ease last Wednesday, Fulham then walked into the lion's den—and were duly sent packing with a 3-0 drubbing.
In short, United are on song—and they are very much the team you do not want to travel to at this stage of the season. One of the most vital elements of Alex Ferguson's coaching acumen is his uncanny ability to get his team to peak as we enter the business end of the league.
His team has stepped up a gear during the last couple of weeks—since Everton beat them 3-1—and not since 2002 have they managed to score as many goals in one season: 70 in 30 games. And you have to go all the way back to January to find the last goal they conceded at home.
Wayne Rooney has been firing on all cylinders since the start of the season, and he has carried the team through games when it looked as if this title challenge was going to slip away before it really started.
Much to Ferguson's credit, other players have begun to share in the burden Rooney has carried for so long. Antonio Valencia, despite a quiet start to his Red Devils career, has been brilliant since November.
Paul Scholes still defies Father Time and produces performances that players half his age would die for, and Dimitar Berbatov is finally beginning to give regular quality performances.
If he can keep this up, United's attack will be simply frightening as the end of the season draws in.
Park Ji-Sung has continued his selfless existence in the United midfield—and given his recent form and phenomenal honesty on the pitch, it is almost impossible to see him out of the side to face Liverpool this weekend.
United's Predicted Starting Lineup
Edwin Van Der Sar is guaranteed to start in goal. Since his return to the United starting lineup, they have managed to keep five clean sheets in eight games—no small coincidence.
Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic will also start—and it will be very interesting to see how the giant Serbian stands up to the power and pace of one Fernando Torres, who always seems to give him a torrid time. Rio Ferdinand should partner Vidic at the back, so the only real question is who Fergie will start at right full.
Given the options, it will either be Gary Neville or Rafael. Despite Neville having a field day against Ronaldinho, who managed to make the United man look 21 again, he should not play. His legs are gone at this level, and the pace his protege will provide could be key to United shackling Torres.
The next big question is whether Ferguson will start with four or five in midfield. Again, the system Benitez has always employed dictates that the Scot has to match him man- for-man—and for that reason, I see United going 4-5-1, which means Berbatov will start on the bench.
Valencia, Park, Fletcher, and Carrick will all start—be it in a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1—so the only question remains for midfield: Scholes or Nani?
The importance of the game would suggest that Ferguson will go with tried and trusted over flair and unpredictability—with Scholes getting the nod over Nani.
That leaves Rooney as the lone striker. This season, he has really come to the fore as a world-class talent—and now the other players look to him to not only make things happen, as before, but also to dig them out of their holes, too.
His industry and honesty mean he will always be a threat for this Liverpool defence—which is blessed with neither the speed nor the strength to combat the United front man.
A win for United would serve as a huge psychological boost as the intensity of their run reaches fever pitch—and it would set them up nicely to welcome Chelsea two weeks later.
Tough Times for Liverpool and Rafa
Liverpool, for their part, have had their worst season in living memory. Dumped out of the Champions League before Christmas and losing 15 matches in one season, the high- spending Anfield outfit now faces the extra embarrassment of missing out on the Champions League completely.
This is a must-win game for Rafael Benitez and his lacklustre side. Lose and the odds of them finishing fourth will increase exponentially—and despite Thursday's 3-0 win over Lille, the Reds flattered to deceive on the night, and they have yet to turn the corner on a miserable season.
This game not only provides that corner, but it also resembles a last chance for the Reds.
Should Liverpool lose and their rivals win, the points difference would almost certainly be too much for them to bridge, given there are so few games left to play.
Liverpool's Predicted Starting Lineup
Pepe Reina is the only player who has lived up to his billing this year, and without him between the sticks, it is frightening to think of what could have happened to Liverpool's season.
Glen Johnsen will start at right full, with Park most probably his opposite number. It will be interesting to see how the duo combat each other and how United look to break the indiscipline of the defender—or whether he will stay loyal to Rafa's orders and guard the "bank."
Emiliano Insua should start on the left. So far this season, his performances have ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous. The Argentinian youngster is not blessed with pace— and as such, he must choose his forward forays carefully. The enemy he faces on Sunday will be ruthless and swift should he stray out of position too often.
Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger, and Kryiagkos will battle it out for the central berths, but the Greek international should at least find himself on the bench.
As ever, Javier Mascherano will shield the back four, with the only question for Rafa being Lucas or Aquilani. Looking at the season, it is clear that the Spaniard prefers the creatively numb Brazilian—but he will offer a defensive mind and honesty that the Italian is incapable of offering in the middle.
Dirk Kuyt, Yossi Benayoun, and Ryan Babel will battle it out for the two wide positions as a fully fit midfield should provide Rafa with plenty of questions—except for Albert Riera, that is...
Steven Gerrard and Torres will act as link and striker, and the key to unlocking United will fall to this pair—as it almost does in every match.
So far this year, Gerrard has been a shadow of his former self—and he will be looking to improve upon that poor form as the World Cup gets closer. He is no longer the untouchable player he was—and given the right circumstances, he could find himself outside Fabio Capello's starting XI for Aston Villa's James Milner.
Not only does this game represent a turning point in Liverpool's season, but it also represents a turning point in Gerrard's season.
Torres, who unbelievably finds himself on the bench for Spain, will be the key for Liverpool. His Indian sign over Vidic is sure to be on the mind of the Serbian—and it would not be unusual to see Liverpool try to isolate Vidic early on.
Only One Winner?
Looking at the form book, one could only pick United as a winner of this game. But these matches notoriously have their own style of ecosystems and are literally impossible to call.
For instance, no one would have predicted that Liverpool would have destroyed United 4-1 in this fixture last season.
When push comes to shove, I expect Manchester United to have too much for Liverpool in this game.
United will push their wide players right down onto Liverpool's full backs—but with Liverpool pretty much employing a defensive eight and trying to catch teams on the break, they will contribute to their own lack of ambition.
That will leave United's midfield to pick up Gerrard in an effort to snuff out their one consistent creative source in midfield.
Saying all that, Liverpool will fight tooth and nail for every inch of ground—and the onus will be put on the likes of Fletcher and Carrick to create something out of nothing as the Reds will leave no blade of grass unguarded.
Almost too difficult to call, but it is hard to see United not scoring...
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Mar 18, 2010
Profiles Of The Great and Good: Arsenio Erico Finally Comes Home To Paraguay, 32 Years After His Death
32 years after he was laid to rest in Buenos Aires, Arsenio Erico, finally returned home to Paraguay. Thousands of fans showed up to pay tribute to the 'greatest striker in Argentinian league history' as they celebrated his repatriation.
Mar 13, 2010
Can Spurs Catch Arsenal And Finish 3rd In The Premier League?
Spurs strengthened their grip on fourth place in the English Premier League with their 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers. But is it too late for the Lilywhites to launch a bid to catch Arsenal and finish third?
Looking at the gap between the two teams at the moment you would have to say that the chances of Spurs pulling off a third placed finish were unlikely. However, the two teams have yet to meet and given a swing of two results it is perceivable that the White Hart Lane outfit could achieve the impossible.
Currently the Gunners find themselves in a slightly similar position to their North London rivals in that they need the two teams above them to drop points if they are to win the title. With that being said, what is to stop Arsenal from dropping the same number of points?
Arsenal as has been well documented have, on paper, an easier run in than their two title rivals. But there are a few tricky fixtures as many of the teams they are yet to play are in the middle of the battle to avoid relegation.
They also take on two teams who are chasing the Champions League positions in Spurs and before they take on Manchester City in what promises to be a spicy game considering what happened at the Eastlands earlier in the season.
The Gunners coasted into the Quarter Finals of the Champions League after demolishing a poor Porto team at the Emirates. You can only ever beat what is put in front of you and Arsenal cruelly exposed the difference in class between them and their Portuguese opponents.
Given the right opponent, they could progress to the Semi Finals, but a lot depends on the luck of the draw and avoiding Manchester United, Chelsea, and Barcelona.
As far as their league run is concerned, they have Hull, tonight, (a), West Ham (h), Birmingham (a), Wolves (h), Spurs (a), Wigan (a), Man City (h), Blackburn (a), and Fulham at home on the last day of the season.
One thing to factor in at this stage is that if Spurs beat Fulham in their FA Cup replay at White Hart Lane then the Spurs fixture will be moved to the final week of the season.
Looking at these games in a worst case scenario for the Gunners and they could take between 16 and 19 points, and that is being generous. Best case scenario and they will go unbeaten, claiming between 19 and 21 points.
Spurs need them to lose at least three games, before beating Arsenal too. Meaning that Tottenham will need the Gunners to lose four times from nine games. A distinct impossibility at this late stage.
Spurs also have a good run in, but they do have three huge fixtures in the space of three weeks right in the middle of their run in.
Stoke (a), Portsmouth (h), Sunderland (a), Arsenal (h), Chelsea (h), Manchester United (a), Bolton (h), and finally Burnley away.
From those games it is easy to see Spurs win every game bar the ones against the big three. Their record away to the big four is abysmal, having not won since 1993 against Liverpool, United, Chelsea, or Arsenal.
Their home record is better and given the right conditions, full points are attainable against the Gunners and the Blues, but it would be a tough ask.
Best case scenario has Spurs taking at least 19 points from 24.
Do the math and even with Spurs doing as well as you would hope and Arsenal doing as bad as could be expected, they will not catch the Gunners for third.
The race for fourth though, is very much in their own hands. Games in hand mean very little at this stage of the season and points on the table are all that count, so Aston Villa's and Manchester City's excess of matches to play should not be over estimated.
Looking at Tottenham the club has over achieved so far this season. While many expected them to be fourth placed contenders, few actually expect them to finish there and as the league table stands Spurs are four to six points ahead of their predicted points tally at this stage of the season.
Bookmakers had Spurs down to finish the season on between 55 and 59 points, currently they sit fourth on 52 with eight games to play, five of them highly winnable.
Before the win over Blackburn Harry Redknapp had set his team a target of 19 points to finish fourth. An achievable target.
Third place is out of bounds for this season, but fourth is very much in their own hands.
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Looking at the gap between the two teams at the moment you would have to say that the chances of Spurs pulling off a third placed finish were unlikely. However, the two teams have yet to meet and given a swing of two results it is perceivable that the White Hart Lane outfit could achieve the impossible.
Currently the Gunners find themselves in a slightly similar position to their North London rivals in that they need the two teams above them to drop points if they are to win the title. With that being said, what is to stop Arsenal from dropping the same number of points?
Arsenal as has been well documented have, on paper, an easier run in than their two title rivals. But there are a few tricky fixtures as many of the teams they are yet to play are in the middle of the battle to avoid relegation.
They also take on two teams who are chasing the Champions League positions in Spurs and before they take on Manchester City in what promises to be a spicy game considering what happened at the Eastlands earlier in the season.
The Gunners coasted into the Quarter Finals of the Champions League after demolishing a poor Porto team at the Emirates. You can only ever beat what is put in front of you and Arsenal cruelly exposed the difference in class between them and their Portuguese opponents.
Given the right opponent, they could progress to the Semi Finals, but a lot depends on the luck of the draw and avoiding Manchester United, Chelsea, and Barcelona.
As far as their league run is concerned, they have Hull, tonight, (a), West Ham (h), Birmingham (a), Wolves (h), Spurs (a), Wigan (a), Man City (h), Blackburn (a), and Fulham at home on the last day of the season.
One thing to factor in at this stage is that if Spurs beat Fulham in their FA Cup replay at White Hart Lane then the Spurs fixture will be moved to the final week of the season.
Looking at these games in a worst case scenario for the Gunners and they could take between 16 and 19 points, and that is being generous. Best case scenario and they will go unbeaten, claiming between 19 and 21 points.
Spurs need them to lose at least three games, before beating Arsenal too. Meaning that Tottenham will need the Gunners to lose four times from nine games. A distinct impossibility at this late stage.
Spurs also have a good run in, but they do have three huge fixtures in the space of three weeks right in the middle of their run in.
Stoke (a), Portsmouth (h), Sunderland (a), Arsenal (h), Chelsea (h), Manchester United (a), Bolton (h), and finally Burnley away.
From those games it is easy to see Spurs win every game bar the ones against the big three. Their record away to the big four is abysmal, having not won since 1993 against Liverpool, United, Chelsea, or Arsenal.
Their home record is better and given the right conditions, full points are attainable against the Gunners and the Blues, but it would be a tough ask.
Best case scenario has Spurs taking at least 19 points from 24.
Do the math and even with Spurs doing as well as you would hope and Arsenal doing as bad as could be expected, they will not catch the Gunners for third.
The race for fourth though, is very much in their own hands. Games in hand mean very little at this stage of the season and points on the table are all that count, so Aston Villa's and Manchester City's excess of matches to play should not be over estimated.
Looking at Tottenham the club has over achieved so far this season. While many expected them to be fourth placed contenders, few actually expect them to finish there and as the league table stands Spurs are four to six points ahead of their predicted points tally at this stage of the season.
Bookmakers had Spurs down to finish the season on between 55 and 59 points, currently they sit fourth on 52 with eight games to play, five of them highly winnable.
Before the win over Blackburn Harry Redknapp had set his team a target of 19 points to finish fourth. An achievable target.
Third place is out of bounds for this season, but fourth is very much in their own hands.
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Mar 12, 2010
Profiles Of The Great And Good: Roy Race, Its Real Roy of the Rovers Stuff Here...
Roy of the Rovers was by far the most popular football comic ever.
Running from 1954 to 2001, stories covered various issues—Roy as a teen trying to break into the famed "Melchester Rovers" team, winning every trophy imaginable, representing his country in the World Cup, playing with pop stars and even relegation.
He even had an unstoppable shot called the "Racy Rocket"....ah, those were the days.
Roy Race made his debut in the Tiger comic in 1954. Tiger was from the same stable as the famed "Eagle Comic" which focused on the science-fiction end of things, with Dan Dare as it's banner character.
Tiger was focused on real life, and all of it's stories were based in the "real" world. And this new direction proved to be an instant success. Readers took to football stories like proverbial ducks to water, with Roy of the Rovers becoming one of the most popular stories on the planet—in the '70s sales reached the million mark.
Considering the comic was weekly, that is some sales figure.
Beginning on September 11th 1954, Roy of the Rovers was the banner storyline in the Tiger Comic. Initially focusing on a teenage Roy as he tried to break into the first team at Melchester Rovers.
After a whole year in the youth team (story-lines were slow-burners in those days) Roy eventually made it into Melchester's first team and became a star. Roy won his first honour in 1957 (League Title) and over the next 46 years, it was a rare occasion for Roy to go a season without a trophy.
As was expected with most comics of this nature, it focused on the matches and scoring glorious goals against "cheating foreigners" but where Roy of the Rovers differed especially during it's golden period of the 70's and 80's was that it often featured side stories about training methods and the perils of being a footballer and the obstacles they have to overcome.
Most sport comics at the time required the reader to make huge assumptions and connect the panels together as the story progressed. The writers of Roy of the Rovers invented a novel method of doing this for the reader, in such a simple way that they didn't even notice it.
They had the crowd make comments during the matches. Nothing strange there, but the comments were carefully designed pieces of commentary. As if the reader had John Motson sitting on his shoulder.
By adding in lines such as "Race is looking to find Gray with a pass", "The keeper will never save that shot" etc., the commentary moved the story line of the match on with incredible ease.
That sometimes these whole paragraphs took place from the time the ball left Roy's boot to when it hit the back of the net never dawned on the average fan, it was all part of the beauty of story-telling.
And although the football matches were at the core of the comic, it often branched out in some strange directions.
Over the years, storylines saw Roy lapse into a coma after being shot, which was the starting storyline for when Roy eventually flew the Tiger coop and got his own comic, Roy of the Rovers.
In a storyline mimicking the famous Who shot J.R.? story, Roy was shot by an actor who played Roy on TV. Over the next couple of weeks the story captured the public's imagination (and mine) and for a short while it became an item that featured on the news as the comic became one of the most popular comics on the planet.
The Melchester team were even kidnapped by Arab terrorists, in this storyline the team escaped after being held captive for weeks, only to crash into a terrorist car laden with explosives.
Six of the Melchester United side were killed, and the story brought so much condemnation of it's stereotypical portrayal of the Middle-East, that the story-line was never referred to again.
This storyline in 1986 signalled the end for Roy, as readership levels began to steadily fall. The players killed in the explosion were replaced by pop-stars Martin and Gary Kemp from Spandau Ballet. Almost every match had a last gasp winner, and with the matches sometimes being stretched over three or four weeks (to keep people buying the comic) the readers began to grow bored.
In an attempt to regain high readership levels, the writers tried some other unusual gimmicks. One storyline saw an earthquake in Melchester cause subsidence under the stadium, and being left homeless, Melchester had nowhere to play.
Luckily enough a benefactor agreed to let them use Wembley for a season. How the writers thought that Roy Race playing at Wembley would boost figures is anybodies guess.
By this stage in 1993, readership levels were at an all time low, and the writers took the decision to curtail the weekly comic and go monthly instead. In another gimmick, other popular football comic stars of the past signed for Melchester.
Johnny Dexter "The Hard Man", Hot-Shot Hamish, Kevin "Mighty" Mouse, Billy Dane (Billy's Boots), Rick Stewart (Goalkeeper) and Blackie Gray all became Melchester players in a bid to centralise all the British football comic characters and to try to convince all of their fans to buy "one" comic.
The whole history of Melchester Rovers changed too. Roy's 40-year career was shortened to 10 years to make it more realistic. Opposition place names changed too, to mirror this new realism. Melchester didn't play against Everpool or Liverton anymore, the team-names were changed to reflect real areas such as Birkenhead, Toxteth, and Islington.
Failing to realise that these real names meant nothing to fans was a huge mistake. Fans knew that the writers couldn't use the real team names but they easily identified with teams like Everpool, Tyne Castle, Liverton, and Melchester. And although the new names reflected a certain realism, fans couldn't identify with them because they didn't know where the areas were or who they represented.
In another effort to drum up readership among ethnic minorities, Melchester signed a token Nigerian in 1994, just prior to the World Cup. Del Ntende was nicknamed "Delroy of the Rovers" and featured heavily but the writers attempts at reviving the comic were too little too late.
Finally the writers chose to "jump the shark".
Roy was on his way to see a prodigious youth play when his helicopter crashed. Over the next few weeks fans all over the world waited with baited breath to see if Roy would survive.
He did, but he had to have his trusted left foot amputated, and so ended the playing career of the greatest comic book player ever.
How the writers thought that this would save the flagging comic is mind-boggling.
Roy moved into management, first with A.C. Monza in Italy but then back to Melchester. But even he couldn't save the comic from finishing.
By the end of Roy of the Rovers final season as a comic, Roy had had his foot amputated. Blackie Gray had resigned after receiving death threats from fans, Melchester Rovers were in receivership and were on the verge of going out of business and Roy's son Rocky scored the winning goal in the FA Cup.
Like father, like son.
From the comics demise in 1995, various attempts have been made to bring Roy of the Rovers back from the dead. In 1997, BBC bought the rights to the comic, and they began to feature an on-going storyline in "Match of the Day" magazine.
BBC ran the comic strip until 2001, when they decided that the time was right for Roy to retire for good.
Roy of the Rovers is remembered fondly by all those who had the pleasure of reading it as a child. Especially those of us who are lucky enough to have read it in it's heyday of the 70's and early 80's.
It had a certain kind of charm, storylines were simple and not controversial back then. The miserable attempts by the writers in the late 80's and 90's to boost readership figures should be held in contempt for exactly what they were, soulless.
It's unlikely that we'll see a new Roy of the Rovers strip nowadays. People who were fans have moved on, and that kind of stuff isn't as popular with children of today. Times have changed.
However, in early 2008 worldwide publishing firm Titan Books announced that they had bought the rights to the entire back catalogue of Roy of the Rovers comics. And they hope to have them on the shelves in graphic novel format for Christmas this year.
If you know someone in their 30's or 40's, or even 50's who read the comic as a child, you could do a whole lot worse as a present for Christmas.
But lets honour the greatest player to ever play (in a comic).
Over his 55-year career, he won the league 10 times, the FA Cup 10 times, European Cup three times, Cup Winners Cup four times, UEFA Cup strangely only once, and the World Club Championships twice.
He even managed England. He scored 436 goals for Melchester and is the record goal scorer in English football.
The phrase "it's real Roy of the Rovers stuff" has even become a staple of any good commentator, especially when describing the unbelievable.
Not bad...for a comic.
Share
Running from 1954 to 2001, stories covered various issues—Roy as a teen trying to break into the famed "Melchester Rovers" team, winning every trophy imaginable, representing his country in the World Cup, playing with pop stars and even relegation.
He even had an unstoppable shot called the "Racy Rocket"....ah, those were the days.
Roy Race made his debut in the Tiger comic in 1954. Tiger was from the same stable as the famed "Eagle Comic" which focused on the science-fiction end of things, with Dan Dare as it's banner character.
Tiger was focused on real life, and all of it's stories were based in the "real" world. And this new direction proved to be an instant success. Readers took to football stories like proverbial ducks to water, with Roy of the Rovers becoming one of the most popular stories on the planet—in the '70s sales reached the million mark.
Considering the comic was weekly, that is some sales figure.
Beginning on September 11th 1954, Roy of the Rovers was the banner storyline in the Tiger Comic. Initially focusing on a teenage Roy as he tried to break into the first team at Melchester Rovers.
After a whole year in the youth team (story-lines were slow-burners in those days) Roy eventually made it into Melchester's first team and became a star. Roy won his first honour in 1957 (League Title) and over the next 46 years, it was a rare occasion for Roy to go a season without a trophy.
As was expected with most comics of this nature, it focused on the matches and scoring glorious goals against "cheating foreigners" but where Roy of the Rovers differed especially during it's golden period of the 70's and 80's was that it often featured side stories about training methods and the perils of being a footballer and the obstacles they have to overcome.
Most sport comics at the time required the reader to make huge assumptions and connect the panels together as the story progressed. The writers of Roy of the Rovers invented a novel method of doing this for the reader, in such a simple way that they didn't even notice it.
They had the crowd make comments during the matches. Nothing strange there, but the comments were carefully designed pieces of commentary. As if the reader had John Motson sitting on his shoulder.
By adding in lines such as "Race is looking to find Gray with a pass", "The keeper will never save that shot" etc., the commentary moved the story line of the match on with incredible ease.
That sometimes these whole paragraphs took place from the time the ball left Roy's boot to when it hit the back of the net never dawned on the average fan, it was all part of the beauty of story-telling.
And although the football matches were at the core of the comic, it often branched out in some strange directions.
Over the years, storylines saw Roy lapse into a coma after being shot, which was the starting storyline for when Roy eventually flew the Tiger coop and got his own comic, Roy of the Rovers.
In a storyline mimicking the famous Who shot J.R.? story, Roy was shot by an actor who played Roy on TV. Over the next couple of weeks the story captured the public's imagination (and mine) and for a short while it became an item that featured on the news as the comic became one of the most popular comics on the planet.
The Melchester team were even kidnapped by Arab terrorists, in this storyline the team escaped after being held captive for weeks, only to crash into a terrorist car laden with explosives.
Six of the Melchester United side were killed, and the story brought so much condemnation of it's stereotypical portrayal of the Middle-East, that the story-line was never referred to again.
This storyline in 1986 signalled the end for Roy, as readership levels began to steadily fall. The players killed in the explosion were replaced by pop-stars Martin and Gary Kemp from Spandau Ballet. Almost every match had a last gasp winner, and with the matches sometimes being stretched over three or four weeks (to keep people buying the comic) the readers began to grow bored.
In an attempt to regain high readership levels, the writers tried some other unusual gimmicks. One storyline saw an earthquake in Melchester cause subsidence under the stadium, and being left homeless, Melchester had nowhere to play.
Luckily enough a benefactor agreed to let them use Wembley for a season. How the writers thought that Roy Race playing at Wembley would boost figures is anybodies guess.
By this stage in 1993, readership levels were at an all time low, and the writers took the decision to curtail the weekly comic and go monthly instead. In another gimmick, other popular football comic stars of the past signed for Melchester.
Johnny Dexter "The Hard Man", Hot-Shot Hamish, Kevin "Mighty" Mouse, Billy Dane (Billy's Boots), Rick Stewart (Goalkeeper) and Blackie Gray all became Melchester players in a bid to centralise all the British football comic characters and to try to convince all of their fans to buy "one" comic.
The whole history of Melchester Rovers changed too. Roy's 40-year career was shortened to 10 years to make it more realistic. Opposition place names changed too, to mirror this new realism. Melchester didn't play against Everpool or Liverton anymore, the team-names were changed to reflect real areas such as Birkenhead, Toxteth, and Islington.
Failing to realise that these real names meant nothing to fans was a huge mistake. Fans knew that the writers couldn't use the real team names but they easily identified with teams like Everpool, Tyne Castle, Liverton, and Melchester. And although the new names reflected a certain realism, fans couldn't identify with them because they didn't know where the areas were or who they represented.
In another effort to drum up readership among ethnic minorities, Melchester signed a token Nigerian in 1994, just prior to the World Cup. Del Ntende was nicknamed "Delroy of the Rovers" and featured heavily but the writers attempts at reviving the comic were too little too late.
Finally the writers chose to "jump the shark".
Roy was on his way to see a prodigious youth play when his helicopter crashed. Over the next few weeks fans all over the world waited with baited breath to see if Roy would survive.
He did, but he had to have his trusted left foot amputated, and so ended the playing career of the greatest comic book player ever.
How the writers thought that this would save the flagging comic is mind-boggling.
Roy moved into management, first with A.C. Monza in Italy but then back to Melchester. But even he couldn't save the comic from finishing.
By the end of Roy of the Rovers final season as a comic, Roy had had his foot amputated. Blackie Gray had resigned after receiving death threats from fans, Melchester Rovers were in receivership and were on the verge of going out of business and Roy's son Rocky scored the winning goal in the FA Cup.
Like father, like son.
From the comics demise in 1995, various attempts have been made to bring Roy of the Rovers back from the dead. In 1997, BBC bought the rights to the comic, and they began to feature an on-going storyline in "Match of the Day" magazine.
BBC ran the comic strip until 2001, when they decided that the time was right for Roy to retire for good.
Roy of the Rovers is remembered fondly by all those who had the pleasure of reading it as a child. Especially those of us who are lucky enough to have read it in it's heyday of the 70's and early 80's.
It had a certain kind of charm, storylines were simple and not controversial back then. The miserable attempts by the writers in the late 80's and 90's to boost readership figures should be held in contempt for exactly what they were, soulless.
It's unlikely that we'll see a new Roy of the Rovers strip nowadays. People who were fans have moved on, and that kind of stuff isn't as popular with children of today. Times have changed.
However, in early 2008 worldwide publishing firm Titan Books announced that they had bought the rights to the entire back catalogue of Roy of the Rovers comics. And they hope to have them on the shelves in graphic novel format for Christmas this year.
If you know someone in their 30's or 40's, or even 50's who read the comic as a child, you could do a whole lot worse as a present for Christmas.
But lets honour the greatest player to ever play (in a comic).
Over his 55-year career, he won the league 10 times, the FA Cup 10 times, European Cup three times, Cup Winners Cup four times, UEFA Cup strangely only once, and the World Club Championships twice.
He even managed England. He scored 436 goals for Melchester and is the record goal scorer in English football.
The phrase "it's real Roy of the Rovers stuff" has even become a staple of any good commentator, especially when describing the unbelievable.
Not bad...for a comic.
Share
Mar 11, 2010
Big Sam To Rafael Benitez: I'm Under Your Skin, I Don't Like You And You've Blown Liverpool's Chances Of Reaching The Champions League
Just when you thought it was safe to go back out on the pitch. Big Sam and Rafa are at it again. Fresh from Benitez's Barcelona jibes, Big Sam has hit back by claiming he has got under Rafa's skin, that he doesn't like him, and that the Liverpool manager has blown his clubs chances of reaching the Champions League.
This round of their constant belittling of each other started on the eve of Blackburn's trip to Liverpool where Sam Allardyce claimed that Rafa had turned Liverpool into a modern day version of Bolton.
An unhappy Benitez decided to bite his tongue on that occasion, but hit back in the press conference following the Reds 2-1 win over Rovers.
An angry Rafa said: "We can win on the pitch but some people have to talk before and after the game because they find it difficult to do a football job. I am sure he is a model for football all around the world. I am sure Barcelona are thinking about copying their style of football," amongst other things, but that was his most damning comment.
It appeared to be the final say on the matter, this season, but following Liverpool's shock 1-0 loss to Wigan at the DW Stadium, Big Sam has returned with a few choice words of his own.
"It was a good cover-up by Rafa (jeering Blackburn's style of play) because he knows how bad his side were and that was repeated against Wigan on Monday night.
"He's got personal with it for many, many years now.
"That's why I don't like him and the feeling is probably mutual.
"I don't get personal with him; I get into him and under his skin, yes, but that's all part of the game.
"The tit for tat between me and Rafa will probably go on until one of us is no longer a Premier League manager. I've managed to psyche out one or two here and there and that's how the Premiership has evolved over the last 20 years. But no, Pep Guardiola has not been in touch yet!"
He went on: "The last time one of the big four didn't finish in the top four it was Liverpool - Everton got that spot - and I think this time it looks pretty difficult having lost against Wigan.
"They are having to rely on other teams slipping up now. They have a wealth of experience and that may be a telling factor when the nerve ends start jangling. We saw what happened to Tottenham a few years ago with the famous 'poisoned lasagne' scenario - and they let it slip.
"But I think it might be more difficult for Liverpool this time around because there are more teams involved. There's Manchester City, Aston Villa and Tottenham in there and if Everton keep rolling on you might be surprised to see them making a late run."
Allardyce insists that Liverpool's losses to Wigan and Lille prove that he has won the psychological battle. He said: "You do it to try to get your team in a position to get a result. Personal criticism is not the road I go down, and I don't personally criticise Rafa Benitez but I clearly get under his skin and that can be a benefit to my side when we play them."
With the two of these guys going at it hammer and tongs you could almost believe they were rival boxers rather than managers of football teams.
Pity they won't meet again until next year...
Share
This round of their constant belittling of each other started on the eve of Blackburn's trip to Liverpool where Sam Allardyce claimed that Rafa had turned Liverpool into a modern day version of Bolton.
An unhappy Benitez decided to bite his tongue on that occasion, but hit back in the press conference following the Reds 2-1 win over Rovers.
An angry Rafa said: "We can win on the pitch but some people have to talk before and after the game because they find it difficult to do a football job. I am sure he is a model for football all around the world. I am sure Barcelona are thinking about copying their style of football," amongst other things, but that was his most damning comment.
It appeared to be the final say on the matter, this season, but following Liverpool's shock 1-0 loss to Wigan at the DW Stadium, Big Sam has returned with a few choice words of his own.
"It was a good cover-up by Rafa (jeering Blackburn's style of play) because he knows how bad his side were and that was repeated against Wigan on Monday night.
"He's got personal with it for many, many years now.
"That's why I don't like him and the feeling is probably mutual.
"I don't get personal with him; I get into him and under his skin, yes, but that's all part of the game.
"The tit for tat between me and Rafa will probably go on until one of us is no longer a Premier League manager. I've managed to psyche out one or two here and there and that's how the Premiership has evolved over the last 20 years. But no, Pep Guardiola has not been in touch yet!"
He went on: "The last time one of the big four didn't finish in the top four it was Liverpool - Everton got that spot - and I think this time it looks pretty difficult having lost against Wigan.
"They are having to rely on other teams slipping up now. They have a wealth of experience and that may be a telling factor when the nerve ends start jangling. We saw what happened to Tottenham a few years ago with the famous 'poisoned lasagne' scenario - and they let it slip.
"But I think it might be more difficult for Liverpool this time around because there are more teams involved. There's Manchester City, Aston Villa and Tottenham in there and if Everton keep rolling on you might be surprised to see them making a late run."
Allardyce insists that Liverpool's losses to Wigan and Lille prove that he has won the psychological battle. He said: "You do it to try to get your team in a position to get a result. Personal criticism is not the road I go down, and I don't personally criticise Rafa Benitez but I clearly get under his skin and that can be a benefit to my side when we play them."
With the two of these guys going at it hammer and tongs you could almost believe they were rival boxers rather than managers of football teams.
Pity they won't meet again until next year...
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Mar 10, 2010
English Premier League Finances 2010, Every Single Clubs Financial Report
Portsmouth are on the verge of becoming the first Premier League club to go into administration, and if many fans fears are to be believed Pompey may not be the first to go.
Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool are all under the heavy weight of massive debt. Such is the level of debt in the Premier League that it makes up 56% of all the debt in European football, some £3.5 billion.
The really shocking indictment of that ludicrous figure is that the traditional top four Chelsea, United, Liverpool, and Arsenal own almost £2 billion of that total figure. Meaning that just four clubs own 36% of all the debt in Europe.
It is something that Michel Platini and UEFA are trying to clamp down upon. There has been one of these English teams in every one of the Champions League Finals since 2004.
Obviously UEFA feel that the EPL teams enjoy far greater freedom to run into debt, and that the EPL as a management body are happy not to police the sector as it brings much more coverage to the league.
Here are the annual accounts for every single Premier League team.
Read them and weep...
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Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool are all under the heavy weight of massive debt. Such is the level of debt in the Premier League that it makes up 56% of all the debt in European football, some £3.5 billion.
The really shocking indictment of that ludicrous figure is that the traditional top four Chelsea, United, Liverpool, and Arsenal own almost £2 billion of that total figure. Meaning that just four clubs own 36% of all the debt in Europe.
It is something that Michel Platini and UEFA are trying to clamp down upon. There has been one of these English teams in every one of the Champions League Finals since 2004.
Obviously UEFA feel that the EPL teams enjoy far greater freedom to run into debt, and that the EPL as a management body are happy not to police the sector as it brings much more coverage to the league.
Here are the annual accounts for every single Premier League team.
Read them and weep...
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Harry Redknapp: His Transfer History 1984 to 2010, The Best Record In Football?
Harry Redknapp is recognised as being the best English manager in the game today. He has always had a reputation as being a wheeler dealer. However, does he have the best transfer record in English football?
Between playing and managing, 'Arry's career has lasted over 40 years. With a playing career that lasted over 15 years and 276 games combined with a managerial career that has seen him manage in almost every division, Redknapp has seen everything the game has to offer.
Now in the twilight of his career, Redknapp is managing the biggest club of his career, Tottenham Hotspur, one of the great sleeping giants of English football.
Strangely enough, Redknapp began his career at Spurs as an 11 year old when their Chief Scout, Dickie Walker, brought him to the club. The love affair didn't last too long though as West Ham snapped the promising youngster up at 15 and away from Bill Nicholson who was just beginning to mould one of English football's greatest sides.
For the vast majority of his career, Redknapp was employed as a winger. An honest, skillful, industrious player, he played 149 times for the Hammers after making his debut at 17. From there he moved to Bournemouth for four years before a one game pit stop at Brentford, and then finally on to the NASL and the Seattle Sounders.
It was here in Seattle that Harry found the taste for management, acting as Assistant Manager for three years before becoming Bobby Moore's right hand man at Oxford United.
His first job in management was at Bournemouth, but he only got the job at the second attempt. Despite being the clubs Assistant Manager, he was overlooked when David Webb moved on to Torquay.
However, with the team floundering at the bottom of Division 3 under the new manager, Don Megson, the club were forced to act and they sacked their new manager handing the inexperienced Redknapp the task of saving the club.
Not only did 'Arry save the Cherries, but Bournemouth pulled off the biggest shock of the FA Cup when they dumped Manchester United out.
Redknapp had pulled off two major coup's in only his first season as a manager.
Even then he had an eye for a player, and his very first signing was to offer one of the games great journey men an in road into football, Steve Claridge.
Amazingly, between 1984 and 1992, Harry Redknapp only signed 19 players for Bournemouth. Spending a massive £1.12million, but earning £1.77m during the same period.
Many of the players he signed were making their first forays into professional football. Looking back we can see that Redknapp had a keen eye for potential.
Steve Claridge, Sean Teale, Gavin Peacock, Efan Ekoku, Jamie Redknapp, Vince Bartram, and Jimmy Quinn are just a few names who all went on to bigger and better things after Bournemouth.
In 1987 the Cherries romped home as Division 3 Champions, but only lasted in Division 2 until 1989, when they were relegated.
In the Summer of 1990, Redknapp was in Italy, watching the World Cup, with friends when he was involved in a car accident which killed five people. A passenger in the vehicle, Redknapp was badly shaken and escaped reletively unscathed, only losing his sense of smell. He decided to take a break from football after the '91-'92 season.
In 1994 he was coaxed back into football with West Ham who were struggling in the newly formed Premier League. Redknapp and Frank Lampard Sr. had been working tirelessly in the youth ranks at the Hammers and following Billy Bonds' resignation in August, they were promoted to first team affairs.
Again Redknapp went to work in the transfer market, except this time he augmented his work there with the internal promotion of some of the brightest talents in English football.
Between 1994 and 2001 at West Ham, he signed 58 players for the Hammers, spending £52.09 million, bringing £77.01 million into the club.
Again his work in the market can be judged by looking back at some of the 58 players he signed in that seven year period.
Mark Rieper, John Hartson, Eyal Berkovic, Stan Laziridis, Steve Lomas, David Unsworth, Paulo Di Canio, Marc Vivien-Foe, Jermaine Defoe, and Igor Stimac are all prime examples of good signings during his West Ham years.
Young players like Mike Marsh, Joe Cole, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, Rio Ferdinand, and Joey Beauchamp all broke into the team under Redknapp too.
Of course there were some spectacular failures too, but they were few and far between. The two worst signings being Paulo Futre who barely kicked a ball in anger for a whole season as one of the highest paid players in the league, and Florin Raduiciou.
It is worth knowing that at this time both of these players had huge reputations and initially looked like great deals for the club, however, the reverse was to be the case.
Those five and a half years in charge at the Irons, Redknapp guided them to finish 14th, 10th, 14th, 8th, and a brilliant 5th.
Considering the resources available to him at West Ham these results were superb, but again Redknapp was villified with being a wheeler dealer and a risk taker and it is only now that we can look back and see how much of a profit he actually made in his dealings.
He was unceremoniously sacked in May 2001 after he spoke to a fanzine over the signing of a new contract with the club, the clubs chairman extremely unhappy over comments Redknapp made at the time.
He was not out of work for long and he moved to Portsmouth as Director of Football in the summer of 2001.
Ironically, Redknapp took over as manager of the Division 1 club and guided them into the Premiership as Champions in 2002, replacing West Ham.
In just two years at Fratton Park, 'Arry signed 41 players for £7.65 million and sold 41 players for £5.4 million.
Redknapp resigned as manager of Portsmouth in November 2004 in dispute over the owner, Milan Mandaric, bringing in a Director of Football to the club.
Even though Redknapp only spent two years at the club, he did manage to bring in some real quality, namely Dejan Stefanovic, Lomano Lua Lua, and Yakubu.
He then made the contoversial move down the coast to local rivals Southampton. Redknapp had been brought in as a Fire Fighter with the job to save the club from almost certain relegation, which he was unable to do.
In just one season at the club he signed eight players for £2.57 million, but sold 18 players for £16 million as he began a clear out at the club.
That did not last too long though as Harry resigned after Southampton brought in England Rugby manager Clive Woodward in a Technical Role at the club, many felt that the Rugby supremo was being lined up to learn from the wily old manager before replacing him.
A couple of weeks later and Redknapp was back in charge of Pompey who were hurtling out of control towards the second tier of English football.
However, there was a to be a big difference at Portsmouth this time around. Alexandre Gaydamak had just taken over and made huge sums of money available to Harry in an effort to establish Portsmouth as a force in the Premiership.
Pompey finished four points above relegation that season ('05-'06), but the next ('06-'07) they finished a club record 9th. That was followed up the following season with another record season when Pompey finished 8th ('07-'08)
The club was on the crest of a wave and also won the FA Cup in 2008.
That was the beginning of the end though as Alexandre Gaydamak stepped down from the board and withdrew his backing, and all of a sudden Portsmouth were in trouble.
Backed up with Gaydamak's money, Redknapp was given permission to spend, and spend he did. £68.3 million left the club in just two seasons with only £29.07 million coming in while Redknapp held the reigns.
As with his previous record, players of a high standard were brought to the club for cheap prices.
Niko Krancjar, Sulley Muntari, Glen Johnsen, Papa Bouba-Diop, and Jermaine Defoe are very good examples of Premiership players who were brought in to aid Portsmout's cause.
It is worth noting that although Redknapp's time in charge of Portsmouth ended in a deficit of some £40 million, the club has since gone on to sell many of the players he signed while he was there, giving the club a staggering £103,940,000 million in sales in just three years. A massive profit of around £30 million for the struggling club.
In October 2008 Harry Redknapp took over relegation bound Tottenham Hotspur after Juande Ramos' ill fated reign.
Again 'Arry was quick out of the blocks as far as the transfer market is concerned, and re-signed Jermaine Defoe and Robbie Keane as well as bringing in Wilson Palacios to bolster midfield.
The new signings worked a treat as Spurs roared up the league and only missed out on Europe on the final day of the season following a defeat at Anfield to Liverpool.
Last summer saw Tottenham strengthen their squad substantially by adding Peter Crouch, Niko Kranjcar, Sebastian Bassong, and Kyle Naughton to their ranks giving Spurs a squad depth capable of challenging for the Champions League positions.
As it stands, Tottenham are in a four way fight to the death with Liverpool, Manchester City, and Aston Villa for the last Champions League qualifying position.
Harry Redknapp has had a remarkable career, over 1,000 games as manager, placing him in an elite band of men to achieve that rare milestone. While he has never managed a club that have challenged for trophies, he has become one of the best managers in the game through sheer hard work.
One thing that has really stuck with him through out his career is his reputation for spotting a bargain. Certain parts of this reputation are unfair as he has had more successes than failures and when you sit doen and look at his transfer record over his 26 years as a boss you find that he has spent £208.23 million and re-coupled £230.37 million.
A quick comparison with Rafael Benitez has the Liverpool manager spending £210 million since 2004 and only accruing £125 million in the same period.
While in almost 24 years at Old Trafford, Alex Ferguson has spent £392.44 million on 89 players and made some £244 million by selling 216 players in that same time.
Arsene Wenger's record is quite impressive given the rewards he has managed to bring the club during his 13 years in charge.
Le Prof has brought 86 players to Arsenal at a cost of £220 million, and he has sold 162 for £194 million. A brilliant record you'll agree, almost break even after 13 long years.
Given the resources available to Ferguson, Wenger, and Benitez, it is little wonder that the three clubs are constantly challenging for the top three positions in the league.
Redknapp's record stands up for itself, a quite excellent record in the transfer market since 1984. He has never had the oppurtunity to manage a club with the resources to challenge for the title, but with Daniel Levy's backing you get the feeling the club would rather challenge than sit in mid table.
Spurs' fans will be hoping that Redknapp manages to work some magic in the transfer market. He'll have to if they are going to make that huge step up and actually challenge for the Champions League positions.
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Between playing and managing, 'Arry's career has lasted over 40 years. With a playing career that lasted over 15 years and 276 games combined with a managerial career that has seen him manage in almost every division, Redknapp has seen everything the game has to offer.
Now in the twilight of his career, Redknapp is managing the biggest club of his career, Tottenham Hotspur, one of the great sleeping giants of English football.
Strangely enough, Redknapp began his career at Spurs as an 11 year old when their Chief Scout, Dickie Walker, brought him to the club. The love affair didn't last too long though as West Ham snapped the promising youngster up at 15 and away from Bill Nicholson who was just beginning to mould one of English football's greatest sides.
For the vast majority of his career, Redknapp was employed as a winger. An honest, skillful, industrious player, he played 149 times for the Hammers after making his debut at 17. From there he moved to Bournemouth for four years before a one game pit stop at Brentford, and then finally on to the NASL and the Seattle Sounders.
It was here in Seattle that Harry found the taste for management, acting as Assistant Manager for three years before becoming Bobby Moore's right hand man at Oxford United.
His first job in management was at Bournemouth, but he only got the job at the second attempt. Despite being the clubs Assistant Manager, he was overlooked when David Webb moved on to Torquay.
However, with the team floundering at the bottom of Division 3 under the new manager, Don Megson, the club were forced to act and they sacked their new manager handing the inexperienced Redknapp the task of saving the club.
Not only did 'Arry save the Cherries, but Bournemouth pulled off the biggest shock of the FA Cup when they dumped Manchester United out.
Redknapp had pulled off two major coup's in only his first season as a manager.
Even then he had an eye for a player, and his very first signing was to offer one of the games great journey men an in road into football, Steve Claridge.
Amazingly, between 1984 and 1992, Harry Redknapp only signed 19 players for Bournemouth. Spending a massive £1.12million, but earning £1.77m during the same period.
Many of the players he signed were making their first forays into professional football. Looking back we can see that Redknapp had a keen eye for potential.
Steve Claridge, Sean Teale, Gavin Peacock, Efan Ekoku, Jamie Redknapp, Vince Bartram, and Jimmy Quinn are just a few names who all went on to bigger and better things after Bournemouth.
In 1987 the Cherries romped home as Division 3 Champions, but only lasted in Division 2 until 1989, when they were relegated.
In the Summer of 1990, Redknapp was in Italy, watching the World Cup, with friends when he was involved in a car accident which killed five people. A passenger in the vehicle, Redknapp was badly shaken and escaped reletively unscathed, only losing his sense of smell. He decided to take a break from football after the '91-'92 season.
In 1994 he was coaxed back into football with West Ham who were struggling in the newly formed Premier League. Redknapp and Frank Lampard Sr. had been working tirelessly in the youth ranks at the Hammers and following Billy Bonds' resignation in August, they were promoted to first team affairs.
Again Redknapp went to work in the transfer market, except this time he augmented his work there with the internal promotion of some of the brightest talents in English football.
Between 1994 and 2001 at West Ham, he signed 58 players for the Hammers, spending £52.09 million, bringing £77.01 million into the club.
Again his work in the market can be judged by looking back at some of the 58 players he signed in that seven year period.
Mark Rieper, John Hartson, Eyal Berkovic, Stan Laziridis, Steve Lomas, David Unsworth, Paulo Di Canio, Marc Vivien-Foe, Jermaine Defoe, and Igor Stimac are all prime examples of good signings during his West Ham years.
Young players like Mike Marsh, Joe Cole, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, Rio Ferdinand, and Joey Beauchamp all broke into the team under Redknapp too.
Of course there were some spectacular failures too, but they were few and far between. The two worst signings being Paulo Futre who barely kicked a ball in anger for a whole season as one of the highest paid players in the league, and Florin Raduiciou.
It is worth knowing that at this time both of these players had huge reputations and initially looked like great deals for the club, however, the reverse was to be the case.
Those five and a half years in charge at the Irons, Redknapp guided them to finish 14th, 10th, 14th, 8th, and a brilliant 5th.
Considering the resources available to him at West Ham these results were superb, but again Redknapp was villified with being a wheeler dealer and a risk taker and it is only now that we can look back and see how much of a profit he actually made in his dealings.
He was unceremoniously sacked in May 2001 after he spoke to a fanzine over the signing of a new contract with the club, the clubs chairman extremely unhappy over comments Redknapp made at the time.
He was not out of work for long and he moved to Portsmouth as Director of Football in the summer of 2001.
Ironically, Redknapp took over as manager of the Division 1 club and guided them into the Premiership as Champions in 2002, replacing West Ham.
In just two years at Fratton Park, 'Arry signed 41 players for £7.65 million and sold 41 players for £5.4 million.
Redknapp resigned as manager of Portsmouth in November 2004 in dispute over the owner, Milan Mandaric, bringing in a Director of Football to the club.
Even though Redknapp only spent two years at the club, he did manage to bring in some real quality, namely Dejan Stefanovic, Lomano Lua Lua, and Yakubu.
He then made the contoversial move down the coast to local rivals Southampton. Redknapp had been brought in as a Fire Fighter with the job to save the club from almost certain relegation, which he was unable to do.
In just one season at the club he signed eight players for £2.57 million, but sold 18 players for £16 million as he began a clear out at the club.
That did not last too long though as Harry resigned after Southampton brought in England Rugby manager Clive Woodward in a Technical Role at the club, many felt that the Rugby supremo was being lined up to learn from the wily old manager before replacing him.
A couple of weeks later and Redknapp was back in charge of Pompey who were hurtling out of control towards the second tier of English football.
However, there was a to be a big difference at Portsmouth this time around. Alexandre Gaydamak had just taken over and made huge sums of money available to Harry in an effort to establish Portsmouth as a force in the Premiership.
Pompey finished four points above relegation that season ('05-'06), but the next ('06-'07) they finished a club record 9th. That was followed up the following season with another record season when Pompey finished 8th ('07-'08)
The club was on the crest of a wave and also won the FA Cup in 2008.
That was the beginning of the end though as Alexandre Gaydamak stepped down from the board and withdrew his backing, and all of a sudden Portsmouth were in trouble.
Backed up with Gaydamak's money, Redknapp was given permission to spend, and spend he did. £68.3 million left the club in just two seasons with only £29.07 million coming in while Redknapp held the reigns.
As with his previous record, players of a high standard were brought to the club for cheap prices.
Niko Krancjar, Sulley Muntari, Glen Johnsen, Papa Bouba-Diop, and Jermaine Defoe are very good examples of Premiership players who were brought in to aid Portsmout's cause.
It is worth noting that although Redknapp's time in charge of Portsmouth ended in a deficit of some £40 million, the club has since gone on to sell many of the players he signed while he was there, giving the club a staggering £103,940,000 million in sales in just three years. A massive profit of around £30 million for the struggling club.
In October 2008 Harry Redknapp took over relegation bound Tottenham Hotspur after Juande Ramos' ill fated reign.
Again 'Arry was quick out of the blocks as far as the transfer market is concerned, and re-signed Jermaine Defoe and Robbie Keane as well as bringing in Wilson Palacios to bolster midfield.
The new signings worked a treat as Spurs roared up the league and only missed out on Europe on the final day of the season following a defeat at Anfield to Liverpool.
Last summer saw Tottenham strengthen their squad substantially by adding Peter Crouch, Niko Kranjcar, Sebastian Bassong, and Kyle Naughton to their ranks giving Spurs a squad depth capable of challenging for the Champions League positions.
As it stands, Tottenham are in a four way fight to the death with Liverpool, Manchester City, and Aston Villa for the last Champions League qualifying position.
Harry Redknapp has had a remarkable career, over 1,000 games as manager, placing him in an elite band of men to achieve that rare milestone. While he has never managed a club that have challenged for trophies, he has become one of the best managers in the game through sheer hard work.
One thing that has really stuck with him through out his career is his reputation for spotting a bargain. Certain parts of this reputation are unfair as he has had more successes than failures and when you sit doen and look at his transfer record over his 26 years as a boss you find that he has spent £208.23 million and re-coupled £230.37 million.
A quick comparison with Rafael Benitez has the Liverpool manager spending £210 million since 2004 and only accruing £125 million in the same period.
While in almost 24 years at Old Trafford, Alex Ferguson has spent £392.44 million on 89 players and made some £244 million by selling 216 players in that same time.
Arsene Wenger's record is quite impressive given the rewards he has managed to bring the club during his 13 years in charge.
Le Prof has brought 86 players to Arsenal at a cost of £220 million, and he has sold 162 for £194 million. A brilliant record you'll agree, almost break even after 13 long years.
Given the resources available to Ferguson, Wenger, and Benitez, it is little wonder that the three clubs are constantly challenging for the top three positions in the league.
Redknapp's record stands up for itself, a quite excellent record in the transfer market since 1984. He has never had the oppurtunity to manage a club with the resources to challenge for the title, but with Daniel Levy's backing you get the feeling the club would rather challenge than sit in mid table.
Spurs' fans will be hoping that Redknapp manages to work some magic in the transfer market. He'll have to if they are going to make that huge step up and actually challenge for the Champions League positions.
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Mar 7, 2010
How Much Is Winning a World Cup Actually Worth? Happiness Over Money?
How much is winning a World Cup actually worth? This year, it would seem, that it is more valuable than ever. But is money more important than happiness?
When measuring economies these days two factors are generally considered, money and happiness. A "Happiness Index" is a tool that has been developed to measure the gross national happiness of a country, and in recent times it has become a more accurate tool than by measuring the old GDP.
When the World Cup kicks off in South Africa this summer, FIFA will have set aside some £250 million for prize money. A huge amount you will agree, especially when you consider that the prize money on offer in 2006 was only £140 million.
The 2010 World Cup winners will receive £18million for becoming champions, the losing finalists will take home a miserable £14 million.
Third and fourth, so oft dismissed as meaningless places, will take home £12 million and £11 million respectively. Losing Quarter Finalists will be awarded £8.5 million each while teams exiting in the second round will receive £5.5 million each, leaving teams who were knocked out in the first round ro leave with their tale between their legs carrying £5 million each.
In addition to that, each of the 32 teams on show will receive £600,000 each for expenses incurred during preparation for the month long tournament.
This money will go some way to keeping the competing teams happy, and knowing that club sides from all over the world will be represented, FIFA has also set aside £25 million for them too.
The way their payments are structured is that from 15 days before the tournament commences until one day after the player exits the cup, clubs will receive £980 for every day a player is there. Meaning that the minimum that any team will receive for one single player is £25,480.
This was in exchange for clubs not suing an international team should a player become injured.
So the monitary success of a team in the tournament can be measured, and the further a team progresses the happier it's people will be.
This will have far more significance back home where parties in streets and public houses alike are likely to happen. Should a team progree than their advancement will become a national topic and people who would not normally be football fans will become one as the nation looks on expectantly.
Days of sporting importance have long been linked with the happiness of a state or country.
Simple measurements can be taken to see how the day effected the general populace. Foe example, birth rates usually rise after moments of national significance. Recently the birth rate in Barcelona rose by an incredible 45% after Barca won the Champions League in 2009.
Another simple measurement is suicide. Statistically, it is proven that suicides drop in times of mass public interest in sport. Not because sport all of sudden becomes more important, but the public inclusion of people who normally find themselves marginalised prevents suicide from happening.
Money, of course, is what an important component in making people happy. But it takes a whole change in class before that happiness can really be measured, for most status is what is important.
And that is where happiness can really be measured. People will be happier the further their team progresses, the players will be happy too.
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When measuring economies these days two factors are generally considered, money and happiness. A "Happiness Index" is a tool that has been developed to measure the gross national happiness of a country, and in recent times it has become a more accurate tool than by measuring the old GDP.
When the World Cup kicks off in South Africa this summer, FIFA will have set aside some £250 million for prize money. A huge amount you will agree, especially when you consider that the prize money on offer in 2006 was only £140 million.
The 2010 World Cup winners will receive £18million for becoming champions, the losing finalists will take home a miserable £14 million.
Third and fourth, so oft dismissed as meaningless places, will take home £12 million and £11 million respectively. Losing Quarter Finalists will be awarded £8.5 million each while teams exiting in the second round will receive £5.5 million each, leaving teams who were knocked out in the first round ro leave with their tale between their legs carrying £5 million each.
In addition to that, each of the 32 teams on show will receive £600,000 each for expenses incurred during preparation for the month long tournament.
This money will go some way to keeping the competing teams happy, and knowing that club sides from all over the world will be represented, FIFA has also set aside £25 million for them too.
The way their payments are structured is that from 15 days before the tournament commences until one day after the player exits the cup, clubs will receive £980 for every day a player is there. Meaning that the minimum that any team will receive for one single player is £25,480.
This was in exchange for clubs not suing an international team should a player become injured.
So the monitary success of a team in the tournament can be measured, and the further a team progresses the happier it's people will be.
This will have far more significance back home where parties in streets and public houses alike are likely to happen. Should a team progree than their advancement will become a national topic and people who would not normally be football fans will become one as the nation looks on expectantly.
Days of sporting importance have long been linked with the happiness of a state or country.
Simple measurements can be taken to see how the day effected the general populace. Foe example, birth rates usually rise after moments of national significance. Recently the birth rate in Barcelona rose by an incredible 45% after Barca won the Champions League in 2009.
Another simple measurement is suicide. Statistically, it is proven that suicides drop in times of mass public interest in sport. Not because sport all of sudden becomes more important, but the public inclusion of people who normally find themselves marginalised prevents suicide from happening.
Money, of course, is what an important component in making people happy. But it takes a whole change in class before that happiness can really be measured, for most status is what is important.
And that is where happiness can really be measured. People will be happier the further their team progresses, the players will be happy too.
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Flying Face First Into a Fence After a Trip, Now This is Dirty...
The arguments over whether Ryan Shawcross really meant to take Aaron Ramsey out will go on and on.
But here we see real dirt...
Watch the video closely, two kids running for the ball as it goes out for a throw in, only for the guy in yellow to trip his opponent so discreetly that even the linesman doesn't see it from five yards away...
The result, a full on face first smash into a fence, ouch...
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Portsmouth's FA Cup Shawshank Redemption
"Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free." Is the famous tag line to The Shawshank Redemption, one of the greatest films ever made. It also offers the greatest insight into the current perils of Portsmouth football club.
For those of you who have yet to see the film, based on the novella by Stephen King, it is a phenomenal story of friendship and above all hope.
The story begins with Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) going to prison for the murder of his wife and her lover, where he meets Red (Morgan Freeman), the prison's go to guy, he can get you whatever you need to make life easier on the inside.
Over the next 136 minutes the film explores some of the darkest aspects of the human soul all the while showing the most unbeatable of all human notions, because once you choose hope anything is possible.
This is the very predicament that Portsmouth now find themselves in. Having been run into the ground through gross mis-management at the highest level and condemned to administartion and almost certain relegation, hope is the one thing that is keeping the club and team going at the moment.
Dealing with the burden of administration and all it's implications is most difficult at the beginning, and Portsmouth's players deserve huge credit for maintaining their dignity through the ordeal.
Red's first quote from the Shawshnk sums up administration perfectly,
"The first night's the toughest, no doubt about it. They march you in naked as the day you were born, skin burning and half blind from that delousing shit they throw on you, and when they put you in that cell, when those bars slam home, that's when you know it's for real. Old life blown away in the blink of an eye. Nothing left but all the time in the world to think about it. Most new fish come close to madness the first night. Somebody always breaks down crying. Happens every time. The only question is, who's it gonna be? It's as good a thing to bet on as any, I guess. I had my money on Andy Dufresne. I remember my first night. Seems like a long time ago."
Most people who have thought that Portsmouth's players would have folded completely too, but they have dug deep into hither unknown reserves and now they find themselves on the cusp of an unlikely Cup Final.
Having beaten fellow Premiership rivals Birmingham 2-0 to progress into the semi finals of the FA Cup, their manager Avram Grant reflected "It’s more than big – more than football,"
Grant has consistently stated that his club should not be deducted points in light of their financial troubles, which take their administrators back to the High Court to face the debt allegations levelled by HM Revenue & Customs in nine days’ time, when they again confront the possibility of a winding-up order.
The Portsmouth manager maintains that the current regime had to pick up the pieces from the previous owners of the club, and that penalising them for previous sins is unfair.
Of course, as is in Shawshank, everyone serving their sentence there is innocent as well.
"I’m very proud. You can break many things but you can’t break our spirit,” he said."
He added "Some things in your life you never forget, and this is one of those moments. I always say to respect rules, but rules need to be logical."
"This club deserves more than anyone to be at Wembley because the players and fans are victims of things done by others. I will say it again and again until someone listens."
The FA Cup now represents the greatest hope in Portsmouth's horrendous season, it represents a moment when their players can remove the burden hanging over them and play with the joy and abandonment the game is meant to be played in.
During The Shawshank Redemption, there comes one of the greatest moments in movie history.
Music is played across the tannoy system, opera. It is the first piece of music that any of the inmates have heard in years, for some decades. The FA Cup is like that piece of music for Portsmouth, it offers them a respite from the daily grind, a moment when the players can feel like footballers again.
We return to Red who sums the moment up perfectly:
"I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is, I don't want to know. Some things are better left unsaid. I'd like to think they were singing about something so beautiful it can't be expressed in words, and it makes your heart ache because of it. I tell you, those voices soared higher and farther than anybody in a grey place dares to dream. It was as if some beautiful bird had flapped into our drab little cage and made these walls dissolve away, and for the briefest of moments, every last man in Shawshank felt free."
Everyone associated with Portsmouth knows that there is a huge cloud hanging over the club. It will take a miracle for them to avoid relegation this year, and next season they will have to cut their cloth accordingly, and again will face a massive uphill battle to keep the club stable in the face of mounting debts.
For fans, of the club the only real thing that is keeping them going at the moment is hope.
Andy Dufresne said "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."
With that in mind Portsmouth football club should come through it's present battle's with a few scars as reminders, for the moment fear is holding them prisoner, but hope will eventually set them free.
Share
For those of you who have yet to see the film, based on the novella by Stephen King, it is a phenomenal story of friendship and above all hope.
The story begins with Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) going to prison for the murder of his wife and her lover, where he meets Red (Morgan Freeman), the prison's go to guy, he can get you whatever you need to make life easier on the inside.
Over the next 136 minutes the film explores some of the darkest aspects of the human soul all the while showing the most unbeatable of all human notions, because once you choose hope anything is possible.
This is the very predicament that Portsmouth now find themselves in. Having been run into the ground through gross mis-management at the highest level and condemned to administartion and almost certain relegation, hope is the one thing that is keeping the club and team going at the moment.
Dealing with the burden of administration and all it's implications is most difficult at the beginning, and Portsmouth's players deserve huge credit for maintaining their dignity through the ordeal.
Red's first quote from the Shawshnk sums up administration perfectly,
"The first night's the toughest, no doubt about it. They march you in naked as the day you were born, skin burning and half blind from that delousing shit they throw on you, and when they put you in that cell, when those bars slam home, that's when you know it's for real. Old life blown away in the blink of an eye. Nothing left but all the time in the world to think about it. Most new fish come close to madness the first night. Somebody always breaks down crying. Happens every time. The only question is, who's it gonna be? It's as good a thing to bet on as any, I guess. I had my money on Andy Dufresne. I remember my first night. Seems like a long time ago."
Most people who have thought that Portsmouth's players would have folded completely too, but they have dug deep into hither unknown reserves and now they find themselves on the cusp of an unlikely Cup Final.
Having beaten fellow Premiership rivals Birmingham 2-0 to progress into the semi finals of the FA Cup, their manager Avram Grant reflected "It’s more than big – more than football,"
Grant has consistently stated that his club should not be deducted points in light of their financial troubles, which take their administrators back to the High Court to face the debt allegations levelled by HM Revenue & Customs in nine days’ time, when they again confront the possibility of a winding-up order.
The Portsmouth manager maintains that the current regime had to pick up the pieces from the previous owners of the club, and that penalising them for previous sins is unfair.
Of course, as is in Shawshank, everyone serving their sentence there is innocent as well.
"I’m very proud. You can break many things but you can’t break our spirit,” he said."
He added "Some things in your life you never forget, and this is one of those moments. I always say to respect rules, but rules need to be logical."
"This club deserves more than anyone to be at Wembley because the players and fans are victims of things done by others. I will say it again and again until someone listens."
The FA Cup now represents the greatest hope in Portsmouth's horrendous season, it represents a moment when their players can remove the burden hanging over them and play with the joy and abandonment the game is meant to be played in.
During The Shawshank Redemption, there comes one of the greatest moments in movie history.
Music is played across the tannoy system, opera. It is the first piece of music that any of the inmates have heard in years, for some decades. The FA Cup is like that piece of music for Portsmouth, it offers them a respite from the daily grind, a moment when the players can feel like footballers again.
We return to Red who sums the moment up perfectly:
"I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is, I don't want to know. Some things are better left unsaid. I'd like to think they were singing about something so beautiful it can't be expressed in words, and it makes your heart ache because of it. I tell you, those voices soared higher and farther than anybody in a grey place dares to dream. It was as if some beautiful bird had flapped into our drab little cage and made these walls dissolve away, and for the briefest of moments, every last man in Shawshank felt free."
Everyone associated with Portsmouth knows that there is a huge cloud hanging over the club. It will take a miracle for them to avoid relegation this year, and next season they will have to cut their cloth accordingly, and again will face a massive uphill battle to keep the club stable in the face of mounting debts.
For fans, of the club the only real thing that is keeping them going at the moment is hope.
Andy Dufresne said "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."
With that in mind Portsmouth football club should come through it's present battle's with a few scars as reminders, for the moment fear is holding them prisoner, but hope will eventually set them free.
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Aaron Ramsey Thanks Stoke City's Glen Whelan for Helping After Horrible Injury
Speaking for the first time since suffering a horrific leg break last week against Stoke, Aaron Ramsey insisted that he would come back better than ever. He then reserved special praise for Glen Whelan, the first player to react and help him as he lay on the ground in agony.
Ramsey, 19, said, "I remember what happened clearly and after the tackle went in I saw that my leg was broken and hanging at an angle. I have seen images of the aftermath again but I don't want to dwell too much on the challenge as I can't change what has happened."
The Welsh youngster broke his leg in a challenge with Ryan Shawcross. The Stoke players heavy first touch opened the ball up to interception and as Ramsey stretched to prod the ball away, his studs became caught in the ground.
Shawcross, who was called into Fabio Capello's England squad this week, then made an extremely heavy tackle when there was little need to do so.
Missing the ball completely, he caught Ramsey just above the ankle and shattered his leg.
When asked if he had anything to say to Shawcross, Ramsey fell understandably quiet.
He said, "It is difficult for me to take everything in at the moment."
Ramsey added, "I thought I had been progressing well this season so, of course, this is a real setback. I had an operation last weekend and while it will take time for my leg to heal, I am determined and focused on overcoming this injury and hope to be back fitter and stronger than before. I am young and have time on my side."
Ramsey is one of the hottest prospects British football today. Having pulled off a major coup by snapping up the kid from under the noses of Manchester United and Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger sees the youth as the future of the club.
Many feel that he is the obvious heir to Cesc Fabregas, especially as the Spaniard has signalled that he wishes to return to Barcelona some day.
An emotional Ramsey then went on to thank Stoke City's Irish midfielder, Glen Whelan.
Whelan was the first player to react after the horror challenge and comforted the stricken youth as he lay on the ground. Simple gestures from Whelan such as shielding Ramsey from seeing his damaged leg while gently talking to him in an effort to calm him down have not gone unnoticed by the Arsenal player. Whelan also called to other Arsenal players to help their teammate before letting the medical staff takeover.
"Glenn Whelan was especially kind and I really appreciated his immediate assistance on the pitch," said an grateful Ramsey.
He added, "I have also been overwhelmed by the terrific support I've received from so many people, including fans from many different clubs.
"In particular, I would like to thank the medical team here at Arsenal for their efforts as well as the staff at both hospitals, and the medical support from Stoke City.
"I also want to say thanks to Arsenal for helping my family this week.
"Last, but certainly not least, I have been blown away by the fantastic messages of support from the Arsenal fans. I am proud to be an Arsenal player and your support has been incredibly touching.
"I also want to wish my teammates all the best for the remainder of the season. I know we are capable of winning a trophy and I will be backing them all the way."
Arsenal are one of three teams with a real chance of winning the English Premier League this season, and with only nine games to go and a relatively easy run in, they have every chance.
Ramsey had made 18 appearances for the Gunners this season before it was cut so cruelly short. He has received much support in wishing him a speedy recovery.
One of the players who has wished him well is another Irish Stoke midfielder, Rory Delap. Over the past couple of seasons he has become something of a bane for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal as he possesses one of the fastest and longest throws in world football. Aided with such a weapon he has contributed four assists for Stoke against the Gunners alone.
In 2006, Delap suffered the exact same injury as Ramsey but made a full recovery and returned to action almost eight months later, faster and stronger than ever.
Arsenal fans will hope for a speedy recovery.
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Ramsey, 19, said, "I remember what happened clearly and after the tackle went in I saw that my leg was broken and hanging at an angle. I have seen images of the aftermath again but I don't want to dwell too much on the challenge as I can't change what has happened."
The Welsh youngster broke his leg in a challenge with Ryan Shawcross. The Stoke players heavy first touch opened the ball up to interception and as Ramsey stretched to prod the ball away, his studs became caught in the ground.
Shawcross, who was called into Fabio Capello's England squad this week, then made an extremely heavy tackle when there was little need to do so.
Missing the ball completely, he caught Ramsey just above the ankle and shattered his leg.
When asked if he had anything to say to Shawcross, Ramsey fell understandably quiet.
He said, "It is difficult for me to take everything in at the moment."
Ramsey added, "I thought I had been progressing well this season so, of course, this is a real setback. I had an operation last weekend and while it will take time for my leg to heal, I am determined and focused on overcoming this injury and hope to be back fitter and stronger than before. I am young and have time on my side."
Ramsey is one of the hottest prospects British football today. Having pulled off a major coup by snapping up the kid from under the noses of Manchester United and Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger sees the youth as the future of the club.
Many feel that he is the obvious heir to Cesc Fabregas, especially as the Spaniard has signalled that he wishes to return to Barcelona some day.
An emotional Ramsey then went on to thank Stoke City's Irish midfielder, Glen Whelan.
Whelan was the first player to react after the horror challenge and comforted the stricken youth as he lay on the ground. Simple gestures from Whelan such as shielding Ramsey from seeing his damaged leg while gently talking to him in an effort to calm him down have not gone unnoticed by the Arsenal player. Whelan also called to other Arsenal players to help their teammate before letting the medical staff takeover.
"Glenn Whelan was especially kind and I really appreciated his immediate assistance on the pitch," said an grateful Ramsey.
He added, "I have also been overwhelmed by the terrific support I've received from so many people, including fans from many different clubs.
"In particular, I would like to thank the medical team here at Arsenal for their efforts as well as the staff at both hospitals, and the medical support from Stoke City.
"I also want to say thanks to Arsenal for helping my family this week.
"Last, but certainly not least, I have been blown away by the fantastic messages of support from the Arsenal fans. I am proud to be an Arsenal player and your support has been incredibly touching.
"I also want to wish my teammates all the best for the remainder of the season. I know we are capable of winning a trophy and I will be backing them all the way."
Arsenal are one of three teams with a real chance of winning the English Premier League this season, and with only nine games to go and a relatively easy run in, they have every chance.
Ramsey had made 18 appearances for the Gunners this season before it was cut so cruelly short. He has received much support in wishing him a speedy recovery.
One of the players who has wished him well is another Irish Stoke midfielder, Rory Delap. Over the past couple of seasons he has become something of a bane for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal as he possesses one of the fastest and longest throws in world football. Aided with such a weapon he has contributed four assists for Stoke against the Gunners alone.
In 2006, Delap suffered the exact same injury as Ramsey but made a full recovery and returned to action almost eight months later, faster and stronger than ever.
Arsenal fans will hope for a speedy recovery.
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Mar 6, 2010
Profiles Of The Great and Good: Arthur Friedenreich: The Original “Black” Pearl.
What do you get if you cross a German Footballer and a Brazilian Footballer? You get Arthur Friedenreich, the greatest goalscorer the world has ever seen. He scored more goals than Pele, furthered civil rights, had a 26 year career and got his teeth kicked in.
WARNING: Manchester United PC Virus
Major Virus Alert
Manchester Utd Virus Alerts
Everybody please watch out for the following viruses ...
The Manchester Utd Virus ... This is where your PC thinks it's far superior than any other PC and develops a complex disorder, except when the password LEEDS UNITED is entered .
The Alex Ferguson Virus ... The computer develops a continuous whining noise when losing power and will refuse to accept time outs even when being shut down.
The Berbatov Virus ... This affects newer PC's mainly. The computer looks great, all the lights are on, but nothing works.
The Rooney Virus ... This one is particularly nasty and will throw you out of Windows ...
The Foster Virus .... This one's not particularly harmful - but you just can't save anything.
The Brown Virus ..... Just when you think things can't get any worse, this one pops up and causes a calamitous error.
The Nani Virus ... The computer develops a processor problem, whereby it thinks it's better than it actually is. It also experiences dramatic fluctuation in performance.
The Neville Virus .... This is a particularly ugly one.
The Man Utd Shirt Virus... This one is especially hard to detect as it changes its format every 3 months
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Manchester Utd Virus Alerts
Everybody please watch out for the following viruses ...
The Manchester Utd Virus ... This is where your PC thinks it's far superior than any other PC and develops a complex disorder, except when the password LEEDS UNITED is entered .
The Alex Ferguson Virus ... The computer develops a continuous whining noise when losing power and will refuse to accept time outs even when being shut down.
The Berbatov Virus ... This affects newer PC's mainly. The computer looks great, all the lights are on, but nothing works.
The Rooney Virus ... This one is particularly nasty and will throw you out of Windows ...
The Foster Virus .... This one's not particularly harmful - but you just can't save anything.
The Brown Virus ..... Just when you think things can't get any worse, this one pops up and causes a calamitous error.
The Nani Virus ... The computer develops a processor problem, whereby it thinks it's better than it actually is. It also experiences dramatic fluctuation in performance.
The Neville Virus .... This is a particularly ugly one.
The Man Utd Shirt Virus... This one is especially hard to detect as it changes its format every 3 months
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Mar 4, 2010
Premier League Rejects Playoff Proposal
Premier League chairmen have rejected the idea of a introducing a play-off to decide who takes the fourth UEFA Champions League place. The motion was beaten after it failed to gather the 14 votes it needed to pass.
The controversial idea of introducing play-offs for the final Champions League spot was proposed last month. Under it's premise teams finishing between fourth to seventh place would then go into a playoff to decide the leagues last place in the Champions League.
At best the proposal received a mixed reception from Premier League managers with some very much for the idea while others were dead set against it.
The idea was examined by Premier League chairmen at their meeting on London on Thursday after Peter Scudamore brought forward a mandate for the proposal and they have voted against it, meaning the status quo will stay as is.
While managers from Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool were vehemant opposers to the proposition, they were the four clubs with the most to lose, they were also somewhat ironically the four clubs who would have gained most.
Given the finances that the four clubs enjoy over every other team it is highly unlikely that any of these clubs would have finished outside the top seven positions in the short to medium term future.
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The controversial idea of introducing play-offs for the final Champions League spot was proposed last month. Under it's premise teams finishing between fourth to seventh place would then go into a playoff to decide the leagues last place in the Champions League.
At best the proposal received a mixed reception from Premier League managers with some very much for the idea while others were dead set against it.
The idea was examined by Premier League chairmen at their meeting on London on Thursday after Peter Scudamore brought forward a mandate for the proposal and they have voted against it, meaning the status quo will stay as is.
While managers from Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool were vehemant opposers to the proposition, they were the four clubs with the most to lose, they were also somewhat ironically the four clubs who would have gained most.
Given the finances that the four clubs enjoy over every other team it is highly unlikely that any of these clubs would have finished outside the top seven positions in the short to medium term future.
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The Greatest Own Goal of All Time
Here we have TSV Wimsheim and TSV Grunbach battling it out in pretty windy conditions...
The result being the greatest own goal of all time. Enjoy
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Mar 3, 2010
Was Aaron Ramsey's Injury A Result Of Declining Coaching Standards?
Recriminations and questions have been flying since Aaron Ramsey picked up an horrific leg break following Ryan Shawcross' tackle. Perhaps the most pertinent being, was the tackle a result of a fall in coaching standards at both clubs?
As with any incident in a football match, there are a million little things that have to happen first.
The episode began with Ryan Shawcross in possession. Although there were a few Arsenal players in attendance, he wasn't under what you would consider as being heavy pressure.
Shawcross' touch here was unusually heavy, letting the ball drift from his sphere of influence to where an opposing player could easily attack the ball.
With the ball now in no-man's land, Aaron Ramsey's quicker reaction meant he was going to get to the ball first.
However, the Arsenal player was not going to be in a position to take possession, hence his stretched attempt to stab the ball away from the on rushing Shawcross.
In this section of the episode, Ramsey attacked the ball wrong.
Seeing that Shawcross was coming in, full forced to attack the ball, the Arsenal youngster had two options.
1) Tackle side on, thus protecting himself in the challenge.
2) Get both feet as close to the ball as possible thus allowing himself to prod the ball away and jump at the same time, avoiding the challenge.
His inexperience showed here as he stretched into the tackle and prodded the ball away. With his feet set so far apart, he had no other choice than to plant his foot in the ground for balance.
Meaning that when Shawcross came in for the ball that was not there anymore he made contact with Ramsey's leg.
The Arsenal player had not protected himself, nor set himself up to avoid the challenge, his foot could not move, and he ended up with an horrific break.
Going back to Shawcross' lunge.
This tackle is what is known as a statement tackle. It is one of the most important parts of the game, such a tackle can be as good as a goal in regards to lifting players and fans alike, as well as being a massive psychological blow to the opposing team.
Having lost possession with his poor touch, Shawcross was left with no other option that to tackle, and he chose to make a statement.
The thing about these kind of tackles is that you do not make them in 50/50 type challenge. The secret to these is that they are as close to guaranteed tackles as you can make, thus allowing yourself the extra power to clatter into your opponent, letting him know he's in a game.
In short, Shawcross chose the wrong tackle.
Then he tackled with the wrong leg.
By coming across Ramsey with his right leg, which was further away, Shawcross stretched and came down upon where the ball used to be.
Had he used his left, as he should have, his natural inclination would have been to either block tackle the ball, or slide in. Either decision and Ramsey would have probably come off without a broken leg.
Had both players tackled properly and neither player would have been injured.
Tackling is a skill, as equally important as heading or scoring or passing. When done right, it is a thing of rare beauty.
One of the reasons that makes football such a wonderful sport is that it caters for every type of player. Big, small, fast, slow, precocious youth or wily old journeyman.
Small players like Lionel Messi can outwit the big cumbersome defender through trickery and guile.
While the untalented player can out fight his more illustrious opponent if his work rate and determination is not matched.
Last weekend two cultures that should be allowed to exist side by side clashed and the result was Aaron Ramsey breaking his leg.
Some have been quick to point the finger at Stoke's style and Shawcross' impulsive challenge.
We now have the knowledge that an average of almost 20 injuries are incurred per game, ranging from niggles that almost go unnoticed to injuries that keep players on the sidelines for indefinite time periods.
67 percent of all injuries that are picked up are based in the lower extremities (from the knee down) and the most common injury being damaged ankle ligaments, which were four times more likely to happen during practice.
However, football should be allowed to exist in it's current state. These occurrences are rare, but are as likely to happen on the training ground as on the field of play.
Which brings us back to coaching standards.
Passing, shooting, heading, etc are all technical skills and are easily practised and taught. Tackling however, is one of the hardest parts of the game to educate upon, and is glossed over by many coaches.
Had either player been thought to tackle correctly in that situation, and nobody would have been hurt.
To read about FIFA's campaign to ban tackles such as these click here
Share
As with any incident in a football match, there are a million little things that have to happen first.
The episode began with Ryan Shawcross in possession. Although there were a few Arsenal players in attendance, he wasn't under what you would consider as being heavy pressure.
Shawcross' touch here was unusually heavy, letting the ball drift from his sphere of influence to where an opposing player could easily attack the ball.
With the ball now in no-man's land, Aaron Ramsey's quicker reaction meant he was going to get to the ball first.
However, the Arsenal player was not going to be in a position to take possession, hence his stretched attempt to stab the ball away from the on rushing Shawcross.
In this section of the episode, Ramsey attacked the ball wrong.
Seeing that Shawcross was coming in, full forced to attack the ball, the Arsenal youngster had two options.
1) Tackle side on, thus protecting himself in the challenge.
2) Get both feet as close to the ball as possible thus allowing himself to prod the ball away and jump at the same time, avoiding the challenge.
His inexperience showed here as he stretched into the tackle and prodded the ball away. With his feet set so far apart, he had no other choice than to plant his foot in the ground for balance.
Meaning that when Shawcross came in for the ball that was not there anymore he made contact with Ramsey's leg.
The Arsenal player had not protected himself, nor set himself up to avoid the challenge, his foot could not move, and he ended up with an horrific break.
Going back to Shawcross' lunge.
This tackle is what is known as a statement tackle. It is one of the most important parts of the game, such a tackle can be as good as a goal in regards to lifting players and fans alike, as well as being a massive psychological blow to the opposing team.
Having lost possession with his poor touch, Shawcross was left with no other option that to tackle, and he chose to make a statement.
The thing about these kind of tackles is that you do not make them in 50/50 type challenge. The secret to these is that they are as close to guaranteed tackles as you can make, thus allowing yourself the extra power to clatter into your opponent, letting him know he's in a game.
In short, Shawcross chose the wrong tackle.
Then he tackled with the wrong leg.
By coming across Ramsey with his right leg, which was further away, Shawcross stretched and came down upon where the ball used to be.
Had he used his left, as he should have, his natural inclination would have been to either block tackle the ball, or slide in. Either decision and Ramsey would have probably come off without a broken leg.
Had both players tackled properly and neither player would have been injured.
Tackling is a skill, as equally important as heading or scoring or passing. When done right, it is a thing of rare beauty.
One of the reasons that makes football such a wonderful sport is that it caters for every type of player. Big, small, fast, slow, precocious youth or wily old journeyman.
Small players like Lionel Messi can outwit the big cumbersome defender through trickery and guile.
While the untalented player can out fight his more illustrious opponent if his work rate and determination is not matched.
Last weekend two cultures that should be allowed to exist side by side clashed and the result was Aaron Ramsey breaking his leg.
Some have been quick to point the finger at Stoke's style and Shawcross' impulsive challenge.
We now have the knowledge that an average of almost 20 injuries are incurred per game, ranging from niggles that almost go unnoticed to injuries that keep players on the sidelines for indefinite time periods.
67 percent of all injuries that are picked up are based in the lower extremities (from the knee down) and the most common injury being damaged ankle ligaments, which were four times more likely to happen during practice.
However, football should be allowed to exist in it's current state. These occurrences are rare, but are as likely to happen on the training ground as on the field of play.
Which brings us back to coaching standards.
Passing, shooting, heading, etc are all technical skills and are easily practised and taught. Tackling however, is one of the hardest parts of the game to educate upon, and is glossed over by many coaches.
Had either player been thought to tackle correctly in that situation, and nobody would have been hurt.
To read about FIFA's campaign to ban tackles such as these click here
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