The recent game against France was a strange one, as the new breed of the England football team was supposed to set the night alight and produce some fireworks. Instead of sparklers, we got a fizzy rocket - crap at the start but getting better by the end. But what were we supposed to expect because, realistically, everyone should of seen it coming.
The starting line up consisted of players like Gibbs, Henderson and Carroll. These players are still finding their feet at club level, let alone international level. For their efforts, they were booed of the pitch by the England 'faithful.' (I say faithful, but what I mean is, punters who expect England to steam roll every team that goes against them. The real world does not work like that, the football world does not work like that).
What the booing also does is cause a psychological barrier against these players, who will think every time they play at Wembley- no matter how well they play, win or lose - they will get booed. Capello said before the game the players were scared of Wembley, and booing the new players will only continue this sequence of scared players.
Beyond the new players, the experienced ones did not play very well, but why would they. With big European games coming up and the busy Christmas schedule around the corner, this friendly is as much worth as a chocolate teapot to them.
Talking about useless objects, Fabio Capello proved that he is incapable of managing at this level. At the World Cup he made a dog's dinner of it and his recent squad selections are something do be desired. Picking Henderson for example was a bemusing one because Henderson has not set the Premier League alight, but, also, he was playing in the wrong position. According to Steve Bruce, Henderson's boss at Sunderland, he should of been an attacking midfielder not a holding one - which is where Henderson was playing on Wednesday night.
The selection of Jack Wilshire was, without doubt, a pick based on peer pressure. I thought Capello was a steely dictator, who would not listen to anybody. Instead, we have a statue of man made out of Italian jelly incapable of making a decision based on rational thought.
These matches are meaningless anyway, because the FA need events to pay off the costs of their bills. Wembley - which cost nearly £800 million - a World Cup bid and Burton, which is still going on since the original idea in 1888, or whenever it was thought up because it has been ages since a brick, spade or digger has worked on the site, which was supposed to be the future, when increasingly it looks to be an irritating ghost of English football's past.
England will get better, but it will take time. Capello will be gone in two years, so the next year and a half should be a wipe out, especially since Spain are still unbeaten for three years and look favourites for Euro 2012. New coaching standards are being practised since the debacle over the summer, which should see English footballer technically better in a few years time; the new quota in the Premier League, limiting the foreign players and encouraging homegrown ones, which is already giving kids a chance, these are all things happening now. So, the message is clear for England fans - sit tight and be patient because it is going to be worse before it is going to get better. A whole lot worse.
Saturday, 20 November 2010
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Liverpool: Everything is starting to look rosy in the Anfield garden.
"They're doomed", "Hodgson has lost it", "get ready for the Liverpool relegation party." Yes, the naysayers were in full force in the last couple of weeks because of Liverpool's poor start to the season. The critics were laying into Hodgson quite ferociously with their comments - some fair, some unfair. But light is beginning to be shown at the end of the tunnel for Liverpool and Roy Hodgson.
Roy Hodgson, 63, has seen a lot of things in football and is a vastly experienced manager. Some of the criticism labelled at him has been, at some points, quite simply laughable with the most ludicrous claim by some, 'that he is not the right kind of manager for Liverpool.' We are talking about a man that has managed Inter (saving them from relegation and steadying the ship), Grasshopper Zurich, FC Copenhagen (winning the league in his only season ), Fulham (doing the same job at Inter, this time on limited resources) and Malmo. He is multilingual and has achieved a lot of success throughout his career showing how thoughtful and intelligent he is.
This man has shown great dignity towards a quite undignified slur campaign against him. What is true, Liverpool have not had a great start but things are starting to turn around with the form of key players and the new signings are starting to gel.
Fernando Torres returned to form when he scored two goals, with the second one being a goal of the season contender. His form has been poor, but lets not forget, he has returned from major surgery that has affected one big weapon in his artillery, which is his speed. His pace may improve over time or may never return, but what cannot be taken away from the World Cup winning striker, is his footballing brain. Great players like him and Steven Gerrard - who is returning to form after dominating against Chelsea and a hat trick against Napoli - never lose their intelligence and it is up to Torres to adapt to his predicament, but what is encouraging about Liverpool is their team are starting to gel and youth players are getting a chance.
Jay Spearing and Martin Kelly, two Liverpool natives, alongside Jonjo Shelvey, a young English man from Romford, are getting a chance to show what they can do, to Hodgson and fans alike. Under the previous regime youth players were brought from around Europe, blocking the chances of young talents like Adam Hammill - who had to go to Barnsley to find first team action and is thriving in the process with 5 goals in 15 appearances. It is vitally important for Liverpool and England for young English men who understand what it means to play for a big club like Liverpool. They can only thrive on the experience of playing European nights with world class players like Torres, Gerrard and Kuyt.
So all the people who are counting Liverpool on the Doomsday clock better rewind it, as they'll be waiting a long time for this club to self-destruct.
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Joey Barton has never struck me as an intelligent man, with his convictions of affray and assault, proving the point that he uses his fists rather than his mouth. When he does open his mouth not a lot of rational thought is given by him to his comments, as was the case this week, when he criticized the England team as being "goody two - shoes."
Joey Barton obviously has not watched an England match recently because he would of seen who was representing England. Wayne Rooney, Peter Crouch John Terry and Rio Ferdinand all have cheated their respective partners; Joe Hart, Adam Johnson and Gareth Barry have been caught partying before meeting up with the England squad; Steven Gerrard punched a DJ- and somehow got away with it - and Glen Johnson has been reprimanded for stealing a toilet seat.
Goody two shoes? England are barefooted hitch - hiking for a ride to the moral high ground.
Roy Hodgson, 63, has seen a lot of things in football and is a vastly experienced manager. Some of the criticism labelled at him has been, at some points, quite simply laughable with the most ludicrous claim by some, 'that he is not the right kind of manager for Liverpool.' We are talking about a man that has managed Inter (saving them from relegation and steadying the ship), Grasshopper Zurich, FC Copenhagen (winning the league in his only season ), Fulham (doing the same job at Inter, this time on limited resources) and Malmo. He is multilingual and has achieved a lot of success throughout his career showing how thoughtful and intelligent he is.
This man has shown great dignity towards a quite undignified slur campaign against him. What is true, Liverpool have not had a great start but things are starting to turn around with the form of key players and the new signings are starting to gel.
Fernando Torres returned to form when he scored two goals, with the second one being a goal of the season contender. His form has been poor, but lets not forget, he has returned from major surgery that has affected one big weapon in his artillery, which is his speed. His pace may improve over time or may never return, but what cannot be taken away from the World Cup winning striker, is his footballing brain. Great players like him and Steven Gerrard - who is returning to form after dominating against Chelsea and a hat trick against Napoli - never lose their intelligence and it is up to Torres to adapt to his predicament, but what is encouraging about Liverpool is their team are starting to gel and youth players are getting a chance.
Jay Spearing and Martin Kelly, two Liverpool natives, alongside Jonjo Shelvey, a young English man from Romford, are getting a chance to show what they can do, to Hodgson and fans alike. Under the previous regime youth players were brought from around Europe, blocking the chances of young talents like Adam Hammill - who had to go to Barnsley to find first team action and is thriving in the process with 5 goals in 15 appearances. It is vitally important for Liverpool and England for young English men who understand what it means to play for a big club like Liverpool. They can only thrive on the experience of playing European nights with world class players like Torres, Gerrard and Kuyt.
So all the people who are counting Liverpool on the Doomsday clock better rewind it, as they'll be waiting a long time for this club to self-destruct.
*******************************************************************************
Joey Barton has never struck me as an intelligent man, with his convictions of affray and assault, proving the point that he uses his fists rather than his mouth. When he does open his mouth not a lot of rational thought is given by him to his comments, as was the case this week, when he criticized the England team as being "goody two - shoes."
Joey Barton obviously has not watched an England match recently because he would of seen who was representing England. Wayne Rooney, Peter Crouch John Terry and Rio Ferdinand all have cheated their respective partners; Joe Hart, Adam Johnson and Gareth Barry have been caught partying before meeting up with the England squad; Steven Gerrard punched a DJ- and somehow got away with it - and Glen Johnson has been reprimanded for stealing a toilet seat.
Goody two shoes? England are barefooted hitch - hiking for a ride to the moral high ground.
Saturday, 2 October 2010
Cycling and Drugs; West Brom
This week it emerged that Albert Contador, a three time winner of the Tour De France, had tested positive for a banned substance. Not only that, three more Spanish cyclists have been banned this week: Ezequiel Mosquera, David Garcia Da Pena and Margarita Fullana. They join an ignominous list of cyclists, which includes Floyd Landis - winner of the 2006 Tour De France - who have been banned because of their substance taking. All prove their innocence but the likely signs are that they will all be banned, especially when the head of cycling's governing body - Pat Mc Quaid - remains silent on the issue.
After the 2007 Tour De France, which was surrounded in controversy because of doping, cycling's governers vowed they would toughen their stance on drugs, but not much has changed. In 2010 alone 18 cases of doping or drugtaking have already taken place in the sport and this lack of progress is concerning, espcially if cycling's riders and fans want their sport to be seen as genuine.
Other sports like athletics have changed their image in regards to drugs. Drug taking does still happen in athletics but their rules and regulations are much tougher than before. Marion Jones, Olympic Gold medal winner in Sydney, recieved a prison sentance for her drug taking and was derided in the media because of it. Contador will probably not recieve a prison term as the sport needs it big names in the sport as they are few and far between, but that does get away from the fact that he cheated.
Landis openly admitted he cheated, yet all he got was a fine and a two year suspension. This was the oppurtunity for cycling to crack down on cheats but they missed due fears of being 'too harsh.' The temptation to use performance enhancing drugs will always be there, especially in solo events like cycling, but unless the governing bodies get tough, we will hear more stories of champions being accused.
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West Brom are normally ridiculed and seen as a nice team but not good enough in the Premier League. Admittedly, I predicted they would go down with a shoddy defence and misfiring strikeforce. However, since their six - nil drubbing at Chelsea, they have improved significantly.
In their last three Premier League games they have beaten Arsenal, Birmingham and drew with Tottenham. Also, they knocked out Man City of the Carling cup which is no easy feat, considering the amount of talent the Arab - owned club have to dispense. Two of the reasons why West Brom have achieved this success is because of two reasons: Roberto Di Matteo and Peter Odemwingie.
Di Matteo has exuded calmness and coolness on the touchline, press interviews and this reflects on his team's performances on the pitch. When they went behind to Tottenham and Birmingham, panic did not set in. Instead, a quiet determination was found which led to them gaining points in a game, which in previous seasons they would of lost. Di Matteo has led his team brillantly and has also shown he can spot a bargin, with Peter Odemwingie being a perfect example.
Odemwingie signed from Lokomotoiv Moscow, where he was subject to torrid racial abuse, has been a revelation since he has come to the Premier League. Three goals in five appearances is a great start for the man from Nigeria, but time will tell if he is still good enough. Di Matteo and Odemwingie have both recieved the monthly league award for their efforts but the one reward they will want, come May, is survival.
After the 2007 Tour De France, which was surrounded in controversy because of doping, cycling's governers vowed they would toughen their stance on drugs, but not much has changed. In 2010 alone 18 cases of doping or drugtaking have already taken place in the sport and this lack of progress is concerning, espcially if cycling's riders and fans want their sport to be seen as genuine.
Other sports like athletics have changed their image in regards to drugs. Drug taking does still happen in athletics but their rules and regulations are much tougher than before. Marion Jones, Olympic Gold medal winner in Sydney, recieved a prison sentance for her drug taking and was derided in the media because of it. Contador will probably not recieve a prison term as the sport needs it big names in the sport as they are few and far between, but that does get away from the fact that he cheated.
Landis openly admitted he cheated, yet all he got was a fine and a two year suspension. This was the oppurtunity for cycling to crack down on cheats but they missed due fears of being 'too harsh.' The temptation to use performance enhancing drugs will always be there, especially in solo events like cycling, but unless the governing bodies get tough, we will hear more stories of champions being accused.
*********************************************************************************
West Brom are normally ridiculed and seen as a nice team but not good enough in the Premier League. Admittedly, I predicted they would go down with a shoddy defence and misfiring strikeforce. However, since their six - nil drubbing at Chelsea, they have improved significantly.
In their last three Premier League games they have beaten Arsenal, Birmingham and drew with Tottenham. Also, they knocked out Man City of the Carling cup which is no easy feat, considering the amount of talent the Arab - owned club have to dispense. Two of the reasons why West Brom have achieved this success is because of two reasons: Roberto Di Matteo and Peter Odemwingie.
Di Matteo has exuded calmness and coolness on the touchline, press interviews and this reflects on his team's performances on the pitch. When they went behind to Tottenham and Birmingham, panic did not set in. Instead, a quiet determination was found which led to them gaining points in a game, which in previous seasons they would of lost. Di Matteo has led his team brillantly and has also shown he can spot a bargin, with Peter Odemwingie being a perfect example.
Odemwingie signed from Lokomotoiv Moscow, where he was subject to torrid racial abuse, has been a revelation since he has come to the Premier League. Three goals in five appearances is a great start for the man from Nigeria, but time will tell if he is still good enough. Di Matteo and Odemwingie have both recieved the monthly league award for their efforts but the one reward they will want, come May, is survival.
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
The Journey begins
Hello, my name is Martin and I am a budding sports journalist, who goes to university in London. This is a chance for myself to show others - and, hopefully, important media people - what I can do. Some readers and fellow bloggers may find these posts funny, rubbish, brillant or stupid. But whatever the case maybe, remember, the blog is a bit of fun and should not be taken too seriously.
So, with all that being said, let me begin. Football is the main topic of this blog and let me tell you my experience of it. Recently I quit playing sunday league football after a six year spell. It was some journey, I can assure you; fights between teams, team - mates fighting their OWN team - mates and even player's girlfriends fighting other players !! These are some of the things I have witnessed during my sunday league time. People always say "why get up every sunday morning, just to chase a ball about?" Well, the answer is very simple: the love of the game.
Yes, people love the game so much they will get up, hangover or no hangover, just to kick a ball. People love the game so much, they will miss weddings, birthdays and any other family function, just to join in with the lads - whether it be a 10 - 0 victory or a 10- 0 defeat, most men will be there. I once played against a man who played a game before his own wedding !! With sunday league, men get to achieve their dreams. As a player, manager, coach or waterboy the opportunity is there to get to the promised land: which is a cup or a league title.
Winning a cup or a league in sunday football is magnificent. It is a culmination of all that hard work on that faeces filled training pitch; all those runs between cones, laps round the ground and two touch games have paid off to achieve this moment. I, however, never won a title or a cup. My training, or in better words, the club training, was drinking pints. Celebrations was drinking pints. Feeling sorry for yourself after a 6 -0 hammering resulted in, drinking pints. This was why I never won a trophy, but I am not bitter because my aim was to play for a laugh.
After a while the football became less fun with retirements (a.k.a. having kids, house relocation or travelling ) or, in some cases, disappearance. In other words, the player in question would not answer their phone, thus, they are uncontactable. I still play the odd 5 - a - side game but it is not the same as 11 - a - side. So, if any sunday league manager requires a 5ft 7 goalkeeper with the reflexes of a hungover panther - I'm your man !!
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I am a Tottenham supporter which is quite a rollercoaster ride, as any other Spurs fan will say. My earliest memory of Tottenham was watching Allan Neilsen seal the 1999 Worthington cup (now Carling cup), with a bullet header past Kasey Keller's left hand. The feeling of jubilation that went through my body was amazing. After all the jibes and jokes about Tottenham from my mates, I could now tell them where to stick it, because we had achieved success.
Ok, it did take us 8 years to win something else and several managers in between, to achieve this, but that is not the point. The point is, being a football, or sports fan, is about sticking with your team through thick and thin. And successful moments are even more rewarding and sweeter when you remember the bad times.
Things are looking up for Tottenham: one of England's finest football mangers, Harry Redknapp, is in charge, a new training ground is being built - with plans for the stadium as well - and, most importantly, the football is good. Tottenham used to be a soft touch, and people who said that were right, but not anymore.
With a tough, strong spine of Gomes, Dawson, Huddlestone and Crouch, mixed with the creativity of Modric, Bale and, the recent addition, Van Der Vaart. Tottenham are looking more like the solid, slick passing team of the 60's. Obviously, it would be hard for Tottenham to win the double but they can make an impact, especially in the Champions League. A good draw with Bremen - away - will give 'Arry's army a lot of confidence. Who knows what could happen at the Lane, but what it will be, for Tottenham fans, is one hell of a ride they will not want to get off.
********************************************************************************
My prediction for the Premier League title is Chelsea as no-one can match the power, experience and finishing of Ancelotti's men. And with Rooney having prostitute troubles, again. I can only see the title going back to South West London.
The teams that will make an impact or shock a few teams will be Bolton and Birmingham. Solid, unspectacular and spirited, are some of the characteristics of both sides, and should see these teams progress in the league. Bolton have experienced pros like Davies and Robinson, whilst Birmingham have Bowyer and Ferguson. These players have seen most things in football and nothing will faze them, which should help their respective sides. Also, both teams have pragmatic managers in Coyle, for Bolton, and McLeish, for Birmingham.
My teams for the drop are the three W's: West Ham, Wigan and West Brom. Their defences are also three W's, or as Jonathan Ross would say: wubbish, widiculous and wegrettable.
So, with all that being said, let me begin. Football is the main topic of this blog and let me tell you my experience of it. Recently I quit playing sunday league football after a six year spell. It was some journey, I can assure you; fights between teams, team - mates fighting their OWN team - mates and even player's girlfriends fighting other players !! These are some of the things I have witnessed during my sunday league time. People always say "why get up every sunday morning, just to chase a ball about?" Well, the answer is very simple: the love of the game.
Yes, people love the game so much they will get up, hangover or no hangover, just to kick a ball. People love the game so much, they will miss weddings, birthdays and any other family function, just to join in with the lads - whether it be a 10 - 0 victory or a 10- 0 defeat, most men will be there. I once played against a man who played a game before his own wedding !! With sunday league, men get to achieve their dreams. As a player, manager, coach or waterboy the opportunity is there to get to the promised land: which is a cup or a league title.
Winning a cup or a league in sunday football is magnificent. It is a culmination of all that hard work on that faeces filled training pitch; all those runs between cones, laps round the ground and two touch games have paid off to achieve this moment. I, however, never won a title or a cup. My training, or in better words, the club training, was drinking pints. Celebrations was drinking pints. Feeling sorry for yourself after a 6 -0 hammering resulted in, drinking pints. This was why I never won a trophy, but I am not bitter because my aim was to play for a laugh.
After a while the football became less fun with retirements (a.k.a. having kids, house relocation or travelling ) or, in some cases, disappearance. In other words, the player in question would not answer their phone, thus, they are uncontactable. I still play the odd 5 - a - side game but it is not the same as 11 - a - side. So, if any sunday league manager requires a 5ft 7 goalkeeper with the reflexes of a hungover panther - I'm your man !!
****************************************************************************
I am a Tottenham supporter which is quite a rollercoaster ride, as any other Spurs fan will say. My earliest memory of Tottenham was watching Allan Neilsen seal the 1999 Worthington cup (now Carling cup), with a bullet header past Kasey Keller's left hand. The feeling of jubilation that went through my body was amazing. After all the jibes and jokes about Tottenham from my mates, I could now tell them where to stick it, because we had achieved success.
Ok, it did take us 8 years to win something else and several managers in between, to achieve this, but that is not the point. The point is, being a football, or sports fan, is about sticking with your team through thick and thin. And successful moments are even more rewarding and sweeter when you remember the bad times.
Things are looking up for Tottenham: one of England's finest football mangers, Harry Redknapp, is in charge, a new training ground is being built - with plans for the stadium as well - and, most importantly, the football is good. Tottenham used to be a soft touch, and people who said that were right, but not anymore.
With a tough, strong spine of Gomes, Dawson, Huddlestone and Crouch, mixed with the creativity of Modric, Bale and, the recent addition, Van Der Vaart. Tottenham are looking more like the solid, slick passing team of the 60's. Obviously, it would be hard for Tottenham to win the double but they can make an impact, especially in the Champions League. A good draw with Bremen - away - will give 'Arry's army a lot of confidence. Who knows what could happen at the Lane, but what it will be, for Tottenham fans, is one hell of a ride they will not want to get off.
********************************************************************************
My prediction for the Premier League title is Chelsea as no-one can match the power, experience and finishing of Ancelotti's men. And with Rooney having prostitute troubles, again. I can only see the title going back to South West London.
The teams that will make an impact or shock a few teams will be Bolton and Birmingham. Solid, unspectacular and spirited, are some of the characteristics of both sides, and should see these teams progress in the league. Bolton have experienced pros like Davies and Robinson, whilst Birmingham have Bowyer and Ferguson. These players have seen most things in football and nothing will faze them, which should help their respective sides. Also, both teams have pragmatic managers in Coyle, for Bolton, and McLeish, for Birmingham.
My teams for the drop are the three W's: West Ham, Wigan and West Brom. Their defences are also three W's, or as Jonathan Ross would say: wubbish, widiculous and wegrettable.
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