UK Football

photo: Austin Osuide

Sir Alex Ferguson doesn’t really have any plans for big transfers this summer. The United manager has even said that he thinks maybe one new player will be enough to strengthen the squad. To which I hope Fergie will go after a striker like Berbatov, because they need more strikers as Saha hasn’t really been worthwhile in long while.

But it’s nice on some level to see a manager in the top flight of England’s Premier competition, confident in his current squad. Opposed to their usual obscene amount of signings coming in to each squad. Like when Chelsea get tired of their players and bring in as many new ones as they want, because Abramovich can afford pretty much anything. Or when Liverpool spends £100million they don’t have on players they don’t need, that don’t win them a championship anyways. Excluding Torres, because that was a brilliant buy.

I like that Ferguson is saying, I’m confident in the young players we’ve acquired last season, so we’re sticking with the same squad. And that he recognizes even the older players still have huge parts to play, like Van Der Sar, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. The manager seems confident that despite their ages, they still have a few years of quality to offer up to Manchester United’s campaigns.

Although Fergie also seems confident that Gary Neville will make a successful return to football, but I highly doubt it. Neville was a brilliant defender, and United desperately need someone more capable at right back. But a 33 year old that’s been away from football for a year and a half with a calf injury, just isn’t the one to do it. Neville needs to make the same realization as Solskjaer had to the beginning of last season. Sometimes you just get too old to come back from an injury and be competitive. Sad yes, but the hard to swallow truth of playing in the fast paced world of the Premiership.

photo:Mark Freeman

Emmanuel Adebayor keeps flip flopping. One moment it looks as though he’ll be playing in Italy next year, the next moment, it still looks as though he’ll be playing in Italy next season.

Only days after having announced his support for London club Arsenal, and warning Spanish teams to back off and respect Arsenal. Adebayor is once again open for talks with AC Milan, and supposedly Barcelona.

Best change of mind ever.

As though Adebayor wanted to continue his first team slot for Arsenal, and they desperately need him, and then realized he can do the same thing and make a hell of a lot more money in the process. Although I don’t know if the Italian game will favor Adebayor’s style as much, given the slower more chess match like pace of Serie A. As Adebayor seems most effective in the fast paced counter attack.

But if he wants to commit career suicide for a couple more pounds, let him.

He can become the next in a growing line of stupid striker moves from Arsenal. Following in the great footsteps of one Henry, and who could forget the far from being a star now Anelka. Both of whom to some degree now regret their moves from gunner glory. Why Henry left I’ll never know, come to think of it. Especially for a club that doesn’t need him like Barcelona.

You Can’t Take Beckham’s Glory

In an enormous load of garbage, former FIFA president Joao Havelange has said that the World Cup in 1966, in which England won the prestigious tournament, was fixed. That England fixed the matches, with their officials, so that England would win the world’s biggest tournament. But it seems awfully convenient to me that Joao Havelange is Brazilian, and these accusations are only coming to light now, 42 years after the fact.

This is clearly just another example of FIFA’s discrimination against England. They can’t let England have their victory, FIFA has to continue bullying the nation, and calling into question their most glorious football moment, dragging the amazing victory through the mud.

Joao Havelange has also said that in 1974 the World Cup was again fixed for Germany to win. Which I also say is crap, and is once again a Brazilian crying about his nation’s failed attempt to win another title. You have one of the best sides in the world, and probably always win Brazil, let us have our small glimmer of former glory.

Instead of attacking the nation that birthed football, how about giving some credit where it’s due. The game you love, came from England, so why condemn England for victories in it’s own sport all the time.

Just look at what’s happening with UEFA now, president Michel Platini is talking about banning Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool from playing in the Champions League next season. Because the club’s have incurred a large amount of debt in buying players, Michel Platini wants them to be punished by not playing in Europe’s premier club tournament. Which is absolutely ludicrous.

You can’t dictate how a club spends their money, or how they go into debt if they want to buy expensive players. It’s also ludicrous that English teams are the only mentioned by Michel Platini, when a team like Real Madrid who paid the biggest transfer fee in history for Zidane, aren’t even accused of debt spending.

Disgusting behavior sometimes, from the world’s governing bodies of football. I don’t understand, and never will understand, how you can be so strongly opposed to a nation, and yet call yourself the impartial governing body of football. Also making FIFA’s fair-play campaign against racism hilarious, because apparently fair-play only applies to everyone that isn’t English.

Clearly something has to be done, but never will. As all the faces at the top hate England, and as long as those faces remain at the top, only fellow England haters will ever rise through the ranks at either organization.

So, being without the Premiership, but still being hungry for football, you need somewhere to turn. Like most people I turned to the UEFA Euro 2008. So far it’s been fairly disappointing, although not for the football, but rather the officiating. Bad officiating absolutely ruins a match, and watching this tournament is making me wish the Premiership season would start all the more.

I’ve never seen a Ref get walked on so badly, as they have been in this tournament. Disgusting to watch, especially, as my chief example shows if you happened to catch the game, in the Italy v. Spain quarter-final. How many times did Luca Toni feign injury so that the Ref would stop play, taking away Spain’s attacking advantage, and allowing Italian players a free pass to move back into defensive positions. A Ref should never be able to stop play, except for when it’s an obvious serious injury or a head injury, like in the Premiership.

And when Luca Toni gets up after acting like he was on death’s door from being tackled, and then runs back into play completely fine two seconds later, that should tell you something Ref. Instead of stopping play every time he goes down and cries, maybe you could wait to blow the whistle and let Spain’s attack play out. You know, fair officiating, something that happens when you aren’t clearly in the Italians pockets.

Also worthy of note were Spain’s four penalties, in the same spot at the top left corner of the box, that all weren’t called. Despite the tackles against Silva, and Iniesta being incredibly obvious as fouls. The officials have been completely gun-shy about giving penalties this tournament, and it frustrates me. A penalty is a penalty, even if it’s the deciding goal in a huge match, take the scrutiny for your call, and award one when a player is savagely tackled in the box.

Sure it’s nice when the tournament has given very few penalties, and teams have earned most of their goals the old fashioned way. But when Italy can use lack of fair officiating as a crutch to take Spain all the way to extra-time and a shoot-out, something is wrong, seriously wrong.

Also remember yesterday’s game, when Germany clearly should have had a penalty when Lahm was completely taken out of play in the box. And as usual, nothing from the official.

I understand the need to garner attention by creating exciting matches, where the goals are happen more naturally, instead of resorting to penalties. I agree that games such as those are more exciting, but the fact of the matter is that a penalty should be awarded when a foul is committed in the box. Especially such obvious ones as I’ve witnessed through out Euro 2008. Otherwise it makes for disgusting football, as well as frustrating football to watch.

So, before I watch the Spain v. Russia semi, please Mr. Official, get it right.

Paul Ince Wondergoal

I’m growing ever so tired of the Ronaldo saga, as I’ve written before on here. But one thing of note has happened, in new Blackburn manager Paul Ince’s condemning of Ronaldo for tarnishing Manchester United’s Champions League run last year. I love it, because Ince is right, and that’s all Ronaldo is doing, tarnishing the team that has given him so much. I understand he doesn’t necessarily owe Manchester United anything, because football clubs are like corporations, and United is a prime example of that, as they ditch players all the time if they don’t meet team requirements. So I get Ronaldo doesn’t owe United any loyalty, because if United were done with him, they wouldn’t show any loyalty either.

But the thing that gets me, is that everyone should be remembering United’s success with the European cup and League title, but we aren’t because Ronaldo has to steal all the press he can about a nothing issue. So for the last time, I want to take a moment to say, either stay or go. Stop whining, stop feigning controversy, and just go to Spain or stay in England. If fact actually, go to Spain, because I don’t watch La Liga much, I’m a Premiership faithful when the season is on, so go to Spain so I don’t have to think about Ronaldo, and the way he dives more than he scores.

Other than that piece of great news, today has been a bit slow, except for transfer news. So check out the transfer rumor page and see who’s going where, supposedly.

Cristiano Ronaldo doing what he does best:  DIVING

Wayne Rooney really deserves more attention for his service to United

Blah, the Cristiano Ronaldo pages of falsehood and melodrama continue today in the gossip pages. Supposedly Manchester United demanded £80million from Real Madrid to even consider letting the Portuguese mid-fielder depart from Old Trafford. Supposedly Real Madrid have responded to the effect of Ramon Calderon stating through The Sun: “we’ll never pay £80million for one player”.

Carlos Queiroz also supposedly said that Ronaldo should stay at Old Trafford, because the Manchester United fans and supporters have put forth more affection that he can receive anywhere else.

Blah again, I’m so tired of the false drama being brought about by Manchester United and Real Madrid in the press, over Cristiano Ronaldo. Either go to Madrid, or stay at United, it’s not that difficult. I’m tired of watching football news, or reading an article, and having the only topic be Cristiano Ronaldo and his lack of anything resembling a real decision on the issue. Also I might add, Ronaldo’s opinion really doesn’t matter anyways, because Manchester United controls his fate, if they want to sell him they will, if United want him to keep playing at Old Trafford he doesn’t have a choice until 2012.

That’s it, keep it at that. Stop covering the really involving important dramas that are actually plausible. Like Chelsea absolutely throwing away Frank Lampard, and actually considering a £6.6million offer for the England International. Or Jose Mourinho not taking the importance of Lampard for granted, and cutting his summer holiday short to push forward more talks with Lampard to get him to sign with Inter Milan.

That’s a big issue I’m not hearing much about. Lampard is the real soul of Chelsea right now, because face the facts John Terry hasn’t been the same and always looks as though his back injury is still very prevalent in his defensive motion. Terry cannot carry the team, and hasn’t in a good long while.

But Lampard is there to score an amazing goal when Chelsea need him. And the way things look so far, Scolari’s first action as the new manager of Chelsea is going to be throwing away one of the best things going for the club.

Or considering relevant Premiership news, how about Paul Ince’s newfound uphill battle to keep star players Santa Cruz and David Bentley at Blackburn. As the big worry for Ince right now should be keeping the club as a contender for the top flight, as they became last season with a seventh place finish. Especially considering the main club to vie for David Bentley is Aston Villa, who finished on place above Blackburn, Ince needs to get in there and convince Bentley to stay at Blackburn and help their campaign. Opposed to losing their brightest star to Blackburn’s direct opposition.

(the talent Blackburn could be bidding farewell)

So seriously papers, how about more relevant headlines, instead of Ronaldo having the top headline spots every day with news about the lack of anything happening in either direction for the Portuguese.

Don’t forget also, that Wayne Rooney is the real hero in red:

photo: messypeople

Roman Abramovich and Scolari appear to be differing in their opinions on best transfer options to acquire for mid-field this summer. Scolari has been actively pursuing one of his former players on the Portuguese National side in Deco, as he doesn’t seem interested in keeping Frank Lampard with the London side. But Abramovich has been recently favoring fellow Russian, Andrei Arshavin, to take up a starting position with Chelsea.

This is setting the stage for a huge power battle at Chelsea, the same sort that forced Jose Mourinho out of the management position last season, over a different Russian, in Andriy Shevchenko. Abramovich in the past has forced his favoritism for his countrymen in the starting eleven, on his managers, hurting the squad overall. Which is exactly what could happen again, as Arshavin is still fairly unproven, especially in a league like the Premiership.

When you’re trying to apparently replace an amazing, team carrying veteran like Frank Lampard, Arshavin is not where you want to put your money yet, given his only experience at the club level is with Zenit St. Petersburg.

Truly that showing if they have to sell Lampard, Deco would be a much better option for Chelsea’s competitive success. Given Deco’s experience in the biggest clubs of two different leagues, with Porto and Barcelona. Not to mention Deco’s time playing at the top level in Europe’s finest club competition, the Champions League.Scolari is a fairly talented manager, with the right idea on a Lampard replacement, should Lampard move to Inter Milan. But Abramovich seems poised to once again try his hand at playing manager, when he doesn’t have the talent or experience to manage a football club, especially a top-flight club like Chelsea. Abramovich may as well hire Avram Grant again, if he cannot let a manager make club decisions.

As once again I reiterate Arshavin is unproven in a giant league like the Premiership, Deco is the only choice for the Chelsea’s staying power in the top four. But don’t forget Scolari have more transfer money than god, so why not just buy both.

Although the real answer to any issue, is to keep Lampard in London. Don’t let him move to Italy, because Lampard carries the weight of Chelsea way more often that the “hero” John Terry. While John Terry is busy spitting on Tevez, Lampard is scoring goals to keep Chelsea in Champions League finals.

(exactly what Chelsea are apparently throwing away)

Jose Mourinho has confirmed publicly, his intentions to pursue Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba for his new club Inter Milan. Drogba has seemed completely uninterested with Chelsea life of late, and the move probably cannot come soon enough for the African striker. Whereas Lampard appears somewhat interested to join his former manager in Italy, but is still seeking a deal to remain in London with Chelsea.

The problem with Lampard staying though, is he and Chelsea’s different views on a new contract. Lampard reportedly would like a new four year deal, but Chelsea are only offering a two year contract. Which I don’t understand, because Lampard has been the savior for Chelsea more times than I can count last season, even up to the Champions League final, when he scored the goal that tied the game and took Chelsea to penalties.

photo: Mark Freeman

Scolari keeps chasing Deco, trying for a transfer from Barcelona for the Portuguese mid-fielder. The problem is though, Deco is unproven in England, and Lampard is a team hero. Deco would seem to be set to almost replace Lampard the way things are playing out, and that could only hurt Chelsea.

You just cannot bring in someone that hasn’t played Premiership football before, and expect them to fill the shoes of a man like Lampard. Frank Lampard carried Chelsea on many occasions last season, even after the emotional drama happening in his personal life, with the death of his mother. Lampard still pulled through when Chelsea needed him most, and now when he actually wants to stay with the club, despite his interests in playing for his old manager Mourinho.

Maybe Scolari and Abramovich are apprehensive because of his age, Lampard being 30 now, and don’t want to offer a more long term contract, committing themselves to a player that may not be able to cut it in a few years. But that’s a crap way to look at things.

photo: Mark Freeman (Free-ers)

Drogba, I’m happy they aren’t thinking twice about keeping. Because Drogba is useless now, just like Anelka who is more dead weight Chelsea should drop, and Drogba has no place in a Premiership club. A player as disinterested in the status of his organization deserves to be playing in the lesser leagues of Europe. I was disgusted, seeing Drogba on the bench listening to his ipod whilst his team struggled without him. And Drogba couldn’t be bothered to be invested in what was going on with the match, or paying attention to how fellow footballers play, which would have contributed to his being able to produce for the club.

Not to mention his constant diving recently. Fans say that Cristiano Ronaldo is bad, but Drogba is in a whole different league of flopping around feigning injury. If the hair on a player’s arm brushes Drogba’s shirt, he throws himself down as though he’s been shot repeatedly. I still don’t understand how a referee could buy any of his diving nonsense. Because I don’t understand how you can make the call because you think the player has been injured. Then the player grabs their leg and acts as though they’ve just broken something, just to walk around fine two seconds later.

That doesn’t tell anybody anything?

Chelsea have one hell of a bad situation on their hands, with players like Lampard and Carvalho looking to possibly leave to rejoin Jose at Inter. Because players like those are the real heart of the team, not John Terry. John Terry just spits on people, and defends horribly because his back injuries never heal.

Chelsea need to look to the right players to help the team win, not the most expensive ones. They need to stop letting great additions go from lack of use, like what’s going to happen with Steve Sidwell when he probably leaves this summer. I guarantee Sidwell could bring well needed stability and production to Chelsea from mid-field, but Grant was oblivious, and I imagine Scolari will be as well.

The problem with Abramovich handing out unlimited transfer budgets to his managers, is that it stops them from looking for the right players, and focuses them on going for ego driven stars.  When you have a team full of conflicting egos, you get what happened to Chelsea all season last year, bickering and uncertainty when they try to come together as a team.

A club with eleven stars that all what to be the hero, stops working together to accomplish a goal.  Chelsea get by at the top from talented players playing to their instincts.  But that’s not going to get them by for much longer.

Develop players Scolari, don’t just buy your way out of trouble.  Because all you’re doing is buying your way into trouble.

Furthering England’s lack of ownership in their own league could be Tottenham, as a Middle East syndicate are prepared to make a £250million bid for ownership of the club. This would mark nine foreign owners in the Premiership, and given the fact that most of the players in England’s Premier club competition are also foreign, does the Premiership still belong to England?

Not so much anymore.

England is losing it’s own league, and doesn’t seem to be doing a whole lot about it, because of the cash flow foreign owners and players can bring in. The problem is though, that without any “local boys” for the fans to support, you start to lose something in home support of the game. Without players the fans can embody in having a common background, you lose a little emotional touch for the game.

photo: Calebrw

The Premiership’s popularity has been a curse in many ways, because it hampers the success of England’s own. Just look at the state of the National team, except for the starting eleven, not enough players have the experience to play on a high level stage, because so many spend their time sitting on the bench. I personally don’t care for Sepp Blatter’s and FIFA’s prejudice towards England, but sometimes they are right. Especially when you consider, the Premiership basically trains the players for every other country by starting them on the big stage, but hurts the England team by not playing their own native footballers.

Which could be one reason for England’s failure to qualify for Euro 2008. But I believe Sir Alex Ferguson more when he stated, that the problem with British teams at the moment, is that the players and managers aren’t leaving home to learn different play styles. The English don’t leave England to play in other top leagues around the world, and managers almost never try their hand at coaching foreign clubs. Their hurting themselves by making the policy to accept foreign players in bulk, but not exporting any English talent to benefit from experience in leagues like Serie A and La Liga.

But maybe Fabio Capello is the solution to the England National squad. Foreign owners, players, and coaches in the Premiership have made it exactly what it is today. Perhaps a foreign manager will have the same positive effect on a world scale for the England team. Bringing in a different strategy, that could be more relevant to world football, may be just what England needs, as a solution to never exporting their talent. If they can’t export players, import different viewpoints and strategies I guess, and hope it works.

photo: Matt James

But two great examples stand as Fernando Torres, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Playing away from home in the Premiership has made these two players what they are today, because of the experience playing against the best in the world brought. Sometimes there is only so much you can learn at home. So I guess what I’m saying is, I hope Lampard goes to Inter this summer, and brings some experience in a different organization to the England team. And I hope that English players who are having trouble fighting for their starting spots in the Premiership, will venture to other countries and get experience there. Because the EPL isn’t English so much anymore.

England doesn’t own it’s league, and the players and managers need to realize that, and take the opportunities they have now to fortify the national team. Play and manage abroad, and keep getting the experience and talent development you need. That way we can fortify the England team, and bring back our glory in some way. Because I guess we’ll never have the same domestic heroes in our top domestic leagues anymore.

photo: Mr. Phillip Chambers

But that’s the future, and I don’t have a problem with it anymore. After all Ronaldo is much more entertaining to watch in a red shirt than Beckham was. And Torres is immeasurably better up front that Peter Crouch could ever have been for Liverpool. But to finish on the hopeful note, three of the top four wouldn’t be the teams they are without our domestic heroes.

photo: JohnnyTerry

In closing, remember England, Chelsea have John Terry to embody English hopes on the pitch. Liverpool have captain fantastic Steven Gerrard, who is the greatest example of what a domestic hero can mean to a club (take a lesson Arsenal, and hire a high profile Englishman, it will help your ratings attendance and performance, I guarantee it). And Manchester United, who started more Englishman than foreign players for the Champions League with Scholes, Ferdinand, Brown, Hargreaves, Carrick and our biggest hope for World Cup glory Wayne Rooney.

photo: Stig Ove Voll

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has big dreams for his Manchester United future. The striker, who retired from the active roster last year, has stayed at the club as a goodwill ambassador, and now full-time coach for United‘s reserve squad. Solskjaer has said that he hopes to one day become a manager, and because his future interests remain in being a part of Manchester United, that means someday Solskjaer could see himself as having Ferguson’s position at some point..

The way Gunnar saw the game could benefit the squad immensely I suppose. As his playing style fit the Manchester United mold perfectly, with his penchant for counter-attacking and late goal scoring. I guess if he can teach young players to see the game his way, it will continue the legacy Ferguson has set in motion with Manchester United.

Speaking of Manchester United, Sir Alex is furious with the 2008/2009 fixtures schedule. United have to play away from home following every Champions League group stage match, and it has specifically pissed off Ferguson. I think it seems a bit harsh I guess, but I think the Scot also tends to whine a lot.

But then you can’t argue with results.