The Soccceroos’ lethargic performance in their win over Bahrain on Thursday morning has drawn much criticism from football pundits across the nation. Here is a good example of respected journalists smashing the green and gold with valid and legitimate reasons. Of course, all this is done with a furrow of genuine concern and it’s not meant to be a stab at football. I hope.
However, while I am also not terribly happy with the lacklustre showing, I am happy for one thing.
We won.
No matter how we do it, getting three points away from home was the main objective and we achieved it. And by doing so in an ugly fashion, I think we’ve actually taken a positive step. I know it sounds crazy, but winning ugly is a hidden talent of good football teams.
Everyone would love for the Socceroos to play the free-flowing champagne football that Arsenal does, but the truth is that it doesn’t always happen. Teams, no matter how good they are, have off days. And the most important thing is that we achieved a result when it was our off day.
It’s easy to win games when everything clicks, when all the flicks and tricks come off, when all the 50-50 decisions go our way. However, it’s not easy to win when we don’t bring our A game. But good teams find a way of winning. Good teams can grind out results, no matter how ugly the play, and the fact that we managed to do it makes me quite happy.
This win, along with our performance in Uzbekistan when we repelled wave after wave of attack in the second half, shows that we’ve got character and maturity.
Heads up Australia, it’s the kick up the bum we needed.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Football Simulation
On Fox Sports FC last night Andy Harper said something which I (for once) found interesting. He was referring to the topic of diving and his quote was that “football is a form of entertainment, and like in other forms of entertainment, you need your devilish characters.” I have to admit that I actually agree.
The act of diving – or simulation – has been depicted as the very thing that is wrong with football. It’s unsportsmanlike, it’s cheap, it’s an attempt to make a mockery out of the governing bodies of the game, and ultimately, it’s cheating. Paul Trimboli hit the nail on the head last night when he said that followers of other football codes look down on (our) football and its divers because it’s not a “manly” way to cheat. It’s cheating, but not only is it cheating, it’s cheating in a pansy way.
But Harps might be onto something here because, like he said, every form of entertainment will have its bad guys. Whether it be Hopoate’s finger up the bum, the Storms’ invention of the grapple tackle, Long John Daly’s “healthy” image as a professional athlete, Harbhajan high-fiving Sreesanth in the face, or Dennis Rodman (everything about him), their will be idiots in every sport and every field who will try to bend rules and push boundaries.
So instead of player education, I think we should concentrate on furthering referee’s standards. I know it sounds harsh, since the whole point of simulation is to fool the referee, but at the end of the day there are three refs, and usually only one diver at a time. Plus, it is ultimately the referee’s job to carry out the rules of the game, and identifying (and penalising) divers is therefore a part of the job.
I think the stress on player education will fall on deaf ears, simply for the fact that the guys who dive already know they aren’t meant to but still do it anyway. You can’t wipe out that element out of the game. They’ve been taught from the onset that diving is wrong, and they know full well the penalties involved if they get caught. So I say if they still persist on doing it, then let them. Just smash them with increased penalty, say a four week suspension for first offenders, a ten game suspension for repeat offenders, and the electric chair for those who cop a third strike. Let them know that they are running a risk if they dive.
And more importantly, shame them. If they are caught, let the world know that they dived, that they are cheats. Put it in such a negative way that murderers seem like angels compared to divers. That sort of stigma is something no sportsperson will ever want to stick with throughout their careers.
After all, sports fans have very long memories. Just ask Murali.
The act of diving – or simulation – has been depicted as the very thing that is wrong with football. It’s unsportsmanlike, it’s cheap, it’s an attempt to make a mockery out of the governing bodies of the game, and ultimately, it’s cheating. Paul Trimboli hit the nail on the head last night when he said that followers of other football codes look down on (our) football and its divers because it’s not a “manly” way to cheat. It’s cheating, but not only is it cheating, it’s cheating in a pansy way.
But Harps might be onto something here because, like he said, every form of entertainment will have its bad guys. Whether it be Hopoate’s finger up the bum, the Storms’ invention of the grapple tackle, Long John Daly’s “healthy” image as a professional athlete, Harbhajan high-fiving Sreesanth in the face, or Dennis Rodman (everything about him), their will be idiots in every sport and every field who will try to bend rules and push boundaries.
So instead of player education, I think we should concentrate on furthering referee’s standards. I know it sounds harsh, since the whole point of simulation is to fool the referee, but at the end of the day there are three refs, and usually only one diver at a time. Plus, it is ultimately the referee’s job to carry out the rules of the game, and identifying (and penalising) divers is therefore a part of the job.
I think the stress on player education will fall on deaf ears, simply for the fact that the guys who dive already know they aren’t meant to but still do it anyway. You can’t wipe out that element out of the game. They’ve been taught from the onset that diving is wrong, and they know full well the penalties involved if they get caught. So I say if they still persist on doing it, then let them. Just smash them with increased penalty, say a four week suspension for first offenders, a ten game suspension for repeat offenders, and the electric chair for those who cop a third strike. Let them know that they are running a risk if they dive.
And more importantly, shame them. If they are caught, let the world know that they dived, that they are cheats. Put it in such a negative way that murderers seem like angels compared to divers. That sort of stigma is something no sportsperson will ever want to stick with throughout their careers.
After all, sports fans have very long memories. Just ask Murali.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Sydney FC, Please Wake Up
Total amazement is the only expression I can think of after the Mariners chased down our three goal lead last night. Actually, it was the only expression I can think of without swearing and showing my true feelings.
Dead set, the boys and Kossie need to look at themselves long and hard before they hop into the surf for their wind-down this morning, because it is borderline unprofessional to lose a three goal lead with only 25 to go. Yes it’s happened before, and it’ll definitely happen again, but it’s such a poor advertisement for the league that a team can come back from being totally dead and buried. It’s not the Saturday morning local league, it’s the biggest football competition in the country, but some of the defending last night was amateur at best. It might have been great fun for the neutrals, but as an FC fan I’m simply quite disgusted.
While the goals we scored were world class, it doesn’t mask the fact that without the brilliant Ivan Necevski in goal the result could have been much worse. Pim Verbeek’s earliest assessment of the A-League was that teams were looking good coming forward, but the defending was woeful at times. He reiterated time and time again that the defending in the A-League would not suffice on the international stage, as there were too many mistakes, too many lapses in concentration which would be punished by international classed strikers. Last night’s performance is exactly what he’s talking about.
Much has been made of the Coast’s “fighting spirit” and “never say die attitude” (insert other cheesy cliché), but we should have had enough class to sit back and defy what they threw at us (and to be honest the most they threw at us were just long balls and chips over our flat footed back four).
Once we were that far up, it should have been a simple case of keep ball. Short crisp passes, force the opposition to make something out of it, change their formation, and then hit them on the counter. But no, we still pushed forward unnecessarily, and gave up possession far too easily trying to play miracle passes, and ended up giving the Coast plenty of opportunities to play themselves back into the match.
Inexperienced, naïve and stupid are all ways to describe the performance last night. Whatever it is, we need to work it out because I’m sick of the inconsistency in our game. We’re meant to be title contenders, but we’re definitely not going to win anything defending like the way we did last night.
Dead set, the boys and Kossie need to look at themselves long and hard before they hop into the surf for their wind-down this morning, because it is borderline unprofessional to lose a three goal lead with only 25 to go. Yes it’s happened before, and it’ll definitely happen again, but it’s such a poor advertisement for the league that a team can come back from being totally dead and buried. It’s not the Saturday morning local league, it’s the biggest football competition in the country, but some of the defending last night was amateur at best. It might have been great fun for the neutrals, but as an FC fan I’m simply quite disgusted.
While the goals we scored were world class, it doesn’t mask the fact that without the brilliant Ivan Necevski in goal the result could have been much worse. Pim Verbeek’s earliest assessment of the A-League was that teams were looking good coming forward, but the defending was woeful at times. He reiterated time and time again that the defending in the A-League would not suffice on the international stage, as there were too many mistakes, too many lapses in concentration which would be punished by international classed strikers. Last night’s performance is exactly what he’s talking about.
Much has been made of the Coast’s “fighting spirit” and “never say die attitude” (insert other cheesy cliché), but we should have had enough class to sit back and defy what they threw at us (and to be honest the most they threw at us were just long balls and chips over our flat footed back four).
Once we were that far up, it should have been a simple case of keep ball. Short crisp passes, force the opposition to make something out of it, change their formation, and then hit them on the counter. But no, we still pushed forward unnecessarily, and gave up possession far too easily trying to play miracle passes, and ended up giving the Coast plenty of opportunities to play themselves back into the match.
Inexperienced, naïve and stupid are all ways to describe the performance last night. Whatever it is, we need to work it out because I’m sick of the inconsistency in our game. We’re meant to be title contenders, but we’re definitely not going to win anything defending like the way we did last night.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Red Hot Adelaide
Congratulations Adelaide. A 3-0 home win last night against Bunyodkur of Uzbekistan all but secured their passage into the final of the Asian Champions League.
Although blessed with Brazilian greats Zico as the coach and Rivaldo on the pitch, it’s tough to see Bunyodkur chasing the deficit. Admittedly, stranger things have happened in football, but a betting man’s money would surely be on the Reds.
Even though it’s not Sydney, it’s still great to see an Australian team flying high, and Adelaide have produced a master class effort in their prolonged run in the biggest club championship in Asia.
Adelaide has always been a fun team to watch, especially back in the Kozzie days when the attacking quintet of Nathan Burns, Bruce Djite, Jason Dodd, Jason Spanuola and Ross Aloisi would tear into the opposition’s defense.
Even though much of the personnel have changed, Aurelio Vidmar has still managed to keep the attacking trait and it was refreshing to see that he did not forego this attacking mentality in light of the magnitude of last night’s game.
Hats off to Vidmar, who had to step into the big shoes left by Kozzie, and though he was recently criticized for favouring the ACL over the A-League in his team selections, everything will be redeemed if they can go one step further and be crowned the kings of Asia.
Go Adelaide, win it all. From a Sydney FC fan, I salute you.
Although blessed with Brazilian greats Zico as the coach and Rivaldo on the pitch, it’s tough to see Bunyodkur chasing the deficit. Admittedly, stranger things have happened in football, but a betting man’s money would surely be on the Reds.
Even though it’s not Sydney, it’s still great to see an Australian team flying high, and Adelaide have produced a master class effort in their prolonged run in the biggest club championship in Asia.
Adelaide has always been a fun team to watch, especially back in the Kozzie days when the attacking quintet of Nathan Burns, Bruce Djite, Jason Dodd, Jason Spanuola and Ross Aloisi would tear into the opposition’s defense.
Even though much of the personnel have changed, Aurelio Vidmar has still managed to keep the attacking trait and it was refreshing to see that he did not forego this attacking mentality in light of the magnitude of last night’s game.
Hats off to Vidmar, who had to step into the big shoes left by Kozzie, and though he was recently criticized for favouring the ACL over the A-League in his team selections, everything will be redeemed if they can go one step further and be crowned the kings of Asia.
Go Adelaide, win it all. From a Sydney FC fan, I salute you.
Monday, October 6, 2008
The Season So Far...
Anyone bother to check the Premier League table after last night’s round of matches? Seven rounds have been completed, and Chelsea deservingly sits at the peak, sharing the spot with an unpredictable Liverpool side. While Chelsea has displayed the fantastic football we expect, Liverpool’s position upon the lofty perch is a bit questionable considering several weeks ago they backed up their win over Man United with a draw at home against the might of Stoke City.
Next on the ladder? Man United? Arsenal? Nope. Sitting in third place with a healthy 14 points from a possible 21 is Hull City. Admittedly, I didn’t expect them to get 14 points for the whole season, so hats off to Phil Brown and his men, who have shown a lot of energy in the several games I’ve seen of them.
Arsenal and Villa, probably an accurate indication of their final season standing, round out the top five. Man United are still there or thereabouts, a little off the pace but with a game in hand. Watch for them to hang around the top, then fire on all cylinders come the New Year and make a belated charge up the ladder like they do every year.
Man City and all their riches have only bought nine points so far, and they could do worse than spend some of their cash on a decent defensive midfielder, as Hughsey’s method of four backs, one central defender playing out of position (Vincent Kompany as a def mid?!), and five strikers isn’t really working out for them.
And how about the bottom of the ladder? Newcastle third from bottom and Tottenham in last spot! The Magpies have had their fair share of internal troubles this year, with King Kev walking out (or getting fired, depending on who you listen to) after just four games, compounded by the appointment of the much hated and totally inept Dennis Wise into the head office. A fans’ revolt is on the cards, and the rumoured buyout by a South African consortium can not happen fast enough.
But how about Tottenham?! The rest of the league were cheering in admiration at the Spur’s spending during the summer, believing that finally someone was going to step up and challenge the top four. Now they are watching Tottenham with a sly smirk and wondering how low they can possibly go. Having brought in over 60 million pounds of new talent, there was an electric buzz around White Hart Lane in pre-season. However, Robbie Keane’s and Dimitar Berbatov’s surprising decisions to abandon ship knocked the stuffing out of the Londoners. Their only game of note was the hard fought 1-1 draw in the derby with Chelsea, and have had to endure demeanours such as home losses to Villa, Sunderland and most recently Hull.
Seven games into the season and this is actually looking like it’s going to be a pretty fun year. My Villa are flying high, and there’s an air of unpredictably about the League. There is much promise to the rest of the season, with everyone keeping an eye on Man City’s revolving door come the January transfer window, as well as wondering when Tottenham are going to wake up to themselves.
I can’t wait for next week.
Next on the ladder? Man United? Arsenal? Nope. Sitting in third place with a healthy 14 points from a possible 21 is Hull City. Admittedly, I didn’t expect them to get 14 points for the whole season, so hats off to Phil Brown and his men, who have shown a lot of energy in the several games I’ve seen of them.
Arsenal and Villa, probably an accurate indication of their final season standing, round out the top five. Man United are still there or thereabouts, a little off the pace but with a game in hand. Watch for them to hang around the top, then fire on all cylinders come the New Year and make a belated charge up the ladder like they do every year.
Man City and all their riches have only bought nine points so far, and they could do worse than spend some of their cash on a decent defensive midfielder, as Hughsey’s method of four backs, one central defender playing out of position (Vincent Kompany as a def mid?!), and five strikers isn’t really working out for them.
And how about the bottom of the ladder? Newcastle third from bottom and Tottenham in last spot! The Magpies have had their fair share of internal troubles this year, with King Kev walking out (or getting fired, depending on who you listen to) after just four games, compounded by the appointment of the much hated and totally inept Dennis Wise into the head office. A fans’ revolt is on the cards, and the rumoured buyout by a South African consortium can not happen fast enough.
But how about Tottenham?! The rest of the league were cheering in admiration at the Spur’s spending during the summer, believing that finally someone was going to step up and challenge the top four. Now they are watching Tottenham with a sly smirk and wondering how low they can possibly go. Having brought in over 60 million pounds of new talent, there was an electric buzz around White Hart Lane in pre-season. However, Robbie Keane’s and Dimitar Berbatov’s surprising decisions to abandon ship knocked the stuffing out of the Londoners. Their only game of note was the hard fought 1-1 draw in the derby with Chelsea, and have had to endure demeanours such as home losses to Villa, Sunderland and most recently Hull.
Seven games into the season and this is actually looking like it’s going to be a pretty fun year. My Villa are flying high, and there’s an air of unpredictably about the League. There is much promise to the rest of the season, with everyone keeping an eye on Man City’s revolving door come the January transfer window, as well as wondering when Tottenham are going to wake up to themselves.
I can’t wait for next week.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
I Like Shannon Cole
I’m jumping on the bandwagon. FC newcomer Shannon Cole is a gun. Much has been made of the 24 year old who was plucked from obscurity at the start of the season by Kozzie, but after watching him live for the past couple of home games, I’m definitely agreeing with what everyone are saying.
He first caught the eye thanks to his dead ball abilities, and they are all justified. Firstly, he’s truly ambidextrous, which is such a limited commodity in modern football. Secondly, he strikes the ball cleanly (you’d be surprised how many professional footballers don’t have the correct technique in striking a football), and his deliveries combines whip, dip and pace – three elements which drive defenders insane. If he can improve on his accuracy, then he could be the best dead ball specialist in Australia. Lastly, he’s ambidextrous.
But while his free kicks and corners have made the headlines, he also has several other elements to his game which pleasantly surprised me. The guy shows an impressive burst of speed up and down the flank, he defends fairly well considering he’s only played seven A-League games, he displays a good football brain with his movement off the ball, and most importantly he’s got a bit of flair, willing to back his dribbling and take on defenders (the guy has a double step over!!). And did I mention he was ambidextrous?! This trait alone allows him to play in four positions (on the wing, and wing back on both sides of the pitch), giving Sydney more versatility.
And has anyone seen him in post match interviews? He’s fantastic. While definitely not charismatic, he's laid back and seems really genuine in everything he says, and he seems very likeable. FC has not had anyone like him since Dave Carney left, and Sydney could do a lot worse than to keep unearthing youngsters like Cole.
Cole was this week selected in the preliminary 35 man Socceroo squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Qatar. I think it’s a smart move from Pim Verbeek. Even if he doesn’t play Cole, having him in the squad will give him a shot of confidence, and will hopefully encourage Cole to put more efforts into improving his game. If we take the aging Scott Chipperfield out of the equation, Cole’s main rivals in the national team will be Brett Emerton and Carney for the wingback roles, and given a few more years of experience, I think he has the potential to definitely challenge them for their positions.
Cole just signed an improved contract with Sydney this week, and hopefully he will see it out before he sets off overseas. A few years in the A-League establishing himself would be beneficial, after all, his professional football career is currently still just at seven games. Rushing off to Europe too early might have a negative impact on his game.
So far, all things are pointing up for him, hopefully it continues this way. Shannon Cole, go you good thing.
He first caught the eye thanks to his dead ball abilities, and they are all justified. Firstly, he’s truly ambidextrous, which is such a limited commodity in modern football. Secondly, he strikes the ball cleanly (you’d be surprised how many professional footballers don’t have the correct technique in striking a football), and his deliveries combines whip, dip and pace – three elements which drive defenders insane. If he can improve on his accuracy, then he could be the best dead ball specialist in Australia. Lastly, he’s ambidextrous.
But while his free kicks and corners have made the headlines, he also has several other elements to his game which pleasantly surprised me. The guy shows an impressive burst of speed up and down the flank, he defends fairly well considering he’s only played seven A-League games, he displays a good football brain with his movement off the ball, and most importantly he’s got a bit of flair, willing to back his dribbling and take on defenders (the guy has a double step over!!). And did I mention he was ambidextrous?! This trait alone allows him to play in four positions (on the wing, and wing back on both sides of the pitch), giving Sydney more versatility.
And has anyone seen him in post match interviews? He’s fantastic. While definitely not charismatic, he's laid back and seems really genuine in everything he says, and he seems very likeable. FC has not had anyone like him since Dave Carney left, and Sydney could do a lot worse than to keep unearthing youngsters like Cole.
Cole was this week selected in the preliminary 35 man Socceroo squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Qatar. I think it’s a smart move from Pim Verbeek. Even if he doesn’t play Cole, having him in the squad will give him a shot of confidence, and will hopefully encourage Cole to put more efforts into improving his game. If we take the aging Scott Chipperfield out of the equation, Cole’s main rivals in the national team will be Brett Emerton and Carney for the wingback roles, and given a few more years of experience, I think he has the potential to definitely challenge them for their positions.
Cole just signed an improved contract with Sydney this week, and hopefully he will see it out before he sets off overseas. A few years in the A-League establishing himself would be beneficial, after all, his professional football career is currently still just at seven games. Rushing off to Europe too early might have a negative impact on his game.
So far, all things are pointing up for him, hopefully it continues this way. Shannon Cole, go you good thing.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The Stupid Continues
In Sydney it’s FC till I die, but over in England my team is undoubtedly the claret and blue of Villa. Villa? Why Villa? Before you jump on your high horse and have a go at me for not supporting one of the Big Four, for pretending to be indie, let me explain.
I started watching football when I was a little kid. During the ’90 World Cup in Italy, the first World Cup I watched, the amazing charge by the Brits into the semi finals was the highlight for me. Leading the way for them was a young striker by the name of David Platt. He banged in goals, I liked the way he played, and he was playing for Villa at the time, so I started following Villa. Simple.
Being a Villa fan doesn’t amount to much in life. You’re always stuck in a rut of mediocrity. I’ve endured season after season of “maybes” and “nearly theres,” although joy had been sporadically tasted with our League Cup win in ’96 and the several lofty months in '97/98 when we sat upon the top of the League ladder – at Christmas!
But after two decades of mid table finishes and relegation dogfights, I was glad to hear that there would be a takeover in 2006. The old regime had become stale, there needed to be an injection of new energy and excitement. The takeover group – led by Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner – promised cash for transfers and gave total freedom to the manager.
Last season we finished sixth, despite having a paper thin squad. This offseason, the owner pumped money into our war chest and the manager spent over 40 million pounds on new players. Here we come Big Four, look over your shoulders, the Villans are coming to knock you off your collars up wankers club.
However, just when I thought we were on the cusp of breaking into the elite Big Four, Man City happens. Their endless supply of funds suddenly makes us look like a weekend amateur club. While we consider Jamie Milner our prized purchase this summer (not exactly cheap at 12 million pounds), City throws a lazy 32 million pounds at Real for Robinho. While we're looking for a striker, and getting giddy at the whispers of Madrid reject Javier Saviola arriving on loan, they’re coming out and proudly declaring that come January Ronaldo and Fernando Torres will join Robinho in their front line, regardless of cost.
Villa simply can’t compete with that. And the sad thing is that City is just a spur of the moment plaything for the Abu Dahbi group. From their proposed transfer targets, it clear that they do not have a football brain. They have no concept of how to win football matches, they just want to sell replica shirts and get TV rights. Someone needs to tell them that you don’t win jack with eleven strikers, regardless of how high profile they might be, on the field.
Money can’t buy everything, this was shown when Dimitar Berbatov rejected City’s millions and chose to join rival Manchester United instead. This was supported by comments by Ronaldo, Gianluigi Buffon, Kaka and Cesc Fabregas, who have come out and said that no amount of money would make them play for City. It’s good to see that in this age of Robinho’s, there is some decency left in the footballing world. These guys, like many other top guys, need to challenge for trophies and play for clubs with prestige and history. City doesn’t offer that, and once the owners realise that they can’t turn mediocrity into champions overnight, they’ll get tired and leave.
But where would that leave City? I’m sure between now and then they’ll spend heaps more cash. They won’t get all the transfer targets they want, but they’ll definitely end up with some of them, which would obviously improve their squad. But these guys will come with massive contracts, amounts which cannot be sustained once the oil barons pull their plug. It’s all fine and dandy to pay a benchwarmer 50,000 pounds a week when you’ve got the money, but once the owners leave and you have to sustain an overpaid squad on just stadium intakes and advertisements, it’s going to be tough. Signing big name players to long-term, oversized contracts can lead to disaster, just ask Leeds fans.
Reports this morning are that Newcastle are about to be bailed out by some oil barons. The long suffering Geordies are about to be injected with the ecstasy of their very own sugar daddy. In what looks to be another short term investment, Newcastle are about to sell their soul (admittedly the fans have no say in the matter) and succumb to the modern business that is the Premier League. This must be a bittersweet pill for the fans to swallow, as they know that although the incredible money will transform them into the elite overnight, it is against everything that this proud club is built on.
What will that mean for Villa? One step forward, two steps back unfortunately. We’ll just have to weather the storm, pray that these rich Arabs get sick of their toy and leave.
Or maybe we’ll get taken over as well.
I started watching football when I was a little kid. During the ’90 World Cup in Italy, the first World Cup I watched, the amazing charge by the Brits into the semi finals was the highlight for me. Leading the way for them was a young striker by the name of David Platt. He banged in goals, I liked the way he played, and he was playing for Villa at the time, so I started following Villa. Simple.
Being a Villa fan doesn’t amount to much in life. You’re always stuck in a rut of mediocrity. I’ve endured season after season of “maybes” and “nearly theres,” although joy had been sporadically tasted with our League Cup win in ’96 and the several lofty months in '97/98 when we sat upon the top of the League ladder – at Christmas!
But after two decades of mid table finishes and relegation dogfights, I was glad to hear that there would be a takeover in 2006. The old regime had become stale, there needed to be an injection of new energy and excitement. The takeover group – led by Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner – promised cash for transfers and gave total freedom to the manager.
Last season we finished sixth, despite having a paper thin squad. This offseason, the owner pumped money into our war chest and the manager spent over 40 million pounds on new players. Here we come Big Four, look over your shoulders, the Villans are coming to knock you off your collars up wankers club.
However, just when I thought we were on the cusp of breaking into the elite Big Four, Man City happens. Their endless supply of funds suddenly makes us look like a weekend amateur club. While we consider Jamie Milner our prized purchase this summer (not exactly cheap at 12 million pounds), City throws a lazy 32 million pounds at Real for Robinho. While we're looking for a striker, and getting giddy at the whispers of Madrid reject Javier Saviola arriving on loan, they’re coming out and proudly declaring that come January Ronaldo and Fernando Torres will join Robinho in their front line, regardless of cost.
Villa simply can’t compete with that. And the sad thing is that City is just a spur of the moment plaything for the Abu Dahbi group. From their proposed transfer targets, it clear that they do not have a football brain. They have no concept of how to win football matches, they just want to sell replica shirts and get TV rights. Someone needs to tell them that you don’t win jack with eleven strikers, regardless of how high profile they might be, on the field.
Money can’t buy everything, this was shown when Dimitar Berbatov rejected City’s millions and chose to join rival Manchester United instead. This was supported by comments by Ronaldo, Gianluigi Buffon, Kaka and Cesc Fabregas, who have come out and said that no amount of money would make them play for City. It’s good to see that in this age of Robinho’s, there is some decency left in the footballing world. These guys, like many other top guys, need to challenge for trophies and play for clubs with prestige and history. City doesn’t offer that, and once the owners realise that they can’t turn mediocrity into champions overnight, they’ll get tired and leave.
But where would that leave City? I’m sure between now and then they’ll spend heaps more cash. They won’t get all the transfer targets they want, but they’ll definitely end up with some of them, which would obviously improve their squad. But these guys will come with massive contracts, amounts which cannot be sustained once the oil barons pull their plug. It’s all fine and dandy to pay a benchwarmer 50,000 pounds a week when you’ve got the money, but once the owners leave and you have to sustain an overpaid squad on just stadium intakes and advertisements, it’s going to be tough. Signing big name players to long-term, oversized contracts can lead to disaster, just ask Leeds fans.
Reports this morning are that Newcastle are about to be bailed out by some oil barons. The long suffering Geordies are about to be injected with the ecstasy of their very own sugar daddy. In what looks to be another short term investment, Newcastle are about to sell their soul (admittedly the fans have no say in the matter) and succumb to the modern business that is the Premier League. This must be a bittersweet pill for the fans to swallow, as they know that although the incredible money will transform them into the elite overnight, it is against everything that this proud club is built on.
What will that mean for Villa? One step forward, two steps back unfortunately. We’ll just have to weather the storm, pray that these rich Arabs get sick of their toy and leave.
Or maybe we’ll get taken over as well.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Robinho scores... for the right team... I think
Anyone watch the Man City-Chelsea game last night (or early this morning)? Although my football brain told me that despite Robinho’s capture it was still going to be a no contest, it still intrigued me to see how the match would unfold, as they could potentially be the two biggest clubs in England, financially anyway, in the near future.
And what a funny game it was. The star attraction was of course the rubber legged Robinho, and he didn’t disappoint. Or course, I’m not talking about his on field performance, I wasn’t expecting much out of someone who just joined the team last week. He still has some way to go till he justifies his British record 32 million pound transfer fee. I was more interested in whether or not he can make more of a fool of himself.
In this age of mercenary footballers, I think Robbie takes the prize. Despite having a fantastic year on the pitch last season, feelings were soured when former employers Real Madrid stepped up their pursuit of Ronaldo over the summer. Taking this as a personal dig at him, Robinho moaned and whinged all summer, telling everyone – especially Roman Abramovich – that his dream was to be reunited with former Brazil and current Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari. He even went as far as to hold a personal conference reminding everyone of his desire to leave, just minutes prior to Madrid’s season opener - a game which he was meant to be in the starting eleven for!
Needless to say, his actions forced his departure from the Spanish champions, but City threw a spanner in the works when the Abu Dahbi group took them over and within hours had tabled a record bid for the Brazilian. This caught Chelsea off guard, and gave City the chance to throw absurd amounts of money, rumoured to be in the region of 200,000 pounds per week, at Robinho to make him the first piece of their very, very expensive puzzle.
It's funny how a truckload of money can make you change your mind, suddenly the Chelsea dream doesn't look rich enough. When answering questions in a mid week press conference, Robinho nonchalantly commented on how lucky it was that Chelsea came in with a last minute bid for him. When a journo asks him if he meant City and not Chelsea, Robinho merely shrugs in a "Chelsea? City? Whatever…" sort of way.
That being said, it only took him 12 minutes to score his first Premier League goal, even if it was off a deflection. But his celebrations was what really fired me up, when he started kissing his badge… Three days ago he didn’t even remember which team he was playing for, and now he’s kissing the team badge?! Please show some respect. The badge kissing celebration is saved for those who actually love the club that they play for, who are willing to bleed and die for the colours. It makes sense when someone like John Terry kisses his badge, he’s been at Stamford Bridge since the youth team. He’s earned the right. Robinho kissing the badge is an insult to the notion of loyalty. Or maybe he was kissing it because he's getting royalties off every #10 City replica shirt sold.
But perhaps the biggest enigma of the game was when Robbie swapped shirts with Chelsea playmaker Deco… at half time?! Not really sure what that was about, the only reason I could think of was that he really, really wanted to wear a Chelsea shirt.
Well, at least he can afford to go buy one.
And what a funny game it was. The star attraction was of course the rubber legged Robinho, and he didn’t disappoint. Or course, I’m not talking about his on field performance, I wasn’t expecting much out of someone who just joined the team last week. He still has some way to go till he justifies his British record 32 million pound transfer fee. I was more interested in whether or not he can make more of a fool of himself.
In this age of mercenary footballers, I think Robbie takes the prize. Despite having a fantastic year on the pitch last season, feelings were soured when former employers Real Madrid stepped up their pursuit of Ronaldo over the summer. Taking this as a personal dig at him, Robinho moaned and whinged all summer, telling everyone – especially Roman Abramovich – that his dream was to be reunited with former Brazil and current Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari. He even went as far as to hold a personal conference reminding everyone of his desire to leave, just minutes prior to Madrid’s season opener - a game which he was meant to be in the starting eleven for!
Needless to say, his actions forced his departure from the Spanish champions, but City threw a spanner in the works when the Abu Dahbi group took them over and within hours had tabled a record bid for the Brazilian. This caught Chelsea off guard, and gave City the chance to throw absurd amounts of money, rumoured to be in the region of 200,000 pounds per week, at Robinho to make him the first piece of their very, very expensive puzzle.
It's funny how a truckload of money can make you change your mind, suddenly the Chelsea dream doesn't look rich enough. When answering questions in a mid week press conference, Robinho nonchalantly commented on how lucky it was that Chelsea came in with a last minute bid for him. When a journo asks him if he meant City and not Chelsea, Robinho merely shrugs in a "Chelsea? City? Whatever…" sort of way.
That being said, it only took him 12 minutes to score his first Premier League goal, even if it was off a deflection. But his celebrations was what really fired me up, when he started kissing his badge… Three days ago he didn’t even remember which team he was playing for, and now he’s kissing the team badge?! Please show some respect. The badge kissing celebration is saved for those who actually love the club that they play for, who are willing to bleed and die for the colours. It makes sense when someone like John Terry kisses his badge, he’s been at Stamford Bridge since the youth team. He’s earned the right. Robinho kissing the badge is an insult to the notion of loyalty. Or maybe he was kissing it because he's getting royalties off every #10 City replica shirt sold.
But perhaps the biggest enigma of the game was when Robbie swapped shirts with Chelsea playmaker Deco… at half time?! Not really sure what that was about, the only reason I could think of was that he really, really wanted to wear a Chelsea shirt.
Well, at least he can afford to go buy one.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Socceroos' Battling Win
If a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, then the Socceroos kick started the second stage of the Asian World Cup qualifying campaign with a skip hop and jump after their gutsy 1-0 win over Uzbekistan in Tashkent overnight.
Having not lost at home in a World Cup qualifier in over 18 matches, the Uzbeks were expected to be a tricky hurdle for the Socceroos. However, a wonderful first half and a rugged defensive display in the second saw the Socceroos emerge with three vital points over their disappointing rivals.
Australia coach Pim Verbeek made several changes to the side which surprised the Netherlands over the weekend. While eyebrows were raised at the exclusion of Josh Kennedy from the starting eleven, the loss of Jason Culina was forced upon him as the midfielder fell victim to a stomach bug just hours prior to kickoff. However, it was another of his changes which grabbed the limelight, when Scott Chipperfield rose high to nod home a Luke Wiltshire cross which gave the Socceroos the lead midway through the first half.
The goal shocked the home side, who up till then had adopted a defensive approach to the game, despite the boisterous encouragement of the 35,000 strong sold out crowd in the Pakhtakor Markaziy Stadium.
Mark Bresciano had a glorious chance to seal the points for Australia right on half time, after good lead up play from Harry Kewell saw him go one on one with the Uzbek keeper. Fortunately for the home side his left footed drive was wide of the target.
The Uzbeks showed their potential early in the second half as they came out and attacked the Socceroos with intent. The Socceroos had to endure wave after wave of Uzbek pressure, with Wiltshire having to clear off the line after a long range effort from Jasur Hasanov found its way through the crowded penalty box.
But Verbeek would have been delighted with his team’s defensive commitment. Lead brilliantly by Lucas Neill, the Socceroos weathered the storm and played themselves back into the match.
The heat and the high tempo of the second half took its toll on the players, and the game slowed right down for the final fifteen minutes, allowing Socceroos fans to breathe a huge sigh of relief.
Uzbek coach Rauf Inileev will now feel the weight of the nation on his shoulders as he tries to re-energise his team for the next round of qualifiers. Having already suffered a shock 3-0 loss to Qatar prior to this game, his team now travels to Japan without a single point. Another negative result there would surely mean the end of the road for the Uzbeks.
Conversely, Verbeek should feel proud of his team’s efforts, as they negated the so-called dark horse of the group with success. Another positive for the Socceroos was that they have achieved this result without several key players. With the likes of Vinnie Grella, Tim Cahill and Culina due back for the forthcoming match against Qatar, Australia are in a strong position to take the next step in the road to qualifying for South Africa 2010.
Having not lost at home in a World Cup qualifier in over 18 matches, the Uzbeks were expected to be a tricky hurdle for the Socceroos. However, a wonderful first half and a rugged defensive display in the second saw the Socceroos emerge with three vital points over their disappointing rivals.
Australia coach Pim Verbeek made several changes to the side which surprised the Netherlands over the weekend. While eyebrows were raised at the exclusion of Josh Kennedy from the starting eleven, the loss of Jason Culina was forced upon him as the midfielder fell victim to a stomach bug just hours prior to kickoff. However, it was another of his changes which grabbed the limelight, when Scott Chipperfield rose high to nod home a Luke Wiltshire cross which gave the Socceroos the lead midway through the first half.
The goal shocked the home side, who up till then had adopted a defensive approach to the game, despite the boisterous encouragement of the 35,000 strong sold out crowd in the Pakhtakor Markaziy Stadium.
Mark Bresciano had a glorious chance to seal the points for Australia right on half time, after good lead up play from Harry Kewell saw him go one on one with the Uzbek keeper. Fortunately for the home side his left footed drive was wide of the target.
The Uzbeks showed their potential early in the second half as they came out and attacked the Socceroos with intent. The Socceroos had to endure wave after wave of Uzbek pressure, with Wiltshire having to clear off the line after a long range effort from Jasur Hasanov found its way through the crowded penalty box.
But Verbeek would have been delighted with his team’s defensive commitment. Lead brilliantly by Lucas Neill, the Socceroos weathered the storm and played themselves back into the match.
The heat and the high tempo of the second half took its toll on the players, and the game slowed right down for the final fifteen minutes, allowing Socceroos fans to breathe a huge sigh of relief.
Uzbek coach Rauf Inileev will now feel the weight of the nation on his shoulders as he tries to re-energise his team for the next round of qualifiers. Having already suffered a shock 3-0 loss to Qatar prior to this game, his team now travels to Japan without a single point. Another negative result there would surely mean the end of the road for the Uzbeks.
Conversely, Verbeek should feel proud of his team’s efforts, as they negated the so-called dark horse of the group with success. Another positive for the Socceroos was that they have achieved this result without several key players. With the likes of Vinnie Grella, Tim Cahill and Culina due back for the forthcoming match against Qatar, Australia are in a strong position to take the next step in the road to qualifying for South Africa 2010.
Blog Reviews
1 - "Half Time Orange" by Jesse Fink from http://www.theworldgame.com.au/
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/blogs/halftimeorange/
I'm a bit of a football fan and Fink's blog hits all the right notes.
Fink is based in Sydney and has an impressive CV, with previous roles including the former deputy editor of Inside Sports magazine, as well as gigs for FourFourTwo magazine and Foxsports.
Fink obviously has extensive knowledge on the game, and his blogs are a no holds bar approach to his opinions. If he thinks there is an issue which needs to be raised, he will no pull punches and attack whoever he feels is in the wrong, with Graham Arnold (deservedly) copping a bashing during the Olympics.
His blogs are usually humorous and sarcastic, while also providing important points of discussion.
He blogs regularly, usually twice a week, and most of his topics are interesting and are a fun read.
As can be seen from the high number of comments on his blogs, Fink has a wide audience and his semi-controversial topics draws a lot of debate, which he sometimes engages in as well.
2 - The football blog from http://www.thedailytelegraph.com.au/
http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/soccer/
This blog has had several authors, but the main writer for the past year or so is known as From the Horsey's Mouth. Similar to the Fink blog, the Horsey's blog covers major issues of football, predominantly concentrating on issues related to Australian football.
He takes a bit more of a candid approach than Fink does, and therefore I don't' take his blog as seriously as Fink's. That's not to say I don't enjoy it, but I just view it from a different angle.
Unlike Fink, the Horsey doesn't get too many people replying to his blogs (usually around 15-20 per post) and he tends to reply to comments a lot.
He posts fairly regularly, usually once a week during the season.
I like Fink's blog better because the Horesy is a Graham Arnold supporter.
3 - Jason Dasey for ESPN
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/archive?columnist=74&root=global&cc=3436
My favourite football blogger is Jason Dasey, who is the Australian writer for ESPN Soccernet.
In the past he has been a successful broadcaster for several sports related channels. Dasey's main medium is TV, although he has also held opinion columns for several papers. While he has covered a lot of football for Soccernet and Sportscentre, he also covers a variety of other sports.
He's blogs appear regularly on Soccernet, and unlike The Half Time Orange and From the Horsey's Mouth, Dasey takes a serious approach to his writing. He has an air of professionalism about him, and the reader can easily feel that he comes from a proper journalist background, unlike the other two, who can come across as just fans blogging. He manages to get big name interviews regularly, and I usually agree with most of his discussions.
Again he posts regularly, usually once a week, although he rarely draws comments, possibly because Soccernet's target audience are fans of European football.
He also has his own website, http://www.jasondasey.com/
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/blogs/halftimeorange/
I'm a bit of a football fan and Fink's blog hits all the right notes.
Fink is based in Sydney and has an impressive CV, with previous roles including the former deputy editor of Inside Sports magazine, as well as gigs for FourFourTwo magazine and Foxsports.
Fink obviously has extensive knowledge on the game, and his blogs are a no holds bar approach to his opinions. If he thinks there is an issue which needs to be raised, he will no pull punches and attack whoever he feels is in the wrong, with Graham Arnold (deservedly) copping a bashing during the Olympics.
His blogs are usually humorous and sarcastic, while also providing important points of discussion.
He blogs regularly, usually twice a week, and most of his topics are interesting and are a fun read.
As can be seen from the high number of comments on his blogs, Fink has a wide audience and his semi-controversial topics draws a lot of debate, which he sometimes engages in as well.
2 - The football blog from http://www.thedailytelegraph.com.au/
http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/soccer/
This blog has had several authors, but the main writer for the past year or so is known as From the Horsey's Mouth. Similar to the Fink blog, the Horsey's blog covers major issues of football, predominantly concentrating on issues related to Australian football.
He takes a bit more of a candid approach than Fink does, and therefore I don't' take his blog as seriously as Fink's. That's not to say I don't enjoy it, but I just view it from a different angle.
Unlike Fink, the Horsey doesn't get too many people replying to his blogs (usually around 15-20 per post) and he tends to reply to comments a lot.
He posts fairly regularly, usually once a week during the season.
I like Fink's blog better because the Horesy is a Graham Arnold supporter.
3 - Jason Dasey for ESPN
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/archive?columnist=74&root=global&cc=3436
My favourite football blogger is Jason Dasey, who is the Australian writer for ESPN Soccernet.
In the past he has been a successful broadcaster for several sports related channels. Dasey's main medium is TV, although he has also held opinion columns for several papers. While he has covered a lot of football for Soccernet and Sportscentre, he also covers a variety of other sports.
He's blogs appear regularly on Soccernet, and unlike The Half Time Orange and From the Horsey's Mouth, Dasey takes a serious approach to his writing. He has an air of professionalism about him, and the reader can easily feel that he comes from a proper journalist background, unlike the other two, who can come across as just fans blogging. He manages to get big name interviews regularly, and I usually agree with most of his discussions.
Again he posts regularly, usually once a week, although he rarely draws comments, possibly because Soccernet's target audience are fans of European football.
He also has his own website, http://www.jasondasey.com/
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