Talking Balls?

Wednesday’s treble tip

2011-12-21T12:13:00.000-08:00

You’ve got to love this time of year - logs on the fire, gifts under the tree and, of course, Premier League football in abundance. The day the Football Association introduce a winter break is the day they kill Christmas for millions. However, as it stands, the show rolls on and Wednesday’s full programme is merely a teaser for what’s in store next week. We’ve not forgotten Serie A either, as this Wednesday’s treble tip intakes three of Europe’s elite clubs, culminating in a 7.5/1 treble shout.

Arsenal’s Robin van Persie to score any time verses Aston Villa @ 1/1

From the rate at which Robin van Persie is scoring goals of late, you’d have forgiven the bookmakers for suspending odds on the Dutchman finding the net at any time against Aston Villa on Wednesday. The Arsenal captain may have failed to get off the mark in defeat to Manchester City last time out, but super-motivated van Persie needs just one goal to equal a club record previously set by Gunners legend Thierry Henry.

A strike at Villa Park would take the 28-year-old to 34 goals in the calendar year of 2011, a feat achieved by the aforementioned Frenchman in 2004, and Alex McLeish’s side are not shaping up to be the side that stops van Persie from writing his name in the history books.

Contrary to van Persie, Villa are far from firing on all cylinders, failing to net in four of their last five league outings. Furthermore, their home record is beginning to deteriorate, with Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool their third defeat in four on home soil. With an average of a goal every 0.85 games this year, back RVP to do what he does best at a fair price of 1/1.

Liverpool’s Luis Suarez to score any time verses Wigan @ 4/5

For all the wrong reasons, Luis Suarez was the most prominent name on the back of this morning’s sports pages, but the Uruguayan’s imminent eight-game ban will not come into affect until Liverpool decide whether or not they will use their right to appeal his recent punishment.

With a ban likely to be upheld in any case, the Reds will not refrain from using Suarez while they still can at Wigan on Wednesday and the livewire forward will be more determined than ever to showcase his capabilities on the field of play, regardless of his tarnished reputation.

Love him or loathe him, there’s no denying the 24-year-old’s classy style of play, and his cool close control means no other player has taken as many touches inside an opponent’s penalty area. From that, Suarez has produced more shots at goal than any other player this season, although with just five league goals his conversion rate leaves a lot to be desired.

Suarez and Liverpool as a team have struck the woodwork more times than anyone in the division this term, but back the former Ajax man to see off a difficult few months with a goal at the DW Stadium with Bwin’s price of 5/4 with.

Udinese’s Antonio Di Natale to score any time verses Juventus @ 11/10

With Serie A about to hibernate for the winter after Wednesday’s Round 16, it seems only fair to flirt with odds in Italy’s top division, and what better fixture than second verses third at Stadio Friuli.

Unbeaten Juventus surrendered top spot to AC Milan on Tuesday night, so the timing of their trip to sturdy Udinese could not be worse and may prove a character-building experience for Antonio Conte’s men.

Although yet to be beaten, the Turin giants have drawn their last two away games, while drawing four of the last six trips away from home. In Udinese they face the only side in the division with a 100 per cent home record, and for that they owe a great deal to star man Antonio Di Natale.

The Italy international has notched up 10 league goals thus far – only Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Atalanta’s Germán Denis have scored more – with two of those strikes coming from the penalty spot. Juventus have a knack for conceding penalties and expert shot-stopper Gianluigi Buffon has spared their blushes on a number of occasions this season.

The two best defences in the division may cancel each other out, but if anyone can break the deadlock, Di Natale can. Back him to net any time during the game at 11/10.

Betting preview Estonia v Republic of Ireland

2011-11-10T16:33:00.000-08:00

For once, the Republic of Ireland head into a play-off for a place in a major international tournament as favourites to qualify from the two-legged battle, but in Estonia they face a team ranked 34 places below them.

That is not to say that the Estonians are without their charm, however, as they duly showed in beating Northern Ireland home and away en-route to their second-place finish in Qualifying Group C.

Indeed, six of Estonia’s 15 group goals came against Nigel Worthington’s men, but only Montenegro have produced a weaker goal difference of the other teams to have reached the play-off stage.

Tarmo Rüütli’s side have it all to do if they’re to break down a resilient Republic defence, which has conceded just one goal in their last 861 minutes of play in what has been a sturdy 2011.

The Republic, who have not qualified for the tournament since 1988, are on a nine-game unbeaten run while their counterparts are without a draw each of their last nine encounters, registering three wins but losing six times in the process.

None of the play-off qualifiers conceded more group goals than Estonia but, normally blessed with a wealth of talent up front, Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni faces an unfamiliar striker crisis with Kevin Doyle serving a suspension and Shane Long out injured.

The Italian was hoping to call on Newcastle’s in-form forward Leon Best, only for the 25-year-old to pull out of the squad as his wife prepares for labour. That leaves inexperienced duo Jon Walters and Simon Cox to fight for the right to partner veteran Robbie Keane in Ireland’s attack.

However, captain Keane’s form in a green shirt has dipped in his twilight years and he has enjoyed little game time with either of his prospective partners, leading one to believe that goals will also be hard to come by for the visitors.

I’m expecting a 0-0 draw on the night, and Bwin offer intriguing odds of 11/2 for that outcome, but by taking up the same odds on ‘No Goals Scored’ you protect yourself from a potentially decisive own goal.

In Bed With Maradona - The Home Of World Football - JOURNAL - CONFESSIONS OF AN ARMCHAIR SUPPORTER

2011-09-09T10:29:00.000-07:00

In Bed With Maradona - The Home Of World Football - JOURNAL - CONFESSIONS OF AN ARMCHAIR SUPPORTER

Aquilani & Meireles departures leave Liverpool looking light in midfield

2011-09-06T06:05:00.000-07:00

Amidst the mayhem and the madness of transfer deadline day, a potentially season-defining move somewhat escaped the sensationalism that so often accompanies the countdown.

The late double arrival of Mikel Arteta and Yossi Benayoun at the Emirates took centre stage, but little was made of Raul Meireles’ £12million move from Liverpool to Stamford Bridge, with the attention largely focused on Arsenal’s much-needed last-minute activity.

Yet Reds supporters up and down the country took to the message boards and social media websites to vent their disappointment with the club for letting go of the player they helped win the PFA Fans' Player of the Year last season - and they have a case.

All eyes have been placed on high-profile incomings at Anfield this summer, with manager Kenny Dalglish and director of football Damien Comolli very much under the spotlight after forking out substantial fees on British talent. But what of the foreign outgoings?

A week prior to the Premier League kick-off, Liverpool’s strength in depth in midfield was looking particularly impressive, with last season’s stand-out performers – Lucas Leiva and Meireles – looking over their shoulders at the returning Alberto Aquilani and new-boys Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson. The competition looked healthy and promised to keep those involved on their toes.

But three games in and Aquilani, arguably the club’s best performer in pre-season, has been shipped out to AC Milan, Meireles has added to the Portuguese connection at Chelsea, while even the well-received departure of Christian Poulson leaves Liverpool’s midfield lacking that depth in the centre that they looked to have been working so hard to establish.

Meireles had been linked with a move away all summer, but Chelsea’s interest only became apparent on August 31^st. Surely, if Liverpool were always planning to cash in on the 28-year-old, they should have done so much earlier in the summer when genuine interest from Juventus would have offered better business than handing a rival one of their key performers of last season.

The sale also unearths the logic in loaning Aquilani to Milan. If the Italy international is good enough as a squad player for the Italian champions, then there must have been a place for him in the Liverpool squad.

I hope I’m wrong, but I’m predicting come January 2012 Liverpool will be regretting not keeping hold of at least one of the two.

Mourinho unworthy of Man U role

2011-08-19T05:43:00.001-07:00

Charming, witty and successful, Jose Mourinho has been perceived as a modern day Brian Clough with a European tan. But while Old Big ‘ead’s legacy is generally met with widespread fondness, the Portuguese pretender is steering his in the opposite direction.

Mourinho didn’t leave English football without learning a thing or two from Alex Ferguson. Not many Premier League managers do, to be fair, but the Real Madrid manager has taken some of the Scot’s effective methods, and brought them to a new, if unethical, level.

Ferguson is, of course, the master of deflecting media attention away from his side and onto himself when Manchester United come under a rare bout of off-field pressure. He’s been doing it for years and everyone knows his game - yet it still works.

The Scot has always been aware of the power of the post-match interview, knowing that all it takes is a few inappropriate words and an affordable fine to deter eyes and words from an underperforming side and onto himself.

Simple and manipulative - but effective - it has served his club well down his near 25-year spell as manager of Manchester United. Mourinho, touted as a candidate to take over at the club when Ferguson retires, has shown a similarity of the Scot in his handling of the media, though perhaps takes a less elegant attitude.

“Alex was clever putting pressure on the ref at half-time," said Mourinho of Ferguson after their 2005 meeting in the Carling Cup, for which he was handed at £5000 fine. Whether his accusation was true or not, the then Chelsea boss couldn’t help but learn.

He took the approach to new heights (depths if you prefer) in Italy with Inter, where constant verbal attacks on referees, opposition and the media themselves made him public enemy number one, a tag he appears to relish.

But for all Mourinho took from the English game, he left without something he entered it with – discipline. Not so much self-discipline, which has always been problematic even before he gauged a finger in the eye of Barcelona assistant Tito Vilanova's during Wednesday night’s El Classico, but the discipline he installed in his Chelsea side during that triumphant first season in the Premier League.

In winning the 2004-05 title, the Blues became only the second team to win the Premier League without receiving a single red card, Ferguson’s United being the other in 1992-93 – the first season of the revamped top flight.

Indeed, John Terry was Chelsea’s most booked player with just seven cautions, an impressive feat for a hard-hitting centre-half. In addition, 25 clean sheets came about via sound organisation and disciplined defender adhering to Mourinho’s knowledgeable tactics.

However, somewhere down the line, Mourinho has lost that control he once commanded over his players, and Wednesday night’s touchline incident was a blatant plot to direct criticism towards his behaviour, rather than his inability to cope with the brilliance of Barcelona.

More to follow....

Delap could catapult Irish to Euro 2012

2010-10-05T12:57:00.000-07:00

David Moyes has nicknamed him the “Human Sling,” Martin O’Neill has said his speciality is better than a corner kick, even Luiz Felipe Scolari once suggested he plays better football with his hands than his feet, so why hasn’t Rory Delap’s trademark throw-in earned him a re-call to the Republic of Ireland squad?

The Stoke City midfielder has caused a stir in the Premier League in the last three seasons, with his unique talent being the downfall of some of the best sides in the country. Just one Potters goal so far this season has been fashioned by a long throw courtesy of Delap - Kenwyne Jones against Fulham in the Carling Cup - but search for his name in any of Stoke’s recent match reports and the chaos he causes in opposition territory is still very much evident.

The Republic’s average of just over a goal a game in their last six outings highlights Giovanni Trapattoni’s creativity problems ahead of their remaining qualifying fixtures for Euro 2012. When captain Robbie Keane and creative partner in crime Damien Duff go missing, the Irish look flat in attack.

“Maybe it's not beautiful football but it's effective” claimed former Chelsea boss Scolari, after the Blues’ 2-0 victory over The Potters in September 2008, nonetheless impressed with Delap’s secret weapon. And with a squad arguably made up of average players, effective football is about all Ireland can wish for at present.

Delap, who qualifies to play for the Republic through his parents, has not been included in an Irish squad since 2004 against Poland. But Trapattoni’s decision to exclude the former schoolboy javelin champion seems even more bizarre than his repeated omission of former Birmingham midfielder Lee Carsley, now at Coventry, during Ireland’s failed attempt to qualify for the 2010 Word Cup.

Not even doubts surrounding Duff’s race against time to face either Russia or Slovakia in the coming week was enough to give the Stoke man a sniff. It’s clear the Republic’s weaknesses lie in midfield, where Glenn Whelan, Keith Andrews and Darren Gibson have struggled to create since Trapattoni’s faith was put in them.

Perhaps Delap’s exclusion is down to the Republic’s lack of height up front, which is somewhat understandable. However, Kevin Doyle is particularly good in the air for a striker under 6 ft while lankly Hull City striker Caleb Folan has not given up hope on his international career just yet.

But what more can Delap do to make Trapattoni take notice? It almost seems as if the Italian is unaware the winger is eligible to play for his side. The Italian needs a player on his bench who can bring a new dimension to an approach when a game plan is out the window. With no disrespect to the fringe players in the current Ireland squad, arguably, only wingers Liam Lawrence and Aiden McGeady have the ability to do just that.

Conceding at home to Andorra last time out [granted, it was a great strike] was a reminder for Trapattoni that this Republic team is still in the third tier of European International football. Perhaps the Italian should re-think his options and make his way to The Britannia Stadium to see the “Human Sling” for himself.

For Delap, all he can do is keep creating mayhem in his opposing Premier League team’s penalty areas and hope to finally earn a re-call.

Naïve Spurs fail to overcome Young Boys

2010-09-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

There was a distinct whiff of arrogance surrounding Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp’s approach to the club’s first ever encounter with the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night.

Shoulders shrugged, the former West Ham boss set himself up for the knockdown beforehand by suggesting “we should beat them, shouldn’t we?” to a room full of the mass media as though it was just another pre-season friendly.

And that’s exactly how the boss went about his preparations for the game, fielding a relatively strong team with no game-plan as though success was a mere formality ahead of a surprise 3-2 defeat to Young Boys Bern on an artificial pitch.

Unfortunately for him, the Swiss side had been planning their strategy from the moment they were paired with the Londoners, while their counterparts relaxed, safe in the apparent knowledge that qualification for the group stages of the competition was assured having avoided the likes of Sampdoria, Ajax and Sevilla.

Their presumptuous attitude mirrored that of Everton’s in 2005 when, after finishing fourth in the Premier League, they had convinced themselves that they would be involved in the main event the following season.

But the Champions League is never easy, no matter how little you think of your opposition, and the Toffees found out the hard way after being paired up with then-emerging Spanish side Villarreal, who duly defeated them both home and away.

Granted, the humorously named Young Boys are not on the same level as the Yellow Submarine of Villarreal were in 2005, but they lost just one game at home all last season – their final fixture of the campaign which cost them the Swiss title in Basle’s favour.

I suspect Redknapp did not do his research. Did he even know there was an Englishman on the opposition’s side disguised with the common Swiss surname of Sutter? Indeed, right-back Scott Sutter was born and bred in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, just 25 miles from ’Arry’s place of birth in Poplar, London.

“We will have to get through otherwise, listening to everybody, we will end up hanging ourselves,” Redknapp joked ahead of the game. Thirty minutes into the match the 63-year-old must have considered calling up the Portsmouth Supporters Club and asking them for the noose they’ve been warming for him since he left the club in turmoil, for the second time, in 2008.

The Swiss hosts fired an early warning against complacency as they struck the post within two minutes of the first whistle. Spurs have never been a team to excel under pressure and they buckled soon after as Senad Lulic handed Young Boys an early lead.

Tottenham and Redknapp looked unfazed, however, as though the goal was just a minor hiccup in their stroll towards the Champions League group stages. But when Henri Bienvenu put the hosts in dreamland in the 13th minute, Redknapp’s nightmare turned into reality with his side two goals down and being completely outplayed by supposed minnows.

Like one of those nightmares when running away seems impossible, Spurs could not escape their exposure and found themselves three down before the half-hour mark as Xavier Hochstrasser fired emphatically past the experienced Gomes in Tottenham’s goal.

“We’ve waited a long time for the chance to play in the Champions League. We’ve got to take it and win. This team has never let me down,” added the boss in the pre-game press conference.

Welcome to the Champions League Harry, even if it is ‘only’ the Swiss Super League runners-up. But his team had still not let him down. He had let them down by failing to properly prepare for one of the biggest games in Tottenham’s history.

The third goal was the one which eventually forced him into managerial action as Tom Huddlestone’s introduction soon after signalled Redknapp’s realisation that his opposition were no mugs and the prospect of failing to qualify was very real.

It was the kick up the backside the boss needed, and he duly reacted with some changes which saw his side claw their way back into the game and once again back as the bookies’ favourite to progress.

Sebastien Bassong pulled one back for the English side, crucially before the break. And Tottenham rode out a late flurry of attacks from their Swiss opponents before Roman Pavlyuchenko thumped in a vital second for Spurs seven minutes from time.

From the position they found themselves with 28 minutes on the clock, the final score of 3-2 in Bern ’s favour almost seemed a good result and Redknapp reminded us exactly why he is in charge of a top side, although he did need his eyes opened by his counterpart Vladimir Petković in the first place.

With two away goals, one would expect the English side to progress after the return leg at White Hart Lane , but for Redknapp, who has barely any European experience on his otherwise vast CV, a vital lesson has been learned, you’d have thought.

Should Rafa quit the day job?

2010-05-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

Five years ago to the day, Rafa Benitez was busy lifting Liverpool's fifth European Cup in his debut season with quite possibly the weakest squad ever to have won the competition. On paper, the likes of Jerzy Dudek, Djimi Traore and Vladimir Smicer should never have caused the likes of Paulo Maldini, Andrea Pirlo and Andriy Shevchenko any problems in Istanbul that night.

But they did. And it is that sole achievement, an incredible one it is too, that is the main reason behind many Liverpool fans’ faith that the ‘Fat Spanish Waiter’ can yet serve up the biggest dish of them all – the Premier League.

Istanbul was supposed to be just the start. Having inherited a wretched squad from Gerard Houllier’s reign, with Xabi Alonso and Luis Garcia the only significant new arrivals, Reds fans were filled with confidence in Benitez after witnessing what he could do with a mediocre bunch.

Half a decade later, one significant title push is all he’s managed, and anyone who tries to defend his record by listing the FA Cup as a major achievement needs to realise that it’s a third-rate tournament that Premier League teams don't really care too much about anymore.

Liverpool’s overall performance over the season just gone was limper than Pele’s penis, which, allegedly, is pretty damn limp. But what hurts twice as much as an early Champions League exit and a 3^rd round FA Cup defeat at home to Football League opposition was the Reds’ unacceptable league form.

What I can’t get my head around is how a team that plays the best football, only loses twice and scores the most goals can finish second in the Premier League, and then proceed that by finishing seventh the following season?! Xabi Alonso’s sale can not be the sole reason. The only logical answer is that the key players have about as much faith in their boss as Albert Riera does. And if the players have no faith, why should supporters?

This isn’t an anti-Benitez blog, incidentally, I just think faith is a massive part of success and right now there isn't a lot of it floating about Anfield, not even Rafa himself has much faith in being able to honour the bumper contract he penned only last year.

Right now it’s looking as though he’ll stay in the hotseat and I don’t object to that (entirely) but it really should be his last if we’re off the pace in the Premier League again come next May.

Winning the Europa League next season would almost be as embarrassing as this season’s semi-final exit to Atletico. The eventual tournament winners are a good side, don’t get me wrong, but that was their first piece of meaningful European silverware since their 1962 Cup Winners’ Cup triumph – Liverpool’s contrasting past suggest we ought to be on a completely different level to Los Colchoneros.

Rafa wants another crack at the league, though, and what is working in his favour is the distinct lack of suitable replacements available should the board urge him out the Shankly Gates. Mourinho, who still thinks his side should have participated in the 2005 Champions League final at Liverpool’s expense, is Bernabeu-bound it seems and even if he was to arrive at Anfield, it would only end in disaster much like David Peace’s perception of Brian Clough’s ill-fated spell in charge of Leeds in The Damned United.

Martin O’Neill appears to have brushed the rumours of his unhappiness at Villa Park aside and I have no doubts he will be there next season. Meanwhile, Guus Hiddink has just taken over Turkey but Louis Van Gaal has surely thrown his hat into the ring after his season with Bayern. However, none of the aforementioned greatly appeal to me other than the unavailable Hiddink.

In fact, of the names linked as possible successors to Benitez, the one which speaks to me most to me is actually the last man to land a league title for the Reds – Kenny Dalglish. Why not? Bring back ‘King Kenny’ to steady the ship while we wait on the availability of the right man to come in and lead the club for 20+ years, whomever that may be.

Classic Football Barnets: Five of The Best (Or Worst?)

2010-01-27T19:02:00.000-08:00

Marouane Fellaini – the big Belgian with the big hair – has been the catalyst behind Everton’s recent return to form, with a string of fine displays making him the focal figure of their rejuvenated side. Despite an early cup exit at the weekend, last year's FA Cup finalists have quietly climbed into the top half of the Premier League table, taking points off Arsenal, Man City and Sunderland alone this month. But what makes Fellaini stand out even more than his formidable displays is his flamboyant doo. The midfielder’s afro is the biggest football has seen since Carlos Valderrama, and the best English football has seen since Kevin Keegan’s playing heyday. Thrust into the limelight whether they like it or not, professional footballers have a knack for being dedicated followers of fashion, but fashion does not always do their credibility any favours. Fellaini’s ‘fro has triggered my bear-soaked memory cells into motion and below are some of the best (or worst?) haircuts the English game has seen over the past few decades. Incidentally, the likes of Djibril Cisse and Paul Scharner have been excluded, largely because attention seeking just isn’t humorous as opposed to an innocently bad barnet.

1. Chris Waddle's Monstrous Mullet

The 80s were gone but the mullets lived on. As England’s nearly men set the dull 1990 World Cup wheels in motion with a scarce attacking style, the only criticism of their viewing could be directed at a number of suspect haircuts. Beardsley, Barnes and Pearce were all guilty of dodgy doos, but the one which will live long in the memory is winger Chris Waddle’s monstrous mullet. England had never seen a bigger mullet until farmer Craig Evans hit the headlines after egging politician John Presco tt in 2001. A popular hairstyle in Germany at the time, where it is known as a ‘vokuhila’, Waddle did not look out of place on the pitch as England faced their old enemies in the semi-final. Sadly for him, with Germans so precise from 12 yards, he did look out of place when stepping up to blaze his shootout penalty over the bar to send his nation crashing out of Italia ’90.

2. Barry Venison - The original Robbie Savage

Having sported one of the worst hairstyles ever seen in an England shirt, Barry Venison has struggled to shrug off his past image even as a TV pundit with a trendy makeover. After being informally demoted from Sky Sports to the dreaded ITV, The former Liverpool and Newcastle defender failed to win over viewers despite offering a better insight to the game than Andy Townsend and Robbie Earl, the latter of which replaced him on the ITV studio panel. Long, wavy, blond and shared with a constant grin, Venison could have been mistaken for the long lost brother of Fun House’s Pat Sharp. Probably the only thing more embarrassing than being replaced by Earl is that Venison’s awful haircut will never truly leave his head. Famed for the phrase "It's just one man's opinion" during his punditry days, I think it’s fair to say that every man’s opinion is that his hair was shit.

3. Jason Lee's 'Pineapple Head'

Despite one decent season in the Premier League, striker Jason ‘Pineapple Head’ Lee has a record which suggests he couldn’t hit a cow’s backside with a banjo. But it’s not his inability to find the net that Lee will always be remembered for, it’s his inability to find a decent hairdresser. With 8 goals in 28 Premier League outings for an over achieving Nottingham Forest in 1994-95, Lee threw himself into the limelight with a decent goal return and an unusual hairstyle. “He’s got a pineapple on his head” sang the terraces with great fondness thanks to cult TV programme Fantasy Football, a chant that can still be heard at grounds to this day with 38-year-old Lee still plying his trade with Conference North side Corby Town.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo's 'Father Damo'

No one could have predicted just how good this extraordinary athlete would become as a footballer, especially not with that barnet he showed up with when he first arrived in Manchester. With strings of bleached blond trickling through his greasy noggin, Ronaldo looked more Father Damo than Portuguese Supremo as he minced about on the wing with pointless step-over after pointless step-over. Six years later, having added an end product to his game and a million pounds of muscle to go with it, The 24-year-old is the most expensive player on the planet and, on current form, probably merits that label. As for his current doo, the string is long gone but the Bernabeu hasn’t seen so much Brylcreem since Jose Antonio Reyes was at the club.

5. Steve 'shaggy' McManaman

Whether he was the sole assist provider in an underachieving Liverpool team, a much-loved super-sub in a star-studded Real Madrid side or the shrewd businessman he is today, ‘Shaggy’ has always stayed loyal to his wavy long locks. McManaman was part of the Liverpool squad nicknamed ‘The Spice Boys’ by the English media during the 90s due to their ‘ladish’ lifestyle off the pitch, which coincided with the ‘girl power’ mania promoted by girl band The Spice Girls. With his scally background and pale, frail build, McManaman was not particularly Sporty, Posh, Scary or indeed Ginger. He was once a Baby, however. But with two Champions League medals during his time in Madrid, ‘El Macca’ is the most decorated Englishman to have played abroad, and while still holding the record number of assists in the history of Liverpool F.C. (somehow still ahead of Steven Gerrard), McManaman and his hair have had some good times. Now an executive director of Carson Yeung’s firm Grandtop International Holdings Ltd, who own Premier League club Birmingham City, Macca feels no need to part ways his lucky trademark locks, and why should he?

As I said, my memory cells have been soaked in beer for some time, so if I’ve missed any obvious ones feel free to post some links below.

My Top 10 Pivotal Sporting Moments of the Decade

2010-01-06T10:06:00.000-08:00

From the death of George Best, to Ireland’s first Six Nations triumph (formerly Five Nations) in 23 years, the ‘noughties’ was a decade equally filled with sporting ecstasy and agony. It was the first decade in my lifetime in which I was old enough to appreciate such happenings from start to finish, and one I can now look back on with great fondness.

Having now entered what promises to be another intriguing decade for sport, it’s time to reflect on some of those significant moments of the previous ten years. For my top ten pivotal sporting moments from 2000-2009, I preferred to focus manly on the more positive incidents which directly effected me, so my patriotic nature has prevailed in some areas, along with my bias opinions as a Liverpool fan – you have been warned.

There are a handful of extraordinary athletes who haven’t made the cut but deserve a name drop at the very least. Speed merchants Lance Arms trong, Michael Schumacher and Usain Bolt, to name but a few, have only been overlooked due to the selfish nature of this feature. The less said about Tiger Woods the better. Whilst I don’t expect anyone to read the entire piece, you may prefer simply to click the youtube link on each number.

1. Jerzey Dudek’s double save from Andrei Shevchenko in Istanbul.

I’ve never been Jerzy Dudek’s biggest advocate, but there’s no doubt he had the psychological edge over Andrei Shevchenko as Liverpool won the European Cup on that memorable night in May 2005. Never mind the winning penalty save, Dudek had foiled the Ukrainian on a number of occasions throughout the 90 minutes and extra time and by the time he stepped up to take his shootout penalty, Shevchenko’s confidence was drained. Hernan Crespo had been the star of the first half with two fine goals, and with his strike partner struggling to find his first European Cup final goal in his second outing, the pressure looked to be getting to Shevchenko. A thumping goal-bound free-kick from the Milan forward at the beginning of the second-half was strongly fisted wide by the Pole, had that gone in it would certainly have been curtains for the Reds. But the one which really rocked Shevchenko was the incredible double save in extra time. It wasn’t a piece of goalkeeping brilliance, just pure instinct. The striker showed instincts of his own but when Dudek got the better of him once again, you sensed it was going to be his night. I wouldn’t have admitted it at the time, but after that double chance went begging, I knew it was fate Liverpool would win the Champions League that night.

Oisin McConville scores the only goal of the 2002 All Ireland Final

Of my top ten sporting moments of the decade, this is the only one which I was lucky enough to witness in person. Croke Park was the venue, the All-Ireland Football Final was the event. Underrated and unfancied, Joe Kernan’s Armagh side of 2002 looked every inch the beaten side many critics predicted they would be before Oisin McConville finally found the back of the net. With the prolific half-forward having missed a first-half penalty, McConville – who scored a total of 230 worth of points in an Armagh shirt – was in danger of souring his legacy before his goal rejuvenated the Orchard county and subsequently cemented his place in their hall of fame.

It was the most successful team in the history of the competition (Kerry) verses a county who were yet to have their name engraved into the famous Sam Maguire trophy (Armagh), and for a large proportion of the game it seemed as though those facts would remain intact.

Four points down at the break, Armagh looked to be struggling to overcome the juggernaut of the Kingdom, with the penalty miss having a negative psychological effect on their play. Kerry responded to any Armagh fightback offered in the early stages of the second period by immediately cancelling out their points, until McConville came up with the best atonement for his first-half error. With just 16 minutes remaining, McConville picked up a pass from Andrew McCann while bursting forward and exchanging a quick one-two with Paul McGrane before drilling low and hard past Kerry keeper Declan O'Keeffe’s near post to bring Armagh to within one point of the favourites.

The goal initiated a change in the run of play so much so that Kerry failed to get on the scoreboard for the remainder of the match. Points from Ronan Clarke and Steven McDonnell saw Armagh take the lead for the first time since the 16^th minute, and they duly hung on to send the entire county into an almost delirious euphoria. If you’d care to watch the youtube footage linked I am in that sea of orange somewhere in front of captain Kieran McGeeney as he lifts the trophy. Armagh were All-Ireland Champions for the first time and despite a final appearance again in 2003, it remains their sole Sam Maguire triumph. The win was the first from an Ulster side since Down in 1994 and sparked a mini revival of the province as a force with Tyrone going on to claim three titles in the remainder of the decade.

Federer beats the great Pete Sampras in Wimbledon 2001

Almost ten years his junior, a 19-year-old Roger Federer created one of the biggest shocks ever seen on Centre Court when he dumped then undisputed grass court king Pete Sampras out in 2001. It may not seem a great shock in this day and age given the reputation the Swiss has forged since, but at the time no one predicted a defeat for Pistol Pete.

Bidding for a record equalling fifth Wimbledon title in a row, the match looked as though it would be the tricky one every champion comes across en-route to success. But it wasn’t to be this time for the American.

Taken to a fifth-set decider, Federer began to show all the attributes in the final set which we would become familiar with for the rest of the decade. With the score at 6-5 in Federer’s favour, Sampras was serving to stay in the match yet cut a calm figure with pressure mounting.

However, a free-from-pressure Federer stormed to two match points as the age gap looked to be taking its toll on Sampras. The youngster only needed the first break point to win the match as he superbly forehanded a return from Sampras’ serve to leave the American flat footed, and beaten in Wimbledon for the first time since 1996.

We weren’t to know it just yet, but a new star was born. One of the games true greats was in the process of being surpassed by another, and both are now considered to be two of the best of all time. Both are undoubtedly the best of their generations, and it was a fitting introduction to the grass court game for Federer, who reclaimed his Wimbledon crown in 2009 after a year’s dethronement in Rafael Nadal’s favour.

Matt Holland brings Ireland’s World Cup campaign to life in 2002

The chips really were down prior to this strike. Roy Keane had abandoned his country to be in his luxury mansion at home, the Republic’s fans were divided over his public row with manager Mick McCarthy, Ian Harte inexplicably became a bad player over night, and to top it off – Patrick M’Boma had given Cameroon the lead over Ireland in first-half stoppage time in their first game of the 2002 World Cup. The nation had waited 8 years since its last appearance in a major finals, only to see it all crumble before their eyes in the opening stages. Many would pick Robbie Keane’s late, late equaliser against Germany as the highlight of Ireland’s campaign, but for me, the goal that rescued Ireland from disaster was Matt Holland’s beautiful strike in the second half against the Africans. Harte continued to have a confidence crisis, but Holland’s goal galvanised the entire squad and suddenly there was belief that a job could be done without Keane in the Far East. The opening draw with Cameroon and the 1-1 draw against eventual finalists Germany meant a comfortable win over Saudi Arabia in the last group game saw the Irish through to the second round – mission accomplished for McCarthy. Anything after the group stages is a bonus for Ireland, and although penalty shoot-out heartbreak to Spain in the next round was a sad end, the campaign was deemed a success, none of which would ever have come about if Matty Holland hadn’t had his shooting boots on in the Niigata Stadium.

Jason McAteer stuns the Dutch with Lansdowne Road winner

Of course, Matt Holland’s goal would not have been possible if Jason McAteer hadn’t scored the goal which knocked the country of his namesake out in the qualifying campaign. Down to ten men after the sending off of Gary Kelly, the Republic were hanging on at 0-0 with Patrick Kluivert and Ruud Van Nistelrooy letting them off the hook with some woeful finishing at Lansdowne Road. At the other end Ireland were clinical in what was one of very few goalscoring chances for the home side. Steve Finnan twisted and turned on the edge of the box before digging out a hopeful cross which found McAteer, completely unmarked, and he kept his cool to steer a well-placed half-volley past Edwin Van der Saar to punish Holland for their misses. RTE commentator Gabriel Egan said in the build up to the goal: “Roy Keane – we can always depend on him,” and I suppose that day he was right as to date I have never seen such a complete performance in an Irish shirt. It’s a shame he didn’t hang about for the finals for which he was so influential in getting the side there. I watched the game in a bar in Dublin (even though I was only 15), and I distinctly remember donning an Ajax shirt, foolishly leaving myself open to ridicule to fellow delirious Irish fans who were quick to assume I was a Dutchie. To be fair, I put no thought into my choice of clothes that day and only realised my error on the road to Dublin.

6. Zinedine Zidane’s volley against Leverkusen in Champions League final 2002

Considering the circumstances, this has to be the goal of the decade. Better goals have been scored, but not in a European Cup final, not in that decade, and you’d struggle to find a better one in the history of the competition. An explosive first half in Hampden Park saw Real Madrid legend Raul give his side the lead after just 8 minutes, only for defender Lucio to head the German club level five minutes later. Organisation was soon restored and the sides battled out a competitive first half, which ended in a stroke of genius. Roberto Carlos’ high and hopeful cross wasn’t aimed for anyone in particular, but unfortunately for Leverkusen it fell to the best player on the planet at that moment in time. The technique was flawless as Zidane timed his volley to perfection, connecting beautifully as he beat Hans-Jorg Butt in the opposition’s goal, finding the top corner. Even Zidane himself seems to take a step back in astonishment at what he has just done, before trudging off in a modest celebration. For me, the goal confirmed Zidane as the greatest player of his generation, ahead of the likes of Paulo Maldini and thee Ronaldo. Having missed out in finals with Juventus, the Frenchman finally added the one piece of silverware missing from his collection with that strike, as it proved to be the winning goal of the Champions League Final in 2002. Have a watch of the youtube link provided, the goal is so good even the foreign commentator’s analyst joins in with the exaggerated “gooool” celebrations, which never fails to amuse me.

7. DJ Carey’s master-class show against Claire in 2002 All-Ireland Hurling Final

For those of you unfamiliar with the sport, Kilkenny’s D.J. Carey is probably best described as the Zinedine Zidane of Hurling. Retired from the amateur sport now, Carey is widely regarded as the best hurler of his generation and some would suggest the best of all time. Like Zidane’s volley against Leverkusen, one moment of brilliance out of countless others stands out when labelling Carey as the finest player I’ve ever witnessed play the game. That moment came in the 2002 All-Ireland Hurling Final when Carey showed more composure than an acrobat to pick up possession, balance the sliotar on his stick with immense precision before effortlessly striking it over the bar, despite positioned just yards from the touchline. It was a point that edged ‘The Cats’ closer to their second Liam McCarthy cup in two years, which was the fourth of Carey’s eventual five medals. With the first of those medals coming ten years prior, Carey’s time at the top was coming to an end and it was around this time when current Kilkenny darling Henry Shefflin was emerging as the new kid on the block, so to speak. Three years after the triumph over Clare, Carey retired and his successor Shefflin has gone on to outscore him in the famous amber and black stripes in a Kilkenny-dominated decade of hurling. Nonetheless, Carey’s point that year confirmed him, in my opinion, as the best of his generation and for that reason he makes it into my top ten.

8. Manny Pacquiao destroys Oscar De La Hoya, Las Vegas, 2008

It may not be his most impressive victory, but it was the one that cemented Manny Pacquiao’s status as the no.1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world. After a series of high-profile super featherweight wins throughout the decade, Pacquiao then defeated David Diaz at lightweight before stepping up once more for the ultimate test of facing the great De La Hoya at welterweight. Although the American’s best days were behind him, the fight was labelled ‘The Dream Match’ and critics had predicted a De La Hoya win, citing the 147-pound weight limit as a step too far for the little Philippine. How wrong they were. “Obey my commands at all times but above all protect yourselves at all times,” stressed the referee seconds before the first bell. However, De La Hoya was powerless to do the latter, such was the sheer speed of Pacquiao’s hands that night. The battered ‘Golden Boy’ threw in the towel at the end of the eighth round and it proved to be his last professional fight as he paved the way for a new fighter to dominate the division. More importantly, the win meant ‘Pac-man’ was in high demand in the welterweight division and an emphatic subsequent knockout of Ricky Hatton prompted a return to the ring of former undisputed pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather, who will have to go through the Philippine to win his status back. With the two rumoured to have agreed on a date next year, it promises to be one of the fights of the next decade, albeit only months into it. ‘Pac-man’ further emphasised his right to be top of the pile with a TKO over Miguel Cotto in November 2009 – the biggest physical opponent he has ever faced. While the boxing world awaits the confirmation of Pacquiao-Mayweather, it is important not to forget that this welterweight treat would not have been possible without the resounding De La Hoya defeat in December 2008.

9. Kimi Raikkonen snatches 2007 F1 World Championship against the odds

In one of many ‘underdog’ tales in my top ten, Kimi Raikkonen’s Formula One World Championship win in Brazil in 2007 makes the cut simply because it helped resurrect my love affair with the sport. After a dull decade of domination from the incredibly good Michael Schumacher, I wasn’t the only fan of the sport whose enthusiasm had faded each season since the 90s ended. Cue the first three-horse title race finale since 1986 at Interlagos in Sao Paulo 2007. The build up to this race largely surrounded the bickering McClaren pair of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, who were at each other’s throats all season much like Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna were for the same team many years earlier. With the two front-runners in the limelight, Raikkonen was wrongly considered as only having an outside chance of winning the title despite being hot on the pairs’ heels in the drivers championship, and on the starting grid. With Raikkonen ahead of Alonso but behind Hamilton, the Englishman was made favourite to land the crown in his debut season. However, his lack of experience was soon evident as he slipped down the pack from the off with Raikkonen zipping up into second place behind Ferrari teammate, and pole-sitter Felipe Massa. The Finn soon overtook his Brazilian partner before going on to take the chequered flag to win his first, and to date only, world championship title in style. Alonso had surrendered his title while Hamilton was forced to wait until his second season to land the crown. It was an action-packed race with all the excitement and drama of the great Ferarri-Williams battles of the mid 90s. Formula One was back. Plus, with BBC taking over coverage from advert-riddled ITV the following season, and the return of 40-year-old Michael Schumacher to the grid next year, the sport’s appeal is on the up again and I look forward to what I hope will be a big decade in Formula One.

The Second Coming - Robbie Fowler re-signs for Liverpool in Jan 2006

This is definitely the most sentimental choice of the lot, but I just can’t have a sporting top ten without God himself! This moment only features so low down my list because it is not an actual act of sporting genius in itself, but Robbie Fowler has enough of those to his name anyway. Gerard Houllier lost my backing and trust when he flogged Fowler to Leeds in 2001, and he broke both my hero’s heart and mine in the process. In his autobiography (brought out a year before his return to Anfield), Fowler repeatedly voices his frustrations at not being given the chance to say goodbye to the ‘pool fans properly after being hauled off at half-time against Sunderland in what proved to be his last game of his first stint. Prior to this, any time I had visited Anfield to see my side play, Fowler was either injured, suspended or benched. The latter being commonplace during the Houllier years. When he was forced to join the doomed set-up at Elland Road, I never thought he’d return to Anfield as a Liverpool player, therefore, I was resigned to never seeing my hero play in the flesh. That all changed in January 2006 when, out of the blue, Rafael Benitez re-signed the prodigal son as cover for his misfiring strikers, and Fowler often doesn’t get credit for the goals he scored in his first half-season back after helping the team to a 3^rd place finish. But with him back at the Reds, I wasn’t going to let the chance to see Fowler play at Anfield go begging, and a dream was fulfilled when I watched him score in the only game I’ve ever witnessed God himself. Although I’ve seen more commitment in a 5-a-side training ground game, the 6-3 Carling Cup defeat to Arsenal on home soil in 2007 will not be remembered by me for a shambolic team display, but for the cheeky little back-heeled goal which sums Robbie Fowler up in a nutshell.

Spanish Armada Sinks To New Low

2009-12-22T13:14:00.000-08:00

There was no dropping to the knees in jubilation this time, there was no place in an elite cup final as a reward, nor was there an epic fight-back attempt from the opposition, but on Saturday Avram Grant once again inflicted defeat upon Rafael Benitez.

The Portsmouth boss was at the helm of the Chelsea side which battled to an aggregate 4-3 win over Liverpool in the Champions League semi finals in April 2008 and Grant was the brains behind the Reds’ latest setback in a wretched season as Pompey strolled to a 2-0 win at Fratton Park at the weekend.

Despite not showing the same emotion as he did on that successful night at Stamford Bridge, the win will mean every bit as much as he sets about his task of saving the club from the drop after taking over from Paul Hart late last month. It was a battle of the Premier League’s two biggest crisis clubs as financial worries and on-field performances have marred both Liverpool’s and Portsmouth’s seasons, with the latter deservedly coming out on top on the day.

But it is the former who continue to raise eyebrows throughout the country as there seems no end to Liverpool’s dreadful form, which has seen them lose 7 of their 18 games Premier League games.

Catastrophic, I think, is the best word to describe the job Benitez has done this season and, bearing in mind the club suffered an early Champions League exit this time around, any other manager would have been sacked for their sequence of results by now. The Spaniard’s lucrative and lengthy contract has so far saved him the embarrassment of getting the chop, that’s if he isn’t embarrassed enough by sinking to the new low of losing to the league’s basement club.

However, Benitez is not the only figure for which to point the finger at after their latest defeat – Javier Mascherano’s first-half red card may have been harsh, but it is the little Argentine’s poor form this season which has gone widely unnoticed.

The Argentina captain’s head was turned in the summer when European Champions Barcelona made their interest known, with reports of a £30million bid in January resurfacing on the back pages as the January transfer window approaches.

Mascherano’s heart just does not seem in it anymore in a red shirt and he has done little this season to suggest he is worth that price tag and, personally, I would bite Pep Guardiola’s hand off if he came in with an offer in that region (not literally, of course).

Perhaps his four-match ban (it was his second red card of the season) will prove a blessing in disguise for Benitez, who will now surely give Alberto Aquilani the run in the side he deserves. Time will tell how important Mascherano’s absence really is to Liverpool over the busy Christmas schedule.

Regarding Benitez, if there is one thing we have learned about his managerial credentials this term, it’s that he does not possess the ability to win the Premier League, and even fans as patient as Liverpool ones would now be glad to see the back of his Spanish contingent should he quit amid his failings.

The Spanish Armada set sail with the intention of conquering England in 1588 and Benitez had similar ambitions in English football when he took over at Anfield in the summer of 2004. Like the Armada, the Liverpool boss and his backroom staff of many compatriots have failed to triumph by landing that elusive Premier League crown, and I for one would now encourage him to mirror the historical event further by accepting defeat, giving up and going home.

As for Grant’s Pompey side, they should not get too carried away by the win over an increasingly bland Liverpool side. After that creditable semi final win over Liverpool while at Chelsea, Grant went on to lose the final and ended up empty handed for the season, and I fear his Pompey side face similar disappointment come the end of the season.

After all, losing to one of the eventual relegation victims is a tradition of the Reds. Middlesborough last season, Reading the season before that – the list goes on and on, as does their tally of defeats this term.

¿In Rafa We Trust?

2009-11-29T20:10:00.000-08:00

Liverpool fans are widely known for their loyalty and support for whoever operates the Anfield hot seat. It’s a characteristic which influenced an added a season or two onto Gerard Houllier’s reign before he was ushered out The Shankly Gates in the summer of 2004.

A series of cup successes and a runners-up spot in the Premier League in 2002 – still the only time the reds have finished ahead of Man United in the Premier League – appeared to gift the Frenchman extra leeway for his final two flailing seasons in charge.

After finishing second to Arsenal that year, bookmakers took a substantial amount of money on Liverpool ending their title drought the following season, only to see them spectacularly fall back down to earth with a fifth place finish come May 2003.

Sound familiar? Of course it does. Fast-forward over half a decade from Houllier's departure and Rafa Benitez, the Frenchman's successor, finds himself in a similar predicament. Sunday’s 2-0 win in the Merseyside derby cannot offer even the most optimistic of Liverpool fans any hope of turning around this already wretched season.

With five defeats in the opening fourteen league games, the damage has already been done, and the less said about the early Champions League exit the better. After Wayne Rooney’s poor-man’s hat-trick at Fratton Park, and Didier Drogba’s emphatic brace at the Emirates, the two best teams in the country continue to win at an alarmingly easy rate, while Benitez’s side lie some 13 points off the pace at the end of November with 10 points fewer than they had this time last season.

For all the support the Spaniard has from the Anfield faithful, myself included, his stubbornness is becoming increasingly frustrating. Despite two mediocre wins this week the side continue to struggle for any real fluency, so after spending a reported £20million on the clearly talented Alberto Aquilani, Benitez’s decision to repeatedly leave the Italian on the bench is even more baffling than his native language’s apparent need for inserting an upside-down question mark before every written query.

My main concern now, however, is that I can see his reign heading the way his French predecessor’s did. With Tottenham being rampant so far this season, and Aston Villa proving sturdy enough to grind out results, the prospect of finishing fifth a season after being runners-up once again is very, very genuine. The Londoners and the Villains have already notched up wins against Liverpool this season and I haven’t even mentioned Man City's say in all this yet. All three offer the right credentials to finish ahead of Steven Gerrard and co., and so far the pressure has yet to get to them.

Benitez won’t be sacked – it’s too costly for the club after he signed a new five year deal in March of this year, a contract offer which could now leave the club owners with egg on their face. At the same time, it’s difficult to see the Spaniard quitting, for his stubbornness when under pressure can, at times, be more pathetic than 34-year-old Gary Neville’s woeful attempts at growing facial hair.

However, what I will stress is this – Liverpool should be monitoring Guus Hiddink’s situation with Russia. After failure to qualify for the World Cup, the Dutchman’s contract runs out next summer and, should my judgements in the previous paragraph prove incorrect (I have a history of Pele-esque predictions, most recently Reading for promotion), he would prove the outstanding candidate to replace Benitez.

Houllier was only granted one more season after missing out on Champions League football to Newcastle and Chelsea in 2003. And as Jamie Carragher’s best days sadly look to be behind him, coupled with Gerrard turning 30 at the end of this term’s failure-in-the-making, I wouldn’t be surprised if next year is Benitez’s last crack at the big one.

¿In Rafa we trust? I’m not so sure anymore.

Henry Controversy Reiterates The Need For Change

2009-11-19T19:01:00.000-08:00

I know what you’re thinking, ‘not another blog on Thierry Henry’s handball,’ but the reality is, even as club football returns this weekend, it’s the biggest topic in football at the minute.

I’m a traditionalist as far as football goes. I accept that players get sent off when they shouldn’t. That they get flagged offside when they shouldn’t. That goals stand when they definitely shouldn’t. I’ve never been advocate of technology to be introduced to the game and I found the recent experiment of extra officials arbitrating the penalty area absurd. Until now of course.

William Gallas’ controversial goal in extra time of the Republic of Ireland’s 1-1 draw with France, assisted by the left hand of Henry, proved the difference between the sides over two legs as probably the most undeserved team to book their place in the world cup hijacked Ireland’s plane to South Africa.

Swedish referee Martin Hansson and his assistants should not have needed extra help to spot two blatant handballs in quick succession, not to mention the fact that Sebastian Squillaci began the move in an offside position – something which has been overlooked such was the transparency of the more significant foul, but the Irish could really have used an extra pair of eyes in Paris on Wednesday night.

And so the debate reopens. Do we need technology or extra officials in football? Well, if we are ever to have an entirely just sport, then yes is the answer. But the prospect of technology brings with it a host of complications which could change the entire format of the beautiful game.

For instance, if video replays for referees were to be introduced, the clock system may have to change with it. Should a referee face a high number of big decisions in a single match, with stoppages being added at the end of the ninety, action-packed games could end up running up to 99 minutes long, and somewhere closer to 110 in Old Trafford.

That could prompt an American style stop-start system in which the clock would stop every time the ball goes out of play, and restart along with play, with games ending at 90 minutes on the dot. However, it is a format which would see an end to the nail-biting entertainment that is stoppage time, and let’s be honest, no-one wants to more like the Yanks anyway.

There are ways around it, however, with a limited number of challenges permitted to each side a possibility. It's a feature which has gone down well in the sport of tennis, where players are often granted two incorrect challenges per set, with an extra one provided in the even of a tie-break. But how many challenges each team are allowed over 90 minutes of football, plus extra-time, is another matter.

Having already been experimented with in the Europa League this season, the prospect of using extra officials for goalmouth scraps at the highest level is much more feasible. The trial involves a team of six officials, the standard four plus an extra body behind each set of goals for clarification of those vital decisions which the referee is so often obstructed for.

The trial has brought mixed reaction from club managers after a lack of success in it's early stages, but given time it may save the game from becoming riddled with corruption and going against everything the word “sport” stands for.

I’m not about to preach and say had extra officials been used in the playoffs Ireland would be going to the world cup, because that is not for definite. They surely would have spotted Henry’s Maradona-esque act and disallowed the goal, but the game may not even have reached that point as Patrice Evra’s legitimate penalty appeals in Croke Park may have been given the go-ahead.

However, nothing could have been as blatant as Henry’s double handball which has seen a very poor French side, second best for the large part of both legs, head for South Africa while the Republic must spend at least another four years in world cup wilderness.

Henry he had the chance to live up to his gentleman and role modal reputation by coming clean immediately after Gallas had prodded the ball into Shay Given’s net.

Instead, he smugly admitted to it at full time, in stereotypically French fashion – with an air of arrogance as though he was admirable for his admission – 20 minutes too late. Not the actions of a role model and this modern great will no doubt have gone down in many a football fans' estimations.

Rebel Agassi Reveals Shameful Past

2009-10-28T22:25:00.000-07:00

“Image is everything,” uttered tennis legend Andre Agassi in his series of television adverts for Japanese photography giants Canon during the 1990’s. The American former world number one, with his flowing long locks, was very much the pin-up of men’s tennis during this golden decade of the sport. Girls loved him, mum’s adored him, and tennis fans of either sex couldn’t help admire, perhaps with a hint of male jealousy, his charismatic nature and unquestionable ability on the court. Somewhat of a marketing dream, Agassi is the third highest career earner in the history of the game. Image has indeed meant everything to the eight-time grand slam winner.

Aptly titled ‘Open: An Autobiography’, Agassi releases his personal memoirs next month, reflecting on his marvellous 20-year career while most importantly coming clean about the fact that he hasn’t always been entirely, well…clean. With sections of his autobiography having already leaked their way into the hands of the press, it has been revealed that Agassi, quite astonishingly, admits to having used recreational drugs in the late 90s during a lenient spell in his otherwise glittering career.

Even more astonishing is the fact that Agassi reveals he simply lied his way out of a failed drugs test for the use of crystal methamphetamine, which the The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) chose to sweep under the rug. The revelation has sent shockwaves throughout the tennis world, as one of its favourite sons throws his reputation on the line.

"I felt my story was one from which many people could learn," Agassi said in a promotional video for the book. It is a brave move from a man nicknamed ‘The Punisher,’ who ironically now appears to be punishing himself for his actions, of which he at least speaks of great regret.

The well-respected 39-year-old, who founded the ‘Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation’ for under-privileged children in his hometown of Nevada, will remain one of the best players ever to pick up a racket, yet his off-the-court image faces an uncertain future, with commercial sponsors now unlikely to be knocking on his door.

More worryingly for the game, however, is the shocking decision by the ATP to accept a straight-forward written plea from Agassi to drop his failed drug test case after he lied about the circumstances of how the crystal meth found its way into his system. Pinning the blame on his one-time assistant “slim”, Agassi claimed to have accidentally taken a sip of the regular drug-user’s beverage, which had been spiked with meth, a very powerful form of the stimulant speed.

Is that all it took to convince the ATP to overlook a failed drugs test in 1997? Or where they trying to protect one of the games most commercially sacred individuals for fear of the affect it could have on the sport’s well-being? Either way, they accepted Agassi’s simple excuse and kept the matter between themselves and the baseline veteran.

An awful lot has changed in sport over the past twelve years and I don’t think for one second any tennis player in this day and age, no matter how big a reputation they hold, would be omitted from punishment if they were to lawfully fail a drugs test, whatever the substance.

Just ask Ivo Minar, the Czech player ranked 90th in the world who was banned for eight months just last week ago for testing positive for the banned stimulant methylhexanamine after a Davis Cup match in July this year.

I have no doubts that the leading authorities, both the ATP and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), wouldn’t operate in such a manner today as they did with Agassi’s lame letter of clear guilt twelve years ago.

But who is to say he didn’t share a spliff back stage in the changing rooms with, say, 1997 Women’s Wimbledon Champion Martina Hingis? Not likely of course, but she was then tennis’ brightest young star and fans were equally shocked when she tested positive for cocaine at the same event ten years later, and I don’t think anyone ever had Agassi down for a crystal meth user.

The point is, how many more of these cases have been swept under the carpet over the years by those in charge of the Agassi affair back then? And should we be grateful the likeable Agassi has levelled with us? Since it was not a performance-enhancing drug, I personally do not feel cheated by the man, just a little disappointed, but he is only human and he had his reasons, as his book reveals.

The real culprits in this scenario are those at the helm who clearly were not doing their job of protecting the sport from violation, and one of sports biggest governing bodies, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), look set to investigate the matter, plus further suspect cases.

As for Agassi, he needn’t hold his breath over a new lucrative contract offer from Canon, but his all important formally clean image is now up for debate.

Life’s no beach for Rafa’s boys

2009-10-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez faces the biggest task of managerial career. Bigger than the motivational speech he had to deliver at half-time in Istanbul. Bigger than overhauling a 3-1 second-half deficit away to Luton Town on a wretched Kenilworth Road pitch on a cold January evening in the FA Cup. Bigger than convincing the Anfield faithful that Peter Crouch was fit to wear the famous red shirt. All of which he successfully achieved.

His latest task is to resurrect his side's season after a run of four straight defeats for the supposed title challengers, starting with no less than champions, and bitter rivals, Manchester United on Sunday. Defeat to Alex Ferguson’s men would leave Liverpool ten points adrift of the title favourites and all but finished with their aspirations of winning it – and it’s not even Halloween yet.

Yet victory over United would only represent the first hurdle of many more to come if Benitez is rescue Liverpool’s season, plus his reputation (and quite possibly his job?). The Reds’ following three fixtures after the Anfield date with United are each just as crucial as halting their enemies from down the M62.

On Wednesday night it’s a daunting trip to the Emirates to face a talented young Arsenal side in the Carling Cup. Next up, it’s Fulham away on Halloween day, where Roy Hodgson’s men won’t be needing scary masks to cause Liverpool some discomfort - for they possess enough quality to do so with a piece of leather at their feet.

After the tricky Craven Cottage encounter, it’s the away fixture of midweek Anfield conquerors Lyon, who sent the Reds into major crisis with a smash and grab 2-1 win on Tuesday night. Take one second to recap on those four upcoming fixtures, and I’m sure you’ll agree each and every one are very, very losable for Benitez’s currently fragile side.

However, the Spaniard deserves a little credit for his perception of the controversial 1-0 defeat to Sunderland last weekend. It would have been all too easy for Benitez to moan about the manner of the Black Cats’ winner, which clearly should have been disallowed for finding the back of the net via an ‘outside agent’ in the form of a big red beach ball. Those damn agents are everywhere these days aren’t they?!

Instead, Benitez chose to ignore the controversial incident and concede that his side were largely second best, only conjuring up their first shots on target in one passage of play in injury-time. Simply not good enough from a team, many will now be too embarrassed to admit, originally tipped to finally land an elusive Premier League crown.

If Darren Bent’s early winner at the Stadium of Light had been disallowed, Steve Bruce’s men surely would have eventually found a legitimate way of breaking down the Liverpool defence which, bar Pepe Reina, have been completely out of sorts all season.

When Fabio Aurelio saw his first-half header saved by Lyon keeper Hugo Lloris on Tuesday night, you sensed what was coming. Inevitably, not even Reina’s heroics could prevent an equaliser from substitute Gonalons amid a near-static Reds defence.

And when Cesar Delgado steered in the injury-time winner, Benitez cut a disillusioned figure on the touchline. God only knows what must have been going through his mind but I’m sure he was anticipating the headlines of “no Torres or Gerrard equals no team”, just as much as the rest of us.

Anyone who watches Liverpool often enough will know that is not the case. Indeed they beat Man United at Anfield last season without the pair of them, who are once again injury doubts ahead of this season’s fixture.

The reality is, Liverpool were not playing well with Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard in the team before the deadly duo got injured on international duty. Yes, they have both been on the score-sheet a few times this season, but the only displays of note to date from the pair are the 6-0 home drubbing of Hull and the 3-2 battling win over Bolton at the Reebok.

Returning to the future of Benitez in charge of the club, the Liverpool board have been notoriously lenient with under-performing managers, as Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier will both testify. But under American ownership, the club has yet to face such a crisis, and who is to say they will not push the panic button if Benitez does not produce the goods in the upcoming difficult fixtures.

If Benitez can get through United, Arsenal, Fulham and Lyon relatively unscathed, he will have jumped the first four hurdles of his biggest test as Liverpool boss.

If he can somehow overturn his team’s abysmal start to both the domestic and European campaigns to land either of the much coveted trophies, in particular the Premier League, then it will represent the biggest achievement he could only dream of before this all-important date with Liverpool nemesis Ferguson.

Such an achievement would be bigger than coming from 3-0 down to AC Milan to win the European Cup in Istanbul. Bigger than winning 5-3 in 90 minutes when up against it at dogged Luton Town, and subsequently going on to win the 2006 tournament in an epic FA Cup final with West Ham.

It would be bigger than almost doubling Peter Crouch’s market value to £13million, and guiding him towards a successful international career with England. Something the lanky forward could never have predicted when he was relegated with Southampton just a week before that memorable night in Turkey.

Landing one of the major honours, from the position Benitez currently finds himself in, would top all these previous feats bundled together. Rafael Benitez would become untouchable, surely all the motivation he needs to try and turn this season around.

Shameful FIFA decision crushes minnows

2009-10-05T06:31:00.000-07:00

When Ronaldo’s name was announced on the Brazil team-sheet ahead of the W orl d C up Final in July 1998, despite the revelations of his suspected seizure the night before, conspiracy theories immediately spread throughout the football world.

The then Inter striker was the star of the tournament prior to the final and such an omission from the line-up was deemed unthinkable, regardless of his physical health or state of mind. But unthinkable for who? Brazil coach Mario Zagallo? The 80,000 fans packed like sardines inside the Stade de France? Or, as is widely regarded, his commercial sponsors?

The man himself has rarely spoke of who made the decision to start him in their 3-0 defeat to the tournament’s hosts that night, but many still hold the theory that Ronaldo’s, and Brazil’s, sponsors Nike were heavily involved in forcing the clearly unfit 22-year-old to play, for fear of the financial implications of his absence.

Whether it is true or not, we’ll probably never know. But what we have seen over the following eleven years, as Ronaldo thankfully went on to become the best striker of his generation, is the multi-million pound industry football has become.

The appalling decision by Fifa to use a seeding system in the European playoffs for World Cup 2010 serves as a stark reminder of just how powerful commercialism has become in sport.

Last week, Fifa president Sepp Blatter announced that the eight teams entering the European qualifying playoffs for World Cup 2010 will be seeded, in a blatant attempt to prevent some of Europe’s biggest stars missing out on appearing at the world’s biggest sporting event.

The eight best runner-ups from Europe's nine groups will be divided into two sets, based on the Fifa rankings system, and each will face a team from the opposing side of the draw.

With the Fifa world ranking system due for a reshuffle on October 16th, the draw for the play-offs will follow just three days later on October 19th.

The timing of the announcement is likely to draw criticism from national team bosses expecting to be second seeds as the system largely favours the higher-ranked nations who are struggling to qualify.

France, Portugal and Czech Republic are all in danger of missing out on the finals but will be boosted by the seeding system, which could offer an escape route should they all finish second place in their respective groups. This is coupled of course with Argentina’s well known struggles in South America’s group.

The decision can only be described as corrupt, and Fifa are in grave danger of losing a lot of respect as one of the largest governing bodies in sport. Never before has there been such an unsporting move, and with two games remaining in the European campaign, managers of so-called ‘lesser’ nations have every right to be aggrieved.

Where is the justice in using a seeding system for the playoffs? The nations are seeded from the beginning of the group stage, which is fair and just, but if the top seeds fail to live up to their expectations, why should the smaller nations suffer again after putting so much effort into coming within touching distance of the World Cup finals?

Fifa are an embarrassment to this great sport and their undemocratic decision, which is no doubt the doing of Sepp Blatter himself, will certainly raise a few eyebrows over their morals.

So why have Fifa left it so late to introduce a further seeding system with the playoffs due to be drawn next month? Well, it’s obvious. The revenue they stand to lose if the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry are not on show is the only thing on Blatter’s mind.

Never mind the chance for new stars to emerge on the world scene from Hungary, Latvia, Slovenia, Norway, Bosnia or the Republic of Ireland, Fifa are only interested in cashing in the current elite crop, regardless of whether they deserve to be there or not.

What the very smug Blatter seems to be oblivious to is the effort and desire the ‘lesser’ nations have shown in their attempt to reach South Africa, while the over-paid ‘stars’ from the elite nations have sluggishly got themselves into a spot of bother with a series of uninterested displays, assuming that they will reach the finals in the end anyway.

And with decisions such as this continuing to arise, they may as well continue to assume, because if they find themselves in danger of falling short, Fifa are always on hand to intervene.

If there had to be seeding in the playoff stage, and there is no logical suggestion as to why there should be, then the decision should have been made before the campaign began.

That way the lower teams, who have seen all their good work crushed by the announcement, would have avoided gaining what now seems false hope in their quest to make the finals.

It sends out the wrong message to teams who have hopes of featuring in their first World Cup finals, or those who have been waiting decades for another deserved chance at the top, i.e. Hungary.

If Blatter and co. were already short of admirers, their latest shenanigans will do little to increase the numbers. Blatter has had his time in charge, he’s introduced and since removed the ‘golden goal’ and the needless ‘silver goal.’

He’s forced the World Cup winners to qualify for the following tournament, despite the risk of having a world cup without the holders present.

He’s messed with the altitude qualifiers are allowed to be played at, which is further evidence of

his corrupt dealings towards lesser nations as altitude levels are a big factor in both Ecuador’s and Bolivia’s home games.

He’s also introduced the rule of booking a player for removing his shirt, why I’m not so sure. But after over a decade at the helm of this faltering governing body, he was appointed two days before the 1998 finals began incidentally, perhaps it’s time for a change after next summer’s finals in South Africa.

New blood at the top would bring fresh hope of a bright future amongst the nations who constantly put up with setbacks which destroy their cause of fulfilling their dreams of playing at the World Cup finals.

Judgement season for Megson

2009-08-24T17:54:00.000-07:00

What more does Gary Megson have to do to win over Bolton Wanderers fans? After a turbulent start to the 2008/09 campaign, Megson had his side booed off the pitch in late October following a 1-0 defeat at home to Everton.

It was a tough time for the much-travelled boss. With just two wins in the opening three months of the season, Megson could have been forgiven for throwing in the towel and accepting what most Trotters fans seem to believe - that he is a manager only worthy of Championship level.

He had only been in the job a year at that point. A year in which fans refused to accept that the club had embarked on a new era after legendary boss Sam Allardyce decided to step down, leading to Sammy Lee's ill-fated spell in charge.

Bolton were bottom of the Premier League when Megson took over from Lee in October 2007 and after a rollercoaster first season in charge, which included a 1-0 win over Manchester United and a 4-0 drubbing by Aston Villa, Bolton survived with 11 points from their last five games.

The glory days of Allardyce's top-half finishes and brushes with silverware are gone, but that doesn't mean that Megson has not been a success. That success looks set to continue into the new campaign and who knows what Bolton can achieve if their boss has the backing of the fans?
Despite their poor start last season, Megson turned things around and defied the sack race odds to pick up November 2008's Manager of the Month prize as Bolton began to climb the table, and he hasn't looked back.

The January sale of Kevin Nolan to Newcastle echoed similar groans of discontent from the Reebok terraces as Nicolas Anelka's departure did the previous year, yet neither sale has affected their ability to grind out results.
Megson has quietly gone about his business this summer, bringing in four proven Premier League players with just a handful of reserve departures which will do little to disturb the sleep of most Trotters fans.

The arrival of Sean Davis on a free transfer, plus Zat Knight and Sam Ricketts for undisclosed fees represent shrewd business by the 50-year-old. The addition of West Brom's left-back Paul Robinson also adds some steel to the squad and on paper, they look a sure-fire bet to beat the drop and excel in their peers' vulnerability.
Full-back Ricketts, a £2million buy from Hull, adds diversity to the squad as his ability to operate on both flanks will provide sufficient competition for Ricardo Gardner, Nicky Hunt and Gretar Steinsson.

Centre-half Knight brings a wealth of experience and can expect to partner Gary Cahill in the heart of defence after Megson splashed out £4million on the former Aston Villa man.
The 29-year-old also brings with him international experience having won two England caps under Sven-Goran Eriksson in summer 2005, albeit in a 'B' team (perhaps a 'C' team?) tour in USA.

The Trotters may yet do what they do best and over-achieve by possibly pushing for a place in the top half depending on how their peers around them perform. Much of that however, will depend on the form of £8million flop Johan Elmander.
The Swedish striker is the club's record signing and came to the Premier League with a big reputation last summer. But he failed to set the league alight and with just five league goals to his name, it's strange that Megson hasn't been in the market for another striker.

Much of last season's success came down to the 12 goals of Kevin Davies and at 32, it's hard to see the big man equalling that feat again this term. Mathew Taylor, arguably Megson's best signing to date, also chipped in with 10 goals from the left wing and should he fail to live up to that impressive tally, you wonder where the goals will come from.
Megson's selection list of strikers is worryingly sparse, and should Davies suffer an injury, goals may be hard to come by.

With just the indifferent Ricardo Vaz Te as the club's only other recognised senior striker, Megson may yet swoop for a budget price front man before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

In some ways, a lack of goals early on from the Trotters may prove a blessing in disguise if it prompts the boss to dive into the market on deadline day. Lack of creativity from the centre of midfield may also prove a stumbling block, but their defensive ability, which has only been strengthened so far this summer, should see them safe from harm.

Let's be honest, the teams in and around Bolton are poor. After last season's 13th place finish, only 16th placed Sunderland look to have strengthened beyond the Trotters. And with both Wigan and Stoke, who finished 11th and 12th respectively, facing massive pressure to equal last season's accomplishments, Bolton will be waiting to pick up the pieces.

Betting scams mar Montcourt tragedy

2009-07-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

As the tragic news of professional tennis player Mathieu Montcourt’s death circulates, his as of yet unexplained death unearths a certain shameful side to the modern world of tennis.

Montcourt’s body was found in his Paris apartment on Monday by his girlfriend and an autopsy is expected to be carried out as soon as possible. The death has shocked the tennis world just days after yet another successful Wimbledon tournament.

The loss is significant to the game and comes with deep regret that the player, who was only 24, never had the chance to fully redeem himself after accusations of forming irregular betting patterns by placing large sums of money on tennis matches.

Professionals are forbidden from betting on matches and while Montcourt never punted on his own outcomes, he was widely believed to have influenced a number of outcomes during June and September of 2005.

In 2008, he was fined £7,500 ($12,000) and suspended for 8 weeks by the ATP for his suspect betting history. The Frenchman returned to the game eager to rectify his torn reputation and looked to be doing so as by June of this year he had achieved his highest career ranking of 104 after reaching the second round at the French Open.

Sadly, that was as much as this young man was able to do before his untimely death. Moncourt mainly played in the circuit’s challenger events but was a regular on the ATP tour, and it is unfortunate that his death is likely to reemerge talk of gambling in tennis.

With Moncourt’s mistakes plus the case of Latvian player Irakli Labadze and gambler Martin Fuhrer put to rest in recent years, authorities were foolish to believe that the problem was eradicated.

Throughout this years Wimbledon tournament, certain inconsistencies were apparent with scoreboards both on the BBC’s television coverage and several well-respected sports websites.
Constant delays in updates of points and games won were seen on broadcasters’ scoreboards day in day out on even the most obscure games on SW19. It may not seem like a big problem, but in-play betting in tennis has become a phenomenon in recent months, especially in Britain were Wimbledon is the only Grand Slam shown on terrestrial television.

Thus, punters rely on internet scoreboards and the more trustworthy one on live BBC television coverage as in-play odds change constantly on online gambling websites with every point won.

The theory behind the noticeable irregular score summaries is that scoreboard operators are being given backhanders for stalling their updates so punters can have time to place a bet before bookies have time to alter their odds.

For instance, a tie break in the first set of a match will have odds of the match winner yo-yoing as the players battle it out for the first set advantage. Punters can have eye witnesses courtside and on the phone giving immediate updates while bookkeepers heavily rely on the media’s coverage for updates, and with scoreboard operators delaying their duties with brass in pocket, a bet can be placed before the bookies even know of any change in score.

The theory opens up a whole new conspiracy towards gambling in tennis. Respected British newspaper The Guardian revealed before Wimbledon that the ATP were monitoring “six to twelve” players as match-fixing suspects throughout the tournament, whether irregularities were found from those unnamed players remains to be seen.

However, the latest craze of in-play gambling may force the ATP to turn their attentions to other areas of gambling in tennis as the US Open draws near. Many critics feel grunting is the biggest problem in the modern game, I for one feel punting poses a much greater threat.

Reason is Treason

2009-07-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

With former Anfield ace Michael Owen having signed for Manchester United, plus Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano’s reluctance to commit to the club, Liverpool fans are suffering from a bad dose of treason this summer.

Both Barcelona and free-spending Madrid have made no secret of their desire to bring Mascherano and Alonso to La Liga respectively. But with neither player rebuffing any proposal, loyalty issues once again arise.

Mascherano has had his head easily turned by rumours of interest from European champions Barcelona, little over two years since Benitez pounced to rescue the 25-year-old from his nightmare at West Ham. The tough midfielder joined the Hammers with Carlos Tevez in 2006 and while his compatriot basked in the glory of almost single headedly saving the club from the drop, Mascherano was inexplicably left to rot in the reserves.

Benitez saw the bargain potential however, and duly snapped him up initially on loan before his incredible displays earned him an £18.6m move from his owners Media Sports Investments. Since then Mascherano has established himself as a genuine world class midfield performer, and it is little wonder that a club of Barcelona’s stature are attempting to sound out a switch.

The Argentine should be flattered, but no more. Should he knock on the manager’s door asking for permission to speak to the Catalan club, Benitez should give him a stark reminder of where he was in January 2007. But where has the loyalty in football gone? Michael Owen stood with a huge grin on his face as he posed during his unveiling as a Manchester United player, seemingly without a care in the world of his illustrious past at Anfield.

He lost the hearts of some fans when he left the club for Madrid in 2004, but lost their respect for ever by signing that contract. Owen has turned his back on the club twice now, and if Alonso and Mascherano truly wish to go down as Liverpool legends in years to come, they should stop flirting with Europe’s elite and get back to perusing their rivals for that elusive Premier League title.

La Liga Setting The Trend

2009-07-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

So it’s official, the reigning world player of the year now plies his trade in La Liga. Cristiano Ronaldo was greeted by around 80,000 jubilant Real Madrid fans upon his official revealing as the Bernabeu neared its full capacity on Monday night. If you thought Florentino Perez’s second ‘Galacticos’ era had begun with the unveiling of Brazilian Kaka last week, well it has well and truly begun now.

Ronaldo’s unveiling breaks the record number of fans turning out for such an occasion which was previously set by none other than Diego Maradona, who attracted 75,000 upon his arrival at Napoli in 1984.

Put world records to one side for a minute however, take a step back and look at what effect this transfer can have on other major leagues in Europe. The arrivals of Kaka and Ronaldo in Madrid means La Liga have arguably the three best players in the world, with Lionel Messi set to remain at the Nou Camp.

Not since the early 1990’s when Seria A boasted players such as Gullit, Van Basten and Klinsmann has a league employed such world class quality from nations other than their own, and back then Italy was the place to be.

Although Premier League clubs self proclaim themselves to play in the ‘best league in the world,’ it very much appears that Spain is now the undisputed place to be, just like Italy was in the 90’s.
Italian football has suffered greatly since the well documented match fixing scandal in 2006, despite the national team winning the World Cup that summer. With the retirements of Pavel Nedved and Luis Figo this summer and Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, probably the biggest name left in Seria A, signalling his intent to leave Italy, it now appears that only Jose Mourinho can save the league from dropping below the likes of Germany as one of the most prestigious in Europe.

Meanwhile, the English league remains as strong as ever, despite the loss of Ronaldo. However, it does now appear inferior to the Spanish game as the new most expensive player in the history of the game suggested himself.

‘The Premier League is a very good competition, but I think that the Spanish league is going to have a little more quality because of the players that are arriving,’ said Ronaldo earlier in the week.

‘Both leagues are going to be very good, but I think that with Florentino Pérez's signings the Spanish league is superior to the English. It's going to be a magnificent competition in Spain this year. All the players have a lot of quality and the referees protect the players more.’

Real Madrid now have the previous two Ballon d’Or winners, Barcelona hold the European Cup and to top it off the Spanish national team top the FIFA rankings after a couple of years in which only the USA have inflicted defeat upon them.

What remains to be seen is what effect all of the above will have on the other top leagues. Franck Ribery has made no secret of his desire to move to Madrid from German giants Bayern Munich, while Karim Benzema has already moved to the Bernabeu from Lyon as French football loses it’s only major star player.

Incidentally, Benzema turned down the opportunity to go to Old Trafford in favour of Madrid, further strengthening Ronaldo’s case for now playing in a league ‘superior to the English.’

The Premier League could be the one that suffers most from this summer’s activity. Speculation continues to surround the futures of Liverpool midfield duo Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano as Real and Barcelona continue to sniff around the pair respectively.

La Liga has continued to rob the Premier League of talents such as Thierry Henry, Alex Hleb and Arjen Robben in recent seasons, and the trend looks set to continue.

Football’s forgotten star can come out fighting

2009-06-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

It’s fitting that Andriy Shevchenko used to be a boxer as a kid. The forgotten 32-year-old Chelsea forward is at the moment like a struggling fighter, lying on the canvas after a 10th round knock-down. He looks beaten, tired and fed up with what he’s putting himself through, but he knows he has to get up. He knows he can’t give in and succumb to throwing in the towel with his career on the line.

It was boxing which first captured the imagination of sports-mad Shevchenko as a kid, and he even competed at LLWI Ukrainian junior league level before discovering his gift for football. But after being coached at both sports as a youngster, the former Dinamo Kiev striker needs to take a boxer’s mentality into his current profession, and he needs it now more than ever.

Carlo Ancelotti took over the reigns at Chelsea at the beginning of this month, and for Shevchenko it must have felt like the bell sounding a second after he’d found his feet on time following that 10th round flooring.

After all, Ancelotti is the coach who guided him to great things at Milan. To winning the Champions League in 2003 and following it up with the Seria A title the next year, polished off with the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.

Under the Italian boss Shevchenko became the most feared striker on the planet and when Roman Abramovich sweet talked his fellow Eastern European into joining his billionaire’s playground at Chelsea in 2006, defences up and down the country feared for their dignity.

When the Russian finally landed the Ukrainian for £30.8m they were getting an AC Milan legend. The Rossineri’s second all-time goalscorer, who at the time was the 3rd highest scorer in the history of European club football. A genuine modern legend, who simply couldn’t fail to live up to his billing upon his switch to London.

Except he could…and he did. It wasn’t entirely the player’s fault however as he was brought to the club in circumstances the English game is not yet equipped to deal with. Jose Mourinho was the Chelsea boss but Shevchenko certainly wasn’t his signing, and the Portuguese master showed both the Ukrainian and Abramovich exactly why they called him the ‘boss’.

Mourinho was reluctant to use the Ukrainian as a mainstay in his starting line up, instead preferring Didier Drogba, the signing he himself had arranged. ‘The Special One’ proved exactly why the formula of chairmen and owners buying players simply doesn’t work in English football. Rafael Benitez reiterated this with his similar shabby treatment of Robbie Keane, a £20m flop signed by then Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry.

It’s the players who suffer ultimately, and boy has Shevchenko suffered. Keane, incidentally, has since returned successfully to Tottenham where Liverpool bought him from in a move which mirrored that of Shevchenko’s loan return to his ‘home’ at AC Milan last year.

Mirrored except for one thing – success. While normal service was resumed for Keane at White Hart Lane, it has been a different story for the Ukrainian’s return to the San Siro. The striker did not find the net once in his 17 league outings last term for Milan and was largely subject to embarrassing cameo appearances to please the crowd towards the end of the campaign.

Just two goals in all competitions after 26 games has damaged his previously incredible record for the Italian giants. But his performances were so poor and his confidence so low that not even his beloved Milan fans would take him back again.

And so the fallen star returns to Stamford Bridge with hopes of making an impact in the final year of his contract, and with his former Milan boss now in charge his hopes actually seem very real. He had the opportunity to join Monaco and bask in a luxury villa reflecting on what has been an amazing career. But upon hearing of Ancelotti’s arrival in London, the man who once coached him to be the best striker in the world, he fancies another crack at the Premier League.

At 32, Shevchenko is sitting in the corner ready to come out for the 11th round of his career. The next round is crucial if he is to prolong his career the full distance. He knows he hasn’t got long, he knows he’s already been knocked down, but he also knows it’s not over. The Ukrainian is now reunited with his father-figure coach, determined not to go out of his Chelsea career without a fight.

It’ll take all the patience, discipline and skill of a boxer to turn this one around, but for Shevchenko, next season is there for the taking. So don’t rule him out yet, because this one could yet go to the scorecards.

Hewitt banishes injury woes and is back with a bang

2009-06-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

Leyton Hewitt is back with a bang. The competitive streak through which he made his name at the start of the decade returned to his game as he dispatched Juan Martin del Potro 6-3 7-5 7-5 on day four at Wimbledon.

Fifth seed del Potro had been tipped by many as an outsider for the tournament but the 20-year-old was given a grass court lesson by the 2002 Wimbledon champion, who has surely now very much stamped his authority as a genuine contender for this year’s title.

It’s been a difficult last 12 months for Hewitt as a persistent hip injury saw him complete 2008 without a tour title for the first time since 1998. The injury, first sustained in the build up to the 2008 French Open, affected his performances in the majors and the Beijing Olympics throughout the rest of the year.

His withdrawal from last year’s US Open, the only other Grand Slam on his list of honours, affected his work ranking as he slipped outside the top 50 and struggled for form as he was eliminated from his home tournament, the Australian Open, in the first round at the beginning of the year.

A third round exit at Roland Garros, albeit to world number one Rafael Nadal, did little to inspire the Aussie on his comeback trail.

However, the grass court season is the stage where Hewitt excels and he did not disappoint at the AEGON Championships, suffering a narrow defeat to fellow former number one Andy Roddick.

But Wimbledon is the one that matters for Hewitt, and the centre court crowd were reminded how good a player he is with his straight sets victory over the favoured del Potro in just over 2 hrs 30 minutes.

The Argentine had replaced the injured Rafael Nadal at the top of the draw and was trying to reach the third round for the first time in three attempts and will no doubt come back next year an improved grass court player and has a future ahead of him.

Del Potro was left to rue six missed break point opportunities in the opening set before his 28-year-old opponent broke in the sixth game and went on to clinch the set with ease as he comfortably held serve.

The Aussie’s serve was proving too strong for del Potro as Hewitt racked up an impressive 13 Aces by the end of the second set as he pulled away into a two set lead.

A comeback was never likely from the young Argentine, who has still never come from two sets down to win in his professional career, and his misery looked complete as Hewitt broke his serve again at the beginning of the third set.

The Aussie was backed by a contingent of compatriots in the Centre Court crowd but del Potro, to his credit, threatened to spoil the party briefly with a break of serve as Hewitt was serving for the match.

The resurge was short lived however as Hewitt showed he is back on form with an immediate break back before holding serve at the second time of asking to progress to the third round in style.

Hewitt has now emerged as 5th favourite for the title and at around 20/1, the Aussie represents good value for an outside bet. He will face either one of unseeded pair Philipp Petzschner or Mischa Zverev in the third round and will fancy his chances of progressing to the second week at SW19 for the seventh time in his career.

Time for MO to up sticks again

2009-06-29T11:59:00.000-07:00

How has it come to this for Michael Owen? Having relegation candidates Hull and Stoke as the only real contenders for his signature was not what the former England striker had in mind at the end of his contract when he penned a four year deal at Newcastle in 2005.

No disrespect to the two clubs, but they’re hardly accustomed to the type of glamour associated with Owen’s former clubs Liverpool and Real Madrid. To see one of the best strikers of his generation suffer such premature demise really is quite sad and one would hope I’m not alone in hoping he can recapture the sort of form which earned him the Ballon d’Or award in 2001.

The 29-year-old becomes a free agent this week as his four year contract at St. James’ Park comes to an end, and the 89-time capped Englishman has even had to advertise his services with an embarrassing brochure detailing his qualities which was distributed to clubs by his representatives.

Yet despite his impressive CV and scoring ratio, Owen has only accumulated interest from teams at the lower end of the Premier League table. Surely his career record of 204 goals in just over 400 appearances merits higher interest? He nears the one in two ratio that every striker covets despite his long history of injuries, and not many strikers in Europe can offer that over a 418 game span.

In the current economic climate, it’s a wonder Owen doesn’t have a host of clubs lining up for his signature as the experienced striker is a potential bargain for any club.

He has stated his desire to stay in the Premier League but as of yet the only offers on the table won’t appeal greatly to him. Perhaps Owen is reluctant to try his luck abroad again, and who could blame him as his career has spiralled towards its present state ever since he decided to leave his boyhood club for the Bernabeu.

At the time, the change wasn’t necessary for Owen and he missed out on a Champions League medal after Rafael Benitez landed the prestigious trophy in his first season at Anfield. But now a change really is necessary and perhaps a move abroad might be more fitting for Owens career than it was in 2004.

The player has hinted that interest has been declared from several unnamed European clubs, and although he has expressed his desire to remain in England, the right club for him could lie elsewhere.

If he were to move to Roma for example, one of those clubs rumoured to be interested, Owen could realistically rejuvenate his England career under Italian Fabio Capello. Breaking the 90 cap barrier is surely one of the last targets in Owen’s career and a move to Capello’s homeland could turn the England boss’ head.

Lets be honest, he’s more likely to spend his time in the Italian capital than at the Britannia Stadium next year. Seria A is not the league it once was. Like Owen, it has struggled to live up to its name these past few years as aside from Milan, no other club has offered any real threat in the Champions League in recent years.

The standard has slipped no doubt, but Owen could use that to his advantage. Italians pride their football on solid defending therefore a striker can be considered a revelation by breaking the 15-goal mark and I for one think Owen is more than capable of achieving that.

Making a mark in Capello’s homeland is much more likely to impress the Italian rather than a handful of important goals in a relegation scrap, which is what Owen IS likely to face should he stay in England.

Or the former Real Madrid man might fancy setting the record straight by returning to Spain. Owen was deemed a failure in La Liga upon his return to England, despite netting 16 league goals when largely used as a substitute.

He even amassed the best goals-per-minute ratio in the league in his sole season in Spain’s capital, which is enough alone to suggest he was not a flop there. However the doubters still accuse, but perhaps a return to La Liga would offer him the chance to prove such people wrong.

A switch to the likes of Villarreal or Sevilla could be perfect for him. And if Diego Forlan can net so many goals in that division I’m sure Owen can do the same!

A further reason why a move abroad is Owen’s best option is the reduced amount of media coverage he would receive. The English press love to ridicule, and no one has been ridiculed more in recent years than the “finished” Michael Owen.

A move to a hot country would allow Owen to relax and find his form without the press on his back every second, and that could be crucial if he is to re-emerge as a candidate for seat on the England plane heading to South Africa next summer.

It worked for Kevin Keegan when he moved to Hamburg in 1977. True, Germany is not a hot country but it did allow Keegan to unwind and regain his status as one of the best strikers in Europe after winning the European Player of the Year in his second season there.

The former Liverpool striker had achieved “pop-star” status in England for his rock n' roll barnet and his womanising skills. But after winning the European Cup with Liverpool in his last season there, Keegan upped sticks and left for Germany to escape the limelight.

Owen shares certain characters with his former manager in terms of their style of play, and I feel he could learn from Keegan’s moves as a player. One thing is for sure, Fabio Capello will rarely keep tabs on goings-on at the Britannia or KC Stadium next year, so do the sensible thing Michael, and take your chances overseas.

Wimbledon Day 1 Round Up

2009-06-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

Queens finalist James Blake has become the first major casualty of the men’s singles tournament as he went down 7-5 6-4 7-6 (7-5) to Andreas Seppi. What a difference a week makes eh?

The American no.17 seed was unable to reproduce the same form at AEGON Championships which saw him win three out of four matches on grass, only to be pipped to the title by world number three Andy Murray.

But the 29-year-old will take no further part in this years’ grass court season after suffering a straight sets defeat to Italian Seppi. The unseeded 25-year-old dominated control of the game with Blake producing a series of unforced errors and subsequently falls at the first hurdle, and Seppi will now take on Frenchman Marc Gicquel in round two.

Meanwhile, tournament favourite Roger Federer got his assault on a 6th Wimbledon title off to the perfect start with a 7-5 6-3 6-2 victory over Yen-Hsun Lu.

The world number two opened the first game of the tournament at Centre Court as the main attraction of the day. And despite dropping serve early on in the first set, the Swiss delivered a dominant display for the crowd to book his place in round two.

The 27-year-old will now face a tougher test as he meets Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez who beat Agustin Calleri in three comfortable straight sets earlier in the day.

Fourth seed Novak Djokovic came from a set down to secure a 7-6 6-7 2-6 4-6 first round win over Julien Benneteau.

Benneteau has now lost 11 of his last 12 opening round matches on the Grand Slam circuit but threatened to stage a major upset after battling his way to the first set with a dramatic tie break win.

He was unable to claim the second set as they reached another tie break, this time Djokovic showed no mercy as he powered his way through with a series of mini breaks and square up the contest.

And the Serbian world number four was galvanised by the tie break win as the match was turned on its head and the 22-year-old cruised to the finish line by taking the next two sets with games to spare.

Elsewhere, 9th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga battled his way to a 6-3 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) win over Andrey Golubev on Court Two. The Frenchman was forced into tie breaks in the final two sets as his Kazakhstani opponent refused to lie down.

The match was a contender for the best of the day, however that award must surely go down to Karol Beck and Feliciano Lopez as fans on court 18 were treated to an epic five set thriller.

Beck took victory over his number 24 seed opponent with a 10-8 triumph in the final set after the two fought out an openly close four sets prior to the classic finale.

Meanwhile, French Open finalist Robin Soderling also got off to a winning start despite falling a set behind to Luxembourg's Gilles Muller. The Swede, 13th seed, recovered to run out a 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 6-1 6-2 winner.

The 24-year-old did not participate in a grass court tournament to warm up for the third grand slam of the season, so will be particularly pleased at passing his first test since his French Open defeat to Federer.

In the women’s tournament there were few surprises on day one as the big names each pulled through to secure second round challenges.

Second seed Serena Williams made light weight of Neuza Silva with a 6-1 7-5 win on Centre Court after Federer has previously opened proceedings.
The Portuguese qualifier was out powered by Serena’s superior serve as the two time Wimbledon queen took just short of an hour and a quarter to dispatch of the 26-year-old Silva.

Fellow former Queen of the grass court tournament Maria Sharapova also progressed on Day One as she fought out a 7-5 6-4 win over Ukrainian qualifier Viktoriya Kutuzova.

The Russian babe did not have everything her own way however as she found herself 4-1 and 5-3 down at stages in the first set. However, the 2004 Champion regained her stability and showed great fight to overturn the early pressure and take the set.

The 22-year-old has slipped down the rankings this year as shoulder surgery has restricted her participation on the ATP tour. However, a good showing at the AEGON Classic tournament in which she reached the semi finals, Sharapova has been tipped as an outsider for the tournament and showed the kind of determination on day one which suggests she not just here to make up the numbers.

Aside from the front runners, English teenager Laura Robson suffered defeat on her senior debut at the hands of Daniela Hantuchova. Much was unfairly expected of the wildcard entrant, who is still only 15, as she suffered a creditable 3-6 6-4 6-2 defeat to the Slovakian, ranked number 32 in the world.

Some impressive serving from the teenager, who was born in Australia, enabled her to take a shock lead as she powered to the first set and had Hantuchova rattled early on.

However, the 26-year-old proved her hugely superior world ranking over Robson was justified as she capitalised on a series of double faults as the youngsters serve lost its way following the early promise.

Hantuchova will now face a much bigger task as she takes on sixteenth seed Jie Zheng in the second round after she beat unseeded Kristina Barrois 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-4).

Meanwhile Englishman James Ward was unable to cause a first-round upset as he went down to number seven seed Fernando Verdasco in straight sets. The Spaniard used his experience to breeze past the British hopeful 6-1 6-3 6-4 in what looks like another disappointing year for the hosts’ English representatives. Verdasco will now face Serbian front runner Novak Djokovic in the second round in the first big name dual of the tournament.

And so the All English Club’s desperate wait for another English winner of their tournament continues with only Scot Andy Murray offering a realistic chance of producing a British winner in either tournament, and he will open his tournament assault on day two of the 123rd Wimbledon tournament.

£6m Campbell destined for Football League

2009-06-17T15:53:00.001-07:00

You’ve got to hand it to Alex Ferguson, the man knows how to do business when it comes to selling players. No, I’m not talking about Cristiano Ronaldo’s inevitable £80m move to Real Madrid, I’m talking about Fraizer Campbell’s potential £6m move to Hull City.

What exactly has this young striker done to warrant a £6m price tag? Tigers fans will be quick to point out the 15 Championship goals he netted for them whilst on loan at the KC stadium in their promotion winning season of 07/08. The key word here is “Championship.”

There’s a world of difference between the top two divisions, and realistically Hull City need a striker who is capable of close to 15 Premier League goals if they are to stand a chance of beating the drop next year.

Phil Brown’s men were brought back down to earth in the second half of last season as their dreamland period of overachieving came abruptly to an end come the turn of the year.

Brown can’t have too much of a transfer budget at his disposal, and using the majority of it to buy a striker who has only ever scored 1 Premier League goal is a risk I’m not sure will come off.

It may seem like buttons compared to the Ronaldo deal, but Ferguson will be laughing all the way to the bank with his £6m on top of the staggering figure Madrid look set to pay for the Portuguese forward.

Some might say that Campbell was not given the opportunity to show what he can do at Tottenham, but ask any Spurs fan and they’ll tell you he wasn’t good enough to merit a run in the side.

I’m fond of Hull so I hope I’m proved wrong, but I can’t see the England U21 international hitting double figures next season and unless they invest in the rest of the team to provide him with service, I feel they’re doomed.

So who else could the Yorkshire club set their sights on instead of Campbell? Well, Kevin Doyle is on the market and would command a similar fee. The Irishman has two full seasons experience in the Premier League with Reading, hitting 19 goals in the process. He surely would have broken the 20-goal barrier had his second season not been marred by injury as the Royals sunk back down to the Championship.

Doyle has proved his ability at the top however, unlike Campbell, and really should seem the more attractive option for Brown. The other aspect is that he is a proven Championship goalscorer with 37 over his two seasons in that division. So, should Hull land Doyle and he is unable to save them from the Premiership’s drop, they’ll know they can rely on him to lead their firing line in a bid to come back up.

Another option for Hull could be…dare I say it…Michael Owen. The former England international has been cruelly written off by many as finished. Am I alone in thinking he still has a lot to offer? With Aston Villa and Everton mulling over a decision whether to take him on or not, the opportunity for Hull, or indeed any other clubs expecting to fight relegation, is there for the taking.

The 29-year-old must be rueing the day he left Liverpool for Real Madrid as his career has spiralled toward the scrapheap and his best days are almost certainly behind him, but that doesn’t mean he can’t do a job.

I don’t blame the bigger clubs for looking twice at him, but it’s the lower clubs who could be missing out on a bargain. He comes on a free and is reportedly already resigned to taking a massive pay cut.

If Hull could persuade him to sign a two year £40k a week deal it would cost the club just over £4m. To me that represents better value than a £6m for someone who has played just 12 Premier League games, regardless of the age difference.

Other options include Jason Scotland and Ross McCormack who each netted more goals than Campbell did in his sole season in the Championship. However, neither boast Premiership experience and if they command a similar price tag it would represent just as much of a gamble as Campbell seems.

The last time Fergusons offloaded an unwanted striker for £6m was his sale of forgotten man Alan Smith. During Man Utd’s ‘transitional’ phase, which included the flop signings of Eric Djemba-Djemba and Brazilian Kleberson, Ferguson attempted to change Smith’s position from striker to midfielder.

Whilst the former England international always tried his best in a Man Utd shirt, which the fans at least appreciated, it wasn’t good enough. Upon returning to his natural striking role he rather embarrassingly forgot where the net was and his career has plunged into a crisis ever since.

Despite netting just 7 Premier League goals in over 60 games for Man Utd, Smith still managed to conjure up a £6m price tag upon his move to the professional’s graveyard that is Newcastle United.

The now 28-year-old Smith still awaits his first Newcastle league goal after two full seasons at St. James’ Park. Smith must now ply his trade in the Championship with Newcastle as it looks unlikely that any Premier League outfit will give him another chance at the top. To be fair, he hardly warrants one.

How Ferguson managed to scrape £6m out of Newcastle for a player he scuppered so much that no one even knows what position he is anymore is beyond me. But again, you have to credit his shrewd business in selling unwanted players, he has a history of pulling off a deal which favours United rather than the buying club.

Kieran Richardson, who played just 41 games in 5 years at Old Trafford somehow amassed a £5.5m transfer fee. There are too many examples in which to get through, but the point is I fear Campbell is the next in line and cannot live up to his price tag, I fear he could end up playing his best days in the Championship.

Villa isn’t the answer to Rafa’s prayers

2009-06-16T16:30:00.000-07:00

As the old saying goes - If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Amid the insanity of the current transfer market, Rafael Benitez faces his biggest summer yet if he is to overhaul the dominance of bitter rivals Man Utd.

The Spaniard has amassed his best squad yet at Liverpool and achieved the club’s highest ever points tally in the Premier League last campaign.

It could have been much more than that had the side not lost their way in January and February when seemingly in control of the title race, but it wasn’t to be.

With the expected arrival of Portsmouth fullback Glen Johnson this week, Liverpool should start the season even stronger next term. But it is calls from the team’s star striker which are cause for concern rather than the hefty price tag which has been agreed for the England right-back.

Fernando Torres has announced he wants Benitez to do his utmost to bring his international teammate and Valencia striker David Villa to Anfield this summer. Now don’t get me wrong, Villa oozes class, one of the neatest strikers on the planet without doubt. But wouldn’t his arrival to Anfield disrupt the good team Benitez has formed?

"Rafa Benitez makes the signings and I'm sure those who come will improve us," Torres said this week. "If it was me I would bring David Villa. But that may not be possible."

The pair undeniably work amazing together. After all, they’re the first choice partnership of the best ranked nation in the world, but his arrival to Liverpool would mean a reshuffle throughout the team.

If Liverpool could afford to bid for Villa, and I very much doubt they can, what would that mean for Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano? Something would have to give way as the arrival of another expensive Spanish striker would undoubtedly mean a return to the 4-4-2 formation.

That would mean the departure of either Mascherano or more likely Alonso. Where’s the sense in that? You lose Mascherano, you lose your ball winner. You lose Alonso, you lose your ball player. Another option would be keeping the pair in the centre but moving Gerrard, the worlds best midfielder, back onto the right flank which as has been established already is just plain wrong.

There’s also the matter of Dirk Kuyt’s future if a formation change was to occur. The Dutch striker-come-winger scored 12 Premier League goals as a midfielder last term, a feat only bettered by fellow midfielders Gerrard and Cristiano Ronaldo, who is basically a forward anyway these days. Kuyt, although not everybody’s cup of tea, fully deserves to begin next season in the same role he excelled in last campaign.

In finding a winning formula with his 4-5-1 formation, Benitez has created the most exciting Liverpool squad since Roy Evan’s ‘spice boys’ era in the mid 90s. True, the club had great cup success under Benitez’ predecessor Gerard Houllier, but they never entertained like Fowler, McAteer and McManaman did for Evans.

There is no need for change in formation. The squad does need reinforcements up front, but not in the form of a £40m+ superstar. It didn’t work out for Robbie Keane, a player who has proved his class year in year out in the Premiership, so there would be no guarantee it would work for Villa.

Benitez should be setting his sights on finding a proven goalscorer who is content to play second fiddle to Torres and is happy to warm the bench until given the call. If this must be an aging but proven goalscorer, then so be it. David Trezeguet fits the bill, or perhaps a loan move for Real Madrid flop Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

The Dutch striker could be surplus to requirements as Madrid, Villa’s likely destination incidentally, as the Spanish giants look set to continue their mind boggling spending spree. A potential switch to Anfield could work in the 25-year-old’s favour.

Either way, a money-spinning move for Villa could potentially destruct the winning formula Benitez has found. Fair enough they haven’t won anything in the last two seasons, but they have closed the gap on Man Utd greatly and equalled their best Premier League finish as runners up. Liverpool fans have won enough cups over the past two decades to be content without another handful, it’s the Premier League they really want and will only be satisfied with.

With one or two fine tweaks here and there in his current squad, Benitez seemingly has the potential to land the title next year, but only if he maintains the same formation and settles for a first choice line up from which to play it.

Providing the move for Johnson goes through, the left wing should now be Benitez’s main concern. Although Fabio Aurelio and Albert Riera had good seasons last term, they’re no world beaters, which is effectively what you have to be to land the Premier League.

Moves for left sided Real Madrid pair Gabriel Heinze and Arjen Robben could be the answer as both will struggle for a place in Manuel Pellegrini’s team next season. Robben may not be the most liked individual, but his breathtaking displays in La Liga last season should have made him the first name on their team sheet throughout the year. Sadly for him, that’s not how things work at the Bernabéu.

But whoever Benitez targets in what promises to be one of the most crazy transfer windows in recent years, lets hope he doesn’t disrupt the flow of this side he has.

It’s widely thought that Liverpool blew their title hopes in that barren spell at the beginning of the year which saw them pick up just two wins from seven league games throughout January and February.

At that stage nothing was broke, but Benitez tried to fix it. His needless outburst on Man Utd boss Alex Ferguson was baffling as Liverpool were in complete control of the league. The eruption played directly into Ferguson’s hands, and although I agreed with the majority of what the Spaniard claimed, there was absolutely no need for it to be said.

It added unnecessary pressure onto the players, who were in rampant form. It added immense pressure on himself with many opposing fans suggesting he’d “done a Keegan” and it proved costly for his side.

As it turned out, the team lost their way almost immediately and surrendered a healthy lead and despite a late threat to stage a turnaround with the 4-1 massacre in Old Trafford, Benitez paid the ultimate price and lost his war with the master of mind games.

The Spaniard, who has won two La Liga titles with Valencia in the past, should learn from his errors of tweaking things when all is well and not break the mould which made his team front-runners for much of last term.

Let’s have no pointless outbursts and no multi-million pound striker signings and Liverpool can finally land that elusive Premier League title.

Serb reaches ATP final with ragged display

2009-06-13T19:59:00.000-07:00

Novak Djokovic had his work cut out as he defeated Belgian qualifier Olivier Rochus to reach the Halle tournament final with a 7-6 6-4 win on Saturday.

The world number 4 will play Germany's Tommy Haas who had earlier edged past Philipp Kohlschreiber in three sets.

Despite reaching the final and beating Rochus in straight sets, Djokovic has struggled to find his feet on the grass surface so far as continual unforced errors have hampered his Wimbledon preparations.

The Serb, who amassed a staggering with 21 unforced errors in the first set alone, surrendered a 4-1 before missing three set points at 5-4 while Rochus carved out two for himself in the tiebreak.

Second seed Djokovic, who will play in his second grass court final after his final defeat to Rafael Nadal in Queen's last year, kept his composure to clinch it on his fourth set point when Rochus, ranked 136th, misjudged a backhand.

Rochus was broken at 2-2 in the second when Djokovic's baseline approach began to get the better of the Belgian.

Rochas refused to give up however and earned a break point at 4-3 before the Serb's thumping serve gave him a 5-3 lead. The 22-year-old went on to serve out the match two games later on his third match point.

"I had to work hard for all my points especially on his serve. You can see Olivier likes to play on fast surfaces," said Djokovic.

"On paper I am the favourite. But you don't want to put pressure on yourself as favourite because Tommy has played some great matches here."

Former world number two Haas was also given a stern test in his semi-final against Kohlschreiber after coming back from a set down to win 2-6 7-6 7-6.

Kohlschreiber, who beat Haas at Halle last year the only other meeting ever between the compatriots, broke twice in the first set to go 5-2 up and then fired two aces to clinch it.

Both players held serve in the second to trigger a tiebreak with 31-year-old Haas getting the better of his world number 24 opponent.

Haas fought back from 4-1 and 5-2 down in the third to force another tiebreak and won it on his third match point with an ace.

The German missed most of 2008 with a shoulder injury but the world number 41 has reached his first final in more than two years and regardless of the final result, can arrive in England with realistic hopes of making an impression after being rejuvenated in his homeland.

The 31-year-old also defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the second round and can enter the final on Sunday with genuine belief that he can conjure up his second top 10 scalp of the tournament.

He continues his good form after his best showing for seven years at last week's French Open in when he reached the fourth round and took eventual champion Roger Federer to five sets in one of the games of the tournament.

It will be Haas's first final on the ATP Tour since Memphis in 2007 and win or lose, he warrants recognition as a potential giant killer for the up-coming Grand Slam in England.

Kuznetsova Turnaround Offers Hope to Women's Game

2009-06-12T16:27:00.000-07:00

Dinara Safina must be ruing the day her brother talked compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova out of quitting tennis.

Newly crowed queen of Roland Garros Kuznetsova has revealed how Marat Safin, brother of beaten finalist Safina, talked her out of quitting tennis after she became disillusioned with the sport.

Former men’s number one Safin helped talk Kuznetsova round after her Grand Slam final defeats to Justin Henin in the 2006 French Open and the 2007 US Open left her on the verge of breakdown.

Further early round defeats in The German Open and Rome Masters in 2008 prompted a quit threat from the 23-year-old and only for the intervention of mentor Safin, things could have been very different for the 2009 French Open Champion.

“It’s been a tough time for me,” said Kuznetsova. “When I lost in Rome I left for Moscow. I was saying ‘I don’t want to train. I don’t want to think about it (tennis). I don’t want to go back’.

“I said a few times I want to quit tennis. I said it – but I never felt it.

“I said it to Marat a few times. I said ‘Marat, I don’t know, maybe I should not play’. He said ‘Are you crazy or what? You have unbelievable opportunities, you have to play’.”

Kuznetsova beat world number one Safina in straight sets on Saturday to claim the 2009 title and her second Grand Slam in a remarkable turnaround which can only encourage the participation of female tennis players, as an exodus of star players threatens.

Justin Henin’s shock retirement from tennis in May 2008 brought shockwaves to the women’s game. At the time, the Belgian was ranked current women’s world number one and at just 25, she left behind a sport which is forever losing talented females prematurely.

The timing of Henin’s decision was baffling to say the least. With the French Open due to begin a matter of weeks before her announcement, she was expected to launch the defence of her title of which she had held for the previous three years.

Having won on the red dirt four times in her short but sweet career, Henin was also expected to be a strong title contender for the 2008 Wimbledon tournament, the only Grand Slam missing from her collection.

Seven Grand Slams and gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics show an accomplished career record. But on the back of a triumphant handful of years, Henin called it a day, to the dismay of the tennis world.

In one of very few sports which hands out equal pay to both genders, it’s a strange pattern which has formed over the past decade. But why are so many young female tennis players retiring before their time?

Others who maybe have not been quite as successful as Henin have left to pursue other careers. One of those in particular is Anna Kournikova. The Russian has not played on the singles WTA tour since 2003, slipping out of the singles game at the age of 21.

Kournikova’s natural beauty was recognised early in her career as she was subject to intense media attention from advertising agencies, men’s magazines and eventually left the game to pursue a modelling career.

Her abilities as a tennis player were frequently questioned and inevitably her commitment too as her head was easily turned by the ‘celebrity’ lifestyle which was on offer since her teens. Rather than focusing on improving her skills, she lost her way and faded out of the game into multi million dollar modelling contracts.

Former world number one Maria Sharapova has often been compared to her compatriot Kournikova despite possessing superior ability. Her striking good looks have grabbed her similar publicity, but at just 22 the Russian has three Grand Slam titles to her name, yet fans already fear she will leave tennis to pursue other interests.

Serena and Venus Williams, both of whom regularly feature in the top ten rankings and currently sit second and third respectively, have also had their heads turned by celebrity lifestyle. The sisters have their own fashion designer labels and frequently model each others designs. Serena has even played minor acting roles in American sitcoms and could make a career change in this direction.

It seems apparent that young female tennis players are extremely vulnerable and naïve when drafted into the limelight. While Henin claimed to be heading for a quiet life away from the game to concentrate on her tennis academy, she will this month take part in her second Belgian reality TV show in quick succession. Hardly living the quiet life Justin!

Nine years and many titles was deemed job done for Henin, who had every right to leave the sport she grew alienated from. But if the tennis authorities want to keep their prized assets in the game longer than they currently do so, changes need to be made.

Most female tennis players turn professional around 16, a frightening age to begin a profession with such attention, demand and pressure. Indeed Kournikova was just 14 when she played her first professional game in her native Russia. Sharapova won her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon aged just 17, immediately being exposed to the image obsessed media.

Also this week it emerged that 15-year-old Laura Robson has been handed a wild card entry into this year’s Wimbledon tournament. The English teenager won last year’s female youth version of the event and has been drafted in for the senior ladies’ tournament in a desperate attempt by the LTA to find some home grown success at the top level.

“From the sounds of it, there is going to be quite a lot of pressure so I am just going to have to deal with that,” said Robson.

“I don't know what I am going to do but all I can do is go on court and try my best. Then, win or lose, if I have tried my best then I cannot be unhappy.”

With so many female teenagers being pressurised into beginning their tennis careers so early, it’s little wonder they don’t remain in the game longer when they’re old enough to make their own decisions.

Governing bodies such as the Women’s Tennis Association must seriously consider introducing new legislation to rectify the problem. Perhaps introducing a new rule in which female tennis players cannot turn professional until they’re 18, regardless of their talent. Certainly changes need to be made along the production line, or the trend will continue and women’s tennis could struggle to hold on to the respected status it has accomplished.

Kuznetsova’s success offers a ray of light on the problem. Hopefully the world number 5 can build on her French Open win and go on to achieve greatness in the women’s game. Perhaps from this, she could become an ambassador for younger players who contemplate leaving the game before they’ve barely even started.

Tears of Joy as Swiss Rolls On

2009-06-09T07:03:00.000-07:00

French Open success rejuvenates Fed career and Grand Slam season

When Roger Federer stood blubbing on the Melbourne Park court in February, many critics suggested time was up for the great Swiss.

Just over four months later and Federer is now being called the undisputed greatest tennis player of all time following his French Open win on Sunday, the one tournament that eluded his illustrious career.

Federer now rewrites the record books joining Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Andre Agassi as one of only six men to complete the career Grand Slam haul, equalling Pete Sampras’ record number of Single Grand Slam titles in the process.

His 6-1 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 beating of Robin Soderling in Roland Garros was the 14th Grand Slam of his singles career and further strengthens his case as the greatest we’ve ever seen.

In the eyes of many, Federer now surpasses fellow grass-specialist Sampras, who never won the French Open in his otherwise phenomenal career, robbing him of a place in the career Grand Slam winner’s bracket in which he surely belonged.

It was a different story at the beginning of the year however, as Rafael Nadal reiterated his status as World No.1 with victory over Federer in the Australian Open final.

This defeat, coupled with his dethronement of the Wimbledon crown at the hands of the Spaniard the previous summer, proved all too much for Federer as he broke down in tears during the traditional runners up speech.

The tears signified what most people felt, including perhaps Federer himself, was the end of an era following his second consecutive final defeat to Nadal, despite a US Open win over Andy Murray sandwiched in between.

However, Federer is a true champion, a genuine legend of the game who was never going to throw in the towel that easy in his fight to return to the top.

True, the hard work was done by Soderling in defeating Nadal en-route to the final in Paris, but take nothing away from Federer’s ability to brush aside the added pressure once the seemingly unbeatable clay expert had been knocked out.

There were more tears for 27-year-old on the Stade Roland Garros court on Sunday, tears of joy this time as Soderling could not achieve the impossible of beating both Nadal and Federer in the one tournament.

Credit too must go to Soderling for a very professional display in which he remained competitive throughout but was ultimately proved inferior to the new champion.

The Swede has no doubt been one of the stars of the tournament and looks to have banished his playboy reputation with his certified showings at Roland Garros. Here’s hoping the 24-year-old can continue his progress and return to the Grand Slam circuit as a major player.

Make no mistake, Nadal will return to Roland Garros next year as the favourite, ever more determined to win back the title he has made his own in recent years.

But likewise, Federer will enter this year’s Wimbledon tournament with the same mentality, after missing out on 6 in a row to the Spanish Bull last year.

The win for Federer explodes the Grand Slam season into life, with many previously expecting the domination of Nadal.

It makes the prospect of this years’ Wimbledon ever more intriguing as a rejuvenated Federer will now go into the tournament with renewed belief that his is the greatest of all time, and victory this time around will surely end any doubts.

Ever since the Swiss defeated 7 times Wimbledon winner Pete Sampras with his now trademark one-handed backhand return in 2001, Federer has wowed the Centre Court crowd with his honest, professional style.

A true gent, Federer will always be respected at Wimbledon, and Fed fans can now hold genuine optimism that he will end this year’s tournament as the most successful men’s singles player of all time.

This Sporting Life - Why Sport Matters to Me

2009-06-08T16:24:00.000-07:00

If you become a frequent reader of my blog, you’ll notice that I write predominantly in sport (I promise they won’t all be this length!). For some, sport is a minor part of society which is only encouraged for the good of people’s physical health. I am inclined to suggest that it is much more important than that, for its mental aspects have helped (or unfortunately hindered) the development of my personal characteristics which I have grown to detest.

After recently reading the excellent ‘My Father and Other Working Class Football Heroes’ by Gary Imlach, I was intrigued by the similarities between his relationship with his father and my own relationship with my father.

Imlach’s father was an FA Cup winner with Nottingham Forest in 1959 in an era when professional footballers were paid around £9 a week and took up summer jobs in the close season.

My father didn’t quite reach the same heights, for that would be impossible in the amateur sport of Hurling. But he was a local hero, just like Stewart Imlach.

My Dad was a phenomenal hurler, if he hadn’t come from the weak hurling county of Armagh, I have no doubts he would have been regarded as one of the best in Ireland in his prime.

I remember watching him play when he was in his early forties, still one of the best players on the field amongst men half his age. To me it didn’t seem that much of a feat, he was just my Dad, a man playing hurling with other men, the age difference never occurred to me.

Anyway, I wanted to be like him - respected through his parish as the best hurler in town. The sport didn’t have to be hurling, I just wanted to be a sporting hero.

I had a lot of potential as a hurling player as a kid which I never fulfilled. No one other than myself will ever know how good I knew I could be. After all I was getting lessons from the master, my Dad in the back garden.

When pucking around with a sliothar in the garden back then, I used to think ‘wow, I’m really good at this,’ something I can honestly say I’ve never felt since.

Around the age of 7 I had the opportunity to join the youth team of my Dad’s one and only hurling club – Middletown G.F.C. I was very shy as a kid, I still am, and at that stage having never met any of the other kids who would be training with the Under 8’s, I declined the chance out of pure fear of socialising with other kids I’d never met.

The decision was reflected in other areas of my life I wanted to succeed in, but I couldn’t overcome my shyness to do so. Guitar lessons for example, I’ve always wanted to be able to play, but the thought of having one-on-one lessons put me off. Likewise, I was reluctant to take swimming lessons until my Mum forced me and my sisters into it, for which I am obviously now grateful for.

So instead of joining Middletown to play the sport in which I had inherited natural skills, I conformed to playing Gaelic football for a team which was the dominant club at my primary school.

It is a decision I have always regretted. Despite fond memories of playing Gaelic for Ballymacnab, hurling always came more natural to me, but they didn’t have a hurling team at Ballymacnab and I didn’t have the balls to join Middletown for fear of social exclusion in both school and on the pitch.

I pretended to myself, my family and my peers that I enjoyed Gaelic football more than hurling, but I didn’t. My father had no qualms about me joining a club which wasn’t in the Casey tradition, he was just happy to see my enthusiasm for Gaelic games.

In G.A.A, once you join a club, it’s very difficult to switch allegiances. I wasn’t a very good Gaelic footballer. I spent the large majority of my time on the bench, only really playing when the opposition were at the same mediocre level I was at.

I have many league medals from my time there, but they don’t mean much to me as I was never a significant player in our success. The rejection diminished my confidence at an early age and has been echoing throughout my life ever since.

The truth is, the only Gaelic football season I ever fully enjoyed was with the primary school team when we reached the championship final in our last year together. I played a prominent part in that side and flourished under the coach Joe O’Toole, who remains one of very few coaches who have ever put faith in me, for which I will always be grateful for.

High school provided me with a fresh opportunity to return to my hurling roots which I fully grabbed and I instantly became a regular for the school side.

I could still play, my natural skills were evident even though I had barely practiced the sport since I’d taken up Gaelic football, but I was still good enough to make the high school team. However my lack of training had taken its toll and hampered my progress as I was still only a quarter of the player I know I could have been had I originally picked hurling over Gaelic.

Since conforming to playing Gaelic for Ballymacnab like my primary school peers, I have found myself naturally rebel against the norm in everyday life ever since, as a result of my regret. Simple things like which Premier League football team I support, what music I listen to, the films I watch, even the clothes I wear - I rarely go with what's "in" such was the effect of that decision I made when I was 7.

A few years into high school and still very much a part of the hurling set up, I decided to rectify the decision to snub Middletown. I left Ballymacnab and changed sports back to hurling to try and put things right.

The decision didn’t go down great with my Gaelic peers, but since I was never a major player they got over it pretty quickly and I lost no friends over the move.

But it was too little too late inevitably. I only spent one season at Middletown in which I played every game for a relatively poor side. My shyness was still evident as I failed to bond well with a lot of the players and being a teenager by then, it was even more difficult to socialise than it would have been when I was 7.

I couldn’t wait for the season to finish so I could quit. I’d failed to set the club alight, but I’d kept up the Casey tradition of playing for Middletown, albeit only at a very poor underage level.

Incidentally, I returned to Ballymacnab to play Gaelic football, but I was under no illusions - I knew I wouldn’t play a great deal, I was mainly there to stay fit through the training.

I continued to play hurling for the school however, where a coach/teacher became one of a select few to show any faith in my ability as a sportsman, the others being Joe O’Toole and Jerome McCarthy.

The third, Damien “Itchy” McConville, knew my Dad after many on-field battles, he knew how good a player he was and he shared his passion for the sport.

Itchy always encouraged me, he picked me on a regular basis for the school hurling team. I didn’t play every game, but I made every squad and I was content and happy that I was considered important.

I was a back (defender) in both Gaelic and hurling, I always was and I’d never played as a forward, barely even in training.

Itchy once had a selection problem and had to reshuffle things to field a team and I was selected to play as a forward. I pleaded with him to swap me with a back because I didn’t have the belief that I could play up front. He rubbished my claims and said I had the ability so go and prove it.

There I was, given what should have been a massive boost for my confidence as a sportsman and a human being, and what did I do? Well, I fucked it.

I don’t know why I did what I did, I can only blame it on my adolescent mood swings, but I threw Itchy’s faith right back in his face by huffing on the field and sulking with an unbelievably poor showing.

I was a disgrace, I visibly made no effort, I let myself down, my teammates down, and also the one hurling coach who ever believed in me. I was hauled off at halftime and Itchy told me my father would be ashamed, quite right.

But I pretended I didn’t care. I acted as though I was just happy to be missing double science by featuring in that game. As I trudged off to get changed I felt ashamed of myself. I’d disrespected the game but most of all the coach.

After years of craving some encouragement and belief, I’d well and truly blown one of the very few occasions when I actually received it. Deep down, I know I’d never have shown that attitude on the pitch if I’d been playing hurling for Middletown all my life.

A club with enormous commitment to the sport, they would never have allowed that attitude to creep into any of their players.

Needless to say, I never played hurling for the school again. I wouldn’t dare show up to training out of shame, all the while pretending it was out of spite for Itchy. Even if I had shown up, it would have taken superhuman performances to win him over after that incident.

One of the biggest regrets I have about it is that I never apologised to Itchy, not even as a 6th form student when he suggested there might be a way back into the school team for me. I pretended I didn’t know what he was getting at, but I knew full well, I was just too disgraced to admit how much of a cunt I was that day.

So I fully blew my last chance of becoming a respected sportsman, and now I’ll never remotely get to emulate my father’s heroics. I can’t help feeling my experiences in sport have shaped who I am and the characteristics I possess. I have low self esteem, a severe lack of faith in myself and I feel I still don’t command much faith or respect from others in many areas of life.

Even if I did, there’s a good chance I’d piss it up the wall again like I did with Itchy.

I feel things could have been so different had I chose Middletown and hurling at a tender age. I could have been a hero, a great, another legendary hurling player to the people of Middletown just like my Dad and his brothers were.

Sure, I wouldn’t have made any money as it’s an entirely amateur sport, but if I’d have been half the player Dad was, it would have had a hugely positive effect on my confidence as a person which could have been reflected in my academic life, my social life and ultimately my career.

Sport can have a huge impact on our social integration, and I didn’t use this to my advantage, something I will always regret. This is why sport is so important. It can shape who we are and the actions we take, whether we like it or not.

Now I’ve turned my attention to sports writing as a career. I’ve studied the topic, gained a degree in Sports Journalism and now I’m hoping to enter the profession, putting my experiences on the field behind me and I will be willing to reward anyone who shows a glimmer of faith in me with my full commitment this time around.