Archive | March, 2009
Newcastle appoint Alan Shearer, but is it inspiration or desperation?
I’m writing this pretty much as the news is breaking but it seems as if Toon hero Alan Shearer will take the reins at St James’ Park for the remainder of the season. Newcastle sit third from bottom and are in very real danger of going down. Joe Kinnear’s medical problems could not have come at [...]
Continue reading...Royle return for no ordinary Joe
31. March 2009
It all happened so quickly. Joe Royle was walking his dog in the woods near his Merseyside home when his mobile phone rang. It was Sunday, 15 March and within hours the 59-year-old was back in management after an absence of almost three years.Royle's last position had been with Ipswich, but he left Portman Road at the end of the 2005-06 season after almost 200 games in charge. He felt he had done a pretty good job at the East Anglian club, taking them to the play-offs twice in his final three seasons, only narrowly missing out on automatic promotion in 2004 despite financial problems that forced Royle to slim down his squad. After regarding his time there as a qualified success Royle expected to return to management, but as time rolled on he began to think otherwise. "I had applied for three or four jobs recently and did not get any replies," Royle, who has also managed Manchester City, told me. "I thought that perhaps football had forgotten me." But this isn't just an ordinary story of a last chance for an ageing manager. What gives his latest appointment added poignancy and romance is its location. Big Joe was back at Oldham Athletic, the club he managed with notable success between 1982 and 1994. It was one of football's fairy stories. Those of a certain age will clearly remember the exploits of 1990. Royle's Second Division Latics pushed Manchester United all the way in their FA Cup semi-final, eventually losing the replay, which went to extra-time, 2-1 after the first game had finished 3-3. The club did reach the final of the Littlewoods Cup but were beaten 1-0 by Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest. Scalps such as Arsenal and Everton were taken along the way. Royle's team, with the likes of Andy Ritchie, Earl Barrett, Roger Palmer and Nicky Henry in the side, caught the imagination not only of the residents of Oldham but the wider public. His team played with a directness and intent that was exciting and fearless. Oldham's tale was also one of the classic British stories of the mouse that roared even if they fell short of a fairytale ending. However, his team did go on to win promotion from the old Second Division in 1991 and remained in the top flight to become an inaugural member of the Premier League in 1992. "They were magical times," recalls Royle, whose first four seasons at the club had resulted in mediocre league finishes. "We had the pinch-me season in 1990, the fans couldn't believe it. At one stage we had three queues outside Boundary Park - one for FA Cup tickets, another for Littlewoods Cup tickets and a third for league tickets. "Gates were up to around 17-18,000. It was a fantastic time for a club that at times struggled to get 3,500 fans." Eventually the financial realities of life in the Premier League caught up with the Latics, always a selling club, and Oldham were relegated at the end of the 1993-94 season. The Oldham years, however, always remained special to Royle, who regards the Latics promotion to the top flight as he his greatest achievement in management alongside keeping Everton in the Premier League after he left Boundary Park to take over at Goodison Park in November 1994 with the Merseyside club in a perilous position. "I have always kept in touch with the club," said Royle, whose two sons still live in Oldham. Most of his Saturdays over recent seasons had been taken up with media work but an occasional weekend off would see him down at Boundary Park. He had been three times this season prior to his appointment. He accepted the offer of a return in seconds, but what about the old adage that you should never go back? Doesn't he risk sullying some rich and cherished memories? Howard Kendall (Everton) and Kevin Keegan (Newcastle) all tried it without success to rekindle past glories but Royle rejects such negative talk out of hand. He prefers to point instead to Graham Taylor, who took Watford into the Premier League during his second spell at Vicarage Road. "I am well aware of the unwritten rule but there are exceptions and there is no scientific reason why it will not work second time around," said Royle. Unfortunately for Oldham, results so far suggest that anyone hoping of a sensational return will be disappointed. After his first game in charge, a 2-0 home defeat to Tranmere, Royle visited an Indian restaurant he used to frequent during his first spell in charge, taking his sons along with him. Ian Stott, the chairman at Boundary Park during the Royle years, and several former directors turned up to see the manager's first game back. "It was just like old times - except that we lost," Royle told me. After the initial phone call, Royle met officials from Oldham in a hotel in Worlsey and talked about the squad and Oldham's prospects for the remainder of the season. Royle did not feel the need to formally sign a contract and took over with nine games left to salvage a season that had promised so much but lost its way. His position will be reviewed at the end of the campaign. John Sheridan had been sacked amid some poor results and a night at the dogs that allegedly spiralled out of control, with one player holding the manager in a headlock. Royle needed a good start to boost the Latics play-off prospects but after the defeat to Tranmere it took a 94th-minute equaliser at lowly Cheltenham to rescue a point in his second game. The manager was less than thrilled with his team's first-half showing at Whaddon Road and delivered the first serious rollocking after his return to the game. "Some were starting to put on their shorts and get on the suntan cream but it's a bit early for that," said the Latics boss. And last weekend Oldham lost 2-1 to Leyton Orient and are now eight points off the play-offs with just six games left to play. Royle is savvy enough to know that his team are up against it and just wishes that he had taken over with five more points. Then again, if Oldham had five more points they probably wouldn't have sacked Sheridan. Oldham's current standing means that Royle will probably be denied a first outing at the new Wembley when the League One play-off final takes place on 24 May. But given the history of Royle and Oldham Athletic, don't write off the prospect just yet.
Continue reading...Merthyr Tydfil: Footballing Martyrs living on the brink of extinction
31. March 2009
A few days before England coasted to victory against Slovakia in World Cup qualification, Cardiff City cruised to a 3-0 mid-season friendly against Merthyr Tydfil. But while the result may have been meaningless, the match itself wasn’t as the British Gas Business club needed every last penny from the game to ensure their survival. The £4,500 [...]
Continue reading...The Joys of Football Management
31. March 2009
I was reading a respected journalist recently, who was praising the virtues of Fulham manager Roy Hodgson. Indeed, the author in question even went as far as to suggest that if and when Senor Capello decides that the England job is not for him, either when Old Trafford comes calling, he is sacked after [...]
Continue reading...Rooney Tunes Up
31. March 2009
First of all, the new kit. Why the hell do we need a new kit? Times are hard, cash is strapped but never mind let's get a million schoolboys (and girls) across the country to give their mums a right flippin' earache 'cos their England shirts are 'so last year'. Fortunately the new design, with some input from Capello apparently, is no problem to fake. Buy your kid an average white collared T-shirt, stick some badges on it and even the savviest fashionista brat might struggle to tell the difference. Trouble is I quite like the new style. If they could only stop making stuff in a material that I can only describe as InstantHum polyester that'd really helpWhen you gather (or in the Riverside's case, clump) together on the terraces these days, the scent of man wafts over the seats like a fetid burger van. Fortunately, the odour has been well repressed at the home fans' end at our place 'cos there's been very little reason to raise our arms above the horizontal for weeks now. Besides, as my missus puts it, what's wrong with breathable cotton? Becks's 109th cap passed by with not too much more than a murmur - great cross for Rooney's first, mind - and his place in the squad looks sealed 'til 2010 now. Alan Green is one of them who can barely suppress his low opinion of Beckham. Me, I'm of the opposite bent. True, he's two-paced (slow and standing). True, he's an advertising hoarding. True, his trip to LA has been laughable. But the lad has always put in the effort on the pitch, he's the best crosser of a football the British game's seen, and all his managers can testify to his commitment (not least NCO Capello). I wouldn't bother comparing him to Bobby Moore like some folk seem forced to. Moore lifted the World Cup, played 90 minutes of every game, never got sent off, and was the best central defender we ever had. Just 'cos Beckham's not quite as legendary doesn't mean he hasn't earned them caps. Capello's no mug and as a late sub, with more space to work in and tired defenders around, Beckham can still do a good and dangerous job. As John Terry rightly pointed out, Wayne Rooney will probably overtake the clothes-horse on the right as the most-capped England international. Despite the 'crazy man' tag, the national game seems to be back in love with Shrek. Clive Tyldesley summons up Wazza love-songs every time the little welterweight (or 'worth-the-wait' if it were down to Clive) thunders on to the pitch. Rooney has had his detractors, mind. Probably the same oafs who were roaring their approval when he appeared like a fearless Scouse bear and terrified defences in 2004. It's hard to live up to that. But me, I'm glad Capello has urged him to rein it in a bit. I think there's a lot of all cack talked about Rooney's temper. First of all, he's miles better than he has been (unless you ask the odd hospitalised corner-flag). Second of all, there's no reason for anyone to defend the type of gob-smattering toilet-mouthed outburst that Wazza is prone to. Becks and JT have referred to the lad's 'passion'. Clearly in footballer-speak passion = rage. Next time the wife has a pop at us for not being passionate I'll remind her how recently it was that I wagged me finger in her face and bawled me head off at her. Nah, that's not passion. It's just Wayne losing it. And it's a cartoon rage, is Rooney's. You can see the snarl playing on his lips, the eyes narrowing to pinpricks, the steam coming out his ears and the crown of his cropped head rattling like a pan lid on top of boiling potatoes, as he chases after some full-back who has foolishly just robbed him of possession. And the point is that when he loses it, he tends to tread on defenders' delicates and then spends the next hour taking it out on the Radox in a lonely bath. It's garbage to say if you took away Rooney's anger, you'd get half the player. The lad's at his best when he's calm and happy, as he was on Saturday night. Part of being a good pro is to curb the bits of you that don't help yourself or the team (if only Heskey could curb his natural ability to head it over from three yards, eh?). Capello's done brilliant with Rooney thus far - and he reckons Wazza can play anywhere. Well anywhere except left back, if I remember rightly. Just keep him away from there. The team looked pretty comfy, though. I'm still not sure whether Gerrard on the left is the way forward. He roams around and when the opposition break Cashley's left looking like a lion cub in a wildebeest stampede. But Johnson looks good at right-back and Lennon should start again if he can just measure his crosses a bit. While Becks can put the ball on a plate for a forward, Aaron seems to be happy enough if he can land in the same canteen. Still, he's good to watch with the ball at his feet. There's a fascination in the way he wafts that rather camp right hand of his, like he's not only burning off the defender but doodling a little caricature of the chump on an imaginary sketchpad at the same time. It must be like being nutmegged by Rolf Harris ('Can you tell where it is yet?') Things are looking good for the Ukraine game. Especially as Capello has said that he won't be looking to use Owen after 20 minutes of footy and there was a straight 'no' for Kevin Davies. Thank the Lord. It's hard to believe now but do you realise that once upon a time John Fashanu actually played for England. Twice. You tell the kids of today that and they'd never believe you.
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Smart Bets: Picking a Winner in the Champions League
31. March 2009
Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal. If you ever needed a tip for picking a winner for the Champions League this year, you don’t need to look any farther than these four clubs. Out of the final eight teams left, four of them come from the English Premier League; no matter how you look at that stat, [...]
Continue reading...FSC gets Champions League U.S. TV rights, Women’s Professional Soccer kicks off, Kroenke increases Arsenal stake, and more
31. March 2009
While you rain pity down upon David Bentley and marvel at Lionel Messi’s latest display of brilliance, catch up on all that you may or may not have missed on Monday. English Premier League Unsung Heroes XI While the Big Four’s big names get most of the plaudits, Neil Jones takes a look at the [...]
Continue reading...WPS Kicks Off In Style
30. March 2009
The biggest footballing story of the weekend wasn’t Scotland’s defeat against Holland, it wasn’t Northern Ireland’s win against Poland, it wasn’t Spain and Holland getting close to World Cup qualification, it wasn’t even Beckham’s 109th cap or the new England kit. The biggest footballing story, by far, was the launch of the Women’s Professional Soccer league [...]
Continue reading...Scotland can’t freeze against Iceland
30. March 2009
Interestingly, Scotland finish the group stages of the campaign against Holland on the ninth of September 2009. The digits 999 though, might be useful before then. This is a World Cup emergency but I suspect the collective talents of the police, the fire service, the ambulance crews, the coastguard and the SAS couldn't save us now.George Burley reckons we can afford a draw in one of the four remaining games against Iceland, Macedonia and the Dutch at Hampden and Norway in Oslo, but I can't see us escaping with that kind of generosity. It's not just second place we're looking for here: we have to ensure one of the other eight group runners-up has a worse tally than us and 14 points will be no guarantee. At the moment there is no team in the silver medal slot with less than seven points, although in six-team sections they discount the results against the bottom side. I'm sorry, chaps, but to extract ourselves from this quicksand we'll need the Full Monty of 12 points from four games starting right here, right now at Hampden. You had better start praying that Iceland are as fragile as their financial infrastructure. Anything but a win is unthinkable and, to be fair, we look capable of that, which at least would leave hope springing over the summer and into the new term. Scotland actually played tig with a good performance at times in Holland although when the second goal went in with a full 45 minutes to come I thought we were trapped in the middle lane facing an oncoming Dutch juggernaut. I'll forgive the team everything in Amsterdam because Holland are the real deal and potential winners of the tournament itself never mind our qualifying group. But the atmosphere in the fabulous ArenA was a stark reminder that, despite the rise of the club game, the World Cup is the greatest sporting tournament on earth. And 12 years is too long in its wilderness. Frankly, I have become sick and tired in the last two tournaments of being the nation that is the skint kid with his nose stuck to the sweetie shop window drooling in envy at the wonderment of it all. The World Cup is for nations who like to party. And the publicans and restaurateurs and I daresay one or two other service providers in Amsterdam will testify to the talents of the Tartan Army in the R and R department. There is huge responsibility now on the shoulders of the Scotland manager and his players to reach out a embrace a play-off spot, which in itself will unveil another huge obstacle. It could be Russia or Croatia or France or Slovakia who await... but that is a headache for another day. Courage, Scotland, do not stumble now. Iceland, the upstarts who currently sit second in our group, must be swept aside - and with style. Give us a reason to believe that we will sit at the game's great table next summer. Three points now and the promise of more where that came from when the injuries heal and James McFadden and the rest are available. Surely that is not too much to ask? And then when the ninth day of the ninth month in the ninth year comes to pass we will still be in the game. Failing that, never mind the emergency services, has anyone got a number for the Samaritans?
Continue reading...Who is your Football League Player of the Year?
30. March 2009
Sylvan Ebanks-Blake was named as the Championship Player of the Year at the Football League Awards on Sunday evening. Do you agree that he has been the best player in the division this season? There is certainly a very strong case for the 23-year-old, who also won the goal of the year for his strike against Charlton last March. The striker joined Wolves in January 2008 and is the leading scorer this season in the Championship with 24 goals, six clear of Reading's Kevin Doyle. He is quick, skilful and an increasingly accomplished finisher. His goals are a key reason why Wolves are top of the Championship and closing in on a return to the Premier League with six games left to play. Unfortunately he is also injured, having picked up a calf problem training with the England Under-21s last week. The Championship leaders are hopeful that he will be back in action for the top-of-the-table clash with Birmingham next Monday, though his current rehabilitation meant that he was unable to attend the awards night on Sunday. Wolves assistant manager Terry Connor picked up the award on his behalf and afterwards backed Ebanks-Blake to succeed in the Premier League if the Midlands club do go on and win promotion. He also told me that the striker's time at Plymouth was crucial in his development. Ebanks-Blake left Manchester United for the Pilgrims in July 2006 and took time to adjust to the realities of life after Old Trafford and the physical demands of the Championship. Ebanks-Blake himself credits former Plymouth boss Ian Holloway with playing a crucial role in his development and by the time he left Home Park his price tag had increased from £200,000 to £1.5m. If Wolves were to sell him in the summer - extraordinarily unlikely I grant you - he would certainly cost much more than that now. Leicester's Matty Fryatt walked off with the League One Player of the Year award and Shrewsbury's Grant Holt took the honour for League Two. Fryatt, whose side lead the League One table, is having a season to remember after a miserable 2007-08 campaign when he managed just three goals in 35 appearances as the Foxes were relegated from the Championship. This season he has banged in 23 goals in League One and matured under the management of Nigel Pearson. However, a browse through the Leicester 606 board shows that plenty of Foxes fans would have picked veteran striker Steve Howard ahead of Fryatt. Fans of Bristol Rovers might suggest that Rickie Lambert, who has scored 25 of his team's 66 league goals, should have taken the honour instead of Fryatt - what do you think? Fryatt, who notched back-to-back hat-tricks earlier in the campaign, hasn't scored in four games and it could be that his goals are drying up when it matters most, which brings into question the timing of awards such as these. The crucial final weeks of the campaign lie in front of us and there is still plenty of time for players to really stamp their mark on the season. In defence of the Football League, I imagine it is more fun running a bank during the credit crunch than trying to gather all sorts of footballing people into one room. And if you tried to do that at the end of the season I strongly suspect mobile phones would remain unanswered. You don't see too many cash transfers in League Two so more than a few eyebrows were raised when Shrewsbury shelled out £170,000 to buy Holt from Nottingham Forest last June. Holt admitted when he collected his award that he had felt pressure to deliver but 18 league goals seem to suggest he has done just that - though having said that 10 have come from the penalty spot. I'm sure that the Brentford fan in our office would be able to make a case for Charlie MacDonald, while Wycombe's Tommy Doherty was also on the shortlist. I'd like to offer my congratulations to Reading's Graeme Murty for his Player in the Community award. I was actually on the judging panel for this award and was extremely impressed with the quality of the applications. Footballers often get a bad press - frequently with justification - and I'm sometimes unsure of the regard in which they are held by the general public. But some do go above and beyond their obligations in terms of their community work and obviously care passionately about it. I think these footballers deserve recognition. I mentioned in a previous blog the work Darren Moore does through the charity Faith and Football, often spending his summers undertaking sponsored walks and dedicating a huge amount of his time to an inner-city five-a-side league he helps to run. Big Dave, as Moore is affectionately know, quite rightly made the shortlist, as did Nottingham Forest's Julian Bennett for the amount of time he spends helping at South Nottingham College. Bennett is currently injured and will soon be heading with students from the college to South Africa to undertake some coaching work. Picking out a winner was incredibly difficult but Murty just edged it. The Reading defender is, among other things, the patron of charity Swings and Smiles, which provides recreational facilities in West Berkshire for families with special needs children. He also appears on a BBC Berkshire radio show every Monday, taking calls from Reading fans about the club. Many might have ducked out the day after their team had been relegated from the Premier League but not Murty. You might not agree with all the winners on Sunday but Murty deserved his award. If more players had his attitude then that crucial bond between player and supporter would be a whole lot stronger.
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31. March 2009
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