Bleacher Report - Articles by David James

Spurs Are a Mid-table Team This Season

David James — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:07:58 -0400

When you look to what Spurs have stood for in the last decade, it is that their rise and now their ultimate fall will lie at the source of what many have come to think "makes" a football team.

Spurs have no money to spend on transfers this summer. Levy and Redknapp made this clear towards the back end of last season when everything was going well, because these comments would fly under the radar. The comment all football fans loathe to hear "sell before we buy" is the knockings of a team tackling the mire that is mid-table anonymity.

Zokora was the first to go, for what fans believe was £8.5m, but us die-hards £6m plus bonus related clauses. £6m will buy another Tom Huddlestone, not a Modric, or a Defoe that would change our course for this season.

We spent our summer money in the January transfer window to "save our season" and it seems that the premium month of January will become Spurs' "saviour" unless we take a chance.

Daniel Levy is an accountant by trade, brought up with slick and well-known contacts, but these contacts who ultimately became investors had all their money in banks and lost a fortune.

Those people who put their money in Levy, no longer want to invest to yield a return, they want a return from what they initially invested. The sad factor that our new stadium will limit our potential transfers will mean that all Spurs fans will look back to West Ham away and the "Food" incident with distress and regret.

We lost a decade of potential a few years ago—and now we look again to the mire of anonymity, except the people behind the club gain money and the club and us the fans nothing.

The Year Of The Footballer: The Tevez Story

David James — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:58:11 -0400

Most of us know that Tevez is yet to be owned by a Football Club. There is this thing is Brazil where companies purchase a player, akin to a transfer from club-to-club, where they own the value of that player.

They do not, however, contribute to the wages unless otherwise stipulated in an agreement with the original owner of that player.

Santos are the club that you could say are most involved with this system. As you may have read recently in the Papers, United have clinched a deal with the firm who own the economic rights to Santos youth academy, giving United the "first choice" of the crop of young Brazilians. In the words of the firm "We groom for European Football" and this has been met with staunch responses from all the greats including Pele.

Tevez was a similar situation.

The Brazilian League is full of teams who are poor and who are in dire financial difficulty. The fact these firms have come along and purchased certain segments of the club means that clubs in that League will never truly be "Clubs" in the traditional sense of the word. We are living in an era, the "Premier League era", where money is albeit the driving force in World Football.

If you have it you win—if you don't, you can't win.

According to his owners, not current Market Condition Tevez is worth 30.5 million pounds, not the 25.5 being branded about by the media or Kia. Manchester United have refused to pay 30.5 million and only offered Tevez a contract, from which he accepted, but his Management Team refused because Manchester United then had the nerve to offer only 20 million for his services.

Liverpool can't bid, because they don't have any money. Chelsea made a bid, but Tevez favours a stay in the area, and City of course have come in for a big money bid.

It should be tied up in the next five business days, unless a certain Spanish club come in for him, but Barcelona won't budge unless Eto's future is resolved. But unlike Tevez, Eto will go anywhere for money, including the A/A Champions League for a summer.

Football is now money and money is now a God.

If you have it you will be granted beauty. And unfortunately in Tevez's case, this money, will only drive Tevez to regret the whole situation. When Business gets involved in Football, you the fans, the players and the clubs can only suffer. The beauty of the game now only lasts for 90 minutes on the pitch, but even then you may not even be watching players who are owned by your club.

Is This the Year of the Owner?

David James — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 15:55:28 -0400

Unless you have been out of the country for the past year, you will have realised the change that is looming over the football landscape.

No longer are we being managed by managers but by hierarchies put in place to do a traditional manager's job. As The Guardian—as recently as today—alluded to, they often operate in a mascot's role.

As a Spurs fan, the arrival of Juande Ramos was seen as nothing but bringing in the best pedigree to propel a team, that in our chairman Daniel Levy's eyes was incapable under Martin Jol to record a victory.

And hallelujah, one year later, we are stuck in the same sterile opening of the season curse, lacking the ability to pull together a win.

Spurs are a selling club, as passionate as you can be a Yiddo there is no denying, Spurs are stuck in their ways in terms of developing then releasing a talent. Proven goalscorers in Robbie Keane, Dimitar Berbatov, and Jermain Defoe have been let go and tired players, plying their trade at the end of their domestic season have been brought in to strengthen positions already ultimately filled, to pry up a position weakened for players sold to make a profit.

As I have intimated before, Daniel Levy is different, because as alluded to by Alex Ferguson only a few weeks ago he is in the football business to support himself and no other.

Hell if Spurs fans wake up on Monday morning with another loss looming over the club, will the fans be calling for Ramos' head? Yes!

It is pure and simple in football terms that if a club is losing, it is inevitable that the fans will blame the manager, but how can this be just in the modern football climate? Look at Curbishley's departure from West Ham—his acrimonious decision to part because of Magnusson's decision to sell two decent squad players, forced Curbishley to decide that his tenure at West Ham was up, because he no longer had his contracted decisions set in stone.

He lost his needed ability as a manager to buy and sell players he thought of as essential to the team and he believed, lost his position as manager and was purely operating as a first-team coach.

Then we look at Keegan's tenure at Newcastle. Can one man make a city? Yes. Fans paraded Keegan as a champion of the city and honoured him as the one true man who knew what Newcastle was about.

They questioned how a crew of Cockney hounds could ever manager a North East club with the passion that a local superstar, in the mould of Keegan, Beardsley, or Shearer could handle such a prestigious club.

The fans, voted recently in a poll as the most deluded club in terms of attained silverware, could argue, that their club is huge and that only a local Adonis could fathom players that would excite and replicate the close-to title winning run of the era of the Ginola's and Shearer's which Keegan was a vocal point of.

Fans are starting to wake up and smell the stench adorning from boardrooms across the country. No longer are their blames firmly fixated on the manager of the club but the hierarchy invoked through the current financial obligations of a club to produce a profit.

Clubs like Newcastle, Spurs, and Villa are no longer operated purely to win and develop, but to make a financial return for the investors at the head of the road. Even if you want to sack the board you can't—it is much easier to call for a manager's head because the owner's won't lose money, because they will strengthen the consistency of the fans support and ultimately be in touch in grab more money from loyal, unbinding and naive supporters.

Ashley is selling the club for 480 million pounds, double his initial investment in the North East club and to his amazement no one is interested at Newcastle for the price. It was rumoured Sheikh Mohammed considered Newcastle prior to his purchase of Manchester City, but Ashley was unwilling to sell for less that his considered amount and Sheikh believed that Newcastle was unmarketable in the Asian market.

The fans, let alone Ashley, will be stuck with each other for a while longer, and as with Spurs, ENIC will hold full control over their every actions. It is shocking that only Glasgow Rangers in 1996 are to resit the control of an outside investment, ironically by ENIC, because of what it would do to the club.

Managers will never have the power they once did—because football is for the playground of the rich, or should I say for the profit of the rich!

Spurs Intimate Open-Ticket Selling, but We All Remember Sevilla

David James — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:41:13 -0400

Anyone who was at White Hart Lane on Thursday night will understand what I am about to discuss. Wisla Krakow were not only the dominant force on the pitch, but in the stadium too.

Spurs are well known for forgoing a stringent policy on ticketing, in the search of a quick buck. It should practically be written in their over-priced Opus, which if any fan has brought, has probably never opened or simply received as a gift.

I was verging on the side of optimism yesterday, begging that Spurs could pull together a cohesive passing game in search of an opening season victory. As I pulled into the high road, I was swamped by Wisla Krakow fans, who were chanting, painted top-to-bottom entering Tottenham county through the front door.

I was sat next to a family of Krakow fans in Row 6 of the notorious East Stand, one of the three exclusive ends for Tottenham supporters.

For those who haven't heard of Wisla Krakow, they are one of two teams in the Polish town of Krakow, who were recently featured on a documentary "Ross Kemp on Gangs" as one of the most revered gang-culture clubs in Europe.

Spurs stewards, who unbeknown to them, were set in a home stand of supporters, painted head-to-toe, balaclava clad away supporters with one of the most shocking histories in world football.

The steward's own untested positions were soon under threat as riot police were called to disperse of any potential situation, as scenes reminiscent of Sevilla began to play in Spurs fans' minds.

However luckily, no situation arose and once again I left, with a half-hearted smile on my face following a dismal 2-1 victory.

Spurs are still yet to release a statement on Thursday night's events, and I hope their policy is reviewed otherwise only the club can be blamed for letting the fans down. It seems as though both on and off the pitch, the club are letting everyone down.

Euro 2008: The "Shop Window" Culture of Major International Tournaments

David James — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:40:11 -0400

Under the warm climate, Euro 2008 has begun in earnest.

An enthralling top-seeded clash between Holland and Italy suggested that Europe is flourishing on the international stage, with talents bubbling over and above the radar, and certain characters have begun to shine.

But with the transfer market set to commence at the end of the championships, are the Euros becoming a rite of passage of players from mediocrity to five-figure weekly salary caps?

Euro 2008, as with the World Cup, has become a marketplace for talent—especially for the lesser-ranked teams. Already, Luca Modric, the self-styled Croatian playmaker, has already made a reported £16.4 million move to Tottenham Hotspur.

Jose Boswinga, the speedy Portuguese wing-back, has been purchased by Chelsea in a £16.8 million coup.

Two common factors have been associated with the "shop window" players of the tournament:

a) The media

b) Their managers

Both factors play integral parts in whether players will be plying their trades in the highest leagues of Eastern Europe, or under the dazzling lights of the western European leagues.

The media has become a focal point of distraction for managers and players alike.

A good performance will alert the media of their apparent "availability," while a poor performance will lose potential coverage. Their managers, hand-in-hand with the media influences, and indicates their players' intention, availability—and more than anything, their adaptability.

A common trait of foreign imports over the last decade is their ability to adapt to climates. Look at Diego Forlan, once of Manchester United. Forlan scored one goal in a whole EPL season. In the next year, at Villareal, he became Europe's leading scorer and collected the golden boot.

As time allotted for players to settle in is lowered year after year, due to expectation and performance-related contracts, players must perform week-in and week-out, otherwise they will be culled.

It begs the question: In the modern age, does "international quality" surely indicate whether a player is "Champions League" quality, or just a domestic player?

Tottenham Hotspur: The Transfer Window Soap Opera

David James — Tue, 20 May 2008 07:28:01 -0400

It's that time of year again folks: televisions are tuned off of football and, arguably, on to other less entertaining sports, but fans' news feeds are lit up by the latest Peruvian stars looking to make it in the greatest league in the world—the Premier League.

But for Tottenham Hotspur, the transfer window means a lot more—it means backstabbing, upsetting other managers to the point of lunacy, stealing the latest British talent, and selling the odd-ten central midfielders Martin Jol seemed fit to sign during his tenure.

This transfer window has been as exciting as the last, and the fruit of the Chairman, Daniel Levy's, success has come to the fore already, stealing under Kevin Keegan's nose the electrifying Croatian playmaker Luca Modric for a club-record equaling fee of 16.5 million.

However, signaling the intent for the "changing face" of Spurs, Tottenham manager Juande Ramos has yet to bring any more talent into the team.

Fans and writers alike were excited by the prospect of the imminent arrival of Samuel Eto'o, the exceptional Cameroonian International from Barcelona.

However, akin to the Damien Duff and Scott Parker scandals of the last two seasons, he is not interested in Spurs, not because of the reported "Champions League Football," but because Spurs won't double their top-earner to fulfill his need of £100,000 a week.

Juande Ramos' last-ditch trip to Spain to entice a man to join a club playing in a lower European competition, where the club that wins earns less than a group stage participant in the Champions League, while dropping £50k off of his pay packet is laughable.

Daniel Levy is a shrewd businessman, the only Chairman in the Premier League with an economics degree from Cambridge, a life long Spurs fan—but he will not break the rigid wage structure to sign anyone, after all football is a business, right?

Perhaps the most interesting rumor of this campaign is the potential signings of Uryagian Bruno Fornaroli and Bolivian Marcelo Moreno, each with a formidable scoring record in their respective leagues.

It seems our other joint transfer record coup, Darren Bent, may be on his way out, not that any Spurs fan will feel aggrieved by that move after disappointing everyone and forcing Jermain Defoe to move and go on the best scoring spree of his career.

After all, I could have just written an article with a list—the thing with Tottenham is you just don't know until it's written on the club's official website, but I feel even worse for Evertonians, their official website last season said Riquelme was on his way—who can you trust?

Premiere League: Tottenham Hotspur and Next Season

David James — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:19:13 -0400

Spurs are arguably the most media-friendly club in the Premier League. The amount of written space dedicated to Spurs would probably fill the Amazon rainforest three times over. However, as with the amount of rhetoric verbal diarrhoea that emanates, more pressing issues begin to emerge and perhaps the most critical is the future of a certain Dimitar Berbatov.

Berbatov, has become what Cristiano Ronaldo is to Manchester United, undisposable and as with the Portugese Wizard potential suitors are not hard to find. Initial interest has been expressed and most notably from Italy, with the Azzuri hot on the heels of the in-form striker. Berbatov has scored 21 goals in all competitions this season, only 2 less than last season’s tally and is looking more than likely to exceed that record, with his top tally coming from his Bayer Levukusen days of 26 in the 2004-2005 season. His European record is second to none scoring at least a goal every other match and there is no wonder the likes of Barcelona have expressed initial interest in the so-called ‘lazy striker’.

Berbatov’s future at White Hart Lane has become a story of distraction, with Emil Dantchev (Berbatov’s Agent), doing no more than adding fuel to the fire, suggesting Berbatov would consider an offer from the Azzuri. Manchester United have always been rumoured to be hot on the heels of the new Bulgarian Player of the Year.

However Ramos has spoken positively of Tottenham’s chances of keeping the Bulgarian International.

“We want him to keep on playing for Tottenham,’ he told Sky Sports News “...he deserves it (the interest) because he is a great footballer.”

Pre-summer transfer speculation began in earnest yesterday following Ramos admission that Ronaldinho ‘would fit in every respect’ into the Tottenham line-up. Third choice striker Darren Bent’s future has also been called into question with Sunderland rumoured to be heading the list of potential suitors for the former England International.

Another subject of speculation is Aaron Lennon, also a former England International, who has found himself fourth choice England right winger, behind Bentley, Beckham and Wright-Phillips. Lennon’s rise to fame has faltered since his inaugural World Cup in Germany where his pace and trickery were admired by critics and writers alike.

However, in the mould of Paul Robinson, cracks have started to appear in his game most notably the quality of his final ball and players in this day and age are judged on the end product and Lennon seems to lack this in abundance. Following Ramos admission that every player is fighting for their place in the squad next year, Lennon could find that his time is coming to a close at the Lane with Man City’s Sven Goran Erikkson keen to give the England winger a new lease of life at the City of Manchester stadium.

Most recently the Joe Lewis story broke, suggesting his stake in Bearings Bank has cost the Bahamas-based billionaire over 500 million pounds, however ENIC, the brain-child of Daniel Levy and the majority shareholder in Tottenham, operates independently of Lewis and Spurs will not be affected by Lewis’ discrepancy and Spurs will continue to function as a profit-making entity.

Following a respectable Carling Cup run which culminated in Spurs winning their first trophy since 1999 Spurs have faltered in the league and with only a handful of games to go it appears Spurs have nothing left to play for. However the former Uruguayan International and now Spurs assistant Manager Gus Poyet has been positive about the style of Football Spurs will play in their final few games of the season.

“I don’t think we are in a position where we need to be holding out for a result like a 0-0 or something like that,” Poyet told tottenhamhotspur.com “...it worked against Portsmouth... we risked it.”

Following two fifth place finishes, Spurs are languishing at Fifth in the table and looked poised to have their lowest league finish following ENIC’s takeover of Tottenham Hotspur. With a League run-in coinciding with a relegation race, which has been commented as the closest in the Premier League’s history, it seems that Spurs are yet to have their last say in the make-up of the Premier League next season.

Chelsea-Tottenham Preview: A Season On The Line

David James — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:32:34 -0500

I remember as a Spurs fan only a few years ago hoping for a European place on the back of the UEFA fair play league. For those of you, who are unaware of this scenario, it means that the team who has played the fairest throughout the season (e.g. least yellows and accumilative reds) is honoured for this sportsmanship with a UEFA Cup Spot.

Now as a Spurs fan since the arrival of Daniel Levy's regime I have seen heavy spending in the transfer market, sustained European Competition year on year and fifth place in the Premier League. All of these new found attributes for a club that is known widely for its mid table anonimity and the odd Carling Cup Final.

It seems that a club that over the past three years has revolutionised itself has taken one step forward and two steps backward this season. Following the shrewd purchases of the last two years and the arrival of Damien Comolli, Spurs are at outfit are widely regarded by pundits and managers alike as the fifth best club in Britain.

However their season has been hit by defensive frailty and an off-form goal keeper. The abscene of Ledley King has been a vital ingredient in the down fall of the 11th richest club in European Football today. Ledley King's injury is too extensive for him to ever make a full comeback but my best wishes go out to a legendary and loyal centre back who is possibly better than the unloyal Sol Campbell.

The signing of Woodgate and Hutton have brought European class to a defence which the inexperienced Michael Dawson has found hard to function with. The form of Robinson has been there for all too see and his dismissal from the first team squad has led to a change in attitude and performance from Robinson and he looks set to start against Chelsea today.

The centre of midfield boasts a whole host of young talent, new found England International Jemaine Jenas, the youngsters with passion, Jamie O'Hara, Tom Huddlestone. Spurs boasts raw talent, but the experience and understanding will come with time but is an immediate question coming up against the world beaters of Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and Michael Essien.

Spurs strikeforce is undoubtably an in-form partnership, and with the loss of form of Darren Bent, Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov have flourished together and have created a partnership of dreams for a Spurs team who has always had one but not the other. Chelsea offer the services of a three pronged attack headed by Didier Drogba, and supported by Nicholas Anelka and Joe Cole. Three world class internationals who may be adaquately fought off by the "perfect" Ronaldinhio marker Alan Hutton, the French Pascal Chimbonda and the England Internationals Ledley King and Jonathon Woodgate.

Wayne Bridge will have to handle the pace of Aaron Lennon on his left hand side respectively and Belletti will have to contend with the experience of Steed Malbranque on the left side of midfield. Ideally you are looking at a high scoring game with the calibur of finishers on offer but look for the game to be won in the middle of the park. It is rumoured Zakora will pair with Jenas in the middle and Jenas given the opportunity to support the front two with Zakora dropping deep.

Spurs will do exactly what they did against Arsenal; counter-attack. Watch the pace of Lennon being over-used and Robbie Keane's through runs. Chelsea will set out to attack from the start and will have to play the ball on the ground with Woodgate's and King's strength and heading ability being a vital factor in how Chelsea try and dictate the encounter.

It may be the only way into Europe for Spurs; make sure your watching, a showcase is in store.

Soccer Just Isn't An American Thing

David James — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 08:26:31 -0500

Can soccer ever be big in the United States?

It’s the aged old question that has encouraged the likes of David Beckham and Pele to peruse the dream that soccer can be classed as one of the USA's top sports.

I am writing this article following LA Galaxy's Ty Harden's decision to quit soccer because “he has always enjoyed helping people.”

The search for the American Dream has at best become a farce. Musicians from distant shores come and attempt to "break" the American Market. Fads come and go, but sports, they remain eternal.

Perhaps the only reason why soccer will not be big in the States and one which the promoters choose not to discuss is that soccer is NOT an American sport. It was a sport developed in the United Kingdom and quickly fashioned its way over to the shores of South America where Uruguay became the pioneers on the world stage.

Sports like American football, baseball and ice hockey will always be the number one sports in the U.S. because America loves tradition.

The public fantasize about the "Friday Night Lights" and although the framework for a soccer nation is in place, the enormity of the country and its 50 states means it will never become popular with fans already forking out thousands for football, hockey and baseball games.

Could you ever see Brett Favre leaving to become a philanthropist?

EPL Picks of the Week: Chelsea, Blackburn, Arsenal to Cruise

David James — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 06:11:35 -0500

Now I know this may be unconventional, even by my standards, but I'm going to give you all a little insight into this weekends activities in and around the Premiership.

Birmingham Vs. Chelsea

The inevitable result must be a win for Chelsea. Although their other three strikers aren't firing properly (Sheva, Kalou, and Pizzaro) ,the acquisition of Anelka brings that touch of the class the side are missing with Didier Drogba. Expect a Chelsea victory, although Birmingham could pull out the odd home draw if they perform well.

Prediction: Chelsea 2-0

Blackburn Vs. Middlesborough

Blackburn's edge is at home and Middlesborough doesn't have a fit "goal-scoring" striker in their ranks. Look for a walkover with Santa Cruz getting a brace.

Prediction: Blackburn 2-0

Fulham Vs. Arsenal

Fulham do not look like the rejuvenated side under 'Roy Hodgson' and Arsenal are bringing their big guns for the Craven Cottage clash. There's no wonder no one is making a fuss of Van Persie's injury with Adabayor scoring on all fronts. Consider Fulham the draw specialists, especially if they sit back. It could be a carbon-copy of last weekend. This is, of course, all considering Arsenal shade it.

Prediction: Arsenal 3-1

Liverpool Vs. Aston Villa

This is not the banker everyone is making out it out to be. Aston Villa look predatory on their day, and with the lack of speed in central defence of Jamie C and Sami Hyypia, expect Ashley Young and Abonglahor to reek havoc among the defense. With the power of John Carew up front, if the service is right, Villa could pull out the win. People say Liverpool is full of confidence, but they did only beat Luton Town.

Prediction: 1-1 Draw

Newcastle Vs. Bolton

Newcastle, even without Titus Bramble, are nearly as careless as Spurs at the back. The new manager premise means that they should pick up a victory. Bolton, however, have been improving over the last few weeks, but without a natural goal scorer I have to give the victory to Newcastle, even without Smith and Butt.

Prediction: Newcastle 1-0

Portsmouth Vs. Derby

Even without their African Midfielders, Portsmouth will cut out their bleak home record and catapult into a promising position to sneak into a European Competition this season. Be prepared for a hammering, for everyone is so happy Harry stayed.

Prediction: Portsmouth 3-0

Tottenham Vs. Sunderland

Spurs do not want a repeat of their first game of the season, so expect the most prolific front line in the Premiership to wreak havoc and expect Sunderland to capitalize on defensive frailties.

Prediction: Spurs 3-2

Wigan Vs. Everton

On paper, Everton should win this match, and win it comfortably. However, I don't see Everton being able to compete with Wigan's home style. Expect a goal from an unlikely source for the winner.

Prediction: Wigan 2-1

Didier Deschamps: Newcastle's Third Choice?

David James — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:34:52 -0500

Business has gone from bad to worse for Newcastle United.

Gerrard Houllier recently rebuffed an approach from Mike Ashley—the second managerial offer turned down in a matter of days, following Harry Redknapp's decision to stay on the south coast.

But there may still be hope—and his name is Didier Deschamps.

I cannot emphasise enough Deschamps' pedigree as a manager. He led Monaco to the 2004 Champions League Final on a shoestring budget, and last season guided Juventus to the Serie B title following their acrimonious relegation from Serie A after the match-fixing scandal.

Deschamps' pedigree as a player precedes him, as he captained France to the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and the European Cup in 2000.

Houllier reportedly told Jean-Marie Escallettes that he will remain in the Technical Director position he holds with the French Football Federation, and that his name is "all over the place," as he has a strong reputation in the English game.

Although Deschamps has revealed that he has yet to meet Chris Mort, Newcastle's Chief Executive, he said, "(Managing Newcastle) is a challenge that excites me."

Alan Shearer has already effectively been eliminated from the race, with Ashley commenting that Shearer isn't "experienced" enough, and that it's too soon to give the Toon legend the reigns.

Another problem for Newcastle is the return of Joey Barton to training—they're having to ferry him to and from bail hearings.

Nigel Pearson, Newcastle's caretaker manager, said Barton would not feature tonight against Stoke City in the third-round FA Cup replay. With Nicky Butt and Alan Smith suspended from the tie, and Amdy Faye representing Senegal at the African Cup of Nations, Newcastle may opt for a more attacking option—especially given that they have a point to prove following the 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester United.

G14: Power in the Hands of the Clubs

David James — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:20:21 -0500

G14, the leading power in multi-club associations, anounced yesterday that it was to drop all legal actions pending or current against UEFA and FIFA, the respective football governing bodies. The deal between G14 and the UEFA/FIFA coalition means that a breakaway superleague will never happen.

For those of you that don't know, the G14 is the most powerful group of select football clubs in the world. Contrary to the name of the organization, there are 18 members of the group. G14 was founded in September 2000 from 7 different European Countries. A selection of famous illuminaries include, FC Bayern, Manchester United, AC Milan, and Barcelona.

The group was set up on the previso to act as a pressure group against FIFA and UEFA. The assertion of the 18 clubs was that they should be compensated for an injury whilst on international duty and the respective local football federations should pay their wages whilst on duty.

UEFA has long aimed to reduce its power and influence within the football world by staging courtings between major clubs not involved in the G14 group and by standing by the letter of the law in terms of releasing players for international duty.

G14 came out yesterday and insisted the financial concessions are adaquate and would soon end spelling the end of one of the elitist football associations on the planet. Although terms are yet to be agreed, Sepp Blatter believes the deal will be done in a matter of days and Platini said this was an "historic" moment in world football.

A 100 representative European Association will be created in its place with each of Europe's 53 members contributing at least one member to the new association.

Where Do Liverpool Go From Here?

David James — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 02:18:55 -0500

Following the sensational revelation that Anfield bosses Tom Hicks and George Gillett approached Jurgen Klinnsmann over the opportunity to take over at the illustrious Merseyside club, a week of backtracking has ensued, leaving Liverpool in a state of disarray.

Hicks was the first to come out, stating categorically that his conversation with Klinnsmann was purely insurance, "in case Rafa went to Real Madrid." Rafa has yet to comment on the situation, however his agent, Manuel Garcia Quillon, stringently denied these reports stating, "Rafa wants to stay at Liverpool."

There has always been speculation about the poor relationship between the Hicks/Gillett regime and Benitez, however Hicks commented that Rafa has "both of our support...Our communication has improved greatly."

Liverpool has always been a club that does things behind closed doors, but suddenly under their new American owners their wheelings and dealings are becoming a lot more public. This is something Liverpool fans have voiced their concerns over.

Hicks and Gillett have always been aware that Benitez wants to return to his home country in the future, but as their relationship with Rafa has deteriorated, the media speculate more heavily on a possible return to Spain to take over at the Bernebau. Rafa is a dignified man and a return to Madrid is not an option as his family has settled in the Liverpool area.

Hicks' confessional statement of his discussion with Jurgen Klinnsmann are a catalyst for both fans and players alike, questioning their manager's future. Even though Hicks stated it was purely for insurance, Benitez once again looks stronger than his American owners.

With record profit levels for football clubs, soccer is slowly but surely becoming a cutthroat game. It is a dark environment where managers and players can be cut within months of arriving. Managers can no longer expect security.

It's win or lose in football...And when you lose, you lose big.

Tottenham Window Watch: Stewart Downing

David James — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:45:50 -0500

The media love Tottenham during the transfer window. They devote pages of paper space just to speculation over whom Tottenham may sign.

In this series of articles sizing up the candidates, I'll start with Stewart Downing.

Spurs have been after Downing for the better part of a year and a half. Daniel Levy always says Spurs want the best young English talent. Downing is perhaps the second or maybe third (behind Ashley Young) best left-sided midfield player we’ve got, bearing in mind that Joe Cole is first and he's right-footed.

Downing, for his part, is "flattered" by Spurs' interest, and his agent has said "this is the kind of football Stewart plays."

So why remain at a Middlesbrough club bound for mid-table anonymity?

The fact is Downing is a local boy and doesn't want to leave the area he grew up in. That said, he's been through a lot this year, and between the abuse form his own fans and Boro’s dip in form, Downing is considering his options.

Southgate has already placed a £12 million price tag on Downing—pretty high for an England bench warmer and a player who doesn't rate in the top five of the best left wingers in the Premiership.

The latest talk at the Riverside is of a potential swap deal that would see out-of-favour keeper Paul Robinson head north. Such whispers have only been made in passing, but Juande Ramos did nothing to ease the speculation when he said that Robinson will play again "after Reading."

With Robinson out of Spurs’ last two competitive matches, and with his England starting job in question following the return to form of Robert Green and Scot Carson’s memorable displays, the keeper must be questioning where he goes from here.

Potential: 10/10

If Spurs meet the asking price, they'll have a new left winger—but questions over Steed Malbranque new starting position will need to be answered sooner rather than later.

EPL: Al-Hassan Bangura Granted Amnesty

David James — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:25:46 -0500

The Home Office yesterday brought an end to the furor over Watford’s Al-Hassan Bangura by granting him a work permit which allows Bangura to remain in the UK indefinitely.

Only a month ago an appeal had been turned down, however Liam Byrne, the minister for immigration stepped in and was able to authorize a work permit. Hard work must also be credited, to Aidy Boothryod, Watford’s manager and Claire Ward, Minister of Parliament for Watford for their hard campaigning in and around the commons. His story is phenomenal.

Watford FC’s midfielder Al-Hassan Bangura came to the UK at the age of 15 allegedly via trafficking and he has claimed he will be murdered if he returns to his native Siera Leone. Al-Hassan’s father was head of Soko, a secret society heavily associated with the dark deeds of witchcraft.

Following his fathers death, Bangura was expected to take over from his father, however he refused to take his father's helm and fled to Guinea. There, he met a man who escorted him to the UK. Following attempted rape by his new found housemates, he was taken in by the kindness of a stranger.

One day while playing football in the park with some friends, he was spotted by a Watford Scout. Soon he was signing youth term details with Watford and later would go on to captain Watford in the Premiership.

The panel made up on ex-football professionals and home office officials made the decision yesterday to grant him amnesty. The terms of his work permit are yet to be decided, however he is looking forward to the prospect of setting up home indefinitely. He has already bought a house in the Watford area with his wife and their one year old son.

I can only wish him all the best for his recovery from a broken ankle and I hope he can guide Watford back to the dizzying heights of the Premier League.

Havant & Waterloo: Still a Magical Competition

David James — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 12:00:00 -0500

The FA Cup has always been a fulcrum for lower league teams to strut their stuff on the big stage. How much bigger can it get for a Havant & Waterlooville side that held a Swansea side who sit 92 places above them to a draw away?

For Rocky Baptiste, the 34-year-old Chelsea reject, who scored the vital equalizing goal just minutes from time, the draw couldn’t have tasted much sweeter. “It means everything for the club” he said “…and if the replay is televised that will be an extra £150,000.” Considering this is a man who spent the 192 mile trip to Wales consulting ‘The Knowledge’ to help him with his new day-time job.

Only the next day they found out a magical away tie at Anfield could possibly beckon for the seaside club. “Everyone was jumping around” said Gale, Havant & Waterlooville’s manager “…it’s potentially something fantastic for the club – for me and for everyone connected.”

It is however a massive if for the Blue Square Premier Side. The financial rewards of a trip to Anfield could give them over £200,000 in television rights and match day receipts; however Gale is adamant his players focus on the task in hand.

They face an inform Swansea side who must reflect on a poor performance in a temper-filled match that resulted in two red cards. Swansea are undefeated in all encounters since November 16following a dismal away defeat to Huddlesfield and sit proudly at the top of League One with a game in hand.

However for the other big Premiership giant killers of the hour Oldham and Huddlesfield they were unrewarded having been pitted against each other for a place in the fifth round. The other notable tie of the 4^th round is the clash between Premiership strugglers Middlesbrough and 91^st in the Football League Mansfield Town.

Havant & Waterlooville in stats terms, do not stand a chance, but how can you rule out a fairytale like this? The financial perks for a non-league team reaching the third round, let alone the fourth round is massive and keeps the club ticking for years to come. Dave Kitson may not give “two sh*ts” about the FA Cup; but the FA Cup will forever be the biggest domestic cup competition in the world.

Bramble Unlikely Hero as Liverpool Drift Further From Summit

David James — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:23:20 -0500

Wigan had never scored in a league game against Liverpool until the unlikely unimposing figure of Titus Bramble stepped up to leave Liverpool 12 points behind Arsenal, heading into what looks like a bleak mid-winter for Liverpool.

The capital of culture was optimistic at the start of the season with the capture of the fantastic Fernando Torres, however their optimism is blowing as cold as the Siberian winter heading over to the British shores following another disappointing draw at the hands of a relegation-battling side.

Steve Bruce left Anfield in September with a point and he set his stall out again with the premise of leaving once again in the black. The tenacious Michael Brown was preferred to Jason Koumas in the middle—it set up what looked to be, in Mourinho's words, "parking a bus."

Liverpool started with a three-pronged attack, Torres once again favoured upfront with Kewell and Pennant providing the necessary width. Torres, ever the finisher, began brightly firing past Kirkland only to be judged marginally offside and, following this, glanced a header following an Alonso free kick over the bar.

Torres once again burst into life having a cheeky one-two with Mascherano, however he produced a tame shot that didn't trouble Kirkland and following this became the provider, as he slid Gerrard through only to produce a weak shot from the Liverpool captain.

The pressure intensified after the halftime break with Wigan only able to produce a 25-yard effort from Michael Brown, and inevitably the first goal came via an unlikely source. Steve Finnan darted forward and interlinking with Gerrard drove into the box and passed it to Torres who neatly struck the ball into the net.

Within five minutes Bramble became Wigan's hero, firstly following a powerful Gerrard free kick, which was spilled by the Wigan goalkeeper, denied Mascherano an almost certain goal. Following a looping ball headed on by Heskey, Gerrard miscued his clearance and almost in an instant from the edge of Liverpool's box Bramble drove a shot into the back of Liverpool's net.

Benitez's rotational tactics have been questioned many a time and one must look to whether swapping Kewell and Pennant made even the slightest bit of difference. In September against Steve Bruce's Birmingham he left Torres on the bench and in an effort to make up for his mistake he has made Torres a permanent fixture. Torres' 16 goals this season has made Torres Benitez's best buy of his Liverpool tenure.

Liverpool could have made it 10 points out of 12 over the Christmas period, but instead they face a daunting task of recuperating 12 points to catch up with leaders Arsenal and even the more daunting reality of sitting in fifth position with only a game in hand on the teams around them.

But with Steve Finnan being an unlikely provider for the first goal, Benitez must look to try and gel the team rather than make further acquisitions in the January transfer window.

He has the squad but he doesn't have "the team."

Spurs 6, Reading 4: Spurs Win, But Berbatov's Future in Doubt

David James — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 12:38:57 -0500

When I woke up this morning, I didn't believe that Spurs would end 2007 having scored 11 goals in two games.

Nor did I believe that Dave Kitson would "go nuts", or that Steve McClaren would lead England to a European Championship.

Well, we can dare to dream.

Reading and Spurs have produced more domestic goals, for and against, than any other teams in the Premiership. True to form, they generated six goals in 14 spectacular minutes of lacklustre defending and scintillating attacking this weekend.

"This match was 90 minutes of crazy football," said Tottenham manager Juande Ramos.

The thrills started early, with Steed Malbranque picking out Robbie Keane on a slide-rule through ball, which left Keane to find Dimitar Berbatov across the goal mouth for the score.

Spurs' attack has excelled this season, but their defense has blundered. Paul Robinson was to be left out in the cold again, with a poor punch from a Nicky Shorey set piece that left Kalifa Cisse to pick his spot of the open goal and even the score at 1-1 going into the break.

Tom Huddlestone's set-piece frailty was shown in the 53rd minute when he lost Ivar Ingimarsson on a Shorey corner. Ingimarsson happily headed past a flailing Robinson.

Jermain Defoe was introduced for Ledley King, and soon after broke down the right wing and crossed the ball to Graeme Murty, who uncharacteristically miscued the ball into the path of the ever-eager Berbatov for a strike into the top right corner.

Moments later, Spurs were in disarray again following another Shorey corner, which Dave Kitson flicked into the back of the net after having lost Younes Kaboul. Spurs once again equalised on a corner, which Jermaine Jenas headed to Berbatov, who cooly turned and fired the ball past Marcus Hahnemann.

Kitson later broke away from Spurs' disillusioned back three via a beautiful through ball from Stephen Hunt, who lobbed the ball superbly over an outstretched Robinson. Malbranque equalised almost immediately, turning on the edge of the box and expertly curling a shot past Hahnemann.

Spurs were on their way to a fifth when they were awarded a penalty after Ibrahima Sonko was adjudged to have tripped Keane. Keane dispatched the try to the Hahnemann's right, only for the keeper to parry the ball straight to Defoe, who headed the ball past Hahnemann.

Reading were furious, as they believed Defoe was encroaching—and replays confirmed they had the right to be upset.

Berbatov was again to be a hero, scoring his fourth following a through ball from Kaboul to make the final 6-4 to Spurs, following their 5-1 drubbing of Fulham only a few days ago.

Berbatov's was the name on everybody's lips after the match, but his future was cast in doubt by Ramos' postgame comments.

"The chairman knows that I want Berbatov to stay," Ramos said. "If it were up to me we would not lose him, but there are different circumstances and factors that we need to take into account, such as the player's opinion and feeling."

Losing Berbatov would mean a bleak future after Tottenham's resurgence—and Defoe may be moving towards the exit door too.

As I see it, Spurs need a lesson in personnel management. Berbatov has scored eight goals in the league this term, and without his prowess and skill Spurs would lose undoubtedly their biggest attacking threat.

With a handful of suitors offering the Bulgarian the prospect of Champions League football, which he is fully eligible for, he could well be on his way out. Be it in January or the next two years, we as Spurs fans know such a "magnificent" talent may need to move on to find a stage more suitable for his talent.

And if you do go, Berbatov, with my heart let me say thank you...for being perfect.