Bleacher Report - Articles by Alex Stamp

Arsene Wenger's Dream for Arsenal's Future Gets a Grim Dose of Reality

Alex Stamp — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:43:26 -0500

Arsene Wenger entered this encounter promising that this time things would be different. Promising that his young charges were ready, after years of maturing, growing, and developing, ready to prove they have grown up and can take on the big boys. But once again, the world has been left waiting for Wenger's charges to deliver on their promise.

When he spoke on Friday ahead of this match against Chelsea, the message was emphatic, the tone teeming with belief. He said: "Everyone will look at the game to rate our potential, and I have no worries about that.

“We are ready for the game, are well focused, prepared and the confidence is good. We just want to focus on the game like we want to play it. I think there is a period for any team to come out and show its strengths. For my team, this moment has come.”

Sadly, for Wenger the moment came and went, with little in the way of a whimper. Once more, Chelsea proved themselves too big, too powerful for Wenger's team-champions elect perhaps, but without doubt, this was a team performance from the top drawer-and full credit must go to Ancelotti for that.

In Didier Drogba, John Terry, and Michael Essien, the Chelsea manager has men of substance, both in character and physical gifts, who were dominating their individual contests at will, and shaping the game to suit their needs. It did appear, despite what Wenger may think, men against boys.

Wenger's myopia is renowned, yet even that fact will not have escaped him. After the match, he rallied against the referee for disallowing a goal which was marginal at best, bemoaned Didier Drogba's decisive contribution, and then admitted Chelsea could drop points. In truth, he looked and sounded like a man desperately trying to maintain belief, when all evidence points the other way.

Belief is a tricky thing. For some, it is a comfort, for others it is a cause. For Wenger, it has practically become an obsession. The infinite pursuit of footballing nirvana, of creating a self-sufficient team, playing the purest form of football. It is a policy which deserves applause, if only for the purity of his intentions.

Yet, sadly, football does not simply operate on a purely romantic level, at some point there must be some result. For all his missionary rhetoric about the wonderful football that Arsenal are capable of producing, the bare fact is that Arsenal have not won a trophy since 2005, and have not won the Premier League since 2003.

Sunday just proved that after years of consolidation, the gap between Arsenal and the top remains as large as ever.

At some point it is this point will catch up with Wenger and his pursuit of football idealism. Both Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho when he was at Chelsea, openly questioned the lack of pressure on Wenger to win a trophy year after year at Arsenal.

Perhaps we all are guilty of falling into this trap, being so mesmerised by the beauty of football and promise of tomorrow on offer from Wenger, that we fail to notice the failings of today. Yet there are signs things could be on the turn.

Last season, the boos became increasingly common at the Emirates Stadium, as for the first time the question of Wenger's future became the subject of some debate.

Whether such levels of pressure return could depend on how Arsenal respond after Sunday, yet the dissatisfaction of the Emirates Stadium may return should the team not show signs of improvement.

This is a potentially tricky moment, suddenly after being so praised after a season of highs and lows, Sunday offered a dose of realism which cut through the intricate passing moves, glorious promise of youth and passion and belief so shown by the manager and simply laid bare the truth that Arsenal are far from able to challenge for the title.

The facts are that, beautiful football can, and often does, win titles. Anyone who witnessed two of Wenger's teams-that of the Invincibles in 2003, and the Double winners in 1997/98 will know that beautiful football can win.

But whereas those teams struck a balance between both the delights and the darks arts of the game, this Arsenal seem capable only of the delights.

In a team full of dainty aesthetic players, and the sight of the slight Samir Nasri being replaced by the similarly slightly framed Tomas Rosicky only underlined this, the absence of big strong men was painful to see.

Didier Drogba, John Terry, Michael Essien brushed aside their opponents seemingly at ease. For all Arsenal's pretty passing football, it was the physical element of Chelsea which ultimately won the game.

The problem for Wenger is that these critiques about his team are hardly anything new, in fact, they are as clichéd and well-worn as the plaudits for Arsenal's football.

The absence of a dominant centre half, capable of handling Drogba's height and power, was clear to see. Plus the lack of a midfielder capable of standing up to the power of Essien and Lampard, and a striker of sufficient height, and strength to worry Terry and Carvalho, like Didier Drogba did to William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen, was crystal clear.

Whether these arrivals come or not, could depend on their manager. For a long time, Wenger has insisted he has had money to spend, he just doesn't want to spend it, such is his belief in his players.

Yet if Wenger wants to bring his plans for the future to their ultimate conclusion, then at some point some form of sacrifice will have to be made, and a compromise sought to bring in players with the requisite qualities to compete with the bigger boys.

Because it is these qualities that win titles, and while Chelsea showed they had it in spades, after Sunday's brutal reality check, it is these things that are desperately missing from Wenger's vision for Arsenal's future.

Theo Walcott Returns With Plenty To Prove For Arsenal and England

Alex Stamp — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:26:26 -0500

With his rivals for a World Cup spot advancing their case in his absence, and his club team mates once more proving that there is life without him despite Saturday's 1-0 loss away to Sunderland, the next eight months could be crucial in the young career of Theo Walcott.

Just over a year, Walcott finally began to emerge from his chrysalis with some starring roles for Arsenal and most famously a hat-trick for England in Zagreb as Croatia were put to the sword.

All of a sudden, Theo Walcott's star was firmly in the ascendant.

Unfortunately, sustaining such heights was never likely to happen. His tough luck with injuries caught up with him, and when he returned, he has struggled with his form. Towards the end of the season, as expectations were naturally inflated, bar the odd flashes of brilliance—especially a neat lob against Villarreal, Walcott struggled.

In two matches against Manchester United in the Champions League Semi-Final, he barely had a kick as Patrice Evra utterly dominated their much anticipated duel.

Then, much to Wenger's chagrin, he was whisked off to the European Under 21 Championships, where he appeared well off the pace and in the final looked a little boy lost as Germany and their wonderboy Mezut Ozil ran riot.

Now, after an injury-hit start to the season, Walcott now must face up to the reality of his situation that after a fallow year, the time has come for the real Theo Walcott to stand up.

For England, the resurgence of Aaron Lennon—whose end product has improved considerably, and is probably England's best hope to run at a full back, has placed his starting berth for the World Cup in real doubt. Plus with the options of the versatile James Milner and the perennial squad man David Beckham, Walcott finds his case for inclusion is far weaker than before.

Meanwhile Arsenal's return to form this season, has been largely without Walcott, as Arsene Wenger has seemingly discovered a wealth of young, attacking players. The onus is on Walcott himself to prove his worth for both his country and his club.

When he is on form, and free of injury there is little doubt what an asset he can be. A coruscating runner, and perhaps one of the quickest players England has produced since Michael Owen was in his prime, his ability to provide a cutting edge for his side makes him such an asset.

Even at Arsenal, hardly a team of slouches, Walcott's pace and ability to break with speed is an enviable quality to have, and will boost a team whose attacking ranks have taken blows because of injuries to Van Persie and Bendtner. With his contemporaries at Arsenal clearly making significant strides, Walcott must prove his own development has made similar progress.

Meanwhile for England, a team whose midfield lacks mobility even at full strength, he could potentially be even more key. Pace, as has forever been reported, is a quality the top international teams have.

Brazil has Kaka, Robinho, Nilmar and Ramires, Spain has Silva, Iniesta, Villa and Torres. Even France, whose place is so contentiously debate, has the likes of Ribery, Malouda, Henry and Benzema.

Hence why, in a team lacking in speedsters, Capello is so keen to accommodate Walcott. Yet for a man whose mantra for selection is based on form and fitness, Walcott's absence has been inevitable through all his struggles.

Yet now, with fitness no longer an issue, Walcott must step up and prove his form after months of fallow. Should he recapture that scintillating form which so marked the productive purple patch of his career then he could be a real asset for both club and country, but now is the time to prove it.

Arsenal FC All-Time XI

Alex Stamp — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:57:15 -0500

Arsenal FC have been blessed with some of the finest players which British football has ever seen. The history of the club is as rich and varied as any, and for a club who have not been relegated from the top flight in over 90 years, they have a long history of success. From Herbert Chapman and his revolutionary W-M formation, led by maestros Cliff Bastin and Alex James, and boasting David Jack, Charlie Buchan, Joe Hulme and Eddie Hapgood, to the 1953 team of Joe Mercer, the Compton brothers and Jimmy Logie. Then the double winners of 1971, Mclintock, George, Radford, Graham and Armstrong, through to the days of George Graham as manager, Tony Adams, Alan Smith, Paul Merson, David Rocastle and Steve Bould. Finally, onto Wenger-perhaps the finest period in the club's history-consistent success mixed with players of wonderful entertainment value and ability. The names of Dennis Bergkamp, Marc Overmars, Emmanuel Petit, Patrick Vieira, Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole, Thierry Henry and latterly Cesc Fabregas, Robin Van Persie and Gael Clichy will go down as some of the finest in the club's history. Here we take a look at some of the legends of the club as we build a composite all-time XI of Arsenal FC.

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Arsene Wenger's Central Thinking Can Solve Arsenal's Striking Problems

Alex Stamp — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:56:14 -0500

As Robin Van Persie was stretchered off on Saturday night, you would have forgiven Arsene Wenger for bemoaning his own rotten luck. Losing a player of Van Persie's stock and standing would hurt any team, let alone a team set up with the Dutch man as their attacking spearhead.

The Dutchman has been one of Arsenal's stand out figures in what has been a resurgent campaign for Arsene Wenger's team after last season's various trials and tribulations, especially in the wake of Emmanuel Adebayor's departure.

Yet with his injury, and the groin injury suffered by Nicklas Bendtner, how Arsenal cope with their latest injury crisis could play a big part in how they fare this season.

Conventional wisdom dictates that Eduardo would be the man to step up. The Croatian, fresh from signing a new long-term contract at the club, has a goal-scoring record which is the envy of many strikers around Europe.

His record at international level stands at a phenomenal 18 goals from 28 appearances, while for Arsenal he has 18 goals in 48 appearances, and Wenger said: “We all look forward to enjoying Eduardo's performances in an Arsenal shirt for a long time to come.”

The question over Eduardo is not about ability, but more suitability and durability. A class act facing goal, the way in which Wenger's team play means that as the attacking spearhead he would be required to act as the focal point teeing up his fellow forwards or play-making adroitly.

Yet Eduardo's game is not built around that, his quality has always been dropping deep to support a front-man, as he has for Emmanuel Adebayor in his first season at Arsenal, and Ivica Olic for Croatia.

Furthermore, questions can be asked about whether a striker who has only recently recovered from a career-threatening injury can stand up to the rigours of consistent first team football.

Eduardo has been cursed with a series of niggles, which are commonplace for players recovering from injuries, and with only four starts all season-Arsenal fans will be praying the Croatian can survive a punishing Winter schedule of 11 games in almost 40 days.

Another option could be Carlos Vela , the tricky Mexican striker whose impressive cameos hint at a bright future. Yet first team action has been sadly lacking for the 21-year old, with only ten starts in his Arsenal career yet he has still managed to score six goals, including some beautiful finishes against Sheffield United and Burnley in the cup competitions.

However, his lack of exposure in the Arsenal team perhaps demonstrates that for all his promise, his time has not yet come. Similarly his problem could be his similarity to his fellow striker Eduardo.

Lightning quick, skillful and a wonderful finisher, Vela's quality is best served working as a deep-lying attacker rather than fulfilling a lone front-running role which is currently required.

Beyond that the striking cupboard is strikingly bare. For the depth of Wenger's resources is vast, it is mainly built on creative attacking midfielders rather than striking spearheads.

One possible call-up could be for the young French striker Gilles Sunu , who fulfilled the role of lone front-runner for the club's Youth Cup winners last season.

Big, muscular and pacey, he has fans among the club's youth team coaches, but the step-up to the first team is perhaps too big right now. Beyond that, there is plenty of promise but little in the way of match-ready players.

Perhaps then the answer lies not so much in changing the man but changing the system to suit the man. Arsenal are a team built to bring out the best in their attacking flair, yet tweaking their system does not necessarily destroy what they have thus far built this season.

One real possibility for Wenger to consider is the idea of utilising a striker, not so much as an attacking spearhead, but in a position widely termed “the false nine.” This is a position where the centre forward tends to drops deep from their traditional position and therefore becomes harder to mark.

This system was successfully utilised recently by Barcelona last season who played Lionel Messi in such a role, but also Roma under Luciano Spalletti who had Francesco Totti playing as the forward dropping.

It is a system which has it's weaknesses-not least the lack of safe option up front for a defence to clear too when under pressure-but in the circumstances it could well be Arsenal's best option.

When you consider that in the likes of Andrei Arshavin, Abou Diaby, Theo Walcott, Samir Nasri, Tomas Rosicky, plus the aforementioned Eduardo and Vela, finding players creative and adept enough to perform the role adequately will not be an issue, it is a real option to consider. Perhaps then Andrei Arshavin , who performs the role of deep-lying forward behind a front-man with such typical brilliance for Russia, would be a real option to consider.

But whatever the answer may be for Arsenal, their striking problems will certainly require some thinking from their esteemed manager and could be central to their hopes for the season.

Big Talking Nicklas Bendtner Must Learn To Walk the Walk for Arsenal

Alex Stamp — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:58:06 -0500

As the saying goes, "if you talk the talk, you've got to walk the walk," and Nicklas Bendtner certainly talks the talk. The young Dane is notorious for his outspoken views about his own abilities and his ambitions. Some call it egotism, some call it mere self-confidence but Bendtner certainly doesn't lack an opinion of himself.

Last season the young striker was quoted as saying: ''I'm very sorry to see Adebayor injured as we need him fit and to be playing in the league. But it does not really matter to me who is fit and available I should start every game, I should be playing every minute of every match and always be in the team.'

Self-confidence is certainly no bad thing in a player, and certainly not in a young and ambitious player, so when Bendtner spoke this week of his ambitions for the future he once again lived up to his stereotype.

After picking up the Danish Player of the Year award he said: “I had three aims this year - to get into the Arsenal team, qualify for the World Cup and to be Player of the Year. I have achieved them all. I want to be top scorer in the Premier League, top scorer at the World Cup and, within five years, I want to be among the best strikers in the world.”

Bendtner has long been hailed as one of the brightest prospects at Arsenal, since his loan spell at Birmingham City-where he made a big impression on Steve Bruce, no poor judge of a player who said: “At 6ft 4in, his pace, control, poise and balance is incredible. I don't think I've seen anyone of his size with his attributes.”

While at Arsenal his progress has been more of a slow burn than a red hot inferno, Arsene Wenger has opted to take a more rounded approach to his development. After his loan spell at Birmingham City first team chances to lead the line have been few and far between even with the departure of Emmanuel Adebayor as Bendtner has found himself utilised on the right side of attack-much to his disappointment.

That is not a slight on his abilities by Wenger, more a testament that at 21 he still has plenty of maturing-something which is easily forgotten when you read such statements of intent from a young player.

As such, opinions can become slightly distorted as expectations, raised by the player's own outspoken self confidence, become harder to reach. Arsenal fans have decried him for his inability to finish, his occasional sluggishness and malaise which can at times make the player appear a problem.

Yet weighed against such opinion is the simple fact that at his age there are few, more developed and capable strikers of his ilk, if not in Europe then the world.

For his considerable size, he boasts a wonderful touch and technique, a not inconsiderable turn of pace, and a footballing intelligence which means he can both hold the ball up and act as playmaker with ease-hence Wenger's use of him as a right winger. He is the sort of player Fabio Capello is crying out for-part targetman, part playmaker, part goalscorer.

Fortunately for the Danes, he has been a shining light up front, and his goals record of 10 goals in 31 games indicates a striking capability which can only be enhanced with age. It is unfortunate that his recent injury, two months out with a groin injury, may derail the strides he has been making this term.

But Arsene Wenger himself believes that Bendtner, who he brought to the club as a 16 year old from Danish football, will only get better. Earlier this season he said: "He is a player who will improve every year.

"Nicklas is a good size and is a very pacey player considering his size. He has an intelligent game with good vision. He needs to improve his movement and his finishing. And he will do that.”

Yet now comes the toughest challenge for Bendtner so far, not just living up to the lofty expectations of his manager and the Arsenal fans, but of those he has so publicly set himself. The talent, the self belief has never been in doubt but while talking the talk is one thing, walking the walk could determine just how good Nicklas Bendtner can be.

Robin Van Persie's Transformation Is One of Wenger's Great Achievements

Alex Stamp — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:54:54 -0500

In the years that Arsene Wenger has been working his own brand of alchemy with Arsenal players, his list of bargain buys, and young players who he has developed, is one which is the envy of managers the world over.

A man who plays a vital role in shaping the careers of, amongst others, Nicolas Anelka, Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Cesc Fabregas, Ashley Cole, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor, and at Monaco the legendary George Weah, deserves respect.

The fact that Arsenal's board refuse to interfere in the football side of the club is testament to their belief in his ability to not only spot talent, but to nurture it. But the work which Wenger does with his established players is equally effective, and continues to reap rewards for the club.

He is a man-manager of rare quality, whose unshakable belief in his team, and players, has led to criticism for his tendency to overlook incidents which indicate weakness in his team. These two qualities alone tend to cast Wenger more in the light of a father-figure of a coach, rather than a manager.

Indeed, when a player who left the club in acrimonious circumstances such as Emmanuel Adebayor can say, "I love Arsene Wenger, and I will always keep that love for Arsene - he is the person who made me what I am today,” it speaks volumes.

It is these skills which have once more come to the fore this season. Some of the club's shining lights have been players who Wenger himself has publicly backed time, and time again. The likes of Emmanuel Eboue, the tireless Alex Song, and captain Cesc Fabregas deserve acclaim, the real star has been a player in whom Wenger has invested much time and effort, Robin Van Persie.

Though he failed to score against Wolves, which would have equalled a club record of scoring in six straight games (held by Ian Wright), he was still pivotal in all Arsenal did. His movement was elusive, yet intelligent. His composure on the ball, as exemplified by the assist for Fabregas' goal, shows that Arsenal have a succinct playmaker high enough on the pitch to cause real harm to defenses.

When Adebayor left, Arsenal fans were left wondering whether Wenger would replace the Togolese with a figurehead striker of equal presence, but less incisiveness in Nicklas Bendtner, or choose to evolve the style of play to cover his absence. The results have vindicated his decision to opt for the latter.

Yet the remarkable thing about Van Persie is that his transformation has been so absolute. Wenger's belief in him has scarcely wavered, since he was signed for £2.75 million as a raw winger from Feyenoord, but the player himself has had some lessons to learn.

A hot-headed player, whose early performances were prone to glimpses of brilliance, but also a combustible nature, meant that Wenger's faith sometimes appeared misplaced—the talent was obvious, the temperament was lacking. Yet now, just as his team is maturing, so is Van Persie.

The combative nature is still there, yet maturity has definitely becalmed him—the rough edges have been knocked off this diamond. His focus is solely on the best way to use his talents, not his temper, and so much the better. That, combined with a sustained run of injury-free matches—which was so long an impediment to his progress—have been crucial to his evolution as the key figure in Arsenal's striking arsenal.

Suddenly the talk is of just how well he rates as a striker, not just in the Premier League, but in the world. His form was rewarded with the October Premier League player of the month award, and Wenger, as always, is a believer in his man.

He said, "He is the kind of player, with the type of game we play, who is vital because when you play the ball to his feet his first touch is always perfect and that allows others to join in.” Hailing him as a mixture of Thierry Henry, and Dennis Bergkamp, is some compliment.

Yet Wenger's voice is not a lone one. Ronald Koeman, whose Alkmaar side shipped four goals to a Van Persie inspired Arsenal admitted, "We know Robin has developed himself in a fantastic way over last few years. At the moment, he is our best Dutch player. He shows that every week with Arsenal."

Meanwhile, Bert van Maarjwik, the Netherlands manager who has mainly utilised Van Persie as a winger has admitted, "There's a big chance that Robin is going to play as a striker for Holland from now on as he's doing a fantastic job for Arsenal."

From hot headed youth to international hot shot, the transformation of Robin Van Persie deserves to go down as one of the finest works in Arsene Wenger's long list of achievements.

Manchester United's Causes for Concern Require Back to Front Answers

Alex Stamp — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:31:51 -0400

In the ever growing world of hype and hyperbole that is the modern day Premier League, the unremitting glare of attention has shifted just slightly from Liverpool and Rafael Benitez's annus horribilis towards the Manchester United juggernaut which has slowly but surely begun to show signs of, not necessarily slowing down, but of definite mortality.

It is little under a year ago that fans and pundits alike were fawning over the finest team, and the finest squad which was allegedly ever assembled. But as ever, time in football rarely stands still, and in the wake of a defeat which was damningly deserved of a Liverpool with a manager allegedly on the brink, the questions being posed for Manchester United are beginning to find their mark.

Suddenly, questions which were dismissed as minors concerns have suddenly become real issues. All of a sudden the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez have become divisive concerns, the collective form of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic is under scrutiny like never before and the less said about Ben Foster the better.

The problems from Sunday laid bare some key issues which will have United fans worried, in particular at both ends of the pitch, in the defence and in the attack. It is worth reflecting that, even in recent history, these were considered the pillars of strength in this United team.

Last season's record breaking defensive run, and the collective might of Rooney, Ronaldo, Tevez, Berbatov et al were hailed as the cornerstones of their wonderful season which, were it not for that night in Rome, could have been one of the greatest not just in United's history, but in football history.

The question is, what has gone wrong since then?

In central defence the key issues are age and injuries. They may be a year older, and also a year wiser, but age is beginning to catch up with them. The injuries to Rio Ferdinand and Edwin Van der Sar earlier in the season have certainly disrupted a trio along with Vidic, who when in tandem appeared nigh on impregnable.

The form of Van der Sar on his return has been good and sharp, while the form of Ferdinand has been anything but that. His game has regressed back to that of his youth, where his erratic displays were frowned upon but expected.

Suddenly, the serenity which marked his finest years has disappeared, and with it has all sense of assurance at the back. The key question will be whether Ferdinand, fitness permitting, can do as the great players do, and prove himself again.

This will be a key issue, but it is one of a number. United fans will hope that familiarity, playing in a settled partnership again, can allow Vidic to regain some semblance of the form he displayed last season. But should Ferdinand and Vidic fail to regain their form, as some have speculated, the call for change could well become, if not irresistible, certainly imperative.

This is where the form of Evans will be key. Many have touted him as a first team regular for United for the last few years, yet now could be his time to step up. The challenge for him is to prove that his capability to step up can remain consistent.

Beyond that, there is little waiting in the wings. Wes Brown's qualities are well known, as are the injury problems which have cruelly claimed so much of his career. The links with Everton's Jack Rodwell were perhaps purely speculative, but were Sir Alex Ferguson looking beyond his current incumbents, he is the sort of player who Ferguson would love to procure.

Then there is the goalkeeper. The form of Van Der Sar, given his age and the length of his layoff has been remarkable, yet it is also damning on his replacement Ben Foster. Van Der Sar's cool head and remarkable agility stand in marked contrast to the jittery form which has so dogged Ben Foster's season.

While Sir Alex Ferguson may continue to believe that he can be England number one, if he is United's when Van der Sar retires is currently anyone's guess, so far has his stock fallen. This is what made United's trip to Moscow recently so intriguing, for one of the sub-plot concerned a young Russian keeper in Igor Akinfeev who will have undoubtedly impressed the men from Manchester.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the pitch, there are other causes for concern. One of the more enduring images of Sunday's win was of Dimitar Berbatov dropping deep to try to influence the play, where he did not appear remotely threatening to either Agger or Carragher.

This stands in sharp contrast to Fernando Torres, whose burst of speed past Ferdinand displayed the kind of explosive power which United fans once witnessed from their departed Portuguese.

The problem with Berbatov is that after almost 15 months at Old Trafford, few Manchester United fans could define him his role in the team. Targetman or playmaker?

Striker or supplier? While Sir Alex Ferguson continues to believe, others have lost their faith. Berbatov has never been a great scorer of goals, and he probably never will be, but in a team packed with goalscorers this wouldn't be a problem. Yet with goals, and goal threats, in short supply it becomes a huge problem.

Neither Rooney or the aforementioned Berbatov are overly prolific goalscorers, neither has twenty league goals in a season in their careers, while the faithful continue to proclaim that Michael Owen remains as sharp as ever, it would be a fool to believe that he could shoulder the responsibility of being United's main source of goals.

Elsewhere this lack of goals is laid even more bare. Valencia's class as a winger does not extend to goalscoring, Nani's inconsistencies continue to blight a potentially match-winning talent, while the over-reliance on Giggs and Scholes in midfield is a worry as they enter their mid 30's-veritably OAP status for footballers.

Goals are, alas, in short supply among their first choice attackers. Beyond their three main strikers, there are high hopes for several of the young forwards being groomed at Manchester United, yet it would be unfair to shackle these young players with the burdens of being relied upon for goals.

But in the likes of Danny Welbeck, Federico Macheda, and Joshua King, the future for United's strikers appears in good hands.

But that is for tomorrow, and it is the present day that Manchester United must focus their attentions. Sir Alex Ferguson's side have been so good for so long that they have rarely faced the sort of questions which now appear before them. But the key to United's season could lie in how they answer these questions from back to front

Ballon D'Or Shortlist Highlights the Slipping Standards of Defending

Alex Stamp — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:42:31 -0400

The era of defensive football appears to be well and truly over. Remember those halcyon days when Greece shocked Euro 2004 to win, built on the defensive strength of Traiano Dellas and Giorkas Seitaridis? Or when Fabio Cannavaro led Italy to the World Cup in 2006, through consistently world-class defensive displays, which saw him named World Player of the Year?

Nowadays, the goals are flying in. It is now a case of how many you score, rather than simply who will score. Domestically, this Premier League season has been one of the highest scoring in history, La Liga continues to provide a mixture of chaos and attacking prowess which forever delights, and even Serie A, for so long the home of defensive football, has discovered the delights of attacking football.

This new wave of attacking football is good for football, for football will only remain one of the most exciting sports in the world while team's seek to entertain rather than contain. However, one thing it isn't doing any good for is the reputation of defenders.

Defenders in football, as one of football's unwritten rules, tend to get a rough deal compared with the dazzlingly entertaining attackers of the beautiful game. While defenders do the hard work, often it is the attackers who steal the headlines. A centre back who gives it all for 90 minutes, is less likely to get the praise than a centre forward who grabs the last-minute winner to win the match-such is the way of things.

Yet, the publishing of the Ballon d'Or shortlist did reveal a worrying statistic for defenders. Just three of the 30-man list were defenders, and of those, only two could be termed genuine “defenders”—Maicon's qualification comes as much from his ability to attack and defend.

Granted, no-one would begrudge the usual contenders, Messi, Ronaldo, Ribery etc, their places on the list. Nor would many decry the cases for Rooney, Giggs, Eto'o, Iniesta, or Arshavin.

But the fact that only two defenders seem to warrant their inclusion on the list speaks volumes for the current state of defensive play right across the globe. John Terry and Nemanja Vidic clearly deserve their places on this list-both have been standout defenders in the league.

There are absentees who perhaps deserve inclusion. Certainly Gerard Pique, a rising star for club and country has enjoyed a phenomenal year. Daniel Alves too, though probably less of a defender than Maicon, warrants inclusion. Lucio, Brazil's captain during their Confederations Cup triumph? Chiellini? Perhaps the only Italian centre half currently operating at the peak of his powers?

Certainly there are options, but they are few in number. While this new era of attacking football has effectively torpedoed the reputations of many a good defender, the brutal truth is that defenders who are of the highest class are an increasingly rare breed.

At the beginning of this decade, excellent defenders were ten a penny. Italy had Cannavaro, Nesta, and the legendary Maldini. Netherlands had Stam and De Boer, and have yet to produce a centre half of their class since. France had Desailly, Blanc, and Thuram. Heck even Argentina had Samuel, Ayala, and the underrated Sensini.

Nowadays, Italy continue to lean too heavily on an aging Cannavaro, the Netherlands play Blackburn reject Andre Ooijer and Joris Mathijsen, France lined up with Squillaci and Escude in their last match against Austria, and Argentina lined up with Demichelis and 36-year old Schiavi. Hardly a roll-call of defensive excellence.

As a result of this scarcity of top-level defensive talent, the prices of defenders have never been higher. Bolton's Gary Cahill—a promising, yet still inexperienced defender, is seriously mentioned as a £20million player.

Joleon Lescott, transformed from injury prone hot prospect to fine Premier League centre half by David Moyes fetched Everton a £22million profit. Even Barcelona, spent 25million euros on a defender, Shakhtar Donetsk's Dmytro Chygrynskiy. The £11million Martin O'Neill spent on Richard Dunne and James Collins looks better business day after day.

Yet this escalation in prices is merely a reflection of one of the worrying trends of football at the moment. World class defenders, once a common sight across world football, are fast becoming one of the endangered species of the game, and thus defenders of requisite ability see their valuations soar.

And while many will applaud the inclusion of so many fine attacking players in the Ballon d'Or list, for the purists, the decline of that finest of breeds, defenders of the highest class, may long be lamented.

Fabio Capello Refuses To Contemplate Life Without Out-of-Form Rio Ferdinand

Alex Stamp — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:37:13 -0400

The response from Fabio Capello could not have been more supportive or more pointed in defence of Rio Ferdinand after his aberration against the Ukraine which followed high-profile errors against Manchester City for his club and Holland for his country.

Capello, speaking after the match, said, “Rio made just one mistake, the ball bounced and he didn't judge the direction of the ball well, but afterwards he played a good game like the other players. Rio has made some mistakes, but you can't question his value.”

The implication is that despite his recent struggles, Ferdinand remains a key man for Capello. In truth, the erratic displays from Ferdinand have been as much about a lack of match sharpness than any diminishing of his abilities.

The errors have mainly been ones of judgement and mental lapses, a trait which has led some to hark back to Ferdinand's formative years where such mistakes were commonplace.

Yet, despite the costly nature of these mistakes, the argument in Ferdinand's favour is that he has played too few matches this season.

His continued injury struggles with his back will be monitored closely by both England and Manchester United, but thus far, he has missed nine out of 16 matches for both club and country this year, and in that event, his match readiness will suffer.

But despite his recent troubles with both form and injuries, Capello is clearly keen to maintain his support for his beleaguered centre half—as witnessed by his supportive comments in the immediate aftermath of Saturday's match.

Such support stems from Ferdinand's own abilities as a defender. No one needs question either Ferdinand's ability as a defender or his credentials as one of the finest in the world. On his day, there are few better in the world and his partnerships with Nemanja Vidic for club and John Terry for country will seldom be bettered.

Indeed, his international colleagues have been quick to leap to Ferdinand's defence. John Terry described Ferdinand as “one of the best defenders in the world,” while Wayne Rooney stated, “Rio's a top defender, he's just had a few injuries of late.”

But Capello's support will also stem from the simple fact that England cannot do without him. While the likes of Wayne Rooney and captain John Terry are considered indispensable, Ferdinand is certainly not far off. Regardless of form, should he be fit enough to play, then he will feature for England.

Were Ferdinand to be dispensed, a key point of consideration for Capello is that none of the contenders for his spot can make cast iron cases for inclusion.

In the current England squad are Bolton's Gary Cahill, who despite showing promise is still uncapped, Matthew Upson, who featured in Ferdinand's absence but was far from convincing, and Wes Brown, who has yet to force his way back into the Manchester United lineup.

Meanwhile, in total, Capello has called upon 12 centre backs in the total of 55 players he has called up since he took charge. The list includes a number of names, but few of whom offer credible alternatives.

The likes of Joleon Lescott and Phil Jagielka excel week in, week out domestically, but have looked shaky when asked to step up to international level.

Tottenham duo Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King could offer credible alternatives were they not, sadly, once again cursed by the injury troubles which have plagued their careers.

The likes of Micah Richards, Curtis Davies, and David Wheater have dropped from the radar completely. Anyone who witnessed the under-21's 6-3 win over Macedonia will realise that the likes of James Tomkins and Michael Mancienne definitely remain works in progress.

For Capello, this lack of alternatives render any arguments over Ferdinand's international form moot.

Quality centre backs remain at a premium throughout England. Not so long ago, England had a large pool of world-class, internationally-experienced centre backs to call upon with the likes of Jamie Carragher, Sol Campbell, and Ledley King readily available should either Terry or Ferdinand be unavailable.

How times have changed. For Fabio Capello, there has been little to overly worry him throughout his time as England manager, but planning for life without Rio Ferdinand is something that he dare not contemplate just yet.

England's Gary Cahill: The One Who Got Away from O'Neill and Aston Villa

Alex Stamp — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:48:47 -0400

It seems that no manager can escape without a moment where they somehow let a good player get away. Even the greatest manager's have had those moments.

Sir Alex Ferguson had Petr Cech scouted before Chelsea came calling, and deemed him "too young". Arsene Wenger had Yaya Toure on trial and somehow deemed him surplus to requirements.

Even Brian Clough, in his final year at Nottingham Forest, opted not to sign Stan Collymore, who, as history shows, would play a prominent role in Nottingham Forest's recovery post-Clough.

Perhaps the moment that Martin O'Neill decided to sell Gary Cahill to Bolton will be remembered as his.

Since he left Villa Cahill has visibly matured under the tutelage of Gary Megson, and his form has led, not only to a hat-trick of call-ups into Fabio Capello's squad, but also to strong rumours of £15million moves to Arsenal and Manchester United.

Cahill himself admitted: "It does show how far I have come, and that my hard work has paid off, if a big club comes in I do not think there will be a problem, at the moment I am enjoying my time at Bolton.”

Of course, hindsight, as the saying goes, is 20-20. When he left Villa, Cahill was unable to force his way into the team. Despite rave reviews from loan spells at Burnley, where he was jointly named player of the year and young player of the year in 2005, Cahill was unable to force his way into the Villa team ahead of the likes of Martin Laursen and Curtis Davies.

“I left Villa because I was hungry to play week in week out and maybe if I had a crystal ball I may have got a chance there but I didn't and chose to move,” he said.

For Villa fans and O'Neill, watching Cahill perform at a high level week-in, week-out will always be a cause for regret. Villa fans were loathed to let him leave, at the time launching their own Internet campaign to try to prevent the deal from going through. They also recently voted the 23-year-old as the player they most regret selling.

Villa's decision to splash out exorbitant fees on centre half's, such as £8 million for Carlos Cuellar, £6 million on Richard Dunne and £5 million for James Collins, while a prospective England centre half was available for nothing further compounds the error. Then again, nobody's perfect.

Indeed, when asked whether Aston Villa may regret selling him, Cahill said: “Martin O'Neill is a great manager. Everybody makes mistakes sometimes and he's moved on. They've brought in some good centre-backs now, they're doing well."

Certainly, when he does finally feature for England, the watching Villa fans, and dare I say Martin O'Neill, will watch with a hint of regret, as they remember Gary Cahill as the one that got away.

Ineffective Nani Can Learn from Scholes and Giggs' Understated Success

Alex Stamp — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:10:29 -0400

After the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer, plenty of Manchester United fans believed that it would be his fellow Portuguese, Nani, who would be the man to step up in his place. But on Saturday, as has so often been the case this season, Manchester United found that Nani once more failed to deliver on his considerable promise.

Only when Nani was replaced did United click into gear, and ironically it was Nani’s replacement, Ryan Giggs who set up two goals. And while Nani was all tricks but woeful inefficiency, Giggs was pure efficiency, plain and simple.

It appears that Nani now finds himself at a similar crossroads to that which his former team-mate found himself in early in his United career. While United are looking for Nani to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, it is not the overindulgent winger from his first seasons at United they want, but the brutally effective goal-scoring attacker from his later years.

Sadly, Nani continues to remain distinctly similar to the former.

On Saturday, again, it was a similar tale. Too often he overindulged, choosing either to go it alone or shoot on sight, when a team-mate was better placed. Wayne Rooney for one was all too often distinctly unimpressed.

Indeed, United keeper Ben Foster, discussing the impact Nani’s replacement Gigg’s made, pointed out that: "You saw the difference he made when he came on. He found himself in a position where other players might have lashed it across but he picked someone out and it was 1-0." You need not be a genius to work out who the "other player" was.

But Sir Alex Ferguson came out and defended Nani after the match, and said: “He is only 22 years of age, so he’s young. He is brave and he is quick.”

For his part Nani, who was taunted by the Stoke fans with chants of “You’ll never be Ronaldo” has admitted he will speak to his former team-mate, and said: "Cristiano and I talk a lot. We speak about my own game and he gives me confidence to go out and perform."

But if Nani really wants to improve, perhaps he would do well to learn from two of his venerable colleagues at United, Paul Scholes, and the aforementioned Ryan Giggs.

Scholes has been enjoying something of a renaissance this season, poor tackles aside, as he has continued to cement his reputation as one of England’s finest central midfielders. Scholes’ game has always retained a glorious simplicity to it, which is fundamental to his success. No thrills, no spills, just unerringly accurate passing and shooting.

Indeed, this season, after a couple of relatively fallow seasons, his statistics speak for themselves. Against Birmingham, Scholes made 100 passes, 97 of them successful, while against Wigan, he made 41 passes, with 40 of them successful. Against Stoke City on Saturday, his record stood at 70 passes, 67 of them finding their targets.

"No wonder their manager Tony Pulis described him as “the best player on the pitch by a country mile.”

While Giggs, what more can be said about Ryan Giggs? Last season’s player of the year award was widely assumed to be a tribute to a player whose career was nearing its conclusion, but Giggs seems determined to continue to revel in his prolonged Indian summer.

Having spent last Sunday tormenting Manchester City, and giving Micah Richards the runaround, his arrival on Saturday was decisive. His first contribution was to latch onto a Fletcher throughball and set-up Berbatov to score United’s first, then a perfectly weighted free-kick set up O’Shea to head home. Two assists-two goals-game over.

Giggs’ game is more rounded than in his youth, his pace may have declined, but his intelligence and perceptiveness have sharpened. Sir Alex Ferguson said: “Ryan’s intelligence was the deciding factor.” While Ben Foster declared: “Ryan is different class isn’t he? A cool head in those situations is exactly what we needed and that is Ryan Giggs all day.”

Certainly in these two players, Nani can have no greater role models in how to meld sheer talent with both efficiency and consistency. Sometimes in football, less can be a lot more, and while these two are capable of spectacular, quite often it is the simple things they do which can make them so effective.

There is a lesson there for Nani, and should he be able to learn from Scholes and Giggs’ continued success, then he may one day be able to follow in their footsteps and perhaps write his own name into Old Trafford folklore.

Thomas Vermaelen Stands Tall amidst Arsenal's Defensive Comedy of Errors

Alex Stamp — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:55:25 -0400

Only a day earlier, Thomas Vermaelen had said that he was used to spending time in a circus, and five minutes into Arsenal's Champions League match at Standard Liege it was just as well.

Two goals, two sloppy defensive mistakes, and suddenly Arsenal were on the back foot, where they would stay until well into the second half. That they fought back spoke volumes for what Wenger has constantly called “their spirit,” but that they needed to fight back in the first place said enough about their defensive capabilities ahead of a long and potentially dangerous season.

The goals themselves were wholly avoidable, and indeed the only unavoidable point in them was the feeling that were this to be any of Arsenal's compatriots in the big four, then such a scenario would not be happening.

Defensively, Arsenal appeared well-short of the mark, with the honorable exception of Thomas Vermaelen, whose man-of-the-match display back in his homeland continued his exceptional start for his new side.

Faultless for either goal, Vermaelen defended with a fire and aggression which has been sadly lacking from an Arsenal defender since the departures of Adams or Keown. Positionally sound, quick enough to cover at the back, and, for a player whose one weakness was perceived to be his aerial ability, utterly dominant in the air.

He also tried to lead from the back, charging forward from the back at every opportunity, once haring down the left flank into the penalty area only to be noticeably ignored, the goal he got—if dubious in its creation, courtesy of Alex Song's handball—was utterly deserved on the night, and he once more appears to be another diamond that Wenger has plucked from the proverbial rough.

His performance though stood in sharp contrast to his more experienced colleagues. The goals conceded were sloppy and let in by some of the more experienced men in this Arsenal defensive unit.

Clichy, whose form must be a concern for Wenger, appeared uncomfortable for much of the evening, bar his brilliant last minute, last-ditch challenge, and his flank was the most rewarding channel for Liege to attack from.

Indeed it was his lax closing down that allowed Liege to win the corner from which they ultimately fashioned the first goal, though it was Eduardo, with his careless backheel, who was ultimately guilty.

While much of the furor surrounding Adebayor on Saturday deflected the attention away from an especially poor defensive display by a defender who, is now one of the more experienced players in this Arsenal team, and without doubt, as a senior figure, should be doing better.

Then there was Gallas. The divisive figure of the Emirates faithful was another who struggled to cope with Liege’s attacks. While Vermaelen shackled the lively Mbokani effectively, when it was Gallas' turn, he struggled. His hack on Jovanovic, which cost the penalty, was irresponsible, if slightly unlucky.

However, in this capable, but inexperienced, back four, Gallas is the one with the most experience and therefore must be leading from the front, rather than relying on others to set the tone. Failure to do so creates a problem for Wenger and Arsenal.

While their attack continues to prove effective, it is in defence where Arsenal have their problems—albeit long-standing ones—which Wenger himself has long failed to address.

While Vermaelen continues to prove himself at the heart of the defence, the rest of the team must get back up to speed, and fast, if it wants to challenge for the major trophies which both Wenger and Arsenal fans believe it can.

While Wenger will have seen plenty to encourage him last night, his defence was not one of them and they must improve before Arsenal's comedy of errors at the back are no longer a laughing matter.

Under-Fire Johnson Can Cement His Place in England's World Cup Team

Alex Stamp — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:11:19 -0400

Whether it was said with a slight tongue-in-cheek, or was a piece of practical psychology to build up a player’s confidence there was one comment by Fabio Capello which was remarkably striking for a man whose manner strikes of pragmatism defined.

When asked about the performance of Glen Johnson, who many believed to be at fault for the Slovenia goal on Saturday, Capello merely said: “I’m happy with Johnson. Don’t worry, he’s one of the best right backs in the world.”

Judging by the current top right backs around the world, he’s probably slightly overstepping the mark on that one. Certainly the likes of Sergio Ramos, Maicon, and Daniel Alves, for all their faults, would challenge his claim. Johnson, as some would no doubt argue, can neither attack or defend at the same level as these.

However, the place of Johnson has become widely debated. As England have developed a propensity to concede goals which can be attributed to errors on their part, so the question marks over Johnson have arisen.

Clumsy mistakes against Kazakhstan and on Saturday against Slovenia, along with a difficult night suffered against Holland, where he struggled to cope with Arjen Robben, and Liverpool team-mate Ryan Babel, have made Johnson the latest target for critics of Capello’s team.

Furthermore the comments of Slovenia coach, Matjaz Kek, who said: “We had watched videos of England and I noticed that, when a player has as much emphasis on attack as Johnson, there is space behind him. We were successful in exploiting that,” have only increased the level of scrutiny surrounding Johnson.

But as is so often the case for under-fire footballers, the criticisms of Johnson’s claims to the right-back berth in Capello’s England team can be answered over ninety minutes. Should Johnson play a starring role in an England victory over Croatia then it is conceivable that he will have booked his starting role in England’s World Cup Team.

Certainly tomorrow night, Johnson will have a key role to play. He is likely to come face-to-face with former team-mate Niko Kranjcar, who, with Luka Modric’s injury, now represents the main creative outlet for Croatia.

Should Kranjcar be subdued effectively, it could prove decisive in allowing England to dominate possession. While for Johnson, the opportunity to prove himself in what could arguably be England’s last test before South Africa, is one he should relish. Put in a performance here, and his case for inclusion could be unanswerable.

A glance at the contenders for the right-back slot further proves this. While Wes Brown, when fit (hands up whose thought that throughout his career?), clearly offers a solid and more experienced presence at right back than Johnson, though he lacks the dynamic attacking element which Johnson offers.

Elsewhere, the last time Croatia visited Wembley it was Micah Richards-then tipped for a glittering future-who was playing at right back. Since then Richards has dropped off the radar completely under Capello, as he remains prone to defensive mistakes like Johnson, and once more is incapable of matching him in attack.

While Gary Neville, ever the solid, dependable pro, is clearly entering the twilight of what has been a glittering career.

Hence the public display of faith in Johnson by Capello—hardly a manager renowned for taking unnecessary risks. No other right-back offers the combination of attacking verve, athleticism and speed that Johnson offers. While his defending is prone to errors, he clearly can defend-why else would Rafael Benitez-a keen admirer of a strong defence-spend a small fortune on him?

While Johnson is clearly under scrutiny at the moment, Capello’s faith in him still remains. Should he justify his managers’ faith and play a key part in an England victory tomorrow night, then Johnson may make his case for inclusion in Capello’s World Cup team, unanswerable.

Sale of African Assets Leaves Arsenal With Questions To Answer

Alex Stamp — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:28:23 -0400

The news that Arsenal are selling their defensive stalwart Kolo Toure will not be greeted warmly by Arsenal fans who, less than a month before the season is due to begin, are wondering whether Arsene Wenger will heed their cries for reinforcements or whether they are to exit the summer in a weaker position than they entered it.

The sales of Adebayor and Toure have netted the club in the region of £40 million, but whether their sales will have done terminal damage to Arsenal’s title chances is a matter of debate.

Wenger, when announcing that he had accepted a bid from City for Toure said: “We have seven centre-backs and I am in the position where I have to play some in midfield but of course Kolo is a very good player and we will see what will happen in the next 24 hours.”

While Wenger is no fool, the fact that he considers Silvestre, Senderos and Alex Song—a midfielder—as part of this company will worry Arsenal fans, as will the inference that Wenger feels such a group will be sufficient.

While Toure may have peaked, though that point is debatable, he still remains a highly experienced and, on his day, capable defender.

While a line of argument could be said that acquiring £40 million for two players who would miss large parts of the season due to the African Cup of Nations is a good move, that Arsenal have been so willing to sell to Manchester City—a club with their sights set firmly on the club’s Champions League place—will be a worry to Arsenal fans.

One idea behind this willingness to sell to the Eastlands club could be that Arsenal simply didn’t believe that they would receive bids for that amount of money again.

Yet this simply opens up the arguments of how financially sound Arsenal currently are at the moment.

If, and this is a big if, Arsenal are on as sound a financial footing as they claim to be, then why the need to sell players who could contribute greatly to the team’s fortunes over the next season?

Perhaps Wenger has felt the need to sell as he has spotted players of superior quality and promise available at a lower price and felt that the time was right to sell and then buy other players.

Certainly the likes of Huntelaar, Demba Ba, Mahamadou Sakho and Neven Subotic are replacements which could be acquired at a lower cost than those which were sold.

And if this is the case, then the next few weeks could be crucial, for the players he would have to sign would have to be acquired quickly in order to be bedded in time for the beginning of the season and the Champions League qualifiers which swiftly follow.

However, if money were not spent, then clearly questions must be raised about how viable it is for Arsenal to challenge for the league and Champions League year on year if they can make £40 million on transfers and not reinvest any of the funds into a team which clearly needs reinforcements.

Furthermore, if indeed the club are financially hamstrung, then further questions must be asked about the current board's decision to reject a proposal by Russian shareholder Alisher Usmanov over whether to hold a rights issue or not.

The proposal by Usmanov was to issue new shares in Arsenal to existing shareholders, where they would be invited to purchase new shares in the club and, as a result, would invest into the club almost £150 million. However, this proposal was rejected by the board because “the club has a very efficient capital structure with long-term debt on attractive interest rates.”

The idea that Arsenal raise money from shareholders to spend it on "one or two players in an inflated transfer market" was deemed unnecessary.

Yet if the money Arsenal make from the sales of their African stars is not appropriately invested back into the team, then the board could face some awkward questions—not least from Arsenal fans who pay among the highest prices for tickets to home matches yet are having to offset this with a decline in achievement, results and quality.

If the board is financially in a situation where they are under no pressure due to finances, then why are they not forcing the issue to Wenger that the money must be spent to improve specific areas in the team?

If they are feeling the pinch, then the questions must be asked about why a club, which prides itself on being one of the more well-run clubs in the league, has allowed itself to get into this position, while rejecting out of hand any proposals which will, in the short term, allow Wenger to strengthen his team.

So if Arsenal do have money to burn or just simple money troubles, the next few weeks could provide Arsenal fans with the answers they either dreamt for or dreaded. For the club, the board and most importantly the fans, this could be the few weeks that could really tell us what shape Arsenal really are in.

Living Up To A Legend: The Challenge Facing New Villarreal Boss Valverde

Alex Stamp — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:13:22 -0400

Taking over at a team where the manager is a man who is generally acknowledged as the greatest the club has ever had is never an easy task. Just ask Wilf McGuinness, the man given the unenviable task of replacing Sir Matt Busby at Old Trafford, or Brian Clough on replacing Don Revie at Leeds United.

So spare a thought for Ernesto Valverde, who was recently named Villarreal manager, as a replacement for the newly appointed Real Madrid manager Manuel Pellegrini.

Valverde is not so much replacing a manager at Villarreal but replacing an institution. The position that Villarreal currently find themselves in is due to the work which Pellegrini—in combination with chairman Fernando Roig—has done.

It is easy to forget, given the heady heights and delights which Villarreal have enjoyed over the past five seasons, that Villarreal are still the ultimate small-town club success story.

In 1997 the club were languishing in the lower reaches of the Segunda division, with a stadium which held only 3,500, a debt which was crippling club, and next to no history of success—having never been in the Primera Division before.

Fast forward 12 seasons, and the scene is very different. The financial clout which Roig has given Villarreal mean that the club could afford to spend big, and the growth of the club has been rapid. While Roig has undoubtedly played his part off the pitch, it is Pellegrini who has given them the kudos and results on it which have established them as one Spain’s major teams.

Under Pellegrini, the club have embarked on a run of success which, given the size of the club, is certainly unprecedented. Though the club have only won the UEFA Inter Toto Cup in that period, the bare statistics speak for themselves—Villarreal won 123 matches and lot only 64 throughout his tenure.

While finishes as high as third and second place in La Liga, a league typically dominated by Real Madrid and Barcelona, typify his ability, as well as a Champions League semi-final defeat against Arsenal.

That Villarreal have achieved all this whilst playing some of the finest football in Europe is even more in Pellegrini’s favour. His eye for a bargain, and footballing template deserve as much applause as the success he has achieved at Villarreal.

Players such as Juan Roman Riquelme, Diego Forlan, Giuseppe Rossi, Marcos Senna, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Jose Reina, and Santi Cazorla have either been discovered or rehabilitated by the work of Pellegrini. While the sumptuous football which Pellegrini insisted on at the club was described by the manager as "a mixture of South American and European football".

Such is the status of Pellegrini at Villarreal that when he left, club captain Marcos Senna said: "I am going to miss him but, as the captain of the team, I am pleased for him, so are my team-mates.

“Even though it is sad to see him leave because he is a great coach and we were close to him. We wish him all the best.”

So the challenge for Pellegrini’s successor Ernesto Valverde is how can he hope to emulate Pellegrini. When he was announced as Villarreal manager, chairman Fernando Roig is quoted as saying: “Our big signing this time around is Ernesto Valderde. He is a great coach and he has grand aspirations.”

But the former Bilbao and Espanyol boss will be aware that the challenge he faces is a daunting one, not just to continue to uphold Pellegrini’s success, but to ensure that the El Submarino Amarillo remain competitive in La Liga.

Thus far this summer, star man Giuseppe Rossi has been strongly linked with a return to Italy following his success at the Confederations Cup with Italy, while Santi Cazorla’s reputation continues to grow and he has been strongly linked with a reunion with former boss Pellegrini at Real Madrid.

But more promising for Valverde is the arrival of Brazilian star Nilmar for a club-record €11million fee, a player who chairman Roig said “will be a great player for Villarreal for the next five seasons.”

While the club’s purchase of promising Ecuadorian playmaker Jefferson Montero, and Spanish under-21 centre back Ivan Marcano demonstrate that the club’s successful policy of signing up-and-coming young players will continue despite Pellegrini’s departure.

While a successful pre-season, where they have scored 37 goals in two matches thus far, will have helped settle the nerves of the club’s fans, they will know that much stiffer opposition lie ahead.

For Valverde the real challenges will await him, the challenge to succeed a club legend and match his success is never easy.

Villarreal must hope that in the wake of Pellegrini’s departure, Valverde can prove he is the man who can keep steering "the Yellow Submarine” towards success.

Selling Emmanuel Adebayor Should Help Arsenal, Not Hinder Them

Alex Stamp — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:13:46 -0400

As the sale of Emmanuel Adebayor is finalized, albeit hitting a slight snag today as he asks for more time, and he completes his move to the North West and the riches of Manchester City, Arsenal fans can be forgiven for wondering quite why Arsene Wenger is allowing the giant Togolese forward to leave the Emirates.

The truth is that for the last twelve months Adebayor's move was inevitable, and this was the right time for a deal to happen.

Wenger will probably be loath to let him leave, as will many Arsenal fans, as his strengths as a player are not in doubt—but Wenger and Arsenal were forced by circumstance.

Certainly City are signing a player who on his day is a potent mix of strength, speed, athleticism, and deadly finishing—a handful for any defender. Rio Ferdinand named him as the toughest opponent he has come across.

Despite a disappointing season, he was Arsenal's second top-scorer in the league, and over two legs in the Champions League quarter final he was a potent threat throughout—capping his performance with a wonder-strike which few could match.

However, against these highs, there were lows—shuddering lows. A general malaise seemed to afflict his performances, capped by a horror show in the Champions League semifinal. The verve and vibrancy of his performances, which were such a mark of his breakthrough 2007-08 season, were gone.

That season, Adebayor was at the peak of his powers, and inevitably such a level of performance will attract attention.

The manner in which he whored his services to AC Milan seemed to permanently affect, not only his affection for Arsenal, but also his relationship with the club's fans. From that point, there was always going to be one end to the relationship and it would not be amicable.

Wenger will sell him, making at least three times what he paid for a bit-part player from Monaco.

He can take Adebayor's development as the latest evidence of his innate ability to develop world-class players at a bare minimum of expense, and by selling a player who was becoming a disruptive influence he can hopefully look forward to a more harmonious dressing room next season.

In truth, the club he leaves behind is unlikely to miss him. Arsenal struggled last season, but this had little to do with the absence of Adebayor. Arsenal's defense remains its Achilles heel, while they can still call upon a relative wealth of attacking talent next season.

In terms of like-for-like, the continued development of Nicklas Bendtner, who made promising strides last season, could lead him to become a direct replacement. The likes of Robin Van Persie, a returning Eduardo, the promise of Carlos Vela, and the scheming play-making of Andrei Arshavin all represent credible first team options for Wenger.

Of course, he can also sign a replacement. Names have been bandied about, but as with any transfer talk, the credibility of many of the targets can be questioned. The likes of Huntelaar and Dzeko are likely links due to their "availability," but one must wonder why Wenger would choose now, when both are at a premium, to sign them.

Other named targets perhaps represent more credible targets. Marouane Chamakh at Bordeaux is much discussed, is capable in the air, and though his goal-ratio is relatively poor, his price—£6 million—makes him a likely Wenger target.

Another name is the unknown Demba Ba, a pacey, tall striker with Hoffenheim who has been receiving rave reviews and is similar in style to Adebayor. A fee of around £10 million has been mentioned.

Both are targets in the Wenger mold, direct replacements, at a cheaper price—and their signings are likely, while the rest of the Adebayor funds could also be used to strengthen the team in more vital areas.

While the arrival of Thomas Vermaelen has certainly addressed Arsenal's weakness in central defense, another centre half could be an option. Mamadou Sakho has been mentioned in dispatches, though whether Wenger would be willing to spend so much on a relatively inexperienced centre half is doubtful.

Another option is Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic, a 6'4" 20-year-old who has a price-tag of around £10 million. He would be a credible defensive option, and has previously been linked with both Arsenal and Chelsea.

Furthermore, Arsenal's failed pursuit of Felipe Melo revealed that Wenger is still targeting a holding player and a move for St. Etienne's Blaise Matuidi could well be in the offing, once more utilising the funds which Adebayor's move secured.

So while Adebayor departs the Emirates for pastures new, Arsenal fans need not be disheartened. As the old mantra goes: “In Wenger we trust” and now more than ever they must trust their manager, as the sale of Adebayor could prove to be the making of his team.

Maturing Kieran Gibbs Gives Arsenal and England Grounds for Optimism

Alex Stamp — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:20:00 -0400

To say that the past 12 months have been a whirlwind affair for Kieran Gibbs would be putting it mildly. Twelve months ago Gibbs was anticipating another year spent in the Arsenal reserves, yet now he has featured regularly for his club and become one of the first names on Stuart Pearce's England under 21 team-sheet.

But it has not all been plain sailing for the young full-back, as his infamous slip in the Champions League final allowed Ji-Sung Park in to score and effectively put the tie beyond Arsenal.

Gibbs himself admitted, "It's hard to think at the time and put the blame on anyone else. After what happened in the Champions League I felt disappointed, not for myself but for the team and the people I thought I had let down.”

However, Gibbs was keen to emphasise that he believed that the slip, while costly at the time, could prove beneficial in the long run.

He added, “I felt disappointed after that, but I'm trying to forget about that now, and this is the tournament I am in. I received a lot of support after that, and that got me through it for the rest of the season.

"I think it showed a mental strength to come back from that, especially straight after. I look at the season as a big success for me personally. I've got my experience in and played in some big games that I wanted to play in.”

Indeed, Gibbs has gone from strength to strength for both club and country, and his manager Stuart Pearce was effusive in his praise for the full-back.

He said, “Kieran is a very strong character. You only have to listen to him speak to know which way he is going.” Pearce added that Gibbs' experiences over the past two months probably equated to at least two years' experience.

“Kieran’s manager picked him for the next game, his performances were just as good. Against Liverpool, he had a shaky 10 minutes, but he played his way out of that and still wanted possession. I saw a maturity beyond his years, that’s why I picked him.”

Since his inclusion in the under 21s, Gibbs has played a starring role, both in England's 2-1 group victory over Finland, but also in their 7-0 friendly victory over Kazakhstan, where he began at left back but grabbed two second half goals when moved into central midfield, where he learnt his trade.

After that match, England's head of youth development Trevor Brooking praised his versatility and added, “He had a good first half at left back, looked equally at home moving up on to the left-hand side of midfield, and ended up scoring two goals from central midfield. He’s been brought up with the right habits at Arsenal. This could be a very good tournament for him.”

This bodes well for both his club and country, and the manner of Gibbs' development bears some resemblance to the emergence of Ashley Cole into the Arsenal first team some 10 years ago.

While Gibbs himself has admitted that a loan move could be in the offing to aid his development, he is content to learn from Gael Clichy, stating, “I don't think it will be too disappointing for me to continue learning from one of the best left-backs in the world.”

Such an attitude is befitting of a player described by many as mature beyond his years, certainly a good attribute to have. Many are tipping Gibbs for international honours in the near future, not least his manager Arsene Wenger, who has said, “I believe he will play for England, and if it happened very quickly, I would not be surprised.”

If and when that call up comes, like he has done with everything that's been thrown his way, expect Gibbs to have the maturity to cope and to thrive.

UEFA Under 21 Championships Team-By-Team Guide

Alex Stamp — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:59:55 -0400

The UEFA Under 21 Championships are upon us, one of the most important and well-regarded youth tournaments around the world, and will certainly give some indication of which European players could be the next big names of the future—bearing in mind the likes of Petr Cech, Alberto Aquilani, and Ryan Babel are just some of the names to have starred in previous versions of the tournament.

Interestingly this season's tournament is missing a number of big names, who are traditionally associated with success at this level. In particular the likes of defending champions Holland, France, and Portugal are missing from this year's tournament, but here is a team-by-team guide into all the teams participating in the tournament, and some of the players to watch out for.

Belarus

Perhaps the weakest of all the sides in this season's competition, Belarus have qualified for this competition only once before, when there team was spear-headed by one Aliaksander Hleb, but they qualified this time through coming from behind to beat Turkey 2-1 in their play-off match.

Though they are certainly one of the weaker sides they may have a slight advantage in that their league season has only just begun, meaning that their home-grown players could be fresher than their oppositions.

Everyone's Watching: Mikhail Sivakov—In a team packed with home-grown talents, Sivakov is one who has opted to play abroad, with Cagliari in Italy, and this tall defensive midfielder is highly thought of in his own country.

Most Important Player: Sergey Krivets is an exciting playmaker, who is an integral part of the FC Bate team—scoring their first ever Champions League goal against Juventus. He could well be to this Belarusian team what Hleb was to their last team.

One For The Scouts: Leonid Kovel—A capable goalscorer who has been capped for the Belarussian senior team. Kovel is a pacey striker who could surprise a few people in this tournament.

Chances: Remote, likely to depart early.

England

England, led by former-international Stuart Pearce, have been making significant progress in under-21 football in recent years, and come into this tournament as dark horses for the title.

Certainly their team has a bold mixture of experienced heads and exciting young talents. The likes of Joe Hart, Micah Richards, Gabriel Agbonlahor, and Theo Walcott are full internationals, while Nedum Onouha, Fabrice Muamba, James Milner, and Mark Noble are all Premiership regulars.

But the squad also contains exciting young talents who could catch the eye, in the likes of Kieran Gibbs, Jack Rodwell and Adam Johnson.

Everyone's Watching: Micah Richards—With England lacking a clear long-term solution to their right back position, the fortunes of Micah Richards will be monitored closely by England fans.

Most Important Player: James Milner—vastly experienced, having debuted in the Premiership as, at that time, its youngest ever player, Milner boasts a record amount of caps at international youth level for England, and this is likely to be his swansong for the under 21 team.

One For The Scouts: Jack Rodwell—A precocious talent, capable of playing both in central defence and midfield, many judges believe he will one day play for England and this tournament could well demonstrate exactly why.

Chances: Could surprise a few people, though much will depend on their match with Germany. Dark horses.

Spain

The Spanish are always contenders at this level, and their formidable youth development policy is a central point to their success on the international stage.

Certainly this crop will be keen to emulate the achievements of their predecessors, and there is little to suggest that they cannot go ahead and achieve great things once more. The Spanish team is packed with players with La Liga experience, such as Miguel Torres, Raul Garcia, Javi Garcia, Esteban Granero, Javier Martinez, Diego Capel, Sergio Asenjo, and their crown jewel Bojan Krkic.

Everyone's Watching: Bojan Krkic—The Barcelona starlet has enjoyed a successful campaign with his club side, though his personal contribution was negligible, and he will be looking to carry on that successful run. His record for Spanish youth teams is formidable and he has senior international experience, and he could well be the star of the tournament.

Most Important Player: Raul Garcia—easily the most experienced player in this team, Garcia is a precociously talented midfielder, boasting a wide passing range which is so vital to his team.

One For The Scouts: Sergio Asenjo—Goalkeepers rarely achieve top billing, but Asenjo is so highly regarded that he is sure to receive plenty of attention. The Vallodolid stopper debuted for their first team at an early age, and his sparkling form has seen him strongly linked with the likes of FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

Chances: Boasting a fine group of players, Spain are certainly among the favourites for the trophy.

Italy

The five-times winners of the tournament enter this year's version with a strong squad, and a strong chance of success. Italy has a long-held tradition of producing talented young players, and this squad is testament to that tradition.

Their squad boasts a strong all-round presence, with the likes of Santon and Criscito shoring up their defence. While in midfield, Cigarini, Dessena, Marchisio and Motta will pose problems to any side.

But it is in attack that their real strength lies, where Robert Acquafresca and Alberto Paloschi accompany starlets Sebastian Giovinco and Mario Balotelli.

Everyone's Watching: Mario Balotelli—Has experienced a turbulent second season at Inter Milan, but there is no doubting his potential. His goalscoring record is formidable and fortunes and form could be vital to Italy's success.

Most Important Player: Claudio Marchisio—Perhaps the most experienced in this Italian team, Marchisio's form in central midfield could be a vital part in how Italy perform. A mature, tactically astute prospect, he could thrive in Sweden.

One For The Scouts: Sebastien Giovinco—Despite not featuring regularly in the Juventus first team, Giovinco is still viewed by many as one of Italy's brightest attacking prospect. The formica atomica (Atomic Ant) is a playmaker of the highest order, and could be a key figure if Italy are to emerge victorious.

Chances: Like Spain, boast players with experience and ability, and the Azzurini are rightly regarded as favourites for the title.

Sweden

The hosts come into this tournament with little tournament pedigree, apart from a rare appearance in the 2004 tournament where they were spearheaded by Bolton's Johan Elmander.

Now that the Swedes having qualified as hosts they will be hoping to put him a good performance on their home turf, yet their team mainly comprised of home-grown talents will be up against it to go far in this tournament.

But there are some unpolished gems to be found, certainly Blackburn's Martin Olsson, Mattias Bjarsmyr, Pontus Wernbloom, and the exciting PSV striker Ola Toivonen are ones to keep an eye on.

Everyone's Watching: Marcus Berg—Hit 15 goals during an injury-hit campaign for Heerenveen. Is tall, a good header of the ball, two footed, and will certainly be on the radar of scouts throughout the tournament.

Most Important Player: Ola Toivonen—a striker who is gaining quite a reputation. Toivonen was signed in January by PSV, and has since scored six goals for the Dutch side, and has drawn comparisons with fellow Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic due to his style of play and fiery temperament.

One For The Scouts: Robin Soder—An exciting prospect who has attracted the attention of the likes of Werder Bremen and AC Milan in the past, Soder is also the youngest ever player to feature for Sweden's under 21 team.

Chances: The hosts lack the punch to sustain a challenge, though they are best placed to cause an upset.

Serbia

The finalists from the 2007 tournament are hoping to go one better this time and win the tournament, though they will be without some of their stars, Branislav Ivanovic and Bosko Jankovic. But despite their absence, this Serbian team are packed with talented youngsters who could go far in this tournament.

The likes of captain Milan Smiljanic, Gojko Kacar and Manchester United's Zoran Tosic all featured in the side which reached that final, and have all been capped by the Serbian senior side and will be key components of their side. But there is new talent emerging to accompany the more senior players, in the likes of Ajax's Miralem Sulejmani, left back Ivan Obradovic, and Dusan Tadic.

Everyone's Watching: Zoran Tosic—Lack of first team opportunities have hindered Manchester United's January signing, but this tournament should provide Tosic with the chance to make an impression on an international stage.

Most Important Player: Gojko Kacar—A dominant defensive midfielder, and a real powerhouse talent in midfield. His form for Serbia in qualifying was vital to their success, as he weighed in with six goals, including five in one match against Hungary. Currently plays for Hertha Berlin, many pundits are predicting great things from the Serbian midfielder.

One For The Scouts: Miralem Sulejmani—Believed by some commentators to be the next great talent to come from Serbia, the Ajax striker's talent has attracted suitors, though after a difficult first season at the Amsterdam side, he will be determined to showcase all his talents.

Chances: For many, the Serbs are the best outside bet for the title, the talent is there, and should they get on a roll then they could well cause a stir.

Finland

The minnows have never before qualified for this tournament and it seems highly unlikely that they will be around for very long in this one. Markku Kanerva's team are built around a solid defence, and rely heavily on star strikers Jarno Parikka and Teemu Pukki, while the majority of this team are domestically based and will be looking to attract the attention of some foreign teams.

Everyone's Watching: Jarno Parikka has a brilliant goalscoring record at this level, with 15 goals in 17 appearances. Was HJK's top goalscorer last season, and their coach likened him to legendary goalscorer Raul, and his form has seen him capped for the Finnish senior side.

Most Important Player: Tim Sparv—The Finnish captain, and an ex-colleague of Theo Walcott in the Southampton youth team, Sparv stands tall, literally, on the pitch, at 1.94 metres in height. Very much the dominant heartbeat of this Finnish team.

One For The Scouts: Teemu Pukki—Not many Finns have travelled abroad, certainly the likes of Jari Litmanen and Sami Hyypia are famous examples, but Pukki who features for the Sevilla youth team is certainly one to watch. Pukki, who has featured for the Sevilla first team, has a fine record with the club's reserve team, and at 19 is very much seen as the finest Finnish prospect of this generation.

Chances: The Finns have never qualified for this tournament before, and this group of players will not expect to go far.

Germany

For a side so dominant in international football, it is baffling that the German's have such a poor record in this tournament. But as with all German teams, this side cannot be discounted and are certainly dark horses for this tournament.

This side, led by former international Horst Hrubesch who is in temporary charge until the end of the tournament, boast a number of players who feature regularly in the Bundesliga. Certainly the likes of Manuel Neuer, Andreas Beck, Dennis Aogo, Sami Khedira, Marko Marin, and Mesut Ozil are highly talented, yet experienced prospects who could cause a stir in this tournament.

Everyone's Watching: Mesut Ozil—Though his season may have ended in disappointment with defeat in the UEFA Cup final with Werder Bremen, overall it was a rewarding breakthrough campaign for the diminutive German international. A bright and classy playmaker, Ozil could be one of the tournaments shining lights.

Most Important Player: Andreas Beck—A classy defender who has enjoyed a prosperous campaign with Hoffenheim, and has received full international honours, and is a vital component of his team's defence.

One For The Scouts: Marko Marin—A German international who is regarded as one of its brightest attacking prospects. Standing 5'7", he is capable of terrorising any defences with his mazy runs, and could well prove to be a handful throughout the tournament.

Chances: Outsiders certainly—their team is talented, but much will depend on their match against England which could make or break their campaign.

Breaking News: Manchester United Accept World Record Bid For Ronaldo

Alex Stamp — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 05:05:56 -0400

Manchester United have accepted a world-record £80 million bid for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid.

A statement on the United website said:

"At Cristiano's request—who has again expressed his desire to leave—and after discussion with the player's representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player.

"Matters are expected to be concluded by 30 June. The club will not comment until further notice."

The news comes after days of speculation, which began with the re-election of Fiorentino Perez. Ronaldo has been linked to Real Madrid constantly, and the news of this signing comes just days after the Madrid side announced the signing of Kaka.

The mooted deal is expected to smash the existing world record for a transfer deal, the £45.6 million Real Madrid paid Juventus for Zinedine Zidane.

The Daily Debate: Is Michael Owen's International Career Over?

Alex Stamp — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:14:10 -0400

The shine has undoubtedly worn off; and the bright light that once shone so brightly through the career of Michael Owen has dimmed as he finds himself caught between one troublesome moment and the next in the soap opera that has become the story of Newcastle United.

Nothing will bring this home more to Owen, 29, than the sight of his former England teammates, some of them colleagues and compatriots for many years, taking to the Wembley surface tonight without him.

It has been a long time in the international wilderness for Michael Owen; his last appearance for England was in the friendly defeat against France over a year ago. Since then Owen has been beset with injuries, a subsequent loss of form, and as a result has yet to reappear on the international stage.

This represents a marked decline in the former wunderkind's career, a career whose stellar beginning saw Owen pencilled in by many as one of the world’s finest strikers, and surely an inevitable heir to Bobby Charlton’s throne as England’s all-time highest goalscorer. Even now that target is well within his reach as he has 40 international goals, only nine behind Charlton’s record.

But the problem for Owen is clearly not one regarding his record or reputation but is simply one regarding the reality which he finds himself in.

Owen has, for one reason or another—be it age or excessive injuries to his fragile hamstrings—lost many of the virtues which marked him out as one of England’s finest prospects.

Blistering pace used to be one of Owen's greatest virtues, but has inevitably declined with age and repeated injuries. The loss of such a weapon hampers Owen because it was such a hallmark of his game. No longer can he be relied upon to break the off-side traps of teams to such devastating effect as he once did.

But another issue, and perhaps the most fundamental one, is that even Owen's confidence and assuredness in front of goal, the attribute that he could rely on even in his leaner times, has seemingly gone.

There is no longer the assertfulness in his play to force an opening, no confidence in front of goal.

One of the sadder aspects of Newcastle’s tragic demise is that Owen, throughout their fall, was on the periphery, and failed to score in his last 12 outings for the club. He was even dropped for their final game of the season, such was the lack of faith in his once famed ability to change a match.

Owen is now available on a free transfer but whereas once every team from around the world would have queued day and night for his services, there are now precious few suitors breaking down his door, and the dream of playing Champions League football appears beyond him.

One must hope for Owen that a new start will mean redemption and rehabilitation, and a chance to rebuild what was a once great career. But it will involve putting in the hard yards, proving himself to be more than just a rabbit killer, but a vanquisher of opponents of the highest order still.

Indeed perhaps he could use the example of his old team-mate Raul, whose own revival—in November 2008, he scored his 300th goal for Real Madrid—has been a remarkable return for a man whose career appeared to be on the wane.

Then and only then, through his own perseverance and hard work, Owen may get the chance to prove his critics wrong and once more force his way back into the England side.

What do you think? Can Owen return from the international wilderness? Or is now the time to start remembering him for what he once was for England, and everything he achieved? Leave your comments below!

Man City Must Make Barry the Start of Their Summer Spending, Not the Star

Alex Stamp — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 06:48:09 -0400

After much of the transfer talk was focused on Real Madrid’s big spending, and transfer records breaking, it was Manchester City who fired the first shot in this summer's transfer war.

The news itself emerged rapidly on the Tuesday, England international Gareth Barry moves to Manchester City, for a relatively sedate fee of £12 million.

Firstly, on Barry, certainly Manchester City will be well aware of what he brings to their side as a player. A calming presence in the centre of midfield, with a good range of passing allied to a cute positional awareness, as well as, most importantly, bags of experience.

12 million pounds represents a sound piece of business for an England first-team regular, bearing in mind that Barry's illustrious comrades, Lampard and Gerrard, would each command at least double such a fee. While the players who Barry keeps out of the England team, such as Carrick and Jenas, would command higher prices as well.

As such, credit must be given to the much maligned City chief executive Garry Cook. Much criticised for his approach in the Kaka deal, he played an important part in the Barry deal. It was he who convinced a player who appeared determined to play in the Champions League that his interests would be best served at City, which speaks volumes for both City's and Cook's ambitions.

What this deal marks, which City fans in particular will be hoping, is two important points. Firstly it demonstrates quite the levels of financial power which City are able to call upon, and how it can be properly exercised.

Secondly, it points to a strategic long-term plan throughout the City management for the club, which is a unique, and powerful selling point to players like Barry.

The importance of this is the future implications which these two points could have on City's transfer plans.

Manchester City must aim high, and ensure that in order to achieve their grand ambitions, like those they outlined to Barry, City must be looking at continuing their policy of recruiting bigger and better players.

The squad itself needs revamping, beyond merely the signing of Barry. There are two particular areas which the club will be keen on strengthening—up front, and in defence.

For while City's midfield boasts a wide variety of skill, ability and abundant class, their forward line resembles a roll call at a journeyman footballer's bazaar.

Certainly the likes of Benjani and Vassell are patently not good enough, Jo has yet to prove himself at his parent club, while Ched Evans could soon learn that at the level City are aiming, hard work alone is not enough.

Meanwhile for all the exciting potential of Felipe Caicedo and the want-away Daniel Sturridge, City could well look at Arsene Wenger's example and decide that potential gets you nothing if not time, but City want results.

Therefore, their targets are ambitious, and the purchase of two big money strikers could soon be in the offing. One such target is Carlos Tevez, available and keen to remain in the North West, one can imagine the delight for City fans if they managed to snatch a long-term target for their two North West rivals from under their noses.

While another target could well be Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o, vanquisher of their city rivals in Rome. Eto'o represents a big name, potent goal-scorer, whose future at Barcelona is still subject to debate.

While another option could be long-term target Roque Santa Cruz, whose height and guile would add much to City's forward line, however he remains frustratingly injury prone.

Meanwhile Hughes will also be looking to strengthen his defence, which at times has looked exposed. Certainly another centre half would be welcome and one could see a bid for the likes of Bruno Alves, or the much-criticised Real Madrid centre half Pepe. Both are talented defenders, who could thrive in the Premiership and, importantly for City, are both achievable targets.

While Hughes could look for another right back to pressure the fatally inconsistent Micah Richards, whose defending is still prone to be more reactive, than anticipatory, and thus is eminently targetable for the very best sides.

Certainly, a big-name target would be Inter Milan's full back Maicon, but tempting him from the San Siro would be a tough ask, perhaps a more realistic target would be Lucas Neill, who is fresh from rejecting a new contract at West Ham.

Perhaps if City can strengthen in these areas, then perhaps they could soon be in a position to fulfil the grand ambitions that their management have for the club.

And as they say in football, money talks, and over the next few weeks City could send out some bold statements to the football world.

Defiant West Brom Look To Life After Relegation

Alex Stamp — Mon, 18 May 2009 06:19:42 -0400

It was probably the most defiant of gestures in the face of relegation. Thousands of West Brom fans giving their team a rousing send-off to their Premiership campaign, a send-off which gave one overriding message—We Will Be Back.

Their season, for the most part, has been one seemingly conducted under a cloud. From the moment it began, one poor result was followed by another, yet still there was a hope, a faint hope that relegation could be avoided.

Memories of that glorious escape under Bryan Robson three years ago were stirred, and the hope was rekindled. Last night, it was extinguished.

But for their fans, this was not a moment to look back, but a time to look forward.

Certainly, amidst the inevitable doom and gloom of relegation, there are green shoots of optimism to be had for West Brom.

Whatever you think about the positives and negatives of conducting a cautious campaign, based on contingency in case of relegation, it is at times like these that such a policy can seem fully justified.

While some may argue the Baggies would not be in this position had they truly believed they belong in the Premiership, the club are undoubtedly entering the Championship in far better health than they left it.

Indeed, this fact is not lost on those in charge at the Hawthorns. Jeremy Peace, the West Bromwich chairman, has stated that the club are financially in “good shape.”

Meanwhile Tony Mowbray, speaking to the BBC yesterday, said: “We don't have to sell players because we don't have any debt at the club. We can keep players we want. Their salaries are affected by what league they're in.”

Furthermore, he added: “We are now a better team than we have been for a lot of seasons, the team have grown into the Premier League and learned a lot of lessons along the way. Hopefully we can use those lessons next season in the Championship.”

Mowbray himself certainly deserves another opportunity at getting this team promoted once more. He is one of football's good guys.

A hero at Middlesbrough as a player, his management style is based upon attractive passing football, and his refusal to compromise style for substance should be applauded for its idealism, though ultimately it may have been one of the reasons for their relegation.

But his team is more than capableand there is quality to be found, often abundantly in specific positions. Certainly, West Brom boast an abundant supply of Premiership-quality midfielders, who the club must fight to keep next season.

Jonathan Greening, Chris Brunt, and James Morrison are three such players. Boasting neat playmaking skills and an eye for goal, they will attract some admiring glances from clubs in the Premier League's midtable.

Meanwhile, the likes of Robert Koren, Borja Valero, and Filipe Teixiera will be more than a match for Championship defences, and Dean Kiely and Scott Carson are both internationally capped goalkeepers, who have sparkled fleetingly amidst the gloom.

Gianni Zuiverloon and Paul Robinson also deserve special mention as players who did not look out of place at the highest level.

With relegation, must come change, but this is not necessarily a bad thing, and in two key areas West Brom must change to survive, and indeed thrive.

Goals decide football matches, and for all their admirable qualities, West Brom have scored too few, and conceded too many. A Premiership-class centre half, and a striker who could score 10 Premiership goals will be high on Mowbray's list.

He need only look at Tony Pulis' example at Stoke. Two of his key signings? Abdouleye Faye and James Beattie, one stopping goals and the other scoring them, and Pulis has been duly rewarded with a mid-table finish.

Perhaps with these changes, Tony Mowbray's vision of building a team who can compete with the best can become a reality. But the stark reality is that next season he must navigate his way through the stormy waters of the Championship shark pit.

But will they be back? Just ask the West Brom fans, because they seem to know the answer.

Breaking News: Alan Shearer Takes Over as Newcastle Manager

Alex Stamp — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:01:45 -0400

Last night it was confirmed that Alan Shearer had agreed to takeover as Newcastle United manager until the end of the season.

Shearer, who has frequently been linked with a return to St James's Park in a managerial capacity will takeover immediately, replacing caretaker manager Chris Hughton who had been in temporary charge in the absence of original manager Joe Kinnear.

A Newcastle United legend, Shearer scored over 200 goals in a ten year period at Newcastle, and had never ruled out a move into management at his former club.

Neither the club, nor Shearer have commented yet, however the young manager could well start his management career with a tough test against Chelsea on Saturday.

Newcastle currently find themselves in 18th position in the Premier League, and Shearer is now their third full-time manager this season.

The future of previous manager Joe Kinnear, whose future was subject to much speculation following his enforced absence due to heart surgery, is as yet unclear.

Though speculation earlier in the week saw Kinnear linked with a Director of Football role at Newcastle upon his return from leave.

All Smiles for City as Craig Bellamy Brace Sees Them into Last 16

Alex Stamp — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:37:23 -0500

They say a week is a long time in football, and I'm sure Mark Hughes can empathise with those sentiments more than anyone. A week ago Hughes was fending off questions about his future following the first leg draw in Copenhagen, as well as rumours of rows between big name players.

But now, a week later, City have gained a creditable point away at title-chasing Liverpool and gave an efficient display to see themselves safely through to the last sixteen of the UEFA Cup.

Bearing in mind that City are now the sole English interest in this competition following Aston Villa and Tottenham's elimination, and also the failure of big names such as Bordeaux and AC Milan to proceed, this was a big step for City, and at full time the sense of relief was tangible.

On the night, City gave a thoroughly professional performance, and in truth were rarely tested by a fairly limited FC Copenhagen side, but then City's problem's this season have never been at home—where they have lost only six games all season.

Sound in defence, with Kompany and Zabaleta patrolling the midfield, their attacking trio of Bellamy, Robinho, and Wright-Phillips posed problems for the Copenhagen defence all night.

Copenhagen, needing to score on the night, came armed with a high defensive line, which to be fair held a disciplined offside line, with Bellamy in particular frequently caught offside—much to his obvious chagrin.

Ah the enigma of Bellamy, it is easy to forget what a talented player he is. Blessed with pace to burn and a fantastic work ethic, he chased every ball, ran the channel every time, and bagged two goals to take his total to four goals in seven matches for his new team.

Indeed he was unfortunate not to have a hat trick, but following his second goal the hug with Robinho was a neat gesture, and one which will have pleased the City faithful.

After the match, Hughes described his match winner as a “bargain”, and said “Craig showed real mental strength to play but that is the kind of character he is. What has struck me is how much he has improved since I managed him at Wales and Blackburn.

While Bellamy, speaking after the match, dedicated the goals his cousin who died yesterday.

However City were made to wait for the goals were a long time coming, and when they did arrive, they were almost a blessed relief for the anxious City faithful. At half time, nerves were jangling, not just in the crowd, but in the dugout, where Hughes appeared obviously frustrated.

Robinho, who Copenhagen failed to tame all night long, had a header crash off the underside of the crossbar and out, then had a clear penalty shout turned down. Zabaleta fired straight at the keeper, and Bellamy, exchanging a neat one-two with Robinho had a shot rebound off the inside of the post and out on the stroke of half time.

In the second half, though City noticeably upped their tempo and urgency, it was Copenhagen who registered the first shot, as their record signing Ailton spun neatly in the box but fired over.

Soon after, Robinho was brought down 30 yards from goal and Bellamy stung the palms of keeper Christensen with the free kick. Then came City’s clearest chance, as Wright-Philips, put through by Robinho, one-on-one with the keeper attempted a pass to Ireland when he should have shot, a pass which narrowly evaded the onrushing Irishman.

There was one bright moment for FC Copenhagen fans, as Jesper Gronkjaer entered the fray as he continued his rehabilitation from a long-term absence, and he was given a raucous reception by the fans, who to their credit sang all night long despite events on the pitch.

However, their ebullient mood was soon quietened as City finally broke through, and it was that man Bellamy. He harried the Danish centre back Jorgensen into a mistake and as the centre half slipped on the turf he presented Bellamy with a simple chance which he took gratefully. The manner in which Jorgensen slumped to the turf immediately afterwards spoke volumes—he knew he'd given the game away.

The goal had an immediate effect on both the fans, and the team, who appeared to be suddenly brimming with confidence, and Bridge struck a shot from far out well over-but it typified the new mood. Then a fantastic passing move between Zabaleta and Ireland found Robinho in the box, who after escaping a defender inexplicably fired against a post from only yards out.

He let his frustrations out by kicking the opposite post, but then set about finishing off Copenhagen, and it was he, skipping past his man to the byline, who cut the ball back for Bellamy to finish confidently from close-range. 2-0—job done.

FC Copenhagen did pull a consolation back in injury time, which they scarcely merited, as substitute Vingaard struck low from outside the box. But in truth the match never appeared to be anyone’s other than City’s and as they march to the last 16, Mark Hughes will be wishing that all weeks were as good as this one.

Manchester City: Given-6, Richards-7, Dunne-7, Onouha-7, Bridge-7, Wright-Phillips-7, Ireland-7, Zabaleta-7 (Elano), Kompany-8, Robinho-8, Bellamy-8.

FC Copenhagen: Christensen-7, Pospech-5, Jorgensen-5, Antonsson-6, Wendt-5, Kvist-5, Hutchinson-7, Kristensen-5 (Sionko-5), Norregaard-6 (Vingaard-6), N'Doye-5 (Gronkjaer-5), Ailton-5

Man of The Match: Craig Bellamy — A fine effort from the Welshman, whose hard work was rewarded as Jorgensen slipped for the goal. Finished the tie off with a fine close-range finish.

As Arsene Wenger's "Golden Generation" Shine Bright, It's Advantage Arsenal

Alex Stamp — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 04:49:14 -0500

On the eve of last night's match against Roma, Arsene Wenger compared his team to Manchester United's "Golden Generation" and claimed, “I believe this team is as good as anything in England.”

Though Wenger's side did not quite match those lofty descriptions in their win over a poor Roma side, they undoubtedly showed glimpses, however once again their failure to convert their attacking zeal and dominance into goals will be a concern, albeit a minor one.

Speaking after the match, Wenger rued those missed chances, stating, "I'm happy with our performance but there was room to score more goals—we know we can create chances." Meanwhile counterpart Luciano Spalletti admitted, "We struggled throughout this match tonight, as they were brilliant when in possession of the ball."

Indeed Roma were very poor, and big-name players such as Totti, Baptista and Taddei were virtually anonymous. While Arsenal, matching up to their opponents in an unfamiliar 4-2-3-1 formation, had the game's best performers in Samir Nasri, Robin van Persie and the forceful Abou Diaby—who dominated a midfield packed with illustrious names.

Indeed it was Arsenal who created most of the game's early chances, as their passing game dominated Roma as Wenger's cute tactical switch—which saw Bendtner operating on the left side of the three with Samir Nasri scheming just behind lone front man van Persie—proved effective, creating early chances for Bendtner and Nasri.

Their pressure was rewarded as a neat van Persie turn past Loria, who struggled all night, saw him chopped down by Philippe Mexes—once an Arsenal target—and the Dutchman picked himself up and coolly sent Doni the wrong way to put the Gunners in front.

Roma were struggling to keep up with their youthful counterparts and barely tested either Toure or Gallas at the heart of the Arsenal defence. Bar a couple of speculative efforts from full backs Motta and Riise, they barely registered an effort on goal all evening, and influential midfielder Danielle De Rossi in his frustrations was booked for cynically fouling Samir Nasri and will miss the second leg.

The second half began in bizarre fashion with Toure and Gallas missing the kick off. Arsenal continued to dominate, and for a five minute period looked like they would put the tie beyond doubt. But both the struggling Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Eboue's nerves failed them as they well-placed to put the tie beyond doubt.

But Arsenal were not made to pay, and bar a couple of speculative efforts on Doni's goal, they comfortably saw the game out, while they didn't get the goals their dominance deserved, they are well placed to proceed to the next phase.

Arsenal

Almunia-7, Sagna-7,Toure-7, Gallas-7, Clichy-7, Denilson-7, Diaby-8, Eboue-7, Bendtner-6, Nasri-8, Van Persie-8

Roma

Doni-6, Motta-8, Mexes-7, Loria-5, Riise-7, De Rossi-6, Perrotta-6, Taddei-5, Brighi-6, Baptista-5, Totti-5

Man of the Match

Abou Diaby—The leggy Frenchman gave a fine performance against a big-name Roma midfield, and was a constant driving force in the Arsenal midfield, perhaps illustrating that he could still live up to the Patrick Vieira comparisons.

Confessions Of A Novice Football Manager

Alex Stamp — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:22:55 -0500

The day begins with the morning alarm, 8:00 am (early for a student on a Sunday) as I roll out of bed, bleary-eyed and facing up to what today is, my first as a football manager.

It has been two days since my house mate asked me to manage our Sunday League football team, as he was going to be under the weather (student speak for hungover).

Our team, Ship Launch FC plays in the North Gwynedd and Ynys Mon Sunday Football League. Thus far our season has been an almost utterly abysmal one, only two wins all season, an attack which plays like Arsenals, only in terms of the number of goals it scores, and a defence which leaks more than a water bed after meeting a hedgehog. I was hardly optimistic.

But to term the job simply as being that of 'manager' would do a disservice to all those who perform this role week-in-week-out in amateur football matches. The job is rather a mixture of Secretary, Manager, Kit Man and Accountant to say the least.

Indeed, up until now I had spent my weekday evenings making frantic phone calls, confirming with referees, players and opposition that our match was to go ahead.

And now as the world slowly awakes, recovering from the excesses of the night before so my day begins as I frantically shovel sodden-kit from the washing machine into a bag to take to the launderette for a last minute dry.

Having borne my heavy load to the launderette and back, I collect the nets, and resembling a man bearing all his worldly possessions, I begin my half a mile trudge to my next destination.

I stop off to collect the locker room key, pay my deposit, and arrive at the pitch an hour and a half before kick off, with the teams due in half an hour.

My fears over what lies ahead are hardly allayed as the locker room key snaps as I open it. Keep calm, everything will be okay. Then I realise I've left the team sheets at home, a frantic phone call home just catches one of my house mates before he leaves as I ask him to bring them down. Surely things must get better.

I deposit the kit in a changing room, reeking with the smell of deep heat and stagnated water, and set about struggling to place the nets in the goals.

10:00 am, and the team's arrive. But while the team's head straight for the changing room, so I struggle manfully with the nets. No tape, no matter, just tied up bin liners holding up the nets-ingenuity defined. Team members arriving late, no worries-deep breaths everything will work out well in the end.

Half an hour to go, the team begins to warm up, selection decisions to be made. Several of the team arrive bleary-eyed, some still rather worst for wear, regaling tales of the previous evening, and some even this morning. Things one really shouldn't hear as he prepares to send these men out as his selections, though one insists that alcohol makes him a better player.

Ultimately the team picks itself, as my phone buzzes with a couple of late pullouts, and as the team continue to stand idly by while their opponents are undergoing stringent warm ups I am busy pumping match balls up to be played with. Then there is the issue of the referee, being the home side it is our job (and by our job I mean my job) to confirm with him-fifteen minutes to go and no sign-relax everything will be okay.

Ten minutes to go, a rather half-hearted call to the players and they stroll into a circle. As I announce the team, the responses are mixed, some nod, some glare, but thankfully I receive little in the way of resistance.

Five minutes til kickoff, the referee arrives (hurrah!), teamsheets are filled in, now there is nothing left to do but kick off- after my morning's labour now the real thing begins.

In truth, once the match starts, it arrives almost as a blessed relief-the team have mostly turned up on time, we have an opposition, got ourselves a pitch, and a ball to play with, all things that I was supposed to organise.

As the match unfolds, I attempt to adopt a trial and error approach to management, the players will learn from making mistakes. Besides which, why should eleven men, most of whom are far larger and threatening than I, even think about listening to one stationary figure on the sideline?

I am after all simply known to them as the ex-team-mate, who were it not for a dodgy knee would be out there on the pitch making the same mistakes as them. What right have I to lecture?

So I watch events unfold, knowing full well that there is understandably little I can do.

Substitutions are made, and the half time team-talk is given, a talk rich with some of the finest in footballing cliches-"we're still in it", "it's still nil-nil" (when you're one nil down) and of course ending with the infamous "you can do it!"

Ultimately the team lost 3-0, to a team near the top of the table, the result itself seemed of almost secondary importance. The team played well, bar a couple of errors and ran a superior team close, and though it was mainly due to the eleven players I'll at least try and take some credit for my small part in it - go go gaffer.

But even then, my job is far from over, nets to be taken down, referees to be paid, subs to be collected, keys to be returned and food to be had. Messrs Ferguson and Wenger think they have it bad.

And as I finally, at 2:00 pm, some six hours after my day began, finally managed to take a seat, and reflect on what had occurred, I came to appreciate quite why managers are such a rare breed.

For today I had to trust my fate to a group of players, who will hate you if you take them off, expect you to play them regardless, and expect all the praise if the team wins. Sound familiar?

And so my brief, and temporary sojourn as a manager is over, thankfully. I finish with a record of, one played, one lost, but I won't mind. For come next week I shall return to my role as a humble spectator, free from the pressures, the thankless tasks and the player's attitudes, I'll leave all that to the real management men.

So next time you blame a manager, be it a fan, player, or even employer, just remember that while you think you can do a better job, in my experience—you wouldn't want to.

Sir Alex, Partisanship Is No Defence for Petulance

Alex Stamp — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:46:19 -0500

Sir Alex Ferguson, speaking in the post-match press conference after Manchester United's victory over Blackburn was asked about Cristiano Ronaldo's reaction to a David Dunn challenge.

Ferguson, in response to the question stated that “The referee spoke to him when Ronaldo flicked out. The boy kicked him, Ronaldo flicked out but it was no more than that. The referee thought it was fine and gave him a warning.”

“You see it time and time again with Ronaldo, the press will make a meal of it. He has to live with that kind of examination. But it would have been a ridiculous sending off.”

Now, the partisanship of Ferguson's remarks are understandable, Ronaldo is a United player, and arguably their most influential. It is quite understandable that Ferguson will aim to protect his player, and by focusing on the initial act that perpetuated that response

Ferguson is understandably hoping to prevent such acts from becoming a common occurrence.

That point is fair enough, football has lost too many of its finest players far too early to injury. No-one wants Ronaldo's career to end in the tragically premature way that Van Basten's did.

However, the issue surely is not that Ronaldo reacted in such a way once to a random overly-aggressive challenge, but that he continues to keep reacting is such a way.

This is just the latest in a growing list of petulant kicks and flicks out at players making challenges on Ronaldo, just ask Michael Dawson and Ryan Shawcross.

In defending Ronaldo's behaviour, and instead blaming others for focusing it, (a natural response in light of Ronaldo's fame and importance to United) surely Ferguson is merely condoning such behaviour?

But this is where Ferguson, and especially Ronaldo must remember that no player, regardless of style, status, or quality, is above the law.

The referee's are there to uphold the law, and protect the players. Ronaldo must remember this, rather than petulantly reacting to his own set of rules, he must trust that he will be kept out of harms way by officials.

Furthermore, by greeting these aggressive challenges with such a response surely Ronaldo is simply providing further encouragement to those who want to unsettle him. Now player's will know how he responds, they will target him even more, and one day Ronaldo could be punished appropriately by a referee.

Such aggressive tactics are often a sign of respect, teams will not target players they do not perceive a threat, and Ronaldo's skill and style, as well as his status will always make him a target.

Players of his ilk have throughout football history been subjected to such aggressive challenges, Lionel Messi suffered similar treatment recently against Real Madrid. It is merely a grudging mark of respect.

However, Ronaldo must not fight fire with fire, he must trust that the referees, the upholders of footballing law, will keep him out of harms way, rather than simply taking matters into his own hands.

But in publicly defending Ronaldo, surely Sir Alex, who is by no means the only manager to offer partisan views on issues, far from deterring Ronaldo from reacting in such a way, is encouraging him to do so.

And if he continues to respond in such a way, it could well be Manchester United who suffer the consequences.

New FA Chief Executive Must Go Back To Basics

Alex Stamp — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:19:13 -0500

Yesterday the FA announced that they are appointing Ian Watmore as their new chief executive.

As a man, Watmore comes with considerable experience. Proclaimed a true “football man” (how many times have you heard that cliché rung out by incoming FA Chief Execs?), Watmore is an Arsenal fan, though he regularly attends Altrincham matches and has a son in the Manchester United academy. He was formerly a member of the Civil Service, as is believed in the FA to have strong leadership and flair to the post.

The announcement of Watmore's appointment was greeted with little in the way of fanfare, little press coverage and little comment. But in an era where FA Chief Executives have been featured as commonly on the front pages of newspapers as they have on the backpages then perhaps this is no bad thing.

For Watmore has a difficult task awaiting him. His role in the FA is one where his predecessors could well have been hit with the charge of “bringing the game into disrepute.”

In recent times the FA have been seen as almost the arbiters of their own destruction, take Palios and the Faria Alam scandal or Brian Barwick, and that oh so public dalliance with Big Phil Scolari. In each regard the FA have left themselves open (deservedly or not) to the most fiercest of criticism by all quarters of the footballing community.

This is where Watmore will have his toughest task, for his job will not simply be ensuring that the FA works efficiently as a business and footballing authority, but he must also build bridges with the footballing community as a whole.

The FA is viewed as too passive in some lower league quarters, against the aggressive businessmen of the Premier League, and some feel that the FA have in their haste to appease these men have ignored the interests of the very people it was set up to serve.

But in Watmore, they must hope they have a man with whom their interests could find very real expression, and perhaps even fulfilment of their demand for more of a say in footballing matters, though tackling the Premier League juggernaut head on would be difficult, undoubtedly the FA would do well to pay more interest to the fortunes and finances of the lower leagues.

Furthermore in youth development, there must be a hope that in Watmore, the FA have a man who can push forward their plans to build a National Football Centre. Though Watmore cannot directly influence those plans, there must be a hope that under new leadership these plans can finally, after years of yearning, reach fruition through sound leadership and ambition.

For these issues, of lower league football, and youth development that are the very lifeblood of the English game, and should be central to the FA's thinking, though after years of red-top scandal and accusations of greed, many feel that the FA has lost sight of these very principles.

So in a sense, Watmore must take the FA back to its very basic objectives, to serve the football community as a whole, and encouraging youth development, as well as steering clear of any possible PR disasters, perhaps then the FA can begin to win back the hearts and minds of the British public.

Undoubtedly Watmore is arriving at a fortunate time, for England as a team look to be progressing under Capello from the nadir of Mclaren's final days, and the FA as a company is making profits.

But as the saying goes, fortune favours the brave, and one must hope that in Watmore, the FA has appointed not just a brave man, but the right man for English football.

Breaking News: Chelsea Sack Luiz Felipe Scolari

Alex Stamp — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 11:44:29 -0500

Chelsea Football Club have announced that they have dismissed manager Luis Felipe Scolari with immediate effect.

A statement on the clubs website said:

"Luiz Felipe Scolari has been dismissed as manager of Chelsea Football Club today (Monday) with immediate effect.

The Chelsea board would like to place on record our gratitude for his time as manager.

Felipe has brought many positives to the club since he joined and we all feel a sense of sadness that our relationship has ended so soon.

Unfortunately the results and performances of the team appeared to be deteriorating at a key time in the season.

In order to maintain a challenge for the trophies we are still competing for we felt the only option was to make the change now.

The search for a new manager has already started and we hope to have someone in place as soon as possible.

While that continues Assistant Coach Ray Wilkins will take charge of the team on a temporary basis."

Scolari has come under increasing pressure in recent times, as results have gone against him. Saturday's 0-0 draw against Hull City, on the back of a 2-0 defeat against Liverpool, saw Chelsea fans jeer the team, and chant anti-Scolari songs against him.

Scolari, a World-Cup winner with Brazil in 2002, joined Chelsea in the summer, and made a bright start to his career at Stamford Bridge, beginning the campaign in fine style with a 4-0 thumping of Portsmouth.

However, results soon changed, and Scolari lost big matches against rivals Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool and the team began to lose their early season momentum.

Furthermore, there were continued rumours of dressing room unrest, with players rumoured to have complained over training methods, and rumoured rifts between certain members of the squad.

However, though Scolari struggled, his position was compromised. He had little money to spend, compared with his predecessors and the only signing he was able to make in January was that of Quaresma on a loan deal, while he also had to contend with the departure of Steve Clarke—a long-standing servant of the club.

Furthermore, he was hampered by the injury of Michael Essien, who has yet to return this season, while the likes of Cech, Deco, Kalou, Malouda and Drogba have yet to truly hit form this season.

For Chelsea, this now means the club are seeking their fourth manager in two years, following the departures of Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant. Rumoured for the job are a returning Avram Grant, and Guus Hiddink, a frequent rumoured target of Roman Abramovich.

The new manager will be hoping to turn around the club's season, as the team now find themselves well off the pace in the league and having to play an in-form Aston Villa side next.

Meanwhile in the Champions League they face a tricky Champions League second round tie against Juventus, where they will come face-to-face with former manager Claudio Ranieri.

Jose Mourinho's Striking Dilemma: Where Egos Dare

Alex Stamp — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:13:39 -0500

Jose Mourinho is hardly a man who will come off second in a war of words.

After all, here is a man who refers to himself as the "Special One." You can picture him in an argument, forever having the last word—and hey, probably the last laugh while he's at it.

People should just ask his long list of victims; Martin O'Neill, Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Rafael Benitez, Claudio Ranieri, and Pietro Lo Monaco—he seems to enjoy the odd bout of verbal jousting that man.

Yet this season, Mourinho has had plenty of bouts of verbal jousting, except it has been with some of the players at his own club.

The path to success doesn't always run smooth, and for Mourinho thus far things haven't always been rosy during his time in Italy. For a man who has anointed himself the "Special One", there will always be a certain amount of pressure—it comes with the nickname.

But having to takeover from one of Italy's most successful managers, Roberto Mancini (who had just won the title three years in a row), on the proviso that he could take the club to a trophy it last won some 44 years ago—the European Cup—brings its own pressure.

Furthermore, unlike his predecessor Mourinho is facing increasing competition, in the form of a rejuvinated AC Milan and Juventus—teams who have endured a fallow couple of years domestically, yet now appear to be presenting Inter Milan with a challenge for the title.

Just to make matters worse for Mourinho, he probably inherited a squad as packed with egotistical names and faces as he ever had to deal with at Chelsea or Porto—Patrick Vieira, Marco Materazzi etc., but it is particularly problematic strikers that have caused Mourinho all manner of issues this season.

Interestingly, one of these has not been Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a player whom Mourinho has taken under his wing, and described as “the best in the world.”

Whether you believe those sentiments or not, Mourinho has arguably coaxed the best out of Ibrahimovic, and he leads Inter's goal-scoring charts with 13 goals this season.

For his part, "Ibra" has been more than effusive in his praise of Mourinho.

However, this is where Mourinho suffers a problem. As he continues to invest such faith in Ibrahimovic, he runs the risk of alienating two of the other strikers, who like Ibrahimovic need to be nurtured and loved—Adriano and Mario Balotelli.

Adriano, though he has recently been playing for Inter, endures an up and down relationship with Mourinho and the club. Adriano as a player is a phenomenal talent, a mix of speed, power, and strength that is rarely matched in world football.

However, mentally he has struggled to retain his hunger with football, and depression and alcoholism have plagued his career. He was welcomed back into the Inter Milan fold this season, but following injury, poor form, and rumours of him turning up for training drunk, he was linked with a move away from the club again, with Tottenham and Chelsea mooted.

Mario Balotelli, on the other hand, is a very different proposition. A shining star who emerged last season as a 17-year-old phenomenon, the striker quickly earned the nickname “Super Mario.”

Balotelli is very much in the Didier Drogba mould, a strong, tall (6ft plus) and quick striker, who boasts calm composure in front of goal and indeed is very good at set pieces. Yet this season, as he has failed to push into the Inter Milan first team, Balotelli has proved to be anything but “Super Mario.”

He has frequently demanded a move away, has been poor in training—Mourinho even claimed he trained at 25 percent, and had a negative attitude in training. Finally, this week “Super Mario” refused to be in the Inter squad for the match against Catania, as he hopes to force a move away from Inter.

Now, egos amongst footballers are not bad things, in fact often they come in handy. You only have to see Cristiano Ronaldo's histrionics last night (chest-pumping and glaring at the crowd) to see footballing ego at work. However it is when player's ego's escalate out of control that it can pose problems for managers—even ones as talented as Mourinho.

Yet the problem for Mourinho is that, for all the problems these two pose him he would simply not want to be parted from them. In the case of Adriano, here is a player who at his peak is practically untouchable, while Balotelli potentially could be one of the finest strikers in Europe.

So the danger for Mourinho is that, if he were to sell them, and were any manager able to coax the best out of them (like Mourinho has done with Ibrahimovic), then they would be an asset to any side in the world, and ultimately would make Mourinho's decisions to sell either of them appear foolish.

Therefore for Mourinho defeat, as always, is not an option. He must battle through the words, the arguments, the tantrums, the depression, in the hope that he can manage to coax the best out of these two, potentially fantastic strikers.

That might sound like a battle for anyone, but if anyone can manage it, then surely it is the "Special One."