The ghost of the Nou camp returned to haunt Manchester United on a night both they, and Wayne Rooney will limp away from the Allianz Arena.
Rooney’s early goal was the only bright spot on a disappointing night for the Premier League champions, as an injury time Ivica Olic goal means they will be required to overturn a 2-1 deficit at Old Trafford in eight days time.
In his post-match post mortem, sir Alex Ferguson suggested United’s second-minute goal had come too early, his side were keen to retreat an allow Bayern possession, who, even without a number of first-team regulars, were well worthy of the result. With Chelsea game coming up in just four days, there is little time for the Red Devils to convalesce, which is probably just as well given the nature of their performance.
Many aspects of their play was similar to the first-leg versus Milan, when sloppy midfield play passed the baton to their hosts to make inroads. Where the Rossoneri passed up goal-scoring opportunities and slept at the back, the German giants grew with confidence and composure as the game wore on, with United unable to either stifle or counter-attack to good effect. Despite Nemanja Vidic hitting the bar late on – a chance which would have put the reds 2-1 up – they can have few complaints about the result in a game they were second best in most areas. The worry for United is that Bayern, fully replenished for the return, will pose considerable threat on the break with Franck Ribery – impressive in flashes – and the razor-sharp Arjen Robben operating in tandem. Of more of a worry, is whether Rooney will be able to pose his unique threat.
An adequate summary of United’s display tonight could have been given from Rooney’s crestfallen position on the Allianz turf during stoppage time. After twisting his ankle, Rooney watched on as Mark Van Bommel burst past the heavy-legged challenges of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, rode a half challenge from Vidic, before Patrice Evra dosed on the loose ball. It was a weak goal which epitomised the lack of focus and purpose in United’s play, as they succumbed to their first away defeat in 18 outings.
As Rooney pulled himself up and hobbled off to exasperate United’s problems, Ferguson will tonight ponder the previously apocalyptic notion of how he will cope without his star man. 34 goals this season, 19 of those in his last 15 appearances only paints half of the picture. The level of his performances have consistently lifted United from slumbers, and nobody can replicate the goal-threat Rooney now possesses. The fact that own goals are the team’s joint second top-scorer speaks volumes on their reliance on Rooney for inspiration. The Reds must now contemplate going into a seismic ten day period without any of last season’s attacking triumvirate of Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo. That’s a lot of goals to replace, with not a lot of options to get them.
Sir Alex must hope that Rooney, and his team get well soon after this beating in Bavaria.
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
O'Neill pondering Villa Park future
Rumours that Martin O’Neill has quit as manager of Aston Villa have been branded ‘pure nonsense’ by sources at Villa Park, but there does seem to be an awful lot of smoke for there not to be a fire.
The whispers doing the rounds have it that O’Neill has decided to leave his post with the Midlanders following a row with American owner Randy Lerner. Initial reports suggest O’Neill had aired grievances with Lerner over transfer funding, or lack of it, for next season, and had decided to end his four-year tenure at the club. This speculation has been quickly rebuffed by unnamed Villa sources, although tellingly no official statement is yet to appear from either party.
Whatever the outcome, any goings on have come at a bittersweet period for the club. A week on Saturday, Villa will contest an FA Cup semi-final on the same Wembley turf where they narrowly lost last month’s League Cup final to Manchester United. However, it is Villa’s failure to advance on last season’s sixth place finish which is causing O’Neill’s procrastinations. Since arriving at the club from Celtic in 2006, O’Neill has abided by Randy Lerner’s slow and steady method of progression, conducted with financial prudence. The agreed end goal was Champions League qualification, but after a sequence of three win’s in ten league games, the last of which the 7-1 drubbing by Chelsea, those aims will not be reached once again.
Saturday’s demolition at Stamford Bridge seems to have marked a watershed for the club, the realisation being that they are neither good enough, nor endowed with the number and quality of personnel to achieve what they set-out. Whether O’Neill has decided that is a testament to his abilities should become clearer in the next few days, or more likely, at the end of the season.
Similarly to last season, Villa have once again faltered with the turn of the year, hamstrung by a slim line squad which lacks the strength and depth of their immediate competitors. Their recent lack of results has come at a time when outsiders analyse the Villa team as fatigued, with too many players having the burden of having played too many matches. Whilst Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have been able to spend lavishly and construct large player pools, Villa have been bound by the economic constraints in achieving a top-four finish, and the indications are that O’Neill will not be afforded a bumper bounty pre-season to help advance his side’s charge.
All of which has left O’Neill to ponder how to build on successive finishes of sixth in the last two campaigns. Without significant investment it is difficult to see how Villa can progress from their current position as pretenders to the top four. The likelihood is that the sides around them will strengthen as necessary whilst the Ulsterman has already furtively hinted that he is operating a ‘sell to buy’ policy. Since taking charge, O’Neill has overseen a complete overhaul of the Villa set-up he inherited; indeed, only the terminally injured Wilfred Bouma and academy graduate’s including Gabriel Agbonlahor are not O’Neill recruits, although most of his signings have been conducted with frugal efficiency, the highest of which was Stewart Downing’s arrival from Middlesbrough for £12m. If breaking into the top-four is tough enough, it’s even harder on a budget.
So, what next for O’Neill? If he stays on in charge of Aston Villa, expect more of the same. Even though today’s reports of a disagreement between manager and owner are unsubstantiated, the circumstances are unlikely to change. Lerner’s administration of the club has never been about a cash-splash quick-fix, and the immediate situation does not necessarily facilitate one. If Lerner craves a Champions League appearance he will have to back up his demands with cash, if he does not, and he is happy to see his club operate on a secure footing with tentative progression, he has the right man in charge, unfortunately, that right man may now think it is the right time to depart.
Given the size and status of the club he is at, and considering the strides he has made, O’Neill’s frustrations are understandable. For four season’s O’Neill has towed the party line and abided by Lerner’s fiscal spending. Over that period he has raised a team from mid-table mediocrity to one on the periphery of the league’s top sides. Should he be afforded the luxury of an assault with a group of players capable of taking them to the next level? If he isn’t, his departure could have further reaching implications than finding a new manager.
Under O’Neill’s stewardship a number of English players have flourished and cemented places in Fabio Capello’s England squad, the danger for them, as with O’Neill, is that patience is a virtue, albeit one in short supply during a footballers career. A perceived lack of initiative from the club hierarchy rarely bodes well with players whose own aspirations stretch beyond that of their employer. The loss of a manager all too often leads to the dissembling of what he has built.
For O’Neill himself, what would lie in store should he go? For a manager previously talked about as a candidate for the Manchester United and England jobs, the options don’t exactly jump off the page and there are no conceivable steps forward from here. With details still unclear about the nature of his stance with Lerner, it remains to be seen if this is a lover’s tiff, or grounds for divorce
The whispers doing the rounds have it that O’Neill has decided to leave his post with the Midlanders following a row with American owner Randy Lerner. Initial reports suggest O’Neill had aired grievances with Lerner over transfer funding, or lack of it, for next season, and had decided to end his four-year tenure at the club. This speculation has been quickly rebuffed by unnamed Villa sources, although tellingly no official statement is yet to appear from either party.
Whatever the outcome, any goings on have come at a bittersweet period for the club. A week on Saturday, Villa will contest an FA Cup semi-final on the same Wembley turf where they narrowly lost last month’s League Cup final to Manchester United. However, it is Villa’s failure to advance on last season’s sixth place finish which is causing O’Neill’s procrastinations. Since arriving at the club from Celtic in 2006, O’Neill has abided by Randy Lerner’s slow and steady method of progression, conducted with financial prudence. The agreed end goal was Champions League qualification, but after a sequence of three win’s in ten league games, the last of which the 7-1 drubbing by Chelsea, those aims will not be reached once again.
Saturday’s demolition at Stamford Bridge seems to have marked a watershed for the club, the realisation being that they are neither good enough, nor endowed with the number and quality of personnel to achieve what they set-out. Whether O’Neill has decided that is a testament to his abilities should become clearer in the next few days, or more likely, at the end of the season.
Similarly to last season, Villa have once again faltered with the turn of the year, hamstrung by a slim line squad which lacks the strength and depth of their immediate competitors. Their recent lack of results has come at a time when outsiders analyse the Villa team as fatigued, with too many players having the burden of having played too many matches. Whilst Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have been able to spend lavishly and construct large player pools, Villa have been bound by the economic constraints in achieving a top-four finish, and the indications are that O’Neill will not be afforded a bumper bounty pre-season to help advance his side’s charge.
All of which has left O’Neill to ponder how to build on successive finishes of sixth in the last two campaigns. Without significant investment it is difficult to see how Villa can progress from their current position as pretenders to the top four. The likelihood is that the sides around them will strengthen as necessary whilst the Ulsterman has already furtively hinted that he is operating a ‘sell to buy’ policy. Since taking charge, O’Neill has overseen a complete overhaul of the Villa set-up he inherited; indeed, only the terminally injured Wilfred Bouma and academy graduate’s including Gabriel Agbonlahor are not O’Neill recruits, although most of his signings have been conducted with frugal efficiency, the highest of which was Stewart Downing’s arrival from Middlesbrough for £12m. If breaking into the top-four is tough enough, it’s even harder on a budget.
So, what next for O’Neill? If he stays on in charge of Aston Villa, expect more of the same. Even though today’s reports of a disagreement between manager and owner are unsubstantiated, the circumstances are unlikely to change. Lerner’s administration of the club has never been about a cash-splash quick-fix, and the immediate situation does not necessarily facilitate one. If Lerner craves a Champions League appearance he will have to back up his demands with cash, if he does not, and he is happy to see his club operate on a secure footing with tentative progression, he has the right man in charge, unfortunately, that right man may now think it is the right time to depart.
Given the size and status of the club he is at, and considering the strides he has made, O’Neill’s frustrations are understandable. For four season’s O’Neill has towed the party line and abided by Lerner’s fiscal spending. Over that period he has raised a team from mid-table mediocrity to one on the periphery of the league’s top sides. Should he be afforded the luxury of an assault with a group of players capable of taking them to the next level? If he isn’t, his departure could have further reaching implications than finding a new manager.
Under O’Neill’s stewardship a number of English players have flourished and cemented places in Fabio Capello’s England squad, the danger for them, as with O’Neill, is that patience is a virtue, albeit one in short supply during a footballers career. A perceived lack of initiative from the club hierarchy rarely bodes well with players whose own aspirations stretch beyond that of their employer. The loss of a manager all too often leads to the dissembling of what he has built.
For O’Neill himself, what would lie in store should he go? For a manager previously talked about as a candidate for the Manchester United and England jobs, the options don’t exactly jump off the page and there are no conceivable steps forward from here. With details still unclear about the nature of his stance with Lerner, it remains to be seen if this is a lover’s tiff, or grounds for divorce
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Joe Cole - all that?
Joe Cole’s contract negotiations are fairly indicative of his career as a whole. At the moment he’s partway through the obligatory eye-staring over a new deal, with the hold-up’s over very familiar differences of opinions which have been attached to Cole ever since his public upbringing through West Ham’s academy.
Cole’s known about reputation as a schoolboy footballer meant he was prematurely and unfairly burdened with some unenviable tags and prophecies he has never been fully able to achieve or shake. Aside from a period during the Mourinho years when he fixed himself as a key regular from club and country, there has always been variable sway on the effectiveness of a player who has struggled fully to carve himself a definitive niche, neither here nor there, not one thing or the other.
So, faced with ponderous challenges of rebuild an ageing squad with an eye on balancing the books, Chelsea appear reticent to waiver to Cole’s wage and contractual demands to extend his stay past this summer. At present Cole finds himself jettisoned to the bench for club, and adrift of the reckoning for country. Given who, and what he is, it’s an unwelcome place for Cole to find himself at this point of his career. It raises pertinent questions about just what Joe Cole is worth, and not in terms of pounds and pence.
Assessing Cole’s abilities, there is plenty on offer. The lesser spotted gifted English midfielder playing for his boyhood club is itself a rarity and partially explains the willingness of most fans to see little Joey do good. He’s the type of player everyone wants; excellent technique, good movement, he can beat a man, pick a ball, he’s got quick feet, can go both ways, has a change of pace, a ticking footballing brain, a healthy work-rate, an eye for goal and is crucially armed with flashes of creative brilliance that can change any game. The problem is, he has only sporadically shown this and instances of his class are shrouded by long periods of indifference and a constant striving to find what is there.
When you look through the theory and into the facts, Cole’s picture is not as rosy. In seven league seasons at Stamford Bridge, Cole has scored 39 goals in all competitions, that is three less than Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the whole of the 2007/08 season. Cole has only twice gone past ten goals in a season and his goals ration runs at a conservative one in eight. Never has Cole been shortlisted for the PFA or Football Writers Player of the Year award, has only once been named in the PFA Team of the Year and has just one league Player of the Month of the award, needless to say the reciprocal recognitions from UEFA competitions are also missing. This may be giving too much credence to what are essentially throwaway awards for the modern footballer, yet it does illustrate that Cole, despite all of the promise, has rarely produced consistent, tangible results to back his perceived status as an invaluable asset. This has also been reflected in his usage from a string of managers, who have all opted against fully utilising the former West Ham man. Can all of Ranieri, Mourinho, Grant, Scolari and Ancelotti be wrong? Add to that list Fabio Capello, and are so many well travelled and versed managers all missing something so obvious, or is there actually little substance beyond a stream of if’s, but’s and maybe’s.
As discussions between club and player reach an impasse, the ball is now in Cole’s court, and as has been the case since the skinny teen arrived on the scene with his brand of street skills, there is plenty of scrutiny to see what he will deliver. The rhetoric from Camp Cole is that the 28-year-old wishes to remain with the Blues, but only on parity of wages with others within the club’s huge pay structure. Cole may seek wage parity along with other more well lubricated members of his squad, but paying over the odds sums to players who don’t necessarily deserve it is a problem Chelsea are looking to cure rather than add to. As the Londoners plot to renovate following another failure in the Champions League, the reality is that Cole now needs to actually prove himself to be worthy of a place in this remodelling; a far cry from being touted as one of the best players in the country, with an almost obsessive fan base championing the illusion of this great player.
At a genuine crossroads, Joe Cole must now show what he’s all about. In the immediate term he has a fight to regain his places at domestic and international level, on the longer term; he must try to haul himself past the levels he has already set – which in themselves have been considered underachievements. As the protractions of his contract lurch on, Cole must be asking himself why he is feeling unwanted. Only he can answer some of those questions, and it’s about time he did so.
Cole’s known about reputation as a schoolboy footballer meant he was prematurely and unfairly burdened with some unenviable tags and prophecies he has never been fully able to achieve or shake. Aside from a period during the Mourinho years when he fixed himself as a key regular from club and country, there has always been variable sway on the effectiveness of a player who has struggled fully to carve himself a definitive niche, neither here nor there, not one thing or the other.
So, faced with ponderous challenges of rebuild an ageing squad with an eye on balancing the books, Chelsea appear reticent to waiver to Cole’s wage and contractual demands to extend his stay past this summer. At present Cole finds himself jettisoned to the bench for club, and adrift of the reckoning for country. Given who, and what he is, it’s an unwelcome place for Cole to find himself at this point of his career. It raises pertinent questions about just what Joe Cole is worth, and not in terms of pounds and pence.
Assessing Cole’s abilities, there is plenty on offer. The lesser spotted gifted English midfielder playing for his boyhood club is itself a rarity and partially explains the willingness of most fans to see little Joey do good. He’s the type of player everyone wants; excellent technique, good movement, he can beat a man, pick a ball, he’s got quick feet, can go both ways, has a change of pace, a ticking footballing brain, a healthy work-rate, an eye for goal and is crucially armed with flashes of creative brilliance that can change any game. The problem is, he has only sporadically shown this and instances of his class are shrouded by long periods of indifference and a constant striving to find what is there.
When you look through the theory and into the facts, Cole’s picture is not as rosy. In seven league seasons at Stamford Bridge, Cole has scored 39 goals in all competitions, that is three less than Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the whole of the 2007/08 season. Cole has only twice gone past ten goals in a season and his goals ration runs at a conservative one in eight. Never has Cole been shortlisted for the PFA or Football Writers Player of the Year award, has only once been named in the PFA Team of the Year and has just one league Player of the Month of the award, needless to say the reciprocal recognitions from UEFA competitions are also missing. This may be giving too much credence to what are essentially throwaway awards for the modern footballer, yet it does illustrate that Cole, despite all of the promise, has rarely produced consistent, tangible results to back his perceived status as an invaluable asset. This has also been reflected in his usage from a string of managers, who have all opted against fully utilising the former West Ham man. Can all of Ranieri, Mourinho, Grant, Scolari and Ancelotti be wrong? Add to that list Fabio Capello, and are so many well travelled and versed managers all missing something so obvious, or is there actually little substance beyond a stream of if’s, but’s and maybe’s.
As discussions between club and player reach an impasse, the ball is now in Cole’s court, and as has been the case since the skinny teen arrived on the scene with his brand of street skills, there is plenty of scrutiny to see what he will deliver. The rhetoric from Camp Cole is that the 28-year-old wishes to remain with the Blues, but only on parity of wages with others within the club’s huge pay structure. Cole may seek wage parity along with other more well lubricated members of his squad, but paying over the odds sums to players who don’t necessarily deserve it is a problem Chelsea are looking to cure rather than add to. As the Londoners plot to renovate following another failure in the Champions League, the reality is that Cole now needs to actually prove himself to be worthy of a place in this remodelling; a far cry from being touted as one of the best players in the country, with an almost obsessive fan base championing the illusion of this great player.
At a genuine crossroads, Joe Cole must now show what he’s all about. In the immediate term he has a fight to regain his places at domestic and international level, on the longer term; he must try to haul himself past the levels he has already set – which in themselves have been considered underachievements. As the protractions of his contract lurch on, Cole must be asking himself why he is feeling unwanted. Only he can answer some of those questions, and it’s about time he did so.
Friday, 19 March 2010
Interisti singing the Mourinho song, but for how long?
Finally, proof that Inter can mix it with the best in Europe. Tuesday nights victory at Stamford Bridge was virtually the perfect away performance for this competition, the effects of which will increase tenfold the belief of the team that they can go on to lift the trophy.
More than anything, due to a series of poor European performances ranging back since their domestic dominance began, the Nerazzurri have consistently, and timidly surrendered in Europe, a feat which unanimously appears to have manifested itself more into the minds of the players which further provoked this cyclical choking. But what really does this victory mean? There is no doubt that the game Inter played over ninety minutes against Chelsea was virtually flawless, but is this really the catalyst for the side to succeed in Europe? For all the proclamations of a new dawn, the danger is it could very well be false.
For a start, as well as Inter played, Chelsea were unbelieveably poor. Mourinho got his tactics spot on by negating the Blues width from their full-backs, meaning most of their attacks were funnelled through their one-paced midfield. Didier Drogba was marshalled and man-handled to great effect, and at no point were il Biscione overly stretched or exposed. In many ways this is a testament to the teams strengths and the way they were set out, yet another view is that Chelsea were the ideal opposition for Inter to come up against. The two teams follow a similar blueprint – partially down to Mourinho’s legacy in West London – and are very similar in terms of their personnel and style. Chelsea’s forwards were stopped by an equally robust defensive set-up, when their attacks were rebuffed, the balls came back harder and higher, Chelsea had no plan B or an x-factor, Inter were content. Unfortunately though, if Mourinho is to eliminate the ghost of Helenio Herrera then the challenges will come in more problematic form.
The draw for the quarter and semi-finals was made today and although la Benemeata have been handed a negotiable quarter in CSKA Moscow, they must face the winner of the battle of the mini whirring dervish’s, Barcelona or Arsenal. The merits of Barcelona do not need reiterating, especially after they dismantled Inter at the Camp Nou earlier on in the season, and certainly after an ominous, Lionel Messi inspired demolition of Stuggart on Wednesday. Whichever side prevails, Inter will have to deal with a completely different concept to the one they were able to weather from Chelsea. Inter where able to match the masculinity of Chelsea, there quick wits and nimble footwork of Barca or Arsenal will be a completely different proposition.
After a job well done, simply sitting back and soaking up the long awaited praise and adulation from the Italian media would have been to mundane for Mourinho this week, who ever since eliminating his former team, has opted to flirt and titillate about his future on the peninsula. Even before the sweat beads had dried on his players foreheads, Mourinho had popped up in front of British SKY TV reporters to not only pronounce his side’s achievement, but to throw in innuendo about returning to Chelsea, or the Premier League some time in the future. Just in case anybody didn’t get the message the Special One would be receptive to a change of scenery and an increase in salary this summer, the Portuguese tactician decided to then release details of his contractual obligations with Inter, declaring, “My future consists of doing my best until the end of the season, then we'll see. My contract is simple. I've got another three years, with a clause that allows me to leave whenever I want.” Is this type of behaviour really necessary? When unity and cohesion is needed as a co-ordinated assault at home and abroad is reaching a critical stage? When Mourinho has constantly lambasted Mario Balotelli for a ‘lack of focus’? You must be able to act like this when you are special.
But at least one side got it right in SW6 as Juventus showed all is still not right in their camp by capitulating against Fulham. Fabio Cannavaro’s red card was harsh with Fabio Grosso on the scene, but the dismissal put Canna out of his misery after a torrid half hour in which he physically bullied by Zamora, unable to cope with the England hopeful’s aggressive front-running and bullish determination. At 36, the former World Player of the Year looked way short of the human defence mechanism which brilliantly guided the Azzurri to the 2006 World Cup, and with the holding of that crown coming up shortly, seeing Canna being given the runaround in such a way will be giving Marcelo Lippi more than a few causes for concern.
The chances are though Canna will be in South Africa, an opportunity that fellow old timer David Beckham will not enjoy. The exploits of neighbours Inter quickly deposed the Milan ace of his customary back page spot after snapping his Achilles tendon on Sunday night. Surgery on the ankle went well having flew to see a specialist in Finland, but the injury means Beckham will be ruled out for six months, bringing a premature end to his second loan spell with the Rossoneri. Adriano Galliani had suggested that once Beckham got back to full fitness, another offer would be on the table from the club – not a bad idea considering the brilliant cameo montage he delivered at Old Trafford the week before.
In response, Beckham has returned the compliment, with an emotive message to his team-mates wishing them all the best for the remainder of the season, the full message reads, “To the Coach and to all my friends, I want to wish you good luck for the rest of the season and I hope you bring home the title. I would also like to thank all of you for the support and the affection that you all showed after the game against Chievo. You really moved me and I know that I have true friends at the club. I hope to play with you again and be a part of this wonderful team. Once again thanks for your affection and good luck. Ciao, David.”
A true legend, an absolute gentleman. Get well soon, David.
More than anything, due to a series of poor European performances ranging back since their domestic dominance began, the Nerazzurri have consistently, and timidly surrendered in Europe, a feat which unanimously appears to have manifested itself more into the minds of the players which further provoked this cyclical choking. But what really does this victory mean? There is no doubt that the game Inter played over ninety minutes against Chelsea was virtually flawless, but is this really the catalyst for the side to succeed in Europe? For all the proclamations of a new dawn, the danger is it could very well be false.
For a start, as well as Inter played, Chelsea were unbelieveably poor. Mourinho got his tactics spot on by negating the Blues width from their full-backs, meaning most of their attacks were funnelled through their one-paced midfield. Didier Drogba was marshalled and man-handled to great effect, and at no point were il Biscione overly stretched or exposed. In many ways this is a testament to the teams strengths and the way they were set out, yet another view is that Chelsea were the ideal opposition for Inter to come up against. The two teams follow a similar blueprint – partially down to Mourinho’s legacy in West London – and are very similar in terms of their personnel and style. Chelsea’s forwards were stopped by an equally robust defensive set-up, when their attacks were rebuffed, the balls came back harder and higher, Chelsea had no plan B or an x-factor, Inter were content. Unfortunately though, if Mourinho is to eliminate the ghost of Helenio Herrera then the challenges will come in more problematic form.
The draw for the quarter and semi-finals was made today and although la Benemeata have been handed a negotiable quarter in CSKA Moscow, they must face the winner of the battle of the mini whirring dervish’s, Barcelona or Arsenal. The merits of Barcelona do not need reiterating, especially after they dismantled Inter at the Camp Nou earlier on in the season, and certainly after an ominous, Lionel Messi inspired demolition of Stuggart on Wednesday. Whichever side prevails, Inter will have to deal with a completely different concept to the one they were able to weather from Chelsea. Inter where able to match the masculinity of Chelsea, there quick wits and nimble footwork of Barca or Arsenal will be a completely different proposition.
After a job well done, simply sitting back and soaking up the long awaited praise and adulation from the Italian media would have been to mundane for Mourinho this week, who ever since eliminating his former team, has opted to flirt and titillate about his future on the peninsula. Even before the sweat beads had dried on his players foreheads, Mourinho had popped up in front of British SKY TV reporters to not only pronounce his side’s achievement, but to throw in innuendo about returning to Chelsea, or the Premier League some time in the future. Just in case anybody didn’t get the message the Special One would be receptive to a change of scenery and an increase in salary this summer, the Portuguese tactician decided to then release details of his contractual obligations with Inter, declaring, “My future consists of doing my best until the end of the season, then we'll see. My contract is simple. I've got another three years, with a clause that allows me to leave whenever I want.” Is this type of behaviour really necessary? When unity and cohesion is needed as a co-ordinated assault at home and abroad is reaching a critical stage? When Mourinho has constantly lambasted Mario Balotelli for a ‘lack of focus’? You must be able to act like this when you are special.
But at least one side got it right in SW6 as Juventus showed all is still not right in their camp by capitulating against Fulham. Fabio Cannavaro’s red card was harsh with Fabio Grosso on the scene, but the dismissal put Canna out of his misery after a torrid half hour in which he physically bullied by Zamora, unable to cope with the England hopeful’s aggressive front-running and bullish determination. At 36, the former World Player of the Year looked way short of the human defence mechanism which brilliantly guided the Azzurri to the 2006 World Cup, and with the holding of that crown coming up shortly, seeing Canna being given the runaround in such a way will be giving Marcelo Lippi more than a few causes for concern.
The chances are though Canna will be in South Africa, an opportunity that fellow old timer David Beckham will not enjoy. The exploits of neighbours Inter quickly deposed the Milan ace of his customary back page spot after snapping his Achilles tendon on Sunday night. Surgery on the ankle went well having flew to see a specialist in Finland, but the injury means Beckham will be ruled out for six months, bringing a premature end to his second loan spell with the Rossoneri. Adriano Galliani had suggested that once Beckham got back to full fitness, another offer would be on the table from the club – not a bad idea considering the brilliant cameo montage he delivered at Old Trafford the week before.
In response, Beckham has returned the compliment, with an emotive message to his team-mates wishing them all the best for the remainder of the season, the full message reads, “To the Coach and to all my friends, I want to wish you good luck for the rest of the season and I hope you bring home the title. I would also like to thank all of you for the support and the affection that you all showed after the game against Chievo. You really moved me and I know that I have true friends at the club. I hope to play with you again and be a part of this wonderful team. Once again thanks for your affection and good luck. Ciao, David.”
A true legend, an absolute gentleman. Get well soon, David.
Thursday, 18 March 2010
Europe beware, the Russians are coming.
It’s been a week of differing fortunes for Russian football, as an inauspicious start to the domestic campaign was followed by midweek success beyond its borders.
As most of this week’s attention in the Champions League focussed on Jose Mourinho’s return to, and humbling of his former club, arguably a greater upset was going on fairly unnoticed in sunny Spain.
CSKA Moscow defied the odds to record a famous victory for club and country against La Liga flyers Sevilla. After drawing 1-1 at the Luzhniki Stadium a fortnight previous, the Army-Men produced a fine display in Andalucía to make themselves the first Russian side to reach the quarter-finals for fourteen years since Spartak Moscow reached the same stage in 1996. Despite recent successes in the UEFA Cup, the added quality of the Continents top competition has so far proved a bridge too far, with a succession of Russian champions making little headway against the elite.
The win also firmly put to bed CSKA’s Annus Horribilis of 2009, when the club finished an unacceptable fifth in the Premier League, disposing of costly acquired managers, Zico and Juande Ramos in the process. The new man in charge, Leonid Slutsky, or the ‘Russian Mourinho’ if you are a fan of far-fetched comparisons, has overseen a relatively successful renaissance in his brief time in the role since taking over towards the end of last season. Indeed, Slutsky’s first game in the CSKA dugout was a baptism of fire at Old Trafford in November, where his new side almost sprang another shock before letting slip a 3-1 lead to draw. That was followed by wins against Wolfsburg and Besiktas as Slutsky’s immediate influence saw CSKA qualify for the latter stages of the Champions League for the first time in their history.
That meant the club could look forward to a positive start to their 2010 season as they try to forget the rigours of the year before. Slutsky’s arrival into coaching came around through almost comic bad luck, when his playing career was ended at just 19 after he injured his knee falling out of a tree whilst trying to save a neighbour’s cat. The RSPCA’s loss was managements gain and at 38, Slutsky is viewed as Russia’s next great managerial asset, following in the footsteps of the legendary Oleg Romantsev.
Slutsky’s unlikely affiliation to Mourinho stops at age and tactical wisdom. The portly coach has a face like a cartoon bad guy, and lacks all of the Portuguese’s cool demeanour and mannerisms. From the first kick at the Sanchez Pizjuan, Slutsky gave the impression he was on the brink of a nervous breakdown as he busily patrolled his technical area, biting his fingernails, ruffling his hair, rolling his jacket sleeves up and then back down again, and generally unnerving everyone around him. Not that his apprehensions got to his players, as a well taken Tomas Necid strike and a Keisuke Honda free-kick meant CSKA will take their place in the pot for the quarter final draw in Nyon on Friday. Having ruffled Manchester United’s feathers and got the better of one of Spain’s top teams, the Muscovite’s represent a tricky task for the rest of the field, not least with their home games being played on the artificial surface at the Luzhniki, but also, as the Western European sides come close to concluding long itinerary’s, CSKA will remain relatively fresh having only just resumed activities.
This result gave Russian football a much needed boost after an uncertain few weeks prior to the league getting under way. The pre-amble to the big kick-off was dominated by the financial perils of a host of clubs, so much so that there were strong doubts the league would actually contain the full complement of teams. FC Moscow had already been pulled from the competition whilst the Russian Government had to step into to fund the participation of Krylia Sovetov and Tom Tomsk after they’d accrued large debts. Even now, a number of Krylia’s players are threatening to go on strike over unpaid wages, and they have been shorn of a number of their first team squad due to contractual disputes. Nevertheless, the season got underway as planned. Sort of.
The opening weekend was a poor advertisement for a league which has made huge strides over the past few years. The eight fixtures, mostly played out in driving snowfall and in front of sparse crowds, produced an underwhelming total of eleven goals as proceedings started with a whimper. No team managed to score more than twice and only one game saw both sides hit the net. This was also pre-empted by another turgid game the week before in the ‘Super Cup’ which was far from super as the miserly champions Rubin Kazan edged out CSKA 1-0.
With their European quest coming up midweek, CSKA got the action, or lack of it, started on Friday night when a late Honda goal saw them sneak past Amkar Perm. Cash-strapped and crisis-torn Krylia Sovetov only went down by a single goal to the billionaire’s of Zenit, who now have former Roma coach Luciano Spalletti in charge, and in the first Moscow derby of the year, Dinamo edged out Spartak...1-0. In a relative goal-fest, title holders Rubin rained in two as they got their defence of to a winning start against Lokomotiv and they are joined at the top of the premature table by Tom Tomsk and Chechen side Terek Grozny, as they also recorded 2-0 wins over FC Rostov and Sibir Novosibirsk, respectively.
So, in the hectic and often unpredictable world of Russian football, things were in danger of getting going in a mundane and low-key fashion, until, Omari Tetradze, Coach of last season’s First Division champions Anzhi Makhachkala, resigned just three days into the new term, after one game – a 0-0 draw at home to Spartak Nalchik. As yet, no specific reasons have been given for his decision to leave but in a statement Tetradze announced he had quit this early into the season in order to allow the incoming coach time to make adjustments to the squad prior to the April transfer deadline. Quite why he couldn’t do that at the end of last year, or before the season started remains to be seen, but, like so many things in this weird and wonderful country, there is most likely a lot more to it than meets the eye.
As most of this week’s attention in the Champions League focussed on Jose Mourinho’s return to, and humbling of his former club, arguably a greater upset was going on fairly unnoticed in sunny Spain.
CSKA Moscow defied the odds to record a famous victory for club and country against La Liga flyers Sevilla. After drawing 1-1 at the Luzhniki Stadium a fortnight previous, the Army-Men produced a fine display in Andalucía to make themselves the first Russian side to reach the quarter-finals for fourteen years since Spartak Moscow reached the same stage in 1996. Despite recent successes in the UEFA Cup, the added quality of the Continents top competition has so far proved a bridge too far, with a succession of Russian champions making little headway against the elite.
The win also firmly put to bed CSKA’s Annus Horribilis of 2009, when the club finished an unacceptable fifth in the Premier League, disposing of costly acquired managers, Zico and Juande Ramos in the process. The new man in charge, Leonid Slutsky, or the ‘Russian Mourinho’ if you are a fan of far-fetched comparisons, has overseen a relatively successful renaissance in his brief time in the role since taking over towards the end of last season. Indeed, Slutsky’s first game in the CSKA dugout was a baptism of fire at Old Trafford in November, where his new side almost sprang another shock before letting slip a 3-1 lead to draw. That was followed by wins against Wolfsburg and Besiktas as Slutsky’s immediate influence saw CSKA qualify for the latter stages of the Champions League for the first time in their history.
That meant the club could look forward to a positive start to their 2010 season as they try to forget the rigours of the year before. Slutsky’s arrival into coaching came around through almost comic bad luck, when his playing career was ended at just 19 after he injured his knee falling out of a tree whilst trying to save a neighbour’s cat. The RSPCA’s loss was managements gain and at 38, Slutsky is viewed as Russia’s next great managerial asset, following in the footsteps of the legendary Oleg Romantsev.
Slutsky’s unlikely affiliation to Mourinho stops at age and tactical wisdom. The portly coach has a face like a cartoon bad guy, and lacks all of the Portuguese’s cool demeanour and mannerisms. From the first kick at the Sanchez Pizjuan, Slutsky gave the impression he was on the brink of a nervous breakdown as he busily patrolled his technical area, biting his fingernails, ruffling his hair, rolling his jacket sleeves up and then back down again, and generally unnerving everyone around him. Not that his apprehensions got to his players, as a well taken Tomas Necid strike and a Keisuke Honda free-kick meant CSKA will take their place in the pot for the quarter final draw in Nyon on Friday. Having ruffled Manchester United’s feathers and got the better of one of Spain’s top teams, the Muscovite’s represent a tricky task for the rest of the field, not least with their home games being played on the artificial surface at the Luzhniki, but also, as the Western European sides come close to concluding long itinerary’s, CSKA will remain relatively fresh having only just resumed activities.
This result gave Russian football a much needed boost after an uncertain few weeks prior to the league getting under way. The pre-amble to the big kick-off was dominated by the financial perils of a host of clubs, so much so that there were strong doubts the league would actually contain the full complement of teams. FC Moscow had already been pulled from the competition whilst the Russian Government had to step into to fund the participation of Krylia Sovetov and Tom Tomsk after they’d accrued large debts. Even now, a number of Krylia’s players are threatening to go on strike over unpaid wages, and they have been shorn of a number of their first team squad due to contractual disputes. Nevertheless, the season got underway as planned. Sort of.
The opening weekend was a poor advertisement for a league which has made huge strides over the past few years. The eight fixtures, mostly played out in driving snowfall and in front of sparse crowds, produced an underwhelming total of eleven goals as proceedings started with a whimper. No team managed to score more than twice and only one game saw both sides hit the net. This was also pre-empted by another turgid game the week before in the ‘Super Cup’ which was far from super as the miserly champions Rubin Kazan edged out CSKA 1-0.
With their European quest coming up midweek, CSKA got the action, or lack of it, started on Friday night when a late Honda goal saw them sneak past Amkar Perm. Cash-strapped and crisis-torn Krylia Sovetov only went down by a single goal to the billionaire’s of Zenit, who now have former Roma coach Luciano Spalletti in charge, and in the first Moscow derby of the year, Dinamo edged out Spartak...1-0. In a relative goal-fest, title holders Rubin rained in two as they got their defence of to a winning start against Lokomotiv and they are joined at the top of the premature table by Tom Tomsk and Chechen side Terek Grozny, as they also recorded 2-0 wins over FC Rostov and Sibir Novosibirsk, respectively.
So, in the hectic and often unpredictable world of Russian football, things were in danger of getting going in a mundane and low-key fashion, until, Omari Tetradze, Coach of last season’s First Division champions Anzhi Makhachkala, resigned just three days into the new term, after one game – a 0-0 draw at home to Spartak Nalchik. As yet, no specific reasons have been given for his decision to leave but in a statement Tetradze announced he had quit this early into the season in order to allow the incoming coach time to make adjustments to the squad prior to the April transfer deadline. Quite why he couldn’t do that at the end of last year, or before the season started remains to be seen, but, like so many things in this weird and wonderful country, there is most likely a lot more to it than meets the eye.
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Sterile Chelsea beaten Black and Blue by old foes.
Two old foes did for Chelsea, and they can have few complaints as Roman Abramovich’s desperate pursuit of the Champions League must wait for at least another year.
Coming away from the San Siro with a one goal deficit and armed with an away goal, Chelsea’s task to progress was far from insurmountable, yet upon reflection, with at least one goal needed, even the most ardent Blues fan would struggle to suggest a moment when Julio Cesar’s goal was bound to be breached. With the exception of a ten minute spell just before half-time, in which the Inter rearguard produced a series of flailing blocks, Chelsea never looked likely to penetrate a resolute and organised side. There may be a few half-hearted suggestions about penalties for man-handling in the box, but overall, the Blues can have no complaints.
They were supposed to be the dominant force, from a dominant league, but over two legs the meek inferiors proved to be the superiors. It’s hard to avoid being drawn into the Jose Mourinho hyperbole, but last night he gave a masterclass in how to defend a lead away from home. Deploying an advanced front three to negate Chelsea’s full-back’s worked as planned, as the clueless Premier League outfit tried in vain for ninety minutes to barge their way through an equally masculine back-line - when brawn is dealt with, where are the brains? For all the tactical tit-for-tat, the bare bones of it were simple. Inter were required to sit tight and break when necessary, the onus on the home side to reinforce their perceived quality. Only one of those scenarios prevailed. The Nerazzurri diligently and dangerously went about their task, Chelsea, did nothing of the sort. The hosts failed to blow their visitors away with a brisk start, a concerted push, or a desperate charge - the brutal truth of it was, Chelsea were contained with ease.
In Wesley Sneijder the Italian champions possessed a weapon Chelsea were clearly lacking, the home side's own talented attackers were under-employed as they toiled to make any inroads into a side who have desperately under-achieved in this competition. How far Mourinho’s side will go waits to be seen, but for a side who perennially exit the competition upon meeting one of the big boys from either Spain or England, this was a night where they finally announced themselves as a European force. A week previous Manchester United demonstrated how to dispose of one of Serie A’s Milan giants, yet Chelsea took on-board no lessons of how to exert their own supremacy. The play was too slow, laboured and predictable, and essentially not good enough, as the encounter unwound, the goal threat only intensified from one team.
The post-mortem from the Londoners will run long and deep. Questions about the personnel both on and off-field will be pertinent, the fact that seven of the starting outfield ten were leftover from Mourinho’s reign suggests Chelsea have progressed little since the Portuguese left SW6. However, progression will have to be judged over a longer context than this elimination. Analysis will be forthcoming, the immediate suggestions were that Chelsea were out-played, out-fought and out-thought. Quite simply - out.
Coming away from the San Siro with a one goal deficit and armed with an away goal, Chelsea’s task to progress was far from insurmountable, yet upon reflection, with at least one goal needed, even the most ardent Blues fan would struggle to suggest a moment when Julio Cesar’s goal was bound to be breached. With the exception of a ten minute spell just before half-time, in which the Inter rearguard produced a series of flailing blocks, Chelsea never looked likely to penetrate a resolute and organised side. There may be a few half-hearted suggestions about penalties for man-handling in the box, but overall, the Blues can have no complaints.
They were supposed to be the dominant force, from a dominant league, but over two legs the meek inferiors proved to be the superiors. It’s hard to avoid being drawn into the Jose Mourinho hyperbole, but last night he gave a masterclass in how to defend a lead away from home. Deploying an advanced front three to negate Chelsea’s full-back’s worked as planned, as the clueless Premier League outfit tried in vain for ninety minutes to barge their way through an equally masculine back-line - when brawn is dealt with, where are the brains? For all the tactical tit-for-tat, the bare bones of it were simple. Inter were required to sit tight and break when necessary, the onus on the home side to reinforce their perceived quality. Only one of those scenarios prevailed. The Nerazzurri diligently and dangerously went about their task, Chelsea, did nothing of the sort. The hosts failed to blow their visitors away with a brisk start, a concerted push, or a desperate charge - the brutal truth of it was, Chelsea were contained with ease.
In Wesley Sneijder the Italian champions possessed a weapon Chelsea were clearly lacking, the home side's own talented attackers were under-employed as they toiled to make any inroads into a side who have desperately under-achieved in this competition. How far Mourinho’s side will go waits to be seen, but for a side who perennially exit the competition upon meeting one of the big boys from either Spain or England, this was a night where they finally announced themselves as a European force. A week previous Manchester United demonstrated how to dispose of one of Serie A’s Milan giants, yet Chelsea took on-board no lessons of how to exert their own supremacy. The play was too slow, laboured and predictable, and essentially not good enough, as the encounter unwound, the goal threat only intensified from one team.
The post-mortem from the Londoners will run long and deep. Questions about the personnel both on and off-field will be pertinent, the fact that seven of the starting outfield ten were leftover from Mourinho’s reign suggests Chelsea have progressed little since the Portuguese left SW6. However, progression will have to be judged over a longer context than this elimination. Analysis will be forthcoming, the immediate suggestions were that Chelsea were out-played, out-fought and out-thought. Quite simply - out.
Monday, 15 March 2010
Mancini must go fourth and multiply
A three way chase for the title, a four team dash for fourth. Don’t you just love the predictability of the Premier League?
The name of the eventual title winners will have a familiar ring to it, yet thanks to the relative demise of Liverpool, for the first time since 2005, we could have a new entrant into the top four. For those clubs with lofty funds and ambition, the steady ascent to the summit of the English game starts with that all important Champions League berth, but four into one won’t fit.
The leagues within a league theory is not a new or unique one, and after leaving Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal to argue amongst themselves, there is definitely another small habitat forming below them in the jostle to join the Premier League ruling class. With Liverpool’s identity crisis meaning they’re straddling both groups, the chasing pack aiming to claim fourth has swelled to a healthy four team prong. Aided and abetted by a ready supply of cash and an insatiable appetite to taste the continents top competition, the battle for ‘the new first’ has become just as intriguing as the tussle going on above it.
At present, six points separate current occupants Tottenham, from Aston Villa lying in seventh, with the Villains having a game in hand on Manchester City in sixth, three on Liverpool in fifth, and two on Spurs. The imbalance in points and games played means it is a murky and congested scene around the Promised Land, what is clearer is the importance to each individual club qualification to the Champions League would bring, for largely differing reasons.
Given the financial uncertainty at Anfield, and the potential doomsday consequences of failure, fourth is imperative. Villa’s projected rise needs to continue to prevent stalemate and recline, and do Spurs have the financial footing to not reach the riches of the Champions League given their heavy investment in trying to do so? All will become apparent by the end of May, or perhaps more tellingly, by mid-august. The recurring theme here of course is money. Investment and gain. The cyclical concept that money and success seamlessly intertwine and spur each other on is hard to avoid whilst staring up at the omnipotent trio who have dominated our league for the past decade. Money makes the footballing world go round and it is certainly spun faster when you are involved in the world’s most commercially successful club football competition.
The concept of cash, the rewards and chase of, does not necessarily apply to Manchester City of course. Their quest, is one of status and an egotistical drive for supremacy. The ambition of the clubs owners were made loud and clear from an early stage and reinforced by their subtlety-shy mouthpiece Garry Cook. Certainly, sentiment didn’t save Mark Hughes, but what of his replacement? After 17 games in charge, Roberto Mancini’s had a fairly under analysed bedding in given his utilities, and objectives.
Given that the Italian’s first game was on Boxing Day, that lends itself to a semi-rational half-way point of the season barometer on which to judge. Given that he’s contrived to get knocked out of both cup competitions, and has not firmly grasped that much sought after Champions League place, are City any better off than they would have been under Hughes?
This sudden appraisal comes on the back of a last minute equaliser against a side who have won once in their last league 15 games, yet comes just two weeks after claiming three points against the country’s most ungenerous hosts, which fell off the back of three games without a win against Stoke and a turgid draw with Liverpool. In essence, that summarises Mancini’s brief tenure. Indifferent, yet hardly the stuff Sheikh Mansour had in mind when he hired the Scarved One to usher his side into fourth. Good or bad appointment?
Treating the cups as a bonus, which is a good job considering he’s overseen their exit in both, the Jury must hear conclusive evidence about his league pursuits, and thus to add some science, statistics and speculation to the pot. Mancini has overseen eleven league outings, with six wins, three draws and two defeats. That is a haul of 21 points from a possible 33, a record amongst their immediate peers only bettered by ‘crisis’ hit Liverpool with 24 points from 12, whilst Spurs return 19 points in 11 matches, with Villa offering only 11 points from nine. For the mathematicians amongst you, Mancini has 1.9 points per game, which equates to 72 points over a full season, which was the amount Arsenal had to finish fourth last year, when it is widely accepted that the points tally for each placing this season will be lower due to increased competitiveness.
Now, all of that means we are no closer off than when we started, which, in its own confusing conundrum perfectly illustrates this desperate deliberation for Mancini’s half-term report. The exercise of course is a futile one, but one well worth a look anyway. The final assessment will be a more straightforward affair dependant on their league finish, when all peripherals will be ignored and no room for a hung jury.
Whatever the official lines from the club maybe, given the expenditure, their squad, and Mancini’s starting position, fourth was the target. Liverpool have given themselves ground for eviction, whilst City are armed with a squad much stronger than Villa, and containing more all round quality than Spurs. Mark Hughes was never afforded the luxury of being able to complete his task, Mancini will be, and only then can a full, yet simple evaluation begin.
The name of the eventual title winners will have a familiar ring to it, yet thanks to the relative demise of Liverpool, for the first time since 2005, we could have a new entrant into the top four. For those clubs with lofty funds and ambition, the steady ascent to the summit of the English game starts with that all important Champions League berth, but four into one won’t fit.
The leagues within a league theory is not a new or unique one, and after leaving Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal to argue amongst themselves, there is definitely another small habitat forming below them in the jostle to join the Premier League ruling class. With Liverpool’s identity crisis meaning they’re straddling both groups, the chasing pack aiming to claim fourth has swelled to a healthy four team prong. Aided and abetted by a ready supply of cash and an insatiable appetite to taste the continents top competition, the battle for ‘the new first’ has become just as intriguing as the tussle going on above it.
At present, six points separate current occupants Tottenham, from Aston Villa lying in seventh, with the Villains having a game in hand on Manchester City in sixth, three on Liverpool in fifth, and two on Spurs. The imbalance in points and games played means it is a murky and congested scene around the Promised Land, what is clearer is the importance to each individual club qualification to the Champions League would bring, for largely differing reasons.
Given the financial uncertainty at Anfield, and the potential doomsday consequences of failure, fourth is imperative. Villa’s projected rise needs to continue to prevent stalemate and recline, and do Spurs have the financial footing to not reach the riches of the Champions League given their heavy investment in trying to do so? All will become apparent by the end of May, or perhaps more tellingly, by mid-august. The recurring theme here of course is money. Investment and gain. The cyclical concept that money and success seamlessly intertwine and spur each other on is hard to avoid whilst staring up at the omnipotent trio who have dominated our league for the past decade. Money makes the footballing world go round and it is certainly spun faster when you are involved in the world’s most commercially successful club football competition.
The concept of cash, the rewards and chase of, does not necessarily apply to Manchester City of course. Their quest, is one of status and an egotistical drive for supremacy. The ambition of the clubs owners were made loud and clear from an early stage and reinforced by their subtlety-shy mouthpiece Garry Cook. Certainly, sentiment didn’t save Mark Hughes, but what of his replacement? After 17 games in charge, Roberto Mancini’s had a fairly under analysed bedding in given his utilities, and objectives.
Given that the Italian’s first game was on Boxing Day, that lends itself to a semi-rational half-way point of the season barometer on which to judge. Given that he’s contrived to get knocked out of both cup competitions, and has not firmly grasped that much sought after Champions League place, are City any better off than they would have been under Hughes?
This sudden appraisal comes on the back of a last minute equaliser against a side who have won once in their last league 15 games, yet comes just two weeks after claiming three points against the country’s most ungenerous hosts, which fell off the back of three games without a win against Stoke and a turgid draw with Liverpool. In essence, that summarises Mancini’s brief tenure. Indifferent, yet hardly the stuff Sheikh Mansour had in mind when he hired the Scarved One to usher his side into fourth. Good or bad appointment?
Treating the cups as a bonus, which is a good job considering he’s overseen their exit in both, the Jury must hear conclusive evidence about his league pursuits, and thus to add some science, statistics and speculation to the pot. Mancini has overseen eleven league outings, with six wins, three draws and two defeats. That is a haul of 21 points from a possible 33, a record amongst their immediate peers only bettered by ‘crisis’ hit Liverpool with 24 points from 12, whilst Spurs return 19 points in 11 matches, with Villa offering only 11 points from nine. For the mathematicians amongst you, Mancini has 1.9 points per game, which equates to 72 points over a full season, which was the amount Arsenal had to finish fourth last year, when it is widely accepted that the points tally for each placing this season will be lower due to increased competitiveness.
Now, all of that means we are no closer off than when we started, which, in its own confusing conundrum perfectly illustrates this desperate deliberation for Mancini’s half-term report. The exercise of course is a futile one, but one well worth a look anyway. The final assessment will be a more straightforward affair dependant on their league finish, when all peripherals will be ignored and no room for a hung jury.
Whatever the official lines from the club maybe, given the expenditure, their squad, and Mancini’s starting position, fourth was the target. Liverpool have given themselves ground for eviction, whilst City are armed with a squad much stronger than Villa, and containing more all round quality than Spurs. Mark Hughes was never afforded the luxury of being able to complete his task, Mancini will be, and only then can a full, yet simple evaluation begin.
Juve march on, but was anybody watching?
It’s been yet another inauspicious week for Italian clubs in Europe, with both Milan and Fiorentina crashing out of the Champions League. Juventus stopped the rot with a win over Fulham, but even that experience was tainted for the peninsula by seemingly being played in front of two men and a dog.
The attendance of little over 11,000 was a sad indictment of the new fangled Europa League, but also the predicament Juventus find themselves in after a very ordinary season. Even still, in the latter stages of a European competition, with a sniff of some elusive silverware, should a few more of the Bianconeri faithful have made the trip?
Fulham may not have been the most enticing of draws to attract a bumper crowd, but nevertheless the overall picture broadcast around the continent was of a struggling team, playing in front of a pitiful attendance. As Juve plot their revival for next term, what will their prospective signings think about playing in front of thousands of empty seats?
It may sound like an overreaction, but in reality, this is just one of the reasons why Italian football has fallen behind that of the Premier League, graphically illustrated at the packed out amphitheatre of Old Trafford on Wednesday night. The full footballing package goes a lot further than what happens on the field, and in an era of state of the art stadia, increasing attendances and worldwide exposure, the top players are reticent to ply their trade in stadiums which give the perception that nobody could be bothered to turn up to watch.
The completion of the new 41,000 capacity Juventus Arena is due for the start of the 2011 season, but even then, will the turnstiles be clicking to the tune of a club who are the largest supported in the country? Their attendances since relocating to the Torino Olimpico have been a little off 20,000, a figure which pales into insignificance with the clubs at the top of the game on the continent with whom la Vecchia Signora are trying to keep pace.
In modern day football it’s arguable how much difference gate receipts actually make when dwarfed by television and commercial revenues, but empty crowds are not aesthetically pleasing, and therefore, marketable. A game played out in front of a half-empty stadium doesn’t resonate the same atmosphere as a capacity game, and therefore can often lack the intensity and appeal. All this contributes to the overall image of Italian football, which, sadly is still at a low ebb.
A further indication of this slump is the news that Serie A is likely to lose its fourth Champions League slot to the German Bundesliga. The loss of the fourth place qualification spot would be just desserts to the likes of Inter, Milan and Juve who have squandered the competition in recent years anyway, but it would be a huge blow to those clubs such as Palermo and Napoli who have kept their own house in order, and worked well towards attaining that slot. The loss of the additional place would cap a remarkable fall from grace in European competition, and will raise very pertinent questions about how to redress the balance. Certainly, Serie A’s fortunes on the continent are a weak imitation of the powerhouse days of the 1980’s and 90’s, incidentally, a period of time when the countries stadiums were considered modern, and the attendances healthy. Coincidence?
The various failings of clubs in Europe this week automatically rotates a few panels of the managerial Rubik’s cube. Milan’s capitulation to Manchester United did Leonardo few favours, it may, in the long run, help out his successor who will be able to point out that the decrepit squad at his disposal cannot compete at the highest level. There will presumably soon be a space free on the bench at the Bernabeu, which will presumably see Jose Mourinho linked with the post. That simple equation may become clearer following Tuesday’s return trip to Chelsea, where elimination would at least pave the way for a Madrid-Mourinho embrace providing they want him. The Special One must hope his team fair better than they did on Friday evening when they capitulated to a 3-1 loss to Catania, with yet more indiscipline costing the Nerazzurri dear. Sulley Muntari was brainlessly sent-off after coming on two minutes previously – it was il Biscione’s third dismissal in as many matches, and means rivals Milan can cut their lead at the top to just a point with a weekend win over Chievo. The pressure’s building on Jose, but isn’t that how he likes it?
Sat just three points above the drop zone, Lazio are in need of some increased vocal support when Bari visit this weekend, but not in the form of their star striker. Mauro Zarate has confirmed he will be watching his teammates from the Curva-Nord of the Olimpico after being sent-off against Sampdoria last week. If the Zarate kid had found the net on more than three occasions this season, the Biancocelesti may not find themselves mired in relegation trouble; it’s a fact likely to be pointed out in less choice words by some of the Lazio Ultras on Sunday. Good luck Mauro.
The attendance of little over 11,000 was a sad indictment of the new fangled Europa League, but also the predicament Juventus find themselves in after a very ordinary season. Even still, in the latter stages of a European competition, with a sniff of some elusive silverware, should a few more of the Bianconeri faithful have made the trip?
Fulham may not have been the most enticing of draws to attract a bumper crowd, but nevertheless the overall picture broadcast around the continent was of a struggling team, playing in front of a pitiful attendance. As Juve plot their revival for next term, what will their prospective signings think about playing in front of thousands of empty seats?
It may sound like an overreaction, but in reality, this is just one of the reasons why Italian football has fallen behind that of the Premier League, graphically illustrated at the packed out amphitheatre of Old Trafford on Wednesday night. The full footballing package goes a lot further than what happens on the field, and in an era of state of the art stadia, increasing attendances and worldwide exposure, the top players are reticent to ply their trade in stadiums which give the perception that nobody could be bothered to turn up to watch.
The completion of the new 41,000 capacity Juventus Arena is due for the start of the 2011 season, but even then, will the turnstiles be clicking to the tune of a club who are the largest supported in the country? Their attendances since relocating to the Torino Olimpico have been a little off 20,000, a figure which pales into insignificance with the clubs at the top of the game on the continent with whom la Vecchia Signora are trying to keep pace.
In modern day football it’s arguable how much difference gate receipts actually make when dwarfed by television and commercial revenues, but empty crowds are not aesthetically pleasing, and therefore, marketable. A game played out in front of a half-empty stadium doesn’t resonate the same atmosphere as a capacity game, and therefore can often lack the intensity and appeal. All this contributes to the overall image of Italian football, which, sadly is still at a low ebb.
A further indication of this slump is the news that Serie A is likely to lose its fourth Champions League slot to the German Bundesliga. The loss of the fourth place qualification spot would be just desserts to the likes of Inter, Milan and Juve who have squandered the competition in recent years anyway, but it would be a huge blow to those clubs such as Palermo and Napoli who have kept their own house in order, and worked well towards attaining that slot. The loss of the additional place would cap a remarkable fall from grace in European competition, and will raise very pertinent questions about how to redress the balance. Certainly, Serie A’s fortunes on the continent are a weak imitation of the powerhouse days of the 1980’s and 90’s, incidentally, a period of time when the countries stadiums were considered modern, and the attendances healthy. Coincidence?
The various failings of clubs in Europe this week automatically rotates a few panels of the managerial Rubik’s cube. Milan’s capitulation to Manchester United did Leonardo few favours, it may, in the long run, help out his successor who will be able to point out that the decrepit squad at his disposal cannot compete at the highest level. There will presumably soon be a space free on the bench at the Bernabeu, which will presumably see Jose Mourinho linked with the post. That simple equation may become clearer following Tuesday’s return trip to Chelsea, where elimination would at least pave the way for a Madrid-Mourinho embrace providing they want him. The Special One must hope his team fair better than they did on Friday evening when they capitulated to a 3-1 loss to Catania, with yet more indiscipline costing the Nerazzurri dear. Sulley Muntari was brainlessly sent-off after coming on two minutes previously – it was il Biscione’s third dismissal in as many matches, and means rivals Milan can cut their lead at the top to just a point with a weekend win over Chievo. The pressure’s building on Jose, but isn’t that how he likes it?
Sat just three points above the drop zone, Lazio are in need of some increased vocal support when Bari visit this weekend, but not in the form of their star striker. Mauro Zarate has confirmed he will be watching his teammates from the Curva-Nord of the Olimpico after being sent-off against Sampdoria last week. If the Zarate kid had found the net on more than three occasions this season, the Biancocelesti may not find themselves mired in relegation trouble; it’s a fact likely to be pointed out in less choice words by some of the Lazio Ultras on Sunday. Good luck Mauro.
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
The have's and the have not's
In many ways, as is the case all across the footballing world, the game in any particular country accurately defines the social, cultural and economic status of that land. Russia is no different.
The collapse of the USSR left the vast majority of the country poverty stricken. Those in the privileged positions of power, or crime, were fine, the rest, suffered. Work was scarce, wages were low. Times were hard, football suffered as families struggled to cope financially. The financial crisis of 1998 was akin to the Great depression of the 1930’s, modern day Russia, halfway between the derelict days of communism and the bright lights of capitalism, was a hard place to be for the man on the street.
Then came the oil money. The boom. According to Forbes magazine, in 2002 there were only five billionaires living in Moscow, by 2009 that number was approaching 100 – more than any other city in the world. Moscow’s status as one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities was complete. Barring the weather, seeing the Ferrari’s and Lamborghini’s parked outside designer boutiques and trendy cafes could resemble a scene somewhere in the Hollywood dream. Moscow was the hangout for the rich and famous.
Although, that’s quite a distorted view of things. The population of the city is estimated to be over 10 million. There are fewer than one hundred billionaires. The wealth distribution in the city, let alone the country, is absurdly unbalanced. A quarter of the whole countries wealth – 142million people spread across 17, 000, 000 km sq – was in the hands of under one hundred, well placed and well connected individuals. It is their Ferrari’s that adorn the streets of the boutique’s in which they shop. For the rest of the Muscovite’s, it’s business as usual, and the same applied to the football.
Whilst the top clubs, backed by their energy companies, banks and airlines, all prosper and do battle amongst each other, the ordinary folk are left to scrap it out between themselves, surviving on modest budgets, much like the working class populous of Moscow.
In last season’s Russian Premier League, FC Moscow – the smallest, youngest and least known of the Moscow cartel – finished in a very respectable sixth place. This was only one spot behind CSKA, and two places above Dynamo, yet they will not be competing in this year’s competition. The reason? Their backers, Norilsk Nickel, have decided to pull the plug on their funding leaving the club without the income needed to operate or payback any of the debt they have accrued. ‘The Citizens’ have been forced to drop out of the Premier League with their place being taken by Alania Vladikavkaz and their squad has now been ransacked by the rest of the league.
The club was only formed in 2004 rising from the ashes of another defunct outfit, Torpedo Moscow, and did little to upset the natural order of the illuminati and generally fell into line in the middle of the table. Their best finish was 4th in 2004, yet they finished just four points off the riches of European football last time out. After being unable to find alternative sponsorship to continue, they now face an anxious wait to see whether the club will cease to exist at all. Given the furore surrounding the potential winding-up of Portsmouth in the English Premier League, it gives a stark warning to clubs that too much reliance on one backer can end in an abrupt, bloodless death.
In a similarly precarious financial state are one of Russia’s best supported sides, Krylia Sovetov Samara, or the ‘Soviet Wings’ as they are affectionately known by their eternally optimistic fans. Krylia have been a regular fixture in the Premier League, with a best placed finish of 3rd in 2004, but habitually hang around mid-table. With the new season just a few weeks away, Krylia’s pre-season preparations are in tatters, with a mountain of debt putting their participation in jeopardy.
As in the case of FC Moscow, when the sponsors tighten the purse strings, the financial security of the club is put in grave danger. The nucleus of Krylia’s squad from last year have already departed, with Jiri Jarosik of ex-Chelsea, Birmingham and Celtic fame going to Real Zaragoza, and giant Czech striker Jan Koller off to AS Cannes. Wingers Timofei Kalachev and Vladislav Ignatyev have left on free transfers, and Roman Shishkin and Roman Adamov have returned to parent clubs after loan deals expired.
Given the drain in resource, replacements have been impossible to attain, and to top it all off, the players who do remain at the club, haven’t been paid for months and have threatened to approach the Russian Football Association to rescind their contracts if the situation isn’t resolved. Although attempts were being made to cobble a playing roster together, the unpaid debts of the club and inability to find donors to fund operations for the upcoming season meant there was a real danger Sovetov would have their wings clipped by being demoted from the Premier League.
Then, at the eleventh hour, a saviour. Vladimir Putin. The Prime Minister personally took it upon himself to get involved to make sure Krylia did not go bust. The Wings have been provided with an operating budget by the Government to keep them going, with Deputy PM Igor Sechin being personally instructed by Putin to find alternative sponsorship for the club as well.
Rosteknologii, a state-owned corporation, have come forward to offer support as the main backer to the club and keep them going for 2010. They face a race against time to put together a competitive squad for the new campaign, but at least they are breathing, thanks to Putin.
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Especially in Russia.
The collapse of the USSR left the vast majority of the country poverty stricken. Those in the privileged positions of power, or crime, were fine, the rest, suffered. Work was scarce, wages were low. Times were hard, football suffered as families struggled to cope financially. The financial crisis of 1998 was akin to the Great depression of the 1930’s, modern day Russia, halfway between the derelict days of communism and the bright lights of capitalism, was a hard place to be for the man on the street.
Then came the oil money. The boom. According to Forbes magazine, in 2002 there were only five billionaires living in Moscow, by 2009 that number was approaching 100 – more than any other city in the world. Moscow’s status as one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities was complete. Barring the weather, seeing the Ferrari’s and Lamborghini’s parked outside designer boutiques and trendy cafes could resemble a scene somewhere in the Hollywood dream. Moscow was the hangout for the rich and famous.
Although, that’s quite a distorted view of things. The population of the city is estimated to be over 10 million. There are fewer than one hundred billionaires. The wealth distribution in the city, let alone the country, is absurdly unbalanced. A quarter of the whole countries wealth – 142million people spread across 17, 000, 000 km sq – was in the hands of under one hundred, well placed and well connected individuals. It is their Ferrari’s that adorn the streets of the boutique’s in which they shop. For the rest of the Muscovite’s, it’s business as usual, and the same applied to the football.
Whilst the top clubs, backed by their energy companies, banks and airlines, all prosper and do battle amongst each other, the ordinary folk are left to scrap it out between themselves, surviving on modest budgets, much like the working class populous of Moscow.
In last season’s Russian Premier League, FC Moscow – the smallest, youngest and least known of the Moscow cartel – finished in a very respectable sixth place. This was only one spot behind CSKA, and two places above Dynamo, yet they will not be competing in this year’s competition. The reason? Their backers, Norilsk Nickel, have decided to pull the plug on their funding leaving the club without the income needed to operate or payback any of the debt they have accrued. ‘The Citizens’ have been forced to drop out of the Premier League with their place being taken by Alania Vladikavkaz and their squad has now been ransacked by the rest of the league.
The club was only formed in 2004 rising from the ashes of another defunct outfit, Torpedo Moscow, and did little to upset the natural order of the illuminati and generally fell into line in the middle of the table. Their best finish was 4th in 2004, yet they finished just four points off the riches of European football last time out. After being unable to find alternative sponsorship to continue, they now face an anxious wait to see whether the club will cease to exist at all. Given the furore surrounding the potential winding-up of Portsmouth in the English Premier League, it gives a stark warning to clubs that too much reliance on one backer can end in an abrupt, bloodless death.
In a similarly precarious financial state are one of Russia’s best supported sides, Krylia Sovetov Samara, or the ‘Soviet Wings’ as they are affectionately known by their eternally optimistic fans. Krylia have been a regular fixture in the Premier League, with a best placed finish of 3rd in 2004, but habitually hang around mid-table. With the new season just a few weeks away, Krylia’s pre-season preparations are in tatters, with a mountain of debt putting their participation in jeopardy.
As in the case of FC Moscow, when the sponsors tighten the purse strings, the financial security of the club is put in grave danger. The nucleus of Krylia’s squad from last year have already departed, with Jiri Jarosik of ex-Chelsea, Birmingham and Celtic fame going to Real Zaragoza, and giant Czech striker Jan Koller off to AS Cannes. Wingers Timofei Kalachev and Vladislav Ignatyev have left on free transfers, and Roman Shishkin and Roman Adamov have returned to parent clubs after loan deals expired.
Given the drain in resource, replacements have been impossible to attain, and to top it all off, the players who do remain at the club, haven’t been paid for months and have threatened to approach the Russian Football Association to rescind their contracts if the situation isn’t resolved. Although attempts were being made to cobble a playing roster together, the unpaid debts of the club and inability to find donors to fund operations for the upcoming season meant there was a real danger Sovetov would have their wings clipped by being demoted from the Premier League.
Then, at the eleventh hour, a saviour. Vladimir Putin. The Prime Minister personally took it upon himself to get involved to make sure Krylia did not go bust. The Wings have been provided with an operating budget by the Government to keep them going, with Deputy PM Igor Sechin being personally instructed by Putin to find alternative sponsorship for the club as well.
Rosteknologii, a state-owned corporation, have come forward to offer support as the main backer to the club and keep them going for 2010. They face a race against time to put together a competitive squad for the new campaign, but at least they are breathing, thanks to Putin.
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Especially in Russia.
No time for reflection as La Aquile feel the squeeze.
As the bottle-necking around the Champions league places continues, a quick glance down the wrong end of the table shows two sides who not so long ago were regularly vying for those European slots.
Udinese and Lazio have both endured awful seasons, and far from gazing longingly at once was, they still have a very real battle on their hands to retain their Serie A status. The picture could be worse, it could, and has been, so much better. La Aquile lie fourth bottom, three points ahead of the drop zone with the Zebrette a place and a point further ahead. Yet, after relative self-destruction from both parties from the achievements of last season, the unthinkable is very much a reality.
The turn of a new decade produces a fascination to flick through the history books to see what was happening ten years ago, almost as if it was centuries previous. For Lazio, it might as well be. This time ten years ago the Biancocelesti were marching towards a second Scudetto in the clubs history, with one of the most expensively assembled squads of the era. They were marshalled by an astute and respected Sven Goran Eriksson, backed by an eager and ambitious President in Sergio Cragnoti. Those were the days. This weekend Lazio travel to Sampdoria, in desperate need of points to lift them away from the drop zone. Edy Reja’s men come into the game on the back of one win in five; their playing resources, a pale imitation of the riches it was once blessed with.
Although you don’t have to trawl quite as far back as the start of the Millenium to chart Lazio’s failings this season. Saturday’s clash at the Luigi Ferraris is a re-run of last season’s Coppa Italia final which the Romans went on to win, boosting an impressive season in which Delio Rossi’s enterprising side finished comfortably in mid-table. Instead of kicking on from there, Rossi was disposed of and messy contractual wrangling saw the Biancocelesti shorn of Goran Pandev and Cristian Ledesma. With Lorenzo De Silvestri and David Rozenhal leaving the Olimpico, and veteran striker Julio Cruz being the only fresh face, progression was always going to be a challenge.
So it is no wonder the natives are restless. Last week’s home game against Fiorentina was played out in front of a deserted Olimpico after the Lazio faithful spoke with their feet in anger at President Lotito’s handling of the club. This boycott came just weeks after around 1000 Ultra’s stormed the training complex to voice similar concerns, and raise disquiet over the appointment of Edy Reja. Despite a win in his first outing, things have not gotten a great deal better under Reja, who has been re-armed in the January transfer window with the signings of Sergio Floccari and Thomas Hitzelsperger. These players were added to a roster which possesses too much quality to be loitering around the basement, but as the old saying goes, you’re never too good to go down.
That is also a sentiment that should be shouted from the rooftops of the Friuli, where more alarmingly Udinese have fell from seventh last time around. A win in Atalanta will put a seven point gap between them and the relegation places, although dropped points could make the matter very interesting with games against Palermo, Roma, Fiorentina and Juventus coming up immediately afterwards. At least the Bianconeri can count on Antonio Di Natale who has commendably managed to be in charge of the Capocannoniere, yet at the other end, Gianni De Biasi or his successor, Pasquale Marino, have been able to tighten a porous defence. Neither Udinese or Lazio should go down, but after contriving to get themselves in this position in the first place, take nothing for granted.
Back up at the right end of the league, it’s a pivotal week for Milan. On Saturday night they travel to Roma in a clash which will decide who pursues Inter down the home straight, before flying to Manchester for the second coming of Christ. Il Lupi’s runaway train impression has slightly hit the buffers after being dumped out of Europe and throwing away a two-goal advantage at Napoli but such is there form they see themselves as Inter’s main rivals and will be hoping to capitalise on pre-occupations in the il Diavolo camp who play Manchester United just three days later.
It’s a niggly conundrum for Leonardo; full strength at the Olimpico or Old Trafford? Too many of his playing staff have excess miles in their limbs to be fresh for both, the European front is likely to take precedent. Certainly Alexandre Pato will be preserved for the trip to Face Manchester United with the tie delicately poised at 3-2 to the Premier League champions.
After Wayne Rooney’s double did for Milan at the San Siro, a turnaround would have been akin to the reappearance of Mary and Joseph’s eldest, but with Ronaldinho resurrected, Rio Ferdinand injured, Rooney touch-and-go, and David Beckham good for a headline, we await a miracle.
Udinese and Lazio have both endured awful seasons, and far from gazing longingly at once was, they still have a very real battle on their hands to retain their Serie A status. The picture could be worse, it could, and has been, so much better. La Aquile lie fourth bottom, three points ahead of the drop zone with the Zebrette a place and a point further ahead. Yet, after relative self-destruction from both parties from the achievements of last season, the unthinkable is very much a reality.
The turn of a new decade produces a fascination to flick through the history books to see what was happening ten years ago, almost as if it was centuries previous. For Lazio, it might as well be. This time ten years ago the Biancocelesti were marching towards a second Scudetto in the clubs history, with one of the most expensively assembled squads of the era. They were marshalled by an astute and respected Sven Goran Eriksson, backed by an eager and ambitious President in Sergio Cragnoti. Those were the days. This weekend Lazio travel to Sampdoria, in desperate need of points to lift them away from the drop zone. Edy Reja’s men come into the game on the back of one win in five; their playing resources, a pale imitation of the riches it was once blessed with.
Although you don’t have to trawl quite as far back as the start of the Millenium to chart Lazio’s failings this season. Saturday’s clash at the Luigi Ferraris is a re-run of last season’s Coppa Italia final which the Romans went on to win, boosting an impressive season in which Delio Rossi’s enterprising side finished comfortably in mid-table. Instead of kicking on from there, Rossi was disposed of and messy contractual wrangling saw the Biancocelesti shorn of Goran Pandev and Cristian Ledesma. With Lorenzo De Silvestri and David Rozenhal leaving the Olimpico, and veteran striker Julio Cruz being the only fresh face, progression was always going to be a challenge.
So it is no wonder the natives are restless. Last week’s home game against Fiorentina was played out in front of a deserted Olimpico after the Lazio faithful spoke with their feet in anger at President Lotito’s handling of the club. This boycott came just weeks after around 1000 Ultra’s stormed the training complex to voice similar concerns, and raise disquiet over the appointment of Edy Reja. Despite a win in his first outing, things have not gotten a great deal better under Reja, who has been re-armed in the January transfer window with the signings of Sergio Floccari and Thomas Hitzelsperger. These players were added to a roster which possesses too much quality to be loitering around the basement, but as the old saying goes, you’re never too good to go down.
That is also a sentiment that should be shouted from the rooftops of the Friuli, where more alarmingly Udinese have fell from seventh last time around. A win in Atalanta will put a seven point gap between them and the relegation places, although dropped points could make the matter very interesting with games against Palermo, Roma, Fiorentina and Juventus coming up immediately afterwards. At least the Bianconeri can count on Antonio Di Natale who has commendably managed to be in charge of the Capocannoniere, yet at the other end, Gianni De Biasi or his successor, Pasquale Marino, have been able to tighten a porous defence. Neither Udinese or Lazio should go down, but after contriving to get themselves in this position in the first place, take nothing for granted.
Back up at the right end of the league, it’s a pivotal week for Milan. On Saturday night they travel to Roma in a clash which will decide who pursues Inter down the home straight, before flying to Manchester for the second coming of Christ. Il Lupi’s runaway train impression has slightly hit the buffers after being dumped out of Europe and throwing away a two-goal advantage at Napoli but such is there form they see themselves as Inter’s main rivals and will be hoping to capitalise on pre-occupations in the il Diavolo camp who play Manchester United just three days later.
It’s a niggly conundrum for Leonardo; full strength at the Olimpico or Old Trafford? Too many of his playing staff have excess miles in their limbs to be fresh for both, the European front is likely to take precedent. Certainly Alexandre Pato will be preserved for the trip to Face Manchester United with the tie delicately poised at 3-2 to the Premier League champions.
After Wayne Rooney’s double did for Milan at the San Siro, a turnaround would have been akin to the reappearance of Mary and Joseph’s eldest, but with Ronaldinho resurrected, Rio Ferdinand injured, Rooney touch-and-go, and David Beckham good for a headline, we await a miracle.
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
The Red Knights. Myth or legend?
So the Red Knights are riding in to town, presumably on the back of red unicorns. But behind the tantalising moniker and romantic ideology, what’s this all about? And can it work?
Firstly, these ‘Red Knights’ do have real prominence, know-how and contacts within the financial industry. Keith Harris has previously chaired the Football League, and as Executive Chairman of stockbroker Seymour Price has overseen the purchases of several football clubs including Chelsea and Manchester City. Jim O’Neill, Chief Economist at Goldman Sachs and Mark Rawlinson, a leading mergers and acquisitions lawyer, were both part of the Manchester United board which opposed the Glazers takeover in 2005. These men know their stuff, and along with the rest, of which the full amount is as yet unclear, these ‘Red Knights’ will have a stature and a status which will give them credibility, and a strong negotiating platform with the Glazers.
Since news of the meeting between the Knights broke on Sunday evening, the concept has garnered huge support amongst the United faithful furious with the perceived mismanagement of the club by the American owners. The visual and vocal defiance towards the glazers has grown markedly in recent weeks, to the point the most eye catching colour in the United end for Wembley’s Carling Cup Final, was indeed the Newton Heath green and gold. The catalyst for the recent defiance of the Glazers was the announcement of the much criticised £500m bond scheme announced in January. Another of the Knights, Paul Marshall helped launch the bond scheme, but declared United’s finances as ‘worse than disastrous’, a comment which possibly got the wheels in motion to launch this adventurous coup.
To put some figures down, it is estimated the club is £715m in debt, and are paying out over £40m per year in interest in repaying that debt. That has been incurred because the family bought the club with money they didn’t have, and chose to beg and borrow monies to seal the deal. What is most gauling about these figures is that the Glazers are haemorrhaging money out of the club, to fund their purchase of the club, and in the long term, their own personal gain from a club which they have no love nor affiliation to. Technically, the Glazers have done nothing wrong and what they are doing is a common business practice the world over. But this is football. This is Manchester United. ‘MUFC The Religion’, reads one banner draped down from the Stretford End. To my knowledge, there is not one reading, ‘MUFC The cash-cow’.
The aim now then is to put together a consortium of Reds to buy the Glazers out, and to return control of the club, largely to the hands of people with its best interests at heart. But herein lies its beauty and its beast. Omitting the fact the Glazers have hurriedly released a statement confirming they do not wish to sell one of football’s most profitable vehicles, how would this consortium, however large, fund the buyout?
The Glazer family purchased the club for £272m in 2005, and would expect a sizeable return on that. You would then have to add on over £200m of debt, not to mention what to do with the unresolved £500m bond scheme. A successful buy-out would require ready liquid assets of over £1bn. If the takeover goes ahead, which is a long way away; it would comfortably be the largest purchase in football history.
So where will the money come from? Early whispers are abound that there are around 50‘fans’ all prepared to stump up around £10-15m each, with the rest to be cobbled together from individual supporter donations in exchange for fan representation of the new regime. Now, the supposed aim of this ploy is to give the club back to the fans. The scarf waring, meat pie eating, hardcore. How many of these bread and butter supporters have a spare £10m lying around? Not many. Which begs the question, who are these ‘fans’ prepared to do so? These fans could easily come from China, Japan, India...Florida? In essence, the club would still be largely owned by faceless businessmen who would expect a return on their investment, the debt constraints may be lower, but it would be far from the communal, supporter-owned model longed for from the Bishops Blaize.
Overall, the key component of Sunday’s Red Knights meeting was to formulate opinion, ideas and beliefs as to whether the Glazers would be prepared to sell. The general consensus is they would. Despite the on-field success enjoyed since their arrival, the financial exploitation cannot be masked. Long gone are the days when football fans financial knowledge stopped at the difference between a fiver and a tenner, and every movement the Glazers make with the club will be scrutinised and criticised by those who want them out.
This will be a long, and thankless task. The family are still in the box seat, and for all the talk of gallant knights, and the disapproving waving of scarves, there will be little anyone can do to intimidate hardened businessmen who have been chastened with hostility for years now. For all of those who say that football is just a business, here is seismic proof it is not. The bid may ultimately fail, but how comforting it is to see such a united front try to wrestle the traditions of a humble football club, away from the callous powers of those dollar-eyed businessmen.
Firstly, these ‘Red Knights’ do have real prominence, know-how and contacts within the financial industry. Keith Harris has previously chaired the Football League, and as Executive Chairman of stockbroker Seymour Price has overseen the purchases of several football clubs including Chelsea and Manchester City. Jim O’Neill, Chief Economist at Goldman Sachs and Mark Rawlinson, a leading mergers and acquisitions lawyer, were both part of the Manchester United board which opposed the Glazers takeover in 2005. These men know their stuff, and along with the rest, of which the full amount is as yet unclear, these ‘Red Knights’ will have a stature and a status which will give them credibility, and a strong negotiating platform with the Glazers.
Since news of the meeting between the Knights broke on Sunday evening, the concept has garnered huge support amongst the United faithful furious with the perceived mismanagement of the club by the American owners. The visual and vocal defiance towards the glazers has grown markedly in recent weeks, to the point the most eye catching colour in the United end for Wembley’s Carling Cup Final, was indeed the Newton Heath green and gold. The catalyst for the recent defiance of the Glazers was the announcement of the much criticised £500m bond scheme announced in January. Another of the Knights, Paul Marshall helped launch the bond scheme, but declared United’s finances as ‘worse than disastrous’, a comment which possibly got the wheels in motion to launch this adventurous coup.
To put some figures down, it is estimated the club is £715m in debt, and are paying out over £40m per year in interest in repaying that debt. That has been incurred because the family bought the club with money they didn’t have, and chose to beg and borrow monies to seal the deal. What is most gauling about these figures is that the Glazers are haemorrhaging money out of the club, to fund their purchase of the club, and in the long term, their own personal gain from a club which they have no love nor affiliation to. Technically, the Glazers have done nothing wrong and what they are doing is a common business practice the world over. But this is football. This is Manchester United. ‘MUFC The Religion’, reads one banner draped down from the Stretford End. To my knowledge, there is not one reading, ‘MUFC The cash-cow’.
The aim now then is to put together a consortium of Reds to buy the Glazers out, and to return control of the club, largely to the hands of people with its best interests at heart. But herein lies its beauty and its beast. Omitting the fact the Glazers have hurriedly released a statement confirming they do not wish to sell one of football’s most profitable vehicles, how would this consortium, however large, fund the buyout?
The Glazer family purchased the club for £272m in 2005, and would expect a sizeable return on that. You would then have to add on over £200m of debt, not to mention what to do with the unresolved £500m bond scheme. A successful buy-out would require ready liquid assets of over £1bn. If the takeover goes ahead, which is a long way away; it would comfortably be the largest purchase in football history.
So where will the money come from? Early whispers are abound that there are around 50‘fans’ all prepared to stump up around £10-15m each, with the rest to be cobbled together from individual supporter donations in exchange for fan representation of the new regime. Now, the supposed aim of this ploy is to give the club back to the fans. The scarf waring, meat pie eating, hardcore. How many of these bread and butter supporters have a spare £10m lying around? Not many. Which begs the question, who are these ‘fans’ prepared to do so? These fans could easily come from China, Japan, India...Florida? In essence, the club would still be largely owned by faceless businessmen who would expect a return on their investment, the debt constraints may be lower, but it would be far from the communal, supporter-owned model longed for from the Bishops Blaize.
Overall, the key component of Sunday’s Red Knights meeting was to formulate opinion, ideas and beliefs as to whether the Glazers would be prepared to sell. The general consensus is they would. Despite the on-field success enjoyed since their arrival, the financial exploitation cannot be masked. Long gone are the days when football fans financial knowledge stopped at the difference between a fiver and a tenner, and every movement the Glazers make with the club will be scrutinised and criticised by those who want them out.
This will be a long, and thankless task. The family are still in the box seat, and for all the talk of gallant knights, and the disapproving waving of scarves, there will be little anyone can do to intimidate hardened businessmen who have been chastened with hostility for years now. For all of those who say that football is just a business, here is seismic proof it is not. The bid may ultimately fail, but how comforting it is to see such a united front try to wrestle the traditions of a humble football club, away from the callous powers of those dollar-eyed businessmen.
La Liga Player Profile- Jesus Navas, Sevilla FC.
A quick glance at the Spain squad for this week’s friendly with France shows an almost unfair number of high class midfield players at their disposal. It could be said that La Roja have more than enough of their fair share of quality in the middle of the park with Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas, Marcos Senna, Alonso, Silva and Mata, and now, joining this elite cast, is Sevilla winger Jesus Navas.
Despite having clocked up over 200 appearances for the Andalucian club, winning a Copa del Rey and two UEFA Cups, Navas has taken the scenic route towards representing his country. Unfortunately though, it’s a rare aversion to changes of scenery which has stalled the progress of his career up until this point. It is well-known that Navas has suffered from chronic homesickness and nervous anxiety about straying too far away from his beloved home province of Seville. It’s a condition which has seen him pull out of various international and club tours and training camps, which seriously hindered his progression as one of Europe’s most promising talents.
Indeed it was a matter which got so bad that Navas announced his retirement from the Spanish set-up before he’d even gained a cap. Despite producing a series of lightning displays for Los Nervionenses his fragile emotional state out of his comfort zone rendered him untenable for national service, and reportedly cost him a transfer to the Premier League with Chelsea in 2006.
However, at the start of this season Navas indicated a willingness to conquer his fears in aid of resurrecting his International career. Now aged 24, he appears to have matured as a player and a person, and overcome his personal demons which have plagued him ever since he burst through Sevilla’s youth ranks as a nervous kid.
On the field he has already doubled his previous best goals return by striking ten times so far this term, form which has led to an invite from Vicente Del Bosque to be part of the Spain set-up working towards the World Cup. In truth, had it not been for his homesickness, this call-up could have come any time in the past five years. Sevilla have been a prominent side domestically and abroad, and Navas has been integral to their success. The club, first under Juande Ramos and since under Manolo Jimenez, have taken on a vibrant, attacking theme, with plenty of pace and width and a nose for goals. It’s the ideal surroundings for a winger to flourish.
Operating as a genuine right-winger he’s a throw-back to the old school, operating with chalk on his boots, he pins his ears back and commits full-backs. There are no airs and graces, nothing overly complicated and flamboyant about Navas’s modus operandi. Countless step-over’s, pirouette’s and triple salchow’s are not part of his repertoire, instead preferring to simply drop the shoulder and dart at his target with pace, conviction and a desire to skin. Up until this season his goals tally was modest – he still averages only one goal in ten – but he makes up for this by supplying a stream of quality crosses for his strikers to feast upon. Year on year Navas is around the top of La Liga’s ‘assist’ charts, and it’s no coincidence that Freddi Kanoute and Luis Fabiano have plundered almost 200 goals between them since 2005.
Sevilla and Navas started the 2009/10 season well, winning seven of their first eight games. After this fine start, Navas received the call to join his compatriots for the friendly double-header with Argentina and Austria in November. It was a call Navas now felt comfortable to take, and made his debut with a ten minute cameo against Diego Maradona’s Albiceleste in Madrid, before an impressive second 45 minutes in the 5-1 rout of Austria in Vienna. Small, but positive steps as he looks to secure a place in the final 23 for South Africa.
Such is the form of Navas, he is now being linked with moves to Barcelona and Real Madrid. Indeed just this week Sergio Ramos has told the Spanish press that he would prefer to see his Spain team-mate at the Bernabeu, rather than long time Los Meringues target Franck Ribery. That talent has never been in question, the application has. It is a strange concept to understand that in such a profession, one is limited by such a phobia, yet it is a testament to Navas’s desire to succeed that he has managed to battle against these fears to not only continue his career, but to progress to the point he may well be taking part in a huge global tournament, under intense scrutiny, many miles away from the little town of Los Palacios.
Despite having clocked up over 200 appearances for the Andalucian club, winning a Copa del Rey and two UEFA Cups, Navas has taken the scenic route towards representing his country. Unfortunately though, it’s a rare aversion to changes of scenery which has stalled the progress of his career up until this point. It is well-known that Navas has suffered from chronic homesickness and nervous anxiety about straying too far away from his beloved home province of Seville. It’s a condition which has seen him pull out of various international and club tours and training camps, which seriously hindered his progression as one of Europe’s most promising talents.
Indeed it was a matter which got so bad that Navas announced his retirement from the Spanish set-up before he’d even gained a cap. Despite producing a series of lightning displays for Los Nervionenses his fragile emotional state out of his comfort zone rendered him untenable for national service, and reportedly cost him a transfer to the Premier League with Chelsea in 2006.
However, at the start of this season Navas indicated a willingness to conquer his fears in aid of resurrecting his International career. Now aged 24, he appears to have matured as a player and a person, and overcome his personal demons which have plagued him ever since he burst through Sevilla’s youth ranks as a nervous kid.
On the field he has already doubled his previous best goals return by striking ten times so far this term, form which has led to an invite from Vicente Del Bosque to be part of the Spain set-up working towards the World Cup. In truth, had it not been for his homesickness, this call-up could have come any time in the past five years. Sevilla have been a prominent side domestically and abroad, and Navas has been integral to their success. The club, first under Juande Ramos and since under Manolo Jimenez, have taken on a vibrant, attacking theme, with plenty of pace and width and a nose for goals. It’s the ideal surroundings for a winger to flourish.
Operating as a genuine right-winger he’s a throw-back to the old school, operating with chalk on his boots, he pins his ears back and commits full-backs. There are no airs and graces, nothing overly complicated and flamboyant about Navas’s modus operandi. Countless step-over’s, pirouette’s and triple salchow’s are not part of his repertoire, instead preferring to simply drop the shoulder and dart at his target with pace, conviction and a desire to skin. Up until this season his goals tally was modest – he still averages only one goal in ten – but he makes up for this by supplying a stream of quality crosses for his strikers to feast upon. Year on year Navas is around the top of La Liga’s ‘assist’ charts, and it’s no coincidence that Freddi Kanoute and Luis Fabiano have plundered almost 200 goals between them since 2005.
Sevilla and Navas started the 2009/10 season well, winning seven of their first eight games. After this fine start, Navas received the call to join his compatriots for the friendly double-header with Argentina and Austria in November. It was a call Navas now felt comfortable to take, and made his debut with a ten minute cameo against Diego Maradona’s Albiceleste in Madrid, before an impressive second 45 minutes in the 5-1 rout of Austria in Vienna. Small, but positive steps as he looks to secure a place in the final 23 for South Africa.
Such is the form of Navas, he is now being linked with moves to Barcelona and Real Madrid. Indeed just this week Sergio Ramos has told the Spanish press that he would prefer to see his Spain team-mate at the Bernabeu, rather than long time Los Meringues target Franck Ribery. That talent has never been in question, the application has. It is a strange concept to understand that in such a profession, one is limited by such a phobia, yet it is a testament to Navas’s desire to succeed that he has managed to battle against these fears to not only continue his career, but to progress to the point he may well be taking part in a huge global tournament, under intense scrutiny, many miles away from the little town of Los Palacios.
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