Monday 6 June 2011

It's All Over Till Next Season...

Yep! Those that truly don't understand are saying "Thank God For That!" Those of us that think about NOTHING else are reading the sports pages right now to see who and what is being speculated about. It's the silly season! Most of what we will now read will be nothing more than nonsense at best and fantasy football at best but we'll read it and discuss it just the same...won't we! Let's deal with the facts:

Manchester United won the league but were given a footballing lesson, as we all were, by Barcelona in the Champions League Final. Chelsea gave an object lesson in how not to run a football club, Arsenal are still just plain naive, Manchester City have finally cottoned onto the art of behaving like a big club, Liverpool have regained some self-respect, Blackpool became everyone's second favourite team, Birmingham showed what happens when you don't sufficiently recover from great celebratory night out, and West Ham were just simply rotten to the core.

But before I talk about our domestic situation, I feel I must say a few words about Saturday. Because of wedding commitments, I managed to miss all the goals of England's match against Switzerland; but when I switched on the television, my jaw nearly dropped completely off my face. We were terrible, plain and simple. We can blame whoever and whatever we like, but the bottom line is that we are a very poor team. Switzerland's possession was superb but fortunately that's the only asset that they had; because if they had anything and I mean anything resembling a killer punch we would and should have been handsomely beaten. We conceded two of the softest goals I ever seen in my life; and that includes schoolboy football at the lowest level. And the Swiss STILL couldn't beat us! I can only conclude that they were too busy enjoying the new plush surroundings of Wembley to close out the match; it must be said that Ashley Young did create greater urgency, took his goal well and set up his Villa team-mate Darren Bent, only for the him to clear the bar when anyone's Granny would have found it easier to score! That miss confirmed to us all that if he is worth £20 million, then Rooney is worth £100 million and Messi £1 billion! Apart from Ashley Young and young Jack Willshire, the rest were abysmal. It felt was as though 7 days earlier, whilst watching Barcelona that we were dining in Madrid and eating the finest Paella, and now we were eating stale burger and chips in a lay-by off the dual carriageway!

Before we berate Fabio, we need some context here. We've been here before with these players with Kevin Keegan, Sven Goran-Eriksson and Steve McClaren. It cannot just be the manager, can it? We have the most exciting league in the world but it is bolstered by foreign players, the pace is furious, the intensity is passionate and physical, yet at International level, we cannot put teams to the sword. The last time we actually murdered decent opposition was September 2001 against Germany, and prior to that was against Holland at the memorable Euro 1996. What is the problem? Is it our Englishness, are we too arrogant, are our players really good enough? They certainly the best paid squad in World Football; I am reliably told that any English regular first teamer in the Premier League can retire at the end of his career with enough money to never have to work again, without needing to achieve success or play for his country; is that right? Is that the problem? It's certainly one to ponder. Now onto Fabio, is he the right man or has he been found out at this level. It has been suggested that had he lost on Saturday, he would have been sacked. I suspect the F.A. are privately regretting not relieving him of the job after the World Cup, but then again, who would have replaced him? I personally believe this job is tailor-made for Martin O'Neil, let's just forget for a moment that he's Irish. His qualifications are enless: He is smart enough to negotiate the Ambassadorial role of the job, he is eloquent, very strong mentally and a fine motivator of men at the scene of battle; AND he is available. But it all seems to comes down to money, and the F.A. are going to stick with the Italian until next summer; assuming that we do qualify.

Domestically, I am devastated that Blackpool were relegated. They were a great footballing side with a poor defence; pain and simple. I feel that as romantic as the notion is that Swansea play great football, the Premier League is a huge step in class and they will struggle to compete equally with many of the heavyweights of the top league. QPR are slightly different, but whilst I admire Neil Warnock, he reminds me of a bully in a Primary School playground. He gives the press great copy when he's in the Championship, but managers in the Premier League like David Moyes, Tony Pulis, and even Alan Pardew have harder inner shells and then he'll have to deal with the real Maestros like Roberto Mancini, Arsene Wenger, Kenny Daglish and Alex Ferguson. It really is a baptism of fire; even second time around. One thing he will have in his favour is big hitters in the board room; they are the kind of businessmen who understand the real murky business in the rarified atmosphere of big time pressure. Paul Lambert, for me, is great manager and I feel that he will thrive in the Premier League. Norwich is a well supported club that understands how to conduct it's football business in the melting pot of the Premier League. Delia Smith is savvy, knows the media well and will play a great straight bat; she has learned from her rantings on the pitch in the past. Her presence has been considered lately, it will be fascinating to observe.

I still to this day cannot understand why Chelsea sacked Ray Wilkins, and the manner in which it was done. It stank from whichever angle you chose to assess it. I recall that the team were winning games and rolling over teams regularly, the whole thing was ticking well; Ancelotti was in control and success seemed assured, even in September. Footballers are like Musicians who perform for a living, the important reference to note is 'perform' not 'play' for a living. To be a player at a top club requires a certain type of mindset, Frank Lampard has it, John Terry has learned it, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen have it; my colleagues tell me I have it! It's that indefinable quality that enables you to create something special when others can't. Ray Wilkins, alongside Carlo Ancelotti, was an integral part of that winning formula. It's the reason why successful managers work alongside a certain assistant or group of chosen personnel. That rapport takes years to nurture develop and progress, I have it with my Jazz trio, whenever we hit the road, I always have my trusted lieutenants beside me, and no-one else. When Ray Wilkins was removed, a vital wall was removed the building collapsed. Also, the sacking happened in the middle of preparations for a match; the following game, Chelsea were comfortably defeated at the Bridge by Sunderland. They never recovered from that situation, and the equalibrium was destroyed. Signing Fernando Torres made a bad situation worse. When Ray Wilkins was analysing for Sky Sports, that comprehensive humiliation in the 2nd Leg Champions League Quarter-Final defeat at Old Trafford, I couldn't help thinking that had he been still at the club, that settling in Torres would have been his brief, and the transition would have been smooth. But instead, he diplomatically tried to assure us that "Carlo was in charge of his team selection." None of us were fooled; and one senses that deep down he knew it too.

The way West Ham conducted their business from the beginning of the season right through to the conclusion was on a par with Chelsea. The two Davids Sullivan and Gold, are at best two snug little weasels who have made a handsome fortune from (let's be honest here) the sex industry. I don't know them personally, and have no desire to either, but I honestly felt that they would be good for West Ham. Let's not forget that the Hammers' finances were dire straights and along with Ms Brady, they worked tirelessly to turn things around successfully. Their public mutterings about players' contracts and latterly Avram Grant's role has been nothing short of disgraceful. They really should hang their heads in shame. Let's not pretend that the atmosphere of Premier League football business is on a par with a village church fete with cream teas - and Tinkling Lincoln at the Piano! It ain't, but footballers, as I suggested in the previous paragraph are a peculiar breed, they expect to be treated with kid gloves and left to do their business without interference. If the suits in the boardroom start getting more column inches, the business on the pitch NEVER gets done properly. Manchester United's form suffered in the 2005/6 season because of a little dispute over a racehorse. Liverpool couldn't get started earl last sesason and allowed the Mighty Cobblers to play them off the pitch and then beat them on penalties. The boardrooms must learn to stay behind the scenes, pay the bills and SHUT UP! If the two Davids can stick to what they do best, and keep the delightful Ms Brady away from that ridiculous column, Big Sam might just get lucky and bring them straight back up, with or without the over-rated Scott Parker.

Manchester City are going to be an interesting proposition next season. I am not convinced that Mancini has got the entire dressing room singing from his song sheet, but there is real belief in the blue half of Manchester, now that they have finally won a trophy. Champions League football is a totally different proposition, but at least they are there at last! I still think that Manchester United lost that semi-final, as opposed to Manchester City winning it; thanks to Bulgaria's answer to Darren Bent - Dimitar Berbatov. I believe that City can become a top four club at Arsenal's expense, but anything else is a step too far.

On the subject of Berbatov, he will be sold in the summer. He is not a Manchester United player, Manchester United players score important goals in crucial periods of big games. Berbatov is a luxury player, yes he HAS scored goals that have won matches, but definitive matches are won and lost in special moments. The recently retired Paul Scholes scored many of those types of goal, as does Wayne Rooney, Hernandez, and Ryan Giggs. Although, in my view Ryan Giggs should also retire; scandals aside, I think that the Champions League Final last week passed him by in a way that would never have happened 3 years ago. I think re-signing Michael Owen was a smart move, but his utterances on Twitter were not. My trips to the North-East have taught me one thing if nothing else, those lovely people always greet their visitors warmly and Michael Owen received a lavish welcome party, but if you treat them with disdain, as they perceive he did, they will NEVER forgive you; unsold Michael Owen merchandise cluttering the shelves in the club shop whilst Alan Shearer's is flying out the door, is a sight I will never forget at St James' Park!

I am desperately sorry that Gerard Houllier's reign ended the way it did. I think that he is a fine man and a great football manager; but was clearly struggling at Aston Villa. Football has changed dramatically since he last managed Liverpool and the pressure to succeed from the fans was too much for him. Randy Lerner appears to be a very measured individual, and if what is being reported about Mark Hughes is true, he should be respected for his integrity for rejecting a manager that cannot be taken at his word. Football in 2011 is a turbulent affair, but even so, Fulham fans are right to not be impressed by the way he left their club or the tone of his parting comments. Every real football fan honestly knows the potential of their club, to hear that your manager wants to leave because he is ambitious begs the question, was he not trying to achieve something whilst he was there or was he merely using the place like a finishing school for football management. Football, like life is far too unpredictable to use clubs like stepping stones in such a clinical way but alas if Abramovich can sack a manager who has won the league in the previous season and comes second in the next, then one could argue that Mark Hughes is well within his rights to walk away when it suits him to do so.

But, such complaints are mere pin-pricks on a landscape of huge excitement that constitutes the great game that we call football. I can at long last concentrate on my repertoire for the Northampton Philharmonic Choir at the end of the month, focus on the numerous weddings and other events and go to bed at a decent time instead of thinking about what will dominate the blog. Its summer and the birds are already singing, have I really been sat here THAT long?! I hope that the England test team gives us lots to cheer. Andy Murray and the other British Tennis players will frustrate us for yet another year, so I'm waiting for August. I'm hopeful for the Cobblers and the 'Boro; keep your eyes on them next season, and don't forget to remind me that I told you so. Have fun and enjoy the Barbeque summer!