Euro 2008 qualifying round-up

Yesterday saw the penultimate round of qualifying fixtures for next summer's football extravaganza in Austria and Switzerland. The picture as to who will be competing for the title became a little clearer.

Harold Wilson once remarked that a week is a long time in politics. I will now completely bastardise his famous quote by saying that 24 hours is a long time in football!

On Friday evening, following another typically laclustre England performance in the friendly against Austria, the mood of the nation was understandably downbeat. Hopes of qualification from Group E rested on the very slim chance of a mediocre Isreal outfit with nothing to play for AND missing their best player beating a Russia side high on confidence.

Conversely, North of the border in Group B, the Scots were buzzing. A win at home, where they had been so far unbeaten this campaign, would see them in a tournament for the first time since France 98. All they had to do was beat the current world Champions. Scotland and NOT England in a tournament? What is the world coming to?

Fast forward to Saturday night and the complexion changes completely. A last minute goal in each game sees Scotland eliminated and England back in control of thier own destiny.

Arise, SIR Omer Golan!

Let's just hope they dont balls it up on Wednesday night now.

Much was said about the decision to award the Italy free-kick in the last minute but truth be told, had the officials not got major offside decisions wrong earlier in the game, Scotland might have been fighting up until those dying momments when Panucci's header floated in.

Italy, the current World Champions go through ahead of Scotland to end what has been a traumatic week of football for the Azzuri. Say what you want about corruption scandels, percieved gamesmanship and the like. Many 90s kids grew up with a weekly dose of Gazzetta on Saturday mornings and for that reason Italian football will retain a soft spot in most of our hearts. It would have devalued the competition sightly had the World Cup holders not been there.

Elsewhere, despite another heroic victory in Group F and another wondergoal from David Healy - this time over 1992 winners Denmark, Northern Ireland need to first beat Spain who booked their place last night and then rely on the unlikely scenrio of Latvia beating Sweden this week if they are to have any chance of qualifying.

In Group A, 2004 finalists Portugal will join Poland provided they avoid defeat against Finland. A win for Turkey against Boznia-Herzegovina will put them through with current champions Greece in Group C and fend off Norway who they beat 2-1 last night.

The Czech Republic and Germany, and Romania and Holland have all qualified from Groups D and G respectively. Holland doing so last night after an unconvincing dislay against Luxembourg.

So, the wives and girlfriends of England fans and players alike will be cursing the name Omer Golan. For some time, next year was shaping up to be football-lite. Holidays were not going be planned around fixtures and Ford Escort's would not be whizzing round with St George's flags flailing in the wind. All that has changed and now, once again, 2008 could see a mid-summers festival of beer, BBQs and the inevetable penalty shoot-out exit.* I for one cannot wait.



Confirmed qualifiers for Euro 2008:
Austria (Co-hosts)
Switzerland (Co-hosts)
Poland
Italy
France
Greece
Czech Republic
Germany
Croatia
Spain
Romania
Holland

Still to Qualify
Group A: Portugal OR Finland
Group C: Turkey OR Norway
Group E: ENGLAND OR Russia
Group F: Sweden OR Northern Ireland

*Provided the job is done on Wednesday.

Would You Adam and Eve It?

I know, I know. Famous last words and all that... "Will Israel cause an upset tomorrow evening? Maybe I'm wishfully tempting fate but I certainly wouldn't recommend putting much money on it"

I love football.

More later!

Football, Failure and Foreigners

You can tell it's international week by the lack of REAL football news circulating. As I sit down on this Friday evening preparing to view the non-event that is England's friendly against Euro 2008 co-hosts Austria, I reflect on week of continuous useless and boring soundbites concerning Steve McClaren and the whole should he stay or should he go fiasco.

Most England fans have have resigned themselves to the fact next summer's tournament will be the first one we will have missed since 1994. Will Israel cause an upset tomorrow evening? Maybe I'm wishfully tempting fate but I certainly wouldn't recommend putting much money on it. There is also the unthinkable scenario that Russia will drop points but England then go and do something stupid like losing to Croatia.

I must also point out the absurdity of McClaren fully expecting England to qualify despite the fact he is relying on other results. The one time he shows confidence is the one time he has no right to.

But I digress. You'll find all the permutations discussed elsewhere. The point I was making was about the dearth of decent football news.

As a result, what we got was a re-hash of the old 'too many foreigners' argument. Immigration stories are no longer reserved for the Daily Mail. Everyone wants to have their say about how 'Them Poles/Bulgarians/Hungarians is takin' all are jobs'. Not wanting to feel left out, football feels compelled to stick it's beak in. In a week when the failures of the national side are being exposed for all to see, it seems quite convenient to blame the foreign influences in our game as if there is some sort direct correlation between the two.

Steven Gerrard among others have spoken up about quotas and the like. The argument: Too many overseas players are apparently hindering the progress of the national game apparently. Young English talent is supposedly being stifled by the imports. If we some how limit the numbers coming in, the national team will somehow get better.

Like I said, this seems an all too convenient excuse. Aside from very few exceptions, English players in general just are not as good as their international counterparts. Is there an English centre forward as powerful and effective as Didier Drogba? Is there an English keeper as consistent as Petr Cech? Will this country ever produce a talent like Cristiano Ronaldo? How many English 20 year olds can do what Cesc Fabregas does?

The argument usually often starts and centres around the 'controversial' team selections by Arsene Wenger who rarely seems to allow English talent to flourish at Arsenal. Since his arrival 11 years ago the English contingent at the club has dwindled significantly but trophies, acolades and entertaining football has most certainly been on the increase during this time.

People need to remember that Wenger's job is to provide this success for the club who pay him to do so. He has no obligation to provide talent to the English national side. If, according to his judgement, players do not fit into his idea of how he wants his side to play, English or not, he wont play them.

Managers throughout the league, I cite Sam Allerdyce and Harry Redknapp as prime examples, frequently look overseas because of the lack of quality over here. It's not a case that English players are bad because of foreign players but rather foriegners are recruited because of a lack of home-grown quality.

It's not a new thing either. The influx of overseas talent over the last decade has seen English clubs actually improve on the European stage bringing back European trophies with some regularity. On the International stage however, England are performing just as inpetly now as they did 20/30 years ago. Wenger is quick (and right) to point this out too. It has little to do the nationalities of the players at the club sides.

One of the BIGGEST reasons for consistant failure at international level for our boys is the failure of English players to adapt and actually move abroad. Our top players would almost certainly improve if they were out there getting in touch with different footballing cultures and styles. France remain one of the best teams in the world for the simple reason their players get their football education from all over the continent. Years of constant failure in this country should maybe get the likes of Gerrard et al to look closer to home to place the blame. Something is fundamentally wrong with the development of English players and rather than driving the imports away, surely we should be looking to them for ideas?

Cel-Ebb-rate Good Times...

I never claimed to be good at puns. Sue me.

And so it has been announced today that the club formerly known as Gravesend and Northfleet FC have agreed in principle to be taken over. For once, there are no Russian oligarchs or American billionaires in sight. This week, the recently renamed Ebbsfleet United have been purchased by a website!

Yes, just when we thought we'd cracked this Internet thing, we wake up to the news that a professional football club is now owned by cyberspace.

MyFootballClub.co.uk and it's 20,000 members have set a ground-breakig precedent in their aquisition of the Blue Square Premier side.

For those that dont know the background, the website was set up by fans as a recruitment drive for like-minded individuals who, basically, wanted to run a football club. The cost? Just £35 to have a say in club matters, transfers and even team selection.

Many clubs were mooted such as targets for a potential takeover. Most of which were scambling around the lower echelons of English football but the likes of Nottingham Forest and Leeds United were also considered.

It's no secret that the game has seen many changes over the years. More money has flooded into the game, ticket prices are incresing and there are "too many of'em foriegners aba'at!" Last week, Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe told us that footballers - particularly at top-flight level - are losing touch with the common man. The disillusioned Common man, it seems, is fighting back. Revolution, Ebbsfleet is thy name.

Rather than pay £5 for pies at the Emirates or Old Trafford, these lovers of the game are going back to it's roots. Terracing, paper tickets, waterlogged pitches and the closest thing to a corporate box being the covered seating section.

But what of Ebbsfleet's 'real' fans? How will they feel about about a bunch of interlopers playing real-life Championship Manager with their club? What happens when the inevetable split over decision-making occurs? What about if/when the club becomes a success? What is stopping many of the 'fans' selling their stake to the highest bidder? If Ebbsfleet get to league 1 or even the Championship in years to come, the value of the club will sky-rocket and isn't your 35 quid now worth a lot more?

In theory, the idea of a fan-run football club is a fantastic idea and I may even be tempted to sacrifice £35 myself and get involved. However, i'd be interested to see how practical it would be in the long-term. As I said, 'Bigger' clubs Leeds and Forest were mentioned to great derision from thier fans. Could you imagine, as a Forest fan, a bunch of Derby/Liecester/County fans sabotaging your club from the inside and you being powerfless to stop them? "Top Scorer? 20 goals last season? Stick him in goal. If he doesn't like it fine him and stick him on the transfer list" Nightmare!

Personally, I wish them all the best and might even head down to Kent to In an ideal world, this would be the future. Fans, rather than money-grabbing chairmen in charge of the football clubs. Sadly, the real world is money-driven and besides, 20.000 people making decisions on transfers and the like? What if all the votes aren't in before matchday or midnight on transfer deadline day? I very much doubt the idea will catch on.

In Attendance: Tottenham Hotspur vs Wigan Athletic

Over the summer, many footballing 'experts' predicted big things for Tottenham this season. The Liliwhites were supposed to be ousting thier arch rivals Arsenal from the 'top four' and the premier league's upper echolon.

However, Spurs' start to the season reminded us of Spurs teams of years gone by. Wins were few and far between, goals were being leaked left, right and centre and the sacking of the best manager the club has had in about 15 years off the back of a slightly iffy start to the season. No-one in their right mind would have ever predicted that come the start of November Wigan would be going to The Lane to contest the proverbial relegation six-pointer.

Two Spurs-supporting mates offered me the opportunity to join them to watch Tottenham take on the managerless Northerners.

Having taken the train from Liverpool Street at about half 12, we arrived at White Hart Lane at around 1 o'clock. After picking up the tickets, I asked the lads how they thought the game would pan out. They were generally optimistic.

We found our way to The Bell. A Tottenham pub by the ground populated by fans attending the game. Some very relaxed pre-match chat with a few Kronenberg's centered around painful defeats of the past and the resounding conclusion that supporting Spurs, with all the 4-all draws, 6-1 cup defeats against lower league opposition and frequent sacking of managers, is far more enjoyable than regularly winning trophies and ridiculously long unbeaten runs.

We got into the stadium and observed the minute's silence for rememberance day immaculately.

Once the game kicked Tottenham played just as you expect any half decent side at home would. It took no time at all before they took the lead. Just 12 minutes in and Robbie Keane made Andreas Granqvist look silly, squared the ball across the 6 yard box where Kirkland failed to get any sort of decent contact on it (Robinson would have been crucified had he done the same) and the usually hapless Jermaine Jenas managed to bundle it over the line.

Wigan, under caretaker manager Frank Barlow looked set to be in for a long afternoon.

After taking the lead, Tottenham played with an air of confidence that has clearly been lacking thus far this season. They could have easily been mistaken for a team looking to chalenge for honours! Wigan on the other hand seemed to run out of ideas very early on. Marcus Bent looked like a little boy lost up front.

With Titus Bramble in defence, the latics were always suseptable to conceeding a second. And so it came to pass on 26 minutes. Jermaine Jenas latched onto a through ball from Berbatov and found himself in a two on one situation in the box with Robbie Keane. Having opted not to return the favour from the first goal, JJ rounded the flailing Kirkland and slotted the ball into the net for 2-0.

At this point I feel it necessary to point out that Jermaine Janas and Titus Bramble are two players I, to put it as nicely as possible, have very little time for in terms of what they offer at top flight level so to see the two in flesh lining up against one another was a frightening prospect for anyone who enjoys football. It's a shame there doesn't seem to be a counter-metaphor for 'The unstopable force aganist the immovable object' When the initial pass was played, Bramble stood on the halfway line with his hand in the air claiming offside against Keane. Jenas took the opportunity to race past him for the second Spurs goal. Every negative thing ever said about the former Newcastle defender was summed up in this passage of play.

Wigan continued to offer nothing and on 35 Berbatov brilliantly controlled a long ball and played it to Lennon who chested and Volleyed past Kirkland for 3-0. A great stike nicely set up by a man who for the first time this season looked like he actually WANTED to play for Tottenham.

The game was over as a contest and the handful of Wigan fans who made the trip South were fearing the worst considering the number of high-scoring thrashings we have already seen this season.

The second half ultimately became a non-event with Spurs happy to keep possession. Wigan for some reason started doing backheels and fancy flicks. Why?

The atmosphere in the ground was uncharacteristicly subdued. The high scoreline was expected and it was difficult to be inspired at this stage. The most audile sounds over 90 mins were the groans from the Tottenham faithful whenever Lee Young Pyo misplaced another pass.

Big Summer signing Darren Bent was brought on and it wasn't long before he made it four shooting across Kirland and off the inside of the post.

I felt a slight pang of sorrow at the poor Wigan diehards who bothered showing up.

The rest of the game panned out like a training session with Spurs playing out time. Kirkland was forced into a couple of half decent saves and the frame of the Wigan goal took a brief battering. Wigan's eventual shot on target was not met with a great deal of enthusiam from anyone.

So Spurs finally got the elusive league win that has been much sought after in recent months. 3 points dragged them out of the relegation zone should help inspire Juande Ramos' side to surge upwards in the league. Wigan on the other hand were awful and should they get relegated, would probably fit in with other teams not quite ready to compete at the highest level of English professional football. Any team that allows Jermaine Jenas boss the midfield needs to take a good long hard look at themselves.

Final Score: Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 Wigan
Attendance: 35,504
Man of The Match: Jermaine Janas for actually not being poo for once

If You Dont Like Sport... Emigrate!

In the week the London 2012 staium plans were revealed, Glasgow has won the rights to host the Commonwealth games in 2014. A superb coup for the Scottish City as the beat off a rival bid from Nigerian captial Abuja. The wider significance of this decision was outlined in this morning's edition of The Sun.

As it stands, the next decade is set to begin with Golf's Ryder Cup taking place at The Celtic Manor Resort in Wales in 2010 and finish with England hosting the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Sandwiched in between will of course be the 2012 Olympics in London and the 2014 Ryder Cup, also in Scotland. Add to this England are also bidding for both the Rugby and Football World Cups in 2015 and 2018 respectively, it would seem that Britain will not be the place to be in you aren't a fan of Sport!

Young sports stars will now be given extra motivation to 'be the best' as they aim to represent the nation on home soil. Millions of pounds will also be put in at grass roots level to aid the development of the 'stars of tomorrow'.

And it's not just good news on the track/field/pitch/green (delete as appropriate). The economic benefits and regeneration for the entire nation will be immense. Infrastructure will be massively improved and transport links should/will be developed and expanded so getting around will be easier for all. Millions of jobs will be created, tourism will sky-rocket and for the most part, it's great news for the development of the UK.

However, from a completely selfish point of view, as an aspiring sports journalist, the news is bittersweet. Accesability to all these events will no doubt be a lot easier as they all be taking place on our very own doorstep but what about my opportunities to travel? Part of the reason I took followed this career path was the possibility that I would be able to jet-set around the world reporting on events from Europe, Asia and America. Sadly, for the next decade it looks like I will be reporting live from Newport, Birmingham and Stratford.


The beautiful thing about sport is that it is provides an environment of ultimate highs and lows. After the lows of recent times, last weekend saw Paula Radcliffe and Joe Calzghe restore some national pride. This news of potential line-up for the next decade should also help get the feel-good factor back as far as British sport is concerned.

Despite this

Sex, Money and Drugs (Well, maybe not the sex)

The subject of players' wages has been brought to fore once again after Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe suggested that England Captain John Terry's wages for his club side CSKA Fulham are 'obscene' and said that the astronomical amounts of money going into players’ back pockets are alienating the ordinary fan in the street.



The MP for Bradford South however did make a valid point about ever-increasing ticket prices - implying a correlation with the huge wages - citing the rises at Manchester United in particular. On Victoria Derbyshire's 5Live show this morning a Old Trafford season ticket holder called in to say how the club would not allow him to renew his season unless he purchased tickets to all their cup games which are not part of the season ticket package. The fan was forced to buy a ticket for United's recent Carling Cup defeat against Coventry where the Sir Taggart fielded what was essentially a C-team squad.

However, If CSKA Fulham can afford to give Terry - their prized asset - £130,000 a week to play football and the team continue to win football matches and trophies then I very much doubt the average shed end regular will be worry too much about being alienated. Even the Man Utd fan in the example above said that watching Cristiano Ronaldo week in, week out is worth every penny.

100k+ a week to kick a ball around may be 'obscene' in the eyes of some but how much more obscene is it to give Orlando Bloom however many millions of dollars to run around pretending to be a pirate or Jonathan Ross £18million to present a chat show?

Where Sutcliffe should be looking is in the lower leagues. As of April 2006, the average player in league 2 was earning around £50,000 per annum. That's 50 thousand pounds to play at the forth tier of the professional game! I know it's all relative but anyone unfortunate enough to have ever seen the likes of Notts County and Bury go head to head will wonder where all the money is going. High-earning players in the lower leagues are the cause of high-prices at this level (It costs as much as £20 for the best seat at Barnet...).

At premiership level, at least you know you pay for quality and most fans will not argue with that. The top-end premiership sides, know that their fan base extends far beyond those that fill the ground each week. For the Tottenhams, the Arsenals, the Liverpools and the Uniteds, if one fan decides the will not renew their season ticket, there are ten more fans ready to take his place. The obscene wages earned by John Terry are not necessarily the cause of high ticket prices but rather a result of them. Compare this to the lower leagues where it seems to be the opposite.


Drugs in sport - Again!

The unsavoury topic of drugs in sports is a talking point once again after Martina Hingis sensationally retired from tennis after revealing firstly, she tested positive for cocaine this year at Wimbledon, and secondly, despite maintaining her innocence, is not prepared to take on the doping committee following the test results.

The cynic would say that she is covering her own back if indeed she is guilty.


However, this is no ordinary drugs in sport case. Even if Hingis did take cocaine, the only charge she should have to face is that from a legal perspective. While taking cocaine is morally reprehensible, it must be acknowledged that it is NOT a performance-enhancer. Athletes and sports stars who take drugs such as Cocaine or Cannabis in their spare time are not doing so to gain any advantage in their field and should not be tarnished with the same brush as the likes of Ben Johnson or more recently, Marion Jones.

Every sports star found to have taken drugs is immediately labelled a drug cheat. Yes, there is the moral aspect and the whole 'role-model ideology'(another rant for another day). There needs to be more of a distinction between those who abuse drugs to gain an advantage over the competition and those who do so in their own time.

If Hingis did take cocaine, then yes, she should be reprimanded. However, why should she face the same sanctions as someone on steroids and the like? What difference between the recreational drug user and the footballer who likes a drink? It's a shame that Hingis would rather retire than attempt to clear her name for she knows that in the eyes of many, failure to do so would see her forever branded a cheat.