Andrew Jennings on Peter Hargitay, a "strategic adviser" to England's 2018 World Cup bid.
Simon Kuper sits down to chat with Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard.
An excellent Monday morning column from Martin Samuel.
Gabriele Marcotti says that 442 is so yesterday and he is not discussing the magazine.
Here is a listing of the January 2008 transfer moves. Hard to find one player who could be regarded as a instant success.
Nigel Reed says that Laurent Robert “has to recapture the desire, the passion and the hunger that distinguishes great players from good players.” Recapture? Great player? Laurent Robert? We will see.
This is the same Laurent Robert who Sir Bobby Robson described as "the most difficult player I have ever worked with in my career". Although Robert apparently saw things differently - “I had four years with Newcastle, one in the Champions League, the others in the Uefa Cup as we finished in the top five,” the 32-year-old said. “Some people may speak bad about me, but I am no troublemaker. If you speak with Bobby Robson, I never had a problem with him.” That from the Times in January.
At best we might get a short glimpse of some of his better past performances - a few decent free kicks, a couple of blistering goals – then the problems will surface.
A while ago I put a link up to a website created by Bill Turianski. Bill’s specialty is sports maps with a lot of them focused on soccer. There is some wonderful stuff here.
David James on making it to Wembley for another FA Cup Final.
With the exception of West Ham and Portsmouth who play on Tuesday, the other Premiership sides have five games left. Five teams have already gained more points than they finished last season with.
The most improved at the moment is Manchester City with 49 points to last season's 42. On the other side of the ledger three teams have already guaranteed that even with 15 points still to be played for they will finish with less points than last season.
The worst of the worst - Bolton. Last season they finished with 56 points and so far they have only garnered 26. Down an incredible 30 points so far.
Matt Dickinson compares the Capello’s manner to that of Sir Alf Ramsey.
A piece on Anguilla’s World Cup second leg qualifying match against El Salvador.
Stephen Brunt writing a couple of days before Toronto FC opened the season with a loss to the Columbus Crew.
John Cushley who spent much of his Celtic career as a back up to Billy McNeill has died from Motor Neurone Disease, the same illness that took Jimmy Johnstone. Cushley spent sometime with West Ham in the late 60s.
Regarding Diaby's red card. As has been pointed out there has been a stunning silence on the blog from those ready to have Martin Taylor hung, drawn and quartered a few weeks ago. Even though Arsene Wenger seems to be able to differentiate between the two incidents the only difference I can see is that Eduardo was unfortunate that his foot was planted while Steinsson was on the move and got lucky.
If everything goes well I should be making a midweek appearance on Wednesday's Fox Soccer Report - Champions League edition.
An extract from Sir Bobby Charlton’s latest autobiography. I still have one he wrote in 1964 called "My Soccer Life" so it will be interesting to contrast it with the book that is about to be published.
This piece is for the old timers. The last chapter of the 1964 book Charlton picked his best British eleven. The side he picked in the old 2-3-5 was - Bert Trautmann; Jimmy Armfield, Ray Wilson; Danny Blanchflower, Neil Franklin, Duncan Edwards; Stanley Matthews, Wilf Mannion, Tommy Taylor, Denis Law and Tom Finney.
David Lacey comments on some of the moves during the transfer window in England.
Stuart James with a feature on Derby County manager Billy Davies who has taken them to the top of Championship.
A look at the situation in Italy after Friday’s rioting and the death of a policeman. The article draws comparisons to England’s crisis of twenty years ago. Ironically the current situation may mean that Italy will not win the right to host the 2012 European Championships. The influx of government funding and improved stadia that would flow from a successful bid seems to be one of the things that is desperately needed.
Patrick Barclay – another Dundee supporter – discusses the move by the likes of Brazil to play international games at neutral venues in England.
Jason Burt looks at the pursuit of Javier Mascherano by Rafa Benitez.
Stewart Fisher suggests that a push from the Celtic countries may lead to the Home International Championships being resurrected – even if it is in a modified version.
Another great article from David James – this one on why we need to love our referees. Nigel Martyn’s habit of shaking hands with the referee after the game is one that should be passed on to all young players.
If you are to read one article this week then try this one by David Runciman.
Mr. Red Devil - What do you think of those yellow kits that Liverpool wore yesterday while getting soundly beaten by Man Utd? Those have to be worse than Bolton's away kit.
Bobby – I am not a particular fan of the yellow Liverpool kits but they are still better than the Bolton away set. I was surprised to find out on Friday that certain members of the FSWR office actually like the Bolton kit and I was taken to task for my comments.
Bmax 14 - It seems to be common where good teams cannot duplicate good league form in the CL or vice-versa. Is this an accurate statement, and if so, has it been this way for a long time?
Bobby – I wrote a column on this just before the Champions League Final in May. As you can see it has never been particularly easy to compete at the top level in Europe and domestically. The article focused on any differences between the old European Cup format and the relatively new Champions League version.
Excerpt - “There is also a long tradition of teams doing well in Europe but not doing the business in domestic competition. If we assume the European Cup format to have run for 36 seasons and the Champions League for 14 seasons it is difficult to make a case that there has been much difference in the number of “surprises” or an increase in the number of poor home performers. Over 50 competitions the European Champion has also won their domestic league 19 times in the same season. The break down is14 times under the EC format and 5 times under CL. A percentage comparison 38% to 36% is a miniscule difference. At the other end of the spectrum the three worst domestic performances by a European Champion all came under the EC format. Aston Villa finished 11th in the English First Division when they won the European Cup in 1982; Bayern Munich 10th in the Bundesliga in 1975; and Juventus 6th in 1985”.
MeanSucka - On Barca: you've highlighted, as well as others, that the loss of Eto'o is bigger than realized and it is more than clear after losses to Chelsea and Real Madrid. What I want to know is whether Saviola can look for more time and why Lilian Thuram was in the starting lineup? Also - Would Gudjohnsson be more appropriate as a striker/midfielder to bring on when the team is ahead? He seems very allergic to taking scoring chances when they present themselves.
Bobby – Rijkaard has never been a big fan of Saviola – either that or he has been trying to hide it by loaning him out the last two seasons – but I think he will have to use him. He is far closer to the Eto’o style of play than Eidur Gudjohnsen. Gudjohnsen is a very gifted player but he is at his best playing behind the striker and he doesn’t have the kind of pace of finishing touch that Barcelona has become used to. He is a bit like Hernan Crespo (not the quickest player) so he is forced to play right on the shoulder of the last defender in an attempt to get any advantage possible. Unfortunately – unlike Crespo – he is not the most clinical of finishers.
Wickedzoot - I was su####ious when I saw David James on your list again. I thought it was a typo (obviously didn't read last week). But wow this guy's the real deal. That was one fine article he wrote. Too bad he got so hard done against Chelsea. I thought he was brilliant. Does he have a chance to regain his England spot or is that bridge well and truly burned?
TheIdiot - I noticed you’re putting David James in the list of top GKs in the Prem - on current form, I must agree. Do you think he deserves an England recall? Or with his long record of gaffes, does he need to show a longer run of continued mistake-free keeping?
Bobby – McClaren will stick by Robinson unless he goes down injured. If that happens and James maintains his current form then James will get another chance. The media will forget how they hammered James over the years – many of the times justifiably so – and will call for his recall on a wave of nostalgia induced emotion.
USAenglandfan - 3 questions, two somewhat off topic: (1) Do you see Daniel Carvalho breaking into the first team in Brazil within the next year or two? (2) What players' jerseys/kits do you own, if any? (3) What is your favorite ever kit, aesthetically?
Bobby – (1) I cannot say I have seen too much of Carvalho but from what I have seen he is an impressive young player. Dunga sent a very clear message when he picked his first squad that he is ready to look at younger players and that they do not have to necessarily be playing in one of the top leagues. I could see Carvalho moving to Italy or Spain for a very large fee in the next 18 months. (2) I started collecting jerseys from Mexican teams while on holiday so I have 4 or 5 in the cupboard. I also have a jersey from Tayport the last team I played for in Scotland. It was a “special” when they made it to the Scottish Junior Cup final a couple of years ago. The first jersey I have received was a v-necked Dundee top in the early 60’s (same style as the Man Utd one this season) followed by the crew neck a couple of years later. I got a Chelsea top after Charlie Cooke moved from Dundee to Chelsea in the mid sixties. Since then I can remember an assortment of Scotland, QPR (Guinness), and Liverpool tops. (3) Real Madrid – all white from the 50’s.
Gongatore - In your mind, who do you think is the best choice for USMNT gaffer?
Bobby – I still think Klinsmann would be a great choice.
AlexMorph - Of the 30 short listed names for the Ballon D'Or, who would be your pick for the overall year?
Bobby – I think it is Thierry Henry’s year. He made it to the Champions League and World Cup Final and scored goals domestically. Samuel Eto’o is definitely worthy of consideration as is Fabio Cannavaro (who should have won the Golden Shoe).
Neophyte - the term "gaffer" what are its origins and when should one use it and when should you avoid it. Do you call the manager "gaffer" to his face or is it a term you should only use when out of his presence etc...?
Bobby – The term “gaffer” comes from the factory floor and building site. It is the term for a front-line supervisor – the proper title would be “foreman”. There is nothing derogatory about the term unless you place a commonly used adjective beginning in “f” before it.
bigdavedisaster - Here’s a great old video about the Old Firm. Gives a little bit of insight into where the rivalry comes from and into football in Glasgow. What a difference 30 or so years makes and doesn’t make. If you have time to watch it I’d love to know what you were up to then and what kind of a hair style you had. A snap shot of 1974
Bobby – That video brought back some bad memories!! In 1974 I was in College in Dundee and probably enjoying myself far too much. I was playing for a local team called Barnhill – with many of the mates I grew up with – so we trained, played, drank and did almost everything together. I also played in a Sunday morning league for the Dundee Press Club – they allowed me to play centre forward!!! – and sometimes on Sunday afternoon in another league. Training was Tuesday and Thursday while on Wednesdays I played for the College team. No one thought about rotation or rest back then – the pitches from October to March were mud heaps or skating rinks and we all loved it. As for hair it was long and a headband was mandatory when playing – although they were just plain white in those days unlike Ronaldinho’s current effort that makes him look like a big girl’s blouse!
MeanSucka - How about the reports of Becks being out in January or Rijkaard trying to sell Deco to get Lampard?
Bobby – Having said for the last two years that Beckham will play out his career in MLS I think a compromise will be reached and he will eventually sign for another year for Real - that way both parties will save face. It is interesting that Beckham quotes and stories seem to have escalated in the last couple of weeks – a sure sign that he is trying to put pressure on Real Madrid. As for selling Deco to get Lampard – I don’t put a lot of credence in that one.
Mr. Red Devil - BigDave, I watched that Rangers-Celtic video. Very interesting. Bobby, do you know of any good books that offer a neutral point of view on the history of Celtic & Rangers?
Bobby – I haven’t read the book myself but there was a book a few years back by Bill Murray that looked at both clubs - at what seperates them and what unites them (something many people forget - there is a reason they are called the Old Firm after all). Murray wrote a book about the global reach and history that I read and enjoyed, so I think his Old Firm book might be worth picking up.
Henry14 - l have been reading stories of huge losses in fans at club in the epl even f the price of tickets at some places like Blackburn is as low as 15 pounds, the only teams that have had an increase in fans to their ground are United and Arsenal, inevitably two clubs that play attacking and beautiful football, do you feel it is too big a task for clubs to try attacking football, l know you might need young quicker players and technically good but l feel it will affect the spending of these clubs in the long run like for instance Liverpool spend $60m during the summer hoping to cover it with gate earning , with the exception of Chelsea what do you see will be the solution if the stadiums are to be full again.
Bobby – “Falling attendance” has been a recurring story at the start of the last few Premiership seasons. Go back to the fall of 2004 and 2005 and you will find the same stories. I don’t agree that United and Arsenal have increased attendance because of the quality of their football this season – even though it has been attractive. The bottom line is that they have bigger stadiums and are reaping the reward of being popular, entertaining and most importantly successful over the last decade or so. There was a pent-up demand going into this season and we increased capacity you are seeing the results in an increase in the attendance for both clubs.
Finally thank you to all that take time to read the blog and to participate.
Gabriele Marcotti measures Wayne Rooney against various definitions of greatness.
Michael Grant debates whether the Celtic win over Benfica may have just moved Gordon Strachan up a notch or two in the managerial rankings and Celtic folklore.
Patrick Barclay considers Michel Platini’s run at the top job in Europe. This is a story that will build over the next few months until the election in January. Part of Platini's agenda appears interesting and worthwhile but his history of supporting Blatter means that his candidacy has a distinctive and unpleasant odour hanging over it.
Finally, after a weekend when we had Manchester United vs. Liverpool and Real Madrid vs. Barcelona and with the Milan derby scheduled for this coming Saturday, a question to ponder. If you had to choose one match to attend over all others, what would it be? It has to be two clubs or countries facing each other and nothing as nebulous as the World Cup Final or the FA Cup Final.
The injuries to Cudicini and esppecially Petr Cech is top of mind. Tony Cascarino still considers the position between the posts to be the safest on the park. There is also a list of severe injuries suffered by goalkeepers. When I started to watch football there were no substitutes and teams would always have their designated outfield player ready to take over if the goalkeeper went down injured.
Rod Little on the subject of what does Steve McClaren write in his notebook. As an aside most fans would have noticed Jose Mourinho scribbling away during a game. But according to the excellent biography by Patrick Barclay it is something that only happens in the first half and is for his use at halftime. In the second half Mourinho considers it a pointless exercise.
Brian Glanville looks at the acquisition of Tomas Rosicky and a historical perspective of other Arsenal playmakers.
Mark Hodkinson on something that is bound to resonate with nostalgia buffs. A book is to be published this week on the late Peter Adolph – the inventor of Subbuteo.
And last and certainly least - is the strip that Bolton’s wore on Sunday the ugliest in the Premiership and if not which one is worst? Which team has the worst strip in the Premiership. For those that missed it it is the clour of something you find hardened on a pavement on Sunday morning.
I am the soccer analyst for the Fox Soccer Report and appear twice a week - every Monday and Friday at 10:00 EST. I have also been a regular contributor to the Fox Soccer Channel website since the summer of 2004. Over the last twenty years I have contributed to various radio and television programs throughout North America as well writing about the game for newspapers, magazines and websites.
Thank you to all who take time to visit this blog and especially to those of you who post your comments and thoughts.
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