Moggi still in business?

FIFA has a new World Cup sponsor. Anyone that has been at, or has been involved in a major sporting event knows what a critical piece this is.

Where next for Henrik Larsson? Can you ever go back? Is this just a case of wishful thinking?

The appointment of a new Scottish manager is creeping closer and it is possible that Argentina will play Scotland at Hampden in February.

Simon Kuper with an interesting take on Europe’s soccer powers.

David James on Capello’s appointment and the expanding field of sport psychology.

David Lacey asks whether England has hired an Italian Sir Alf.

A few interesting pieces tucked away in the press release issued at the conclusion of the Exective meeting of FIFA in Japan.

Before we get to the articles I would like to thank all those who stop by on a regular basis and those who contribute. The response each week continues to amaze me as does the respect shown for others opinions…….most of the time!

A new professional league for India. A potentially massive market but the chances of besting cricket with the next couplke of generations is probably zilch to nil.

Match-fixing allegations being passed to Interpol from UEFA and tucked away is a mention of the Intertoto Cup being scrapped when the tournaments are changed for the 09/10 season.

Could an England vs. Scotland match be set for May 28th of next year?

Normally in a situation where a team has already qualified the youngsters can look forward to a run-out. However, Gabriele Marcotti thinks that as far as Milan is concerned it is the squad’s old-timers who will get the nod on Tuesday against Celtic.

Scottish clubs have had so little success at the San Siro it might be better to refer to it as the San Zero.

Will Buckley links the actions of the legendary Billy Meredith one hundred years ago with Michel Platini today.

With only one round of the Champions League group stage remaining six of the eight teams that were seeded fourth still have a chance to make the knock-out stage.

There was a question on the blog last week about Paul Robinson. In this article Stewart Robson looks at how Robinson and others have fallen behind their foreign counterparts.

Simon Kuper writes about how the Swiss manage to keep their passion for the game well hidden.

The FAI seems intent on making the FA’s search for a new national team boss look like a smoothly run operation.

After England’s European Championship exit there has been even more debate on foreign quotas and player development. The Times has run a series of articles over the last week on how some other countries in the world go about the job of developing players and encouraging participation.

This article kicked the whole thing off.

Holland – a place for everyone. Out of all the models that are out there this seems to be one of few that acknowledges that it is not just about elite development and neither is it just about encouraging people to play.

At the heart of the Dutch model is the belief that for the sport to be healthy there has to be a place for players of all abilities. It seems to me that the North American debate (definitely the Canadian debate) is polarized with recreation on one end of the spectrum and elite development on the other with no one willing to give an inch. The truth of the matter is neither of the polarities have it right.

Simon Clifford and the myths of Brazilian youth development.

It’s interesting to see how parents now seem to be major reasons in driving kids away from the sport when years ago they would be the ones that would pass on their love for the game.

The structure of kids’ football in England.

If you are to read one article on the subject then try to make it this one.

Daily Telegraph picks up on how some other countries do it – in this case Brazil.

Some of the names that are being tossed around as possible successors to Alex McLeish as Scotland manager.

Here’s something from www.footballeconomy.com
‘The average annual salary of a footballer in England's top flight has broken through the £1m ceiling for the first time. Players in the Premiership are now earning 15 times more than the 'golden generation' who lifted the World Cup in 1966, even when inflation is factored in.

In 1966 First Division players were paid an average of £100 a week by their clubs. When performance-related bonuses are taken into account, today's figure stands at £21,000 a week according to accountants Deloitte. The rate of increase means that footballers earn almost as much in a week as the average person is paid in a year.

Moore's World Cup-winning team earned about six times the national average week in 1966. Deloitte predicts that the first £200,000 a week player, equivalent to an annual salary of £10m, will emerge by 2010”.

And on to the action that is in store this weekend. It is hard to look beyond Serie A with the top five clubs plus European champions Milan facing off. Current league leaders Inter remain unbeaten after twelve games and are only two points off the record breaking pace that they set last season.

Inter travels to play Fiorentina on what will prove to be an emotional occasion. Fiorentina Coach Cesare Prandelli lost his wife on Monday after a three year fight with cancer. Many of you will remember that Prandelli had just taken over the reins at Roma in 2004 when she was diagnosed with the disease and he opted to stand down.

The coach was not on the bench last weekend as his team drew away to Reggina but he is expected back for Sunday’s match.

Fiorentina started the season unbeaten in their first eleven matches before succumbing to Udinese a couple of weeks ago. Even so Fiorentina, four points behind Inter with a game more played, have already played Roma, Juventus and Milan this season and drawn all three games. Schemer Riccardo Montolivo is suspended and will be missing from the home side’s line-up.

Inter qualified for the last sixteen of the Champions League in midweek and when combined with the league lead things are looking good for Coach Roberto Mancini. What’s more Inter have only lost once (Feb 2006 2-1) to Fiorentina in their last nine Serie A meetings and are undefeated away from home in the league since April 2006.

Julio Cruz (6 goals) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7 goals) pack a wallop up front and summer signing David Suazo looked sharp last week as he scored a goal and set up another.

Milan and Juventus will be reacquainted after Juve’s one year leave from the top flight. Like Inter, Milan have already sealed a spot in the last sixteen of the Champions League although the winners or runners up spot have still to be decided.

Milan have the Club World Cup in Japan (on FSC) in a couple of weeks which means missing a week of Serie A action and then they have the local derby on the weekend before Christmas. When you add it all up it means that Milan can ill-afford to see the current gap with Inter and the chasing pack widen any further.

Currently the European Champions are eleven points behind the leaders while fourth placed Udinese are eight points ahead albeit with a game more played. Milan’s home form has been poor and they are still winless in the league after four draws and two losses.

Juventus have slipped effortlessly back into the top league with twenty-five points from thirteen games – good for second spot. But while their home form has been very impressive (16 points from 7 games) there is lots of room for improvement when on the road.

Only nine points have come from six away games with ten goals given up and only one shut out so far. Trezeguet and Iaquinta have combined for 17 league goals with eleven of them coming at home.

Udinese are one of the good news stories so far in Europe. A team that has historically enjoyed modest success are sitting fourth with five wins and three draws coming in the last eight games.

Wins against Fiorentina and Juventus have fans of Serie A sitting up and taking notice. They don’t score a lot of goals but when they do they seem to make them count. Away from home they have shut out the opposition four times in seven matches and although they only average a goal a game that has translated into a very respectable twelve points.

Only Milan (13 points) and Roma (17 points) can better that mark and it is to Rome that Udinese travels this weekend.  Given their record so far Roma might be wishing it was the other way around.

Nearly 70% of Roma’s points this season have been picked up away from home while five home games have only generated an unexceptional eight points – only Milan out of the top ten teams have secured fewer (4).  

Quick free kicks – The Barcelona derby promises to be a cracker. Espanyol unbeaten in their last nine games and are a heady fourth only two points below Barcelona and four behind Real Madrid.

Barca failed to beat their neighbours in the two games last season (a loss and a draw) and take their dreadful away form to the Olympic stadium. But the stadium has not seen very many goals this season with only nine coming in six games.

Whereas Espanyol have lost once at home Barcelona have only won once away from the Nou Camp. But perhaps the most interesting statistic is that Espanyol’s seven wins have all been by one goal so far. 

The Stevens inquiry has referred details of some of the bungs inspection to FIFA.

Daniel Taylor on why Clint Dempsey looks to the sky when he scores.

For those considering an African trip in the summer of 2010 – ticket prices.

An article on Celtic’s Aiden McGeady who has made great strides this season.

As Atletico Madrid and Aberdeen get ready to meet on Thursday in the UEFA Cup Graham Hunter looks back to 1983 and another meeting between the Dons and Madrid’s other team.

The latest from Andrew Jennings; this time on the appointment of Jerome Valcke as the General Secretary of FIFA. You have to wonder who will actually win the FIFA contest for having the most skeletons in a closet.

Patrick Barclay talks to David Beckham the day after England’s loss to Croatia.

Anyone who can remember Don Revie will be sure to have an opinion on an extended article that suggests it is time to reconsider his legacy.

Oliver Kay, writing in the Times, says that Rafa Benitez has over-played his hand and it is only a matter of time before he departs Anfield – and it is not because Liverpool are moving to Stanley Park.  Over to you LGB and Verbal97.

An article by Marcela Mora y Araujo on Javier Zanetti. It was a stunning decision to leave him out of the Argentine 2006 World Cup.

Jonathan Wilson looks back to Dinamo Minsk winning the Soviet title 25 years ago.

The former chairman of ISL, the former marketing agency of FIFA, has been charged with “embezzlement, fraud, fraudulent bankruptcy, harming creditors and the falsification of documents”. A trial date has still to be set.

A quick primer on the upcoming World Cup draw.

Martin Samuel on England’s woes.

Simon Barnes on Steve McClaren’s woes.

After a week of international drama it is back to domestic action – well at least until the draw for the qualifying rounds of the 2010 World Cup takes place on Sunday. Seeding has been worked out but requires ratification on Saturday.

The World Cup draw calls for a blog special come Sunday so the weekend preview will be abbreviated. And to be honest it is just as well because there appears to be precious few games that have anything close to a “don’t miss’’ attached to them.

The bottom three teams in the Premiership will have a tough time ensuring that the hole that they are in doesn’t get any deeper. Derby are at home to Chelsea who are unbeaten in their last six games and have only conceded one goal in the process. Derby on the other hand have let in 30 more goals than that in 13 games and have only scored five goals. Projected over an entire season Derby would not even hit the 20 point mark.

Bolton with three draws in their last three Premiership games would be positively giddy if they found a way to extend the run to four against Manchester United. However, the form book and history both indicate anything but a United win to be an unlikely outcome.

Bolton have only led in two of their 13 games at half time while United have only trailed in a match for a total of 83 minutes out of the  1,170 Premiership minutes they have played this season. Bolton have never beaten United at home in the Premiership (3 draws and 5 losses) while they have conceded 40 goals to United in sixteen Premiership games.

That’s seven more than Chelsea have scored against Bolton and with a game more played. Cap it all off with the fact that Bolton have conceded more first half goals (13) than any other team in Premiership then the signs are that if Bolton are not careful the game could be over almost before it has started.

It looks as if Arsenal will be missing Cesc Fabregas through suspension as well as Flamini and Hleb who both picked up injuries on international duty. The appointment of Steve Bruce as Wigan manager is on again and the deal could be closed before the weekend.

Wigan’s two and a bit seasons in the Premiership has still to produce a win over Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal. This season the problem is magnified with a single draw against West Ham United the only point gained against a top ten team.

The most promising Premiership match of the weekend appears to be set for Tyneside where Newcastle faces Liverpool. Anytime these two go head-to-head there is bound to be mention of the two classic games in 1996 and 1997. Both matches finished in 4-3 wins for Liverpool. Both games saw leads seesaw back and forward in both cases Liverpool scored a winner in the dying seconds.

Newcastle holds an edge in Premiership games at St. James’ against Liverpool (6 wins, 4 losses and 4 draws) and with 13 points from 6 home games only Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal & Aston Villa have better home records this season.

This will be the first time this season that Newcastle have faced one of the “big four”. Newcastle also have a make-up game at home to Arsenal on December 5. Next week brings Blackburn so the Magpies are in for a testing time over the next few weeks. 

Liverpool have only scored 7 goals in 6 away games but with 4 wins and 2 draws they have gained more away points (14) than any other side. What’s more they have kept the opposition off the score sheet four times in the six games.

Quick free kicks – Birmingham have five wins and three draws against Portsmouth on their last eight visits to St. Andrews…….the last meeting was a 5-0 thrashing but Birmingham were still relegated at season’s end while Portsmouth escaped the drop.

Blackburn and Aston Villa will be traveling with some confidence to play Fulham and Middlesbrough respectively. Blackburn have won four times in six Premiership visits to Craven Cottage while Villa have left the Riverside with seven wins and two draws in 12 games.

Everton and Sunderland may have played each other 144 times in league action over the past 117 years but they are as evenly split as they were in 1890. Back then both teams won their respective home matches 1-0 and since then they have traded wins with a few draws thrown in for good measure. Sixty-one wins each and twenty-two draws although Everton fans will claim cup matches as a tie breaker. In that case Everton “dominates” with two more wins.

It looks as if the Heskey and Owen partnership has reached the iconic stage. The statistic of 14 goals in 14 starts or 12 starts together (and that was before Russia and Israel)  crops up in almost every article about them. It seemed to me that given that both of these players started their careers in the late nineties and that Owen has 85 caps and Heskey 45 that 12 or 14 starts together seemed very low.
I might be missing something (and it certainly becomes difficult to track appearances because of substitutions) but this is what I have come up with in terms of starting together and goals.

Russia Sept 12/07                   Owen 2,  Heskey 0.
Israel Sept 8/07                        Owen 1,  Heskey 0.
Croatia Aug 20/03                    Owen 1,  Heskey 0.
Serbia & Mont. June 3/03       Owen 0,  Heskey 0.
South Africa May 22/03            Owen 0,  Heskey 1.
Liechtenstein Mach 29/03      Owen 1,  Heskey  0.
Slovakia Oct 12/02                   Owen 1,  Heskey  0.
Portugal Sept 7/02                   Owen 0,  Heskey  0.
Brazil June 21/02                     Owen 1,  Heskey  0.
Denmark June 15/02              Owen 1,  Heskey  1.
Nigeria June 12/07                  Owen 0,  Heskey  0.
Argentina June 7/02                Owen 0,   Heskey  0.
Sweden June 2/02                   Owen 0,  Heskey 0.
Cameroon May 26/02              Owen 0,  Heskey 0.
South Korea May 21/02           Owen 1,  Heskey 0.
Italy March 27/02                       Owen 0,  Heskey 0.
Albania Sept 5/01                     Owen 1,  Heskey 0.
Germany Sept 1/01                  Owen 3,  Heskey 1.
Greece June 6/01                     Owen 0,  Heskey 0.
Mexico May 25/01                      Owen 0,  Heskey 0. 

I make that 20 starts together with Owen scoring 13 and Heskey 3. Still a decent strike rate but not what has been widely reported.
In all it appears to me that they have played in 32 games together although they may not have been on the park at the same time when one has replaced the other.
I used the FA archives as a source and I would be more than happy to admit an error if someone can come up with support for the 14 goals in 14 or 12 starts statistic. I did rattle this off quickly.

A holdover question from last week.

henry14 - Do you agree that Arsenal should look beyond Ljungberg and he also should look beyond Arsenal?

Bobby – I think Arsenal have looked beyond Ljunberg this year basically because they have had to because of his injuries. He is reputed to be on a wage of around $130,000 a week until 2009 so I am not sure that there are too many teams lining up to sign him. He is so reliant on his quick feet and late darting runs in behind defenders but he is not up to it – at present. Given that he will soon be turning 30 then it is a fair question whether or not he will ever regain that sharpness on a regular basis.

And now for this week’s questions.
LosAngelesChelseaFan - Here’s another article that I thought made interesting reading. Terry Venables on training camps instead of friendlies. Do you have a view on it?

J3sUsD - I like to get your views on this past week’s friendlies especially the games between England and Spain and Mexico vs. United States. Were these meaningful results or were they just empty results?

Gongatore - What are the most important elements to take away from these two friendlies of last week? AND if you feel it appropriate....
Why can't the soccer media in this country address the real issues?

Bobby – I think Venables makes a very valid point and I think you will see more international managers opting for a get together rather than a “friendly”. (I would make the clubs a lot happier as well.) There is so much attention paid – even to friendlies - that you have to ask yourself what is really gained? The purpose of a friendly should be to allow a certain amount of experimentation by the manager and a chance to blood younger players. Now it is a case that every game has to be won or a crisis ensues. How stupid is it that the media and fans call for a manager’s head because a friendly is lost?  Logically the only thing that really counts is results in major competitions and friendly’s should only be a means to an end.  As for addressing the real issues – what are the real issues?

Henry14 - My first question is do you think the era of the goal poacher has gone, like the Ruuds and Inzaghi. If you look at the last ten years the best strikers have been all-round, like Henry, Sheva, Eto'o and Ronaldo. They could adapt to the different positions in games and give more to the team and you look at Fergie getting rid of Ruud while even Drogba and Eto'o now who are really good seem not to be out and out goal poachers. The other thing is l read about Harry Rednapp being linked with Spurs do you really see that happening and can you see Jol being sacked?

Bobby – I can see the point you  are trying to make but you what about other examples?Emile Heskey has been regarded by a number of  managers as a good all-round player – would you pick him over Ruud Van Nistelrooy? There will always be a place for goal poachers although most people will agree with you that Ronaldo is all-round.

The pressure is mounting on Martin Jol – increased expectations going into this season – but I think it would be foolish to fire him. As for ‘Arry taking over – I can’t see that happening. Harry seems quite particular about who he works with and who is calling the shots. I don’t think he would be comfortable at White Hart Lane.

spike24 - What do you think of Glen Little of Reading? He flies under the radar, almost nobody talks about him, yet he consistently makes the best left backs in the Premiership look completely foolish. He is an absolute magician with the ball. His ability to get down the line and fire in great crosses defies logic given his utter lack of pace, yet you never hear him mentioned. Any thoughts?

Bobby- I would agree that he has an utter lack of pace! But he doesn’t seem to give the ball away to often and plays his position well. I’m not sure I would place him in the magician class though.

Rodog - Here is a trivia question that I hope will last 24 hours. I grew up in Great Britain. I came to the US and played college soccer in the late 1980's- early 1990's. I am currently playing in the SPL (for the second time). I have played in the EPL. I recently earned my 50th cap (now 52) for my country. Who am I? Where am I currently playing? And what US college/university did I play for?

Bobby – Very good question. I have the answer (I think) but I will wait to see if anyone else can answer before the 24 hours are up.

Kirbym - What do you think are the chances of Tevez sticking with West Ham? I see that though he finds the English managing approach a bit cold, he says he is comfortable at WH (of course, I did read that in The Sun). Despite their struggles, this team is not a Watford--they're a talented side that has underperformed horribly. Should they avoid relegation, I can see them finishing much higher next season once they've regrouped mentally. Sordid implications of the third-party deal aside, I can see WH as being an attractive team for Tevez, more so than Mascharano. And it would be nice to see a fantastic player plying his trade somewhere other than the big 4.

Bobby – I read that the Actim Index currently ranks Tevez as the worst player in the Premiership. However, he seemed to give WH some jump in the second half against Watford and hammers fans can only hope that if he gets one goal he will get many.

AlexMorph - Not to kick a dead horse here, but with every article about England I keep reading the exact same thing: Lampard should be dropped for a more suitable partner to Gerrard. Admittedly, Lampard's form for England hasn't been great (and that could be the reason, who knows), but with his club form nearly impeccable clearly superior and his work rate at least equal, does all the criticism being laid on him make sense? Do you agree that dropping Lampard for someone else would actually change things? And why, if either, should Lampard be the one dropped?

Bobby – The manager’s job is to put out the best functioning side. In the case of Lampard and Gerrard I don’t think either of them has consistently shown club form on the international stage so either or both should be on the chopping block. As stated elsewhere friendly games should be the forum for trying different formations but McClaren felt that he couldn’t afford to try something different against Spain – of course others will point out that McClaren only experiments in competitive games!

Gregz - What do you think about Alexandre Hleb and Mathieu Flamini? Are they good players that bring diversity to the Arsenal team or is it that they look good under Wenger's system.

Bobby – I watched Hleb play for Stuttgart in the Bundesliga before he moved to Arsenal and he is a terrific player. He plays on the edge and needs to be right on his game, otherwise he can look awful. I regard Flamini as the modern day Gilles Grimandi. Many wonder how he makes the team but Wenger has a lot of faith in him. Remember how well he played at left back last season when Cole and Clichy were out injured? His versatility does provide the manager with a number of options as we saw on Sunday when he came on for Justin Hoyte.

Henry14 - How do you feel the Reyes and Baptist issue will be resolved, it appears Madrid do not want to buy him and Baptista seems to be settling and l for one personally would choose Baptista, what do you see happening. One more thing l feel Ronaldo is saying to Madrid and Barca come and get me and l feel he might go next season.

Bobby – I can’t see Reyes returning to London. Reyes is very talented but plays in spurts and he never looked comfortable in the Premiership. Baptista is a player that provides a couple of options. When he moved to Sevilla from Brazil he was a defensive midfield player. On Sunday when Djourou went off, Silva dropped back to central defense and Baptista dropped back into midfield. Overall Baptista looks to be a better Premiership fit than Reyes.

Excerpts from the Ference Puskas biography published in 1999.

As an aside, many of the obituaries that ran after the great man’s death contained an error or two. A number referenced his part in winning five consecutive European Cups with Real Madrid when in fact he did not sign for Madrid until the 1958/59 season. He was suspended for almost two years by UEFA after failing to return to Hungary after the 1956 Uprising. The other often misreported item was the reference to Hungary as the first foreign team to beat England at home. Hungary was the first foreign team to beat England at Wembley but the Republic of Ireland beat England in 1949 in an international game held in Liverpool at Goodison Park.

It is true Scottish ball-boys are just too slow.

Alan Campbell on the debacle that is Heart of Midlothian and the de####able treatment of Captain Steven Pressley.

Gabriele Marcotti suggests a major revamp of domestic leagues outside of the present big 5.

David Bond says that a new owner for West Ham will be confirmed very soon.

Steven Morris writes about the smallest league in the world.

This is going to some week what with round 5 of the Champions League on Tuesday and Wednesday followed by a weekend that includes top-of-the-table action in Italy and England. Palermo plays Inter Milan and Chelsea will go to Old Trafford next Sunday for the biggest game of the Premiership season so far. More on Manchester United and Chelsea later this week.