Jonathan Wilson and the "Death Match"

Curbishley and the Charlton syndrome.

The ISL trial is underway in Switzerland.

Johnny Giles thinks that the Italian game is in terminal decline.

FIFA.com takes a gander at teams that remain unbeaten in league play this season.

This BBC article explains how next year’s European places will be divvied out in England.

Gretna hanging on but the end seems to be near.


The chance to focus on the Scottish game doesn’t come around too often but hard on the heels of Rangers making it to the last eight of the UEFA comes the first major final of the season. Rangers has a chance to lift a cup for the first time in three years while in the case of Dundee United it has been closer to fourteen seasons since they had something to celebrate.

The Ibrox turnaround engineered by Walter Smith since his return to the club last January has been incredible. Inheriting a team from French Coach Paul LeGuen that had lost six of twenty-three league games and been knocked out of the Scottish Cup at the first hurdle, Smith went about restoring some much needed confidence and lost only two leagues (the last two and Celtic had already secured the title) the rest of the season.

A place in this season’s Champions League last sixteen proved to be too much but after dropping to the UEFA Cup Rangers have beaten both Panathinaikos and Werder Bremen and await their fate when the draw is made tomorrow (Friday).

Rangers also lead the SPL by three points and have a game in hand over Celtic. However, of the eleven league games still to play Rangers and Celtic have to face each other three times. Both clubs are still alive in the Scottish Cup and have been kept apart in the semi-final round. But first Rangers must see off Partick Thistle in next Wednesday’s rearranged quarter final match.

Rangers may retain an interest in four competitions but Walter Smith is well aware that the Rangers faithful are unforgiving if success is not delivered in regular doses and Sunday provides an opportunity to make it one down and three to go.

It is somewhat ironic that Rangers opponents are Dundee United – the first team Smith faced on his return (a 5-0 win) and a team where he got his coaching start under the legendary Jim McLean. Smith was on United’s coaching staff when they won their first major trophy in 1980 beating Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen in the League Cup Final.

It was the first visible crack in the Old Firm’s domination of Scottish football and by season’s end Aberdeen had won the first of three league titles under Fergie and over the next six seasons Aberdeen and United became known as the “New Firm”.

The next eleven seasons would see United make it to nine domestic finals, the UEFA Cup final, as well as winning the Scottish League and coming within a whisker of a place in the 1984 European Cup Final.

But making it to the final of a competition is one thing, winning is something else and over the ten finals United won only two – the aforementioned League Cup win in 1980 and they repeated the year after.

After McLean’s “retirement” from the dugout after 22-years United went through a cavalcade of managers with a Scottish Cup win over Rangers in 1994 the only highlight. After a televised run-in with a BBC reporter in 2000 the McLean-era began to grind to a conclusion although it would take another couple of years before he sold his shareholding to local businessman and United fanatic Eddie Thompson.

Thompson soon showed himself to be a match for McLean in firing managers as he axed five managers in his first six seasons as owner. It has only been since the arrival of Craig Levein in late 2006 that a level of stability and success has returned to Tannadice.

Levein has United third in the league at the moment and they played Celtic to a scoreless draw at Parkhead on Wednesday night. There is a real sense of optimism around the club that United can at again be a force in Scottish football although the halcyon days enjoyed under McLean are unlikely to return.

But even though some level of success may be in the future for United this might be the last chance that their owner Eddie Thompson will have to see his beloved side lift a Cup. For the man who put his money where his mouth was to the tune of many millions of pounds is battling what looks to be an unwinnable battle with cancer.

Thompson has already put his financial affairs in order with members of his family being appointed to various positions within the club and Levein was appointed to a position on the board of directors a few weeks ago.

United will be taking close to 17,000 to Sunday’s final at Hampden and many will be wearing special tangerine t-shirts to show support for Thompson with proceeds going to fund cancer research.

North American connection - When I first saw Dundee United play in the early sixties they played in various combinations of black and white. So where did their present distinctive tangerine kit come from?

The year after the 1966 World Cup the United Soccer Association (a forerunner to the North American Soccer League) decided to import twelve teams to play during the summer in North America. Each team played under the moniker of their adopted North American city and Dundee United became the Dallas Tornado.

The Tornado colours were tangerine and the idea to change kit was planted back then. The switch was made in 1969 with the first British showing against Everton in pre-season friendly.(check half way down to see a United as Dallas team photo).

United’s centre half Doug Smith – a player who many considered one of the best players never to be capped by Scotland – made the Second All Star team along with some other memorable names.

Craigy_f – 1. I can write off the Johnson goal as 'one of those things' Dunn not getting a second yellow rankles much more. Look forward to your opinion either in print or on the show tomorrow
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2. Premier League V Champions League - Is one harder than the other or are they two different beasts.

3.What brought a frown to your face and what brought a smile this weekend?

4. Are you a fan or an analyst first and foremost? And why?

5. The Fiorentina Milan game was pretty dire, what do you think accounted for this? The importance of the game (a real decider on 4th place). The closeness of the two teams in terms of skill etc...The two teams didn't actually play that well.

6. GIVE THEM HANDS! Two very similar situations and two vastly different results.
Carragher gets the benefit of the doubt when his hands block a Murphy shot in the area – Styles waves play on. Zaccardo blocks the ball with his hand - Bergzoni immediately and calmly points to the spot.
You can see why fans, managers and players get frustrated. The commentators always seem to talk about how you have no control over your arms in situations like these. Your take on this issue - which seems to have cropped up a fair bit recently - if you please.

7. And finally...
Five footballing people agree to be interviewed by you - who would you pick?

Bobby – 1. Sorry to disappoint but the only piece of the Everton and Blackburn game that I saw that was controversial was Khizanishvili pole-axing John son in the penalty box. Didn’t see the offside decision although certainly sounds as if the officials made a mistake.

2. Pointless exercise – purely subjective.

3. The weather – Drogba’s goal against Guinea.

4. I don’t think you could do the analyst thing for any length of time without being a fan – it would drive you around the bend. However, I think it is even more important to be a student of the game if you are trying to analyze it.

5. It needed a goal early on and probably from Fiorentina. As it was I think both teams were well prepared and cancelled each other out. A massive disappointment.

6. I was always taught that if you “wave your arms around” (i.e. away from your body) when trying to make a block then there was a very good chance that you were going to get called for hand ball.

Claiming that players have no control of their arms is almost always rubbish. You may as well claim they have no control over their legs. I say almost always because in a situation when a player is falling after a challenge or has slipped then arm movement becomes instinctive.

I was surprised that Styles did not award a penalty against Carragher.

7. Luis Cesar Menotti, Jim McLean, Guy Roux, Alfredo di Stefano and (I don’t know of fits the definition) Hugh McIlvanney.

Gregz - Q1.What do you make of Abou Diaby? At times doesn't he seem too selfish & hence out of place for Arsenal's team play.
Q2. Lionel Messi has become a bit predictable in his play. He most times dribbles too much instead of go for the quick pass or quick shot. What do you think?

Bobby –1. He is there primarily to give the team a bit more grit in midfield. I would not consider him a selfish player. When he dribbles there mostly seems to be a point to it rather than just holding on to the ball for the sake of it. He has a terrific shot and if needs to take a couple of players on to open up a shooting opportunity then it is probably a good decision.

2. If I was a defender facing Lionel Messi I would certainly want him to make the quick pass. That way I could escape with some self respect intact.

Players like Messi have been blessed with special skills and should be appreciated for what they have rather than trying to turn them into something they are not. I don’t want to tune in a year from now and find that Messi has been turned into a useful midfield player who just sits deep and hits nice passes.

Did you ever consider that someone might have said the same thing about Maradona? Instead of running through the England team in 1986 perhaps Maradona could have laid a nice first time ten yard pass back to Jose Luis Brown. Over twenty years on do you think we would be replaying that ten yard pass?

Ursusarctos –1. In Bill Edgar's latest quiz the answer to the question "Which two league clubs’ grounds in Britain are the closest together?" is Dundee and Dundee United. I've never been to Dundee, so I looked up a picture of the setting)- holy ....., they're just across the street from each other! Do you have any stories about what it is like for fans to be so close to the local rivals (and here I thought the width of Stanley Park was close proximity ...)?

2. I forgot to add that in the same quiz, Bill Edgar asks :"How many times has one club won the FA Cup and League Cup in the same season?" ...... and gives the answer "2. Arsenal in 1993, and Chelsea in 2007." Now, advancing middle age may be robbing me of essential cognitive functions (certainly yes, but beside the point ...!), but I would have added Liverpool in the year of the Cup Treble, 2001.
Can you tell me what twist to the question I am missing? Or did Bill Edgar mess up? Thanks!

Bobby –1. With a helpful gust of wind you could probably punt the ball from Dens to Tannadice and there are a number of wayward strikers from both sides who have tried over the year. It may have again since I left but I can only remember game being played on the same day.

I had to do a little bit of checking back on this one but I am pretty confident that Dundee and Dundee United were both drawn at home in the Scottish Cup in 1968. This was a few seasons before the advent of Sunday football so they decided to have one game kick off earlier than the other – I can’t remember which was which.

I was at Dens to see Dundee draw with Rangers 1-1 while Dundee United lost to Hearts by the odd goal in 11 – yes they lost 6-5. Hearts went on to the final that season but lost 3-1 to Dunfermline. Dunfermline knocked out the European Champions Celtic in the first round by a score of 2-0 at Parkhead.

Rangers beat Dundee in a replay 4-1 in extra time and I think Jim Easton the Dundee centre half who later moved to Vancouver scored an own goal in one of the two games.

Nobody would even give a seconds thought to playing both games on the same day nowadays.

2. I think Mr. Edgar may have got that one wrong. It even happens to the best.

Yrusodull - Please, a clear headed, unbiased account of the Spurs - Manu match a White Hart Lane. I don't want to appear to whine (as the majority of gooners do, when things don't go their way!!), but I was sure there were 93:+ mins. on the clock before the corner was given. Is it my imagination, or do Spurs consistently get the short end from the officials?? Please give me your take!

Bobby – The board that goes up it supposed to show the minimum amount of time to be added so I would not hang my hat on that one. There were four substitutions (one was a double) as well as five yellow cards in the second half including one to Cerny for time wasting. So I don’t think the added tome was out of line. Bottom line is Spurs had chances to win the game and they defended the corner kick very poorly.


Shmish - With regards to the Kuper article, not being much of a soccer player myself I've never quite understood the concept of "old" for players. I always thought that soccer was a bit of an endurance sport, in which case men in their 30's should be very comfortable.

Okay, so here's two comparisons. First, professional road racing. Erik Zabel is still a force in cycling and he will be 38 years old this year. He is primarily a sprinter with explosive speed. Lance Armstrong, 37 this year, would probably still be the premier racer if he didn't retire.

His schtick is everything but sprinting (which he probably wouldn't be bad at either). Secondly there is ice hockey. It is not uncommon for top players to be in their mid thirties. Hockey is mix of speed and power, and physical durability.

So why would we expect a 37 year old to be over the hill in soccer? Don't be me wrong, I'm 37 and a bit out of shape so I can relate to the article and the joy of playing for the sake of playing. But I also know that even at 37, a person should be able to be as competitive as they want.

I know that Bobby has alluded to Drogba's age a few times. I don't want to misquote Bobby but my general impression is that he thinks Drogba's age will start to have a detrimental effect on his play. While I won't argue that perhaps Drogba is at his peak, I also don't see why he couldn't play at almost the same level for another 5 years. The "best" in other sports do.

Bobby – Endurance is only part of it. Without quickness of thought and foot as well as technical ability having endurance is only going to allow you to run around and be an irritant for ninety minutes.

I don’t think your comparison with cycling and hockey stands up. I cannot speak on cycling per se (even though the lack of physical contact likely precludes any valid comparison) but can on hockey.

Over the years I played with a number of team mates who were very good hockey players and in a couple of cases they played professionally. The conditioning for soccer and hockey is very different.

It shows in the way hockey games are scheduled – often back to back or three games in four or five nights. That is just impossible in terms of soccer.

It is not about wanting or not wanting to be competitive it is about having the physical capability to play at the highest level where a fraction of space given or taken or split second decision making often separates winning and losing.

Although the lifespan of a player tends to decrease as we move from front to back there are exceptions as there is to any rule. Strikers generally have the shortest lifespan given that to be successful they generally need the full package of technical ability, endurance, quickness and strength –Super Pippo the exception!!!

It is not a case that I think age will have a detrimental effect on Drogba’s play – it almost certainly will, it is nature taking its course.

Take a look at how George Weah’s production quickly waned at the end of his career. He didn’t stop scoring goals – he just stopped scoring as frequently and against good teams. If Drogba is still producing at the same rate and at the same level in five years he will be abnormal. More likely whoever he is playing for will not be a very good team.

CIAO - Do you know whether or not Nick Webster gets "the beers in..." before he writes his articles?

Bobby – You will have to ask Nick. From experience it is not a good idea. Something written after a few beers is not nearly as funny the next morning.

Apad03 -1. What do you think of the outcome of the upcoming US V MEX game will be?

2. The US has something of a streak going against Mexico lately and many people say that the US is getting in Mexico’s head. They (Mexico) seem to dominate the possession and outplay the US but fail to score and end up losing in the end. Mexico is trying out many players that have not been on the team for the previous losses to the US, could that affect the outcome?

3. I read a blog post by Chang over at ESPN and he was talking about what a great season Bradley is having over there in Holland. Have you seen him play and how would you rate his progress?

I think he has really developed a lot this past year. Really earned his spot on the USMNT and has become a better two way player. Gets behind the ball well but also is very good at starting counter attacks and showing up in the box at opportune times. Chang was also writing that he would probably move on in the summer to a much bigger club, have you heard anything about that?

Bobby –1. One of three possible outcomes I would say. In the end it is a friendly international and friendlies are there to help the coaches. The only results that count are the ones that lead to a trophy.

2. It is rarely about possession it is how effective you are when you have the ball. If Mexico wins then I’m sure someone will claim it is down to new players. If not another excuse will be trotted out – there is never a shortage of excuses for losing a game.

3. I saw Bradley at the under-20s and thought he played very well. I have not seen him since. There are stories out there about Bradley moving to a Premiership club but there is no indication that at the moment these rumours are anything more than a product of someone having to write a story and needing a tidy ending. If 1% of transfer stories ever come to pass then I would be surprised.

Henry14 - Q1 Do you think the Ivory Coast potentially or still have probably the best African squad ever?
Q2 - Do you think rotation alone is the reason Liverpool are down in fifth or they just do not have Liverpool type players apart from the obvious 4 players?
Q3 Who is the mvp in the premiership not necessarily from the top 3, but the most pivotal guy to a team?
Q4 Can Fulham survive given that they are 3 points from safety?

Bobby –1. Nigeria in 1994 (World Cup) and 1996 (Olympics) was pretty good.

2. You are not allowed to mention the R-word it upsets L-fans. I noticed when the stock market slumped a couple of weeks that news commentators and economists were pointing out that that the R-word was being talked about. Personally I was a bit baffled as to how Rafa’s choices would impact the stock market but there you go.

3. How about Martin Laursen at Aston Villa?

4. There are 39 points still at stake and with a three point deficit I would have to say that yes Fulham can survive. Will they survive – I still don’t think so.

Mts2284 - 1. I was wondering what your thoughts were on Mohamed Sissoko and Lassana Diarra. I know both struggled this season for first team action with Liverpool and Arsenal considering both team’s depth at midfield.
Do you think Sissoko and Diarra will get more chances to play for Juventus and Portsmouth and become better and more seasoned players? I thought Diarra played rather well against Chelsea.

2. Also, who do you like in the FA Cup 5th Round match between Arsenal and Manchester United?

3. Who is your favorite for Champions League glory? And who do you like in the AC Milan Arsenal Group of 16?

Bobby –1. Sissoko started strongly but has not really delivered after that early surge. Ranieri may have had Sissoko at Valencia so he is likely going to play for a manager who has bought him with a specific purpose in mind. I think you will see both players get more playing time initially but as with any other player they will only consistently start over the long haul if they are delivering the right stuff.

2. I haven't really given up much thought so far.

3. I said at the beginning of the season I thought Inter Milan had a good shot. Oddly enough I could also see things lining up for Chelsea – maybe not to win it but maybe a spot in the final. Arsenal or Milan – I would give Milan the edge.

Redfan2000 - Questions and discussions abound on why Liverpool are underachieving or underperforming. As a qualified and well experienced ops manager I know well enough that the off field antics of Laurel and Hardy have destabilised the ship.

Such is the embarrassment in Hicks' camp that he has not been seen at Anfield since the Man Utd game I think. His only interview this year done with BBC or SKy but not with the club TV station and there have been no letters or articles to the club website, all to compound a communications disaster like none other in Premiership history.

Despite all the noise, which has become repetitive and boring, I was pondering a remark Bobby you made on Friday (I think) that many of the current squad are not of the calibre of a club of Liverpool's stature. Aside of the above mentioned mess and upsets, I have been wondering what else would take a team of CL winners and make it worse 3 years later?

Since the Champion's League win we have had a massive turnover in players.
We have lost: Baros, Hammann, Traore, Smicer, Warnock, Henchoz, Cisse, Fowler, Dudek, Garcia, Biscan, Pongolle, Cheyrou, Le Tellec to name but a few.

In we have bought the likes of: Alonso, Nunez, Josemi, Pellegrino, Morientes, Sissoko, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Torres, Benayoun, Pennant, Crouch, Babel, Veronin, Arbeloa, Aurelio, Skrtel, Agger, Reina etc etc. Some of these have now gone too.

I am bound to say that a little spoken factor has to be change. So much has changed in the last 3 years including ownership, but especially player turnover as can be seen. The actual lists of players in and out is huge.

Such changes will take time to settle. Some players may never settle or adapt to the premiership, but molding so many new faces into a team is a long job as the likes of Shankly, Wenger and Ferguson have proved.

Not only are the changes so many and too many in so short a time, the players brought in, especially before Hicks and Gillett took over, were not necessarily much of an improvement and in several cases far worse. Losing Biscan and Henchoz for Pellegrino for example was not an improvement. Many bad buys among the few good ones. I wonder if Rafa needs a director of football?

There are clearly right now several Heinz 57 mutts standing in the greyhound derby and it shows. More spending is needed for wingers and defenders, or some of the reserves have to be given a shot. Either way the changes will take time to settle down and like Gwillem Bellague, I thing the Premiership is two seasons off yet and then only if the right pegs are found to fill vacant holes.
Any further thoughts.

Plus - Gerrard is today named as captain of England to play Switzerland tomorrow.
Another question for you to ponder regarding his position as skipper at Liverpool: Do you think he would be a better player at Liverpool (and maybe England too), if Carragher or another senior pro was skipper (of LFC)? I named Carragher because he is vice captain.

Bobby – I think that is a pretty good summation of the Liverpool situation. There are a couple of things I would add. There is no doubt in my mind that this Liverpool team is a better team than 2005 even though that side won the Champions League – that is not to say that it doesn’t come without glaring weaknesses.

The fight back from 3-0 was probably the greatest seen in the final of a major competition and I think because Liverpool won very little is said about how they came to be down 3-0 in the first place. Rafa put out the wrong players out playing in the wrong formation.

His half time substitutions only rectified his original mistake – not a bad gig if you can get it. Receiving credit for solving the problem you caused in the first place.

And that leads me to the second point. I just keep on getting the feeling that Benitez thinks that he has to get every team and every formation just right for every game. It leads to odd formations, players out of position and the team generally looking disjointed and confused.

I think he gives three-quarters of the Premiership far too much credit. If he has a more settled formation he could throw the team out most weeks and they would come back with three points.

It’s not to say that formations cannot change based on the level of the opposition – Benitez has shown a masterful hand at times in one off games – but every game?

Liverpool does need a couple of better fullbacks going forward. There are not many teams that are successful without solid attacking options at full back.

I don’t see Gerrard captaincy as being an issue.


OrangeSpur - I've enjoyed your opinions over the years and I'm curious on your take on Tottenham's current CB situation. Can Tottenham really afford to accommodate Ledley King with playing him in one out of every 3 games?

I've been after my glory-glory.net mates that Spurs need to move on a plan for life without King and should his health turn around then it is a bonus for us.

Secondly, what do you think about the thought that Berbatov is the new Zizou - well the closest thing we have to Zizou in today's game? Take care!

Bobby – A few months ago I took a look at Spurs point production with and without King. There is no doubt that Spurs are far more productive with King in the side. However, I am not sure I understand what you are getting at when you refer to a plan for life without King. What are you suggesting?

The thought that Berbatov is the new Zizou? Well, it is a unique thought given that they play(ed) in very different positions and not an idea that has ever crossed my mind. I thought the comment from last season that Berbatov was the new Alan Gilzean was closer to the mark.


Henry14 - What do you think of the statement that Walcott is more of an athlete learning to play football rather than a footballer who becomes a great athlete? What do you think of such an assessment?

Bobby – I would say that anyone that came up with that doesn’t know very much about what it takes to develop a professional soccer player. If you are not a great athlete to start with your chances of getting a look in are pretty slim. I can’t think of one player who was a great player who became a great athlete.

Gers4Lyfe – 1. Will Dundee make another run at Hamilton? 2. Do you think Celtic's additions will push them past Rangers in the second half? 3. How do you rate Hutton's debut performance for Spurs over the weekend? 4. Your views on the coaching staff for Scotland?

Bobby –1. Sincerely hope so. Still a good bit of the season left. 2. I would say it is Rangers league to lose. 3. I thought he played very well – in no way did he look out of place. 4. If George Burley is happy with Terry Butcher then I am happy to give it a chance. However…….


Jeremy St Louis is back in the blogging business and don’t forget that England vs. Switzerland is on both FSC in the US and FSWC in Canada.

Randy Ray writes in the Globe and Mail careers section on the World Cup and the enlightened attitude of some employers.

Duncan White looks at the USA’s “Operation Essien”.

Rob Hughes on Sven’s self-generated problems.

Simon Barnes sums up Sven’s predicament.

Andy Gray comments on passion in a manager and refers to Jim McLean who I was fortunate enough to know some years ago. I have never known anyone who more passionate about  winning and playing well than Jim McLean. He once fined each of his players after they had won 6-1 because he thought they could have done better. And for those of you who are beginning to worry about post-World Cup withdrawal don’t panic – the Champions League draw for round 1 and 2 will be made on Friday.