Mickey Thomas – a former FA Cup hero who went to jail for making big money.

A look out club signings by nationality.

Robert Philip manages to name check Mary Queen of Scots, Scotty from Star Trek, ####es, Bill Shankly and Sean Connery before getting to the point of his football article. You really just need to read his introduction.

 Another idea of how to generate stadium revenue. Sounds a bit bizarre but....

A Soccer America interview with USA national team boss Bob Bradley.

 The Independent lists the best players in the UK outside of the Premiership.

The Financial Times and Guardian articles on Manchester United record revenue and profits are the best I have read in terms of giving good information about the interest payments.

From the top to the near bottom - the reverse of Sir Alex Ferguson's journey. The Times with a positive story about East Stirlingshire - the team that offerred Ferguson his first job in hairdressing nearly thirty four years ago. 

With Newcastle United pulling the plug on another manager it is worth looking at the performance of the not-so-magnificent seven (although in relation to Keegan and Robson that remark should be tempered) during the Premiership years. Newcastle was not a charter member of the Premiership but after missing out on the first season Keegan secured promotion in his first full season.

Here are the managers, the position the club was in when they “left”, games in charge, average points gained and the approximate net outlay in transfer fees – it is a lot.

The list is in chronological order:

o Kevin Keegan – 4th, 143 games, 1.85 points, $80M

o Kenny Dalglish – 13th*, 56 games, 1.34 points, $27M

o Ruud Gullit – 19th, 41 games, 1.65 points, $13.6M

o Sir Bobby Robson – 17th, 188 games, 1.60 points, $58M

o Graeme Souness – 16th, 56 games, 1.16 points, $66M

o Glen Roeder – 13th, 52 games, 1.42 points, $19M

o Sam Allardyce – 11th, 21 games, 1.24 points, $28M

(Dalglish carries an asterisk as he was fired only two games into a season and 13th was the previous season’s finishing position.)

From Gullit on the managers are getting fired with the team sitting in ever higher positions. Maybe it is all part of some cunning plan to literally fire Newcastle to the top?

Looking back the failure to use the relatively successful spell under Bobby Robson to groom a successor was a faux pas of immense proportions. Who in their right mind would operate with one of their most important employees past the age 70 and with no succession plan in place?

As for Allardyce I don’t think any fair minded person would accept that half a season is enough time to turn a team that has failed to win a major domestic trophy in over half a century around.

A significant number of Newcastle fans are apparently upset at the type of football Allardyce had the team playing. But again if you are trying to change a culture of mediocrity then there is going to be protracted spell of rubbish dished up – that should not be a surprise. And in terms of a new manager it is likely to be more of the same.

I often wonder if a new manger might not get better results and reduce short term expectations if instead of asking for the cheque book he told players that they had half a season to prove themselves.

Immediately moving to sign new players and dumping the ones signed by the predecessor just leads to a belief that improvement will be immediate. Then if the new signings fail to impress – as they did in the Allardyce/Newcastle situation – the pressure mounts and the revolving door starts to rotate once more.

As for a successor, the names are beginning to appear in the press and on websites. Harry Rednapp, Mark Hughes, Steve McClaren (surely not!!) are all getting some play in the media. The odds are a Keegan return have also been slashed.

But as Simon Barnes said in The Times last weekend will a new manager be given a fair crack while Alan Shearer continues in the role of the best manager never to have managed Newcastle?

It would seem that Mike Ashley has done the easy bit in firing Big Sam, the hard bit is convincing someone of quality to pick up the poisoned chalice.

Quick free kicks

A number of teams are looking to cure some sporadic bouts of Premiership travel sickness this weekend. Spurs travels to Stamford Bridge in what could be a preview of the Carling Cup Final. But travelling to Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford, Anfield and wherever Arsenal were playing at the time, has not brought much joy to Spurs. In sixty-three Premiership trips to these grounds Spurs have won just twice - a win at Arsenal and a win at Liverpool.

Manchester City are the visitors to Goodison but they have only one once in ten Premiership visits to Goodison – and that was way back in October 1992.

Middlesbrough may not have scored against Liverpool in their last four Premiership encounters but Liverpool are without a win at the Riverside in their last five visits - two losses and three draws for the Reds. Despite Boro’s spotted form over the last couple of years the Riverside is still a place where bigger teams often come a cropper. United, Chelsea and Arsenal have all lost at the Riverside in the last two and a bit seasons

Oh and let us not forget that no matter who has been in charge of Newcastle a trip to Old Trafford as never ended in three points for the Magpies – it has however often finished with a loss (nine times) and sometimes a draw - five of them.

This weekend offers Reading, Wigan, and Fulham another opportunity to pick up three points away from home for the first time. This time against Aston Villa, Derby County and West Ham respectively. Also without an away win are Bolton, Sunderland, and Derby County but they will have to wait for another day.

Phils92001 - The point that I want to make is that of Newcastle. I think that If Big Sam cannot find the goal from Owen, he needs to drop him to the bench and play the one that give the club 17 goals last season.

I think Martins is being robbed the opportunity of not have the chance to play. The club might regret if Martin leaves and that he has lost confidence in the coach because he is playing limited minutes as he used to play last season. If I am correct, whenever Martins and Emre play, there is a different form of attack than what they have now for the pass two game and that Martin scores which is something different than what Owen pose now.

Owen is playing like he is afraid to going into tackles. Whether it is due to his past injury or he is trying to rediscover his form, it might be too late for Big Sam. please give your thoughts on these comments.

Bobby – I think you are looking at this from only one side. If you took the route your suggesting then Allardyce would play Martins and keep Owen on the bench. By doing that Allardyce has no chance that Owen will ever get back to match fitness.

A match fit Owen is a goal machine and as such is a better option than Martins. I’m certain that Owens Premiership record to minutes played at Newcastle is superior to Martins.

There is no doubt that Martins can be an explosive player but he is also very inconsistent and there are times he could not hit a barn door if it was three yards in front of him. There is a reason that Inter generally used him as a substitute.

Djnima – 1. You were right about McLaren not getting the Galaxy job, but do you think he was there to apply for the job? Do you think there was an interview? 2. How would you rate England and Scotland's chances of qualifying for the Euros? 3. Do you think Real Madrid have a chance of making the Champions league Final this season?

Bobby – No and no – a figment of someone's over stimulated imagination. I cannot imagine anyone being that stupid especially when the English press is watching every move.
2. Not all that good on either count. At least Scotland can affect their fate; England needs to hope and pray. However, if Russia stumbles against Israel I cannot see England passing up a second opportunity. 3. Based on their form so far I would be very surprised if they made it to the last four.

Ringo - Did you hear the rumours a couple of weeks back that if/when England and Scotland fail to qualify ,they might play each other in a pair of games at Wembley and Hampden instead?

Bobby – I know that Scotland, N. Ireland and Wales have been lobbying for a return of the Home Internationals but I have not heard about the possibility of an England / Scotland series.

Getz76 - Quick Arsenal question; who's their keeper after the January transfer window? I hear rumors of Green coming from WHU and I would love to believe it, as I think he has as much to do with WHU staying up last season as Tevez. Any other candidates. I know Wenger tends to grab players from Parts Unknown most of the time, but I do not think he will gamble as much on a keeper.

Bobby – If Arsene Wenger signs a keeper it is unlikely to be one presently playing in the UK. In the majority of cases he would have the option to sign one of them before this and obviously he passed on it. He went the English route with Richard Wright and it did not work out. I would suggest that Wenger would consider signing a UK keeper a bigger risk than signing one from your “Parts Unknown”. If Lehmann shut his mouth and was on his best behavior like he was during the season before the 2006 World Cup then he would be starting for Arsenal in goal. At the moment every time he opens his mouth it is to change feet – Wenger cannot recall him as long as he is spouting off.

CIAO - Marcotti's article this week is a bit strange. He really must not have anything to write about and is picking on Martin O'Neil. Isn't a bit early to call O'Neil's time at Villa disappointing? There are no signs that his position is in jeopardy. If the owner had more expectations, we would have seen highly rated players make their way to the club during the summer.

Bobby – O’Neill’s first season may not have been as good as others before him but I would say Villa has a more solid foundation on which to build than they have had for a long time.

They have a very good group of youngsters and if Carson signs permanently then they should have a solid keeper for seasons to come – I have never been a fan of Sorensen. A good shot blocker but brutal of crosses.

Although Marcotti is correct in terms of a consistent goal scoring threat. Agbonlahor will get goals but they need another to partner him. Carew has the tools to be a great striker………except for the part that scores goals.

Apad03 - 1. I read the post on Gullit but what I want to know that really wasn’t in the article is what type of football can we expect to see from his team? Does he have an attacking type of style or what? I am not familiar with his managerial style so I am curious to see what type of football he is going to instill on his new team.

2.  What is the best duo, in your opinion, up front for Liverpool?  I think they should be playing Voronin and Torres up front. Voronin has some sweet passing skills and I think that with Torres' speed and touch they would make the best partnership up front for Liverpool. I don’t remember seeing them play together yet but I know you'll correct me if I am wrong.

Bobby –1. In terms of Gullit and his arrival at the Galaxy you will soon see countless articles that talk of “Total Football.” Don’t believe a word of it. The concept of Total Football evolved through the work of a number of coaches until it became personified in the Ajax side of the early 70s and Dutch national team at the 1974 World Cup.

The concept requires incredibly skilled players both technically and tactically as well as exceptional speed and fitness. The essence of it is that the ten players (and some would point out that the goalkeeper is expected to do more tactically aware also) are expected to be able to play in any of the outfield positions through constant movement and changing of positions which creates space when attacking and takes it away when defending.

It also requires the team to play a high pressure pressing game a part that Milan perfected under Arrigo Sacchi – with Gullit, Rijkaard and Van Basten in the side. Gullit will not have players talented enough at the Galaxy to play “Total Football”.

However, you can expect Gullit to emphasize speed and width – maybe a standard 4-3-3 formation with two wide players up front. Passing and possession will be paramount. It should be entertaining although I would not be surprised if the start of next season is a struggle as the team copes with the change.

I think someone like Landon Donovan could really benefit from the new regime.

2. If Kuyt can recover any sort of form then the best pairing for me would be Torres and Kuyt. 

Let’sGoBuffalo - Any chance we will see a ban on Italian Calcio, like the one UEFA bestowed upon England in the late 80's, early 90's?With all the corruption(inside the game) and violence from the fans it’s no wonder something like this happened.

Bobby – As long as the issue is domestic trouble in Italy there is no chance that UEFA or FIFA would step in. It would create a dangerous precedent that would have far reaching impact on other leagues should anything remotely similar happen. Just to cover old ground – The FA withdrew English teams from European competition after pressure was applied by Margaret Thatcher’s government. The UEFA ban came after that decision was made.

CIAO - Have you heard of Marat Izmailov? Supposedly City, Inter and Sampdoria are all in the race to sign him...

Bobby – I have heard of him but do not know very much about him. I believe he is playing in Portugal on loan from his Russian club side.

Craigy_f –1. What’s your take on the upcoming Scotland Italy game? 2. Do you see Hughes as a successor to Ferguson? 3. How would you rate Martin O’Neill’s tenure at Villa?

Bobby –1. I am not optimistic – I’ve just seen this movie too many times. I hope I am wrong but I see Italy getting the result that they need.

2. I could see Mark Hughes doing a good job at Old Trafford but what I can’t see is a set of circumstances that would position him to take over. Manchester United would not appoint him straight from Blackburn so I think he has to move to a bigger club either in England or abroad but I can’t see where the opportunity might come from.

3. See one of the previous responses.

Chelseabon - Recent news is the Seattle Sounders will be an MLS team in 2009, and it will follow a "club member/owner" style scheme which Barcelona uses where the fans get to vote managers out. Though it appears to work for Barca, I don't feel that this is the best idea for a brand new MLS side. What are your thoughts on this ownership style coming to the US?

Bobby – I was not aware that Barcelona can vote the manager out. They elect the President as they do at Real Madrid and other clubs but I can’t remember a situation where the members voted for a manager’s dismissal.

From what I have been able to discern to compare the Seattle idea with Barcelona’s model is like comparing Paris Hilton’s “work” with drunken elephants to Mother Teresa.

Barcelona is owned by the members – full stop. Seattle has owners who are putting substantial monies up and they are considering granting fans an opportunity to buy a “membership”. From the pieces I have read the Seattle model is little more than an enhanced supporters club and although it might be well intentioned it iappears to be no more than a gimmick.

Henry14 – q1. Can you explain big Sam's lack of tactical nous, why he plays Smith as a defensive midfield, Martins is there to goal scorer but he is on the bench, here is a guy who scored 17 goals last season, more than Viduka and Owen.
q 2 How does Barton escape punishment for a horror tackle when Dunn misses games for two not malicious tackles?
q 3 Will Mac stay as England boss given a wide call for him to be not sacked?
q 4 Are reds genuine title contenders?

Bobby –1. Martins may have scored 17 goals but Viduka scored more - 19. Owen was injured for most of the season so it is hardly a fair comparison. Never been convinced that Martins is a reliable starter saw it with Inter. Over the careers of Owen and Viduka their individual strike rates are far better than Martins.

2. I think the FA chickened out on this one.

3. You must be hearing voices “a wide call for him not to be sacked”?

4. Yes but they need to go on an extended winning streak and stop drawing games against teams that they should be beating. The mid-December meeting with Manchester United is crucial – a loss might leave them nine points behind with nearly half the season gone.

An article on what looks to be the impending move of Ruud Gullit to the LA Galaxy.

Update - the deal is done and has been announced. For those who can't be bothered hitting a link here is the article.

The Dutch Royal Family, through the lineage of the House of Orange, can trace its roots back to the 1500s to a man called William of Orange - aka William the Silent. He was called the Silent as he rarely spoke out on controversial matters.

However that trait didn’t stop him from instigating a rebellion against Spain that lasted eighty years before independence for the United Provinces was achieved nearly a century after his birth.

William the Silent is still known in the Netherlands as the “Father of the Fatherland” although sometime in the last five hundred years the Dutch decided that they liked the independence bit but silence was just not for them. 

Just take a look at the in-fighting and public feuding that has been part of most Dutch national teams for good parts of the last thirty odd years. Some may speculate that a calmer more reasonable demeanor might have brought more success to a country that twice lost to home nations in the World Cup Final while flaming out in numerous European Championships and World Cups.

 After all, a single European Championship win in 1988 seems scant reward for a nation that has not only produced some of the world’s greatest players over the last four decades but also some of the most entertaining teams.

 However, it might also be argued – and what is wrong the Dutch would argue with a good argument – that it may be the Dutch characteristic of single-mindedness and an appetite to discuss and debate controversial issues that has actually allowed the Dutch game to grow and prosper not only nationally but internationally.

 It is easy to forget that less than half a century ago Dutch football was an irrelevance. The country may have made it to the 1934 and 1938 World Cup Finals in Italy and France but the amateur footballers of Holland were there to make up the numbers rather than to compete for the trophy.

The turning point came in the mid-fifties as professional teams were sanctioned followed two years later by the creation of a national league. Even then there was no sudden improvement. In the early sixties the Netherlands lost at home to Luxembourg in the European Championship qualifiers – as it happens the last time the Netherlands lost at home in a European qualifying game.

Success came when the authoritative coaching skills of Rinus Michels crossed paths with the fabulous footballing skills of a young Johan Cruyff. Domestic dominance quickly morphed into European success as Ajax won three successive European Cups between 1971 and 1973. Michels became the first top class Dutch coaching export when he left to coach Barcelona after the first European win. Two years later Cruyff also arrived at the Nou Camp.

Both men joined the Los Angeles Aztecs of the NASL for the 1979 season although the spell was largely without success. After the North American sojourn Michels split his time between the Dutch national team and a couple of Bundesliga teams while Cruyff headed home to Holland after a brief spell with Levante in Spain.

Cruyff’s return was fortuitous as it coincided with the emergence of three players who would go on to become part of one of the late 20th century’s great teams – AC Milan. While Marco Van Basten and Frank Rijkaard came under Cruyff’s influence upon his return to Ajax it was not the same for Ruud Gullit.

Gullit had been approached by Ajax as a youngster but the deal was never done. Instead he joined Haarlem before moving to Feyenoord as a 20-year-old in 1982. A year later Dutch football was shocked when Cruyff turned down a contract extension at Ajax and instead opted to join their great rivals Feyenoord. At Feyenoord Gullit was to learn from the master-craftsman.

Later that decade, Van Basten, Rijkaard and Gullit played under Michels in the 1988 European Championship wining side and were signed by Milan’s ambitious owner Silvio Berlusconi.

Berlusconi saw in the three Dutch players a way by which Milan could again dominate Italy and Europe. It worked like a charm and the Milan side with the Dutch trio remains the last team to win back to back European titles. Before their arrival at the San Siro Milan had not won Serie A for almost a decade and the European Cup for nearly 20 years.

But as a player Gullit was never backward about coming forward and was never on Christmas card terms with Fabio Capello or for that matter #### Advocaat. In 1994 Gullit walked out on Advocaat’s Dutch squad just days before the World Cup finals in the USA in 1994.

Injuries took their toll on Gullit and he bounced from Milan to Sampdoria then back to Milan before finally arriving at Stamford Bridge in July 1995. It was a move that reinvigorated the Dutchman and at 33-years-old he was still good enough to finish as runner-up to Eric Cantona as the Premiership Player of the Year.

Glenn Hoddle, the man who signed Gullit, resigned to take the England job in 1996 and the Dutchman was appointed as player-manager to replace him.

The first season in charge brought Chelsea a FA Cup and Gullit became the first non-British manager to win a major English trophy. The year after with his side sitting second in the league and in the last eight of two cup competitions “cuddly” Ken Bates sensationally fired the man who had brought silverware to Stamford Bridge for the first time in 26 years.

To this day it is still unclear as the reasons behind Bates’ actions.

A brief and largely unhappy stint at Newcastle ended after he benched local legend Alan Shearer. Even so Newcastle still made it to the FA Cup Final during his time there only to lose 2-0 to the treble winning Manchester side of 1999.

A period of five years then lapsed before Gullit again took the managerial reins, this time he returned to Feyenoord for the 2004/05 season but a fourth place finish was much below expectations.

So what can the LA Galaxy and fans of MLS teams expect from Ruud Gullit. First of all they are getting a man with the sort of instant credibility that comes from being one of the great players of his generation. His strength, speed, power, skill and tactical acumen made him the consummate modern player.  As a player he was recognized around the world.

Some may describe his managerial record as poor or mediocre but that would be harsh. He won the FA Cup with Chelsea (in the days when Chelsea never won anything) and they were well positioned when he was fired. When put in the context of the time his spell time at Chelsea was a success.

The Newcastle job chewed him up and spat him out. The halcyon days of Kevin Keegan had given way to a brief spell under Kenny Dalglish that finished acrimoniously. Under Gullit Newcastle still reached the FA Cup Final (the only team to reach two consecutive finals and lose both times to teams that completed domestic doubles) but a poor start the following season combined with issues in his private life brought his time to an end after only a year. Although Newcastle could not be considered a success it might be more accurate to describe it as a work in progress prematurely terminated.

Certainly the return of the prodigal son to Feyenoord failed to achieve instant success. The Galaxy will be getting a coach that has had some short sharp managerial lessons administered but by now they should have sunk in.

They’re getting a man who can relate to the Beckham circus having been regarded as a god by Milan fans during his playing days and one that is media savvy.

Probably most importantly they are getting a manager who will not be distracted by the media focus on the Galaxy’s most important investment and who understands that no matter how much media attention, the Galaxy, like every other professional sports team, is in the results business.

It will also have not escaped Gullit’s notice that he will be following in the footsteps of two giants of the game who have also been two of his greatest influences - Michels and Cruyff. 

Twenty-eight years ago the Dutch duo joined a league that was hemorrhaging money and was destined for extinction. Even though Michels was a pioneer who showed the world what Dutch coaching could offer, nothing registered in North America.

But the rest of the globe took notice and you have only to look at the 2006 World Cup in which Leo Beenhakker, Guus Hiddink and #### Advocaat all coached other countries to understand how highly valued and appreciated Dutch coaching is.

But with the exception of Thomas Rongen, MLS has to date not fallen under Dutch influence. Now Gullit, a Dutch football Crown Prince, has been presented with a chance to resurrect his managerial career and to perhaps leave a mark on the game in North America in a way that his royal footballing forefathers could not.  

The Ruud Gullit File
Born Sept 1, 1962, in Amsterdam.

Club Career
Haarlem 1978-1982
Feyenoord 1982-1985
PSV Eindhoven 1985-1987
Milan 1987-1993
Sampdoria 1993-1994
Milan 1994-1995
Sampdoria 1995
Chelsea 1995-98

471 games, 174 goals.

International Career
Netherlands, 66 caps, 16 goals.

Honours
Dutch Second Division 1981
Eredivisie 1984, 1986, 1987
Dutch Cup 1984
Serie A 1988, 1992, 1993
Coppa Italia 1994
Italian Super Cup 1988, 1992, 1994
Champions League 1989, 1990
European Super Cup 1990
Intercontinental Cup 1990
FA Cup 1997
European Championship 1988

 
Managerial Career
Chelsea 1996-1998
1997 Won FA Cup; 6th in Premiership.
Newcastle United 1998-1999
1999 FA Cup Runners Up; 13th in Premiership
Feyenoord 2004-2005
Finished 4th in Eredivisie