Frank Worrall's Blog

NASRI - FRIMPONG WILSHERE DING DONG

2011-08-24T02:57:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the new boy at Arsenal - Emmanuel Frimpong. Only 19 but a powerhouse and he WILL be the new Vieira given time.

Even at so tender an age he had a hell of a lot of balls.

Look at how he stuck it up Jack Wilshere over Samir Nasri's departure to Man City.

Wilshere, a tough little nut himself, had said all the usual crap when Nasri sold his soul for more money.

‘Good luck to my friend @Nanas08 (mr Nasri) learnt a lot from him. World class player! Will be missed!’ Wilshere creeped on Twitter.

Not so Frimpong. The big guy dismissed Jack's words with a heavy dose of cynicism and truth: ‘Pfffff come on Jack.’

The implication being that, no, Nasri's exit was a bad one - and that he hadn't been pulling his weight since his head was turned by the sheik's millions.

Good lad, Manny...keep it up!

FABREGAS - HIGHLIGHTING HOW BARCELONA HAVE AN UGLY SIDE

2011-06-21T05:57:00.000-07:00

Barcelona are the greatest club football team on earth.

Their play is beautiful and dazzling - as I witnessed first hand when they crushed Man United 3-1 at Wembley last month.

But they are no saints. Beneath the beauty likes a tough, sometimes cynical layer.

It sometimes is revealed on the pitch when some players (yes you Dani Alves and Busquets) go down as if they have been shot after a tackle - and when they confront the ref mob-handed.

It also has come to light in their current pursuit of Cesc Fabregas.

Their arrogance is breathtaking - they believe they should get special treatment simply because they are Barca...'more than just a club'??!!

They want Fabregas to sit on the bench until Xabi finally gets too old to continue. But they don't want to pay the appropriate fee for him - as they need to keep their limited transfer fund for Sanchez.

So their despicable president Sandro Rossell comes out with the usual crap - 'Cesc wants to come and is doing everything he can, but we don't think he is worth £35million'. Well, Mr Rossell, forget it, then! That is what I would say if I was Arsene Wenger or the Arsenal board.

Clearly, Rossell is manipulating the situation in the hope that Fabregas will force through the deal on Barca's terms. That he will say he will strike, he will not play, so that Arsenal have to sell.

Someone at the Emirates needs to tell this pumped-up little shit to either put up - or shut up. They think they're the world's biggest club - well, act like it then - pay the money that Fabregas is worth, even if you have to raise it by selling Villa...instead of playing little games...or crawl back under your stone and keep quiet.

Lampard to Tottenham in Modric deal?

2011-06-21T05:37:00.000-07:00

More noises coming from the Bridge after the shock appointment of Andre Villas-Boas...

Roman is still desperate to sign Luka Modric and one plan being mooted is to offer Frank Lampard to Spurs as a £5million makeweight in a £32million deal.

The idea being that Lampard would be a sweetener to help calm Harry Redknapp down - how could he complain about getting his nephew, even if he did lose his second best player (after Baley)?

Andre Villas-Boas - Roman's biggest gamble

2011-06-21T05:29:00.000-07:00

I have just been told by Stamford Bridge insiders that Andre Villas-Boas has resigned as Porto boss and is on his way to London to take over from Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea.

The decision to appoint the 33-year-old former 'facts man' for Mourinho is Roman Abramovich's biggest gamble yet.

How will he cope with the huge egos in the Chelsea dressing room - particularly older stars like Lampard and Terry who think they are as influential voices at the club as the manager?

And how will he persuade big names from around the world to join him - the likes of Sanchez or Neymar would probably say 'who' if you asked them whether they would like to work for Villas-Boas.

Roman is aware of all that - indeed it has been said he had even considered Terry or Lampard as coach with Hiddink as director of football.

In the end, he threw the dice and decided to go for broke with Villas-Boas. The Portuguese has been promised he will have major funds to spend and that he will be backed if there is any friction with any of those big, older names in the dressing room.

Roman wants the team to play better football and be sharper - and it has been mentioned that one of Villas-Boas's more unpleasant tasks will be to actually dismantle the team of the big egos, and replace them with younger alternatives.

Good luck Andre - you will need it, you have a major overhaul of a job on your hands.

MAN UTD SIGN PHIL JONES

2011-06-08T05:56:00.000-07:00

Man United have just signed Blackburn defender Phil Jones for £16million.

That will most likely see the departure of Darron Gibson and Wes Brown to Sunderland for a combined £7million.

John O'Shea may also join them at the Stadium of Light.

Utd did not expect to have to pay full wack for Jones but their hand was forced by the late intervention of Liverpool.

Jones and Smalling is the preferred centre-back pairing of the future for Fergie - and that could also mean Jonny Evans leaving the club. He has not progressed as expected over the last 12 months.

THE REAL CAPELLO DILEMMA

2011-06-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

The real problem with Fabio Capello in the England job is that he has no incentive to develop the team for the World Cup of 2014.

He has 12 months to go on his contract so all his efforts are tied to Euro 2012. It means he has no carrot to get more younger players into the team. Hence the retention of the likes of Lampard, Terry, Rio, Barry.

While the big guns - like Spain, Germany and Argentina and Brazil - have lowered the age of their teams, ours remains relatively stagnant.

Also, he seems more naturally inclined to promote journeymen befoe artists - hence the ridiculous decision to use Milner instead of Ashley Young from the start of the Switzerland encounter!

It don't look good for 2014 onwards...

ASHLEY YOUNG MAN UTD

2011-06-07T07:31:00.001-07:00

JUST heard that Ashley Young IS now going to sign for Man United.

A great move for player and club. Ashley is probably the most improved player in the Premier League and on the international stage over the last 12 months.

He will provide the much needed creativity Utd have lacked in midfield - he can play either wide left or centre midfield left. I know he can also play in 'the hole' but Fergie hasn't bought him for that role. Rooney and Chicharito are the two men in possession around that area of the field!

United now need one more central midfield player to lift spirits (and to believe they can get closer to Barca). Perm one of three from Nasri, Modric or Sneider...

MARK HUGHES - GETTING TOO BIG FOR HIS BOOTS

2011-06-06T11:22:00.000-07:00

SO Mark Hughes left Fulham because he thought he should be at a bigger/better club - and becaue they could not match his ambitions.

What a bloody big head! Old Sparky used to be one of my heroes in the 80s but he has gone down in my estimation now.

Just what has he done as a manager to make him think he is so good?

He has won nothing and Roberto Mancini is doing a much better job at Man City.

Hughes did well with Wales and kept Blackburn up and led Fulham to 8th spot in the league - a place lower than previous incumbent Roy Hodgson!

I would be amazed if Chelsea go for him - has he proved he can handle big-name, big ego players like Terry and Lampard?

And Aston Villa? Surely they would be better off with the man Hughes seems to think he is as good as...the man who is top notch and who doesn't need to shout about it...yes, DAVID MOYES...although I would imagine Everton fans would, quite rightly, have something to say about that!

THE HUMAN LEAGUE - MARTIN RUSHENT

2011-06-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

Very sad to hear the great Martin Rushent has died.

I came to know him when I worked for what used to be Melody Maker in Sheffield in the 1980s.

He produced one of the great albums of all time - The Human League's DARE.

From that album came one of the seminal pop singles ever - the brilliant Don't You Want Me, which came to encapsulate the era for me and which remains one of my favourite (if not the) of all time.

RIP Martin - and thanks for the great memories...

MAN UTD - A MESSAGE OF HOPE AFTER THE BARCA DESPAIR

2011-06-02T03:07:00.000-07:00

If you are a Utd fan, thought you might enjoy this message of hope - brought about via an interchange between two loyal Utd supporters the Monday after the 3-1 loss to Barca at Wembley...

'JOHN'

Can't really believe I'm daring to ask this, and I am feeling very low, but I will: Has SAF reached the end of the road? He is the greatest manager on these shores. But, even if he kept plugging away for the next ten years, would he overcome Barca? Even when the likes of Xavi and Iniesta have packed it in they will still have enough to shaft us (cos Messi will still be there) ...unless the Glazers dig deep. And we know the answer to that, don't we?
God, I feel gutted today. Awful, awful, awful

'MIKE'

Morning John...a sickener, yes, but not the end of the road (or the world). We keep the faith and believe...remember those dark days of 2004 and 2005? When we finished third in both seasons behind Arsenal in 04 and Chelsea in 05? When it looked like we might never win the league again as the Abramovich era truly kicked in? When Chelsea had money to blow and United looked to be in decline under the parsimonious new dawn of the Glazers? When all that was confirmed by Chelsea retaining the league title in 06?
When Fergie was being abused by his own fans - and Chelsea looked unbeatable?
What happened next? Somehow Fergie breathed new life into his team - and Manchester United miraculously won the title in 07, 08 and 09...and the Champions League in 08!

OK, Barca are good - brilliant, in fact - but they haven't yet experienced a rocky run. Messi has never been sidelined for a long spell with injury. Eventually their luck with injuries will run out - how would they cope if Messi, Xavi and Iniesta were out? Let's wait and see. They have been incredibly lucky but their luck will run out - and look how Chelsea struggled when Lampard was out injured.

If they suffered injuries in midfield, how would the defence cope if they were under siege? Barca are also not that good in central defence...how would Pique cope with sustained attacks?

We know they have the best team in the world, but do they have the best squad - do they have men capable of coming in to do the same job as Messi and Co?

Plus Fergie will already be plotting how to strengthen the team. Basically, Giggs and Carrick were not strong enough to cope with Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets. There is an argument that we would have been better off with the bustle, hustle and pace of Fletcher and Anderson.

We have already set up a deal for Ashley Young and if we could get Luka Modric or Wesley Schneider, we would be stronger and more able to have a go. Plus Valencia and Chicharito will get better - they froze at Wembley, and our new keeper will hopefully be sharper than VDS was (he should have at least stopped the Messi goal).

For all their possession they only beat us by two goals - and one of those should have been saved.

I am confident Fergie will sort it and we will be back - just as we came back in 2007after it looked like Chelsea would dominate. Keep the faith!

PS I also believe Mourinho could well derail Barca next season - you never know, it could be us v Real Madrid in Munich come May 2012!

MICHAEL OWEN - THE FUTURE FOR MAN UTD?

2011-06-02T02:54:00.000-07:00

After the humbling United suffered at Wembley at the hands of Barca, most Utd fans I know were looking for a sign from Fergie of how he intended to get closer to the Catalans next season.

A big signing - a la Modric, Sneijder, or even a semi major one like Ashley Young - would have appeared the perfect antitode to lift spirits.

Especially as just days after the defeat at Wembley, Paul Scholes announced he was off into the Chadderton sunset.

So all I heard was a collective groan of despair - and disbelief - when Fergie trumpeted the signing of...Michael Owen...or at least his re-signing for another year.

Is this a warning of things to come? That a bloke who has lost a yard of pace will still be vital as Utd try to make up ground on Barca? Are the Glazers still refusing to let go of the purse strings?

Surely Fergie would have been wiser to have allowed Owen to go to Aston Villa - and let Danny Welbeck have his chance if Utd are short of money? A depressing start to the new world after the Barca hiding for Man Utd fans...

DAVID BOWIE

2011-05-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

Really great to see the Thin White Duke looking well in Manhattan last week at a party hosted by Rhiannon.

I had heard grim stories that Bowie was having treatment for this and that in NYC and that friends were very worried about his state of health.

Those rumours were fuelled by David becoming a virtual recluse in his apartment.

But now we have the proof that he is still OK - great news - he is, in my humble opinion, the greatest music legend ever...along with Lennon. Long may you continue to reign, Ziggy!

PS Any chance of one final legendary tour, David??

Man City want Drogba, Tevez to Chelsea?

2011-05-17T05:11:00.000-07:00

Another 'highly possible' move is that of Didier Drogba to Man City in the summer - with the Blues 'very keen' to take Carlos Tevez to London to partner Torres.

Ashley Young to Man Utd, Scott Parker to Arsenal

2011-05-17T05:08:00.000-07:00

Have heard from good sources that Villa's Ashley Young will join Man Utd this summer, with Nani possibly departing.

Also that Scott Parker will become one of the few players over 30 Arsene Wenger will deign to sign - and that the Arsenal boss (along with Liverpool's Kenny Dalglish) is interested in Villa's Nigel Reo-Coker, who is available on a free transfer this summer.

Man United Champions league final tickets

2011-05-17T04:55:00.000-07:00

Manchester United's army of loyal fans can feel rightly aggrieved by the club's stance on the distribution of Champions League final tickets.

OK, they only get 25,000 from a total of 86,000 for the clash with Barca at Wembley at the end of the month.

But surely they could have allocated them more fairly?

My understanding is that 8,000 of the 25,000 were immediately handed over to 'corporate fans' - ie the lucky buggers who can afford £50k a season for an 'exec' season ticket.

Surely it would have been fairer to have lumped the 8,000 tickets into a ballot with the remaining 17,000? ie put all 25,000 into a one-off ballot?

Just because the blokes in the boxes have more money doesn't mean they are any more loyal to the club than the bloke who has a £500 season ticket in the Stretford End. Well, does it?

How an Arsenal fan came to revere Sir Alex Ferguson

2011-05-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Frank Scicluna of Man Utd website TrulyReds for the following review on my book on Sir Alex Ferguson...

How an Arsenal fan came to revere Sir Alex
By: Frank Scicluna on 13 February 2011

If you are anything like me, reading a good book on a lazy Sunday is one of the most enjoyable times of the week – unless you have a game to watch which in this day and age happens more often than I would like. Call me an old fart if you want but a 3pm kick off on a Saturday afternoon is what I grew up with and freely admit that I yearn for the return of those long gone days. For those who may feel the same way, Truly Reds will therefore attempt to review one of the many Manchester United related books each Sunday which may tempt you to go out an get for a relaxing weekend read.

One you may have missed is Walking in a Fergie Wonderland: The Biography by Frank Worrall simply because most of the focus in 2010 was on Football – Bloody Hell!: The Biography of Alex Ferguson by Patrick Barclay. It’s a great pity because Wonderland is a wonderful read in its own right. The author is a journalist who writes regularly for the Sunday Times and the Sun. He is also the author of number one bestseller Roy Keane: Red Man Walking, and countless football books including Rooney: Wayne’s World, Giggsy and The Magnificent Sevens.

As Arsenal supporter Ben Felsenburg explained on Amazon.co.uk after coming across the book by sheer chance “I’ll confess: I’m an Arsenal fan, and I wouldn’t ordinarily think of reading a biography of Alex Ferguson. But staying round at a friend’s house who is a lifelong United supporter, I grabbed his newly purchased copy of Walking In A Fergie Wonderland more or less at random as a bedtime read and found it so hard to put down it was only four hours later, having got to the end, that I could turn the light out.

As Worrall makes clear, Ferguson is the definitive manager of the last 30 years, the man who straddles the game in the manner of Paisley, Clough and Busby and the other titans of old, a figure of adoration for Manchester United fans and for the rest of us the worthiest of foes. Worrall outlines Ferguson’s copious achievements – multiple domestic and European glory on both sides of the border – with the full, incisive analysis they merit, spiced up with telling anecdotes of Robson, Giggs, Cantona, Rooney and the United boss’s other loyal troops.

This is a proper football book, focused on the game and the players’ activities on the pitch because true fans don’t want any of that peripheral celebrity gossip. It’s clear that Worrall has the insider’s connections and expert insight and he tells Ferguson’s incredible story with compelling simplicity and an empathetic feel for the Scotsman’s extraordinary character.

In short, it’s an unmissable read for Manchester United fans but there’s also plenty here to interest anyone with the slightest interest in football in the modern age. It won’t stop me cheering Arsenal on just as loudly next time they play Ferguson’s men, but I’ll understand the reverence United fans feel for their hero and saviour much more.”

It’s certainly refreshing to find a fan of one of United’s fiercest rivals being so fulsome in his acclaim for Sir Alex so it may say something about his story as told by the author. Who knows, I may come across a similar biography of Arsene Wenger one day which may prompt me to acquire the same admiration for him.

Is it really so difficult to show your admiration for a rival player or manager?

Guardiola Arsenal, Mourinho Man Utd, Barcelona, Real Madrid

2011-04-28T02:10:00.000-07:00

Was disappointed that Barca won 2-0 at Madrid last night.

It means the final at Wembley will probably not be as exciting.

Man Utd v Real Madrid had lots of potential with two even teams.

Man Utd v Barca is likely to be a repeat of the 2009 final when Utd struggled to get the ball.

I think there is something in what Mourinho had to say about Barca and refs: They do seem to favour the Catalans. If, as likely, it is Utd v Barca at Wembley you're better off putting your money on which Utd player Alves and Co are likely to get sent off....probably in this order...1. Rafael (if he plays) 2. Rooney 3. Vidic. 4. Evra.

Barca are hard to play when it is 11 v 11. Hopefully the Wembley ref will have the guts to stand up to their play acting. Sure, they are a beautiful team but they are also no angels. Like Mourinho, they are masters of the dark arts - only they are more subtle in how they employ them.

Mourinho v Guardiola is shaping up into the next big battle of the bosses for the next decade.

Just as we had Ferguson v Wenger for many years, so the Mour/Pep rivalry could come to dominate English football for the next decade.

I can see Mourinho taking command at United and Pep continuing Wenger's good work at Arsenal.

Brilliant Beatles book by Martin Creasy

2011-04-14T05:33:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for a top-notch book to read why not try Beatlemania: The Real Story of The Beatles UK Tours by Martin Creasy.

It is the No 1 Beatles book of the moment - both in chart placings and quality - and I can thoroughly recommend it.

Creasy delves behind the headlines to bring a wealth of minute detail and previously unknown facts about the Fab Four.

And the boy has certainly put in the leg work! I understand it took him THREE YEARS of interviews and research to get the book together and it shows. Meticulous, entertaining and definitely one of the best books of the year so far.

You can get it from -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beatlemania-Real-Story-Beatles-Tours/dp/1849386595/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302784404&sr=1-1

Giggs v Raul

2011-04-14T05:28:00.000-07:00

The enduring talents of Ryan Giggs and Raul are likely to decide who faces Barcelona or Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

Giggs, 37, and Raul, 35, have been the star men in both Manchester United's relative cruise to the semis and Schalke's surprise arrival there.

Looking at it on paper, you would say United were lucky - that they got the easiest route to the final with Schalke rather than Barca or Real.

But the Germans are no one's fools and could pull off another shock if Utd are not at their very best, or if Giggsy gets injured beforehand.

I still go for United to triumph with maybe a 2-1 win in Germany and a 1-1 draw at OT. United's record against German teams (apart from 1999 of course) does leave a lot to desire, and they will have to overcome that particular 'jinx' if they are to go on to Wembley.

In the other semi, I know Barca should win, but who can write off Mourinho? He has set up a disciplined, hard-to-beat and yet attacking force and they could just upset the odds.

Drop Wayne Rooney for Hernandez

2011-03-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

That overhead super goal against Man City apart, Wayne Rooney has simply not justified his starting place in the Man United line-up this season.

He is out of form and seems to be suffering mentally. He needs to get some help from a therapist to overcome the problems that are clearly dogging his return to something like the Rooney we knew a year ago.

In the meantime, it is simply not right that the brilliant, in-form Chicarito stays sidelined on the bench while Rooney struggles. The Mexican boy should be in the team - he is the new Solskjaer.

ALEX McLEISH BIRMINGHAM 'SMALL CLUB' CLANGER

2011-03-01T04:51:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Birmingham City and their fans on that stunning Carling Cup win over much-fancied Arsenal.

Also to Alex McLeish for masterminding the victory - he has now staked his claim to be seen as a top manager in England as well as Scotland.

Just a word to the wise though, Alex, old chum...it is not a good way to endear yourself to Birmingham supporters by describing their football club as 'a small club' towards 'big club Arsenal'!

Check the history books - Brum haven't always been struggling at the bottom of the league, Alex. In England they are considered more than a small club - they are a club with a big history and good support!

Dalglish Carroll Torres Adam

2011-02-01T06:08:00.000-08:00

Why the big deal over yesterday's spending spree in the football world?

I see people shaking their heads and moaning that it is a disgrace, that it is inappropriate in the current econmic climate.

My view is the exact opposite - that it is great news and a real boost to the game. It is the stuff of fantasy football - and isn't that what football is, after all?

Fantasy - an escape from the doldrums and harshness of reality?

I am very proud that the English league is the biggest spender in all of Europe - it shows we are still tops, still thriving and not on our knees as some would have had you believe.

And as for the deals? All excellent in my humble opinion. All beneficial to the clubs involved and all have given a major lift to those clubs.

Liverpool get rid of a disgruntled employee who now becomes non disgruntled as he heads for a fantasy strike force that could win Chelsea the Champions League - yes, Torres and Drogba.

Liverpool then bring in the best homegrown forward since Shearer to lift their spirits and put some fire into the belly of their team and their fans. Andy Carroll is not overpriced if he fires Liverpool into the top four and he could link up well with the more subtle Luis Suarez.

My only quibble if I were a Liverpool fan would be that they did not buy Charlie Adam. All the talk is of how Liverpool's new owners have splashed out millions, which proves they are not like the old owners. But do the math as those very same Yank owners might say - have they actually splashed out that much? Torres went for £48million while Carroll cost £35.5million and Suarez cost £22.5m - a total of £58million. So the new owners have actually invested £10million. Is that big bucks these days? Surely they could have upped their bid for Adam from £10m to the £12.5m which would have secured him? That would have made their investment a total of £22.5m.

Liverpool now have the firepower with the two new men up front, but do they have the man to supply them with the ammunition? Debatable. Adam is that man - he has all the makings of a new Paul Scholes and I believe Kenny may have dropped a clanger by not signing him. My information is that Adam will now end up replacing Scholes at Old Trafford come July.

Also, why would he have gone to Tottenham? And why would Redknapp have bought him? His urgent need is for a top-class centre forward, he has quality midfielders aplenty.

Perhaps the best deal was the one that has claimed the least number of column inches...David Luiz. The Brazilian centre half is just what Chelsea need as they still to struggle to cope with the loss of Carvalho, the absence through injury of Alex and the rocky form of Terry. Luiz is young, strong and can, along with Alex when fit, become the new bedrock from which the Blues can build anew.

It all makes for a much more interesting, exciting season...

Twitter

2011-01-12T07:20:00.000-08:00

Am now (as of yesterday) on Twitter if you want to keep up with instant gossip/news etc...eg I said yesterday that Kenny Dalglish should sign Charlie Adam - he obviously reads my stuff, he is now in the chase for him!

DALGLISH SHOULD BUY CHARLIE ADAM

2011-01-10T08:35:00.000-08:00

..and one wee tip, Kenny boy - why don't you spend the best £2.5million you will ever spend and sign Charlie Adam from Blackpool if you want to add some creativity to that struggling midfield? He is a good lad, Scottish like you and could be the buy of the season (and this is from a Manchester lad genuinely trying to help you out for old time's sake!!)

DALGLEEESH! THE RETURN OF KENNY DALGLISH

2011-01-10T08:19:00.000-08:00

Welcome back Kenny...it has been a long time since I last saw you - and many things have changed.

You have made a good move in appointing Steve Clarke as head coach, he was after all the man behind the throne with Mourinho at Chelsea...

Also good to see you getting all stressed and angry when decisions went against you. A big club like Liverpool needs a man of passion. Good luck - you may need it...but remember, in your favour, is the fact that probably only the aforementioned Mourinho could steal your limelight, and he is heading for Man United next...

ROY HODGSON PAUL JEWELL IPSWICH TOWN

2011-01-10T08:09:00.000-08:00

It strikes me that Ipswich Town have dropped a major blunder by appointing Paul Jewell as their new manager.

Jewell is a renowned firefighter but can he take the club forward - is he not a Roy Keane without the stardust?

Surely the board should have seen that the very man to take them on a step or two has just become available - in fact, he is headline news - yes, Mr Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson and Ipswich were made for each other. He always does his best work at family style clubs (think Fulham) and could have 'done a Bobby Robson' at Portman Road.

It is a big chance missed for Town. Shame.

JOOLS HOLLAND

2011-01-01T18:36:00.000-08:00

Is it me - or is the Jools Holland hootenanny no longer any good?

Watched a bit of it on NYE but turned it off. It has never been the same since I learned it was not live, but taped a while before NYE.

It feels as if we are being taken the piss out of when a load of bloated, freeloading 'celebs' are seen knocking back the wine etc and pretending it is NYE, when it is probably actually Dec 10.

The solution? Holland needs to live up to his 'man of principle' persona and insist that from next NYE the show goes out live. Jeez, if the stars of Corrie can do it, why can't Jools?

CHELSEA - HIDDINK, ANCELOTTI

2010-12-28T04:20:00.001-08:00

Much talk around Chelsea FC today that Roman's nervy finger may be hovering above the trigger re Ancelotti. Given funds and time (much as was the case with Big Phil Scolari) I am sure the Italian would turn Chelsea into a force again, but Roman does not have much respect for the virtues of patience. I am told that he misses Guus Hiddink, that he liked the big Dutchman being around the place - and that he would be the No 1 choice (also among the players) if Carlo bites the bullet.

ANCELOTTI ENGLAND

2010-12-21T03:53:00.001-08:00

...and that it may not be Harry Redknapp who becomes the next England manager. Insiders at the FA tell me that they are looking seriously at the claims of Carlo Ancelotti to take over from fellow Italian Capello. Unlike Capello, he speaks English fluently and is more of a communicator (ie less distanced). Also, his record at Chelsea and AC Milan speaks for itself...and he would like the job!

ALLARDYCE WEST HAM

2010-12-21T03:50:00.000-08:00

Just heard from 'a source' (as they say in the game!) that Sam Allardyce is the man most likely to take over from Avram Grant if, as expected, he goes within the next fortnight...

NEWCASTLE, ALAN PARDEW, MIKE ASHLEY

2010-12-09T03:13:00.000-08:00

JUST seen that Newcastle have appointed Alan Pardew as their manager. That in itself not a shock (although I don't see what credentials he has for the job apart from being a mate of Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias).

But the really big shock is this - he has been given a FIVE AND A HALF YEAR CONTRACT!!!

Jeez, the way Ashley runs such a fine, proud club is unbelievable. He gets rid of a man who has done well (Hughton) and brings in a bloke who has proved nothing - and then gives him a deal that is longer than any manager in the game (including Sir Alex, Ancelotti and Wenger).

Pardew will be lucky to be there in FIVE AND A HALF MONTHS, let alone five and a half years! Then, the Toon will have to pay him up for the FIVE YEARS he doesn't work for them - at a time when cash is in short supply. Absolute bloody madness...

Laurent Blanc pushes his credentials for Manchester United

2010-11-30T06:52:00.000-08:00

Meant to say this after France's emphatic 2-1 win over England at Wembley last week...

Laurent Blanc has yet again reinforced his case to be considered as one of the three favourites for the Manchester United job (along with Mourinho and Moyes) when Fergie finally hangs up his chewing gum for good.

He did a fine job previously at Bordeaux, guiding them to the 2009 league and cup double and took over a mess after Raymond Domenech's reign rightly collapsed after the fiasco suffered by the Frencg in South Africa.

Already Blanc has turned things around - bringing much more vitality, creativity and energy to the French national side, as exemplified by their easy demolition of England.

If the United board decide Mourinho would only come in for a couple of years - and would pay no attention to youth development etc as is his usual way - Blanc would rival Moyes as a serious empire builder at Old Trafford. And Blanc has also the advantage of playing at Old Trafford at the end of his career.

He might just be l'homme spécial...

Messi, Ronaldo, Mourinho, Guardiola...and Mark Hughes!

2010-11-30T06:42:00.001-08:00

Well, that was a shock result was it not - 5-0 to Barca as they crushed Real Madrid at the Old Camp last night (it should be renamed the Old Camp rather than the Nou Camp as it is such an old crumbling wreck of a stadium - or at least it was when I last visited it three years ago).

I am sure Jose Mourinho will have been up most the night following the crash plotting how he can reshape his team to make it more like his bonecrushing Inter outfit of the previous season. I am not convinced by his three summer signings - di Maria can run like a greyhound but is not in the same class as Antonio Valencia, Luis Nani, Ashley Young or Florent Malouda, let alone Messi and Ronaldo. Marty Feldmen, sorry Mesut Ozil has gone backwards since the World Cup and Sami Khedira looked a journeyman holding midfielder.

But, apart from the scoreline, the biggest shock of the night - for me, anyway - was the sight of Mark Hughes on the touchline as part of the SkySport's analysis team.

In the middle of a week when he would surely have been better advised to stay in the cold of London to work on his struggling Fulham team, he is out in Spain being paid money he surely does not need for work he surely does not need.

If I were Mohamed Al Fayed or any of those Fulham players looking for inspiration as a relegation battle looms, I would be a bit peeved at the sight of the manager enjoying a nice little earner over in Spain...

ANDY CARROLL ENGLAND

2010-11-18T11:56:00.000-08:00

Andy did good against France for England - as I said he would!

He was big and confident in the air but, more impressively, was also excellent on the ground for a big fella. One little jink past two defenders in the first half would have left any winger proud.

So it is important Capello perseveres with him. It will be especially interesting to see how he works with Rooney when Wayne returns to the England fold next time.

Of the rest of the England team - Kieran Gibbs and Jordan Henderson...OK fragile but deserve another chance.

The one man who should be out of the team - and surely will be when Jack Wilshere finally makes the first XI after injury - is Gareth Barry. I am baffled what Capello sees in him - passes astray, poor tackling and a yard off the pace.

ANDY CARROLL

2010-11-09T03:17:00.000-08:00

The big raw Newcastle centre forward must play for England against France next week.

At last, we have found a striker who can hopefully prove a proper foil to Rooney.

Crouch, Heskey etc - all pretenders.

Carroll has the fear factor they never had. A big horrible bastard (and I mean that as a compliment, Andy!) who scares the shit out of defenders.

A Mark Hately for the 2010s. Bring him on...

HARRY REDKNAPP INTER MILAN

2010-11-02T10:14:00.001-07:00

Big moment for 'Arry tonight...

He desperately needs a win against Internazionale at White Hart Lane.

He ain't won against any of the Prem's big four for an eternity - but a win against the European champs would reinforce his credentials to be viewed as the next manager of England.

Defeat would be a body blow - my opinion is that he has got a great midfield with Huddlestone and Modric etc but needs a real striker to replace Crouch (Andy Carroll of Newcastle maybe??). Plus his defence - without King and Dawson - could well struggle against Sneijder, Milito and Co.

By the way , it was great to see 'Mad Rafa..I talk about facts' Benitez' back in London.

He did himself proud in his eternal pursuit of Eric Cantona's crown as football's enigmatic linguistic master, with the line: 'Some people cannot see a priest on a mountain of sugar.'

But he is wasting his time. He will never be as talented - off or on the pitch - as the legend who is King Eric.

Coronation Street has a problem

2010-11-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

An unusual one this, I know it ain't got nothing to do with football...

But it struck me today that I bet the Corry producers are praying there are no casualties from today's gas blast in Salford.

If there were, it would be inappropriate to say the least if they were still to go ahead with their planned tram disaster episodes next month, which apparently result from a gas blast below the viaduct at Coronation Street...in Salford.

A million pound special could be in jeopardy...

George Best

2010-10-28T03:25:00.000-07:00

So United finally got around to doing something right after I suggested they should have bought George Best's 1968 European Cup medal.

No, they didn't actually stump up the £156k for that one (which they should have done - and put it in the museum).

But, in a case of better late than never, they have at least bought Nobby Stiles' World Cup winning medal and some memorabilia for £160k.

A United spokesperson said: 'We’re delighted to have acquired these items, which possess tremendous historical significance for Manchester United and English football, and look forward to proudly displaying them in our museum.'

Fair enough...but wouldn't George's medal have meant even more given that he is arguably United's greatest ever player?

It is a major bollock dropped by the world's biggest football club.

John O'Shea - worth £16.5m deal?

2010-10-28T03:18:00.000-07:00

Let's assume for a second that Rooney really did threaten to leave United because of the club's 'lack of ambition' rather than wanting more money himself.

If that was the case, he would surely now be thinking of doing a U-turn (again) and quitting the T of Dreams next summer if the club's ambition amounts to offering John O'Shea a £16.5million deal for the next four years?

The bloke is a journeyman footballer - on 'a modest 80k a week'....'modest'...Jeez, what is the game coming to? United would be better off letting him go and ploughing the £5million fee (probably from someone like Everton, who seem keen on Utd old boys) into buying real quality players...

Roberto Mancini...the befuddled 'Bobby Manc'...

2010-10-26T05:21:00.000-07:00

Questions are starting to be asked about the reign of the so-called 'Bobby Manc' at Manchester City.

Yes, Mancini.

What the hell was he doing playing Dedryck Boyata in the first place?

The Belgian youngster started in place of Joleon Lescott, who partnered John Terry in central defence for England against Montenegro a few weeks ago.

Why wasn't Lescott lining up with Kompany against Arsenal? He is a much better player and a better bet than Boyata - especially in such a big match.

It don't make any sense, Roberto...call yourself a true Manc?

Rooney, Fergie....the secret deal behind the deal

2010-10-26T05:07:00.000-07:00

SO, are we all sitting happily?

Contented with the deal that keeps Rooney at OT "for five years" and shows Fergie is still the man in charge?

Well, I wouldn't get too comfy and contented if you are a United fan (or MUFC fan as Wayne would have it).

My information is that there is a secret deal behind the deal - one very similar to the one Cristiano forced through before joining Madrid.

Just as Ronaldo gave Utd one final season's service - so Rooney apparently is keen to do the same. He was shocked, bewildered and frightened by the reaction to his decision to seek a transfer - especially when the blokes in hoodies turned up outside his house.

So he instructed his agent to broker the new deal which, on paper, looks a facesaver all round.

But don't be surprised when he leaves in 8 or 20 months - in Rooney's eyes he will have now done the 'honourable' thing ie made sure that Fergie gets the proper transfer fee for his services - say £65m - rather than the the £25m Chelsea would have paid come January.

Both men are happy and live happily ever after...his new club then is likely to be Madrid or Man City (Chelsea will not now be able to finance a bigger money deal...their upper limit was £25m). City if he makes up with Coleen or Madrid if he needs a new career in a new town...

Come on Rooney - forget the ambition scam, it's all about the readies

2010-10-21T08:23:00.000-07:00

I felt disgusted last night when Wayne Rooney released his statement three hours before United's Champions League clash.

If we ever wondered how selfish he could be if pushed, this unacceptable move provided an answer. Three hours before his team-mates were due to play - throwing the club into yet more turmoil just before a vital match.

OK, of course we all know the statement wasn't actually from Roon - it was from his lawyers/agent but he knew about it and that it was going to be released, surely he could have held the wolves off for another day?

No, the Roon circus wanted to capture the limelight once again - even if it meant a situation that could have affected his team-mates.

As for the claim that Rooney wants to go because Utd lack ambition - hey, I thought we were in October, not April 1!

Pull the other one, mate.

No, that was merely a clever ploy to try to detract some of the abuse he is getting (and not enjoying) off himself - to feed the Glazers to the lions, yes, they are to blame for me wanting away. What a load of bullshit! Don't get me wrong, United would be much better off as a football club if the Glazers were gone and the likes of say Man City's owners took control.

But don't be taken in by this scam by Roon - he wants to leave because he wants more money, the whole thing is about the readies.

He is jealous Ronaldo earns more than him and that the likes of Yaya Toure and Tevez at Man City also do - and he knows Chelsea, Real, Barca or City will all pay him more.

ROONEY = KAKA PLUS £10M...FERGIE'S FACESAVER?

2010-10-20T07:08:00.001-07:00

News reaches me from the bowels of Old Trafford and the Bernabeu that Jose Mourinho wants Rooney to join him, but he has a problem.

How can he keep good friends with Fergie and Utd if he takes the boy for what would probably be a knockdown £25m in January? Especially as Jose wants to be the next boss at Utd when Fergie retires..

How to find a solution to satisfy everyone? Easy, if your name is Mourinho. You do Fergie and Utd a favour!

You swop Rooney for Kaka and also give United £10m or the chance to take Diarra too.

That way Utd and Fergie get a world-class name to quell the fans' anger and Jose is a hero too for his fair treatment in effectively valuing Rooney at £65m.

The only hitch they would all have to settle? Persuading Kaka that United were still a side capable of winning the biggest honours...and not just a feeder club for Madrid! And persuading Roon to go to Madrid rather than Chelsea...

STRACHAN

2010-10-19T05:55:00.000-07:00

How refreshing to see Gordon Strachan refuse to take the million pound sweetener that was his by rights when he left Middlesbrough.

Most managers would have grabbed the money without a second thought.

It is especially positive because the wee man has not always been the easiest man to like in the game.

He has had frequent hissy fits and can be irritating as hell. Like the time one reporter mate of mine asked him if he could have a quick word as Strachan was leaving Celtic Park for a training session with the Hoops.

'Yeah, sure,' Strachan replied in a 'fuck-you, pal' voice. 'Velocity.'

ROONEY AND FERGUSON

2010-10-19T05:29:00.000-07:00

So...what to make of the saga of the two Old Trafford key men a couple of days after it all blew up?

Well, I did the first ever book on Wayne in 2004 and found him a really good lad - sure, he had a side that marked him down as a loveable, likeable rogue, but he was also down-to-earth and easy to talk with.

Six years on, the boy has changed - and not for the better. If he was the equivalent of 11 or 12 in 2004 in true emotional terms, he is now like the stereotypical moody, miexd up, messed up teenager. Rebellious, troublesome and wrong in the way he thinks he is right.

He is not worth the £200k a week he is asking for at the moment - and he is not as good as he thinks he is right now. He needs someone to tell him to buckle down, work hard and get his form back.

Unfortunately, when Fergie did just that, he took it the wrong way - his head is too big and he won't listen to advice.

My understanding is that Fergie is backed by the board for taking a moral stance and, even more importantly, by Sir Bobby Charlton - who was very upset that the club's name was dragged through the mud with the prostitute allegations.

This is Fergie's last stand and a fight he has to win, he hopes with a public backdown from Rooney and a pledge to stay.

If not, he will let him go and try to build one final great team - and he will spend all the cash he gets for him to quell any fans' rebellion over the idea that the Glazers are using the money to fund their debts.

I also hear that if Rooney does leave, his preferred option is Chelsea and his old mate, John Terry.

On this one, I back Fergie - and hope Wayne comes to his senses, backs down and stays...

Lisandro Lopez - another Cantona? Utd should sign him

2010-10-14T04:56:00.000-07:00

I see from today's Daily Mail that Lyon's Lisandro Lopez is being eyed by Spurs and Liverpool (although I can't see how Liverpool can really be eyeing anyone at the moment with their nightmare off the pitch!)

I saw Lopez last year in the Champions League and thought he looked a class act - and he could also be a body double for Eric 'the King' Cantona. Lopez impressed me with his skill and raw determination - surely he would be a good signing for Man Utd?

If he made half the impression Cantona made at OT he would be worthwhile at around £14million...I hear he even has 'issues' like Eric had ie being a winner...and never wanting to lose...sounds good to me

Get a driver, George Michael!

2010-10-12T06:45:00.000-07:00

Just a quickie...re George Michael's freedom after his jail spell for crashing his car while under the influence...why not just get a driver, George? Surely you can afford one with all your millions, mate - it would save you a helluva lot of aggro!!

O'NEILL IN, CAPELLO OUT?

2010-08-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

SO Martin O'Neill exits Villa Park and the thickheads at the FA haven't even noticed.

Well, surely if they had, they would be having clandestine meetings with the man who could do a job for them?

The FA have got a lot of things wrong over the last six months - including the bungling decision to extend Capello's contract as England boss before the World Cup -but now here is a big chance for them to make some sort of amends.

Adrian Bevington of 'Club England' has already said he wants an English boss next to take charge of the national side.

But there are only two realistic candidates who fall into that category - Harry Redknapp and Woy Hodgson.

Woy is hardly likely to leave Anfield - unless he gets the boot, in which case his standing falls dramatically anyway - and the FA are wary of Uncle Harry.

There is no one else - apart from Steve McClaren and Glenn Hoddle - so why not employ the BEST BRITISH MANAGER apart from Sir Alex Ferguson?

Yes, come on FA, get Martin in and persuade him to take on the job. He is the best qualified man, yes, I believe even better than Harry or Woy - he is an inspirational genuis....and as he is the heir to Cloughie, it would finally also draw a line under the decision never to employ old Big 'Ead as England boss. The best boss the national side never had...

Capello's 'brave new world'....Terry retained, Rodwell omitted

2010-08-07T17:37:00.000-07:00

SO Fabio Capello has unwrapped an England squad that is new and daring and that will overwhelm all-comers - or so some of the Sunday papers would have you believe.

My belief is that the Italian has done nothing of the sort, that he is guilty of tokenism and that he has shown a worrying lack of clarity and vision.

His tokens to those who cried for youth to be given its chance are the inclusion of Wilshere and Gibbs...but why on earth is there no place for the wonderful Jack Rodwell??

Surely Capello can see that England's failings in South Africa were, among other things, down to his reluctance to play two holding midfielders...as did all the success stories of the tournament, including Spain?

Gareth Barry is not a holding midfielder, and with the continued unavailability of Owen Hargreaves it would surely have made sense to slot together the next best two, maybe even the only alternatives ie RODWELL and Scotty PARKER?

It means that the 'new-look England' have no recognised holding midfielders in the squad.

And what on earth is John Terry still in the squad for? Surely by dropping Terry Capello would have sent out his most ominous message that, yes, he was planning for a brave new future now. Apart from showing he will not tolerate ego-based dissent (Terry was, after all, a one-man failed coup in South Africa) Capello has permitted a man who has lost a yard of pace to continue to blunder at the heart of his team.

A big letdown, Capello...certainly not Ab Fab...

Joe Cole, Nani and Man City

2010-07-20T05:13:00.001-07:00

Liverpool's acquisition of Joe Cole has given a much-needed boost to the Premier League after England's dreadful World Cup shows.

I would never have thought Joe would have chosen Anfield, but it is good for Liverpool, good for football and good for Joe.

My sources had told me he was heading for Old Trafford...until United got wind of the wages he was expecting. An ill wind blows through M16 as the Glazers continue to keep a close hold on the purse strings...has-beens like Michael Owen and hopefuls like Smalling and Hernandez are ushered in with open arms (because they only cost half the price of bigger names, or half the wages of free agent Cole in Owen's case).

And United continue to miss out on the star signings that could transform them.

So there will be no Ozil to replace Scholesy, and no Joe Cole to add strength and a little more magic to the squad.

Cole will thrive at Anfield (although I am not so sure of this bullshit he is going on about re playing in the middle...is he strong enough physically for that?) - and his presence gives a lift to Woy Hodgson's hopes of keeping hold of Gerrard and Torres.

As for United...well there is still Rooney, and I am convinced that Nani will become a major star over the next 12-24 months. Did you see the pics of him training today in the Mail? God, he has doubled in size...not fat, but muscles...it can only be good news..I hardly recognised him...have alook here...http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1296172/Sir-Alex-Ferguson-rules-signings-Manchester-United.html

Man City? Again, very exciting for City and football. The Serb left back they are getting is class as is Silva...they just need a top striker now and they will be a force.

FABIANO FOR BERBATOV

2010-06-30T12:42:00.000-07:00

There's talk that Brazil centre-forward Luis Fabiano would like to join Man United from Seville...

That would surely be a great piece of business for Fergie? The guy has scored three goals in four games for his country at the World Cup and is a class, proven act.

If he turns down AC Milan for United, it would also provide an excellent opportunity for Fergie to unload Dim Berbatov to the San Siro boys?

What an excellent piece of business - a winner for a loser...

But knowing the Glazers they will put a block on it, saying the Fab fee is too high for a 29-year-old.

Note to the Glazers: Berba is also 29...

Capello Press conference, why Fab must STAY

2010-06-28T06:50:00.000-07:00

Have just watched Capello on SkySports News for his final Press conference in South Africa - and have changed my opinion on him...

I know I said yesterday that he should go...but nowt is set in stone, is it?

Now I believe he should STAY. He looked to me like a man who had learned many lessons - yes, he agrees we should build with young players and I am sure he will weed out the deadwood and the stirrers. He looked contrite and even humble...the great Capello humbled! Whatever next...

But the main reason he should stay (apart from those 12 million smackers which, rather than being used to pay him off could be employed to more useful benefit like opening up the national centre for excellence in Burton) is that here is a man who had a point to prove.

For the first time in a distinguished career Fabio Capello is being viewed as a FLOP. He has the ideal motive to make England great again - to salvage his own rep - so give him two years to do it.

Two years to give us a team we can be proud of. A young team playing with vibrancy, urgency and passion for the shirt.

I believe it is a win-win situation if we keep him.

Germany 4 England 1: Why defeat can be good for us, Capello and the future

2010-06-27T13:21:00.001-07:00

SO THERE WE GO AGAIN.

Mass hysteria after mass expectation led to heartache.

England. Our dear England. Our torturuos nightmarish England, more like.

Well, what did you expect? The same as the last 40 years I suppose...that we would win the World Cup with something to spare...

Someone once told something very profound that we, as England believers should always bear in mind when we go over the top with our dreaming...the definition of INSANITY is doing the same thing time and time again and expecting a different outcome. Ring any bells with the English national football team?

What if I said the loss to Germany might actually do us some good? That we could now use it to move forward and build what we have not had since 1990...an England TEAM...

Sure, we have the individual players, but they do not work as a team when they are imported from their clubs.

When we beat the Germans 5-1 in Munich in 2001, we were, typically, ecstatic. We were going to conquer all and win the Euros and the World Cup. The Germans, in contrast, used the agonising loss they suffered to rebuild and to plan for the future. On the surface, they simply appeared to pull themselves together and marched into the World Cup final (which they lost to Brazil) a year later.

But much deeper momentum was developing behind the scenes as they planned for the future.

Their manifesto hinged on building a team for the future - by encouraging young German players to develop and make their way through the ranks together. To play top level football within the Bundesliga and to come up through the ranks together at international level.

It worked - as exemplified by the German Under 21 team that taught our Under 21s a lesson a year ago in the Euro Under 21s final. The German team that night read: GERMANY (4-1-4-1): Neuer, Beck, Howedes, Boateng, Boenisch, Hummels, Johnson, Castro, Khedira, Ozil, Wagner.

Note the names Neuer, Boateng, Khedira and especially OZIL, the star of the show. Yes, key components of the team that also helped thrash the English national team a year later.

We need to rebuild from now, encouraging English youngsters to move forward and break through in the Premier League, finally setting up that centre of excellence in Burton, and bringing youngsters who have the talent and who could BECOME a team into the national set-up for the Euro qualifying campaign.

We need to put JOE HART in goal...now. He has the most amazing confidence to back up his burgeoning talent.

We need a new right back to put pressure on the inconsistent Glen Johnson. Maybe Micah Richards will come good again with proper management?

KIERAN GIBBS can come in to put pressure on Ashley Cole.

IN central defence, JOHN TERRY survives, but it must be made clear to him that any further attempts to delegate himself as skipper/manager will result in him being dropped from the squad...for good.

RIO also survives for the Euros, but we need to find another quality centre back, who is speedy and classy. Maybe CHRIS SMALLING will fit the bill in a year or two?

In midfield it is time for ASHLEY YOUNG, JAMES MILNER, JACK WILSHERE and JACK RODWELL to be given a run. And THEO WALCOTT must be brought back in.

With ROONEY up front and GERRARD behind him.

Rooney becomes skipper, the responsibility could bring the best out of him.

Manager/head coach? Hard to see how Capello can survive. He clearly is not in tune with the English psyche and sending on Emile Heskey as a sub when we needed three goals probably nailed the lid on his coffin.

Put it this way...would we have lost 4-1 with Mourinho in command?

Given we cannot get Jose now, I would put HARRY REDKNAPP in charge, with DAVID BECKHAM his assistant.

And if we need a boost right now - and hope that we do have the talent for the future - let's not forget that England won the Under 17s Euros recently.

As Arnie once said, 'we'll be back'...but we must get it right this time, not waste the opportunity to use this crushing defeat for our benefit.

Man City and Man Utd transfers summer 09

2009-07-21T05:57:00.000-07:00

Classic mind games stuff from Sir Alex today - saying Man City are not a threat to United and that Tevez is not worth £25.5million.

I agree with him on both counts - although Man City certainly have the money and potential to be a major threat in England and Europe. Tevez was a tryer and a battler but did not score enough goals to elevate him to top class (although you could also argue Ferguson bought Berbatov for £4million more and he was neither a tryer nor a battler and does not score enough goals).

Also I think Man City are lopsided. As Fergie says they have 10 strikers but no foundations - a bit like a Real Madrid lite. Adebayor is a lazy whinger - but a class act when he is in the mood, but what is the point of buying him when you have just splashed out £17million on a like for like player in Santa Cruz?

Gareth Barry? Overated and too ponderous. Only in the England team because Owen Hargreaves is always injured - if Hughes had vision he would surely have gone for Everton's Jack Rodwell who will end up taking Barry's England place within a year or two.

Shay Given? Top class. Man United should have bought him given the understandable feeling that Ben Foster might not be quite good enough - Foster may turn out to be a modern day Chris Turner for Utd. Good, but not quite top notch.

Wayne Bridge? Solid, sound buy.

John Terry? (If he goes) Great leader and inspiration, worth it for that. Injury question marks and pace question marks.

As for Ferguson saying he is not making a marquee signing this summer because the market is inflated, well, wasn't the £80m for Ronaldo itself inflated? I would question the wisdom of bringing in two unproven foreign players for £23million - Obertan and Valencia - when the Champions Lge format will soon demand clubs have more English players in their squads. I would have splashed out on three English players - Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and the aforementions Rodwell. That would have shored up United in midfield and given them pace in attack (which they could have done with given the leaden feet of Berba and Owen). They would have got Young for £22m, Agbonlahor for £12m and Rodwell for £10m - almost half the money from the Ronaldo sale for an injection of excitement and hope.

Better those three in than the money sitting in the Glazers' bank account (or paying off some of their debts) eh??

Pearce a shocker, Capello a disgrace

2009-06-30T05:02:00.000-07:00

IF there was one bit of good news to come out of England U21s' 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Germany in last night's final, it was that Stuart Pearce has surely shot his chances of being the next England boss. The man failed at Man City and is not technically gifted enough to be manager of the national side. He is Kevin Keegan lite - a fist on the chest, all-passion, all brawn operator. His failure last night was to be able to change tactics when things went wrong and to mess with his best player. Yes, his treatment of Theo Walcott, who went out on a limb with his club boss Arsene Wenger, to make the trip to Sweden was terrible. Dropping him, questioning whether he would even play him in the final in a Press conference and then not having the brains to work out a formula to get the ball to him in the match.

Pearce needs to learn a little finesse and civility if he is to progress - both in terms of his team and himself.

As for the man who is leading England seniors to South Africa and World Cup 2010, well, Fabio Capello's management has been excellent - certainly something old 'Psycho' could learn from. But his absence from the U21 final last night was an absolute disgrace. He blamed it on missing a flight from the Confederations Cup final - but what was he doing there, anyway? He should have been in Sweden encouraging Pearce and showing he is committed to the English cause from the semis onwards. His absence merely confirms the suspicion that he will be on his way after next summer - otherwise he would surely want to check out the form and the ability to cope with competitive tournament football of the young men who could infiltrate his squad in a year or two?

And if he goes - please don't promote Pearce and take us back to the nightmare years of Steve McClaren. Roy Hodgson or Harry Redknapp are the best (English) men for the job - with Glenn Hoddle (yes, I know he failed in 98, but he is older and wiser now and one of the best tactical brains out there) a younger alternative.

Sad he is dead...

2009-06-29T04:13:00.000-07:00

...Steven 'Seething' Wells was one of my contemporaries and rivals when I worked for MM in the 80s in the north - and he was doing the same for NME. I liked the man and his writing, you will be missed Swellsy...

....as for Michael Jackson - am I alone in thinking the hype and outpouring of grief a la Princess Di may come back to haunt some of those who are weeping the most?

Sure, Wacko Jacko was a pop genius (but let's not forget the part Quincey Jones played in the whole extravaganza) and the likes of Billie Jean are true pop classics - but isn't there an element of Robert Maxwell in the mix? Remember, when Capn' Bob died and the Daily Mirror eulogised him for a week - but quickly changed their tune when they found out he had diddled them out of their pensions?

I would harbour a guess that opinion may not be so sympathetic of Jacko if stories leak out (which I am told they will) about his treatment of family and friends. Then there may be some questions asked about why 16-page glorifications of his life were rushed out. Or maybe I'm just an old cynic and have got it all wrong...time will tell...

Springsteen saves Glastonbury

2009-06-29T03:59:00.000-07:00

The best Glastonbury ever? I think maybe Michael Eavis should hand over the reins to his daughter now rather than in a few years if he truly believes that. No way was it the best ever - in fact, it was probably one of the worst. Turgid acts galore and no spark of invention with mediocrity ruling the day.

Thank God then for the Boss. Yes, Brucey babe came, he saw and he conquered. His set was an oasis in the desert of crap that covered the three days (and I don't mean the mud). His set steamrolled over the drab, dull and mind-achingly boring and overrrated acts that had gone (Lily Allen etc) and those still to come (yes, we are looking at you, Blur). I thought one of the most telling comments of the whole weekend came when Lily Allen was asked what she thought of Bruce. She replied: 'Old'. It did not reflect well - if the boot were on the other foot, she would have been well pissed off if a group of people had been asked what they thought of Lily Allen, I bet. Especially as the most likely one-worder would surely be: 'Privileged'. Yep, singing songs of dismay, regret and hardship when you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth; a junior member of a showbiz dynasty. Also I thought Damon Albarn was arrogant and too full of himself - as if he were a genuine rock icon rather than just a shadow of Liam Gallagher. And weren't Blur always that really? A shadowplay of Oasis, in reality not fit to lick the Mancunians' boots?

The Boss made a connection with the crowd and gave what was arguably HIS best performance ever. My favourite band ever is The Clash and Springsteen almost brought a tear to my eyes - he was a double for the late great Joe Strummer - and the set was spot on, with a mix of the classics (Thunder Run, The River etc) and the hits (Glory Days, Dancing In The Heart) and the oddities (including the haunting Outlaw Pete).

I note that a lot of people have been knocking the BBC for sending 427 operatives to the festival. Well, the end result was worth it - excellent coverage throughout. If they are going to blow our money, better on the biggest festival in the world - and something that matters..ie music - than the likes of Ascot or some remote outreach programmes. The one area I would quibble with is the Beeb's too easy backing down over the demands of the bands - ie not showing all Bruce's set because he wanted to save some surprises for the Hyde Park gig the following night and the same with Blur and the other highlight of the festival, Dizzee Rascal.

Madrid - not the real deal, Kaka

2009-06-04T08:52:00.000-07:00

Why would Kaka want to join Real Madrid instead of Chelsea?

Okay, I know that in the old world order Real meant something - but they are nobodies nowadays, as exemplified by their 5-0 thrashing by Liverpool in the CL and their 2-6 home loss to Barca in La Liga.

In comparison, Chelsea are now a world superpower - in the same frame as Man Utd, Barca, Liverpool and Inter Milan.

Real are about the level of Fulham, aren't they? No, maybe that is being cruel to the Cottagers...more like say Wigan or West Ham.

And even if they buy Kaka, they won't win the league or the CL - he is no Maradona a la Naples, is he...

Ancelotti - the right man for the Bridge?

2009-06-01T03:43:00.000-07:00

"Carlo was the outstanding candidate for the job. He has proved over a long period his ability to build teams that challenged for, and have been successful in, major domestic and European competitions.

"He also had a highly successful playing career in those competitions and therefore brings unparalleled all round experience to the job," the statement added.

SO TRUMPETS the official Chelse FC website this morning - but are they, and Roman Abramovich, right? Or is it another desperate fumbling about in the dark by a board that has not exactly covered itself in glory since the departure of the Special One?

Avram Grant - not good enough - Luiz Felipe Scolari - not backed financially or emotionally - Guus Hiddink - excellent but short termist.

And so to Pilsbury Dough man Ancelotti. I am not confident he is the right man. He has not even won the Italian league title since 2004 - FIVE YEARS - and if he was that good Milan would have hardly let him go, would they? After all, he admitted he would have stayed if they asked him...

He does not speak good English and his last Milan side was like the Real Madrid of the Galacticos era - good on paper, but ageing and fragile on the field. Also, judging by his comments in his autobiog he seems to believe that his mission at Chelsea is to instil 'personality' into the team. How is that going to go down with some of the strongest personalities in the game - Terry, Lampard, Ballack and Drogba among them.

No, surely it would have been more sensible to have allowed Hiddink to stay on in his temporary role - managing both Chelsea and Russia - until the 2010 World Cup finals are over? Then he could have become permanent Chelsea boss. Now, the club risk losing him for ever - hey, he might even end up at Man Utd or Arsenal when his Russian sojourn finall ends!

Utd - no midfield, no big ears

2009-05-27T15:51:00.000-07:00

It must rank as one of the most unusual substitutions ever by Sir Alex Ferguson.

To take off a midfielder for a forward, when his team were struggling most to stay in the game...in midfield.

I applauded the decision to bring on Carlos Tevez as Man United struggled to keep up with Barca in tonight's Champions League final - but at the expense of Anderson?

Surely, if Anderson had to come off at half time, and, true. he did have a bit of a stinker, the ready-made replacement would have been Paul Scholes?

As it was, it meant United had to try to cope with Iniesta, Xabi and Bussets with just one recognised midfielder...Michael Carrick. Sure, Giggsy was still out there, but he was playing somewhere between the front and the midfield.

It was a gamble and it didn't work. United as we know them simply did not turn up - too many of the big names froze or did not get into the game. It was as if they were flatlining - even Fergie and Mike Phelan were slumped on the bench whenever I looked, rather than getting to the touchline and urging their men on.

Barcelona were good, but United did not give us a normal United showing. It is hard to take defeat when there is no battling and no determination or grit to turn things around. From the pitch to the bench, Utd seemed floored after the 10th minute goal by Eto, who I believe is not the player he was.

I heard that both Ferdinand AND Vidic (Utd had apparently tried to keep it quiet about the Serbian because there were already doubts over Rio) were not fully fit - and it showed.

The defeat also showed two other things - Berbatov is not worth £30million (he blew over a header he should have scored) and Utd need to invest in two quality midfielders as a matter of urgency. One enforcer and another creative player. Yes, I know they have Owen Hargreaves coming back and Darren Fletcher to return from suspension, but it makes sense to strengthen an area where they are clearly not full of alternatives.

Berbatov needs to be told he has to set Old Trafford alight next season - or he is out, £30m flop or not. No doubt Spurs would be buy him back for half that money, they do have a habit of bringing back strikers who left them in the lurch (cue Keane and Defoe).

But Utd lost in Rome because they had no midfield to claw them back into the game. Barca - for all their arrogance - were worthy winners of old Big Ears (the nickname for the CL trophy). But I still don't like the way they set themselves up as the perfect team - and I am sure that if the real United had shown up, they wouldn't have had it so easy.

Next post will be on Darren Fletcher...how the boy who suffered more abuse and insults at United than anyone in recent memory became the man the club now can't do without. Amazing turnaround - football, eh, bloody hell...

The arrogance of Barcelona

2009-05-27T03:38:00.000-07:00

You know, I used to love Barcelona. They were my fave team from abroad and it helped that I also loved the city and the unique character of the locals. But this year the football club has done itself no favours in terms of its frequent bleatings, declarations that it is the best in the world and that any rivals are limited and pedestrian in comparison to their great selves.
Okay, the football they have served up in La Liga has been breathtaking at times - but so what? Real Madrid ended up second in that league - and they were battered 5-0 by Liverpool, which gives you some idea of the oppposition they have been facing week in, week out.
But the regular pronouncements coming from the Camp Nou leave a bitter taste.
Particularly the stuff about Chelsea being crap and defensive.
Truth of it is this...the great Barcelona should not even be in the Champions League Final. Yep, it should be Chelsea - who outwitted them and outplayed them, and who are only at home in West London right now because of the incompetence of a referee not fit to legislate on Hackney Marshes.
I think, like all bullies and big heads, Barca will get their comeuppance tonight against Man Utd in Rome.
1-1 or 2-2 after 90 mins, Ronaldo or Rooney to grab the winner in extra time.
Only then will they be in a position to learn something they haven't got...humility.
It's time for the club who think they are the most perfect in the world - and who you sense feel they are entitled to win just by turning up - are brought down to their true size...against the real biggest club in the world.
Come on United!

Big weekend at the bottom...Moyes and Strachan

2009-05-21T07:40:00.000-07:00

Massive weekend at the bottom of the table - in my eyes it is either Newcastle (cue headlines Newcy down) or Hull who will join Boro and West Brom in the Championship. Newcastle have the better goal difference (six better) so you would think that if they could get a draw at Aston Villa they will stay up. After all, you would assume that Man Utd would win at Hull.

But it's not that clear cut, is it? Newcastle are a very poor team. I am not sure about Shearer as a manager - he may be all bluster and no tactical nous - but he was hardly handed a dream team when he took over the job, was he? Certainly, even if they stay up they will struggle again with the poor selection of players on their books. Are they good enough to get a draw at Villa? On a normal day, no, but with passions running high and Villa's players already on the beaches of Miami in their heads, yes.

So that puts it all down to Man Utd really. If the Purple One plays a team of boys, they could still win, but could just as easily lose or draw. A real tough one - maybe Phil Brown can sort his own head out and get his players to fight to the death in front of their home crowd. He seems to think he is the new Jose Mourinho but he reminds me more of the old Villa boss John Gregory (remember him!!) - all poses and pouts for the cameras.

So what do we reckon, then? Two draws...and Shearer to return to the TV couch.

Which could bring Gordon Strachan in at St James and David Moyes to Celtic...or maybe it will be a Moyes/Strachan swap between Celtic and Everton?

We shall see...

Benitez, Ferguson, Hodgson and Wenger

2009-05-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

Old Rafa is a grumpy bugger and a bad loser for not having the civility to congratulate Alex Ferguson for another Premier League title win. It's do or bust for Benitez next season - he has to win the league or the Kop may find it hard to take his whingeing, excuses, poor transfer buys (Mascherano and Torres honourable exceptions) and blaming others (like Ferguson) for his self-inflicted problems.

In comparison, look at the job done by Roy Hodgson at Fulham on a shoestring. A great season and only second to Ferguson in the Manager of the Year stakes. If Capello walks out after next year's World Cup amicable, wise old Roy will be a fine candidate to step in as England boss for a year or two.

Meanwhile, Arsenal fans will have only themselves to blame if Arsene Wenger walks away to manage Madrid. Who could blame him after all the abuse and criticism he has had to swallow as he builds another fine Arsenal side? The old saying is you only really miss someone and realise their worth when they are gone - how true that would be at the Emirates...

The Shield - the greatest TV show ever?

2009-05-18T05:11:00.000-07:00

Tonight on Five USA...the final episode of The Shield, the greatest Tv show ever in my mind - along with Patrick McGoohan's excellent Prisoner of the 70s.

Vic Mackey gets his comeuppance in tonight's show, I won't spoil the ending for you, but I have seen it already and it is a cracker. Don't miss it...essential viewing

PS I know many pundits go on and on about The Wire, but for me it is too earnest, too slow and too clever by half - like playing chess while in comparison The Shield is like the most wonderful big dipper ride you'll experience.

Is Berbatov Ferguson's new Juan Veron?

2009-05-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

Like most football fans I love a bit of speculation and gossip - especially about possible transfers. The Man Utd situation with Carlos Tevez is hotting up and my info and feeling is that the Argentine warrior will end up at 1. Chelsea or 2. Man City. Liverpool? No. I think he has to much respect for United fans to join their bitterest rivals.

I like Tevez. He is a great battler and a busy player - a lot like Rooney. If Sir Alex Ferguson hadn't splashed out £31million for Dimitar Berbatov last year it would seem there would have been no question of keeping Tev. But with hindsight it is surely the case that Ferg opted for Berba rather than Tev.

Was it the right move? Well, it seemed so at the time - Berba had done the business at Spurs and was a centre forward in the true Cantona style so adored at OT. But he has not consistently delivered at United - he has been much like Juan Veron, whom Ferguson signed in 2001 and played time and again (often instead of David Beckham) in the hope he would finally turn on the style.

Veron never did and it seemed to me that Ferguson felt he would be scoffed at for spending a fortune on him if he dropped him. Indeed he once lambasted the Press corps when he was asked why he was playing Veron instead of Becks, claiming the journalists were f***ing idjiots (sic). Is history repeating itself with Berba?

My own feeling is no: that Berba is class and will come good and deliver a world class performance he owes Utd...very probably in the Champions League final in Rome!

And would I have Berba or Tevez given the choice? Berba..

The Damned United/Cass

2009-05-12T11:00:00.001-07:00

Saw The Damned Utd at the cinema - it is excellent (as is the book by David Peace). Not simply a film about football in the 70s, although it is truly magical in that sense too, but a comment on life and relationships.

Also watched the DVD of Cass and really enjoyed that too. The story of former West Ham firm (ICF) lad Cass Pennant. Again, not just a film about football or football violence, but a defining tale of a lad who rose above it all and eventually found himself after half a lifetime of not really knowing who he was or why he was. Cass is now a publisher of books (as well as being an entertaining author himself) - good on him.

Tom Henning Ovrebo costs Utd dear too

2009-05-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

The incompetence of Norwegian ref Tom Henning Ovrebo is far reaching...gallant Chelsea suffered defeat after he refused three blatant pen calls, and now Man Utd are suffering, too. UEFA have today turned down United's appeal for Darren Fletcher to be allowed to play in the final after he was wrongly sent off against Arsenal.

My feeling is that the decision has been made because, if he had been let off, UEFA would also have felt duty bound to let Barca's Eric Abidal off the hook.

He was also wrongly sent off - by Ovrebo - and that incompetent decision has now had implications for Fletcher as UEFA did not want to open the floodgates.

I still fancy Utd to win the CL final in Rome - 3-2, or with pens if it ends up 2-2.

ABRAMOVICH, SCOLARI, HIDDINK, CHELSEA FUTURE, inChelsea magazine Feb 09

2009-02-19T03:49:00.001-08:00

SOMETHING'S ROTTEN IN THE STATE OF SW6.
That is for certain after the events of the last couple of weeks.
How can a club that has aspirations to be one of the biggest in the world have a caretaker manager at the most crucial part of the season?
However talented Guus Hiddink is, the situation is farcical, a slight on the history of Chelsea FC and their loyal fans.
Put it this way...could you imagine Manchester United taking on Hiddink as a caretaker?
Of course not.
They would have told the big Dutchman: We are bigger than you, we are a huge football club...you do the job full-time if you want the job, otherwise you don't do it all.
We are doing you a favour, not the other way around as Hiddink has claimed.
And as far as I understand it, a favour means for free - not for £2.5MILLION for FOUR MONTHS' WORK!
Yet if the appointment of Hiddink as a caretaker undermines Chelsea's credibility, so does the disgraceful way they dispensed with Luiz Felipe Scolari's services.
Put simply: the man who won the highest honour in world football (the World Cup with the poorest Brazilian squad in memory) and more trophies than Hiddink could dream of was never given a chance to turn around a faltering, ageing, divided squad of players.
He never had the backing in terms of transfer money or authority to carry out his mission.
As I understand it, the Chelsea board failed him when he needed them most and it cost the club dear.
Big Phil wanted to reduce the age of the squad by bringing in the likes of Robinho, but that deal fell through.
He also wanted to weed some divisive, negative influences out of the dressing room, but again was thwarted.
And he lost his key coach - Steve Clarke - to West Ham, with the board bringing in Ray Wilkins as his replacement. Now don't get me wrong: Ray is a lovely man but, in my opinion, is not in the same league as Clarkey as a coach.
For proof look at Chelsea's results after Steve left - and West Ham's renaissance under him.
Big Phil had the carpet pulled from under him - how was he expected to turn Chelsea around when he had both hands tied behind his back? Don’t be surprised if Scolari comes back to haunt Abramovich at Manchester City – a move that would keep Robinho in Manchester and encourage other top Brazilians and Portuguese to join City instead of the Blues.
Now we get to the heart of the problem: Roman Abramovich.
The owner threw his toys out of the pram by getting rid of Big Phil: he wanted to show he was still the man in charge and the man to be reckoned with. He also wanted his man in: Hiddink, a pal.
He did not fancy the revolution Scolari outlined.
So Chelsea are left with the same problems and Hiddink at the helm.
In sacking Scolari, they have picked at the scab but not treated its underlying causes.
Yet while Roman is the problem, he is, of course, also the solution.
Without him Chelsea would not have prospered since 2003.
It is a tricky situation: if he were to walk would the club be back to the days of the last caretaker manager?
David Webb...who took over, let's not forget, after the disastrous Ian Porterfield era.
These are crucial times for Chelsea FC: the club could go one way or the other.
If it is to avoid meltdown, Roman needs to give Hiddink everything Big Phil was denied.
I have no doubt whatsoever that Guus will stay for the long-haul if he can get assurances that he will be the man in control.
That means he needs a transfer budget so he can revitalise the team - and he needs to be left alone to sort out the bad eggs, to sift them out and replace them.
Roman must let the man he entrusts as his football manager to do just that: to manage, if he wants to make up lost ground both on and off the pitch to Manchester United.
He would not have been my choice to replace Big Phil. Again, think of Man Utd. Who would you bet on being their next boss? Whoever it is should have been the man Chelsea should have approached now. My view is that the next United chief will be Jose Mourinho or Martin O’Neill – and given that Jose’s return to the Bridge was hardly feasible in February 2009, I would have gone all out to bring in O’Neill.
Peter Kenyon often bleats on about the Chelsea business model and how he plans to conquer the world with it.
But the frightening thing is that Chelsea's model of late is more Newcastle United than Manchester United!
They too have a caretaker in Joe Kinnear and owner Mike Ashley has made several poor management decisions.
Now Hiddink is here, let him at least have a proper chance at success, unlike Big Phil.
And put in motion plans for the future - a future that, unless Mourinho were to return or O’Neill brought in, would surely see the dream team of Zola and Clarkey return to the Bridge in triumph in say three to five years.
The club needs stability and diligent forward planning, not constant change and upheaval and only one man can decide whether that will happen.
It’s your call, Roman...

CALM DOWN DEARS! FROM CHELSEA MAG, DEC 2008

2008-12-02T00:49:00.000-08:00

THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS FOR CHELSEA FC. NOT THE BEST YEAR IN TERMS OF TROPHIES – but one of the best in terms of evolution. One of the saddest sights of 2008 for Blues fans had to be John Terry trooping up for his Champions League losing finalist’s medal after his fated penalty miss against Manchester United. But at least the Blues made it to Moscow – that in itself presents progress, yes, evolution. Let’s also remember they made it there without a manager. Okay, in figurehead terms Avram Grant was in the dressing room, but no one’s kidding themselves that he was actually responsible for the run to the final. It was the first time I personally can recall a players’ co-op – led by the formidable Terry and equally impressive Frankie Lampard – managing themselves. Big John was the boss, FL his assistant…both off and on the pitch. And they achieved something even Jose could not in getting to the CL final, didn’t they?
A word about Grant before I transgress. For all his lack of charisma and tactical nous, I did like the man. He possesses a certain humility and compassion that deserves a pat on the back. He clearly cared for the men in the team and his treatment of Frank after the tragic death of his mother was simply admirable. He is a good guy and could well do a job at somewhere like his old club Pompey – where I am far convinced of the credentials of Tony Adams to cope in the top-flight. But he just wasn’t good enough to manage a top outfit like Chelsea and I believe Roman Abramovich was spot on to dispense with his services. Especially when you consider the talent and merits of the man he brought in to replace the so-called Moderate One. Yes, Big Phil – top man and top manager. A brilliant choice. World Cup winner in 2002 with Brazil and the man who turned Portugal into serious contenders in Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006. When he arrived in Lisbon in 2003 he inherited a disheartened, demoralised squad of underachievers who had flopped a year earlier in the same World Cup he had won. When he left Portugal in 2008 a country’s football followers mourned his passing. Yes, he had done a truly wonderful job and brought through gems like Cristiano Ronaldo and Deco. The latter was probably his major legacy to the Portuguese nation. He had been forced to overcome opposition from within the camp led by the mighty Luis Figo to convince the country that Deco, a Brazilian, should be allowed to play because he had Portuguese grandparents. But Big Phil stuck to his guns and dismissed the mutiny, even warning Figo that he could quit the squad if he didn’t like the idea. This was a strong man; a man who would do things his way, a man of supreme self-belief backed up by an extraordinary record of success on different Continents. In South America, the Middle East, Japan and now Europe. And the real Christmas gift for Chelsea fans came early in 2008…on July 1, in fact, when the legend that is Big Phil Scolari walked into Stamford Bridge to work his magic. A genus yet a man with a rare humility, he is the character this club has been yearning for since it hit the heights with those two Premiership titles under Jose. Even though the reality of life at the Bridge has been slightly different than the brochure promised, he has kept his cool and not moaned – when others surely would have. Promised riches to buy whoever he wanted, the Big Man has had to make do and mend with the squad he inherited (which was admittedly a rather fine one) and one reasonably priced buy in the brilliant Deco. And wasn’t that £8million well spent? When everyone and their dog had written off the little Brazilian as yesterday’s man, he showed he has a cunning and skill in abundance. Remarkably, he has dovetailed perfectly with Frank Lampard – indeed I would contend he has been one of the reasons why Frankie boy has been enjoying his best ever season at any club and at any level. Sure, it was a big disappointment to Big Phil and Chelsea fans when another little Brazilian genius, Robinho, landed at Manchester City instead of Chelsea. It was also a loss: he would have provided another element of the unexpected and bolstered the squad considerably with his own particular brand of magic. I believe the board at the Bridge were wrong to let him slip out of their hands when it was clear he really wanted to play for Scolari. But again Big Phil didn’t moan loudly, okay, maybe, he was a little grumpy! And even when the Chelsea board warned him he wouldn’t have the fortune he had expected to spend in the January transfer window, he shrugged his shoulders and got on with the job of managing. Can you imagine the likes of Kevin Keegan doing that? Or would the Blues now be without a manager? There are genuine areas of the team that need strengthening – I am not particularly convinced by Malouda or Kalou – but you can be sure Scolari will do what’s best and bring in the right people if he gets the necessary backing. He won’t walk away: he is on a mission at the Bridge. A mission to prove he can cut it at the top in European club football, just as he did at the top in European international football with Portugal. Only a fool would bet against him accomplishing that mission – and I bet John Terry and Frankie Lampard are glad they can just concentrate on playing again now, rather than also having to manage the club they love.
As for those fans worried about Chelsea’s recent stumble (this was written after the 2-1 home loss to Arsenal), let’s bring in the catchphrase of that old rascal Michael Winner – ‘Calm down, dears!’ It is a temporary blip, nothing to panic about, let alone turn into a full-blown crisis. Scolari will deliver again – and he has already delivered. It is best to get the blip that all teams have over a season out of the way now. The team are second in the Prem, one point behind Liverpool, who never last the distance, and ahead of main rivals Man United. And that is without Drogba, Joe Cole and Carvalho. Look how Liverpool struggled against West Ham at home last night without Torres! When the big man is away they cannot cut it. So imagine how they would have been without Gerrard, too – which is what Chelsea have been like without the brilliant Michael Essien ALL SEASON.
No, calm down, dears – at least it might persuade Abramovich to spend in the January transfer window, in other words…the blip might be a blessing.

Mourinho and Sparky

2008-11-16T08:43:00.000-08:00

Feel a bit sorry for Mark 'Sparky' Hughes - the old warhorse has proved himself a shrewd, resolute boss at Blackburn and for Wales, but it looks like it is all going pear shaped at Man City. It is not easy when you are a young manager trying to manage with a dark shadow looming over your shoulder...especially when that shadow is linked with brilliance and magic. Yes, Jose could be on his way back to England - two or three years earlier than we had expected. It has always been assumed he would land back on our shores when Sir Alex hung up his chewing gum for the last time in either 2010 or 2011, but there are flashing lights suggesting he is the man the United Arab Emirates based bosses of City may admire. Would Jose come? Well, would you change jobs for £15million a year? Especially as Italy now does not seem quiet so sparkling a place now those bad boys of the Press are ganging up on him over there. It will certainly be good to see the special one back in business...football in England hasn't had the same mischievous sparkle since he went away. But it would be sad to see Sparky'd caeer derailed - however temporary that would turn out to be.

Luiz Felipe - the man behind the mask

2008-11-11T02:51:00.000-08:00

From InChelsea Nov 08...

TOP OF THE LEAGUE AND TOP OF THEIR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE group - and playing a more exciting brand of football than has been seen at the Bridge since the early days of Mourinho. Not a bad start for the big man from Brazil, hey?
And to think there were those who questioned the wisdom of bringing in Luiz Felipe Scolari on account of him never having managed a club side in Europe before.
They conveniently forgot he had worked all over the world as a club and international manager and had won trophies in his homeland, Kuwait and, of course, the World Cup as Brazil boss in Japan in 2002.
Along with Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger he is one of the three top managers in the Premiership and, I would contend, the world as it is difficult to come up with better names than that trio wherever you travel on this planet of ours.
Scolari has done so well with the players at his disposal. When Mourinho arrived he seemed intent on playing with flair and attacking adventure - as exemplified by the flying wingers (Arjen Robben and Shaun Wright-Phillips) he brought in.
Then the pragmatic side of the man weighed in and he seemed to decide results mattered above all else.
An undeniably brilliant manager nonetheless but at the end of his time at Chelsea his team’s solid, ‘no one shall pass’ style wasn't as exciting to watch as his biggest rivals Man United or Arsenal.
That would contribute to his downfall at the club as Roman Abramovich stressed time and time again to him that he wanted to win with style.
Scolari, who officially joined Chelsea on July 1, has managed to achieve what Jose couldn't sustain - and in just three months.
He is winning but winning with tactics that have brought a smile to the faces of both the owner and the fans.
It also strikes me how very likeable a man Big Phil is.
Prior to his arrival we were swamped with scare stories in the Press and on the internet suggesting he would be lucky to last the season given his alleged propensity to aggression and a totally maverick attitude. That image was fostered by the tales of him telling his players to cheat - by fouling and kicking the ball away to waste time - when he was boss of Gremio and Palmeiras in Brazil.
And then there was the well documented left hook he landed on the face of Ivica Dragutinovic just over a year ago. Big Phil reacted when he and the player exchanged words following Portugal's 1-1 draw with Serbia in a Euro 2008 qualifier.
The 'punch' was actually a half-hearted graze but the Press went to town.
So when it was announced Scolari was on his way to Chelsea fears were voiced that he would fall foul of the FA - that he would be in hot water that could see him banned or forced out if he allowed his temper to get the better of him.
The reality, as is so often the case in football, has proved dramatically different to the myths.
Big Phil has proved himself a mature, strong, measured character - a man who respects others and who deserves our respect.
This man is no nutter brought in on a whim: he has shown himself to have the gravitas of Wenger and Ferguson and the same skills as a manager of the highest esteem.
He is charm personified at the club - whether it be with the cleaners or the suits - and has endeared himself to Chelsea FC and the English footballing world.
He is no show off or big mouth. When his work is done he humbly returns to his Surrey home and spends time with his wife Olga.
He is a family man and a fine footballing man.
Humility was hardly the word I expected to use in connection with Big Phil, but that is one of his key assets, perhaps the key one.
It enables him to keep things in perspective and to not get carried away. He has no sense of self-importance; he is merely another worker at Chelsea FC. He knows he is privileged to work at the Bridge, that he has hit the jackpot in terms of the players he inherited, the facilities and the money available for transfers.
And he has got Chelsea playing attractive football with the same players who served under Jose and Avram Grant - plus the two men he has brought in, Deco and Mineiro.
The jury is out on the Brazilian player, but Deco was an inspired buy, taking the team to another level until injury struck.
Scolari has also revitalised Nicolas Anelka by spending time with the Frenchman and trying to build up his fragile self belief and self esteem.
Many people were shocked to learn that the man labelled 'Le Sulk' at previous clubs is actually not suffering from arrogance but confidence in himself.
Full marks to Big Phil for understanding the truth of it with Anelka and working with him. It certainly paid a dividend given Didier Drogba's early season absence from injury. Chelsea may have suffered from a lack of a goal threat when the Ivory Coast man was out, but a recharged Anelka helped them over that potentially tricky spell.
With full-backs Jose Boswinga and Ashley Cole encouraged to charge forward and Frank Lampard hitting the form of his life the Big Phil machine is conquering everything placed before it.
The only worry is that the squad seems lacking numbers. Sure, there is strength in depth if a man gets injured, but if his replacement also is sidelined then Felipe could have problems. But I have heard he is planning for that eventuality – he aims to make a couple of major signings when the transfer window opens in January.
You know, if he can beef up his squad then, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Scolari confirms his worth by lifting the Champions League come May next year. This man is a winner and Chelsea are fortunate to have him for what will surely be the best years of an already glittering career.

www.redhetvoetbal.net

2008-11-08T18:47:00.000-08:00

A site well worth a look. Gives you an idea of what is happening football-wise on the continent and an introduction to one of the top football writers there - one of the good guys, step forward Raf Willems in Antwerp. Raf is an independent sportswriter/author & campaigner (football & good causes) in the Low Countries. He has written more than 15 books about the (social) history of football & one of them is named: Manchester United, rebels & betoverend. (Manchester United, glamorous rebels). Keep up the good work, Raf...all the best.

Marcos

2008-11-08T18:19:00.000-08:00

Marcos, hello there - great to hear from you mate. Hope all is well down in sunny old Brighton. Thanks for the kind words. I think Chelsea are on target for winning at least the Prem and possibly the Champions League with Big Phil at the helm. The man is a proven World Class talent, up there along with Ferguson, Wenger and Mourinho as one of the best four club managers in the world game right now. My only reservation is if he does not get the cash backing from Roman Abramoovich in the January transfer window. He has shown he can do the business with the players he inherited but has only had the readies to splash out on Deco so far (yes, I know Deco has been a bit off colour of late, but he is recovering from injury and remember his brilliance at the start of the season: the link-up he has with Frank Lampard, which everyone says would flop, has been one of the highlights of the season). The Chelsea squad is top class but needs reinforcements in a couple of areas - in particular I am still not convinced by Malouda and Kalou. I know Big Phil wants to bring in a couple of men to strengthen the squad in those areas - he needs financial backing to do so.

Bad result in Rome - but not the end of the world. The only real thing to come from that match was that the Champions League final should not be played there. The city doesn't deserve it while trouble continues to flare outside the Olympic Stadium, caused by some of the locals. There was aggro again when Chelsea played there (on the back of that dished out when Man United visited last year) and the continued failure to control the troublemakers means the city should forfeit he right to host the CL Final in my eyes. If it was a stadium in England and English fans had caused the trouble, you can be sure the final would already have been taken away and given to another country.

Roman Abramovich's five years at the Bridge

2008-07-17T04:46:00.000-07:00

From Chelsea magazine July 2008:

IT’S FIVE YEARS exactly since Roman Abramovich took over at Chelsea FC. So, just how should we interpret the first part of the Russian oligarch's reign - and is he a no-nonsense, tough, interfering dictator, or benevolent, well-meaning bearer of gifts? First, let me say it strikes me that most critics like to see Roman in black or white, usually black, depicting him as a dark, menacing influence. This view clearly suits the comic book images they like to set up for their readers - just as, say, Cristiano Ronaldo is either a Judas for wanting to leave Man Utd, or a lad who is, after all, only following the instincts of his manager Ferguson, who once himself had no qualms about quitting Aberdeen for his own dream job.
Yes, my feeling is that life is rarely black or white: it is a mix of both.
So Roman's reign has elements of both simplistic viewpoints outlined above. He has at once been tough and demanding of his staff, but also a wonderful beneficiary to the history of Chelsea FC.
When he took over on July 1, 2003, Chelsea were in financial disarray - with estimated debts of £80million - and had not won the league title since 1955. That's 48 long years.
Yet five years into the Abramovich era, the club have won the same coveted honour twice. Talk about two buses coming along when once you had to wait all day for one!
Roman has also invested heavily to bring the world's top players and coaches to the Bridge.
Okay, many Blues fans still pine for the great, lamented Mourinho, but now a similarly new exciting era looms with the appointment of the Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari. I believe that 'Big Phil' will severely examine United's hold on the league title and the Champions League. Some have questioned whether he was the right choice to take over at the Bridge after Portugal's disappointing Euro 2008 exit, but looking at it another way he did well to take them close to the summit given his lack of an obvious, top-notch centre forward.
In club football that will not be a problem - thanks to Abramovich, Big Phil will have the cash at his disposal to plug any obvious deficiencies in the team.
I also do not accept the view that Roman has consistently been interfering with the team - trying to get the manager to pick so and so. In fact, Jose confirmed that in a recent interview, saying it had not happened while he was in command - and that Roman was a good man to work for.
Similarly, if Roman had wanted a stooge as head coach - a man he could have strung along like a puppet to pick the players he wanted - he would surely have kept his old friend Avram Grant in the job? It would surely have been easier to have bent Grant's ear with requests than an old battler like Big Phil? The man who has thrived on confrontations in a quarter of a century as a top-notch manager - and who has made it clear he will be in charge, or he will be off.
No, my view is that the Press should give Roman a break and lay off the clichés and stereotypes. The man is a winner - a tough businessman who wants to translate his success in industry to his chosen sport, football.
The facts speak: his five years at Chelsea have coincided with the most successful era in the club's history. Two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, two League Cups, one bodged penalty kick from winning the Champions League.
One other thing this month...we mentioned Ronaldo earlier, and it struck me how his playing of his on-off Utd/Real Madrid transfer merry-go-round saga contrasted sharply with that of the man I consider to be the unsung hero at the Bridge.
Step forward the great Michael Essien.
The midfield warrior king – the glue that enables the likes of Michael Ballack and, shortly, Deco, to shine. I love the Ghanain for his never-say-die attitude, his lung-busting forays and his magnificent power and strength on the ball.
And I also love the man’s loyalty to the football club who took a gamble by paying £26million to the French club Lyon for his services in 2005.
While Ronaldo consistently refused to kill off the rumours that he wanted to join Madrid and seemed to revel in the hornet’s nest he was stirring up – a hornet’s nest that was destabilizing the club and team-mates with whom he had just won the Champions League – Essien was strong and steadfast when it was put to him that he might be tempted to join Jose at Inter Milan.
Essien immediately ruled out a switch and stressed his allegiance to the Blue flag.
However, Essien, who was brought to Stamford Bridge by Mourinho from Lyon in 2005, has insisted he is looking to next term with Chelsea.
He said: ‘I will go back to Chelsea for the next season and expect to have a great season. We have shown as a club that we can handle disappointments, and I think we will be able to bounce back next season a better side.
‘Most of the guys have gone on holidays and they will put the disappointment of the last season behind them. The season generally was very disappointing, but that is football. When you put these things behind you, you become stronger.’
That is my kind of man; my kind of football man. Loyal, fiercely dedicated to his club and their cause. In much the same way as Roman Abramovich has been to Chelsea – despite what the knockers, motivated by jealousy and envy, would have you believe. See you next month.

New column in Chelsea mag. Published June 11, prior to Scolari appointment

2008-06-16T08:47:00.000-07:00

LET'S BEGIN AT THE END...the end of last season that is...and get one thing straight right away.
The sacking of Avram Grant was the right decision if, and it is a big if, it takes the club forwards in the way that say the sacking of Sven Goran Eriksson has done at Manchester City.
Few City fans backed the decision by Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra to dump the former England manager, arguing he had done a decent job at Eastlands.
They demonstrated at their last game of the season, demanding he be retained. But they are not demonstrating now. Indeed many are secretly applauding the decision.
Why? Easy answer in two words: Mark Hughes.
Few of them had given Shinawatra the perception and vision to appoint a man who arguably can take them to heights they have not scaled since the late 60s and the heyday of Lee, Summerbee, Bell etc
And the similarities with the Bridge are uncanny: a foreigner (Roman Abramovich) is once again seen as having no real perception of how a club should be run and managed, and it is widely believed he does not have the vision, or even the discipline, to appoint the right man to coach his team.
Yet for their faults, both Shinawatra and Abramovich have come into clubs that were in a financial mess and turned them around quickly on the field (the Thai with Eriksson, Roman with Jose Mourinho). Now they both want to improve on the foundations they have laid - and what is wrong with that? Surely, we should give them more credit than we do?
Some Chelsea fans argued Grant should be granted (excuse the contrived play on words!) an extension; that his feat in taking the club to runners-up spot in the Premiership and the same outcome in the Champions League had earned him a chance to at least establish his credentials over a full season.
Many others believed he was out of his depth and that the club had stormed to an end of season push purely because of player power. I am one of those in the latter bracket: I do not feel Grant is good enough to take on Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger on a regular basis. Like the Blue non-believers, I would go along with the opinion that Chelsea FC largely managed themselves for the run-in - or more particularly John Terry, Frank Lampard and the ever improving and influential Michael Ballack did.
Grant's role appeared more that of a benign uncle sat on the touchlines, ready to embrace the players with a hug and keep spirits up - and full credit to him for that. In that sense, he was a success, but I do not see him having the footballing vision, perception or tactical nous to usurp Ferguson.
Which brings us to the future and his successor.
For me, there were always three major candidates for the job: Carlo Ancelotti, Frank Rijkaard and Big Phil Scolari. Outside those, there were Hughes and the sacked Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini. I contend Hughes is a fine choice at Man City, but don’t know if he would have been for Chelsea. I am not convinced he can put together an entertaining enough team to satisfy Blues fans, or even for that matter, Manchester United fans given he is always mentioned as a possible successor to Ferguson when old purple face finally hangs up his chewing gum.
My pick would have been Ancelotti. Yes, I know you could argue he failed last season at AC Milan (they finished 5th, outside the Champions League spots), but he has won the Champions League twice - and that is what Roman Abramovich craves more than anything. He is also a proven motivator of big names (Kaka being the biggest) and, despite looking like a knackered Italian version of the Pilsbury dough man, is the right age at 49. He is a winner.
Of the other two, either would bring charisma to the job - and both Scolari and Rijkaard are also winners. Scolari's detractors would argue he has not managed in Europe - well, the last I heard, the Portuguese national team was still in Europe, and he ain't done a bad job there! He may seem a maverick, but there is much more depth to the man than meets the eye.
As for Rijkaard, again his record speaks for itself - particularly winning the Champions League with attacking, wonderful football with Barca in 2006.
Even the outsider Mancini could surely do a better job than Grant although I rated him the least attractive option of the big names. Having said that, he did win three Serie A crowns with Inter Milan.
Which brings us nicely to Mr Mourinho, still regarded by many as the king of Stamford Bridge, even almost a year after he was sacked. I am going to stick my neck out here and say I think Jose has made a big mistake succeeding Mancini at the San Siro.
I am one of his biggest fans and admirers, but I can't see the logic in the move - apart from the bulging salary, of course. Jose is a man who takes on teams with potential and takes them higher, turns them into champions and is a man who regenerates clubs from top to bottom with his mighty ego and managerial brilliance.
In short, he casts a large shadow wherever he goes; he lifted the blues at Porto and at Chelsea, even winning the Champions League with the little-fancied Portuguese club.
Yet Inter may provide problems. The players already believe they are champions after winning those three successive Serie A titles, and may not be as receptive of his methods (and his ego!) as were Porto and Chelsea.
He has to win the Champions League in his first season at Inter to show the dismissal of Mancini was the correct decision, and I don't think he will do it. I believe Chelsea or Man Utd will win it and have him crying in his pasta.
My feeling is that Jose’s heart remains at Stamford Bridge and that one day - when he has accumulated sufficient millions - Chelsea will have a new foreign owner if Roman tires of the job. That man will be Jose Mourinho – and I bet few Blues fans would argue then about the owner trying to pick the team!

FRANK WORRALL

Joy and Division Two

2008-03-01T18:36:00.000-08:00

Was just reading a site on The Smiths - and noticed that I am down as having done the first solo interview with Morrissey.
http://www.passionsjustlikemine.com/smiths-m.htm
I remember it now, the Midland hotel in Manchester up from the Free Trade Hall, me and Mozza sharing a bottle of wine! In 1973 I saw my first concert at the Free Trade Hall...it was a lifechanging moment. David Bowie with the Aladdin Sane tour. Had a big effect on me, a young boy from Heywood who was shy and a bit fearful.

Which brings me to the movie Control. Have just seen it on DVD and wished I had seen it at the cinema.I can honestly say it is one of the best films I have ever seen -in the top 10. Sam Ryan is brilliant as the tortured genius who was Ian Curtis,and the music is stunning. I used to know the film's producer Anton Corbjin from my days as a music journalist - you have done good old mate. I think it is a much better film that 24 Hour Party People, much more realistic and challenging.

My favourite Joy Division song? Shadowplay.

I also have the distinction of naming a song for New Order - The Perfect Kiss.I did the first interview with the band backstage at the Hacienda in the early 80s and told Hooky that I really liked the song called The Perfect Kiss.He told me they had no song of that name - but knew the one I meant. On the album it was there in all its glory - and called The Perfect Kiss as Hooky and Bernard had liked my suggestion.

Ah, nothing like a bit of nostalgia, hey??!!

Back to the 70s...I see that there's a book coming out with the musings of Tommy Docherty's first wife Agnes. I loved the Doc and his style of football.I was just a youngster standing nervously on the Stretford End when he transformed the team from the dreg ends of the Busby era and established his own exciting team...from 6ft 2 eyes of blue, Big Jim Holton's after you to Gordon Hill's king of all cockneys. I know the Ferguson era has been the most successful but the era of the Doc remains my favourite. The bull in a china shop who blew away the cobwebs and laid the foundations of a new United.

To the centre of the city where all roads
meet looking for you
To the depths of the ocean
where all hopes sank searching for you
Moving through the silence without motion
waiting for you
In a room with no window in the corner,
I found truth

...thanks again Ian, and thanks Tommy, for some great memories.

Bits and pieces

2008-01-15T09:06:00.000-08:00

DIDN'T think much of Sir Alex Ferguson's putdown of the United crowd - when he described the atmosphere as being like a funeral after Manchester United's 1-0 win over Birmingham City on New Year's Day. "The crowd were dead," he complained. "That was the quietest I have heard the crowd and it's disappointing because we needed the crowd today. We have come through a difficult period of game after game and in moments like these we need a lift. But it was like a funeral out there." Not very appropriate words there, Alex, given that Motherwell captain Phil O'Donnell had died the previous Saturday after collapsing during a Scottish Premier League match against Dundee United - and that there were tributes to him during the New Year's Day games.

UNITED'S automatic cup scheme for season ticket holders needs sorting. I see David Gill said the system would be tinkered with - ie season ticket holders will not have to buy Carling Cup tickets next term - but surely it needs a proper overhaul? People I know say there should be a two tier set-up - with a return to league match ticket books and season tickets. The former would by definition get LMTBs, the latter the full monty. Others say the set-up should return to that of the 70s and 80s when your season ticket meant you got all the league matches and the FA Cup, and paid extra for any other games, if you wanted. I think the latter is a fair deal, but I doubt the Glazers will go for it.

I AM not sure about Mark Hughes as the next manager of Man Utd. My feeling is that his teams are functional and not entertaining enough. If Utd are going for grinding out results Mourinho is surely a better bet? It would not surprise me if the Portuguese is the next manager at Old Trafford - it is going to take a big man to walk into the shadow cast by Ferguson...that man certainly is not Queiroz whose one claim to the post is that he is well in with the Portuguese/Brazilian players at OT.

Sparky could do worse than prove me and other people wrong by taking up the Newcastle job - and turning the club around. I wonder if Shearer has the guts to finally put up - if not he should shut up and let the club get on with its business. It is a difficult enough job without him playing a Phantom of the Opera role around St James'...

David Beckham should not play for England against Switzerland just so he can get that 100th cap and boost the Wembley gate. If he does, it will make a mockery of Fabio Capello's claim to be an iron man who puts out the best team on the day. Becks was great for United, but his day has gone.

The American election is brilliant viewing on the box - much better than some of the football swill served up by Sky. Barack Obama is inspirational, but can he beat the Clinton machine? Hope so...

Plug of the month...all the best for this year to Angelo at Red Legends. A great man and a fine business. Good seeing you in December mate - see you again later this year. Also a big hello to Russell Forgham - another fine man and an inspirational figure who lives life to the full.

England manager

2007-12-08T11:35:00.000-08:00

I HAVE my doubts about the three men being feted as the main contenders for the England job. Of Jose Mourinho, Fabi Capello and Martin O’Neill, I would plum for Jose - but even his appointment would be a gamble. Undoubtedly he is the people’s choice - but look what happened to the national team under the last unanimous man of the people...Kevin Keegan. His reign ended in dismay in the toilets at the old Wembley stadium. Not that Mourinho is naive tactically, no, his undoing would not be down to that - but would he be able to stand the long drawn-out days of doing nothing, the boredom of not having every-day work? Or would he end up like another former England chief...the late Don Revie, who walked out on the country to take the readies on offer in the United Arab Emirates. It is easy to imagine Jose getting bored and walking off to Barca, Madrid or Milan - and leaving us in the lurch. That is the worry - at least in the much-maligned Revie’s defence, he did also shuffle off to help get some much needed cash to help his poorly wife Elsie, who was suffering from Parkinson’s. That is not a known fact; Revie is usually painted as a money-grabbing traitor. As for Capello - he could do a fine job, he is the right age and has the character to make tough decisions and build a mental strength among a group of players lacking in that area. But I worry that he also threw his hat in the ring to be boss of Australia and said he would not mind working in America. It suggests he is just another mercenary - although that would not matter if he could turn the team around by 2010. As far O’Neill, his legendary prevarication is a worry - he just can’t seem to make up his mind and that could prove disastrous...he could be another McDonut, although his spell at Celtic would suggest not. Whichever man is chosen, I would like to see a role found for Steve Coppell who admits he has neared the end of the line at Reading. He is an intelligent Englishman with a good vision and could be groomed for the job full-time when either Jose, Fabio or Martin eventually walk away.

Celtic United

2007-11-13T02:59:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr Worrall,According to The Sun, for whom you write regularly, Celtic United gives promotion to the dubious assertion that Manchester United supporters sang 'You'll Never Walk Alone' on a sports terrace first.[1]Is this report an accurate reflection of your new book, and if so, did you search for and manage to find corroborating evidence for Jane Hardwick's claim, as originally printed in the Manchester Evening News,[2] or did you take her account at face value?[1] http://tinyurl.com/2bzdev[2] http://tinyurl.com/2holk5

Thanks Anon for your contribution - you are a prolific author, I have seen your name on many many articles on many many sites! Let me explain a little what this is all about... My new book Celtic United is out this week and has made a fair start in terms of sales etc. I believe it is my best book to date providing a full, interesting, entertaining picture of the two biggest clubs in Britain - and how their development, fortunes and history mirror each other in a remarkable way. As the title suggests the book is about Celtic FC and Manchester United FC and the bond between them. Now, in the introduction section I lightheartedly mentioned that United fans need not fear antagonistic about their Hoops counterparts singing You'll Never Walk Alone as it also had Old Trafford connections as well as Anfield. It was a piece of fun - rounded off with an exclamation mark. Naturally, the national press picked up on it (and ignored what the book is really about!) and outraged of Anfield (including our wondrous Anon!) decided it was a knock on Liverpool FC. Which it wasn't - it was a bit of fun.

I have received several indignant emails from Liverpool fans but Anon's was the best in that it summed up the ludicrous nature of the situation. No, I have not been busy digging out 'corroborating evidence' - what do you think I am, bloody Inspector Morse, old bean! This is a bit of footballing fun mate, not a murder hunt! Also I see Anon is keen to knock me by saying the stuff about the anthem was also in the MEN - well, so what? I can tell our Anon is not that much of a detective himself - it was actually also in the Stockport Express Advertiser before the MEN! Not all United and Celtic's huge army of supporters live in Manchester and Stockport, Anon - there is a worldwide base of fans and not all of them get the MEN and Stockport Express Advertiser! This is new to them, as indeed it was to me. Re the corroboration...I do remember my old grandad and his friends telling me about United fans singing the song at a Munich memorial at Old Trafford in 1958 - five years before it was sung at Anfield - so maybe that corroborates it?

I tell you what, Anon, you send me an email with your real name and address and I'll send you a signed copy of the book. Have a read and you'll know what I am saying...and thanks for writing in - good to hear from you, I wish you well.

All the best for now,

Frankie W

Lewis, the other McClaren, Rangers and the Kop

2007-10-24T02:16:00.000-07:00

The contoversy over my Lewis Hamilton book continues to rage on amazon. As I explained in the previous blog, the book's publishers inadvertantly sent the 'pitch' I had given them (ie that the book would come out just after Hamilton had hopefully won the title) to amazon - and they published it verbatim. Some followers of Fernando Alonso continue to believe that I was actually predicting the result of the season in the book! (see also the contribution from anonymous on the previous blog) and are still rather bitter. To them I say - get a life! What's the point of getting all het up about the fortunes (or misfortunes) of men who are being paid (certainly in Alonso's case) millions of pounds whether they win or lose? Okay, be a fan of them but don't let it rule your own life as you struggle to meet the rent or the mortgage.
As for Hamilton - well, he blew it, didn't he? Simple as that. Nerves and inexperience cost him in the last two races. Looking back at it, all he needed was one fifth place finish from those two races to clinch the title and he could not manage it. I've no doubt that he will win the title next season or the one after (although I think Alonso will win it for the third time if, as expected, he joins Ferrari in 2009). Lewis blew it as he tried to race Raikkonen in China and Alonso in Brazil - and after poor decisions by his garage over the tyres and a faulty car - when all he needed was to think strategically. But he will learn and come back stronger.
England's footballers and rugby players also failed the same week. The rugby boys went down in the final, but was that failure? Hardly, more like a massive success given the quality of the squad and management, but it was certainly disappointing to see the footballers lose in Russia. I cannot stand Guus Hiddink - he is one of those bloated self-important coaches - like Ancelotti of Milan - who believe they are the greatest, and I would have loved it if McClaren had put another one over on him. Sadly it was not to be - and we then had Hiddink blowing his own trumpet saying how he had masterminded the victory with his superior tactical nous. I would rather have McClaren in charge than this pompous ass - and that is saying something.
Seriously, McClaren's time is surely over? I can honestly see Israel taking a point off Russia which would mean McClaren would be in charge for Euro 2008, if England beat Croatia.What would we not give for Jose Mourinho to take command, hey?
Still on football, I was saddened to hear Rangers fans booing Ronaldinho and Henry when Barca played in the Champions League at Ibrox. You get two works of art on display, as opposed to the many SPL journeymen who usually take on the Gers at Ibrox, and you boo them? What's going on here, guys? I supported Bury FC when I was a boy and I was so grateful when we drew big teams in the cups - certainly I did not boo them, I felt good to have witnessed such talent. I would have thanked my lucky stars to have seen Ronaldinho and Henry in the flesh!
One final talking point: Benitez and Gerrard...how long can this simmering feud continue? It seems to me that old Rafa is envious of the place Stevie G holds in the hearts of those on the Kop - and wasn't it a similar story with Michael Owen? But which of the two do you keep if it comes to a 'this town ain't big enough for the both of us' showdown? My money would be on Gerrard - even though Benitez has taken Liverpool to two European Cup finals...

Cheques and bugs and rock n roll

2007-10-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

It's been an 'interesting' start to the week. Today my new book is out - Lewis Hamilton: The Biography. When the publisher (John Blake) decided to go ahead with the book at the end of July he asked me to provide a synopsis. I did, writing it as if Lewis had won the drivers' championship. I guessed that he would more or less have it sewn up by October 1, the day after the GP in Japan. Unbeknown to me, that synopsis went out on amazon! It caused a real storm around the world - honest, if you don't believe me, just type in my name and Lewis Hamilton on google .com. F1 fans were up in arms around the world, knocking me - well , as it turned out, barring a massive shock, I was right, wasn't I! And it gives me great joy to say that. Lewis is a genius; I think that is the best word to describe him, and a genuine great guy, too.
One thing that I think is wrong, but pse tell me if I am incorrect - he will not be the first rookie to win the drivers' title, will he? Surely that accolade inevitably (logically) rests with Giuseppe Farina in 1950, as that was the first time the title was won?
Football...I think the treatment of Avram Grant at Chelsea is disgraceful. No one is saying he is another Mourinho, but surely he deserves a chance and to be afforded a basic human decency? If he messes up, so be it, but lay off the man. Also on the beautiful game...Man Utd need to cut those double standards of expecting season ticket holders to compulsorarily pay out extra for matches they may not want to attend, and then Ferguson puts out a second rate team. If it is a proper match, the crowd deserve proper treatment - it must work both ways. If the Glazers want the guaranteed readies then United must guarantee to take the match seriously, and send out Ronaldo etc. Okay, until next week...frankie w

Welcome to my blog

2007-09-27T06:39:00.001-07:00

'This is not brain surgery we are talking about here...'

THAT QUOTATION was from one of my first mentors in journalism – and I still stick by it today. I have been a journalist on national newspapers for the last 20 years and am now the author of five books on key sportsmen of our time, and it still makes me smile when I hear some of the rubbish would-be Martin Amises spout. The people we are dealing with in football, sport generally, music and celebrity are not philosophers or the aforementioned hospital lifesavers – yet some writers, and publishers, would have you believe that they are just that.

I remember when I did my first book on Wayne Rooney and a publisher agreed to look at it. He rang me and I could almost see his lip curling in true aristocratic pompous-style as he told me: “The problem is it does not take me into the socio, psychological world of Rooney. It does not take into account the economic and social factors behind his rise. I would really need that input to take a punt on it.”

Bemused, I promptly sold it a day later to a publisher who knew what we were talking about here: Wayne Rooney, footballer extraordinaire and a young lad who had perhaps had his head turned by some of the excesses money and youth can bring. Nothing more; there was no great philosophical or sociological statement to be gained.

The world of entertainment is a great one in which to be involved and grow up. I was lucky enough to write for what used to be the Melody Maker at a very young age. I was their North of England correspondent and it was the next best thing to being a pop star. A young lad from north Manchester interviewing and staying in the same hotel as the Rolling Stones etc. Of course it went to my head! I paid a price: losing much in a fantasy world of rock 'n roll excess. Even in hindsight, it is a cheque I would gladly issue once again.

I was privileged to break some of the biggest artists to come from the north of England in the 80s. I did the first interviews with Jarvis Cocker, New Order, Morrissey, OMD and was there backstage cheering the likes of the Human League on. I also loved some being part of the more experimental music at the time – Cabaret Voltaire, the Box, Person to Person and Syncopation.

With my books, the focus has been on my joint first love – football. My book on Rooney was the first on the boy and I was privileged to do a follow-up to Roy Keane's magnificent autobiography, and, moving at a slight tangent, the first biog on Lewis Hamilton.

The Hamilton story encapsulates for me exactly what a great sports book should be about. The overcoming of adversity and the advent of a legend.

I intend to post my blog here regularly to expound my views on the latest developments in the world of sport and music – and I look forward to reading your replies.