Angry Fans
IT'S just like watching Brazil. That's what they used to sing at the Oakwell Ground. And well deserved too. Liverpool were dreadful.
TORRES rested. Gerrard rested. It's not a case of Yanks Out, but Rafa Out. He picks the team. He takes the blame.
Am I the only one getting the feeling that not even another Champions League miracle can bail Rafa out this time? Should be interesting at Anfield tonight.
NOW that all the hype has died down and Giovanni Trapattoni has finally been declared the new Irish manager, has anyone stopped to think about how he will affect the way the Republic play? There is no doubting the quality of the Italian's CV but the player's reaction to a more defensive-orientated style of play will be interesting. Expect to see Robbie Keane deployed as a lone striker, with five players in midfield for much of the qualification campaign. Trapattoni should at least make us difficult to beat but we will not be pretty to watch. The possible recruitment of Liam Brady to the back room staff is also worth noting. How will the players react to having an RTE TV pundit, who regularly criticised them, on the training pitch in whatever capacity? Is Brady's proposed part-time role sufficient to make a valuable contribution or will he just become a glorified interpreter? I doubt Irish fans will care how we play as long as we get to the World Cup even if it means a more stifling, defensive approach to our performances. Let's hope the new manager and his back room staff hit the ground running and pick up at least a win over the Serbs in May otherwise Denis O'Brien might be looking for a receipt...
Hang on Ger, it's not as if Ireland in recent years have run up cricket scores against all and sundry. "Difficult to beat but not pretty to watch" - Jack himself could have said that. In fact, I think he did. Expect Trap to speak a different language although we won't know just how fluent he and Ireland will be until September.
THERE is no excuse for Andy O'Brien retiring from international football at the age of 28. I wonder if an average player like him would be able to make such a good living out of football today, if it wasn't for the great players in the past who raised the profile of the game. Instead of sulking back in England, O'Brien should have turned up at Croke Park for the Brazil game and observed the minute's silence for all the great players who died in Munich, especially Ireland's Liam Whelan. As for the Irish job, it would have been no big deal if we have to wait until the summer to get Trappatoni. It's not like we're going anywhere.
I won't presume to second-guess Andy O' Brien's motives but, in general, I share your disappointment at premature retirements from the interantional scene. And it's not even about the greats who paved the way. What about all of those - all of us! - who could only ever dream of pulling on the green shirt.
WELL, what about Richard Dunne against Manchester United . . . what a player. A pity he is at such a poor club. I know Man City are after coming on a lot this year but I think Dunne should leave the club at the end of the season. Come on, a player of his quality could go to the top four. Liverpool need a decent centre-half, Sami Hyypia's legs arent what they used to be.
"Liverpool not a poor club shock". You read it here first!
I WAS strongly opposed to the so-called "39th Step" by the Premier League . . . until I heard that Sepp Blatter thought it was a bad idea. On the principle that Blatter is the perfect reverse barometer — anything he is against must have some merit— bring on the international round I say.
IF THERE is going to be the chance of Premier League clubs playing abroad I think that staging a Liverpool v Manchester United match at the new Lansdowne Road would get things off to a flying start. The two best supported teams in the Republic . . . and no problems with long haul flights. They could even come by Ryanair.
Being somewhat allergic to septic blather myself, I'm awarding the Letter Of The Week prize to Tony Kennedy for services to the sarcasm industry.
WILLIAM Gallas calling Manchester United arrogant. As good a case of pot versus kettle that we'll hear this side of Christmas.
What is it with all those po-faced pros tut-tutting about showboating? Can you imagine the Brazilians complaining about it? More of this sort of thing, please.
ANYONE who thinks that the Manchester United-Arsenal FA Cup match will have any bearing on the final destination of the league title is in cloud cuckoo land. Cup matches are one-offs, and can depend on a considerable amount of luck on the day, and footballers know that. There are still 12 matches to go in the league, and that is the best barometer for the best team of the season.
ARSENAL were pathetic. And never has a player deserved to be sent off more than Eboue.
WELL done Arsenal. You've made Darren Fletcher look like a world-class midfield player.
Cruel, so cruel.
LISTENING to Sepp Blatter's plans to impose a quota of "home-grown" lpayers on the Premiership one of the main arguments he produces is that the tournament is dominated by four of five teams. This season in the Premier League we may well have the third different league champions in three successive seasons. Yet in France there is only ever one winner — Lyon. Inter Milan look set to win their third consecutive Serie A title, and in Spain only Barcelona and Real Madrid are ever in with a real shout for La Liga. Until fairly recently Bayern Munich held the whip hand in Germany and are on their way to re-establishing that. PSV, and occasionally Ajax, swap the Dutch title. Sounds to me like the Premier League has the best record in this respect. Not that the facts will ever get in the way of European soccer bureaucrats.
Good points Red Devil, even if you did forget to mention the SPL - or the OFC (Old Firm Championship) as we like to call it around here.
RED cards for swearing? Yet another opportunity for referees and football authorities to ruin and disrupt football matches, just as they have done with their asinine changes to the offside laws which no one likes and which, even worse, no one understands, least of all the officials. When are these guys going to realise that people pay good money to watch 11 play 11, not to see the odds skewed by poor decision-making. One thing is certain, if reds are introduced for swearing referees will apply the ruling inconsistently, and therefore, unfairly. Why introduce yet another initiative which makes games, and spectators, hostages to fortune?
Excellent letter Tony but, under new rules for this column which I introduced just two minutes ago, I'm afraid I have to give you a red card for beginning and ending you missive with a question mark. You were saying?
