Angry Fans
He casts his eye over your comments and gives his own critical analysis of the
goings on throughout the world of football. You may agree with him or then again
you may not. This week Is Rafa 67.33 per cent confident of winning league; Keane’s
kick in the teeth; Shearer hypocritical on Match of the Day; Ince is doomed; Is
there a worse referee than Mike Riley; Scolari’s persistence with Deco; Scolari
another foreign flop; Love to be a fly on the wall at Man City’s next board
meeting; He plays with a smile; Let’s have your tips Liam; Ireland’s
return;
The Letter of the Week goes to Sean Stevens, Kildare get in touch with
your postal address and your magnificent prize will be winging its way to you.
SO Liam, after Liverpool’s failure to beat Hull at the weekend do you think
that Rafael Benitez might now be 67.333% recurring confident that the Reds will
win the Premier League title this season?
AFTER
Robbie Keane’s desperate lung-busting efforts in Europe in midweek wasn’t
it a kick in the teeth for him not even to spring him from the bench when we needed
three points against Hull instead of one. He’s surely on his way, isn’t
he? Once again Liverpool have escaped because of the surprising failures of other
title rivals. It’s got to be our year.
DIRK Kuyt has occasional good games, strangely best when he’s
playing wide on the right, but he was lamentable on Saturday and should have been
replaced by Robbie Keane. Lucas Leiva. WHY???????????
If Benitez gave Keane a decent run of games,
he’d be repaid with goals, no question. But if he’s not going to give
him that chance, Robbie would be better off elsewhere.
WATCHING Match of
the Day and listening to Alan Shearer complaining about centre-forwards shoving
other players to gain an advantage is a bit like hearing sailors complain about
the sea isn’t it?
Ho, ho, ho and a bottle of rum.
YOU just know that people’s
careers are doomed when they start talking about themselves in the third person.
For this reason I fully expect Paul Ince to be gone by Christmas after his post-match
interviews following another dreadful performance at Wigan — “This is
not about Paul Ince. It doesn’t matter about Paul Ince etc“. Time to
call for the men in the white coats.
Oh, well, at least he didn’t say, “This
is not about The Guvnor. It doesn’t matter about The Guvnor” etc.
FOR
the second game in succession an official has had a clear impact on the outcome
of an important match at Stamford Bridge. Two weeks ago Robin Van Persie was clearly
offside when he equalised, a decision which resulted in the suspension of a linesman
for one game. On Sunday Mike Riley — is there a worse referee officiating
in the modern game — ignored a nailed-on penalty when Lampard was brought
down by Lucas Neill. It’s no excuse for Neill to say that he couldn’t
get out of the way. With proper officiating Chelsea could be five points better
off and away at the top of the league. Is this some master plan to ensure that
we have a close title race this season?
ARE
we witnessing something interesting with Scolari at Chelsea, vindication of the
theory that just because you’re a good international manager it doesn’t
follow that you can do the job at club level? His persistence with Deco, who is
clearly out of form, rekindles memories of a similar obstinacy with Portugal where
he was often accused of playing his favourites. Playing one up front at home against
a West Ham side who were taken apart by Tottenham a few days previously has the
whiff of madness about it. And while much has been made of their away record it
has been achieved against lower level clubs. Starting with Everton next Monday
they still have to visit Old Trafford, Anfield, White Hart Lane, Villa Park and
the Emirates. I don’t think the 100% record will last through that series
of games. In fact you can start getting those “Chelsea crisis” headlines
ready for the New Year Liam.
SCOLARI
is just going to prove himself one more expensive foreign flop. Why do owners
and chairmen keep appointing people with limited understanding of Premier League
football. As far as I can see it’s succeeded twice with Wenger and Mourinho.
Now Sunderland are said to be interested in taking on Mancini as manager. Can
you see that working out? No, neither can I.
Well, let’s see now — the clubs which have
dominated English (and even European) football in recent years have been managed
by the likes of Mourinho, Wenger and Benitez. Flops, eh? And don’t forget,
Fergie is a foreigner too. (Just ask him, via a translator). By the way, nice
to see Cork Blue back in the in-tray in time for the annual handing out of cards.
Red ones, of course.
STEWART Downing valued at ?16.2m including Gareth
Bale; Roque Santa Cruz carrying a price tag of 20m; Emile Heskey valued at 12m;
Ashley Young priced at 32m? Will someone ever tell football that there’s
a global recession on? Or has the game just become the equivalent of Rome’s
“bread and circuses.” And we all know what happened to Rome in the end.
: Don’t tell
me. I haven’t finished reading the book.
CAN you just imagine the
conversations at the next board meeting at the City of Manchester stadium . .
. “Yes, I know we’ve spent all that money Sheikh. And I know 22m of
it went on Jo, but I really can’t explain why we’re one point off the
relegation zone. Another 100m or so for Kaka and Buffon should sort it out. Oh,
and wages of 400,000 a week will do nicely too.” Anyone think that the clock
is ticking ever more quickly for Mark Hughes. Perhaps they should get Sven back?
After all City were in the top four this time last year.
Sven? If money’s no object
why they just get yer man from Manchester’s poor relations?
ISN’T
there a case for retrospective discipline against players who simulate either
to earn a penalty or to get opponents sent off. That dreadful piece of performance
art by John Pantsil was a clear attempt to get Ricardo Fuller sent off, and if
it had been performed in a theatre the audience would be catcalling and throwing
rotten tomatoes and cabbages at the actor concerned.
: You haven’t been to the theatre since
medieval times, have you Steve. Still, have out Letter of the Week prize for some
righteous naming and shaming.
LIAM — I expect you watched that fantastic
match at Thomond Park on Saturday. What with that and All Black Dan Carter turning
out for Perpignan for 40,000 a match do you think that rugby is the new football?
Oh absolutely. I mean,
there must be at least a dozen countries playing the game by now. If not more.
OK Liam, we’re half-way through the season. Let’s have your tips.
Who will be the Premier League champions, who will win the Champions League, and
will Ireland qualify for the World Cup. Quick now.
Manchester United, Barcelona and I’ll
get back to your after the play-off.
STEPHEN Ireland’s father says
his son may be willing to break his self-imposed exile from the Irish national
team. Good news, or bad news, Liam?
No news at all — until we see what the prodigal son has to say
for himself.
