At last! some football to speak of

fuck transfer sagas. fuck michael phelps. fuck the south african cricket team. football is back, not that it ever went away.

STEVE MCLAREN 'OUTWITS' WENGER (but loses 2-0)

Steve Mclaren's team got off to a losing start in Europe last night. Despite this they created some good chances, befitting of one of the leading teams in one of Europe's leading football nations. It all went to Mclaren's head, so accustomed had he become to watching lacklustre England displays. When asked in a post match press conference if his teams good performance was evidence that he had outwitted Wenger, he replied that he had. Yes, outwitted him him so thoroughly that he ended up losing 2-0. His rival managers in the dutch league will be hoping he 'outwits' them all season then.

LIVERPOOLS REF SLUSH FUND SEES THEM THROUGH

Liverpool somehow got through an away game with Standard Liege with only a 0-0 scoreline. Having seen a perfectly legitimate goal disallowed the Belgian team then missed a penalty, and had another good chance cleared. Word is that Liverpool were 'lucky'. We may well ask- when was the last time Liverpool were on the receiving end of an 'unlucky' refereeing decision?

What my girlfriend makes of England.

As a Uruguyan she knows a thing or two about football. They've won twice as many world cup's as England. She was a supporter of Nacional in Montevideo in her youth, these days she errs towards Everton, in support of me, and Spurs, in support of her countryman Poyet. But fundamentally she is a neutral.

While her opinion is not founded on any real knowledge of the English game it gives a round impression of how the English game is percieved from outside the UK. She has lived in both Spain and Italy and has lots of German friends so has a good idea of how the game is played and thought of across the continent.

What she makes of....

Peter Crouch: Hilarious. Like some strangely skilfull giant ghoul. Good but hilarious.
Wayne Rooney: Cursed to always disappoint for England. 'He'll always do something stupid or angry. you just need to look at him to tell that'.
Gerrard: Actually pretty good. Always looks like he's trying hard at least.
Beckham: A handsome if insufferable cunt. Not as good as everyone thinks he is although he crosses well. "you have him in the team for crosses'. She is mystified by his continued insistence on taking corners as everyone knows he is going to whip it in 'the way he always does'.
English goalkeepers: Rubbish since Seaman. "Seaman was really good, why isn't he playing still? Did he retire?"
Steve Mclaren: "He is the coach?! He looks and speaks badly. How can someone who looks and speaks like that be the coach?" During the match with Croatia she exclained "why does he have that umbrella?!"
Capello: Very good coach. Very bad for England. He will need Italian style players to get his system to work. And that England can't play like that as 'they are England not Italy.' Besides, Italian football is boring to watch.
JO Cole: England's best player. Even if she alwyas forgets his name.
English Coaches: Important. The French or Italians or Germans would NEVER have an English coach. The English might think they are being modern embracing a foreign coach. Everyone else thinks they look like desperate idiots. "Is there really not one good coach in all of England. He might not be the best but he will be better than any Italian. for England."
England as a football club: England are good but they are never going to win anything and are way too nervous. Why are they nervous 'they are England'. She is as mystified as anyone about why they 'nearly always play badly'.

OK- that is that. Next week 'what my cat makes of English Cricket'.

this blog has been quiet of late

this is mostly due to a wall shaped depression I've been having. You may suspect that this is because Everton have been knocked out of two cup competition recently (just one more to go) but the depression is despite rather than because of this. I feel like Robby Savage would had he been rubbish at football, imagine that!

Robbie Savage actually gets a mention when you tour the Nou Camp stadium in Barcelona. The guide says "here, when you see a game on Saturday you get to see Ronaldinho in midfield, in the english premiership you get to see Robbie Savage." This rather neatly expounds the 'problems if the English game'. Or, to remove my thought from the realms of cliche, the way in which the premiership passes off mediocrity as brilliance. There is no better example of this than the FA cup. the manner in which vastly 'superior' teams struggle against relative minnows, who are paid just a fraction by virtue of their lowlier footballing stature. When Everton get knocked out by Oldham, or Blackburn lose 4-1, it is as if Rome's favourite gladiators were defeated in combat by sacrificial Christians. This of course the magic of the FA Cup. And what makes it a far worthier competition, in terms of stakes and drama, if not outright competition, than the Premiership. It also show s us what a simple game football is and how with luck, motivation, and organisation, triumph is attainable in cup competition. England should take note.

On that note Capello enjoyed his first day as England manager this week. I particularly enjoyed his farcical, mostly for the cameras, meeting with Stuart Pearce. This was a chance for Capello to showcase, for the viewing public, how advanced his English had become. He stumbled a bit.

"The uhhhh, how you say, tell me of the, uhhh, proximo, Next, uh,Game, please" He managed. But even in this he managed to be equally as eloquent as Steve Mclaren, even if he was missing Sven Goran Erikson's taciturn diplomacy and sleightness of phrasing. Sven always reminds me more of a UN spokesman , in terms of style and delivery, than a football coach.

For now however, I will leave these ramblings, and turn by mind to more pressing, and weightier matters.

Hasta luego...

Mclaren to be sacked!

Probably. Apparently the FA will meet up on November 22nd for an emergency meeting, and thrash out the details of his severance package then. Probably.

In defence of his boss used car salesman Terry Venables said "If the FA is convinced it has someone better who will instantly transform us into World Cup winners then fine, but it must make sure it comes to a decision for the right reasons not just because it seems right at one particular moment. "

I agree. A decision of this magnitude should not be based on one particular moment. It should be based on a range of factors. Losing to Russia is one. Losing to Croatia is another. Drawing with Macedonia is yet another. Failing to qualify is an important one, should, as I suspect, it comes to that. The fact that he was always a lousy candidate for the job in the first place should really be taken into account too.

Enguhland may have under-achieved under Sven, Keegan, and Venables, but at least they had a major competition to actually under achieve in.

Mclaren

Good article on Steve Mclaren here http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/11/07/the_day_mcclaren_went_missing.html

My comments on it are- The fact that Steve Mclaren was evidently never up to the job has nothing whatsoever to do with his ginger hair. The same can be said for Gary Megson at Bolton. If ever there was a man whose reputation outweighed his actual achievements (midtable obscurity and one, wow, Carling Cup) it is Mclaren.