Ruud Gullit has slammed the racists that are threatening to derail the Euro 2012 tournament and has called upon players to take action against it and not ignore it like he used to.
The Dutch Legend who helped Holland win the Euro Championship in 1988 has backed the stance made by Mark van Bommel in speaking out against it and claimed that he was powerless to do so back in the 80s and 90s, as black players weren’t backed by the authorities:
“When I played, I received racial abuse but I was just one of a few black players and we weren’t backed up by the authorities. Now there are so many at the top of their profession and they have the backing of important people.
“I used to ignore the abuse and felt powerless to change attitudes”
Gullit is hoping the tournament passes off without incident, but has called upon the authorities to ensure that everyone unites to rid this evil from the game:
“We are beyond that now though. We just have to hope that racism doesn’t haunt this tournament but that, if it does, the response is strong. We want to remember Euro 2012 for great football.
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The players need the support of UEFA and the football authorities need the support of the police.” (Daily Mail)
‘I disagree with people when they say football is a sport. When the Sky (TV) money came in, that changed. Football is a business’. The recent admission from the former Manchester United and England captain Bryan Robson during an undercover meeting may have come as a shock to some, but to most, isn’t it something we already knew ?
For those who don’t know, or didn’t see the program, Channel 4’s ‘Dispatches’ documentary recently went undercover, posing as wealthy businessmen on the look-out to buy an English club. They met a group in Thailand, which Bryan Robson was a part of, and openly discussed the possibility of buying two clubs (which is illegal) and how they would circumnavigate the laws to achieve this. Robson was secretly filmed discussing this in the meeting, and openly talking about how his links to a certain Premier League club and other managers, would help call in ‘favours’ and loans, to build-up their newly acquired teams. They also stated they were not in it for the long-term – just looking to buy the club’s cheap, gain promotion, make a massive profit, then get out. It was when queried on the moral issues surrounding such a takeover that Robson gave the above statement.
Are many of us still naive to think that the people who invest billions into our clubs will not want the maximum return possible out of their investments, and do everything they can in trying to achieve such things? That is exactly how the business world works. However, we are talking about football – a sport. Our ‘beautiful game’ that means so much to so many, world-wide. To have our beloved club’s bandied around like toys by these rich businessmen, is not a nice thought for any passionate supporter.
Of course, the huge money invested in today’s football has changed many things for the better. The way the sport is brought to us (so-called ‘expert’ pundits aside), seemingly 24 hours a day through every kind of media possible. Clubs have better stadiums, better training facilities, better injury care, the list goes on and on. But is the most important thing any better; the actual football? Sky TV would have you believe so, but that’s another debate.
Utilising loopholes and creating deals to advance is nothing new and has been going on for years within football clubs. The difference today is that the clubs are now viewed as businesses – loopholes and deals are now used with the end purpose of creating the maximum profit; the business philosophy. Not for the end purpose of trying to make the club the best it can be; the sporting philosophy. With such large amounts of money available in the game, many an individual’s integrity is put to this test. The power to ‘influence’ sporting decisions (illegal or otherwise) has been around for some time, but in today’s game nothing attains influence greater than money.
Whilst Robson’s opinion may well be right, looking to underhandedly capitalise on the sorry state of affairs and cash-in, is disgraceful. Two wrongs don’t make a right eh Bryan?
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On the big Emirates pitch Fulham may find it tough to stay compact if Arsenal get in to their passing grove. Robin Van Persie will have benefitted from the run-out against Wigan and he showed enough to suggest that he could start against Fulham, as did Theo Walcott. Their pace will cause problems and open space and with the less wasteful Chamakh back in the side, this has the potential to be a big scoreline for Arsene Wenger’s side.
The Cottagers have yet to win away from home this season and though they’ve lost just four games home and away from fifteen played, all of those losses have come in their last eight games. A run which has seen them pick up just six points from a possible twenty-four.
This should be an open invitation for Arsenal to go all out in attack. Having started the season with sixteen goals in their first three home games in all competitions, things have been a little tighter since, especially in the league but if the manager sets them on the offensive from the start they could rack up a few against a struggling Fulham.
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The pace of Walcott could be very effective down the wings and if he does start, he’s well priced at 6/1 to score first. The England international has started just three games and has scored the opening goal in two of them. Samir Nasri is enjoying his best spell since joining the club and has been one of the stand-out performers this season. He has scored the first goal twice this season and has already equalled his best league total in an Arsenal shirt with six goals in eleven starts. At 5/1 to break the deadlock and 13/10 to score anytime, the French midfielder could continue to be a money-maker.
The form guides say this will be tight, if you agree then Arsenal 1-0 at 6/1 and 2-1 at 7/1 are the bets for you. However, something seemed to click in the second half against Aston Villa and if the home side go for the jugular we could be looking at 4-0 at 12/1 or maybe even 5-0 at 25/1.
***Click HERE for a FREE £20 Bet for New Customers***
Eden Hazard’s protracted transfer to the Premier League may be to Chelsea’s gain but his behaviour on twitter has highlighted the ever changing nature of modern day footballers.
The Belgian is this summer’s blockbuster signing and has attracted the attention of Europe’s top sides but his constant indecisiveness has led to fans questioning his integrity. Should professional footballers really be allowed to arrogantly flirt with every club under the sun?
The latest is Hazard has apparently signed for Chelsea, something the club are yet to officially confirm, but he’s previously claimed his future lies in Manchester be it City or United and he even suggested Tottenham Hotspur back in February. No doubt his agent works hard behind the scenes to facilitate any potential deals but Hazard has decimated any form of confidentiality by using social media to publicise details. It’s led to continued speculation over his eventual destination and is fuelled by his ambiguity.
The increasing popularity of social media has given footballers an outlet to express their thoughts and opinions directly to their followers. It can be a useful tool in narrowing the gap between celebrity and Joe Public but has led to players over stepping the bounds.
Hazard has used his account to court various teams. He claims he’s joining one then circumstances change and he wants to join another. Like a kid in a candy store he’s clearly thrilled by having to choose between so many exciting options but until Lille agree a fee and a team actually offers him terms, is it right that he can openly tease fans with possible outcomes while unable to confirm anything?
Twitter seems to be Hazard’s preferred method of self promotion and the latest trend to consume the internet has led to people debating its value in today’s society. Arsene Wenger was unmoved.
“It can be very good and very bad. If it can be a positive image of the club [that’s OK], it also can be bad,”
The Arsenal manager has a point. No one minds hearing what their favourite player had for breakfast but controversial topics often rear their ugly head. West Ham’s Danny Gabbidon was charged by the FA for a Tweet aimed at Hammers fans after they lost to Bolton. He wrote:
“U know what, f**k the lot of you, u will never get another tweet from me again, you just don’t get it do you. Bye bye”.
It’s something the governing bodies will have to deal with as social media becomes more widespread. Fans love to hear what their beloved stars are doing but as more and more clubs are finding out, there must be guidelines in place to limit the amount of sensitive information being discussed. As a recently invented saying goes, ‘twitter doesn’t kill people; people kill people’. If users are sensible they can create a positive forum for their followers but if they use their account unwisely they can easily cause offence and risk the wrath of their superiors and also the public.
Most fans will agree that players are arrogant and self promoting. They pimp their rides with bling and lead celebrity lifestyles that reaffirm their egotistical superiority. It’s not necessarily a criticism for their confidence plays a major role in their successful careers but it means they must be responsible when given a mouthpiece to the world. Darren Bent illustrated how important is is for players to have boundaries when he publicly criticised Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and forced a move Sunderland. The England forward wrote:
“Seriously getting p***** off now. Why can’t anything be simple? It’s so frustrating hanging round doing jack s***.
“Do I wanna go Hull City NO. Do I wanna go Stoke NO do I wanna go Sunderland YES so stop f****** around, Levy. Sunderland are not the problem in the slightest.”
Bent was reprimanded by Tottenham for disrespecting his superior but the topic was already in the public eye and he eventually moved to the Stadium of Light. It may be understandable that the striker felt frustrated by a long-drawn-out transfer but is spitting the dummy out the best way to keep fans informed? How are Hull and Stoke meant to react to an unprovoked attack?
As flattering as it must be to have a host of teams chasing your signature, it doesn’t warrant the arrogant way players try to tempt prospective buyers. Sadly it illustrates an ever increasing shift in player power that if left unmonitored will lead to social media becoming an unrestricted voice of football.
Players like Bent and Hazard may argue they’re merely keeping followers informed but their comments actually affected their transfers. After all Bent got his preferred move and Hazard opened the door to Chelsea once he knew they’d qualified for the Champions League. It allows players to dictate their futures and has given them more control than the clubs holding their contracts.
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Some clubs are starting to police their players social media antics in order to pre empt controversy but currently there are no rules to stop players saying whatever they like. Clearly they need to be censored or fans will lose patience with players like the Belgian boy who keeps crying wolf.
Do you think players should be banned from using twitter? Does social media improve the relationship between players fans? Should it be monitored by an authority?
Let me know your views and opinions by following me on twitter – Tweet me@Alex_Churcher
German midfielder Michael Ballack will not play in his farewell match for his country against Brazil, labelling the proposal ‘a farce’.Ballack’s national team boss, Joachim Loew, announced on Thursday that Ballack would no longer be playing for his country under his tutelage after an impressive 98 appearances for the 2002 FIFA World Cup runner-up.
But Loew did extend an olive branch to Ballack by saying he would be given the chance to turn out one last time against Brazil in a friendly in August.
The friendly had already been scheduled before it was turned into a possible ‘farewell’ for Ballack, something which angered the combative midfielder.
“Turning a friendly match, which has been planned for so long, into my farewell is, in my opinion, a farce,” Ballack told Bild.
“I know I owe it to my fans to participate in that game, but I cannot accept this offer.”
Ballack also voiced his displeasure at Loew’s lack of respect in breaking the news to the midfielder.
“The form and content of his message surprised and disappointed me because they reflect the way he has been treating me since I got injured last summer,” he said.
Germany will face Brazil at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart on August 10.
Stoke have pulled themselves out of their own run of poor results with arguably their hardest fixtures of the season to date. Whilst their draw at Tottenham was a little fortuitous, the home win against Liverpool had the confidence of a side thoroughly at home in the top flight. All this with Champions League winner Eidur Gudjohnsen sitting on the bench.
West Brom are now four games without a win- and will be anxious to get back to winning ways here. Disappointingly for Roberto Di Matteo, points dropped against sides expected to struggle have taken the polish over away performances against Arsenal and Manchester United. Goals have certainly not been in short supply, but a lack of clean sheets have beset the Baggie’s attempts to push on from their strong autumn.
This is the sort of fixture that West Brom will have earmarked as crucial for Premier League survival. That Di Matteo would probably accept a point here shows the strong start the Baggies have made to their season. Stoke, happily heading in the right direction are happy to stockpile points ahead of the Christmas period.
The Easter schedule may not be as hectic as the Christmas period but rest assured, due to its proximity to the end of the season, it retains plenty of importance. What’s more there are valuable points on offer in Fantasy Football. Which players though should you be looking to include?
The Captaincy Debate
One player in fine form is Newcastle’s Papiss Demba Cissé. The Senegalese forward, signed from Freiburg in January, has been on a terrific goal scoring run for the Magpies. In his first seven performances in the Premier League, he’s netted seven times, including a double against Liverpool last Sunday. Over the next five days, Cissé faces Swansea and Bolton and he’s likely to extend his good start to life with the Toon.
Cissé isn’t the only January signing from the Bundesliga who has flourished since arriving in the Premier League. Gylfi Sigurdsson’s loan move to Swansea is proving to be very successful. The Icelandic international has scored six times and laid on three for teammates during his time with the Swans. He was even named the Barclays Player of the Month for March further showcasing his credentials. Newcastle will by no means be an easy encounter nor will QPR with the way they’re scrapping for survival. However, it’s hard not to fancy Sigurdsson making some sort of impact in both games such is the form he’s in.
Form is something which Liverpool have struggled for of late. The Reds have lost six of their last seven games in the Premier league. Steven Gerrard will be looking to arrest this slump over Easter. The Liverpool Captain masterminded their only victory of late. He scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 success over Merseyside rivals Everton. Kenny Dalglish could do with similar heroics from his skipper against Aston Villa and Blackburn. He is the most likely player to lift the side from their recent run and facing two sides who are struggling might bring the best out of Gerrard, just when Liverpool need it.
However, do not discount the Ecuadorian genius that is Antonio Valencia. The winger has helped to give Manchester United an extra push since returning from injury in March. In three games against Wolves, Fulham and Blackburn, Valencia has scored two along with grabbing three assists. Considering that he’ll be playing QPR and his former club Wigan over the Easter period, Valencia looks a good pick for the Easter schedule.
The Captain: Antonio Valencia – The winger has been in fine form of late and Easter might well prove a prolific time for the Ecuadorian.
The Vice Captain: Papiss Demba Cissé – Cissé is a good player to have in reserve. Ensure at the very least you have the Senegalese in your team.
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With the introduction of the Bosman ruling and the financial difficulties many teams found themselves in over recent years, a swathe of footballers have found themselves on the football scrapheap once their contracts expired.In the Premier League this hasn’t been a problem with the oceans of cash swimming around, but with the introduction of the Financial Fair Play rules by UEFA this summer meaning clubs have to balance their books and the requirement of a 25-man squad, footballers leaving Premiership clubs this summer might find it harder than usual to walk into employment.This week Aston Villa announced a whole raft of players to be released. Most notably for me was Nigel Reo-Coker. After a highly disappointing spell at Villa you would expect plenty of teams to take a chance on him, especially perhaps one of the promoted teams. However, if he is on a wefty wage, it could prove a problem for him, and a host of others. Also being released by Villa is a certain John Carew, and Robert Pires too. They have the advantage of course of not carrying a transfer fee with them if purchased, but with signing on fees, agent fees and wages, it can still be a risky acquisition for anyone to buy someone on a Bosman signing. Brad Friedel is on his way too, aged 40, but has already reportedly attracted the attention of Liverpool and Spurs.Relegated teams are the ones that often have to release the most players, as the financial implications of Championship football begin to hit home. Birmingham have released Kevin Phillips, who will struggle at his age to play at such a high level again. Also released are Sebastian Larsson and Lee Bowyer, who should find employment easily enough, much like Stoke’s Abdoulaye Faye.Blackpool’s relegation has forced them to release an even larger number of players, including Marlon Harewood. Expect David Vaughan to stay in the Premiership (my money is on Sunderland). [ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’right’] The most notable player on the market will probably be England’s Michael Owen, complete with laminated brochure and the burning injustice that scoring against Blackpool hasn’t secured him an England recall. I don’t think many will be losing much sleep wondering if he has found a new club. But that helicopter doesn’t pay for itself. Other high-profile players available include Manuel Almunia, whose high-profile mistakes may put off potential buyers.At the end of the January transfer window I saw a list of players looking like they would be free agents in the summer, and you forget some of the names still playing their trade in the top division. The odd player, like Jose Bosingwa, sorted out contract extensions, but where next for Sol Campbell, released by Newcastle last week? Or Kieron Dyer, Boudewijn Zenden, or Ricardo Fuller? Where now for Diomansy Kamara, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, or the cursed Owen Hargreaves? Is the best he can hope for a pay-as-you-play deal? You could argue the same for Jonathan Woodgate.Eidur Gudjohnsen anyone? Rob Green? Matthew Upson? How about a return to the Premiership for Harry Kewell, Lucas Neill and Ruud Van Nistelrooy??There will be plenty of youth players not having contracts renewed as well – age can be a blessing for them, but also a worrying time. You often see youngsters released at the bigger clubs, who buy big, but with the pressure for immediate success in modern football, youth players often don’t get the chance. But it is not always the club getting rid of the player of course. Players often run down the contract themselves as a way of leaving a club. One Manchester City youngster seemingly on is way this week is John Guidetti, frustrated with only one Carling Cup appearance this season. Johan Elmander seems to have allowed his contract to run down, and won’t struggle for interest.I doubt many will be too anxious at premiership footballers looking for new clubs, nor should they. Whilst the better players will never struggle to find a new club, those a bit lower down the ladder may find it harder than it used to be to maintain the deal they had. One possible positive outcome from the new fair play rules will hopefully be that many players will be forced to be more realistic with wage demands. And with the clubs more aware than ever that costs must be capped, expect plenty more clubs over the coming weeks to announce a raft of player releases. It could be a worrying summer for many.
As we enter the 19th year of the Premier League, it is safe to say there hasn’t been a plethora of winners of the prestigious trophy. Only Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Blackburn have ever lifted the Premier League trophy, and with Manchester United claiming over half of those triumphs, there hasn’t exactly been an even distribution of glory across the land.
For much of the past two decades both Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have lain dormant, with City even descending into the third tier of English football for the 1998-99 season. In the past there have been many false dawns, but with both clubs now pushing for Champions League berths, the spotlight of not only the English game, but also the world game, is now illuminating both Eastlands and White Hart Lane. With Chelsea winning the title whilst losing 6 games last season, and many of the teams challenging for the title this season having already dropped a substantial number of points after only 11 games, is the only thing in the way of a title push an absence of a mentality and culture of success?
Both clubs have decorated histories, but with Manchester City infamously having not won anything of note since the League Cup in 1976, and winning the League Cup in 1999 and 2008 being Tottenham’s only noteworthy achievements since the formation of the Premier League in the 1992-93 season, neither can lay claim to being silverware heavyweights in the modern game.
Harry Redknapp has famously claimed that Spurs are a couple of world-class players away from the title;
‘I think Tottenham may be one or two big signings away from being a team that could win the championship… One or two players in the right positions – and I’m talking about two top, top players in the right positions.’
With the way Spurs have been playing in Europe who can argue with him. In Rafael van der Vaart and Gareth Bale, Tottenham already have at least two world-class players, but this scintillating form in Europe has often failed to translate to the domestic scene with disappointing results against West Ham, Wigan and Bolton, Spurs find themselves 10 points off the lead prior to the midweek fixtures.
Manchester City on the other hand has, arguably, one of the best squads in England. What the Eastlands outfit do however seem to lack, is stability and consistency both on and off the pitch. A run of three straight losses prior to the victory over West Brom at the Hawthorns meant Roberto Mancini’s job has become under threat, in spite of the fact they currently lie in fourth position, 5 points off the pace and 3 points behind their city rivals who they play on Wednesday evening.
Although both sides clearly believe the Premier League title is not too many steps away from them, there is an air of trepidation around even mentioning the prospect of housing the trophy in the respective silverware rooms of Eastlands and White Hart Lane. Mancini has even stated;
“Chelsea are the best team in the Premier League at the moment… They are probably going to win the Premier League title easily.”
Whether this is gamesmanship or a cheap shot at City’s Manchester rivals from the Italian is unclear, but after the derision Mancini endured having claimed he would get City fourth place last season, brash arrogance is clearly not the dish of the day.
With the past two decades having been so comprehensively dominated by Manchester United, and in sporadic doses, Arsenal and Chelsea, it is plain to see why an aura of dominance is difficult to procure at clubs beginning to emerge at the zenith of the Premier League. But as has been seen at Liverpool this season, when the veil slips and the boot is on the other foot, these big domestic games aren’t quite as scary as they used to be.
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With both Manchester City and Spurs inconsistently impressing this season, there are clearly other issues at hand in stopping them achieving the ultimate goal of Premier League glory. Namely, for Spurs, it is the purchasing of world class players, and at City, it is the prospect of stability and moulding a side which play together with regularity. But if and when these concerns are dealt with, both clubs must have the belief that they can go all the way before it can be achieved. After all, if they can’t believe in their own success, you can guarantee neither will Chelsea, Arsenal or Manchester United.
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Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore has stated that the English top flight intend to continue with pre-match handshakes, despite calls for them to be scrapped.
The handshakes have caused a controversy this season, as Luis Suarez refused to shake Patrice Evra’s hand after being given an eight-match ban for racially abusing the Manchester United defender.
The handshakes were also scrapped for a game between Chelsea and QPR due to the hostilities between John Terry and Anton Ferdinand, again over a racial controversy, but Scudamore expects the routine to remain in place.
“It’s not a handshake that says everybody loves everybody else,” he told Sky Sports.
“It’s a handshake that says ‘whatever’s gone on before now and whatever will go on after this game is over, for the next 90 minutes, let’s just play a game of football’.
“It’s nothing more symbolic than that, which is why in our view, they should continue – period,” he confessed.
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