Why Football is the best sport in the world.

Even Messi can't win a game on his own, and that's what makes football so great.

I sit here, laptop on my knees as the build up to the Women’s Singles Final of the Australian Tennis Open unfolds on TV. The commentators keep saying how it is such a big moment in world sport, the first big world sporting event of 2009. I can of course, see what they mean. There are some prodigiously talented players on show and there have been some exceptional matches this year. But I just can’t get as worked up about tennis as I do about football.

Of course, I suffer the natural prejudice of having been raised in a football obsessive household, and have played since I could walk, but even when I try and get my head involved in these debates rather than just my heart, I can only ever conclude that football is a superior sport, as it is to all other sports in the world.

I just feel that football is such a skillful game. It is so difficult to master. There are so many different skills involved in it, and no player can ever master them all. I’m not saying that other sports, and tennis in particular, do not require such skill, but I think few have such a demanding roster of skills as almost a requirement to partake in the game.

In tennis of course, there are a wide range of shots that a player must master to be any good, there is the serve, the positioning and the fitness. It’s a demanding game for sure, but to an extent, a player can master all these aspects of it. What makes this possible is that it is an individual sport I think. They can put in the work and know that, at the end of the day, it comes down to them, and them alone.

In football though, there are just as many skill areas involved. You need to be fit, you need to have a good touch, good passing, good positioning, good tackling, good tactical awareness, good strength and bravery and many more aspects. But even if one player could master all of these aspects of the game, they also have to apply this effectively to a team environment. You need eleven highly trained athletes formed, moulded into a cohesive unit. And that to me, makes it an ultimately more impressive spectacle. One man can win a game of tennis, but you need eleven men to win a game of football.

However, it is not just that which makes it so great. There are plenty of other team sports where players perform incredibly as a unit, and a good example of that, is Rugby. Living in New Zealand I am surrounded by people who swear by Egg-Chasing, but I have not been convinced of yet. Although their skills of passing the ball quickly amongst each other and running in lines etc. shows impressive cohesion, there is a certain lack of fluidity and skill still, that I struggle to get past.

Footballers are highly toned athletes, formidably fit and flexible and agile all at once, But rugby players don;t actually need to be, and often, shouldn’t be. The big guys that they have in their teams for scrums and for charging through the middle of the park (my rugby knowledge is very limited, you’ve probably noticed!) are just all brute force, and have much less skill. They serve as an effective part of their team simply as a human battering ram, and I don’t see the true skill in that at all.

There is also the fact that in football, scoring is so damned difficult. Some people, and often (stereotypically) American people, have always complained that football is ‘too low-scoring’ and therefore not exciting enough. However, although football is a low scoring sport, that doesn’t mean it is not exciting. Indeed, the fact that scoring is so rare a thing, and such an achievement when it comes, simply enriches the sport in my opinion.

Because in many ways, when you see Rugby players charging over the line or just simply whacking the ball over the  massive posts, it almost demeans the art of scoring. With the scoreboard ticking over so readily, it makes the act of scoring seem less of an achievement, less special.

The same can be said of tennis. Winning a point in tennis is, not easy, but, well, expected. It happens so incredibly often, it must, for they play to a points target of course, but still that seems almost to nullify some of the achievement that is associated with scoring a point, or a goal, or whatever.

And the thing is, with football, even when goals aren’t flying in, it is still an immensely technical game, hugely skillful and very tense. Each pass made is crucial, every time a player controls the ball he knows that one mistake could gift the opponents a great chance to score. And each time a chance to score presents itself, there is such pressure on the player with the chance because he will know that they might not get another chance.

This pressure, this tension, is ultimately, what makes football so great. To score a goal in itself is an incredible achievement. To have worked a ball through 11 men, and into a small netted area is a daunting task, and to manage it sparks wild celebration amongst the fans. In many ways, it is this aspect of the game that makes the support for football so passionate. The world over, the most passionate fans will be found in football stadiums, because it is such an exhilarating experience. The tension, the pressure, the build up, as matches are 0-0, and the sudden explosion when a goal is breached, the relief, the pure, unadulterated joy is an incredible roller-coaster of pure emotion. And that can’t be said of any other sport in the world.

Even when there aren’t any goals, you can have a truly exhilarating, nail-biting experience. The cut and thrust of two teams giving their all but not giving an inch is often enough to provide an incredibly entertaining match. That is what people fail to appreciate about football. You don’t actually need goals, and you don’t actually need a winner. The play itself is mesmerising at times, slick passing football, played quickly or slowly, with ultimate commitment, is one hell of a spectacle.

That then, is why I’m sitting here typing out this blog as Serena Williams storms to a 5-0 first set lead in the final of the Women’s Singles at the Aussie open. Because this match is proving my point. Williams is all but a bloke, she is too powerful for Safina, and so, even though Safina is an immensely skillful player, she doesn’t really look to stand a chance. But that can’t happen in football, a match can’t be won by physique alone (though gosh knows, teams have tried).

Football is truly a game of all round excellence. The players must be technically, mentally, and physically toned and honed to near perfection. In other sports, sacrifices can be made. But football demands that 11 brilliantly crafted individuals must pool their combined skills and hone them further into a cohesive unit. It gives us almost unrivalled emotional entertainment, and its excitement is epitomised in the passion and commitment of it’s followers all around the world.

Many, many people will disagree with what I have written here, and rightly so. It’s entirely my own opinion, and I’d love for people to leave comments arguing against me. But all I’ve said is truly honest. I honestly cannot understand people who think Rugby is a more skillful game than football, and I don’t know how people can find Tennis more exciting. Yes these other sports do offer entertainment and excitement, but football just has so much on it’s menu. It’s an all round sport, and I can’t think of any to match it.

Premiership Predictions

Stoke City vs. Manchester City
Stoke are in a bit of a downward spiral at the moment. The trouble that they’ve had is that the other teams in the league have finally learnt to deal with their physical threat, while Stoke haven’t ever really managed to broaden their attacking horizons. They haven’t been helped by some injuries and suspensions, but that is something every team must deal with and so is no excuse. City on the other hand, will be hoping to kick on in the second half of the season. With the arrival of a few new faces and the probable departure of Robinho, their squad should band together and turn their season around, they certainly have the quality to do so.
Prediction: 1-2.

Arsenal vs. West Ham United
Arsenal scraped a draw with a late goal against Everton on Wednesday, but Wenger will expect another tough challenge tonight. West Ham are a team in their stride at the moment, and Zola should be commended for his work in turning their season around. They have shown in recent weeks that they are hard team to beat and will hope to frustrate Arsenal. However, if Everton’s game in midweek proved anything it is that you must take the game to Arsenal. Sit back and try to shut them out and you will eventually yield. Everton conceded only when, in injury time, they were attempting to run down the clock rather than outplaying Arsenal. Zola’s men are perfectly capable of breaching Arsenal, and I think there could be goals here.
Prediction: 2-2.

Aston Villa vs. Wigan Athletic
Of course, the fixture list being the devil that it is, Heskey returns to face Wigan in only his second game for his new club following his departure from Steve Bruce’s side. Villa continue to be in good form thanks to Heskey’s debut goal and I see his capture as being a shrewd move from O’Neill. There are few players better at bringing people into the game than Heskey, and with Young and Agbonlahor willing runners, they should get some good service. Wigan will hope they can continue life without Heskey and have found a good replacement in Mido, who will form a good partnership with Zaki, his countryman (though both are on loan, I bet Bruce is dreading the summer!). I think this will be tight, but Villa seem to have that touch of luck on their side so…
Prediction: 2-1.

Bolton Wanderers vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Bolton threw away three points after letting a two nil lead slip to Blackburn last time out, and Megson has come under fire from the club’s fans in recent times. I hope that the players don’t allow that unrest to get to them, because in my view, Megson is doing a good job. They have been having a solid season and need to keep their focus on the pitch. Tottenham though are a strange prospect. Under Redknapp they have been good and bad, probably more the former but slip ups in recent weeks leave them with much still to do to stave off relegation. It depends what happens on the day, but they come in off a win, while Bolton will feel their draw as a defeat, so confidence may give Spurs the egde.
Prediction: 0-2.

Fulham vs. Portsmouth
Fulham lost to the Hammers in midweek and have had a few losses in their last few games, but all have been away. They will see today as a good chance to get back to winning ways, making the most of a home crowd. Pompey look very toothless since Defoe’s departure with Crouch robbed of a strike partner, and he has neither the strength or skill to be an effective lone striker. I can’t see anything other than a home win here I’m afraid, Fulham have looked good at times this season but Pompey are slipping quite badly. More pressure on Tony Adams.
Prediction: 2-0.

Hull City vs. West Bromwich Albion
Hull are still struggling to regain their early season form and abandon, and Phil Brown will know that a win against their fellow promoted side and strugglers is absolutely essential. Albion had picked up some handy points before an absolute drubbing at the hands of Mike Riley (and Man Utd) in mid-week. They must forget that result, United will do it to better teams than they, and take the game to Hull. If they get a win it will boost their confidence massively, and give them a slim glimmer of hope for survival. If Hull win, it could kick start their season again with some winnable games approaching, if they lose, I reckon it could signal the end of their fight.
Prediction: 1-1.

Middlesbrough vs. Blackburn Rovers
Wow, this promises to be a thriller doesn’t it. I hope you got the sarcasm there because it is positively dripping in it. Blackburn are doing what they have to since Big Sam took over. He has sured them up and they are tough to break down, but not very pleasant on the eye. Borough are really struggling too at the moment and Southgate will be desperate for them to regain the promise they showed in the first part of the season. I don’t think Rovers will give them much chance to play though, and this could be a very ugly, very boring, stalemate.
Prediction: 0-0.

Manchester United vs. Everton
United come into this game after a very emphatic defeat of West Brom. Everton will come in equally comfortable, after drawing with Liverpool twice and Arsenal in their last three games, and have shown that they are a very tough proposition. Cahill is firing in front of goal, while Jagielka and Lescott are in impervious form at the back. In the last meeting between these two teams, Everton grabbed a deserved equaliser in the second half and that was the game that really ignited their season. United are always a dangerous prospect, but I am confident we can get at least a draw, and we may even be able to nick a win, as we so nearly did against Aresnal.
Prediction: 1-1.

Newcastle United vs. Sunderland Athletic (Sun)
Newcastle’s turnaround under Joe Kinnear is quickly disintegrating. Constant outbursts from Kinnear are doing nothing to keep a calm atmosphere at the club, the unhappy rumblings of Charles N’Zogbia will disrupt the squad further and the loss of Owen and Barton are big blows for a squad that isn’t exactly brimming with quality. Sunderland on the other hand, are continuing to enjoy life under Sbragia. With Kenwyne Jones having committed his future to the club, a settles squad should be able to fire them to three points, bragging rights and premiership survival this season.
Prediction: 1-3.

Liverpool vs. Chelsea
These sort of high pressure clashes often end up in a draw, disappointing both sides. I can see that happening here as well. Liverpool have been frustrated a lot in recent weeks by Everton and Wigan, and are not looking very decisive in attack. Torres will be getting sharper all the time, but they still depend far too heavily on Steven Gerrard. Chelsea went above Liverpool after their midweek win and will want to try and extend their lead an keep the pressure on Man Utd. At the end of the day, this one will probably prove too much for both teams as they will be too afraid of slipping up to really go for it.
Prediction: 1-1.

Happy Hammers

The little magician knows that success takes time.

It came as a it of a shock to me when I had a look at the Premier League table before and noticed West Ham sitting pretty in 8th position. I’m not saying that they have been playing badly or anything, I just hadn’t realised quite how dramatic their turnaround had been. After a dour first few months under Gianfranco Zola, it looks as if the little magician has worked his magic from the dugout, as the Hammers are playing some attacking, attractive football.

Since taking a point away from Stamford Bridge in mid-December, Zola’s men have barely looked back during a run of 9 games with just one defeat – that came only after a desperately lucky own goal against Aston Villa robbed them of a deserved point. Aside from having an innate liking for the Hammers as a club because of their good youth production and great fans (I remember being at Goodison when Everton beat them 7-0 and yet the Hammers fans had the time of their lives pretending that they were on a comeback. They kept bursting into frenzies of cheers and singing “7-1! We’re gonna win 8-7!”, until after eight cheers they picked up a deserved imaginary three points) I am also delighted to witness the turn around in their fortunes as it demonstrates the value of a little patience in football.

Around November and early December West Ham were looking to be in quite a bit of trouble as they flirted in and around the relegation zone, and couldn’t seem to kill games off. They weren’t actually playing badly per se, but they lacked a certain cutting edge. This was epitomised when I watched them play Everton, going one up from a Collison goal just after the hour, they looked worthy of at least a draw until Everton hit three in the last ten minutes to snatch an unlikely win.

I remember listening to Five Live and reading comments on various websites around that period and distinctly remember portions of West Ham’s fans becoming rather disgruntled – and perhaps rightly so. No one wants to be in such a position entering the busy festive fixture pile up and with the dreaded ‘bottom at christmas’ curse always a threat, many thought that the time for change had come.

I disagreed, as Zola had been in the job only a very short time, and had had no really chance to stamp his authority on the team’s play. I must say too that there were as many West Ham fans in support of Zola as were against him too, and I commend them for having loyalty and patience with their man, and assume that they are deservedly enjoying the fruits of this faith now that they’re on the up.

Because it would have been very easy for West Ham’s board to sack Zola. We have seen revivals at Tottenham and Newcastle and later, Sunderland and Bolton where a change of manager has sparked a sudden resurgence. The board at West Ham must surely have been having second thoughts about Zola’s appointment and I don’t think many would have been surprised had the axe been wielded. Disappointed certainly, but not surprised.

However, Zola’s turnaround of the club is emblematic of exactly why a coach needs to be given time to settle in and make a difference. Zola came into a squad that weren’t exactly high on confidence and probably not used to his management style either. What’s more, I’ve no doubt that he will have brought in some very major changes in the way he wanted the squad to play, and all of this needs adapting to.

West Ham have struggled for real quality for a few seasons now, with only Carlos Tevez really shining for them in his brief stay there. That has meant that the style of football has been sacrificed at times, as players have to do what they can to get results, including ‘playing ugly’ at times. That is something that Zola won’t be too keen to stand for though, and anyone who can remember watching the little man play at his enthralling best in his Chelsea days will understand why.

Zola will have set out to his players a way of playing. He’s a very intelligent footballer and will have told them that if they can play to his style, and be rigid and organised within the system, the results would come. They would have had to be given time to adapt to playing a more fluid, pleasing-on-the-eye style, and we certainly saw evidence of that on the pitch. As I say, they weren’t playing badly, but they just weren’t fluent enough to function effectively as a unit, and that’s where points were lost.

But Zola was given time, and gradually, they have improved. He has also been able to identify the players that best suit his style of play too, and youngsters like Jack Collison and Freddy Sears have come in and made an impact for him. They are young, dynamic and ready to learn and adapt to fit in with the team and so it is no surprise that their performances have been one of the highlights of the season for Hammers fans so far.

It also comes as little surprise to see that Craig Bellamy began to flourish under Zola either. Though hampered by injury of late, he has never really looked like regaining the sort of form that made him one of the best poachers in England a few years back. Under Zola though he looked rejuvenated, and there is no doubt that the sleeker, faster and more attacking style suited him down to the ground – and a few words of wisdom from perhaps the greatest forward the Premier League has witnessed wouldn’t have gone amiss either.

It is further testament to Zola that he has managed to achieve all this amid something of a crisis at the club. While the Carlos Tevez affair rumbles on in the courts, and their sponsorship deal collapses and their owner edges nearer to bankruptcy, Zola has managed to keep his players’ minds all of of these off field distractions and kept their focus on the pitch. Now he faces the challenge of reaplacing Bellamy who was sold to alleviate the aforementioned financial instabilities, but I don’t fear too much for him.

He has established a good, cohesive mentality amongst the players, and if anything the initial struggle and hardship will have only brought them closer. Now that they are turning the ship around, they will be full of confidence and delighted that they are working together towards an good achievement. This squad spirit will ensure that Bellamy’s departure will not affect them to much, they will band together to fill his absence and welcome new players who may arrive as part of their unit, so long as they prove themselves worthy and committed enough.

All in all, I think Gianfranco Zola should be commended for his achievements in turning West Ham’s season around. He has not made a fuss about anything, despite some seriously awful luck at times and has conducted himself with the sort of dignity that was another reason why all English fans, not just Chelsea’s, held him in such high regard as a player. Truly, more managers could do with taking a leaf out of his book, and learning to concentrate their efforts not on spouting off to the press about their opponents and rivals, but working tirelessly to make a difference to that which they can control.

Likewise, more club boards and officials should take note of the faith that West Ham showed in Zola at a tricky time. Yes, often it does seem easier to simply try and start again, and this season has, somewhat annoyingly, suggested that change can be very effective. But I still maintain that managers have to put in a lot of work and be given some time before we truly see their efforts reflected on the pitch and so I think that a little patience goes a long way with regard to the old managerial axe.

I hope that West Ham can continue their resurgence too, as it should help reinforce the lessons that we can take from their recent success. They are a club that fully belong in the top flight of English football, and their relegation a few years ago was a great loss to the league. In West Ham, and Gianfranco Zola, we have two entities that truly bring a lot to this league of ours and I hope that the two of them together can climb back to nearer the top of the English ladder and start to push for the real success that their brilliant fans deserve.

Everton FC: At The Heart of Liverpool.

The site of Everton's new stadium?

Though Everton’s season on the pitch looks to be shaping up nicely after a shaky start, there still hang some serious clouds on the horizon with regards to the clubs future. The ‘new stadium’ debate is one that has been rumbling along with our club for some time but has really gained some momentum in recent years, with the Kirkby proposal seemingly being the chosen option for the Everton officials.

There is no doubt that Everton do need an improved stadium if they are to continue to progress as a club, to allow for larger crowds and thus greater profit to match their on field ambitions. However, I have serious reservations about the Club moving it’s stadium outside the city limits, as Kirkby would be. I’m sure that those inside the club, those with the power to make decisions, feel that in their heart too, and I think they have perhaps abandoned that hope too easily.

Of course, the obvious problem with a new stadium within the city itself is that there are very few, if any, areas for development within the city that are large enough to allow a football stadium and all that comes with it, to be built. A few years ago, we explored the Kings Dock area and even got as far as having a vote amongst season ticket holders as to whether to leave Goodison and go ahead with the move. However, eventually that prospect fell flat and so we were forced to look elsewhere.

The really grinding thing though, is that there is a location that would be perfect for a new stadium. It’s about a minute from Goodison Park and has plenty of space available for development. I’m talking of course, about Stanley Park. And this was an option that was explored, and a couple of years ago, the club approached the Liverpool council with regards the possibility of using the land to build their new home. The council though, said that it was land that was indispensable as a public park, and would not consent to have it bought up for ‘private’ use.

A few years later though, and Liverpool FC, now also deciding that they need a new stadium, also approach the council about the possibility of a Stanley Park stadium. And surprise, surprise, in February 2003 they were granted permission. The plans are now in the pipeline, and the stadium was due to be completed ready of an August 2012 opening before the economic decline halted its progress.

The fact remains though that the Council has gone back on it’s decision to keep Stanley Park for public use, and given Liverpool permission to build a stadium where Everton were denied. This is downright favouritism towards the ‘more successful’ of the city’s two largest clubs, and to my mind, is downright wrong.

For one thing, Everton are the oldest club in Liverpool. Founded in 1878, fourteen years before Liverpool, we were also the original tenants of Anfield stadium, using it from it’s construction in 1884 until 1892, when we left due to a rent dispute and moved to Goodison Park. The owner of Anfield then founded a new club simply to have some use for his stadium, and thus Liverpool FC was formed.

So Everton FC were the first football team in Liverpool, and we remain the People’s Club of the city, as David Moyes memorably christened us when he took the manager’s job. But he had a point when he said that the man on the streets of Liverpool supports Everton. The people who actually live in the heart of the city are usually Everton supporters, with Liverpool’s support often coming (quite famously) from further afield and even abroad. This trend, of the people of Liverpool supporting Everton is probably due in part to the fact that Everton were established before Liverpool. The local people already had their team, and we all know how allegiances are passed down bloodlines, thus the ancestral people of Liverpool, support Everton.

It seems even more ridiculous then, that the prime location for a new stadium in the centre of Liverpool was given not to Everton, the People’s Club, but to Liverpool. If we move to Kirkby and Liverpool move to Stanley Park, match days in Liverpool could have the bizarre occurrence of Everton fans leaving the city to go to their stadium, while Liverpool fans flood in to the city from around the country to their stadium. Surely it would make more sense for Everton to remain in the city, as both history and the majority of supporters’ location suggests is logical.

Of course, this option seems closed to us now. Liverpool have been given Stanley Park, and so we must accept that, unfair as it may be, we cannot use that space (don’t even mention sharing). I still think though, that we belong in the city. Everton are, as I have discussed, the city’s founding club. We are the People’s club, and so why should the people of the city have to leave it to watch their team play at ‘home’?

Now comes the point in my article where I must consider the plausible options for remaining in the city, and this is unfortunately where I hit a bit of a hurdle. I can’t pretend that there are many, because there aren’t. The club has looked long and hard, but space for a development of this nature is hard to come by in such a busy city.

It is this which will prompt some to call for a shared stadium between Liverpool (despite my annoyance), and in a sense, it is a sensible call. Financially it would make sense and both clubs would have a prime location for ‘their’ stadium. But would it really be ‘their’ stadium? I think not, I think that with a shared stadium, each club would lose a big part of their identity. Goodison Park is a historic old ground, full of grace and character. Of course we will lose it when we move, but we will retain it’s qualities, and we establish a new ground that feels like home, that is our spiritual place. Likewise, Liverpool have their Kop end, and that is something else that could not be shared. How could a stand be ‘the new Kop’ one week and then be full of Toffee’s the next? It would simply destroy any chance we have of transferring our atmosphere from our current grounds, and that is something that should not be sacrificed.

So if sharing is not an option (and it isn’t), and there is no room for new development within the city, surely moving away is our only option. That is certainly what the club seems to have concluded with their Kirkby proposals, but I hesitate to agree. I think that there is a great location within the city that could house a stadium. In fact, I know it could house a stadium, because it already does.

I’m talking of course, about the area enclosed within Goodison Road, Bullens Road and Gwladys Street, where Goodison Park currently resides. Because what we need is a better stadium. It doesn’t have to be completely new, and we don’t have to move. Goodison Park has the central city location that we so desire, and it also has rather good foundations for a stadium. I fail to see then, why we are not seriously looking in to the possibility of updating and improving Goodison Park.

The club say that they have explored this possibility, but I don’t know to what extent they have done so. I have a sneaky suspicion that what most puts them off the redevelopment of Goodison is that it would mean we miss out on a lot of financial help for the improvement of our Stadia. Moving to a new ground would allow Naming Rights to be purchased, as well as the development of some sort of ‘complex’ adjacent to the stadium, which would help fund the build – at Kirkby, it’s a Tesco’s.

Now of course, that’s a handy financial boost. But I for one don’t like all this commercially named stadium bollocks. The Ricoh Arena for christ’s sake?! Ricoh make photocopiers!!! And why does a football ground need to be surrounded by a supermarket or ‘luxury apartments’ or a fitness complex? It doesn’t. That just detracts from the majesty and purity of a football stadium. It is a place where only one thing matters. Everything should be geared towards the football, and what happens on the pitch. They shouldn’t be trying to sell you shit on the way in. This is football dammit!!!

So I would be glad of missing out on those particular annoyances if we were to stay at Goodison and redevelop. Obviously that creates financial problems, but really, we’re in no state to build a stadium even with naming rights and a fancy complex at the moment anyway. We’re broke, and need someone to buy us and invest pretty heavily (but sensibly, none of this ‘Kaka for 100m’ rubbish) and so if we have an investor, why not just spend a bit more on redeveloping Goodison. After all, we won’t have to build from scratch anyway, as I said, it has good stadium foundations!

The only other major obstacle I can see to this plan, is that the redevelopment of Goodsion may make the ground uninhabitable while the work is being completed, and so it may leave us with nowhere to play. I am not much of a builder (understatement of the century), and so I don’t really know the logistics of it all, but perhaps the redevelopment could be done in stages, with simply a reduced capacity while the work is done, or (‘lo and behold) we could share Anfield for a season or two. God I actually shuddered as I typed that.

My point is though, that I don’t see any major, major problems with the prospect of redeveloping Goodison, and the fact that it would keep us in the city, and let us remain at our beloved Goodison Park, are enormous plus points in its favour. If anyone else can shed any light on other stumbling blocks that I may have missed, please do so, but at the moment, I see it as an entirely plausible (and favourable) option.

At the end of the day, I think it would simply be a tragedy if Everton were to leave Liverpool itself. While Liverpool, have more history in their trophy cabinet, it is we who have more history in the city. We have been here longer, it is where we belong, and it is where our fans live and work. The heartbeat of the club and it’s fans are in tandem, from the heart of Liverpool itself. I think it is absolutely sickening the way we have been treated by Liverpool council, but I think the club should do absolutely everything in its power to prevent us leaving the city. Taking Everton out of Liverpool would be like ripping my heart out of my chest. It just shouldn’t be done.

Liverpool 1-1 Everton: Six Conclusions

Everton: can they progress?

1. Possession isn’t everything.
No one who watched the game this morning will argue that Liverpool were dominant for large periods of the game. They had the lions share of possession and Everton didn’t spend too much time in their half. However, those who claim that because of this stat, Liverpool deserved to win are deluded. For all their possession, Liverpool created very fe chances of note. The likes of Torres, Kuyt and Babel barely featured in a creative sense and only Gerrard and Alonso looked like picking Everton open. Still though, they couldn’t manage it. Everton’s defending was simply outstanding. Phil Jagielka is actually outshining Lescott at the moment and Lescott was one of the best defenders in England last year – and still is. The full backs were solid and committed, and the midfield worked tirelessly. Credit to Moyes’ organisational skills, and the players’ work rate. In the end it took a moment of typical Gerrard superhumanity and a goalkeeping error from Howard to keep Liverpool in the tie. Tempting as it is to declare that Liverpool’s dominance deserved a victory, the fact is that Everton were too good for them defensively, and thus remained the better team in a way for much of the game. Possession isn’t everything.

2. Liverpool – Gerrard = Shit.
Seriously, talk about a one man team. In the two games at Anfield this week it has taken a Gerrard goal to save Liverpool’s necks, and to be honest, rarely in either game has any other player genuinely looked like scoring. Torres did on one surge in the League tie, and Kuyt might have had one late on yesterday, but other than that, Liverpool didn’t threaten. If I had the time, resources and motivation I would go through Liverpool’s recent history and wipe Gerrard’s goals from their results, and see how it would hamper them. I’d leave them his assists and stuff, but I’m fairly sure they would not be nearly as successful as they are today without Gerrard. If anyone does have the time, resources and motivation to attempt this, please do so and let me know when you have, I’d be hugely interested to see how poor Liverpool are without their ‘Captain Fantastic’.

3. Liverpool are going to hate Fellaini.
Both of Everton’s goals in the two fixtures this week have been headers from set-pieces, and both have been heavily influenced by an unmarked Tim Cahill, as he scored one and setup the other. It seems that Liverpool’s defence have a huge issue with being able to keep the little Aussie in check and that gives me some excitement as to how they might fail to cope with Fellaini, who should be available for the replay at Goodison after missing both of this weeks game through suspension. Granted, the Belgian sticks out a bit more than Cahill, what with his towering height and dopey haircut, and so will struggle to be as ‘sneaky’ in losing his man as ‘Tiny Tim’. However, he is one hell of a handful in the air and with Arteta, Pienaar and Osman providing pin-point deliveries into the area, will surely have Benitez worrying in the lead up to the match.

4. Everton weren’t really negative, Rafa’s just bitter.
After the match Benitez has come out and criticised Everton’s defensive tactics saying that “One team was trying to win and the other team was trying not to lose”. First of all, I think deep down, both team;s were trying not to lose as in trying to win, there is the necessary implication that they therefore don’t lose. Logical flaws aside, Benitez still doesn’t have much of a point. Yes, Everton defended like heroes and didn’t get chance to do much attacking, but you must remember that we have only one fit striker at the moment, who is still a youngster and returning from injury himself. It is difficult to name a truly attacking side with no strikers and in the circumstances, we have been doing very well. There is also the slight problem of Everton leading for much of the game. We went ahead, perhaps against the run of ‘possession’ (see 1.) but fully deserved it for how we had played. We then settled into a defensive stance to attempt to hold on and win the game. If Liverpool couldn’t break us down, that is their problem. I think we should be admired for doing so well without a full striker, and I think that until such a time comes that we leave a 20 million pound striker out of the squad and play like that, Benitez should keep his mouth firmly shut. But he’s having trouble doing that of late isn’t he, probably because his team are stuttering quite badly. Sour grapes, Rafa?

5. Everton are in with a real shot of winning the replay.
In two games this week at Anfield, Everton have matched Liverpool in every department. We have troubled them defensively and they have struggled immensely in breaking us down, relying on Gerrard’s trademark inspiration. However, the replay at Goodison could prove a very different affair. For one, Mikel Arteta should feature, as he didn;t this morning, which will give us a lot more creativity and composure in midfield, not to mention his delectable set piece skills. We will also welcome back Maruaone Fellaini, who has been in great form this season, ans I think should really trouble a shaky Liverpool defence (see 3.). By that point too, there is an outside chance Moyes may have been able to bring in a striker on loan, which could give us more options of the bench. Of course, there will be more pressure on us to attack them at Goodison, but I feel Moyes will be cautious in his approach. He knows we can get goals from set pieces, and so will not want to do anything too risky at the back. Roared on by a home crowd, I really think Everton are in with a good chance of progressing. Here’s hoping.

6. My FA Cup Prediction…
The sixth and last conclusion I will make is also the most controversial. Having seen the draw for the next round of the Cup, the winner of the replay at Goodison will face either Doncaster or Aston Villa. Realistically, one has to feel that Villa will triumph in the replay and setup another top six clash, but either way, I have a sneaky feeling that the victor of the next tie (between Everton/Liverpool and Villa/Doncaster) will go on to lift the famous trophy this season. Don’t ask me why, but I just think that Everton and Villa have shown in their league form that they can beat anybody on their day, and Liverpool are title contenders and so can’t be ruled out. If, against all the odds, Doncaster triumph against Villa and either Merseyside club, I may retract the above prediction.

Guest Blog: Disappointment, Progress & Hope

Hi all.
For today’s post, click the banner above and head over to Beautiful Game where you’ll find my article that looks at the disappointing end to the A-League season for Wellington Phoenix fans.

The boys put in a brave performance against Melbourne the other night but eventually went down 2-0 and so relinquished any hope of a finals place.

Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. We have improved a lot over the course of the season and to take it to the wire, the very last game of the season, as we did, shows you just how close we cam and how far we’ve come.

In One Quote: Why foreign investors are bad for football.

It’s a topic that has been much under discussion in recent years, and I myself, in the few short months that I have been writing this blog, have tackled it a couple of times. But the thing is, no matter how often people come to the conclusion that foreign investment in football is a bad thing, clubs will continue to try and sell themselves to a mega rich investor. Clubs know that money will play a huge role in determining their success on the pitch.

It is important to distinguish at this point though, that my title is not absolute and objective in it’s stance. I do believe, and intend to argue, that foreign investment, by which I mean the heavy financial involvement in British clubs of men who have no history in football never mind with that particular club, is a bad thing. However, I will acknowledge that sometimes, foreign investment can be a positive thing for a club, but that this is a worryingly rare occurrence. For instance, I believe that Aston Villa landed on their feet when Randy Lerner bought their club as he has proved a sensible and withdrawn owner, willing to back but not insistent upon ‘making waves’. However, this seems to be very much the minority, with other foreign owners seeming to cause nothing but trouble, as I suggested the other day.

Reading through the BBC’s football news this morning though, I happened across a piece that revealed a supposed attempt to buy Chelsea being lined up by one of the investors from the Abu Dhabi group who have so recently sent shock waves around the football world with their audacious and downright ludicrous bid for Kaka. If true, this story is shocking in two ways: firstly, Chelsea are already probably the second richest club in the world, despite Roman Abromovich’s stock having fallen a little with the economic crisis; but secondly (and mainly) because of a quote that was given by the investor in question at the end of the article:

“You don’t make money because 11 guys run around the pitch, you make money because of all the other commercial aspects that go with a football club, particularly real estate and television rights.” - Dr Sulaiman al-Fahim.

When I read this, it simply confirmed my fears that have been growing steadily for years, as the influx of foreign investment into the British game has increased exponentially. There is something about that quote that just seems innately wrong, completely at odds with our game and the proper attitude that should be held towards it, especially by those who are involved on the inside, those running the game.

Of course, we all know that these investors are so keen to jump on the football bandwagon because it is such a big business. There is lots of money and football, incredible amounts even, and with a sharp business mind, a clever investor can reap massive personal reward from the game. That is OK to an extent. We know that in the end, they’re in it for themselves, but on the whole, an investor will benefit the club he is investing in too. To being about such a gain for himself usually implies some initial financial input which helps the stock of the club rise through good performance and success.

However, Fahim’s comments show that he does not really see it this way. He is clearly only interested in the money side of things, which is only to be expected, but his declaration that you only make money because of all the “commercial aspects” rather than “because 11 guys run around the pitch” are worrying indeed. He seems to be forgetting that were it not for the “11 guys running around the pitch” there would be no “commercial aspects” to speak of in the first place.

This is the really distressing thing about these investors. They see the football, the actual game, the sport, the thing that we watch, the thing we love, the thing that we are so passionate about, as something that merely exists to help them make money. It is to them, merely a background occurrence, a necessity, a cog in their money making machine. Oh yes, they know that it is essential, that without that cog their machine would be useless, but they do not care in which direction the cog is moving. As long as the machine still functions, they could not care less about the football.

Of course, the ironic and most distressing part of the whole diabolical situation is that with this neglect of the football side of things, with their apathy towards the actual game itself, the fortunes of their club on the field are likely to plummet dramatically. This will ultimately and eventually render the club as a whole useless as a money making machine and thus their cogs will cease to turn. But the terrible thing is that by that point, the businessmen invested in the club will have sucked it dry of everything it had anyway. It will have made them a steady amount of money over the years and so when things are drying up they will simply walk away, leaving the club up the proverbial creek.

And then there will be no one left to the club but the fans. Those fans who bankrolled the machine, who kept it going, who stayed loyal to the club despite the owners greedy and money-obsessed antics. The fans who watched their clubs performances falter and dip, who have seen their club fall into financial turmoil. They will still be there, depressed and distraught but as faithful as ever, with a shell of a club, the shadow of its former self.

What these businessmen don’t realise is that the true value of football is not the “commercial aspects” like “real estate” and “television rights”. Yes, these things are big business and involve a lot of cash, but they are not the heart of it. The only reason they exist in the first place is because of the football. There was a time when footballers earned a normal salary. When the players were normal people, and matches on television were a rare occurrence. But we fell in love with the game. It captured our hearts and our imagination, and so it gradually became more and more like the game we know today.

But it was a slow process. And the only reason anyone was interested at all was the football. People loved to watch the game played, so would pay to watch it broadcast live on TV. Even more so, people loved the atmosphere of going to a match, so clubs built big stadiums so that more people could see the games. They liked to see the game played well, so more and more money was shelled out for the services of the best players. That is why there are “commercial aspects”, that is why there are “real estate” assets and “television rights” deals. Without the football, there would be no money.

And without the football, there would be no investors. The problem is that these investors don’t realise that. Fahim doesn’t realise that the football won’t just go on forever in the background. If he ignores it and lets it stagnate, the club will die. If it happens at more clubs, the game as a whole in Britain will start to decay and crumble. The competitiveness will go out of it, and it will become boring and lose its appeal. Fans will drift away, no one will pay to watch it on TV, much less pay exorbitant prices to watch it live. And suddenly, there will be no money in football anymore.

Unfortunately, it seems to me at this point that the game can’t exist without money. It cannot return to the way it was before the Premier League era. It cannot return to normality. If the money went out of the game, it would die altogether now. So these foreign owners will not just slowly kill the clubs they invest in, milking them for all the profit they have and leaving them hollow and defeated. They will eventually kill the game itself, unless they begin to realise that there is more to football than money. The two must coexist now, they have developed a dependence upon one another, but just as football will die if it loses the money, so will their money die if football runs out of steam.

Unless Fahim and others like him then are able to realise the true value of the game, where the real money and value lies, their money-making exploits will eventually be extinct. Unless they realise what we the fans have always know, that football is about “11 guys run[ing] around the pitch” their ventures will fail. But they won’t break sweat. They’ve already got enough money, which is what they care about. But we must hope they realise it, because otherwise, what we care about, our game and our clubs, will end up dead, broken and deflated. Quite literally, football will be robbed of it’s heart.

Happy Birthday to me!

Hello all.

Just in case anyone was wondering where today’s post was, I’ve been busy celebrating my 20th birthday and so will not be writing one I’m afraid.

Still, I should be back tomorrow with more mature and experienced writing Gosh 20 sounds so old! I feel a premature midlife crisis coming on.
Hope all are well.

Mind Games, Rivalries and… Intimidation?

Rafa feeling the pressure?

With Rafa Benitez’ recent eruption aimed at Sir Alex Ferguson and the Man Utd supremo’s suggestions that Liverpool do not have the nerve to put up a realistic title challenge, the traditional Premier League mind games have begun in earnest. Or at least, they have really begun now. Because Ferguson, the Premiership’s ‘mind-games maestro’  actually got started much earlier than usual this season, when he cast doubt over Manchester City’s new found wealth allowing them to become a threat to United.

I wrote about those particular comments back when they were made back at the end of November, but I reckon that there is a key difference between Fergie’s last mind games comments and his latest ones. See, as i concluded back in November, I think Ferguson was recognising City’s potential to become a threat to United with time, so his cynical comments weren’t entirely truthful. However this time, Ferguson genuinely believes that Liverpool don’t have what it takes to clinch the Premier League title.

Usually, when Ferguson does resort to his mind games, it is usually because he is worried about the club he is attempting to sabotage. If anything, to have Ferguson have a pop at you is usually a sign of respect, it can be taken as recognition that Ferguson sees you as a genuine threat. However this time, I don’t think that is the case, and so I don’t think Ferguson’s comments actually are mind games. If anything, Ferguson was just asked a question, to which he gave a truthful answer.

And I have to say, I agree with the guy. In my honest opinion (even taking aside my feelings towards Liverpool as an Evertonian) Liverpool do not have what it takes to sustain their title challenge. Benitez has shown with his explosion that he is already feeling a little tense, and with his numerous trips to the hospital to deal with a series of Kidney Stones, the pressure of the title race is clearly affecting his health.

For another thing, Liverpool’s display against Everton on monday night was quite revealing. Though they played OK at times, they were for the most part outplayed and outfought by the Toffees. Yet this was a team that were not only playing against their cross-city rivals, they were also a team who had the chance to leapfrog their other biggest rivals at the top of the table. They should have been well up for it, intensely driven to get the three points in the bag, desperate to get one over on both rivals.

Instead, they delivered a fairly tame performance. Apart from Martin Skrtel’s bemusing flare up when Cahill beat him to a ball with a bit of strength in the corner, they barely got worked up at all. Even Jamie Carragher resisted the urge to attempt to assassinate a couple of Everton’s players as he usually does. In fact, the only player who showed any real fight was Steven Gerrard, and guess who got their goal? Now Liverpool need to be able to fight for games, they need to be ready to put everything on the line and give their all for three points week in week out. That they cannot do that suggests to me that they don’t have the mentality to win a league title.

Some people might say that with players like Gerrard and Torres, they have enough quality to win the league without having to need such fight. Indeed, that can often seem like a good argument, especially considering it includes the words ‘Steven’ and ‘Gerrard’ consecutively. The fact is that Gerrard has carried Liverpool for a long time now. Yes, they have other good players, but just think back, and remember just how many important goals he has scored for them. There are loads. And when I say important, I mean important. He seems to only score match winners. If you take away Gerrard’s goals from Liverpool’s last few seasons, they achieve far less.

So that’s an OK argument – in Gerrard and Torres, they do have players who will win them games. But how long will they continue to have them for? Gerrard has a very big hearing coming up which could even see him end up in prison, and deservedly so if the allegations against him are true. And Torres, well, Torres is becoming increasingly injury prone. It’s a shame for the player, because he could be the best in the world, but as an Evertonian, it’s a bit of a godsend, because if the two of them were to play regularly, Liverpool might have a shot at the title.

As it is though, it looks plausible that they might lose their match winners for important chunks of the season. And even if they don’t, the sort of luck that they are used to must surely run out at some point. Somehow when they’re struggling, the ball always manages to drop to ‘Stevie G Laa’ on the edge of the box. Lady Luck certainly seems to be on their side (when she’s not attending to Aston Villa of course), but sometime, she must by the law of averages, change allegiances.

Overall then, I think that Ferguson doesn’t seem to be too far off the mark with his comments about Benitez, and I genuinely think he 100% means what he said. In that sense, their classification as mind games could be in question, but the thing is, they are certainly playing on Rafa’s mind. Ferguson really does seem to have the whole mind games business sorted.

Back in November, Ferguson said something that he didn’t mean to unsettle his cross-City rivals, and it worked. Now in January, Ferguson has said something he does mean, knowing that it will unsettle his Championship rivals, and it seems to be working. I think the bottom line with this though, is that Rafa has let Ferguson get to him. In reacting to Ferguson’s words so negatively, he has simply proved him right. In short, Liverpool’s lacklustre derby display was seemingly an accurate portrayal of both the current mood in Liverpool’s camp, as well as the probable tone of the rest of Liverpool’s season: underwhelming disappointment.

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out my previous one on Alex Ferguson’s mind games – I think it’s better: Mind Games, Rivalries and… Respect?

Big Money = Big Trouble

"They were offering how much?! Oh no..."

So Kaka is not going to play for Man City, he won’t be the world’s most expensive player and nor will he earn £26m a year. It is so refreshing to finally someone involved in football who hasn’t just snatched the money being offered without even thinking it through, and Kaka has made the decision that makes sense – because really, Man City are fighting relegation and AC Milan are one of the best teams in the world. Who would you rather play for (especially considering he has a more than healthy salary already)?

However, although we have finally found someone with the moral fibre to make an admirable decision in the face of incredible wealth, the whole episode does go a long way to illuminate just how much of a disruption money can be to football. I cannot, and would not even want to, deny the positive impact that money has had on the game since the inception of the Premier League and Sky TV’s enormous contribution, but more and more these days we are witnessing moments of excess that threaten to ruin football for the punters, the men (and women) on the street.

The incident with Kaka really gave us two sides of the coin. On one hand we have Kaka, who turned down an incredible amount of money for the good of his career and indeed his happiness. On the other, you have Robinho, whose decision to join City in the Summer now looks entirely unfavourable given Kaka’s rejection of the club. It seems clear now that Robinho went there just for the money and on the promise that more would be spent to ensure that he wouldn’t be the only superstar for long. Indeed, it is this promise that has really shown us just how much disharmony can be created by over-zealous investors, as Robinho seems to have gone AWOL upon hearing he wouldn’t be having Kaka as a fellow Citizen.

Though the little Brazilian claims to have ‘stormed out’ of City’s training camp in Tenerife for ‘family reasons’, I think the reaction of the City executive Garry Cook was more revealing as to the truth of the situation as he admitted he did not know why Robinho was absent but confirmed that he had indeed disappeared. If, as the player claims, he left for family reasons, he would surely have enlightened someone as to his reasons for departing, however quickly he wanted to return home. Instead it seems to me that what actually happened, namely his leaving unannounced with no explanation, is far more indicative of a player unhappy with the unfulfillment of promises made and beginning to regret committing himself to the club.

All in all then, the whole Kaka ‘situation’, which could now more accurately be described as a ‘fiasco’, simply adds another layer of misery to a season that had promised so much but so far has been rather spectacular only in it’s underwhelming disappointment. The club was filled with a surge of optimism upon learning that they were now the richest club in the world, but since that announcement, things have gone rapidly downhill, and I must say, I believe that is no coincidence.

For a start, the mere arrival of Robinho in such a gala of publicity and showbiz can only have had a negative effect on the rest of City’s squad, a fact that hindsight seems only to resoundingly confirm. While the players all came out in support of the move in public, one cannot help but wonder what must have been going through their heads. The new owners had been in place only hours when the capture of a superstar for £32m was announced, and the existing players, hardworking lads like Stephen Ireland, Richard Dunne and Michael Johnson, must have wondered what they would be able to achieve in a month come the January transfer window.

It is therefore little surprise that City have had such an inconsistent season. At times they have produced some great results and some good performances, but at others they have simply failed to turn up, and thus find themselves at quite the wrong end of the table. This sort of inconsistency, given the proven quality of the players at Hughes’ disposal, can only suggest that mentally, the players are not in the right frame of mind, and this surely comes down to a fear of what may lie in store in the future, what their long term prospects at the club are, be it on a subconscious level or otherwise, it must surely be on their minds.

It can be reasonably concluded then, that the arrival on the scene of the Abu Dhabi group at Manchester City has overall, had a negative effect on the club. After all, last season they had quite a successful season, and at one point looked like providing a challenge to the top four. Their season dropped off towards the end, but with some consolidation and some strength in depth they could surely have been looking forward to a realistic challenge this time. Instead they find themselves almost universally disliked and humiliated as the richest club in the world that has just bungled the most high profile transfer-that-wasn’t in recent memory and near the foot of the Premier League table.

One has to feel sorry then, for the fans. As usual, they are the only real losers in all of this. After all, the owners are still insanely wealthy, the players are still earning a good salary and the clubs executives have other transfers to busy themselves with. But what really matters to the fans, which is the clubs performances and thus league position, is what has taken a severe blow. They could have been reasonably looking forward to a successful year (relatively speaking), but now find themselves swamped in the all too familiar mire of a relegation battle.

It also seems particularly harsh that the fans that should suffer this humiliation are Man City’s. In their recent history they have been some of the most long suffering in the Football League, and yet even when they sunk to their lowest point (a season in the old Division Two, now known as League One) they were still drawing crowds of an admirable size – indeed crowds that were bigger than some crowds that certain Premier League clubs can attract even today. Such loyalty should not be rewarded with such poor and fickle running of the club. These fans deserve to have something to shout about, they’ve surely earned it.

Indeed, they probably thought that they had found something to shout about too, which makes it all the more cruel. After all, when Chelsea inherited some mega-bucks, they garnered almost instant reward for it, and City’s fans may have expected a similar pay-off. However, Claudio Ranieri didn’t go out and instantly pay silly money for superstar names, he built a really good, solid, balanced side, and ultimately paid the price. He took too long to gain major silverware and so was replaced, but it was is work that laid the foundation for Mourinho’s success. The trouble is, everyone expects Money to produce instantaneous success now, because they forget what Ranieri did for Chelsea.

Hopefully though, City’s stuttering season along with the fresh debacle over Kaka’s transfer and now Robinho’s apparent hissy fit will finally hammer home the message that money isn’t the be all and end all. It was said when City were first bought out that it would be a gradual climb towards the top, but few really listened, least of all the owners. In splashing such money on Robinho they attempted to run before they could work and have rightly found themselves crashed to the ground and covered with bruises.

Let this be a lesson then, to all those clubs who are desperately hoping for a foreign investor of their own. Man City’s wealth has brought them the opposite of success, a point reinforced by Kaka’s unwillingness to play for them, despite the ludicrous riches dangled under his nose. This is, if anything, the surest sign that a club needs more than money. They need stability first of all, because only with stability and balance can there be success. Even a relative amount of success, or even just progress. But the club must be going in the right direction before such audacious signings can be made.

Of course there are exceptions. Robinho was an audacious signing, but I think he has shown himself to be quite a greedy person in signing for City in the first place. I’m sure he was promised success, but he should have understood that it couldn’t happen overnight, and in the end the telling factor had to have been the money. I doubt that he will stick around much longer either, but for City’s fans, that is surely good news. Such loyal and passionate fans, that followed their club to Division Two and back again, surely do not, in their heart of hearts, want someone like Robinho playing for them.

Players of his quality yes, but not of his mentality. He does not want to play for the club. He plays for the money. He does not have the clubs best interests at heart and when the going gets tough that will become blindingly apparent, as indeed it has over the last few days. This whole episode has shown the fickleness of money within the game. It promises so much that it cannot deliver single-handedly, and it brings players to the club under false pretences, giving the fans hope before dashing it spectacularly.

Football fans are not fickle people, at least proper fans aren’t anyway. I expect City have gained some fickle ones since they inherited their wealth but they will soon sneak away and dig out their Chelsea shirts again if City keep going as they are. But on the whole, you will be hard pressed to find people more committed to a cause that doesn’t directly benefit them in any way. We fans pour unreasonable amount of money and of our selves into our clubs expecting little in return. What we don’t expect though, and what we don’t deserve, is to be treated as mere disposable income by our clubs.

Our clubs should appreciate the sheer amount that we give to them, but in today’s financially obsessed climate, our financial input is dwarfed and our devoted contribution of support and love is simply ignored and misguidedly dismissed as important. City must realise the value of their fans, and realise that for the club to succeed they must make them happy. That is something money alone can’t do, they have to provide the fans with a club that they can be proud of, players that they can relate to, and a reasonable amount of progress on the pitch.

I hope then, that the Kaka incident will make an impact on the world of football. If only that it means that we admire Kaka greatly for his commitment to Milan’s cause and his self control in turning his back on the sort of money that would make me faint. Hopefully though it will do more than that. Hopefully Kaka’s realisation that there is more to football than money will rub off on clubs, players and fans around the world. Kaka should be admired, and Robinho should be mistrusted, as should the owners who waltz into clubs with their massive chequebooks and upset the balance of everything that the fans adore.

In the end, football will eventually learn that money, like many things, is relative to trouble. Big money means big trouble, and I just hope that more clubs don’t have to learn the hard way, if only for the sake of their fans.