Landon Donovan has admitted that he would be open to another loan spell at Everton in the future, as he concludes his short-term deal against Blackpool on Saturday.
The United States international has spent the last six weeks at Goodison Park on loan from LA Galaxy, the second time he has done so, and would be keen to replicate this in the future.
“I would approach it the same way I have approach it each year,” Donovan told Sky Sports.
“One: Am I physically able to do it. Two: Does he (David Moyes) want me to come back. Three: Do I feel like I can contribute and benefit the club?
“I’m not coming back if it is just for me to have an experience. I have too much respect for the club, manager and players to do that.
“The expectation is very clear if I come back and if I feel I can do that and they want me to come back then I would absolutely do it.
“I know I’ll be back here but I don’t know if I’ll be back as a player, but I hope I will.
“I don’t think my agent would appreciate me saying this is the only club I’d come back to because he’d lose some leverage in negotiations, but I can’t imagine playing anywhere else.
“There is something magical which captures you when you walk into Goodison and it doesn’t let you go,” he concluded.
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Donovan will return to his homeland after the FA Cup tie with Blackpool on Saturday.
I’ll be honest with you. I do like a flutter. It doesn’t matter if it’s the horses, the dogs, football or two worms crawling up the garden path. I’m happy to place a wager. One thing I won’t do, however, is back my team to win or lay them to lose. The reason? Passion gets in the way. Unless you’re a cold-hearted punter, the chances are that your bias towards one team will cloud your judgment, thus rendering any bet worthless.
Before Chesterfield’s game at Carlisle on Saturday, however, I did something rash. I placed a bet on the game.
Now, just in case my wife is reading this, I can assure you that it was nothing huge. I placed a small amount of money on an away win and then, as a bit of insurance, another couple of quid on a 1-1 draw. I was sure we wouldn’t lose. This prediction was based on a number of factors, not least that we’d brought in some new players and that their introduction had kick started the team’s season (see last week’s blog). Importantly, it also took on board the enthusiasm that I’d seen all over the Internet, particularly Twitter, from both supporters and players alike.
What this prediction did not take into account was two things: the opposition, of which I knew virtually nothing. And lady luck, of which I know plenty. As it turned out, the 2-1 reverse was a kick in the stones on a number of levels. Not only did Chesterfield FC miss out on the chance to scramble their way out of the relegation zone despite playing really quite well but also my bets went up in smoke.
My mistake was to believe that via Twitter I had some magical inside knowledge to add to what I had seen with my own eyes in recent weeks. What I didn’t factor in was that Carlisle are a half decent side and that when Chesterfield needed a bit of luck towards the end of the game, it evaded them.
And here is my point. Twitter is a platform for uncensored, personal opinion and it has brought fans and players closer together. On Saturday it lost me money but much good has also come of it.
In the good old days we used to bump into the players in the pubs and clubs of Chesterfield after the game on a Saturday night. Then, over a pint, you could exchange views on where things went right or wrong.
That’s not so easy these days. What Twitter has done is replicate that to some extent by giving supporters a window back into the players’ lives. And I believe that’s a good thing, even if it helped to cloud my pre-match judgment.
I believe Twitter is a good thing because it gives players a voice that is not controlled by the football club. For supporters the result is genuine answers to the rumours that we hear and honest appraisals for defeats that we see. The latter was certainly the case on Saturday.
Having put the equivalent of the commentator’s curse (the blogger’s kybosh?) on young James Hurst before the game by saying (on this very website no less) how well he’d been doing since arriving from West Brom, with about five minutes of the game remaining his weak back gifted Carlisle’s Francoise Zoko the chance to win the game, which he duly did.
From 1-0 up Chesterfield had lost. And because I’d been given false hope, I was pretty devastated.
My frustration soon abated though. Not long after the end of the game Hurst himself posted a short but telling tweet that read simply: “Made a horrible error.”
It’s hardly a confession that will rock the football world but at least he was big enough to acknowledge the gaffe in public. It made me remember that he’s only human and that humans make mistakes. And that most of the time they make them unintentionally. I liked the kid again. I liked football again. And, to a certain extent, the pain of defeat went away as you could tell it was hurting him as much as it had hurt us.
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For all its ills, its squabbles, its silliness, its ignorance and its sub-standard inside information for the betting punter, social media – and Twitter in particular – has managed to undo one of the curses of the modern game: it has helped to make footballers human again.
For that alone it should be bronzed and mounted.
By Will Strauss. As well as writing about his first love, Chesterfield FC, he is currently coming up with articles about cooker spares for the Leeds-based appliances company ASD.
It’s always going to be an impossible mission to map out Arsene Wenger’s movements in the transfer window. He likes to create an illusion that he’s hot on the trail of one target, before presenting another from as far out of left field as physically possible. But there’s no questioning that the surgery to this Arsenal squad in the summer needs to be one which injects the kind of quality and experienced names that can help the team build on their recent good form. More importantly, however, there needs to be genuine strides towards keeping hold of Robin van Persie.
We’re still waiting on the announcement of Lukas Podolski’s arrival at Arsenal, despite German sources claiming that the transfer would be confirmed early this week. Regardless, it’s still a massive step in the right direction for Arsenal; a player who has a phenomenal scoring record at international level and one who certainly fit’s the bill of what van Persie and many Arsenal fans are looking for.
In some ways the signings of Mikel Arteta and Per Mertesacker were precursors to Podolski’s transfer, a move away from a signing for the future and someone who can make an impact now. Will he reach the impressive numbers posted by van Persie? Unlikely. But then again, Thierry Henry was flanked by two wide players who were certain of 15 goals a season in Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires. Podolski’s arrival may be more in tune with those players rather than an alternative or replacement for van Persie.
In a squad where the next highest goal scorer isn’t even in double figures, the instincts of the German international around the penalty box is more than welcome to help ease the burden for Arsenal’s captain.
Even though Arsenal seem well stocked in the centre of defence, the latest round of Jan Vertonghen to Arsenal rumours are sure to add even more steel and versatility to a back-line that was once embarrassingly self-destructive. While many would query whether Arsenal need another centre-back capable of easily slotting in to the starting XI, they simply have to remind themselves of the damaging nature and unpredictability of Arsenal’s injury record.
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Over the past two season the Gunner’s have suffered heavily at both full-back and centre-half. It only takes an injury to either Thomas Vermalen or Laurent Koscielny before Arsene Wenger has to make the difficult decision of either Johan Djourou or Sebastian Squillaci. With Vertonghen’s ability to play as a holding midfielder as well, he would provide a much more defensively disciplined alternative to Alex Song, potentially giving Wenger the choice of pushing the Cameroon international further up the pitch.
Another signing in the right direction? There’s no questioning that the leadership qualities of Vertonghen and his partnership with Vermaelen at Ajax will play a big role in convincing Robin van Persie to stay on at Arsenal.
It’s always been a common trait with Arsene Wenger to bring in a player who can play in a number of positions. But one place that has taken a heavy hit since the departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri is the creative options from midfield.
Even though talk of a move for Mario Gotze won’t disappear, despite many claiming he’ll remain in Germany, the youngster may still be a little too far out of reach financially. Alternatives are always available in a popular market for Wenger and in his homeland. Marvin Martin has been a target in the past, while the Arsenal boss continues to monitor Yoann Gourcuff’s difficulties at Lyon.
What is imperative, though, is that Arsenal bring in another body in midfield. There’s no telling how long Jack Wilshere will take to recover from a year out of football, while Aaron Ramsey continues to play with many question marks about his role in the squad, and Abou Diaby simply cannot be relied upon.
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What may be a more predictable move for Wenger in the summer is his insistence on only bringing in three or four bodies at the most. Despite the heavy activity of last summer’s transfer window, Arsene Wenger never likes to bring in too many new faces at once. A clear out of the dead wood in the side seems almost certain, but looking to players such as Ryo Miyaichi and Joel Campbell to supplement three big signings at the most would seem the most likely outcome.
The focus going into the summer has always been to get Robin van Persie to sign another contract. The move for Podolski coupled with a real sense around the club that they’re willing to move much more aggressively in the transfer market may be enough to build the strong side that the Arsenal captain deserves.
Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic will serve a three-match ban after seeing his appeal at the FA’s verdict of violent conduct rejected.
The Serbia international was caught on television footage punching Shaun Maloney in the Stamford Bridge club’s clash with Wigan last weekend, which was missed by officials.
Despite Ivanovic’s pleas of appeal, he will now be unavailable for the side’s next three domestic fixtures.
“Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic’s appeal against an FA charge for violent conduct has been dismissed,” an official statement from the FA reads.
“The incident, which was not seen by the match officials but caught on video, occurred during his side’s game against Wigan at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 7 April 2012.
“A Regulatory Commission heard the claim today and Ivanovic’s three match suspension will commence with immediate effect,” it stated.
Ivanovic will not be available for selection in Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham on Sunday, or Premier League fixtures against Arsenal and QPR.
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The constantly shifting football landscape has been dramatically restructured since the advent of the Premier League, and with it comes a remarkable adjustment of exactly what it means to be successful.
Despite bringing a first major trophy in six years to Anfield as well as narrowly missing out on another, Liverpool’s abject league form this season has seen Kenny Dalglish dismissed on the back of failure to reach Europe. How can we quantify success in football nowadays? Is a burgeoning bank balance more important than a bustling trophy cabinet?
Trends across English football in recent years tend to suggest that at the farther reaches of the spectrum clubs are increasingly placing greater prominence upon European qualification, whilst for clubs engaged in the relegation quagmire survival is paramount above all else. Cup competitions in the modern era are a mere side-note to the rampaging PR machine that is Premier League, aided to no end by the preposterous hyperbole spouted by Sky Sports. The stakes are so unattainably high in the Premiership that clubs can no longer afford to brace their season upon a lucky cup run or seek glory elsewhere; it is the league or bust.
Witness Birmingham’s capitulation at the end of the 2010/2011 season, in which despite lifting the League Cup they were unable to stave off a drop into the Championship: would Blues fans have taken safety over glory? In a similar fashion, Middlesbrough’s run to both domestic cup finals in 1997 also coincided with relegation. On the flip-side, observe Arsenal’s agonising trophy drought and the ensuing backlash from sections of Gooners this season, in essence implying that patience is wearing thin at the Emirates: would Arsenal fans take a domestic trophy over persistent fourth place finishes?
Intriguingly, Chelsea’s season has been startlingly reinvigorated with the capture of the FA Cup and the potential of greater riches this coming weekend, in spite of a staggeringly average league campaign. Nonetheless, this was more of a salvation mission for the Blues in the wake of a collapsing crusade for league supremacy as opposed to any great desire to prioritise the cup competitions. Upon Andre Villas-Boas’s departure the only form of redemption left for Chelsea was a stab at glory away from the Premiership, which has reaped substantial dividends.
Naivety would suggest that clubs will now begin to recognise the benefits of giving greater precedence to cup campaigns from here on in, yet recent history indicates that the rampant domination of the Premier League upon the agenda of clubs will continue for sometime. After Liverpool’s cup treble of 2001, the prime concern of clubs remained survival and European qualification, whilst the experiences of the likes of Birmingham and Portsmouth in relation to cup runs and adverse league form has deterred many clubs in the middle rung of the Premiership from investing resources in potential cup success.
Stan Collymore recently tweeted that “English clubs (in modern football, like it or not), prioritise: 1. Champions League, 2. Domestic League, 3. Top 4, 4. FA Cup, 5. League Cup, 6. Europa League.” Unfortunately, though not always one to show impeccable awareness, Collymore’s words ring true. The sheer magnitude of funds available to clubs for European qualification or even just the monetary difference between 12th and 13th place far outweigh the prestige and pride on offer with the capture of a domestic trophy.
Before the advent of the Premier League and stretching perhaps to the turn of the Millennium, many fans and observers would have seen Kenny Dalglish’s time at Liverpool as a success. A first trophy in six years, a first FA Cup Final in six years. Yet the failure to attain the lucre necessary to buffer the club’s bank balance has proved fatal.
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We now live in a footballing world where being fourth best is the most coveted prize for the majority of Premiership clubs: glory supplanted by greed.
Do you think football is too money driven? Are clubs right to focus on fourth place? Tweet me @acherrie1
I’m not particularly fussed about which superstar walks in the Emirates Stadium door. Ok, that’s not entirely true. But there should be a good level of interest with how Arsenal conduct their business this summer for “squad players” as much as the big names.
Two contrasting necessities: one being to reinforce the idea that Arsenal are a big club capable of attracting big names, as well as convincing captain Robin van Persie to stay. And the other to ensure the club can freely rotate a starting XI that is sure to feel the heat of 50-plus games next year.
He’s not a luxury signing, nor does he send the merchandise revenue through the roof, but players like Yossi Benayoun are integral members of any squad. Versatile, able to come in a do a job with little match time, and, above all, adds a real level of leadership to the dressing room. A glue for a starting XI who would feel the effects of losing a regular starter or two, Benayoun has shown in a number of games this season his high level of input when called upon.
It should be an exciting summer for Arsenal fans, not just because of the Podolskis and other transfer gossip chart toppers joining the club, but also the getting rid of the dead wood who command such a big chunk of the wage bill.
Yes the squad is essentially top-heavy with squad players, but they’re the wrong type. None of them, barring Benayoun and Tomas Rosicky, can come in and make an impression. There are players who could play significant roles with other clubs, but their place at Arsenal is limited to extremely minor roles, if that.
It should be said that this isn’t a call out of all the players at the club who are “terrible” and “who shouldn’t have been bought in the first place.” Rather it’s about the importance of being able to call upon a core group of players to plug a gap for a limited period in the season.
For too long Arsene Wenger has taken these opportunities to gift younger players premature roles in the squad. There’s nothing wrong with adding a little youth to a 25 man squad. There is, however, a big problem when those young players start to take up a big percentage of the squad.
You can understand Wenger’s thinking by adding a player like Mikael Silvestre—a squad player. It just so happens that he was, in fact, terrible.
What the club aren’t gifted with is the financial backing to piece together a squad in the shape of Real Madrid’s or Manchester City’s. But similar transfer activity should be taken. Players like Hamit Altintop and Esteban Granero have seen little time on the pitch this season, but, to varying degrees, they’ve shown that they’re capable of plugging a gap. They’re very good players, and very cheap players to land, but they help with the necessity of filling out a squad with individuals of more than capable ability.
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If Arsenal are looking to make an impression next season on any trophy front, then enhancing the first XI comes first. But on their day, there’s not a whole lot wrong with Arsenal’s first choice starting XI. When the team hit a road block, either on the pitch or through injury, that’s when the problems arise.
It’s hard to imagine a “superstar” squad player to come in a play a limited role. But there’s no question that there are a few players knocking about who would add some excitement and a certain level of professionalism to those much overlooked roles.
With their rivals are splashing out lucrative sums on Europe’s hottest talents you’d think Manchester United are being left behind as the summer transfer market kicks. A modest sum of £16 million has left the Old Trafford coffers with Borussia Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa’s arrival followed swiftly by the capture of Crewe Alexandra star Nick Powell. The signing of Kagawa was seen as something of a coup around the continent but it’s 18-year-old Powell’s move to the Red Devil’s that has really set tongues wagging closer to home. The teenagers meteoric rise to prominence in the last 12-months has led to him being slated as a future England captain and it’s expected that he’ll have no issues with the step up from League Two to the Premier League. In fact Powell couldn’t have placed his development into the hands of a better man and there is no doubt Ferguson will mould him into a world class player over the coming years. The midfielder certainly has a maturity that belies his tender age not to mention his eye for a pass, self-assurance in possession and capability to score from anywhere on the field. United fans can certainly look forward to watching Powell’s development at the club as Ferguson continues his plan to inject youth into his ageing squad.
This week on FFC should are United set to fail in their top striking target and which Dutch frontman could Ferguson be about to turn his attentions too?
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WAG Weekly – Man United ace bags himself a beauty!
Manchester United set for disappointment with transfer pursuit
Would Premier League Clubs Benefit From South American Affiliations?
The Fine Lines In Football That Can Shape Clubs’ Histories
Premier League trio on alert as Heldt reveals £17m release…
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Best of WEB
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Is Baines An Understudy Or A Replacement For Evra? – Red Flag Flying High
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Profile: Nick Powell – United Rant
“Manchester (United) was the club that I most wanted to go to.” – The Busby Way
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Quote of the Week
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“It really is a dream come true to be signing for Manchester United. I have had a great time at Crewe and I would like to thank them for helping me to develop as a player over the past 13 years.
“I’m excited about continuing my development with Sir Alex and the world class players in the squad. The thought of making the step up to the Premier League next year is an exciting prospect. I can’t wait to get started.” 18-year-old Nick Powell after securing ‘dream’ move to Manchester United from Crewe
[divider] Danny Welbeck: Dealing with a goal drought
The French national team have had plenty of success picking players of African descent in the past. Think Patrick Vieira, Marcel Desailly or Zinedine Zidane. Well, M’Baye Niang could trump them all. The Caen striker is just 17, but already he is drawing comparisons to Thierry Henry given his ability to drift out wide and take players on.
Niang has figured on the European radar for just over a year now, since he made his debut in April 2011 against Toulouse at just 16 years and 144 days, the youngest player in Caen history. He bagged his first professional goal just a couple of weeks later against Lens, making him the second youngest player to score in Ligue One. This end of season run in the side saw him finish with three goals in seven appearances.
In 2011/12, Niang found the going a little tougher, just managing two strikes in 23 appearances, but Caen had a poor campaign that eventually ended in relegation. Contractual issues also hampered Niang’s form as his professional contract became the subject of some debate. Nonetheless, he is still rated as one of the brightest talents in world football, sparking a race to try and secure his signature. Both Arsenal and Tottenham have been accredited with an interest in his services and should Caen chose to sell their young starlet, the Emirates could be an ideal destination given Arsene Wenger’s proven track record in developing youngsters into top players, not to mention the already-strong French contingent that runs through the club.
Whilst one has to be wary of over-hyping a foreign talent at such an early age (look at Romelu’s Lukaku’s struggles at Chelsea for evidence of this), Niang has the attributes that would make him a hit in the Premier League. As mentioned before, Niang is perfectly adept at starting out wide and using his pace and power to terrorise defenders when cutting back. His physical attributes are also worth a mention, indeed he already possesses the upper body strength to tangle with those hard-as-nails Premier League centre backs, while he already stands at over six foot ensuring he’s more than handy in the air as well.
After an initial struggle between France and Senegal for his services at international level, the French seem to have won that battle and have accelerated him through the age groups. Despite missing the Fifa U17 World Cup, Niang made his U21 debut against Latvia last September, scoring his first goal during that game as well, before appearing again against Portugal a couple of days later. Given Karim Benzema’s poor form at the European Championships, the French may look to Niang as a potential candidate to lead the line at the World Cup in 2014.
Undoubtedly the young prospect has natural talent that we could only dream of. The challenging part is keeping his feet firmly on the ground and ensuring that Niang can fulfil his potential to the level it deserves. For the time being, he may be better off establishing himself in the Caen first XI before moving across Europe. If he does stay in Ligue Two, make sure you keep an eye on Caen’s performances, because Europe’s top scouts will already be there, without a doubt.
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Brendan Rodgers’ ambition for Liverpool is impressive. He’s recently outlined his vision for the club, a set of ideas that he accumulated over 15 years. Liverpool need that kind of youthful enthusiasm at their club, but will supporters afford Rodgers the time?
Rodgers has already been greeted with crude remarks about his lack of experience, and the club are viewed as shopping in the bargain bins for a manager. But really, what do Liverpool fans expect? Their history will only take them so far, and the mess that was left behind by the Hicks/Gillett reign was one that very few wanted to touch.
The club have done very little in a very long time. Arsenal fans get the full whack every season at not having won a trophy in however long, but Liverpool have experienced a greater fall since they last won the FA Cup. And really, how many are going to remember King Kenny’s phenomenal run in the League Cup in 10 years time? A run that culminated in a difficult final against a much lesser team.
Liverpool fans really shouldn’t be too demanding of a Jose Mourinho or Pep Guardiola-type figure – it’s not going to happen. The new owners were looking at realistic candidates. And while I don’t believe Roberto Martinez was the right man for the Liverpool job, Rodgers does appear to have something different about him.
His outline for the club is one that looks to expand on a number of levels. Importantly, the youth system needs to continue to flourish. We’ve seen a number of players brought up from the academy over the past couple of seasons, and the new manager obviously wants to see more.
Rodgers also wants the playing style of the team to be a little more open and adventurous. The quality of certain players may come into question, but Rodgers has done well with fewer resources at his previous club.
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And above all, trophies need to be won. He describes this as “the bigger picture,” with all the other factors weighing in to a long-term successful future.
And really, should Liverpool fans be so dismissive of a manager who wants to take them club onto a new level? The club haven’t been consistently relevant in the title picture since…well, I can’t even remember. And the only manager to even get them close to the Premier League title was chased out of town not too long after. Rafa Benitez had a good squad with a number of excellent players. Poor buys were scattered around, but Alex Ferguson was hardly driven out of Old Trafford for his less than stellar buys.
And then there’s King Kenny, the man who apparently can do no wrong in the red half of Merseyside, but to everyone else was failing considerably.
Do we start with the poor performances on the pitch? No, instead lets look that the purchases that were made during his short stint in charge. The club clearly had the money to build a successful squad, and even one that the current manager could do a lot with. But instead, ridiculous amounts of cash were thrown around aimlessly for no end product, from Stewart Downing to the unimpressive Jordan Henderson, who is barely an improvement on the former.
Whether it was Dalglish who gave the go ahead on these deals or another figure at the club, the team were performing badly and had thrown a lot of money away.
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Considering the diminishing status of the club over the past few years, the club should regard themselves as lucky to have a manager who wants to stick around for the foreseeable future. He might not be everyone’s pick, but he’s showing a real level of determination to bring some glory back to the club. It’s a better option than going for short-term, stop-starts with older managers who will only be around for one to two seasons.
There’s a no nonsense attitude from Rodgers. He’s also not blinded into thinking the club’s former glory will warrant them a place in the top four; it will take time and a considerable amount of effort.
But for now, the supporters should be a little more welcoming to a manager who could bring some genuine excitement to Anfield. There is little reason to dismiss Rodgers yet, as like their new manager, Liverpool need to take a number of steps forward to be one of the big guns in the English football again.
The news that we’ve all been waiting for last week finally broke, Match of the Day had finally replaced the departed Lee Dixon, but who was it with? Two names were seemingly plucked out of the air to answer we the people’s call, Harry Redknapp and Mick McCarthy. Oh, more of the same then.
Lee Dixon left at the end of last season after eight years with the BBC helping as an analyst and expert with their football coverage. By and large, he was a thoughtful, intelligent and insightful presence on the red sofa, offering balanced, nuanced views and most importantly of all, actually caring about what was said and what was put out there for the public to see.
It will come as no surprise then to realise that he was a frightfully undervalued member of the football ‘team’, and he was sort of like the Arsenal of the pundits, failing to crack an impenetrable top two of Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson, often left in the doldrums of MOTD2 alongside the excitable but clearly clueless Robbie Savage and he’s since joined ITV’s football coverage alongside Adrian Chiles.
Gary Neville has shown to great success over on Sky that the public do actually want in-depth tactical analysis covering the game’s events, they do want thought-provoking debate and tough questions – that’s how the knowledgeable among you will debate the game with your friends, so why do we dumb it down to such an extent when delivering it to a mass audience through the BBC?
The whole point of employing an ex-professional is that they are supposed to provide some knowledge of the game that we, as laymen with an untrained eye, cannot see. Alan Shearer for some unknown reason thinks being a pundit involves explaining exactly what’s happening on the screen in front of us as opposed to what we can’t see, while delivering the odd generic insight into a player’s emotions, such as “he’ll be disappointed with that.” Is this really what it’s come to?
The clique-ness of it all is just awful, it’s like turning up at a rotary club dinner and watching 50 year-old golf buddies partake in ‘banter’. Why does Gary Lineker enjoy doing such terrible jokes all of the time? Is that in itself part of an in-joke? Why has Alan Hansen lurched so far into self-parody there looks to be no return? Why is Mark Lawrenson so bloody depressed all of the time? You have quite a nice job as it happens, Mark, try not to sound as if you’re being forced to watch a six-hour Chinese enactment of Swan Lake, made solely through the medium of mime every week.
The sheer lack of research truly boggles the mind. They are paid to turn up and talk about football, handsomely you assume too, a job that many on the fringes of football journalism on podcasts all over the country would be infinitely more qualified to do it seems sometimes. The most famous example of which being that Alan Shearer hadn’t heard of Newcastle’s new signing at the time Hatem Ben Arfa and just assumed that nobody else had either – a player which by this point had played in the Champions League for Marseille and represented France eight times at international level. Top work all round.
Replacing Dixon, the only pundit worth listening to, with two more members of the Match of the Day rotary club beggars belief. What need are they responding to by employing these two exactly? Aside from the fact that they were both Premier League managers last season and were sacked for their troubles, what insight are they going to bring? I’m going to be honest, I don’t think I’m going to be able to take a tag-team of Lawrenson and McCarthy.
I can honestly say that I don’t know a single person that thinks that the current crop of ‘experts’ on Match of the Day give the foggiest what people think of them and it’s just all so lazy. Redknapp and McCarthy are two managers known for not indulging the tactical side of the game all that much, so what exactly are they going to contribute? Just more of the same empty platitudes for a fictional audience that apparently can’t get enough of them it would appear.
Here’s are a few example of some of Mick McCarthy’s approach to punditry during World Cup 2010 that I’ve managed to dig up from the archives: “The last thing either team want to do is lose”, “Just put it in the box, make them defend”, “Teams win games”.
Now I like Mick, as a co-commentator and as a person, he seems like quite a funny, ‘salt of the Earth’ kind of bloke and I always enjoyed his put-downs to reporters questions post-match as Wolves boss – he can be quite simplistic, but nobody really listens to commentary all that much anymore anyway unless it’s noticeably bad, so you can kind of drown it out, but man alive, don’t get him on that sofa and ask him to impart wisdom, because that’s like asking a monkey to perform heart surgery – messy, unnecessary and downright idiotic.
Redknapp, I have less time for though, and his constant ‘look at me, look at what I’m saying, I’m important, please like me’ attitude to the media and his rent-a-quote style making him an exceptionally grating person, but over an extended period like they have in the studio after each big game, aside from the usual ‘trffic, trffic player’ schtick, you’re not really going to get anything else from him and I doubt that he’s come all that cheaply either.
Inane ex-players whose only qualification was being good at football twenty years ago making inane remarks for money. There’s no opinion, nothing is substantiated by fact, it’s just the same bile trotted out by every newspapers up and down the country every other week. In the same way that former footballers don’t always make good managers, the same applies to punditry and when you compare it to Sky’s cricket coverage or the BBC’s F1 coverage, it’s embarrassing how far behind it is in terms of overall quality.
The BBC got their Olympics coverage spot on throughout, with the likes of Clare Balding and Gabby Logan superb, while Gary Lineker led the way for football essentially turning up to cover a sport five minutes before he went on air and bumbling his way through it – he didn’t really seem to care what was going on.
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Match of the Day has slipped into a stale, cliched, smug and deeply patronising format and these latest two appointments to the roster of mediocrity only serve to highlight that it’s quickly getting to the point of no return. A radical overhaul is needed and a whole lot more effort. The thing is, the BBC clearly think more of the same if what we want with regards to these bland ‘experts’, the dumbing down has got to such an extent, they’ve fallen victim to it themselves by responding to a need that simply isn’t there.
If you haven’t seen the youtube clip of Lee Dixon talking, then seeing Alan Shearer interrupting and the former Arsenal full-back’s subsequent reaction, looking on in utter disbelief, shaking his head at being cut off by another brain-dead remark, then put it right at the top of the list, because nothing drives home the dearth of talent at the moment more than that.