Five things: Coyle, Sir, Leeds, ‘Arry, Europa

1. Coyle springs in to action
Is it a sideways move for Owen Coyle to join Bolton from Burnley, a stepping stone to bigger things (Aston Villa, eventually?) or is the young manager destined to bounce around teams like Burnley, Bolton, Blackburn and Birmingham until he joins long-term unemployed such as Roy Evans, David O’Leary and Joe Royle in about fifteen years.

At St Johnstone, Falkirk and Burnley Coyle has proven himself continuously. It was one thing to achieve relative success in the strange Scottish footballing landscape but something else altogether to bring Burnley in to the Premier League for the first time and then turn over Manchester United two games in to the season.

When you look at Burnley’s results, they have been a mixed bag. Draws with Manchester City and Arsenal have been tempered with thrashings by Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea. Burnley have equipped themselves well in the Premier League considering their resources but eventually the tenacity and determination will be proven to not be enough.

People tend to associate Bolton with boring long ball hoofing, over-physical tactics and a lack of ambition. True, under Sam Allardyce, Sammy Lee and Gary Megson they have not had the most attractive (in any sense) management teams.

But there’s plenty of quality in their team and with some ambition and mouding I’m sure Coyle can establish the likes of Kevin Davies, Gary Cahill, Matthew Taylor, Grétar Steinsson, Ivan Klasnić and Jussi Jääskeläinen in the Premier League. Say what you like about Gary Megson (which most people do) but he certainly put together a half-decent squad.

2. The end of an era…again
Mr Alex Ferguson has been written off many times before and bounced back with Champions League trophies and league titles. But now pundits really think this could be the beginning of the end for his empire.

Here we are, in the most open and inconsistent Premier League season of all time, and Manchester United simply cannot step it up. Some commentators seem to be highlighting the correlation between poor results and poor performance from Wayne Rooney. But there are three other factors contributing that are undoubtedly causing more damage.

The departure of Ronaldo: I wasn’t his biggest fan but he was insatiable when in the mood and I’m sure United are probably at least a handful of points worse off this season without his goal-scoring contribution. Antonio Valencia battles manfully but it’s like casting Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Tony in a remake of “Scarface”

The injury list: Robbed of the likes of Nemanja Vidic, Owen Hargreaves and Rio Ferdinand for most of the season, United have had to plug the gaps with the Da Silva twins, John O’Shea and Jonny Evans. In midfield the jury remains out on Anderson and Michael Carrick with neither looking to have the quality for the very top level that United require.

Lack of quality and/or form: It’s a bit early to pass judgement on Gabriel Obertan and Zoran Tosic but, going by online rumblings, there are many United fans who are just about done with Nani and Anderson. Dimitar Berbatov has found himself under fire since he signed, Michael Owen has struggled and Paul Scholes form has dipped alarmingly as Father Time taps his watch face and gestures to the Ginger Ninja that we’re just about done here.

Ferguson doesn’t look to have the money to strengthen either with the Glazers keeping the ‘purse strings’ tightly knotted. Will we see Fergie ‘panic buy’ in between FA charges this month?

3. Renaissance in Yorkshire
I was unable to see Leeds FA Cup victory over Manchester United but it ranks as one of the biggest shocks of my lifetime. Leeds might be flying high but they are doing so as a third tier club without any of the big names who took them in to Europe and then down in to the second division several years ago.

This is essentially a new club whose most recognisable name might be David Prutton – famous for shoving over a referee when playing for Southampton.

Simon Grayson dropped a division to take over at Leeds but you can understand why he felt it was a challenge that he could not refuse. If they get over possibly losing 20-goal Jermaine Beckford in this window (to Newcastle) then Leeds look like strong challengers for a return to the second tier.

The victory over Manchester United doesn’t just represent a huge upset. It pushes the reset button and repairs much of the reputation damage done in the Peter Ridsdale era. Ken Bates might have ruffled plenty of feathers in the way he has conducted business at Leeds but the 78 year old may be responsible for overseeing the rebirth of the club.

4. A spoonful of praise
I’m a Spurs fan who don’t like ‘Arry Redknapp and publically derided his appointment as well as highlighted his team’s incompetence at times.

But I have to admit that he’s done okay at Tottenham thus far. I’m sure the board would be happy with a top six position this season and at the moment they are on course for that. But there are three clubs (Spurs, Villa,

He's very fast and bloody marvellous

Manchester City) who are expected to finish in fifth and sixth position – and three in to two doesn’t go.

Missing out on Europe last season has been very beneficial to Spurs and – aside from the lost revenue – I’d be happy to see them miss out again (see discussion on the Europa League below).  Fulham have managed to overcome a slow start to qualify for the knockout stages of the Europa League but I don’t think they will be able to maintain their good form to repeat last year’s seventh place. Tottenham, Villa and Bolton have all played weakened teams in European competition to concentrate on the league – if Fulham are still in the competition at the business end of the season I would expect them to do the same.

The point is that Spurs are benefitting from not having to fiddle with these extra games and being able to play largely the same team week-in, week-out, is benefiting the likes of Aaron Lennon, Jermaine Defoe and Niko Kranjcar. And, remember, this is a team without their first choice central defensive partnership too.

But Spurs have still come unstuck when it has mattered – against Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal – and it’s clear the side miss the real top quality of an Essien, Fabregas or Rooney.

Buying Robbie Keane back from Liverpool was Redknapp’s biggest mistake seeing as how he had already brought back Jermaine Defoe (and Pascal Chimbonda – that didn’t work). But, overall, he has done okay (I’m still reluctant to over-praise given my objection to his appointment initially).

Let’s see if he can keep Spurs in the top six and – this is the key – bring in a top class all-round midfielder in the mould of Viera, Lampard or Keane. Maybe, Sandro?

5. European Competition of Injustice
The Europa League was a fantastic competition in the 80s and 90s (then the UEFA Cup) with top sides like Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Juventus, Ajax and Bayern Munich all winning the trophy.

The move to a single-leg final wasn’t a bad thing, nor was the abolishing of the Cup Winners Cup. But obviously shifting more and more of the top European sides in to a single competition (Champions League) has watered down the tournament. It’s interesting to see East European sides like Zenit Saint Petersburg, Shakhtar Donetsk and CSKA Moscow in the list of recent winners but we are a world away from the glamour and world class players of previous decades.

However, that’s not to say that these ‘bigger’ clubs should be allowed to walk in to the show without paying.

At the moment clubs defeated in the third and fourth Champions League qualifying rounds enter the Europa League at various stages. I’m ok with that in the sense that usually these are medium-to-small sized clubs and the Europa league group stage has not yet begun.

But allowing clubs eliminated from the Champions League group stage to enter the knockout stages of the Europa League is contrived and unfair. These are clubs who have benefited (financially) from six group games but have ultimately failed. Why should their reward be to gatecrash a party for successful, (typically) smaller clubs who have achieved their goals?

The Europa League has a credibility problem and this injustice only adds to it.

Five things: Mancity, Zola, predictors, Henry, Hibs

After a few months off for ‘logistical’ reasons, Five Things returns with absolutely nothing new to say at all.

1. Roberto Mancity
Bloody foreigners, coming over here, stealing our women and jobs.

I’m not sure if Mrs Hughes was part of the deal but Roberto Mancini certainly did take Mark’s job at Manchester City. The spray painters were hard at work last summer making sure that all the writing was on the wall for Hughes – it was just unclear how many matches would be a match too far for the Welshman.

While on one hand it’s easy to have sympathy for Hughes I do recall some of his more crass behaviour last summer when attempting to lure players such as Joleon Lescott and John Terry from Premier Leauge rivals. As novice gardeners would tell you, you reap what you sew.

His downfall has been mainly about results (far too many draws more than watered down the fact that they have lost less league games than anyone else). But in spite of having one of the best goalkeepers in the league and spent around £50m on Wayne Bridge, Kolo Toure and Lescott , the defending has been shambolic at times.

His best signings have probably been Craig Bellamy and Shay Given, two moves that were given a lot less column inches than the more high-profile captures of Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez and Toure. And now with Mancini at the helm one wonders what the January transfer window will bring: more reliable, home grown talents or risky imports from the Italian league?

2. Nice guy Zola to finish last?
Another defeat for West Ham today has left Gianfranco Zola’s team looking vulnerable in the bottom four. Today they managed 3 attempts on goal compared to Tottenham’s 21. That’s a hiding.

True, they are only a few days removed from a good home win over Portsmouth and three points from 11th position. But with an injury list that includes Mark Noble, Carlton Cole, Danny Gabbidon, Kieron Dyer and the retired Dean Ashton (and today Scott Parker and Herita Ilunga were added to it), Zola has a very limited collection of players to choose from.

Matthew Upson looks set to leave in January and the future of Scott Parker is also unclear. Losing one of them (it’s unlikely that both would be allowed to go until the summer) is hardly going to aid their survival battle, but the club needs the money.

Will nice guy Zola be jettisoned in a panic? History would suggest he might be if results don’t pick up in the next four weeks.

3. Schizophrenic predictors
A few months ago Chelsea were running away with the league, Arsenal and Liverpool were out of it. Then Liverpool were back in it – and now they’re out of it again – while Arsenal can now be considered contenders once more. Manchester United are struggling but Chelsea are struggling more so United might be favourites again. The tiresome habit of fans and pundits making premature predictions will be with us forever.

Many Arsenal fans suggested that they were out of the title race a month ago when they lost to Sunderland and Chelsea then hammered them at home. But often this is just the human way of dealing with disappointment – and football fans are not exactly known for their rationality or sense of perspective. If they win their two games in hand on Chelsea they will be just one point from the top.

Predictions are made in such a knee-jerk way these days that nowhere near enough analysis goes in to reaching the conclusions that pundits, fans and even professional players do. Excluding clubs like Arsenal and (to a lesser extent) Liverpool from the title race in November and December is complete folly.

Sure, it is unlikely that Liverpool will win the league but all it takes is a for Chelsea and Manchester United to drop 6 points in January and Liverpool to win four in a row and suddenly they are only two wins from the top again. Pundits can also ignore upcoming battles between the top four if they are not on the immediate horizon – it’s not just the bottom six that compete in ’six pointers’.

Other factors like injuries and key players missing because of, say, the African Nations Cup, can also play a huge role.

For what it’s worth I tipped Liverpool for the title and I don’t think they do have much hope given that they have lost so much ground in the last four weeks. But it’s only now that pundits should be able to make that call – not back in October as many did. The fact they may have been right is irrelevant.

4. Cut Guilty Henry Some Slack
I was MIA during Thierry Henry’s Handgate drama in France’s World Cup qualifier against Ireland.

Yes, it was a hard pill to swallow for Ireland given that they should have been played off the park but against all the odds competed admirably against a laborious French side. Yes, it was an illegal goal. Yes, it was poor officiating and poor sportsmanship.

But why vilify Thierry Henry? If he had done this in a Spanish cup game when Barcelona were 4-0 up against Cadiz, no one would have cared less. Why should Henry suddenly become some bastion of righteousness because it was at a crucial moment in a crucial match.

It’s not Henry’s fault that the referee and his assistant failed to see it. It’s not his fault that the world’s governing body refuse to introduce video replays while making impotent changes such as introducing two extra officials.

Henry was guilty – but he’s not to blame.

5. Can Hibs turn two in to three?
Is the Scottish Premier League set to become a three horse race for the first time since the 1980s?

Rangers and Celtic are at the most insipid they have been for some time although the former has shown signs of life recently with five league wins in a row, scoring 19 goals in the process. Celtic have struggled away from home, losing at Dundee United and Hearts in the last month but have kept in touch with their rivals in spite of this. They can close the gap with a home win over Rangers next weekend.

But it’s third place Hibernian who should be stealing the headlines right now. They blotted their copy book with a 1-4 reverse at home to Rangers this week but before that they were 12 games unbeaten and find themselves within four points of second place Celtic.

A league challenge might be beyond them given the resources available to their illustrious rivals (which, while in decline, are still vastly superior to Hibs). But if they can cause one of the Glasgow giants a few sleepless nights (metaphorically – I don’t mean they should play brass instruments outside the player’s houses) then it might add a whole new dynamic to the title chase.

Five things: Schism, Jamie, James, Tony, Robbie

1. Rafa creates a schism

Rafa Benitez is not going through anything right now that his peers haven’t already endured.  An historical look through the message boards and football websites will show many calls for the heads of Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger during their teams leaner days.  Manchester United went three seasons without a title from 2004 to 2006 – something many fans of any top four club would struggle with (just ask present-day Arsenal fans).

Calls for popular managers to leave often creates a schism in the fan base and that in itself can be destabilising on match days if things are not going too well.  Although I didn’t hear them myself, I can only imagine there was a typical smugness on radio phone-ins in the wake of Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday evening as fans loyal to Rafa Benitez informed those more cynical ones that they had told them so.

Meanwhile a life long Liverpool supporting friend of mine was renewing his conviction that Rafa should go even in light of the win.  Of course fans on “both sides” are right in the sense that one win (or defeat) should not in isolation change their position.

We all know fans can be wrong anyway.  Martin O’Neill was initially not a popular manager at Leicester when they were in Division Two.  The same goes for Mick McCarthy at Wolves at the start of last season and Tony Pulis at Stoke.  Those who doubted each of those men were wrong.  It’ll be fun discovering whether its the loyalists or the cynics who are right this time around – if Rafa is given the time to settle the argument.

2. Jamie sees red but not, um, red

Jamie Carragher probably should have been sent off for his foul on Michael Owen in last Sunday’s game.  When suggested to him that it might have been a red card in a post-match interview, the defiant Jamie shook his head, addressed the reporter and asked “Why? Did you think it was?”  Rather than stand toe-to-toe with Mr Carragher the reporter timidly responded that it was for others to debate.

The producer probably ensures that reporters don’t get too confrontational with players and managers in post-match interviews.  But it is confrontation which is exactly what these toothless conversations need.  How much fun would it be to see Nick “Touchline” Collins fix JC a stern look and tell him that it was – to most observer’s eyes – a red card.  How entertaining would it be to see flames fire out of my television as Fergie’s tiresome rant against the referee following last weekend’s defeat is met by a stony silence and a “yeah, but your team were brutal today.”

And if feeling especially brave he could say “oh and way to go on the Carrick and Berbatov bargains”, hand the microphone to Fergie and do a slow hand clap.  It would stop me flicking over to Futurama at the final whistle anyway.

3. St James Park renaming

George Caulkin is a bit angry.  Writing in The Times he reiterates his call for Mike Ashley to leave Saint James’ Park (fair enough) and writes some colourful prose about passion and community and all that.

On the subject of Ashley selling the naming rights to Saint James’ Park, he writes:

“This is about the most iconic structure in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, a building which looms above the city and, even after the Chinese water torture of the last few years, a club which burrows its way beneath a people’s skin. It is about a region and history and tradition and heritage, things that cannot be wiped out with the flourish of a cheque-book.”

Yeah.  You know, I’m not all that moved by tradition and heritage but I know that some people get very sensitive about these things.  And I’m not even slightly qualified to go in to a philosophical debate about a human condition that could fill a library.  But I don’t think it matters all that much.  Ashley renames it for ten years and the fans continue to refer to it as Saint James’ Park.

The only question is: is it worth it?  Arsenal pocketed £100m for a 15 year deal with Emirates.  Newcastle might struggle to net £5m per season for a similar deal.  Is that worth the obvious unrest it would cause with those faithful Geordies?

Mind you the whole thing could be a smokescreen to bury the news that he’s appointed perennial coach Chris Hughton as manager; a move I don’t think is going to get them anywhere.

4. Mowbray’s goodwill running out

Will Celtic panic?  I hope not.  We’ve seen the Old Firm get jumpy before (John Barnes, Paul Le Guen) and Tony Mowbray is feeling the pressure after only nine league games in Scotland.  In spite of being top of the league, results have been less than stellar – and, criminally, Celtic have just two wins from nine home in all competitions.

We know football fans are impatient but fans of formerly-successful clubs are more so.  A small group of reactionaries chanted “sack the board” this week and the crowd will quickly turn on him (rather than the players perhaps) if he does not start winning games at home.  Getting knocked out of the UEFA Cup in the group stages (which could be confirmed next week) will pile more pressure on.

Mowbray has a solid management record with Hibernian and West Brom but arguably this is the most challenging job of them all.  While public criticism of players has made a bit of a rock for his back, he should be at least given the time to succeed or fail: no one achieves anything either way in nine league games.

5. Arsenal are rubbish

Robbie Keane reckons that Spurs are better than Arsenal.

“If you look at the last four or five years, for some reason Arsenal just always got ahead of us slightly,” Keane said. “But if you look now, I think it’s certainly even and if you look at the squad maybe, the bench that we have, I think that our bench is probably a little bit stronger than their bench.”

That “some reason” is that Arsenal have a quality manager, coaching team and scouting network that, while producing no trophies, has produced an exciting team and transfer surplus.  Spurs simply don’t have the formula right, involving themselves in self-destructive transfer brinkmanship and then resorting to panic buys like that of Russian striker Roman Pavlyuchenko.  And bringing in ‘Arry of course.

If Keane’s argument is that Spurs have stronger individuals in, say, five or six positions, that might be the case.  And, indeed, the bench is perhaps individually stronger, especially in light of Arsenal’s long term injury problems.  But in reality the numbers don’t work that way and I’m sure the league table will once again clearly show that Arsenal are still significantly ahead of their North London rivals next May.

Five things: Crouchy, Allen, Rafa, Boro, Rowlands

1. Return of the Robot

Should players never be allowed to party?

Tottenham players Peter Crouch and Jonathan Woodgate were pictured dancing to what looked like two complete different songs last weekend, leaving manager Harry Redknapp a bit miffed.  Redknapp does not mind players having a few quiet drinks but does not want them “rolling out of nightclubs at three in the morning“.

As a friend pointed out to me, it hardly seems fitting that a player who can’t get in the first team and a player recovering from injury should be out on the batter.  But the players – who were in a group with Robbie Keane, Jermaine Jenas and their significant others - maintain that they did not drink excessively.

So where should the line be drawn when it comes to young men enjoying themselves?  Redknapp seems a pretty fair bloke and, although somewhat rigorous, is not a total authoritarian a la Big Phil.  The players would do well to heed his warnings (which he made in the past after Ledley King got himself in bother) and knuckle down for what is a big season for all of them domestically and internationally.

Still, the picture is hilarious.

2. Martin Allen on gardening leave

Speaking of nightclub shenanigans, Cheltenham manager Martin Allen was asked not to come to work on Tuesday by the League Two club after a reported “incident”.

A doorman, who refused Allen entry to the Thirteen Degrees nightclub told a local paper: “There were racial undertones in the kind of language he was using and he referred to me as a black b******”

We’re not sure if Allen is alleged to have called him a “bastard” or a “bollocks”. Or a “bitch”. But either way it doesn’t sound very nice. The Cheltenham manager has not made any comment as of yet but if there’s any truth in the report then he’s in a lot of trouble indeed. There is no excuse for making racist comments.

Well there is I suppose – if you’re racist.

3. Results matter for Rafa

Four defeats in a row means that Rafa Benitez is under more pressure than ever at Liverpool.  He is looking increasingly resigned in interviews these days, relenting from his usual approach of lashing out at the referee, the linesman, the FA, his opponents or Alex Ferguson, and actually offering sincere, humble analysis of there being “too many mistakes” and much “disappointment”.

It’s no secret that his squad has some fairly ordinary players but most of these players played roles in the all-conquering Liverpool side of March-through-May last season and I didn’t hear many complaints then.

The unfortunate thing for Rafa is that his impressive spine of Reina, Carragher, Mascherano, Gerrard and Torres has been decimated this season.  The absence of the latter two combined with the poor form of both Carragher and (a distracted?) Mascherano has weakened his team so much that their inherent weaknesses have become amplified.

There’s a lack of presence with the hard-working Dirk Kuyt, Yossi Benayoun and Martin Skrtel, a lack of quality about Leiva Lucas and Andrei Voronin, too much inexperience in Emiliano Insua and David Ngog and too many question marks over Ryan Babel and Albert Riera.

The only way Rafa can fumble through this season and regroup again is to win games.  But the fact that he really only has two top class players at his disposal after five years means that he is the architect of  the current precariousness.

4. Gibson to entice the crowds back

Sacking Gareth Southgate after a home win that left them one point off the summit of the Championship might seem like odd timing from chairman Steve Gibson.  But after seeing the lowest ever league attendance at the Riverside witness the victory last night it was clear that the notably-loyal Gibson felt he had to make a business decision.

A clearer picture emerges when you consider that they were the first goals and points in four home games.  In the eyes of many Middlesbrough fans, faith in Southgate waned well before relegation from the Premier League was confirmed last season.  The failure of big money strikers Mido and Afonso Alvez saw Boro net only 28 times in 38 games; that failure more or less sealing their fate.

Gordon Strachan is the favourite to take over but I think Gibson needs to follow the lead of Leeds United, Leicester and West Brom who put their faith in what seem to be smart, tactically-astute managers Simon Grayson, Nigel Pearson and Roberto Di Matteo respectively.

That’s not to say Southgate wasn’t a gentleman and a credit to football.  He was.  Unfortunately he just does not seem to have the “it” factor – or “X Factor” as they call it now.

5. World Cup play-off analysis

Patrice Evra, Bacary Sagna, Lassana Diarra, Franck Ribéry, Theirry Henry, Nicolas Anelka, Karim Benzema.

Kevin Kilbane, Paul McShane, Keith Andrews, Darron Gibson, Martin Rowlands, Glenn Whelan, Leon Best.

You get the point.

Five things: Trap, Barnes, McParland, Rio, Rooney

1. “Disgraceful” play-offs for Ireland

I wouldn’t say Ireland particularly deserved to beat a tidy but unambitious Italian side at Croke Park on Saturday night but it was still a huge disappointment not to be able to hold on to a 2-1 lead for three minutes.  Mind you considering the luck that manager Trapattoni has enjoyed during the campaign it’s probably best to get hit with a sucker-punch now than in the 90th minute of the play-off.

Eight years ago Ireland went through the 2002 qualifying campaign undefeated against Holland and Portugal, winning seven of their ten games and conceding just five goals in what was an outstanding effort.  This Irish squad employs just five players from that era with the likes of Niall Quinn, Stephen Staunton (ahem), Roy Keane, Matt Holland and Mark Kinsella all having retired.  I think this underlines the scale of adjustment forced on subsequent managers in a relatively short period of time.

But at the same time Trapattoni has made a rock for his own back with his persistence in selecting all three of the limited Darron Gibson, Glen Whelan and Keith Andrews while ignoring Andy Reid.  I also am bemused that he has no time for Clinton Morrison (6 goals in 9 games this season – the same number scored by his Coventry team-mate Leon Best) while continuing to select Shane Long and Caleb Folan (0 goals between them).

Ireland have been turgid in this qualification group only really coming to life in the two games versus Italy and as much as I respect and admire the man I still have a huge question-mark over Trap.  Having said that the floating image of “The Gaffa” quickly remind me of where we’ve come from and that I should be thankful for small mercies.

2. Sacked: The John Barnes Story

I only ever saw John Barnes play in the flesh once, in Chris Hughton’s Ireland testimonial in 1995.  I had always admired him on the TV but to see this guy live was a real experience.  It may have been a friendly and distinctly uncompetitive but there was something quite poetic about the way he stroked the ball around and the presence he carried on the pitch.

However, his management career has been disastrous with both Celtic and Tranmere disposing of him very quickly ten years apart.  At Celtic he lasted for 29 games and although he only lost 8 of them (recording a 65% win rate), this is Scotland we’re talking about.  An embarrassing and infamous 1-3 reverse to Inverness Caledonian Thistle sealed Barnes’ fate at Celtic.  He recorded just 3 wins in 12 games at Tranmere with some fans claiming that the tactics were incomprehensible and he used his press conferences to blame the players.  He was sacked last week.

In between he had a nice little job as Jamaica national team manager where he won 7 and drew the rest of his 11 games in charge.  His gamble to walk away from the sun-soaked beaches of his hometown of Kingston for Prenton Park last summer might be the last mistake he gets the opportunity to make in management.

At some point you need to acknowledge that you may not be cut out for something.  Clubs make hasty decisions of dispensing with managers all too often.  But just maybe this time both Celtic and Tranmere got it right.  Not being privy to what goes on behind the scenes who knows what the feedback from players and staff were about Barnes? It’s about more than the results.

3. County making all the wrong noises

Also given his cards last week was Notts County manager Ian McParland.  From the moment Sven Goran-Eriksson arrived it was likely that the manager would be out on his ear sooner rather than later.  There has been understandable sympathy for him with commentators pointing out that County – 19th and 21st in the last two seasons – sit in fifth place just four points off the lead.

But with ambitious owners (whoever they may be) and a Serie A-winning manager overseeing the football management of the club, three consecutive draws against middling-to-poor sides in eight days was not going to impress the men upstairs.  The early season form that saw them thump Bradford, Macclesfield and Dagenham & Redbridge and Northampton had promised much but last week’s action seem to suggest that ejecting McParland was always on the agenda once they felt results gave them the mandate to do so.

Clubs like Hull and Wigan climbed quietly through the leagues in recent years and both have prospered in the top flight.  Notts County appear to be making all the wrong noises right now.  It would be a shame to see such a famous club flounder (David Platt??) and result in their wealthy backers losing interest.

4. Defensive concerns for Capello

It always seems to be a quiet football week when the internationals are on.  Hence the English media have been creating a bit of a fuss over England’s defensive and attacking options.  Phil McNulty discusses the disquiet over the form of central defender Rio Ferdinand following yet another of his all-too-frequent defensive errors against Ukraine.  Personally I think there is some truth in it but also no surprise.  Ferdinand is an accomplished, athletic player whose career copybook has been blotted by public relation misjudgments (parties and contracts) and similar misjudgments on the pitch.

He’s 31 next month and as his reliability continues to be called in to question, you have to wonder who is going to step up as an able replacement whether a Rio absence is enforced or by design.  Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King can’t be relied upon due to fitness issues and Matthew Upson, who seems to be next in line, has not yet proven his international credentials.  Incidentally he is also 30.  The next World Cup may see John Terry grooming Gary Cahill or David Wheater if they progress enough in the next four years.  In the meantime Capello does have a weakness in the backline to address.

5. “One man team” dilemma for Capello?

Not every commentator is using such strong language as Paul Wilson in the above piece but Kevin McCarra makes a similar point in his piece this week – without Rooney England are just not as good.  While It’s true to say that if you take out most team’s best player then they will suffer but perhaps it is more true for this current England team.

There are still people who argue that Rooney is overrated and not world class – an opinion that I find utter garbage.  Many football opinions are tainted by over-subjectivity: Frank Lampard is accused of being both a fatso and world class while Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world and a big-game bottler.  People see what they want to see.

But I think you would have to be a little myopic not to acknowledge that Rooney is a far superior player to any other English striker.  Michael Owen is the last top class striker that England had but his best days seem to be behind him.  Emile Heskey, Darren Bent, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch are useful players but not in the same class as Rooney.  Outside of the Manchester United forward (and leaving aside the currently unselected Michael Owen) none of the current England strikers have excelled in top European competition or international football.

I think Wilson and McCarra’s point is that if you’re lining up against France in the World Cup semi-finals and you’re bringing on Defoe or Carlton Cole to find you a goal while top European players like Henry, Benzema and Anelka lay siege at David James/Ben Foster/Robert Green/Paul Robinson, then there is certainly some food for thought.

England better hope he stays fit … and keeps his cool.

Five things: County, Sol, Wiley, Rafa, FIFA

Luvfooty brings you what we hope will be at least a new weekly feature where we make a brief analysis of five current football stories out there.  We’re good like that.

1. Notts County reveal the man who wasn’t there

Pakistani businessman Anwar Shafi has denied any involvement with League Two side Notts County in spite of being quoted on their official website ten days ago as confirming his “significant holding”.  Today the club released a statement – ignoring Shafi’s denial – on behalf of the Hyat and Shafi families who are part of the Qadbak trust who own the club.  They spoke of “distorted and misleading stories” and “salacious nature of the intrusive inquiries”.  They also said they would continue to conduct their affairs with “discretion and privacy” – which is hardly going to help.

Their executive chairman Peter Trembling (insert own joke) described the media attention as “scandalous”.  He said the owners are “extremely angry” and found the attention “demoralising”.

Well it’s a pity about them.  Rightly or wrongly, when a mysterious investment group pours money in to a fourth division football club, hires one of the most highly paid managers in the world and invests unprecedentedly in players (although we’ll get on to that point next), eyebrows are going to raise and the media machine have every right to poke their nose in and find out what is going on.

Trembling talks about the possibility of a “vendetta” and “maliciousness” in the media.  But all the club have to do to put an end to it is reveal who the investors are.  This is a takeover that still hasn’t been ratified by the Football Association and until it is then there are still questions to be answered (even after ratification the stories will continue – look at Chelsea).  In the midst of numerous investigations about corruption in football these are very valid questions.  If they have designs on climbing through the divisions in the next five years then they better get used to the attention.

2. The Solman – Money grabber or just demented?

My Spurs-centric views will probably always colour my opinion of Sol Campbell.  The pragmatic and unemotionally involved will always say he was entitled to string Spurs along in 2001 before joining rivals Arsenal for nothing.  That’s one view.  The other view is that the anger and vitriol that remains to this day at Spurs is fully justified.

In isolation one might be willing to glaze over those events.  But in 2006 Sol walked out on Arsenal during half-time of a 2-3 defeat against West Ham following a very poor first half performance.  At the end of that season, in spite of making a comeback and scoring in the European Cup final, he announced he was leaving for a “fresh challenge” and publicly spoke of his interest in playing abroad.  In spite of signing a three year deal in 2005, Arsenal released him from his contract at the age of just 31.

He didn’t quite get as far as France, landing instead at Portsmouth.  After three relatively successful seasons there he left last summer when his contract expired with talk again of interest across Europe.  His decision to join his old England manager Sven Goran-Eriksson Notts County for a reported £40,000 a week (£33,000 of it relating to an “ambassadorial role” it says here) raised eyebrows – not least because Campbell had spoken of his desire to play a part in the 2010 World Cup finals.

Anyway the point is that Sol Campbell has been portrayed by some as being disloyal, a trouble-maker and a money grabber.  I don’t think this is the case at all.  I think Sol is quite the opposite.  Yes, he a little self-absorbed but this is amplified by a highly sensitive disposition which has seen him “lose his nerve” a few times.

He never moves very far from his comfort zone.  He wanted to win trophies but wasn’t going to do it at Spurs.  He would have had his pick of top European teams in 2001 but chose to move to a club a few miles across town.  In one way it was brave but in another it was cowardly.

He left Arsenal after the West Ham shambles (perhaps indicative that he was never captain material) but, again, rather than picking a top European club where he would have continued to play European Cup games, he chose the comfy bosom of Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth.

He got one game in to his five year Notts County contract before walking out, citing unkept promises, saying that big names such as Roberto Carlos were promised but never materialised.  Oh, and Benjani.

Sol has continually made life difficult for himself with questionable decisions.  I don’t think he is especially greedy but he certainly seems a bit demented.

3. Alex and the “unfit” ref

There was much mocking of Rafa Benitez (more on him in a bit) when he whipped out his spectacles last January and read a list of charges from an A4 sheet of paper detailing Alex Ferguson’s constant bickering and undermining of referees (which anyone with a modicum of impartiality would agree with).  Ferguson added another line to the charge sheet this weekend when he criticised referee Alan Wiley as being “unfit” after United drew 2-2 at home to Sunderland.

While he did have reason to be critical of Wiley for not adding on a minute or so to compensate for United’s injury time equaliser, it did seem somewhat disingenuous for him to publicly berate a referee who has passed all the fitness tests that were put in front of him.

Ferguson could have chosen to have his point recorded privately by the fourth official but obviously the comment was calculated to deflect from his own side’s disappointing result.

I’m all for banning managers who undermine officials but at the same time it should apply across the board (albeit with repeat offenders being more heavily punished).  Sam Allardyce attacked referee Peter Walton for not giving his team a penalty in their ludicrous 2-6 reverse at Arsenal and he apparently will not be charged.

While he did somewhat self-righteously say that he is “100% right” he also added that he had to make the point in public because “unfortunately the system is not working so I have to be heard”.

He’s right…the system isn’t working.  But I’m not sure that diminishing the role of the referee is going to fix it any time soon.

4. Liverpool owner blames the manager

Rafa Benitez put on a brave face after back-to-back defeats against Fiorentina and Chelsea.  The results not so much damaged their challenges in the European Cup and Premier League but more so damaged the credibility of his team.  It’s way too early to say that Liverpool won’t challenge for the title or the Champions League but it has done the fractious relationship with his board no favours.

Co-owner George Gillett said of Liverpool’s progress: “Now if it’s not getting better, it’s not Gillett and [co-owner] Hicks, it’s the manager, it’s the scouting. You have to make sure you balance out your analysis. There was plenty of money, so if you have any complaints, take a look at the ins and outs.”

Liverpool fans loyal to Benitez will dispute Gillett’s claim that £128m has been invested in the last 18 months (he could be including wages, catering and goldfish in that total for all I know).  But at the same time they have to be somewhat unimpressed with the transfer policy that the manager now apparently has sole control over since the departure of chief executive Rick Parry.

Questions continue to be raised about the form of Jamie Carragher, the failure of Ryan Babel to perform and the quality of Lucas Leiva and Emiliano Insúa.  Benitez’s team look very beatable if Gerrard and Torres are off colour and it seems that the latter is still easily bullied out of a game (compare his performance against Chelsea last week to his two-goal triumph last February).

It’s too early to say there is a problem at Liverpool (although they have already lost more league games than they did throughout the entirety of last season).  But this year Rafa (like Arsene) has the billionaire-shaped shadow of Manchester City peering over his shoulder and failure to finish in the top four is unthinkable – never mind winning the league.

5. Shay no fan of “disgusting” FIFA

On radio last night Shay Given was not backwards at going forwards when he said that FIFA’s “u-turn” on the World Cup qualifying play off system was “disgusting”.  Given the poor performance of nations like Portugal, Czech Republic and France (with even Germany under pressure to win their group) it does seem that the scales have been belatedly tipped in favour of the larger nations with the news that the top four ranked teams will be kept apart.

The 2006 play-offs were played on a seeded basis (six teams in two pots) but this time around FIFA had left their options open for some unknown reason, indicating that the draw would be open.  This late change will endear them to the money men in Zurich, Frankfurt, Paris and (ironically) Lisbon but maybe not the players and officials in Dublin, Sarajevo and Oslo.

From my Irish point of view it is a disappointment (but not as much of a disappointment as Trapattoni’s insipid Irish midfield is).  I would certainly feel sympathy for lower ranked teams like Bosnia and Slovenia who have put themselves in with a shout of reaching the World Cup Finals.  Nations like them they must feel like Homer did in that Simpsons episode where, fuelled by the Power Sauce bar, he thinks he has climbed to the top of The Murderhorn mountain only to find that he’s actually got another few thousand feet to go.  D’oh!

When will David Beckham go away?

If David Beckham were a rock star, he would be Robbie Williams: popular with the masses and always hogging the spotlight but doing so on the back of society’s superficial fixation rather than actual talent.

It seems every few weeks the story about where Beckham is going during the Major League Soccer close season rears its head (the BBC usually affording it top billing on their lowest common denominator Football home page).

When answering media questions on his future, it would be nice if he’d show some self-awareness and put the club that pay his massive salary first by suggesting that he is only concentrating on LA Galaxy and not getting bogged down with the far less important issue of getting to the World Cup with England.

Only it seems the most important thing to Beckham is to take centre stage at the World Cup in front of the world’s media given the general global indifference that accompanies his US career.

Beckham’s footballing skills can be subjectively debated forever (and I have steadfastly been underwhelmed for over a decade).  But it’s his self-indulgent Hollywood lifestyle, vulgar underwear adverts and vacuous, monotone rambling that has worn me down.

Will David Beckham ever truly go away or are we going to have to put up with him in the Sky studios on a Sunday afternoon telling us that everything is “good, ya know”?

Tottenham transfer window round-up: “Meh”

In a blog earlier this week I bigged up Tottenham’s chances of netting Niko Kranjcar and Martin Petrov while nervously hoping that we’d avoid an ‘Arry brain-fart and sign David James.  Two from three ain’t bad.

£2.5m? Really?

Kranjcar was signed for a curiously small £2.5m while David James remained at Portsmouth as he was apparently not the subject of an “official” approach which is football talk for “‘Arry gave us a shout but we told ‘im to sling ‘is ‘ook”.

The talk of a move for Martin Petrov gathered pace all week but – depending on what you read – he either failed a medical, could not agree (70k per week) terms or the transfer was kyboshed by Chairman Daniel Levy.  The common view is that Petrov would have been a waste of money given the signing of Kranjcar but I’d argue that Tottenham are long-overdue a natural left-sided player for the left hand side of the pitch.  Having said that, if it was a straight choice between Kranjcar and Petrov, then the former represents the best value.

Perhaps most disappointing was the failure to get rid of David Bentley and, to a lesser extent, Jermaine Jenas.  In Bentley’s case I see no reason for him to still be at the club.

A year ago I wrote: “I have never got the David Bentley thing and was quite horrified when we spent a ludicrous amount of money on a player who can’t deliver a corner kick past the first defender.  He seems more obsessed with his tan and haircut than anything else and unlike Michael Carrick, we won’t be making a profit on this guy.“

In Jermaine Jenas’ case we probably need him to make up the numbers but my list of disparaging comments over the years probably shows that I’ve remained consistent about the guy: (“Jermaine Jenas is not the right man for that job (and some might say any job)”, “Playing Jermaine Jenas there ranks, at best, as outright optimsm from Ramos/Poyet”, “…with Jermaine Jenas having yet another mediocre season”, “At Tottenham he seems particularly ordinary in just about every respect. He has no presence, can’t tackle, loses the ball too frequently and when he isn’t scoring there is not much else to his game”).  You get the point.

It’ll be a disappointment if Jenas comes back in to the team to play with Wilson Palacios when fit.  I’m not overly-convinced that Tom Huddlestone is dynamic enough for the top level but I’d still prefer him in the side to the serially disappointing JJ.

Overall it was a pity not to see a central playmaker come in alongside Kranjcar – unless he himself becomes that player when Luka Modric returns to fitness.

T-1 and counting: Tottenham transfer rumours

With one day left in the Premier League transfer window and Spurs losing Huerelho Gomes, Ledley King and Luka Modric to injury, it seems ‘Arry Redknapp will have to dip in to the transfer market a couple of times today or tomorrow.

Unsurprisingly he is rumoured to be returning to his former club Portsmouth for Niko Kranjcar and David James in an £8m double-bid. Kranjcar is a very tidy attacking midfielder who could be the playmaker that Tottenham desperately need in the centre of midfield. I have concerns with Modric playing in a central pairing given his lack of ‘presence’.  This, however, doesn’t address the glaring problem the club still has on the left but I’ll get to that.

David James is a clown and sadly I think if he comes to Spurs then he’ll retain the “number one shirt” even after Gomes returns to fitness.  Gomes is by no means perfect but he has improved immeasurably in the last 12 months.  I think he’s undoubtedly a better keeper than James but he won’t get a fair crack of the whip under Redknapp who will guarantee James a first team place.  Cudicini has looked very shaky in his limited outings since his signing so there is no doubt that Tottenham do need someone.

I should be more positive about the move to sign Martin Petrov for £3.5m from Manchester City.  He’s a natural left-sided player and is regarded for his pace and crossing.  He would certainly be an improvement on our other left-sided options even if I’m not overly-impressed with his contribution in a City shirt since his 2007 move.  My enduring memory of him is the red card he received for kicking Leon Osman in a league defeat to Everton last year and he’s also had his fair share of injury problems.  Providing we don’t pay him what he gets at City (rumoured to be £70k per week which may have played a factor in him turning down Spurs two years ago) then it seems a good deal.

The club have just announced a “link up” with Brazilian club Internacional and it was hoped that it may have helped Spurs land midfielder Sandro.  The media, however, are reporting that the bid has been turned down and Sandro will remain with Internacional.  I’ve never seen him play but I’m reliably informed that he’s rather good even if he may not have been ready for first team action yet.

Rafael van der Vaart won’t be joining Spurs it seems.  A player of his quality would have been a hell of a capture for Redknapp but according to Sky Sports he will be retained following the departure from Real Madrid of Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben last week.

Summary:

Petrov: Looks most likely

Kranjcar: Would be a good buy

James: Likely if he’s first choice

Sandro: Seemingly not

van der Vaart: highly unlikely

Spurs v Liverpool, the TV perspective

An opening day victory shouldn’t mask a Spurs performance that, while decent, was made look a lot more efficient than it was by Rafa’s unmotivated Liverpool side.

There’s little doubt that Spurs were the better team and deserved the points but it’s the weaknesses still prevalent in the team that give cause for concern.

I don’t know how Ledley King keeps going in spite of not training, but he does.  He and new signing Sebastien Bassong

Cult hero in the making?

were solid against what were disinterested looking opponents in the shape of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.  It’s a long time since a seemingly fully-fit Gerrard looked so out-of-sorts but he made close to no impression on the game.

Leaving aside the ineffectivness of Liverpool’s players Spurs remain a team lacking in key areas.

The lack of a left-sided player has been obvious for a number of seasons at Tottenham.  I’ve written before about the failed attempts of Martin Jol to fix it with Timothée Atouba and Reto Ziegler – both moved on quickly.  Before them Matty Etherington also failed to make a name for himself on the left side.  With Ashley Young, Martin Petrov and Stewart Downing all linked in recent months, Redknapp seems to be on the look out for someone.  But he really should have nailed it by now.

Frequently in the game, left-back Assou-Ekotto was forced to go backwards as the left-sided Luka Modric was often dragged inside.  With no width available Assou-Ekotto found himself under more pressure.  The team remains unbalanced.

In the middle it’s clear that Jermaine Jenas isn’t up to it but on the evidence of yesterday Spurs will struggle with Tom Huddlestone there; a talented player whose body seems to be set permanently to “amble”.  Hudd doesn’t read the game well enough to be one of those players who can cover a quarter of the pitch during the game yet still find himself in the right position to influence it enough.

Wilson Palacios might be one of the most effective all-round midfielders Spurs have had since the eighties but he also infuriates.  A couple of times during the game he tried a fancy back flick rather than retaining possession.  True, he chases back and more often than not will retrieve the situation but he needs to show more maturity.

Aaron Lennon, who was wonderful last year, had some great moments.  But he emphasised his greatest flaw when, after charging half the length of the field and dribbling around several Liverpool players, he fluffed his lines at the cruical moment, losing the ball on the edge of the box.  Redknapp needs to put the video on repeat and draw some lines and circles on it for his benefit.  He had three teammates within a short pass and he found none of them.

Up front we may be seeing the sad demise of Robbie Keane, a player who a number of fans may not have seen the value in buying back from Liverpool after his disappointing spell there.  He really should have had at least two goals in the first half, probably three.  And with Jermaine Defoe playing quite well and making some quality runs, it could be that Keane and Roman Pavlyuchenko (a very good finisher who suffers from a lack of pace) will be the odd pair out.

Peter Crouch made a much-cheereed return to the club where it all began for him and although he wasn’t involved much I do have high hopes for him.  The much-discussed worry is that Spurs will resort to a route one approach when other options are available and indeed that was witnessed yesterday as the otherwise impressive right-back Vedran Corluka made a couple of pointless long crosses towards him from deep that were easily swallowed up by the Liverpool defence.

All in all it was an encouraging start from a Spurs team who in recent seasons have been making a habit of taking points off the top four.  They need to get it right consistently but they’re going to need a left-sided player and midfield playmaker to achieve this.

Ratings (out of 10 – subs rated if played more than 20 minutes)

Spurs: Gomes (5), Bassong (7), Corluka (7), King (7), Assou-Ekotto (6.5), Huddlestone (6), Lennon (6.5), Palacios (7.5), Modric (6) (O’Hara 83), Keane (5) (Crouch 68 (6)), Defoe (6.5) (Pavlyuchenko 90+2)
Liverpool: Reina (8), Johnson (7), Insua (7), Carragher (6), Skrtel (6) (Ayala 75), Gerrard (5), Mascherano (6), Lucas (5), Torres (5), Kuyt (5) (Voronin 79), Babel (5) (Benayoun 67 (7))