Round And White - The Premiership, Europe And Beyond

Hot tips

2010-05-02T01:05:00.001+01:00

That Wesley Schneider and that Arjen Robben; Real Madrid should sign them up asap and they should see them through to a Champions League final. What?....oh.

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Product Review: Nike Rio Warm-Up Jacket

2008-10-10T16:03:00.002+01:00

Full-zip jacket with zippered front pockets and taping across the chest. Includes stand-up collar design and embroidered logo.

So here it is: A reasonably stylish black training jacket with a white stripe across the chest. It's a good fit…not too tight, so as to restrict movement, but not too loose so as to feel baggy.

So with the first impressions out of the way, it's time to put the jacket through its paces on a 25 minute run through southwest London. Despite a chilly evening it keeps me warm enough (with a long-sleeved running shirt underneath). However it's not an all-weather jacket; I occasionally felt the cold wind through the jacket and after 25 minutes at full-out pace, it's noticeable that while my t-shirt has managed to get rid of most of the ensuing moisture, the jacket has not been as successful. Nevertheless, I return home warm and relatively dry, so mission accomplished.

It's fair to say that it is to be recommended for what it is: an affordable, comfortable warm-up (and warm-down) jacket, perfect for pre-match practice or light training, but not really suited to prolonged strenuous sporting activity.

A final word of caution though, the front pockets on my jacket, were not zippered, contrary to what was advertised, so perhaps not the best place to put keys, etc. if you're planning to run around.

Many thanks to the boys at SoccerPro.com. See also Nike Soccer Gear and Nike Soccer Training Gear.

Harry, There's No Smoke Without Fire...

2007-11-29T23:10:00.000Z

After watching Andy Townsend get on his soapbox on ITV4 this evening and defend Harry Redknapp from the police, I've been spurred on for the first time in ages to get on mine again (something not England's ineptness managed to do).

Apparently, he didn't like the police knocking on his door at 6am surrounded by photographers. The latter is irritating admittedly, but then Harry loves to play the media game more than anyone else, so he was very naive if he thought that the media spotlight would shine elsewhere if matters took a turn for the worse.

However, while fraud investigations are frequently hard to get to court and even harder to get a successful prosecution, the evidence usually has some factual basis. If one believes the police when they say that their investigation has run on different lines to the Stevens inquiry (although in some cases it has looked at the same transfers), it's fair to say that something stinks.

It's this point that should be recognised. While people should feel free to defend Redknapp, they shouldn't be telling police forces not to arrest him, simply because he is being mentioned as the next England manager. This is much the same as asking them not to interview a cabinet minister for dodging dealings purely because that might affect their future career. If the police believe someone has committed fraud and they feel that they can prove that it has taken place, then let them do their job.

Personally, I feel the police have done everyone a massive favour by eliminating Redknapp's chances of becoming England manager, but that is an issue for the next sporadic post.

View From The Away End: And So It Begins

2007-08-19T22:00:00.000+01:00

Round And White is back and will be posting articles in its usual erratic fashion. First up, is the now traditional season opener for Black And White And Read All Over.

So Big Sam, he hasn't disappointed so far. With a bit of cash behind him and some sensible purchases the future looks bright; Viduka on a free? Bargain! Although Alan Smith and Geremi ... bargains? Hmmm ... we'll see. The same question might be posed of Allardyce's ability to tame Joey Barton (if the latter stays out of jail that is).

While his defensive acquisitions look promising, there's definitely a factor of the unknown there. José Enrique and Claudio Caçapa have good reputations, but they may need time to acclimatise to the cliché that is "the pace of the Premiership". PSG's David Rozehnal for £2.9m could be real steal though.

The rest of the post is, as usual, here.

Au Revoir, Thierry

2007-06-22T23:45:00.000+01:00

And a couple of thousand Gooners weep.

A Fit And Proper Person

2007-06-22T11:17:00.000+01:00

With England's U-21s going further than their first team counterparts in a European Championship (albeit after only 4 games in), it's back to the transfer market, but apart from the odd quickly resolved transfer such as Man U's purchases and the to-ing and and fro-ing of Darren Bent, the transfer market has been relatively subdued so far. Unfortunately then for Thaksin Shinawatra that he chose these last few days to push on with his takeover for Manchester City, thus focusing the media's attention on him more so than ever before.

Some of you may remember the a huge uproar when the other team in Manchester was bought by an American businessman whose money was considered by most to be legitimate, however, curiously enough there've been no similar protests so far this time round from Man City fans, despite Mr Shinawatra's highly dubious record. Truly, any moral ground has been lost by the fans.

However, it's worrying to say the least that the FA have so far (to my knowledge) not said anything on the matter. Bizarrely, one might say, as their Fit and Proper Person Test has a whole shopping list of offences which might prevent the former Thai Prime Minister from passing, including Section 109 of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001: Bribery and corruption committed outside the UK. And what has the good man been charged with in his home country? Corruption.

It's not a pretty sight.

On a slightly lighter note; Spurs, why are you wasting 16 large ones on Darren Bent?

And finally: David Beckham: the man has no shame.

Comment Moderation

2007-05-29T16:55:00.000+01:00

Apologies, but I've had to add comment moderation to prevent idiots posting religious psychobabble. I may remove it again in the future.

View From The Away End: Big Sam Arrives

2007-05-25T11:32:00.000+01:00

So Newcastle fans…from an outsider's point of view 2006-2007 seemed like the usual story: a season that never really promised much after the first few weeks had passed. A manager whose ability was frequently questioned, eventually became a victim of Mr Shepherd, while Titus Bramble continued to patrol (if I may use the term loosely) the back four. Nevertheless, there were signs of hope throughout the season. Obefami Martins' form (while it lasted) showed that the team might have acquired a half-decent forward to partner Mickey Owen (more on him later), and Emre and a few others occasionally put in a good performance. And to cap it all, Big Sam turned up at the very end.

The rest of this post can be found at Black And White And Read All Over.

The Queen Is A Gooner

2007-04-23T21:47:00.000+01:00

You've heard it all now haven't you. Hard to believe I know, but Spiegel.de is reporting that her Majesty outed herself to Cesc Fabregas when the Arsenal squad rocked on up to Bucks Palace in February. And the Queen Mum was a fan too.

Bring on the Republic!

Israel v England

2007-03-25T12:23:00.000+01:00

aka Steve McClaren: The Man Who Makes Scotland Look Good
You do have to wonder don't you? After England's miserable match against Spain, I swore I wouldn't watch another England friendly for a year. After last night's performance I'm thinking of extending that to their competitive games too.

Admittedly, Israel did sit behind the ball pretty much throughout the 90 minutes, a tactic that would've stifled the most creative team. And there seemed to be a few positives too. Hargreaves played a solid game, albeit with a few bad passes and Carragher seemed happier filling in out of position for the first time.

For my thoughts on the Lampard and Gerrard situation, you can read the post on the Spain friendly. Same players, same performances, same action required...

Even though I'm probably biased as a Spurs fan, I still can't see the point of playing Andy Johnson up front over Jermaine Defoe. If the Spurs man had started, you'd firstly have the benefit of having Lennon and Defoe, two offensive players from the same club playing together. Secondly, Defoe, a player who has gained a little European experience this season, is the closest England have to Owen, who's always brought out the best of a striking partnership with Rooney.

The latter seems particularly lost at the moment; as a friend of mine pointed out, he seems to be forced to get into the box at every opportunity, whereas he's also at his most dangerous when he's allowed to mix up his game, i.e. having the odd pop from outside the box (like that one against Arsenal.

Meanwhile, Scotland go top of their group. Ok, so it was a disjointed show against Georgia and they are yet to play Italy, but at least they showed passion and, as Alan Hansen pointed out, the midfielders showed the awareness to get in the box to support the forwards.

Roll on a 6-0 spanking of Andorra...because England really need it.

Shoot-Outs? Shoot Me Now

2007-03-15T18:46:00.000Z

Clearly, the Football League has thought that Sepp has been too quiet for too long and come up with an idea so stupid that even Mr Blatter wouldn't go there (never say never though).

Apparently, if the idea gains enough support, it will be presented as a motion for a rule change at the Football League's annual general meeting in June. Meanwhile, The Guardian reports that FIFA are vaguely supporting it, i.e. they're waiting to see if the idea gains any real support before claiming it as their own.

Seriously though, a change like this would almost change the way the game is played beyond all recognition, with teams playing cagier football, looking for the shootout, hardly something that makes the game more attractive. At least under the current system, most teams will look for that extra goal to win the game; the recent West Ham v Spurs game is a good classic example.

I'll leave Arsene Wenger to finish off this post with his comments:
"I saw this in my first year managing in Japan - it did not have spectacular results. In extra-time they played a sudden death goal and if no-one scored they had penalties. The draw is part of the culture of the game and I would not like that to disappear."

Wake Up Mr McClaren!

2007-02-07T23:51:00.000Z

Seriously, has anyone noticed the a difference between England under the latter stages of Sven's reign (when he had run out of ideas*) and the beginning of Steve McClaren's period as England manager? Nope, me neither.

After watching 60 minutes of dull football followed by a goal for a fairly uninterested Spain, I made myself an ultimatum. If England didn't at least get a draw out of this game I would ban myself from watching any further England friendlies for the next year. 30-odd minutes on and I've freed up a couple of Wednesday evenings to do something far more worthwhile.

I've grown tired of watching inept performances and bizarre team selections. Crouch, upfront, on his own? On his day, he can trouble defences, but for that he needs a partner, as well as a regular supply of decent crosses. The latter were missing all evening, but regardless of that he has neither the pace or the technical ability to beat opponents on his own. And despite being one of the tallest players in top-flight football, he still can't win headers legally. Someone should sit him down with a video of Jan Koller on repeat for a few days.

I'll leave out Wright-Phillips this time, suffice to say that relying on a player who has barely had a game for Chelsea since he moved there is wildly optimistic. Why not choose an in-form player such as David Bentley? He may not have international experience yet, but at least he has the match-fitness, ability and confidence of a player who is playing regularly.

Meanwhile, watching Lampard and Gerrard trying to form a partnership four years on is like observing an Israeli and a Palestinian in an arranged marriage. It just won't work. Here's a thought for Hansen, Lawrenson, Lineker, etc. (not to mention Eriksson and McClaren): drop one of them. They are two players who perform relatively similar roles for their clubs and would ideally like to do so for England. There simply isn't the space for the two of them in midfield. After 4 or so years of repeatedly giving them chances, it's about time Steve tossed a coin and dropped one of them, just to see what might happen. Drop one of them Steve. There, do you think he got the message?

I'm not buying the absentees argument either. Sure, the team was missing Rooney, Cole, Terry and Hargreaves, but only one of them might have kickstarted the game for England. Rooney hasn't done done something special in a Three Lions shirt since Euro 2004. In any case, he's been injured plenty since, so it'd be nice to see a back up plan there Steve. Woodgate had a decent game as Terry's replacement, ditto Phil Neville for Cole/Bridge. In a competitive international they might have had difficulties, but Spain weren't too fussed about stretching their opponents tonight. Hargeaves is missed, and sorely. He may not have Carrick's alleged "playmaking" ability, but he does have bite and an engine to get things going.

A night after Scolari's Portugal beat Brazil, the tabloids will be hounding the English manager they really wanted after having driven away the best man for the job. Is that irony or just tragedy?

*Apart from taking three forwards (one of them injury-prone) and Theo Walcott to the World Cup.

A Request From The Weblog Owner

2007-01-19T00:10:00.000Z

Please! Enough of the Italian p0rn spam comments. Nobody's interested. I'll either keep deleting it or have to block comments entirely which will spoil it for the thousands of readers who just haven't quite got round to commenting. Ta.

"I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror "

2007-01-10T00:33:00.000Z

Yep, Wolves fans, you have been warned. If there's one sure-fire thing that's worse than having Graeme Souness as your manager (as fans of Newcastle, Blackburn, Liverpool, et al would agree) , it's having him own your club.

Searching For That Michael Thomas Moment

2006-12-30T12:03:00.000Z

It's not even 2007, yet Sky have already suggested moving the (cough) "title clash" to a prime-time slot at the end of the season, rather than moving it to a mid-week slot should the two protoganists both make it to the FA Cup semi-final weekend.

Quite how this will fit in with the usual practice of the last round of matches all being played on the same day remains to be seen, but regardless of ifs and whens it's alarming to think that Sky should have any say in this matter at all. Dictating kick-off times according to TV requirements has always been questionable, but changing matchdays by a few weeks will set a new precedent of TV power, to the detriment of the fans.

It'd be interesting to see how keen Sky and the money-hungry Premier League would be on this rearrangement were two less "exciting" teams, such as Portsmouth and Bolton, the ones battling it out for the title.

As Football365 have pointed out, the main thought behind this idea is so that Sky can have their "Michael Thomas moment" as well. What Sky seem to have forgotten is that these moments are spontenous, happen at the most unlikely of times and can't simply be created. If they were to move this match, it would almost certainly turn out to be a damp squib of a match decided by something as dull as an uncontroversial penalty or a toepoke from one yard out.

Sports Personalities

2006-12-13T20:38:00.000Z

I'm sure that this has occured to others too, but if Sam Allardyce, Harry Redknapp and Sir Alex Ferguson were all nominated as BBC Sports Manager of the Year, at least one of them would have to appear back on the Beeb? And if they refused, then we'd at least hear some great excuses.

Groundbreaking Footwear

2006-12-13T20:35:00.000Z

"The touch and feel I get from this boot is like no other boot I have ever worn." It shows Andriy, it really does.

Rummenigge's Remonstrations

2006-11-28T12:39:00.000Z

It was bound to happen. After a decade of squabbling to make sure the G14 hoover up most of the money in European football, the in-fighting has begun.

"Everybody in the G14 thinks only about themselves. I will say it absolutely clearly: [Juan Ramón] Calderón [Real Madrid's president] and his colleagues only fight for themselves. So do the Italians and the English. In football it is pure selfishness that rules. There is little common ground among the clubs."

It seems strange that after pursing exactly that policy as a member of the G14, it has the whole concept has turned round and well and truly bitten Bayern on the arse. Of course, only a cynic would suggest that this is an elaborate way of drawing the attention away from Bayern's current poor domestic form. Naturally, one of his main targets is Roman. "Given what Abramovich does every summer in the transfer market, how can German clubs stay competitive?".

At this point it should be pointed out that Bayern are pretty ruthless domestically, having bought as many of their rivals' key players as possible in the last few seasons. Lucio, Deisler, Van Buyten, Podalski, Ismael and Lahm, not to mention taking Magath off Stuttgart's hands after his good work there. This works too; 20 or so Bundesliga titles since 1963 have been theirs and no other team is anywhere near reaching double figures.

He also conveniently ignores the fact that even though Chelsea are rolling in it, this cash hasn't yet brought them a Champions League title or even a place in the final. That has fallen to teams who have spent the last 3 or 4 years gradually integrating players into a team and not spending vast amounts every season. So Karl-Heinz, if Bayern aren't good enough to make it to the latter stages of the Champions League, it's not down to the lack of money, it's because the team and its tactics are simply not good enough (like England at most tournaments).

Yours Confused?

2006-11-26T18:40:00.000Z

And carrying on from last week's post on referees, is it now the case that pushing an opponent in an off-the-ball incident with both hands (as Kevin Davies did) is now only punished with a yellow card? When did that change? Have I missed something or I am now able to do that when I play football too?

Apparently, "the saving grace for Davies was that his hands were below shoulder height on Eboue and that is now deemed to warrant a yellow card rather than red." Well, if the referees want to set a precedent like that, they only have themselves to blame.

"But sooner rather than later they should bring it in"

2006-11-20T17:52:00.000Z

Surely that should read "But they should bring it in sooner rather than later"? But enough of Mark Hughes' Yoda-risms for now. He is right, as everyone bar the FIFA and FA seem to see. Another weekend and another bagload of reasons why some form of video-replay technology is being called for.

Mark, Martin Jol and Aidy Boothroyd were all seething after the final whistle in their respective games. And all three were calling for referees to start using the technology. As Arsene Wenger points out believes the instant access to television replays now available to managers around the technical area could easily be adapted for use by the match officials during the game.

This is in itself perhaps a problem. Managers can analyse any controversial incidents and usually become irate once they've seen a bad decision several times over, while the ref has to stick to what is likely to have been a snapshot decision. Shouldn't referees be able to use the break in play after a foul, penalty appeal or bad tackle? Instead of being harangued and accosted by Man Utd players, the ref's time could be more sensibly used by a quick 30 second perusal of the video while everyone else calms down.

Admittedly, even video evidence wouldn't always provide the clearcut answer to every debatable situation, but it just seems pointless for football to ignore any technology when other major sports have welcomed it. Perhaps if managers, players, clubs and the media followed the line of argument that video evidence could be used by referees to assist them rather than to overrule them the footballing world might see changes occur slightly faster.

Please Mr McClaren...

2006-10-11T23:13:00.001+01:00

...don't play Frank Lampard again until he rediscovers his form for Chelsea. He brings nothing to the England team at the moment, except a lack of ambition in midfield and a stream of mis-placed passes. Also, just because Peter Crouch's England career started well, that doesn't necessarily mean that he is not technically good enough to compete against well-organised defences.

Use a player with a bit of pace, strength and someone who can drive into the box ahead of Rooney and his passes. Darren Bent or Andy Johnson when he's fit (the latter admittedly was in your plans).

Oh and what the hell was the 3-5-2 formation about?

"Pot", "Kettle", "Black"

2006-10-05T10:21:00.000+01:00

Most football fans are more than slightly fed up with Chelsea, their transfer dealings and endless supply of cash, but when Real Madrid accuse the Blues over-inflating transfer fees for other European clubs with their spending power, you feel that Chelsea are being unfairly targetted.

After all Real are the team that spent a then record £38.7 million on Luis Figo in 2000 which was soon to be broken by the €66 million spent on Zidane, which in turn was followed by approximately €39 million for Ronaldo. And I haven't even come to the money used to buy David Beckham, Walter Samuel, Sergio Ramos, Michael Owen, Robinho and Julio Baptista.

Moolah

2006-09-19T22:43:00.000+01:00

It's all about the money isn't it? Of course, everyone knew that bungs were rife in the professional game, but it was good to fianlly hear some names. Harry Redknapp wasn't a huge surprise; all those deals at West Ham in particular suddenly seem to make a whole lot more sense don't they? Wasn't it around 40 transfers during his time there?

I didn't expect to see Sam Allardyce's name up in big flashing neon lights though. He's the one to come off worst from Panorama's investigation, and his career will surely nosedive. He'll probably stay at Bolton, mainly because no other club will hopefully want to touch him with a bargepole, and he can almost certainly say farewell to a future position as England manager, a piece of news that almost makes the TV licence fee worthwhile.

The whole affair is pretty sickening though. It's certainly tarnished the "Beautiful Game" just that little bit more for me. After "Cashley", Mike Newell's allegations, George Graham a decade ago, Rio "bumping" into Peter Kenyon, Svennisgate and the rest isn't it about time the FA (or some other more capable body) were to take some serious action?

Unfortunately, I'm abroad this weekend, so I'll miss out on any potential hilarious interviews between Sam and/or Harry and the Beeb on Match Of The Day. Post a comment below at the weekend if it all kicks off. Ta.

And You Thought Roman's Money Was Dodgy

2006-09-01T22:52:00.000+01:00

Of all the last minute transfer dealings the signing of Argentinian duo by West Ham was by far the most intriguing. You can take your Baptistas, Coles or Chimbondas, but you sense that the story behind the purchase of Carlos Tévez and Javier Mascherano will run and run. They are, as has been well publicised, owned by London-based Media Sports Investments, who were in turned linked with a takeover of the Hammers last year and who own a stake in Brazilian side Corinthians, where the two new players moved from.

A day later and West Ham are the subject of a potenial takeover. According to an official statement, "Discussions are at an early stage and there can be no certainty that an offer for West Ham will be forthcoming."

Strange, no? Nevertheless, "The board also confirms that there is no contractual link between the signing of the players and the bid discussions." No, of course not. It's just a huge coincidence.

While West Ham fans are unlikely to be looking this apparent gift horse in the mouth, I think most other supporters are guessing that this story is unlikely to have an unhappy ending. And while Roman Abramovich might be criticised for endlessly pumping money into his plaything, it's hard to see how companies owning players is any better. Funny that no one else has picked up on this aspect yet.

The Things You Learn

2006-08-22T00:15:00.000+01:00

According to my Benfica-loving Portuguese housemate who in turn stays well in touch with the Portuguese football media, the reason why Christiano Ronaldo stayed at Man U after this summer's escapades was not because he and Rooney made up, nor because the initial interest from Real Madrid disappeared, but because his mum told him to stay at Old Trafford.

Bless.

View From The Away End: A New(-ish) Dawn

2006-08-18T21:11:00.000+01:00

So, a new season dawns for Newcastle and it seems as though the club have started exactly where they left off. While most clubs have been busy frittering their money away (this means you Man United and Chelsea), the most exciting thing to happen to the club this summer was Titus Bramble driving his Beemer into a garden wall in Norfolk. Ok, so they signed Damien Duff as well, but while he's definitely a top-class player, he won't be changing their fortunes a great deal.

The rest of this post is up at Black & White & Read All Over.

Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don't

2006-08-12T21:15:00.000+01:00

The fickleness of the English press; you're the new England manager. You drop your old team captain from the squad because his performances of late have been lacklustre to say the least. You decide to give the youngsters a chance instead. Something you get criticised for because apparently shown a lack of respect for old stalwarts.

At the same time you appoint a new captain, one John Terry. You then get also criticised for choosing him over Steven Gerrard, someone who's barely reproduced his club form for his country, but some football "experts" think should be given the chance just on the ludicrous possibility that it "might work out for the best".

You can't win. Give it a few months and people will be complaining that the FA should've picked a foreign manager.

New Season, New Hope

2006-08-02T18:47:00.000+01:00

Now that the World Cup is over, Round And White has recovered and is feeling fresh for the new season (unlike Mickey Owen, but that's what kicking melons round supermarkets does to you).

Now that AC Milan have rather fortuitously been cleared to play in the Big Cup by UEFA we can all get over the scandals and move onto proper news like Jose's mind-games. Apparently UEFA "had no choice but to admit" Milan as the governing body was worried about a legal challenge. Strangely, they didn't have that problem with Juve, etc. but hey if your president's Silvio then there'll always be a happy end eh?

Gravesen and Robinho Punch-Up

2006-08-01T23:35:00.000+01:00

Rumours that Robinho's jealousy of Spurs' interest in his teammate led to the training camp incident are yet unconfirmed.

"Three Is The Magic Number"

2006-06-29T21:21:00.000+01:00

Please, please, someone start this chant the next time Graham Poll refs a match in the Premiership. Even if it is just once.

"The Kings Of The Torn Betting Slips"

2006-06-27T22:01:00.000+01:00

I don't usually agree with anything that Clive Tyldesley says during his football commentary (and why should I?), but with this sentence, he's described Spain's ever present, yet unfulfilled promise (youthful and otherwise) in a nutshell. I really thought that this time they would really go a long way, but once again it wasn't to be.

The Best Game Of The Tournament

2006-06-25T22:53:00.000+01:00

A truly classic match. Obviously I'm talking about the Portugal - Holland match.

...And you thought Graham Poll was bad. 16 yellows and 4 reds...members of the International Clown Convention appeared to take a wrong turn and ended up refereeing in the World Cup. Care to explain that Sepp?

World Cup Stops Blogging

2006-06-18T13:14:00.000+01:00

I'm simply too busy enjoying the World Cup (on BBC more than ITV I should add) to write about the bleedin' thing, so why not move and click over to Finals Fantasy, Simon, Ben and Skif's collective effort. It's really rather good. Alternatively, the Graunaid's coverage ain't bad either.

Normal service will return once yours truly has returned from Berlin in mid-July and everyone can focus on the latest "will he, won't he" pre-season transfer story. Michael, just say no.

Sven: The Coach, The Cash And His Lovers

2006-06-05T21:34:00.000+01:00

Just what the (team) doctor ordered: a pointless, infantile "documentary" on Sven, five days before England kick off their World Cup campaign. It failed to tell us anything that the tabloids haven't already told us in graphic detail, and included interviews with Amanda Platell, Jeff Powell, Keith Allen and Ron Atkinson, all rent-a-quotes who, for respective reasons, shouldn't be never been allowed to comment on football. Ever. Well done Channel 4.

View From The Away End: Another Season Over

2006-05-18T20:32:00.000+01:00

I should be a betting man given what I said back in August:

"It's not an ideal start to the season really. Sixth or seventh and a good cup run is the best I can foresee, which is unlikely to keep Souness his job, but frankly that's a good thing".

Newcastle's season was simply about the two Gs: Graeme and Glenn. Under Graeme, they looked a miserable team, frequently lacking in inspiration and morale, while under Glenn they won 10 of their 16 Premiership and cup matches, which frankly speaks for itself. Exactly why there was such a turnaround in fortunes is beyond me, but I think it was something to do with the new manager not being Graeme Souness and playing Jean-Alain Boumsong less often.

The rest of this post and Lord Bargain's opinion of the Magpies season is up at Black And White And Read All Over.

Post-Final Blues

2006-05-18T20:04:00.000+01:00

You can argue about decisions going one team's way or another, but there's nothing like a good loser who bows out gracefully eh? Thierry Henry on last night's Champions League final referee: "Some of his calls were strange. Maybe next time I'll learn how to dive."

Well, judging by Emmanuele Eboue's performance yesterday he'd make an outstanding teacher.

View From The Away End: A Shearer Special

2006-04-28T11:06:00.000+01:00

So long Super Al. It's been nice knowing you. Well, sort of. I've always admired Alan Shearer for his ability, but never really warmed to him as a player. He's scored some stunning goals, but the only one that gives me goosebumps, ten years on, was his second against Holland in Euro 96 and even that was more to do with the occasion rather than person.

The rest of this post, as well as the views of several other bloggers is up at Black & White & Read All Over.

The Right Man For The England Job Revisited

2006-04-27T16:22:00.000+01:00

It would appear that my previous post on the topic swayed the minds of the FA.

Naturally, a few people are up in arms. My favourite has to be David Gold who has claimed (on the Beeb website) it was not what the majority of English people wanted.

"No matter how brilliant a coach someone from abroad may be, it is a betrayal of Englishmen and England fans. We want an English manager that we can relate to. We all support the England team and part of that is an English manager. I expect the players and the manager to be English."

I think he wanted an English manager don't you? Is he attempting to offload Steve Bruce on the sly perhaps? Not so sure about this "majority" though. I've been observing various polls on various websites (BBC Sport, Football365.com and The Guardian) over the last few weeks. All have had Big Phil, Guus Hiddink or Martin O'Neill right up there as favourites for the role, with McLaren the nearest English contender in 4th. Looking at the current polls, the Beebs poll says that 65% believe Scolari is the man for the job, while on Football365.com it's a stonking 89%.

The people have spoken David (and Howard and Stuart) and they want the best man for the job. Deal with it.

Man Utd Gets £30,000 Lotto Cash

2006-04-22T00:03:00.000+01:00

I don't really think that I need to change the Beeb's headline for this story.

"Manchester United has accepted a lottery grant of £30,000 to increase the health and fitness of its staff." Lucky them. The article goes on to say that Sport England has defended its decision by saying: "We cannot and should not discriminate against a firm based on whether it is perceived to be a wealthy organisation". Right.

They obviously saw the backlash coming. But seriously, I'm sure that there are a hundred more sports organisations, associations, teams or individuals who could really benefit from this cash. Like Sunderland for example.

Flash Harry

2006-04-20T13:01:00.000+01:00

Neatly following on from yesterday's post, it seems someone in the media has finally realised that Harry Redknapp is not the miracle worker everyone else makes him out to be. Here's a small excerpt from Paul Doyle's Grauniad article on "Harry Houdini".

"...Of course Harry's intention wasn't to motivate his players, it was to feed the media a self-serving script that went something like this: if Pompey perish, it's because Perrin fatally wounded them; if they survive, it's because Harry's a miracle-worker. Pompey were in 16th place when Perrin was ousted. Now they're 18th...."

The Right Man For The England Job

2006-04-19T13:20:00.000+01:00

So with Hiddink and Scolari out of the frame, it would appear that we're down to Big Sam, Curbs, McLaren and (I'm praying) Martin O'Neill. So many people would foolishly prefer an English manager, the FA included, but shouldn't they go for the best candidate, foreigner or otherwise?

Curbishley strikes me as being singularly unsuited to the pressure of international management, while Boro's yo-yoing form worries me. Big Sam is the best of a bad bunch, but Bolton's lack of recent form perhaps suggests that Big Sam might not be so capable of turning things round if they aren't going to plan (a criticism frequently aimed at Sven). So Martin O'Neill is the best option really, but more on him soon.

However, quite why the FA have ruled out Big Phil is beyond me. This is a man who took Portugal to the final of the European Championships and won the World Cup with Brazil. Surely the choice should be simple? Yet, the FA still have Alan Curbishley on their shortlist, a manager who has done precisely fuck all. It's like asking whether you'd prefer Ronaldinho or Darren Bent to be in your team.

Detractors might argue that the language barrier might be a problem and that any manager could win the World Cup with the embarrassment of riches that is the Brazilian first eleven. But they're forgetting that Big Phil had the inept Roque Junior in his team and made him play like a world-class defender. Surely, the sign of a true genius?

Fear And Loathing Of Stamford Bridge

2006-04-04T19:06:00.000+01:00

There's this club right. And everybody hates them. Mainly because they're successful. And rich.

The manager is so arrogant that he barely speaks to the media now, while his players frequently court controversy, either by diving or attempting to mutilate opponents. They're also more than happy to swarm round a referee, screaming at him to change a (correct) decision that hasn't gone in their favour.

Am I talking about the Man Utd of the 90s or the Chelsea of now? A difficult question to answer perhaps. After all, is there any real difference between Ruud's propensity to fall over a tad too easily and Robben's ballerina antics? Between Keane's tackle on Alf-Inge or Essien's two-footed lunges?*

A top club knows exactly when they become numero uno in their country; it's when everyone starts to hate them. While Arsenal might still win the league every few seasons, they don't really dominate the league for years at a time like Ferguson's boys did and Jose's boys are doing now, so neutrals can still feel a jealous admiration. Chelsea, on the other hand, should get used to being completely despised if they want to keep winning league title after league title. It's all part of the parcel.

*Keane's was worse actually.

Tartan Red

2006-03-14T23:18:00.000Z

A few words from Nathan, a fellow blogger:

"During the 2005/06 football season, I will be attending as many football grounds and matches as possible in a bid to raise money and awareness for Ataxia UK (Registered Charity Number 1102391). This charity is important to me as I suffer from Friedreich’s Ataxia – a rare, progressive disease of the nervous system that has confined me to a wheelchair. Details of my fundraising tour of football grounds can be found on tartanredontour.blogspot.com or for more information on Ataxia UK please visit www.ataxia.org.uk. Should you wish to sponsor me, you can do so at www.justgiving.com/tartanredontour".

He Has A Purpose

2006-03-14T22:10:00.000Z

Just when you thought Owen Hargreaves was useless, he turns around and does something remarkable. Admittedly, it took me sometime to change my mind and realise that he isn't all as good as some made out (me included). Nevertheless, thanks to an innocuous training ground clash it looks as though Sebastian Deisler will be missing from any potential England v Germany clash.

Dave Gets Nervous

2006-03-03T23:28:00.000Z

So after an interesting* Uruguay game that showed where England's strength lie (Cole, Rooney, Terry and Neville), as well as their weaknesses: a lack of a poacher should Mickey get injured again, and Rio at the back.

But until the squads are announced it's more interesting to see the current England team express their thoughts on a future manager. So when Beckham says that any future manager "...has to have a certain amount of experience of course, that's part and parcel of being a top-flight manager, to be able to handle big games like in Champions League and World Cups...", is he perhaps getting worried that should Big Sam get in, he'll be kissing his England captaincy goodbye?

*I did only watch the second half.

Franz

2006-02-27T23:31:00.000Z

Over at Real Life News: The Bundesliga, Beckenbauer opens his mouth and comes up with the most optimistic statement since Abe Lincoln asked for a quiet night at theatre.

We Love You Gary!

2006-02-19T15:32:00.000Z

It was good to see the Liverpool fans welcome Gary Neville to Anfield in a typically friendly fashion. Frankly, it was all he deserved. On a more serious note, as a neutral it was pleasing to see a match played in a competitive manner finish without any major controversy that would otherwise only simmer and then boil over at the next encounter. Any Liverpool v Man U encounter always seems to attract more attention than is strictly necessary and the less pre-match hype (hello Sky Sports), the more focussed the teams are on winning the game, rather than hacking down their opponents.

Which brings me to the next hyped game: Chelsea v Barcelona. Now, my opinion of Jose has swung back and forth over the last few months, but a few gentle barbs about Barcelona's pitch aside, he was relatively restrained when it comes Barcelona's claim that the Blues have neglected the ~~beach~~turf at Stamford Bridge on purpose. As The Special One has correctly pointed out (in his own special way) that "[it] doesn't see the sun often". In any case, I can remember Chelsea having problems for at least 3 or 4 successive seasons now, so it makes Barcelona look like they are searching for excuses for any potential defeat. No doubt Jose will have something further to say about the Catalan side by Wednesday night at the latest, but for now he's recognised that it is sometimes better to let the football do the talking.

Accurate Reporting

2006-02-18T13:05:00.000Z

Spotted on the Beeb's live FA Cup commentary:

1300: Wayne Rooney injures himself in a tackle with Wayne Rooney and limps off for treatment. He returns shortly afterwards.

Blatant Plug Alert!

2006-02-14T17:14:00.000Z

I'd just like to point you in the direction of my new Bundesliga side project over at Real Life News. Today's post includes news on the "11-thriller at Schalke".

Also to be found on this collaborative effort are new blogs on Chelsea, Newcastle, Everton, the A-League and Major League Soccer.

The Offside Rule

2006-02-09T12:17:00.000Z

A truly ingenious explanation of the offside rule for the fairer sex* (from the Beeb forum via OleOle).

*Just on the off-chance that they don't already understand it, that is.

A Memorable Weekend...

2006-02-06T19:04:00.000Z

...at least for a few clubs and players, including:

Arjen Robben and Rafa Benitez - the Liverpool manager's concern for the Dutchman's health after his life-threatening attack by Reina was touching. 'Pool fans will no doubt be equally as worried by Robben's injury and will certainly be expressing their delight to see him alive and well when the Reds next face Chelsea.

Super Al' - respect.

Thierry Henry - for once he looked happy after scoring a goal. Only another 100 goals to go until the next smile eh Thierry?

Steve McClaren - this was surely the weekend when his chances of becoming England manager were finally laid to rest.

Spurs - they maintained their 4 point gap over Arsenal and without anyone noticing are suddenly 1 point behind Liverpool (albeit having played two games more).

"Thank you Lord"...

2006-02-02T14:19:00.000Z

...or words to that effect. The Toon Army breath out a collective sigh of relief, while fans everywhere else are already dreading the announcement of "a new managerial appointment", as GS is finally given the heave-ho.

Back at St. James however, it'll be interesting to see how permanent the Glen and Al Roadshow will become. One of them has to pass a UEFA training badge within 12 weeks, unless Freddie finds a replacement before that. With a bit of luck Newcastle will actually make use of the potentially handy players they have on their books (Given, Owen, Emre, Luque, Nobby Solano, Parker, etc.). It's a shame that they didn't manage to reinforce their defence during the transfer window. If they had then a more promising league position might have been possible. As it is, it looks like a case of steadying a sinking ship and preparing for a better start to the new season.

"We're Supposed To Haggle."

2006-01-19T15:27:00.000Z

Henry's dillying over signing a new contract with Arsenal has got me thinking. Why does it take the modern footballer so long to sign a contract? The Treaty Of Versailles is like a tea-break compared to the average waiting time before a player agress to put pen to paper.

Thierry has apparently, after much delay, just opened talks with the club over an extension to his current contract which expires in 2007, but "discussions with Arsenal are only at an early stage". So far so good, but why should it take a further month or two (or three, etc...)? Are clubs forever waiting for a new shipment of biros? Or do the players have to be taught how to write in joined-up handwriting first?

If a player wants to stay and the club wants him to stay then surely all that needs to be haggled over is: a) how much? and b) how long? and possibly c) his home?

Going back to Henry's case, he's (bizarrely?) said that, "...whatever happens the decision will not be based on money." So what's the sticking point there then? What possible minutiae could he, his agent and Arsenal be discussing? Answers below please.

Admissions

2006-01-15T21:10:00.000Z

Eriksson has admitted that if England win the World Cup, he would consider a new job. Fine. I'm happy with that. Is it really such a big issue? After all, isn't that his objective as England manager?

(Later): With hindsight, there is more to this story. The NOTW were silly, if not downright malicious in publishing their story, as the only party to benefit was the "newspaper". I agree with Alan that it doesn't do anyone else any favours.

It would appear that the only thing to come out of the affair is that Sven isn't very discreet during his private conversations (note the word private). So Rio is "lazy sometimes"? I'm sure that not many fans would dispute this. And is it really such a surprise that Mickey isn't completely happy? As much as he is enjoying his time at St. James, it's not the biggest relevation that he would've rather returned to his boyhood club (and Champions League winners).

Only in England would the tabloid press try to undermine the team before the tournament.

Phew!

2006-01-14T10:10:00.000Z

TV broadcasters* can breathe a huge sigh of relief now that the World Cup opening gala has been cancelled due to poor ticket sales. They were already worried at having to find a single viewer for yet another ceremony with tenious links (dancing ships anyone?) to football, especially one that didn't have a match at the end of it. You wonder why they bother really.

Nevertheless, a (ahem) "more low-key opening ceremony" will still take place before the opening game in Munich, while a billion football fans worldwide scream "GET ON WITH IT!"

*As well as pretty much everyone else apart from Sepp.

I Can't Be Bothered To Think Of A Snappy Title

2006-01-12T11:17:00.000Z

After a dismal Sunday, finally there's some good news for Spursch fans, as Martin Jol shows signs that his addiction for midfielders is wearing off. Pedro Mendes and Sean Davis have left to join Mr "I Don't Care If The Money Is Dodgy" on the south coast, with Noe Pamarot to follow.

Continuing on the controversy theme, Luton manager Mike Newell is apparently about to lift the lid on the worse kept secret in English football: "transfer bungs are rife". Still, Round And White would like to applaude Mike for taking a stand. It'll be interesting to see who he names from "[the] lot of people involved with the agents and doing the deals are taking back-handers".

Meanwhile in Germany, allegations are beginning to seep out that the people behind the match-fixing scandal uncovered in the Bundesliga last year (as RandW reported) may also have been involved in matches in England as well.

Lurch

2006-01-09T19:12:00.000Z

Perhaps Martin Jol is regretting his initial assessment of Grzegorz Rasiak by now; "[He] is a tall target man, a hard working, honest player with a good goal scoring record." Tall, perhaps, but that's about it Martin. He's like Peter Crouch, but without the skill.

Some Questions

2006-01-07T12:01:00.000Z

Over at Football365 someone's produced a list of very pertinent questions surrounding the sale of Pompey (I'm refusing to call them ***ski) including:

* How can 50 per cent of Portsmouth Football Club be sold for just £15m?

* Is the claim that Alexandre has an 'unblemished business reputation' at odds with reports that, of the seven British companies with which he has previously held a directorship, six have ceased to trade while the seventh went bust?

* Should Pompey fans be uncomfortable that Gaydamak was unwilling to even give an approximation on the amount of money he is willing to invest in the club?

Oi! Ref!

2006-01-05T16:20:00.001Z

David Sommeil's tackle (or kneecapping as some might call it) on Lee Young-Pyo set me thinking.

The rules surrounding tackles that are not punished immediately stipulate (I believe) that if a referee doesn't see the incident or doesn't mention it in his match report then the FA may look into the matter and if necessary launch a charge.

As Wiley did not see the incident, the FA has now charged the French defender. But had he seen the tackle and not taken any action, then Sommeil would have faced no action whatsoever as the FA can't act retrospectively.

Does that really make sense? After all, this means a footballer can, if he's lucky, get away with an extremely poor tackle on an opponent. In the era of post-match video analysis, shouldn't the FA be able to punish all bad tackles, perhaps with a 3-man disciplinary board?

Twins

2006-01-03T00:18:00.000Z

I'm sure I'm not the first to point this out, but Nien Numb and Harry Redknapp: separated at birth?

Fresh New Face(s)

2005-12-30T23:24:00.000Z

Round and White recently received an email from Real Life News, who are looking for people interested in writing for a new football blog. If you're interested, then have a gander at their website for more info or contact Martin at Martinf@reallifenews.com.

As a result this expect a new weekly Bundesliga round-up thanks to yours truly to be found at their new site once it's up and running, along with a teaser here.

View From The Away End

2005-12-30T23:22:00.000Z

Back at the beginning of the season, I was of the opinion that Newcastle would struggle, although this might change if Owen did move to St. James Park. At the time I was convinced that he would move to Man Utd (whoops), but otherwise my predictions have been fairly close.
The rest of this post is (as usual) up at Black & White & Read All Over.

"Hello, can I speak to Mr O'Neill?"

2005-12-08T21:38:00.000Z

Is this the end of an era? Perhaps this is too presumptuous, but after last night's not-so-shock defeat against Benfica, Man U are now well and truly in their period of transition. Out of Europe and without the riches that this entails, owing the bank a few quid, hunting for a new sponsor, missing their talismanic ex-captain (and no replacement in sight) and a manager who's apparently run out of ideas. Will Ferguson see the end of the season?

Meanwhile, UEFA have done the sensible thing and charged Essien with gross misconduct. One question remains: judging by Mourinho's post-match comments and his apparent ignorance of that tackle, has the "Special One" learned how use a video recorder?

Finally, with less than 24 hours to the draw for the World Cup Finals, so it's time for Round and White to come up with a list of potential winners:

1. Brazil

It's Up For Grabs Now

2005-12-04T13:02:00.000Z

It's only fair that as one of the voters I point you in the direction of It's Up For Grabs Now's World Footballer Poll.

The South Coast Popularity Contest

2005-12-01T16:29:00.000Z

aka "How To Get Your Car Torched".

Amazingly, Milan Mandaric is contemplating bringing Harry Redknapp back to Fratton Park. Whether he gets his man remains to be seen. Rupert Lowe is bizarrely refusing access to his man, given that his probable successor, egg-chaser Woodward, is already there. And let's face it, Harry isn't exactly setting the world alight at St. Mary's at the moment.

Meanwhile, the whole idea also begs the question of whether Pompey fans would want Harry back.

Keano Is Gone, Long Live Keano

2005-11-19T01:02:00.000Z

Am I the only thinking that Roy Keane is probably relishing the idea of maiming certain ex-Man Utd colleagues in games to come? I'm sure Rio can feel those studs raking his shins already.

Satisfying

2005-11-14T22:22:00.000Z

It was, wasn't it? I am, of course, referring to England's win over Argentina on Saturday. A win for Sven and the boys that went a long way in responding to the criticism of the last few months, as well as restoring my faith in the usefulness of international friendlies, perhaps because everyone from the manager to the subs took the game seriously. Naturally, room for improvement remains, but after the sloppiness of the last few games, it was a step in the right direction, particularly as the various full-backs, the weakest links on the night, will (hopefully) be replaced by the eventual return of the more experienced Gary Neville and Ashley Cole.

Meanwhile, congratulations to Spain whose 5-1 thumping of Slovakia means that they will almost certainly once again have the opportunity to live up to their "dark horse" rating at the World Cup until they bid farewell and exit in the first round. Well done also to Switzerland and the Czech Republic whose first leg results should push them a bit closer to the draw.

"I Could Eat A Baby"

2005-11-07T18:42:00.000Z

It's kettle, pot and black time. ~~Fat bastard~~...sorry Lennart Johansson has suggested (in between luncheon courses three and four) that the G14 clubs (of which there are about 18 by now) are "greedy". You'd think that as president of UEFA, he'd have noticed this by now, but apparently it's all news to him.

Whether or not the case of Charleroi seeking compensation from the Moroccan FA for a player injured on international duty will actually become the next "Bosman" case remains to be seen, but it's clearly worrying Lennart sufficiently. Perhaps that food budget really is under threat?

One Frenchman Going Cheap...

2005-10-29T22:22:00.000+01:00

I saw this on Black And White And Read All Over and coldn't resist posting it here to. Of course, what is really worrying is that someone believes that Laurent Robert is worth 6 million (and counting).

Revelations

2005-10-26T22:13:00.000+01:00

Finally, the reasons behind England's recent poor performances (Poland aside) have emerged. However, it's not Sven's tactics or Rooney's impetousness, instead esteemed German news magazine "Spiegel" has revealed that Rio (who else) has complained that Becks' taste in music is the source of all the problems. Admittedly, this news comes via "Nuts" so perhaps it should be taken with a shovelful of salt.

Beckham's choice of Robbie Williams, David Blunt and R&B isn't quite hard enough for Mr Forgetful, who would rather hear something a but more aggressive ("hip-hop or garage" for those of you who are interested) before the team go out to play. If someone can persuade Slayer to record the next World Cup single then we'll be well on our way come next summer.

Yin And Yang

2005-10-25T14:27:00.000+01:00

A question: If David Beckham is being punished for his "good looks", then surely Iain Dowie should have led Crystal Palace to the treble by now?

The Curse Of The Yeti

2005-10-21T22:18:00.000+01:00

Whoops. I put my laptop to one side and suddenly a few weeks have gone by. England have qualified for the World Cup while a hundred tabloid journalists dream of what could've been, the boring/exciting (depending on which day it happens to be) Chelsea remain unbeatable...and Arsenal have won an away game in Europe. It's a crazy world.

Meanwhile, Real haven't quite given up unsettling Gooners. With Pat now at Juve (much to the apparent disappointment of Thierry), Madrid are reportedly eyeing up Ashley. Nevertheless, Arsene's problems are nothing compared to those of Mr Souness, who will almost certainly be receiving his P45 come Monday morning if Newcastle lose to Sunderland at the weekend.

And on a final note, consider whether this is a man who takes drugs?

The Boy Is Keen

2005-10-21T08:39:00.000+01:00

...or maybe he's just plain stupid. Rio turns up for training. On a training-free day. Perhaps he really did forget to take that drugs test.

It Makes You Feel Ashamed To Be An England Fan...

2005-10-08T12:56:00.000+01:00

...when people vandalise the manager's home. No doubt it was some cretin with nothing better to do. Sven may have his critics and his England team may have produced a few poor recent performances, but he still doesn't deserve a brick through his window.

It's strange that other previous consistantly more hopeless managers such as Keegan and Taylor managed to avoid such treatment. Surely it's not because Sven is a Johnny Foreigner?

Viva La Revolution!

2005-09-20T11:03:00.000+01:00

It's been a long time coming, but it seems that finally it's not only the fans that are getting annoyed with dull formations. Several Man Utd players are reportedly 'furious' with their new 4-3-3 formation. Admittedly, the sources for Football365's report are The Sun and the Mirror, so it should all be taken with a pinch of salt. Nevertheless, after some seriously tedious Premiership games perhaps managers will begin to take notice that playing for a 0-0 draw is possibly not the best way to go about winning the Premiership. Strange, but true, I know.

However, the real gem of gossip in the report is the news that Ol' Red Nose is refusing to talk to MUTV after one of their presenters criticised him after the Villareal match. I suppose this begs the question of who else they can interview now, if the manager of ManU is no longer available. An interesting dilemma.

A Question

2005-09-19T15:35:00.000+01:00

Is Nicky Butt about to...
a) congratulate the ref on sending him off (and rightly so)?
b) apologise to Dario Silva for kicking him?
c) admit that he's fairly useless and also concede that Newcastle are lucky to be rid of him?
or d) pointlessly vent his spleen in the direction of the referee and his colleagues, despite his red card being completely justified?

It Seems Like Only Yesterday...

2005-09-14T23:04:00.000+01:00

that Ol' Red Nose said the following, "If he didn't have that side to him he'd be criticised for just that. So what do you want? I'd rather have a player who showed a bit of heart than one who didn't. I don't want someone who accepts losing."

Well Sir Alex, after what you said following Rooney's England exploits last Wednesday, are you sure you still won't try to change his temperament? Judging by your expression as the boy wonder trudged off to an early bath, I think not.

Round And White...

2005-09-12T22:51:00.000+01:00

...likes this website: Latest Goals. It does exactly what it says on the tin (and includes Brazils's recent excellent spanking of Chile).

Toothless

2005-09-07T22:58:00.000+01:00

It's hard to know where to start; perhaps pick a moment from tonight's game and discuss?
- the complete lack of urgency shown before the goal; it may only be Northern Ireland guys, but let's put a couple of goals in the back before we start resting on our laurels eh?
- the static Rio pointlessly raising his arm while Healy went on to score a well-taken goal.
- a frustrated Rooney boiling over yet again.
- a toothless Michael Owen illustrating why Real are laughing all the way to the bank with their 16.5 million.
- Joe Cole demonstrate that he's good for little else than "lollipoping".
- (I'm sad to admit) an England manager who I've been happy to defend in the past begin to look like he's run out of ideas.
- the passion shown by a Northern Ireland team who really wanted to win and showed a marked improvement in the second half to deservedly do so.

Same Old Story: Revisited

2005-09-06T13:28:00.000+01:00

Pinch me. Not only has a member of the footballing press written an informed article in defence of Sven, but Mark Hughes has admitted (wait for it) that his side has a disciplinary problem.

Is it April Fools already?

Survey Time

2005-09-06T11:57:00.000+01:00

A slow news day footballing-wise as England prepare for what will undoubtably be an end-to-end swashbuckling adventure of a qualifier against Northern Island.

So in the meantime, for the chance to win a t-shirt cast your eyes over The Big Soccer Survey; "...which gives football fans the chance to tell their clubs what they really think about things. If you don't think the players are up for it, or think your team is in free-fall, then just answer the questions, and have your say. With followers of all premiership clubs responding to our survey, the results will show how the confidence factor compares between the big and the small."

Same Old Story

2005-09-05T12:13:00.000+01:00

Another slightly mediocre England performance, another call for a replacement for Sven. Nothings changes, eh? Instead of getting behind the manager (as is often the case in other countries), Alan Curbishley felt it was his turn to get in his two pence' worth and suggest (again) that it is time for an English manager to lead the England team. Yawn.

“At the moment there’s no vacancy, and it’s all just paper talk,” he said. “I guess it will all come down to which managers are doing what when Sven does go. Most people believe the next England manager should be English, and there’s a group there who are ready and waiting.”

Apart from mentioning Steve McClaren, he also suggests Sam Allardyce, Steve Bruce and Bryan Robson as other potential candidates.

Jesus! Sam Allardyce! Steve Bruce! Bryan Robson! Is that the best he can do?

It would be bad enough to see England play like Bolton, but it's a sad state of affairs when Curbs also puts forward the man whose biggest recent achievement is narrowly avoiding relegation. Worryingly, the Charlton manager isn't the only (English) manager thinking along the same lines. Alan Pardew (that reknowned footballing tactician) put forward the same names in last week's Timessssss....jskjdsdsdweewwwwzzzz.

Sorry, I just fell asleep at the keyboard. All this meaningless drivel is getting rather tiresome. Until a candidate with some serious credentials turns up, Sven is simply the best that's available. He may not treat friendlies with much respect, his tactics occasionally backfire, he's overpaid and insists on playing Lampard and Gerrard together (always problematic IMO), but he's led the team to two international tournaments without any major hiccups. Not bad for a Johnny Foreigner eh? So unless one of his fellow managers actually has something sensible to say, how about keeping stumm for a while and leave cretinous statements to the fans?

By the way, anyone for Stuart Pearce?

Arsenal Sign Their Great Hope

2005-08-31T17:08:00.000+01:00

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

On the day when Owen moved to a new home (17 mill...a bargain I'm sure) and JJ decided that moving to Spurs and not playing in an overcrowded midfield would be the best way of avoiding of "living in a goldfish bowl", Arsenal, too, decided to unveil their big name summer (loan) signing: Mart Poom. Way to go boys!

Greetings From The Continent

2005-08-26T12:06:00.000+01:00

It was a good time to be in the Czech Republic, as two of the national team's key players, Baros and Jarosik, headed towards Birmingham. Despite both players being based abroad, there was a certain degree of interest in their respective next steps, particularly in Baros' case.

From his point of view it is a sensible move, much like that of Michael Owen's to Newcastle; it's a World Cup season and he wasn't getting enough games at his current club. However, unlike Real, Liverpool has really lost out; Baros is a proven striker, who simply didn't get enough of a run at Anfield. He certainly has his detractors, but I suspect once he plays for a team with a system better suited to him, he will be popping in 20-odd goals a season. What was curious was his choice of club, as Lyon would've offered European football and as we're talking about Doug Ellis' wallet, presumably they would've been offering more money than Villa as well.

---------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, in Germany it was business as usual in the Bundesliga last weekend. Bayern have started well, winning all three of their games and already have a comfortable goal difference of +9. Admittedly, they aren't quite firing on all cylinders yet, despite what their latest 3-0 win over Hertha might indicate. Which is all the more worrying for their rivals who have all had unconvincing starts to the season: Schalke were held to a 1:1 draw at home by 'Gladbach, while all Bremen and Stuttgart managed to do was grind out the same scoreline, although this was mainly down to the heroics of Stuttgart's keeper, Timo Hildebrand.

Further down the Bundesliga table, Dortmund's (aka "The German Leeds United") week went from bad to worse. After collecting a mere two points from the first three matches they also somehow contrived to lose their first round DFB Cup match against some very lowly opposition. So their financial worries are heightened, particular as a boost in the form of European football looks a very long way off.

But after their cockiness and their money-splashing antics in recent years sympathy is a resource in short supply in the Ruhr basin. Schadenfreude anyone?

"I Wasn't Prepared"

2005-08-18T00:02:00.000+01:00

If you weren't prepared David, then what on earth were you doing the pitch? Another friendly, another England defeat.

However, I won't rant and rave as so many other people will (hello tabloid journalists). Every team loses occasionally; the trick (as Brazil frequently demonstrate) is to lose the matches that don't count. England have got the friendlies side of that sorted.

However, I have enough faith (for now) that all will be resolved in time for the qualifiers. But seriously Sven, don't let Calamity near an England goalkeeper top for a while. Especially one with '13' on the back.

Bundesliga/Gambrinus Liga

2005-08-17T19:47:00.000+01:00

I'm off to Berlin and Prague for a few days off, so unless something exciting happens in the Premiership (hard to believe I know) expect posts on the German and Czech leagues respectively.

Things To Ponder

2005-08-17T19:32:00.000+01:00

While Jose splashes out a large amount of wonga for another player to beef up that midfield (which is almost as packed as at Spurs now), Ricky has a whinge because he didn't get to play on Saturday. Bless. The season is only one match old Ricky.

Still, it's bizarre that Jose's bought again, especially as Essien is hardly likely to shift Lampard or Makelele from their respective positions. Perhaps he's been brought to Chelsea to play at the back? That'll really wind Ricardo up.

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Meanwhile, Oop North Graeme Souness continues to slowly morph into Sir Alex (but without the winning pedigree) as he becomes the latest Scot to moan about friendly internationals.

He told Newcastle's website: "Part of me is angry about the timing of these games. They are Mickey Mouse games, and I've got six or seven players away."

This constant ranting about friendlies by club managers is becoming a little bit tiresome frankly. I'll agree that pointless post-season tours are annoying and don't really have much use, but then again clubs are equally as guilty as the FA when it comes to this. However, I've always considered preparing for two important World Cup qualifiers with a friendly as being fairly sensible. Perhaps if Souness were Scotland manager (a thought that strikes fear in the hearts of the Tartan Army eh?) he would be of a slightly different opinion?

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I'm happy to see that Blackburn have been fined £10,000 by the Football Association for their poor disciplinary record last season. After some nasty tackles and including Robbie Savage and Craig Bellamy in the same squad it's all they deserve.

Of course, despite the fine, Dickov decided to carry on from where they left off. Hmmm...the FA; ineffective? Never!

A One Off

2005-08-12T15:33:00.000+01:00

Sir Alex has described Peter Kenyon as having "no knowledge of football". And for once, I'm happy to agree with him (although I promise sincerely it won't happen again). After the fatuousness and arrogance of the Chelsea chief executive's claim that the Premiership title will decided from 'a select group of one', it comes as no surprise that Ferguson responded.

Unfortunately, as those involved in football matters have all learned, such statements have a habit of turning round and biting you on the arse. While I'd be happy for the team that plays the best football to win the Premiership (be it Chelsea, Arsenal, Wigan or whoever) there's a part of me that hopes that Peter Kenyon is served a large portion of humble pie at the end of the season.

Same Old Story

2005-08-10T14:13:00.000+01:00

So that was last season's fourth-placed Premiership team? After watching last night's Everton - Villareal game, I was disappointed by the lack of imagination shown by the Toffeemen. Ok, the first 20 minutes were impressive as Everton piled on the pressure, but with a 4-5-1 formation it seemed unlikely that they would actually capitalise on it.

Beattie's toe-poke may have stopped the rot temporarily, but after conceding the second goal, they reverted to the age-old English tradition of hoofing it up to the tall guy in the hope that something useful might happen. And then they sent Big Dunc on.

As much as it pains me to say it, and as much as they deserved to be there after last season's Premiership performances, Everton simply don't belong in the Champions League. Yet.

The Voices In My Head Made Me Do It

2005-08-09T14:21:00.000+01:00

Besides the usual hype about the Champions League qualifiers and Rio denying claims he is a money-grabbing wastrel (that new pay packet will help the dressing room atmosphere, eh Ruud?), the big news for me today is the reason behind Zidane's return to international football.

According to Zizou it wasn't down to a sense of patriotic duty, but a strange voice talking to him in the night.

"One night, at 3am, I suddenly woke up and I then spoke with someone. But no-one knows it. Neither my wife nor anyone else."

"During the hours that followed I was on my own with that person, at home, and I took the decision to come back."

"I had never experienced that before, I felt pushed by this force which dictated my behaviour. It was a revelation for me, I had to obey that voice that was advising me." Hmmm. If that doesn't get the UEFA drug testers swinging into action then nothing will.

Next week, David Beckham visits a seance and speaks to the ghost of Bobby Moore.

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The Grauniad's preview to the season. Good.

By The Way...

2005-08-08T19:50:00.000+01:00

I'd like to point out that contrary to what was published in The Times* a few weeks ago, "Due to Glazer's takeover of Manchester United, and the blogger's resulting depression, this site will no longer be updated", Round And White is very much alive and kicking.

Frankly, I couldn't give two hoots about who owns Manchester Buccaneers, just as long as I can still write mocking posts about them.

*Which is obviously aiming for The Sun's level of journalistic accuracy.

New Season, New Faces

2005-08-08T19:15:00.000+01:00

On a slightly related note, it's time to point you in the general direction of several new football weblogs.

Over at Cheer Up Alan Shearer, you'll find appreciation of football in general, as well as the sheer disbelief that Phil Neville has somehow amassed 52 England caps in his career. Yes, I can't believe it either.

The excellently named A Matter Of Life And Death is another new face that popped up during the off-season. Expect comments on various aspects of the game: "its beauty, ugliness, idiocy, excitement and, of course, its scandals".

Meanwhile at Footballist, Mr Terry Venerables provides similar entertaining topics such as the Premiership's most boring team: Boro, the Premiership King of Comedy, as well as the insanity of Mr A. Johnson.

Another blog that somehow slipped under the radar in recent months in OleOle, the self-titled "Thinking Fan's Journal of Global Football" where "nights, lunchtimes, weekends, and holidays are spent in pursuit of the arcane football fact, and following connections between the Beautiful Game and culture, politics, technology and economics". Excellent.

There are also a few more club-specific blogs in the form of Mist rolling in from the Trent..., about Forest naturally, and Bitter And Blue, where Danny blogs about the non-American club in Manchester.

I'm expecting great things from all of them.

The Return Of "View From The Away End"

2005-08-08T14:49:00.000+01:00

I think I should start this post off with some good news. Nicky Butt
has left Newcastle United. It's actually very good news indeed, as it means Newcastle fans no longer have to put up with his dismal performances and with his loan move to Birmingham he also has (I'm praying here) little chance of playing in an England shirt ever again.

But that's about it as far as the good news goes.

The rest of this post can (as usual) be found at Black & White & Read All Over.

New Season, New Look

2005-08-08T11:16:00.000+01:00

As promised, Round and White has returned. A new look* and one that won't leave your wallet feeling £40-odd quid lighter (unless you're feeling generous).

Where better to start than with yesterday's Community Shield. It seemed to carry on from where last season left off; Arsenal pipped narrowly to the post by Chelsea, but nevertheless still beaten.

Drogba finally looks like a good purchase, but let's not count our chickens too early eh? The Blues still seem more solid at the back too, while despite all Senderos' promise, Arsenal require Sol's solidity. But yesterday was more to do with the new additions to both squads. Wright-Philips appeared too late to show what he can do in a Chelsea shirt (apart from irritate Arsenal fans), but Del Horno settled into the English game in a confident manner; "Ashley who?" I hear Jose ask.

Unlike the Beeb, I was fairly excited by the arrival of Aleksandr Hleb. After following the Belarus international's performances for Stuttgart over the last few seasons, it will be good to see him deal with Premiership defences. As much as hate to admit it, Arsenal fans probably won't have to worry about Robert Pires refusing to sign a new contract.

But what can we read into the rest of the season from this one game? Frankly, apart from every Chelsea-Arsenal game from now on being a niggley one, absolutely sweet F.A. Roll on next Saturday I say.

*I've moved my comments from Enetation to Blogger, so old comments have been removed for the time being.

Apologies

2005-06-21T23:07:00.000+01:00

For the reasons behind my lack of recent posts, please read this post. I'm working on the situation, i.e. looking for a new position and hope to get back to regular posts before the beginning of the new season at the very latest!

We Have A Winner!

2005-06-12T19:50:00.000+01:00

Dunc Connor was the first to correctly identify Man Utd misfit Laurent Blanc as the footballer who has played for Man Utd, Inter, Marseille and Barcelona (all Champions League/European Cup winners), but didn't receive any medals with these teams.

Well done Dunc. The Goalhanger.com t-shirt will be on its way to you shortly.

For a bit of kudos, but not a t-shirt, name the British footballer who has also managed this (dubious) achievement as well.

Competition Time!

2005-06-08T18:15:00.000+01:00

Apologies for the lack of posts. I've been too busy with work commitments to comment on Liverpool's glorious win over Milan in the "Champions" League final as well as Arsenal's FA Cup win.

Despite it being the end of the season, it seems that there is still so much to discuss. Chelsea and Ashley, Chelsea and Frank, as well as Gary and Harry, but that will have to wait until I return from my next work trip.

To reward all of you readers out there, it's time for a competition. The prize is a t-shirt from our friends at the excellent Goalhanger.com celebrating Liverpool's win in Turkey. To get the t-shirt, answer the following question.

Which European footballer has played for 4 Champions League/European Cup winners, although never at the time when the clubs won these titles? Name the player and the four clubs please.

Answers to: roundandwhiteNOSPAM@gmail.com along with your size. First correct answer in my inbox wins.

Hertha BSC - Hannover 96

2005-05-24T22:55:00.000+01:00

Say what you will about the conduct of English fans, they certainly have more passion during a football match than your average Hertha Berlin fan. I've been to a few Hertha games by now, and while the games have been of varying quality, the crowds have generally been quieter than "Highbury the library". But I was hoping that this time thins would be different. With Marcelinho and co lying in fourth place on Saturday morning, a win combined with results going their way would be that they would end up in one of the two remaining Champions League spots. So all to play for then.

Up against them were a mid-table Hannover 96 side who looked intent on keeping 11 men behind the ball at all times. Nevertheless, some early crisp, quick and neat passing by Hertha opened the defence a few times, but it was to little avail, as several half-chances were missed and the game settled into a dull affair. The initial joyous noise that had welcomed the men in blue before kick-off had all but disappeared.

The second half was similar to the first. A bright opening, but after Basturk missed from 2 metres out, both teams seemed as though they wanted the 0-0 draw. News from the other games such as Bayern beating Stuttgart meant that a 1-0 to Hertha would be sufficient. However, that had little effect on the Berliners who lacked the determination and bite to get the job done. This appeared to have an direct effect on the 74,500 sell-out crowd, who were edgy and nervous and grew increasingly frustrated at the lack of a goal.

The final whistle went and instead of the joyous celebration that would've certainly followed a match-winner and the end of 90 minutes, the crowd booed a clearly exhausted team. Results elsewhere meant that Schalke maintained their grip on the second Champions League spot behind Bayern, while a victorious Bremen leapfrogged Stuttgart and Hertha to grab the final spot. All in all, a disappointing afternoon of football.

On the bright side, the newly renovated Olympic Stadium looks cracking and will be a great place to watch the World Cup final in 13 months time. All it needs now are fans who are willing to get behind their team and come up with some decent songs.

Bundesliga

2005-05-18T00:00:00.000+01:00

In the interests of bringing you the most up-to-date European football news I'm off to Germany to cover the last day of the Bundesliga season*. Expect a full report when I return.

*A stag weekend with a Hertha Berlin match thrown in.

The Curse Of "View From The Away End"...

2005-05-17T23:43:00.000+01:00

...has struck again. No sooner do I receive an email from Ben (at Black and White And Read All Over) asking me for my thoughts on Newcastle's season, do the newspapers report that Newcastle are requesting that Craig Bellamy attend pre-season training. Obviously, this was just a ploy to show any potential buyers that they won't get Craig at a bargain price. Nevertheless, it's a good example of why NUFC's idea of staff management leaves something to be desired.

To the long-suffering Toon Army fan, the season has been all about HR problems and apart from the dream of European and domestic silverware that sadly faded away in April, the last 9 months are a long stretch of time that everybody connected with Newcastle will want to forget. The antics of Bellamy, Robert, Bowyer and co. have held the team back, although fair play to Souness who made the best of a bad hand by taking the team as far they did in the cups. (The rest of this post can now be found at Black and White And Read All Over.)