Ferdinand KO for England... step forward the new King???

This week saw the news that England captain Rio Ferdinand has been ruled out of the World Cup after suffering knee ligament damage after a challenge from Emile Heskey in training. Through out the media it has been seen has a hammer blow to England's chances and has rightly been the major talking point of the week. Across the land households have been full of men and women desperately trying to figure out if or how England can cope without their captain.

The answer is simple. Yes they can. And the reason is, Ledley King. The Tottenham defender is no stranger himself to knee injuries and the irony is there for all to see that a knee injury may well give HIM the chance to shine on the biggest stage of them all. King has had a hugely impressive season with Spurs and has led them to a top four finish and the holy grail that is the Champions League. Both he and Michael Dawson (Ferdinand's replacement in the 23 man squad) have looked mercurial at times as they helped provide the foundations for impressive victories over the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Man City towards the latter end of the season. King has shown the strength of his all round game as he managed to deal with the strength of Drogba and Chelsea, the pace and trickery of Arsenal and the height of Adebayor and Man City.

For many, including myself, King was pushing for a starting place even before Ferdinand's injury. After all, the circus that has surrounded John Terry this season has led to the usually ever reliable Chelsea captain having a uncharacteristically poor season, and Ferdinand has barely played more than 3 games in a row for Manchester United. Of course it can be argued that King has not exactly been injury free himself all season, but what can be said is that this season has been a marked improvement on the last. Spurs have managed to nurse King through the season, and seem to have discovered a formula that works for them and King involving rest and only light training. King also managed to play 3 games in a week at the back end of the season, proving that if needed to, he can play many games in a short period of time.

There are of course other options. Mathew Upson is one. But his lack of pace and inexperience at the top level may cost him his chance. Jamie Carragher certainly has the experience, but again the lack of pace would leave England vulnerable to the ball over the top. Which just leaves the newly arrived Michael Dawson. Dawson has yet to win his first cap for the senior side and the fact he only made the squad as a replacement perhaps signifies that Capello sees the other 2 in front of him in the que.

Which leaves King to partner Terry at the back. King's pace and covering ability will complement Terry's game and unlike Ferdinand there is never that moment where you feel he is about to implode in a moment of madness (as Ferdinand is often guilty of).

Ferdinand is not the player he once was. At his peak he was a world class centre half, however the last few seasons have seen him pick up niggling injuries which have led to a decline in his performances. King on the other hand, seems to entering his prime, Spurs are a different team with him playing, Harry Redknapp regularly hails his leadership skills and it is no surprise that when fit he walks back in to the Spurs side.

The loss of Ferdinand may well also adversely affect another England player, vital to England's success. Steven Gerrard will now captain England in Ferdinand's absence. A player who often struggles to recreate his club form for his country (although is often played out of position), this new responsibility may well bring the best out of Gerrard. Just ask any Liverpool fan who has seen their captain drag his side from the edge of the abyss to glorious raptures.

The lose of Ferdinand is certainly a blow to England, but not quite the knockout blow that our rivals will be hoping it is. England have the depth to cope without their captain and it could well prove that his replacements, both as captain and in central defence play a pivotal role in England lifting the World Cup.

However one thing is for certain, no one will be wanting to mark Emile Heskey in training this week!

Club or Country?

Just as the season seemed to be gathering momentum, the dreaded international break has arrived. For most fans it is time to once againdon the famous Three Lions, and attempt to come together as one for theEngland team. However for some this may not always be the case. Inrecent times the love for the national side seems to have dwindled andlarge percentages now see the England games as a distraction from the‘more important’ domestic leagues.
The club-versus-country debate will always be a contentious issue, andwill always provide a hot topic of conversation in pubs around thecountry. I’m sure if asked to choose between a Liverpool title success andEngland winning the World Cup there would be a split in opinionamongst the Liverpool faithful. Personally though, the decision for mewould be easy. The prospect of seeing Steven Gerrard lift the PremierLeague trophy in front of a packed Anfield at the end of May issomething I would not trade for the world (cup). However, what isinteresting is the opinion of the players themselves. Would and shouldplayers but their club before their country?
It is a difficult question to answer but one that should not be ignored.For most, as a child the dream is to captain their own country. Nomatter what sport or what nation, from a young age most sports peoplehave that same desire to be their nation’s finest. But does this feelingever change? Does this desire ever get replaced by another one? A desirethat involves leading your club to the pinnacle of the sport, bringingjoy to its thousands of passionate fans. Or can that national pridenever be replaced, no matter how much the individual is paid, or howlong they are at the club? Questions I know that are hard to answer, butones that do lead to intrigue.
For most players, playing for their national side is the biggest honourthey can receive. It is the highest level they can achieve in football.But when they play for a club, there is always the question of whetherthat player can play for a ‘better’ more successful team. How can it bejudged if a player has reached the pinnacle at club level?
Throughout the recent transfer window there were mutterings ofdiscontent from some members of the Liverpool squad who insisted theyhad the desire to play for other teams in other countries, and wouldhave to reconsider their position at the club. Now of course any playeris entitled to say and do as they wish, but would you ever see this kindof behavior on the international stage? A current international playercould not turn around to his coach and say he is unhappy with the levelsof success his nation are achieving, and that he wishes to leave foranother more successful nation. That is because once a player decides torepresent that country he has committed himself and his talents for thatcause permanently.
Surely the same should be said of deciding to sign for a club. Once aplayer signs a contract with a club, just like their country, thatplayer should think of only that club and no other team. After all it isthe club who pay that player’s wages, it is the club whose fans singtheir name on a Saturday afternoon, and it is the club who theyrepresent week in week out.
Of course there are many players who do in fact conduct themselves inthis manner, and one would like to think that there are a number of themcurrently playing for Liverpool. Unfortunately however, it is not alwaysthe case within football and ultimately, at club level a player willalways have the choice of which team they represent, and withoutquestioning any player’s professionalism, it may well make theirdecision between club and country simpler than ours.

Why Pepe is Crucial to Reds Title Bid

By ANDREW RILEY Steven Gerrard got all the plaudits after the win at Bolton but one man who has escaped any such praise is someone who has started the season in exceptional form is Pepe Reina.
His importance to Liverpool is huge. Although many Reds fans willacknowledge that for Liverpool to have any chance of competing for thetitle Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres must stay fit, what has notbeen so widely discussed is the potential loss of Reina.

His record speaks for itself; he is the quickest Liverpool goalkeeper in the club’srich history to reach 100 clean sheets (197 games, three fewer than Liverpoollegend Ray Clemence). If the 26-year-old Spaniard were to get injured,then Benitez would have to call upon the less-than-convincing DiegoCavalieri, who in his few appearances for the club has looked decidedlyshaky.
Already this season Reina has produced a number of world class saves,with his save from Bolton’s Matty Taylor on Saturday being the latest ina string of fine shot stops.

With the scores at 1-1 and only moments left until half-time, Taylor produced a stunning free kick that was arrowing towards the top corner, only for Reina to pull off a one-handed super save that kept his team level going in at the break. It was without doubt a massive turning point in the game.
Although question marks may still remain when it comes to decisionmaking and collecting crosses, Reina has slowly developed into one ofthe Premier league’s and world’s best, and at the age of 26 he is stillsome way off the age where goalkeepers traditionally reach their peak.Reina can only get better and his next aim will be to oust the equallytalented Iker Casillas from the No.1 shirt for Spain.
Once the injuries clear and Benitez begins to settle on his preferredcentral partnership, Pepe’s form and presence in the starting XI thisseason, may well be the difference between being title contenders andbecoming champions

The Apprentice- with a twist...

As I was sitting watching the final of the Apprentice, I started to wonder who in football is the equivalent to Sir Alan Sugar. A manager who has reached the top of his industry and is respected amongst his peers. And with this in mind two names sprung to mind instantly. Two men who are currently the bench mark for aspiring managers. Two men who have delivered huge success to their clubs and developed and nutured raw talent into world class household names. Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson.



So with Wenger and Ferguson being the two respected 'veterans', who are their potential apprentices? A look around the Premier League teams produces a list of names who are young and hungry for the success that the Ferguson and Wenger have enjoyed over the decades. Eventualy these two great managers will have to step down and pass over the reigns to a younger perhaps untried individual. The pressure and expectations that Wenger and Ferguson are subjected to cannot be underestimated and it is almost impossible for a young manager to experience the same intenisty in any other job. Add onto that the job of attempting to continue the dinisty created by these two greats, and the two lucky men chosen have a hell of a job on their hands. So just who out their has the potential to be the next 'football manager apprentice?' And who if any, will be given that opportunity to prove themselves at the highest level? Below are just a number of names who perhaps one day may become 'great' managers in their own right. Some may well be obvious, whilst others more obscure, but ultimatley each individual has the potential to succed in the cut throat industry that is football.



Steve Bruce- Seen by many as the potential replacement for Sir Alex Ferguson the former United defender has been building an impressive CV. His ability to unearth talent such as Wilson Palacios and Maynor Figuero has resulted in Sunderland paying £3million for his services. After working on shoe string budgets for much of his managerial carrear it remains to be seen how succesful he can be when handed a transfer kitty of significance. With this will also come greater expectation, something that Bruce has yet to really expereice.



Roberto Martinez- Bruce's replacement at Wigan, the young Spaniard has quickly built himself a repuation of creating teams who play attractive passing football. Taking Swansea into the Championship at the first time of asking with a combination of shrewd loan deals and young acadamy products the 35 year old soon became hot property, being linked with big name clubs such as Celtic and Real Sociadad.The step up to the Premier League will provide an interesting test for the ambitious 35 year old.



Nigel Adkins- Although he suffered relegation in his first full season in charge, the Scunthorpe manger has twice led his club to the Championship. With emphasis on youth and flair the softly spoken young Englishman is developing a growing repuation in the lower leagues.



Simon Grayson- After leading Blackpool to promotion and then saftey in the Championship the former Blackburn defender made the surprising decision to drop down a division to manger the 'fallen giants' Leeds United. Although he ultimatley fell short in the play offs last season, the 09-10 season provides Grayson with the opportunity to prove himself again.



Nigel Pearson- Led Leicster to promotion in his first season in charge, using a mixture of youth and experience, Pearson also led Southampton to survival the year before before being harshly sacked at the end of the season. Highly regarded within the football community the Leicster fans will hope for much of the same again, and backed by chairman Milan Mandaric there may well be every chance of that.



Darren Ferguson- The son of Sir Alex, the young Scot has built a squad centred around talent poached from non league and lower league teams. Backed by the financial clout of Darragh MacAnthony Peterborough have lept into the Championship and are decent outsiders for promotion again next season. Ferguson has proved he has an eye for talent and has spent the money he has been given wisely and is sure to strengthen again this summer.



Paul Tisdale- The mecurial manager of Exexter City has led them to two succesive promotions from two of the most difficult leagues to escape from. First from the Conference and then this season from League Two. The chance of a third succesive promotion looks unlikely with bigger clubs such as Leeds and Charlton to contend with, the chance of Tisdale testing himself against the bog boys of the Premier League in the future looks alot more likely.



Owen Coyle- Has led unfashionable Burlney to the Premier League for the first time in their History. After enjoying huge succes at Scotish club St Johnstone Coyle left to join the Lancashire club in 2007 and this season led them to play off succes aswell as the semi finals in the Carling Cup and a good run in the FA cup. He recently dismissed interest from Celtic to lead Burnley next season. The challange of attracting players to Burnley will only add to the huge challange both he and Burnley face next season.



Other names include, Alan Knill of Bury, Paul Trollope of Bristol Rovers, Lee Clarke of Huddersfield, Brendan Rodgers of Reading, Brentford manager Andy Scott.



Every manger mentioned above have experienced success of ranging degrees so far in their short carrears. Some have been given money, some have worked on a shoe string. Some have inherited talented squads and some have galvanised clubs and players. One thing they all have in common is that with their success there will come expectation, as well as tempting offers from the bigger clubs.

Another false dawn for England?

As we all enjoy the latest outbreak of 'summer' with BBQ's and beach shorts, I can't help but think that it wont last past the weekend. Sure enough by this time next week, it will be back to the woolly jumpers and scarves we're used to. Followed by a night in curled up in bed with the heater on full blast watching another random documentary about cuckoos (trust me I've been there) pondering why those sunny days have disappeared. And maybe the same could be said about the England football team.

With yet another International break approaching and another 'crucial' qualifier against another mighty footballing nation, this time Slovakia, maybe it's time for the FA and England fans to take stock and take a long hard look at themselves and this current squad. Fabio Capello has now been in charge for just over 15 months and the reversal in fortunes is plain to see. After the joke that was Steve McLaren, the FA decided to go back down the route of an expensive foriegn coach. And so far it seems to have paid off. Barring a huge collapse and loss of form, England seem to be cruising through their World Cup qualifying campaign. So why the need to find negatives when everything is going so well?

Well the reason we ARE doing well is surely reason enough. So many times in the past, England's football team has been in 'crisis'- the 'golden era' of Gerrard, Lampard, Owen, Terry etc failing to live up to their potential and show their club form for their country- just one in a long line of so called 'failures'. For years England have tried to find the 'answers' and a quick fix to what are deep lying problems within the English game. Going from one England manager to the next, spending fortunes on huge long term contracts, only to sack the bloke a few years later and pay him millions in compensation. But now it seems that the FA have found a man in Capello who can change the England team from nearly men, who reach quarter-finals of major competitions, only to crash out in heart breaking fashion, to a team who can take on the world's best with no fear.

This is the time where we should be looking at what Capello has done RIGHT. It is easier to build from a position of strength than it is to drag yourselves back from the depths of failure. If the FA can pinpoint why England are performing so well, and why the players are performing so much better, then the national team can begin to gather some much needed continuity and consistency. A blueprint of English football needs to be discovered and developed. An English style and mentality, a footballing identity that can be passed on through the age groups, needs to be found. Capello has sewn the seeds for this but now the FA need to look after those seeds and help them grow. Extra funding in the youth academies of lower league clubs needs to be increased, better facilities need to be built, and better coaches need to be brought in. But all this takes time, and this is where the supporters come into the equation.

England teams and individuals no matter what sport, have always faced huge expectations from the English fans (and i count myself as one of them). And whilst this can be one of England's strongest weapons, it can also be their downfall. As the fan's expectations grow, it seems English teams crumble under the pressure. Barring the rugby union team in 2003, every time expectations grow, the public seem to be left disappointed.

But are the English supporters expectations fair? The last major competition the England football team won was on these shores in 1966, over 40 years ago. Since then two semi final penalty shoot out heart breaks (in World Cup 1990 and in Euro 96), are the closest England have come to any kind of success. But yet every Euros and every World Cup, the English media and English public seem to think we are favourites! Maybe it goes back to our colonial routes, where the British conquered all before them, or maybe it's just pure optimism! But one thing is for sure, when expectation and interest subsides, the English national teams always seem to thrive... until with the new found success, comes expectation once more, followed by failure.

Take for example the England cricket team. 2 or 3 years before the Ashes in 2005, interest and expectations were pretty non existent. This led to them going into that Ashes series as underdogs and little hope of winning. Yet they managed to produce a truely memorable performance and win against all the odds. However since that amazing success and increased media attention and exposure, England seem to have fallen to pieces. The embarrassing defeat in the Stanford twenty20 and the test series defeat in the West Indies evidence of this. After a series of fiasco's and high profile departures, English cricket has been left in a farcical situation. Too often the case when it comes to our national side.

So maybe English football should learn from its sporting counterpart's mistakes. The ECB failed to capitalise on the success they found, and have since paid the price. The RFU failed to build on their World Cup success, going from one coach to the next, and from being ranked number one in the world to being ranked lower than Argentina! And too many times in the past the FA have attempted to paper over cracks in the England national set up.

It seems to be the English mentality to knock a team when it fails to fire on all cylinders, yet criticise a team when it is doing well. Instead, the norm is to expect more and more, until the new found expectations are not met. Only then is something done about the predicament we find ourselves in.

Now is the time for the FA and the supporters can make a difference by doing what is best for the team. The FA must build on these foundations for the future and hopefully transfer this short term success into long term success. As for the supporters, we must be patient, understanding and loyal. The players need to feel confident and relaxed, the boos and unfounded expectations need to stop. In place there should be unity and national pride, and above all realism. Only then can our national teams begin to perform to the standards we know they can. And only then can the structure within English sport be strong enough to withstand any disappointments or failures, without having to start all over again.

So as you watch England play Slovakia at Wembley next week in your thermals, and a nice warm cuppa, remember that like this sunshine, England's success might not last. But eventually, if we wait long enough and cope with enough rainy days, the sun and the glory days may well return, and we can enjoy a nice long hot summer of English success.