Harry Redknapp entered the debate about Carlos Tevez refusing to play for Man City ’08 in last week’s Champions League tie at Bayern Munich. Redknapp was critical of Tevez when asked about the incident. “I just wonder what City legends like Malcolm Allison and Mike Summerbee would have thought of seeing a player refuse to play in a Champions League game,” said Redknapp. I am sure they would think the same as Spurs legends like Dave Mackay, Danny Blanchflower and Bill Nicholson when Luka Modric refused to play for Spurs against City in last month’s EPL game at White Hart Lane.
Kenny Dalglish was very critical of the referees in Liverpool’s recent games against Sunderland, Stoke City and Spurs. He complained to the media that Liverpool were not receiving fair treatment from the match officials and that the big calls were going against his team. King Kenny was upset when the first question asked of him, after the Merseyside derby against Everton, pertained to referee Martin Atkinson’s decision, to incorrectly send off Jack Rodwell. Kenny, you can’t have it both ways.
Kenny Dalglish was very critical of the referees in Liverpool’s recent games against Sunderland, Stoke City and Spurs. He complained to the media that Liverpool were not receiving fair treatment from the match officials and that the big calls were going against his team. King Kenny was upset when the first question asked of him, after the Merseyside derby against Everton, pertained to referee Martin Atkinson’s decision, to incorrectly send off Jack Rodwell. Kenny, you can’t have it both ways.
There is much to admire about Arsene Wenger as a football manager and the English game will be poorer for his absence. However, one aspect of Wenger’s personality that will not be missed is his insistence that he is always right. His post game comments in the aftermath of Arsenal’s loss at White Hart Lane on Sunday are already the stuff of legend. Rafael van der Vaart may have handled the ball in the build up to Spurs first goal, but it was ball to hand rather than the other way round and therefore not an infringement. Wenger would have been better served criticizing his right back for failing to track his runner, or his keeper for not stopping Kyle Walker’s shot, or his forward for that first half miss, or Theo Walcott for being, well, Theo Walcott.
Wenger and many Arsenal fans bemoaned the number of players missing or unavailable for Sunday’s game and how it contributed to Arsenal’s loss. William Gallas, Tom Huddlestone, Steven Pienaar, Niko Kranjcar, Aaron Lennon, Danny Rose and Michael Dawson were all missing from the Spurs line up while Sandro and van der Vaart both played despite not being 100% fit. Spurs did well considering they were missing four definite starters.
I endured the trip from hell on Sunday morning. I drove back from visiting the in-laws in Vermont. That wasn’t it. I was driving a minivan with my four screaming kids in the back. That wasn’t it either. I had the misfortune to listen to Sirius radio’s live commentary of the Spurs-Arsenal game in which they used the feed from the official Arsenal web site. It was hell on wheels. It is bad enough that Sirius is one long Chelsea FC ’03 infomercial without now having to endure biased Arsenal commentators too. Unfortunately I did not get to hear the disappointment in their voices as the final whistle blew because Sirius for some unknown reason cut to a NFL game.
Wenger and many Arsenal fans bemoaned the number of players missing or unavailable for Sunday’s game and how it contributed to Arsenal’s loss. William Gallas, Tom Huddlestone, Steven Pienaar, Niko Kranjcar, Aaron Lennon, Danny Rose and Michael Dawson were all missing from the Spurs line up while Sandro and van der Vaart both played despite not being 100% fit. Spurs did well considering they were missing four definite starters.
I endured the trip from hell on Sunday morning. I drove back from visiting the in-laws in Vermont. That wasn’t it. I was driving a minivan with my four screaming kids in the back. That wasn’t it either. I had the misfortune to listen to Sirius radio’s live commentary of the Spurs-Arsenal game in which they used the feed from the official Arsenal web site. It was hell on wheels. It is bad enough that Sirius is one long Chelsea FC ’03 infomercial without now having to endure biased Arsenal commentators too. Unfortunately I did not get to hear the disappointment in their voices as the final whistle blew because Sirius for some unknown reason cut to a NFL game.
The referees in the two derby games have come in for a lot of criticism. However, I have yet to hear any pundit discuss the van der Vaart and Rodwell decisions from the two refs’ perspectives. We saw all sorts of camera angles to show why Rodwell did not deserve red and to a lesser extent why van der Vaart’s goal may have included a hand ball. But none of the replays’ showed the incidents from the referees angles and lines of sight. From where Atkinson was standing the tackle on Luis Suarez was a poor one and may have looked two footed and worthy of a red. From where Mike Dean was positioned van der Vaart chested the ball down and finished exquisitely. Maybe Sky and ESPN should put a micro camera on the referees’ lapels and we might have a better appreciation for how difficult the game is for them.
There is so much money in the modern game that incorrect referee decisions can cost teams millions in lost revenue or the chance to win a trophy, manager’s their job and players the chance to play in major finals. It won’t be long until a club, manager or a player sues a referee and by extension the league in which they are playing for loss of earnings attributed to a poor decision in a game. It will be a sad day for football when it happens, but like with the Bosman and Charleroi cases, football will have to respect the power of the courts.
There is so much money in the modern game that incorrect referee decisions can cost teams millions in lost revenue or the chance to win a trophy, manager’s their job and players the chance to play in major finals. It won’t be long until a club, manager or a player sues a referee and by extension the league in which they are playing for loss of earnings attributed to a poor decision in a game. It will be a sad day for football when it happens, but like with the Bosman and Charleroi cases, football will have to respect the power of the courts.
Earlier this year Owen Coyle was being hailed as the next great Scottish manager as his Bolton Wanderers side were flying high in the Premier League and had made it through to the FA Cup semifinal. A confidence destroying loss to Stoke City saw Bolton go into freefall and their 2010-11 season fizzle out. Bolton have carried on where they left off and Coyle now finds himself under increasing pressure as his team sit bottom of the table. Bolton have played and lost to Man City ’08, Liverpool, Man United, Arsenal and Chelsea ’03, so they have endured a tough start. Compare that schedule to Newcastle who have played Sunderland, Fulham, QPR, Aston Villa, Blackburn and Wolves. Had the schedules been reversed Bolton might be comfortably in the top ten and Newcastle rooted at the bottom of the table.
Luis Suarez is fast becoming one of the most disliked players in English football. He has a habit of diving and been over dramatic when trying to win calls for his team. He was at it again this weekend. His overreaction to Jack Rodwell’s tackle saw the Everton player sent off while his theatrics when being fouled by Phil Jagielka helped convince the referee to award Liverpool a penalty.
Luis Suarez is fast becoming one of the most disliked players in English football. He has a habit of diving and been over dramatic when trying to win calls for his team. He was at it again this weekend. His overreaction to Jack Rodwell’s tackle saw the Everton player sent off while his theatrics when being fouled by Phil Jagielka helped convince the referee to award Liverpool a penalty.
According to some media reports Rodwell’s sending off was the worst decision ever in a Merseyside derby. No it wasn’t. I was at Maine Road the day Clive Thomas disallowed Bryan Hamilton’s apparent winner for Everton in the 1977 FA Cup semifinal versus Liverpool. Thomas was the only person at Maine Road who saw an infringement and Everton’s chance was gone. Liverpool hammered them 3-0 in the replay before losing to Man United in the final.
Neil Lennon is under increasing pressure at his beloved Celtic as the Hoops fell 10 points behind bitter rivals Rangers following Sunday’s loss at Hearts. Lennon’s side have played well in many games, but as soon as St. Johnstone, FC Sion, Rangers and Hearts took the lead the Celts imploded. They lack a leader on the field, are a team devoid of ideas when behind, and in Lennon have a tinkerer for a manager who still does not know his best side. If Celtic are not within striking distance of Rangers by the turn of the year Celtic will have no choice but to part company with Lennon.
Juventus, La Vecchia Signora of Italian Football scored two late goals courtesy of Claudio Marchisio to beat AC Milan and go joint top of Serie A with Udinese. The game with Milan was one of the first high profile games played in front of a full house at the new Juventus Stadium. Juve and Serie A have been on a downward spiral in recent years and have lost ground to oligarch clubs like Chelsea ’03 and Man City ’08 who have nothing of the history and the tradition of their Italian counterparts. The new stadium and the return to form of Italy’s leading club may just be the start of a turnaround in Serie A’s fortunes.
Neil Lennon is under increasing pressure at his beloved Celtic as the Hoops fell 10 points behind bitter rivals Rangers following Sunday’s loss at Hearts. Lennon’s side have played well in many games, but as soon as St. Johnstone, FC Sion, Rangers and Hearts took the lead the Celts imploded. They lack a leader on the field, are a team devoid of ideas when behind, and in Lennon have a tinkerer for a manager who still does not know his best side. If Celtic are not within striking distance of Rangers by the turn of the year Celtic will have no choice but to part company with Lennon.
Juventus, La Vecchia Signora of Italian Football scored two late goals courtesy of Claudio Marchisio to beat AC Milan and go joint top of Serie A with Udinese. The game with Milan was one of the first high profile games played in front of a full house at the new Juventus Stadium. Juve and Serie A have been on a downward spiral in recent years and have lost ground to oligarch clubs like Chelsea ’03 and Man City ’08 who have nothing of the history and the tradition of their Italian counterparts. The new stadium and the return to form of Italy’s leading club may just be the start of a turnaround in Serie A’s fortunes.
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