Photo by DavidKenny

I’ve heard it before. If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. The English Premier League isn’t broken. In fact, it does a lot of things that other professional leagues around the world have been unable to replicate. It has created a league that maximizes the importance of its regular season, while maintaining fan and club interest through the conclusion of the last match. By leveraging the Champions League and UEFA Europa League qualifying races, the relegation battle and more TV money the higher a team finishes  throughout the table; it ensures that every club has something to play for.

This is a far cry from America’s top professional sports’ leagues, which have had their regular seasons rendered less important my multi-stage playoffs. Without rewards – outside of qualifying for playoffs – for finishing the regular season with top records, many teams finish the season with makeshift squads as they jockey for seeding and hold out stars. Those out of playoff contention – without fear of any relegation – put out squads that lose games and get them closer to future draft picks.

However, after going through the reasons why the Premier League’s regular season is so much better than America’s top sports, the EPL falls short when it comes to crowning a rightful champion. Global sports’ fans like a ‘big game.’ A winner takes all, loser goes home affair. It’s where legends are made. This is especially the case in America, but it’s really no different in Europe or even Asia. World Cup and Champions League finals are the most viewed global sporting events and the Super Bowl is the largest American sporting event. That said, as the English Premier League continues to grow rapidly globally – why can’t there be one more match for all the marbles?

Sure there’s no final match or championship in Spain’s La Liga, Germany’s Bundesliga or pretty much any other football crazy nation across the world. And football purists will argue that’s what cups are for. However, cup finals don’t sell TV contracts and they don’t assist in growing the premiership. A true 39th game, an EPL Final, would create exposure for the league on par with the Super Bowl and the Champions League final (think 100-200 million global viewers), while infusing clubs across the league with more funds and giving them a slightly better shot at the EPL title – something the league drastically needs.

No, it wouldn’t end the reign of the “Big Four” over the EPL in a fortnight (that is going to take a salary cap), but it would give smaller clubs new hopes of lifting a Barclays’ title. Since the Premier League kicked off in 1992 the average total points for the champion is 86, while the average for the runner-up is 79.5. By opening up the title to a one game final between the club at the top of the table and the runner-up; you open up the title race to a range of teams capable of getting to 21 or 22 wins.

Perhaps more importantly for EPL viewers, the race for the second spot is annually more competitive than the race for the top spot and would become equally exciting to watch in a final match format. Over the last 18 years the average points difference between the top spot and the runner-up spot in the EPL is 6.24, while the difference between the runner-up spot and third is 5.76 points. Imagine no longer having to all-but-award the premiership title to Manchester United in late April? While recent results have given us Manchester United and Chelsea in one last battle for the title this upcoming match week, how many will be clamoring to watch Manchester United clinch the title at Ewood Park the following week?

That’s not say we’d have completely different results in recent years with an extra game. Chelsea and Manchester United last year, Manchester United and Liverpool in 08 /09, United and Chelsea in 07 / 08, 06 / 07 and 05 / 06; and Chelsea and Arsenal in 04 / 05. But we certainly could have crowned a different champion, even if the one game final was played at the home of the team that finished top of the table (as I would propose over one more match at Wembley). The 08 / 09 Liverpool squad would have had more than a puncher’s chance at their first Premier League title going back to Old Trafford a few months after dismantling United on the same pitch 4-1. Likewise, the high scoring 04 / 05 Arsenal squad that drew Chelsea twice certainly would have had a chance at giving The Blues their second loss of the season in a final match at Stamford Bridge.

Looking further back, imagine the wild atmosphere that would have taken place the last few weeks of the 2000 / 2001 season with recently promoted Ipswich Town and Mark-Viduka-led Leeds United both in contention for a final match appearance. Or, have a closer look at the 96 / 97 season and imagine the scene of Alan Shearer leading Newcastle out onto Old Trafford in his first year with the Magpies in an attempt to capture his second Premiership title (maybe they’d have a few goals left in them).

Sure it’s only hypothetically speaking, but looking in the future any way to enable new winners would assist in diversifying the competitive balance of a league that will still be stuck on 4 champions at the end of its 19th year this May. Compare that with the 12 different champions the best baseball league in the world (MLB) has had over the last 19 years, the 12 different champions the best American football league (NFL) has had during the same time period or the 8 different National Basketball Association champions.

One more game. One truly crowned champion. It’s not broken, but it can be made bigger and better.

Follow Kyle Austin’s updates on the business side of football and soccer at http://socceronomist.com and @Coach_Austin

Photo by Keith Allison

America’s most renowned, and often vilified, National Basketball Association (NBA) star is coming to Anfield – as a minority owner. In a first-of-its-kind sports marketing deal, Fenway Sports Management (formerly New England Sports Ventures), the American owners of Liverpool Football Club, announced yesterday that they have sold a minority share in the Reds to Lebron James. In exchange for the ownership stake, FSM – led by John Henry and Tom Werner – will become the exclusive representative for James. FSM will also receive commission on promotional deals they secure for James globally. Other financial details, such as what share in Liverpool FC James received were not disclosed. FSM purchased Liverpool for $488 million last October.

The deal marks the first time an American sports star has taken an ownership share in another sports franchise while still actively playing. However, it brings comparisons to the deal Major League Soccer put in place for David Beckham in coming to America, which guaranteed him future ownership in an MLS franchise. The two parties believe the deal will be mutually beneficial, opening up new revenue opportunities across the globe – specifically in Asia – with FSM’s business savvy, Liverpool’s global reach and James’ star power. Last summers NBA free agent bidding for James in the United States made headlines from Hong Kong to Beijing, where he has been adored and closely followed since the 2008 summer Olympics.

It is the latest in a string of moves by FSM at Liverpool FC. Since last October they have brought in Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish as Manager, Damien Comolli as Director of Football and Ian Ayre as Managing Director. Like James, Ayre and Comolli both have a history and vested interest in Asia, albeit with vastly different results to date. Ayre successfully negotiated a £80 million kit sponsorship deal with Hong Kong-based Standard Chartered Bank as Liverpool’s commercial director and formerly served as COO of Total Sports Asia. Comolli has been encouraged by its current kit sponsor to bring on Asian players and was previously responsible for signing Japanese midfielder Daisuke Matsui during his time at St Etienne and South Korean full-back Young-Pyo Lee while at Tottenham. Both transfers have been widely considered major busts.

As a minority owner of the club, James will not have authoritative power over football decisions, but he will play a major role in marketing the club in Asia and beyond. Henry and Werner plan to continue Liverpool’s hefty marketing efforts in Asia this summer, announcing today that the Reds will be traveling to there this summer for a pre-season tour. The tour, sponsored by Standard Chartered, will include games in China, Malaysia and Korea. James and his business partner Maverick Carter are hungry to grow James’ brand in Asia and other emerging markets, and believe their best bet at growing that brand is on the coattails of Henry, Werner and Liverpool.

So what does this all mean for Liverpool on the field? Globally, they’re likely to see more bandwagon fans in the short term. While this may seem like a negative thing to the most avid Liverpool supporter – who has dedicated their life to following the ups and downs at Anfield – it means more revenue for the club in the long term. With more revenue comes more wage allocation and ultimately quality signings – with a few of them likely coming in Asia.

Follow Kyle Austin’s updates on the business side of football and soccer at http://socceronomist.com and @Coach_Austin

Photo credit: John Marcus from http://www.jwmarcus.com

Was Thierry Henry lazy? Is Florent Malouda the most valuable player in the English Premier League? Are NBA analytical models being used in the EPL?

All were questions and discussion points during the “Soccer Analytics” panel held Saturday at the 5th annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston. The conference, which has grown rapidly over the last five years, drew more than 1,500 sports analysts, executives, managers, coaches, agents and owners over the weekend from more than 47 sports franchises across the world. Baseball, which was has been a central topic of the conference since its inauguration, along with basketball, were major topics once again, but international football was also a hot topic.

While European traditionalists would be quick to mock the Yankee-created panel title, the participants and discussion points gave it a very British tea and crumpets feel. With crucial, late campaign matches taking place across the Premier League over the weekend, several executives from top EPL clubs took time to cross the Atlantic to discuss analytics. The global game of football, unlike baseball and basketball in America, has yet to reach its analytical tipping point. However, it is ripe for change. With a growing American influence on the business of football across England, the revolution is coming. Steven Houston of Chelsea and Gavin Fleig of Manchester City, who participated on the panel, were hard pressed to argue with that during the day’s discussion. You’d also find them hard pressed to argue that working with American analysts within the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Baseball (MLB) has been a good thing for their respective clubs and the overall future of the Premier League.

“We like working with American sports franchises,” noted Houston. “One benefit, we’re not competing with them. Secondly, they do so much analysis.” It shouldn’t be surprising to hear Houston say that. The head of technical scouting and data analysis for Chelsea has a deep understanding of statistics in American sports. He cut his teeth within the NBA for the Houston Rockets as an analyst – applying data analytics to international basketball prospects. At which time, he worked for Daryl Morey, current General Manager of the Houston Rockets, Co-Chair of the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference and the focus of a New York Times feature by the author of Moneyball on his use of analytics in basketball.

Following that impressive apprenticeship, Houston moved to Chelsea in 2009. He now works closely with senior management, including Michael Emenalo and Carlo Ancelotti, on data modeling and visualization, statistical and video analysis, and developing technologies. However, it hasn’t been a necessarily easy transition. Although he joined the English Premier League several years after the introduction of statistical analysis at clubs like Bolton, he didn’t have the data he worked with in the NBA. With the Houston Rockets he had pre-established values associated with literally hundred of points, passes and rebounds. Chelsea, like many other English Premier League clubs, didn’t have league available data and had far less scoring to attribute events to than the NBA or MLB. To solve the problem, he along with other analysts at Tottenham and Fulham – that were also in attendance at Sloan – have worked within their respective clubs to set values for connecting a pass, intercepting a pass, completing a tackle, winning a header and much more.

They’ve certainly made strides since then. Fleig, who worked with Sam Allardyce from 2004 – 2007, has made strides as well. A strong proponent of Allardyce’s use of analytics, he followed him to Newcastle and eventually made his own way to Manchester City. In fact, he credits Allardyce’s early introduction of analytics at Bolton for its long run in the top division of English football. During his time with the Wanderers, Fleig was part of a financially-driven, multi-year effort to develop a model of where and when on the pitch games were won. Specifically he analyzed the differences in statistics between clubs that got relegated versus those that escaped relegation. The approach at the time assisted Bolton in acquiring undervalued assets – like 34 year old Gary Speed. At that age, Speed appeared to be an untouchable player at his requested price, but Bolton had statistical evidence that illustrated his play was not on the downturn.

While Fleig acknowledges that the nature of football doesn’t permit the same statistical analysis of American sports, he believes there is a definite use for the analytical approach in the EPL. “It’s true, but the idea is to understand the characteristics of the team and develop a plan to make optimal use of it – driven by analytics.” With Fleig, Houston and other analysts setting the precedent for video and data analysis, the rest of the Premier League has followed suit. Today, all Premier League clubs have cameras to track match data and roughly 95 percent of Championship clubs do as well. At Manchester City, Fleig has a team of seven analysts with him working with the first team all the way through to the u-9 boy’s squad. Without Fleig and Allardyce, Bolton also continues to develop their data modeling and other top of the table clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal are catching up behind the leadership of analytical minds like John Henry and Arsene Wenger.

So, have the elite sports franchises in England caught up to the elite sports franchises in America? Not yet. Houston notes that there still is an education process required to sell analytical approaches to front-office people and scouting heads within Premier League clubs that isn’t as widespread in America. They both also cautioned analytics advocates, echoing the idea that data is just one piece of the managing process. Owners and managers still need to apply their football knowledge to decisions based on what they see on the field, with the assistance of analytical data. In addition, all the panelists stressed the need to improve their systems in order to adequately compare players across global professional leagues that are facing various levels of competition. The need will grow even more important if UEFA financial regulations are imposed in the future and clubs with seemingly endless funds are forced to finally uncover undervalued assets like more fiscally responsible clubs are today.

“You don’t need analytics to know that Messi and Rooney are great players,” chimed Houston. “Analytical systems are useful to find the best role players, or the best players for a particular team.”

Follow Kyle Austin’s updates on the business side of football and soccer at http://socceronomist.com and @Coach_Austin

While Comolli was at White Hart Lane he became good friends with Major League Baseball General Manager Billy Beane. Beane was on top of the world at the time with his analysis of the Oakland A’s baseball team through objective data on display in bookshelves across the world in Michael Lewis’ Moneyball. Comolli originally reached out to Beane with the hope of introducing the approach to European football and the two struck up a friendship that would lead to Spurs visiting Beane’s other franchise – Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes. Comolli wasn’t the only person admiring Bean’s work. A few year’s earlier John Henry pursued Beane to run the Red Sox organization when he purchased it.

When Beane eventually passed on the opportunity (after originally accepting it), Henry turned to current Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein – a Yale graduate with little background in professional baseball. Since taking the reigns of the Red Sox, Epstein – with Henry’s backing – has focused on developing talent that produce in less appreciated but more statistically important categories.

Despite passing on the Red Sox, Beane and Henry have stayed close through the years. Strangely enough, Beane was in England when Henry’s take-over of Liverpool was completed on a panel with Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger discussing the use of statistical analysis. There is little doubt in this case that Henry reached out to Beane for assistance in pinpointing Comolli as the man to implement his system into the Premier League. Beane has taken to football and American soccer since striking up his friendship with Comolli (He’s an avid fan of Spurs despite Damien not being there) and after the Oakland A’s ownership team bought the San Jose Earthquakes he agreed to assist them in building a method for building a cost-effective club to compete with the MLS’ salary cap.

So what does all this mean for Liverpool and Roy Hodgson? Simply put – player evaluation and transfer targeting is no longer in Hodgson’s court. Comolli, who many will hail in Anfield today as the man that signed Mr. All-World Gareth Bale at Tottenham (looks better now than it did then), should be recognized more for bringing in Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue and Gael Clichy to Arsenal for a fraction of their future worth. Just as Henry has relinquished complete control to Theo Epstein in the baseball personnel department at Fenway he is entrusting Comolli at Anfield to find football players that are undervalued.

While its common place in the EPL for managers to implement new systems as they swap jobs like its musical chairs, Henry wants to put an American-like system in place for the long-haul that operates from the front office down. The approach will likely emulate Olympique Lyonnais and their focus on handing the reigns over to a football director rather than putting the reigns in hands of short-term managers and coaches. With Comolli in this like role Liverpool fans can expect more signings and re-signings of players like Martin Skrtel – rather than big name splashes. But that may be a good thing for the long-term outlook at the club.

However, it doesn’t help the long-term outlook for Hodgson – even if he wins. It’s widely known in baseball circles that the Henry and Epstein had their mind made up to fire Red Sox manager Grady Little after the 2003 season – and would have done so, even if they won the World Series. He simply wasn’t the man to oversee their system on a day-to-day basis. It’d be hard to believe that they feel differently about Hodgson. Comolli has a similar track record when it comes to having a quick trigger. His return to Saint-Étienne as sporting director in 2008 quickly led to the departure of manager Laurent Roussey. If Henry’s past overtures are a barometer he and Comoli will have their eyes on a new manager after the season that they can shape into the day-to-day overseer of their system. Perhaps a young, aspiring manager, with a business degree on the wall and statistics on the mind like Aidy Boothroyd?

Follow Kyle Austin’s updates on the business side of football and soccer at http://socceronomist.com

Editor’s note: Listen to EPL Talk’s exclusive interview with Billy Beane from April 2010 where he discusses Comolli, Tottenham Hotspur and more. If you haven’t read Moneyball, it’s a must read/listen. Get a free audiobook from Audible today (Moneyball or another title).

On the eve of a new Premier League season, two sides are enjoying a free-ride from many football observers. I aim to set the record straight, but I maintain an open mind, so if you think I am wrong, please comment.

I’ll start with Birmingham City. Twelve months ago, the Blues were looking forward to a season of Premier League football, albeit after labouring to second place in the Championship. Despite their lacklustre promotion, most pundits steered clear of naming Blues as relegation favourites. As a Wolves fan, I spluttered. Why, after storming the Championship in style, well ahead of our near neighbours, were my team now being regarded as less able to survive? I put it down to lazy journalism. Birmingham had enjoyed a few recent years of relative top flight stability, their name was fresher in sports writer’s minds. Not to worry I thought, they would be shown up.

I was wrong.

Birmingham went on to do more than just stay-up, amassing 50 points and plenty of plaudits on their way to a 9th place finish. Understandably therefore, Birmingham are now not a team being associated with a relegation battle this season. But I refuse to learn my lesson. I think they are far from safe.

The reason they did so well last season is clear. The experienced top-flight veterans who had stumbled to promotion in the hustle and bustle of the Championship, returned to their home in the Premier League, and complimented by an inspired loaned goalkeeper, and a couple of solid centre-halves.

Such experience was key to Birmingham’s success. But when does this experienced bubble burst? The likes of Carr, Bowyer, Ferguson and Phillips are at the twilight of their careers, and as such, time is running-out for the spine of Blues’ team. Therefore Birmingham have a major rebuilding job on the horizon, and it is a brave team who continues to rely so heavily on aging legs, especially having lost their stalwart in goal.

There is every chance those legs may last another season, but that is by no means a given, making Birmingham over-valued and an excellent outside bet for relegation. They are however, mere pretenders. The real charlatans are Newcastle United.

The media love-in with Newcastle knows no bounds. Mid-table, even a push for Europe, has been predicted for the North-East club.

Why?

Let’s analyse the spine of Newcastle’s side and start in defence. Ryan Taylor is solid enough, but will miss the opening month of the season. This leaves the evergreen Sol Campbell to step into his shoes and partner Fabricio Coloccini. Let’s not beat around the bush. Campbell and Coloccini will be one of the least mobile central defence pairings in the Premier League. So slow are they in fact, they make the likes of Carragher and Terry look like Bolt and Gay. This is without remembering the Argentinean’s forgettable form when Newcastle were relegated, and Campbell’s weight problems and fragile mind.

Moving onto central midfield, many Premier League previews have listed Alan Smith and Kevin Nolan as reasons Newcastle will consolidate this season. I see the opposite as true. In a similar vain to their defensive pairing, mobility will be at a premium in the Magpies’ midfield this season. In fact, the lack of movement from Smith and Nolan was largely cited as the central reason Newcastle were relegated in the first place. Neither player is young, so why is it being assumed that a season in the Championship has made them a capable Premiership pairing?

Andy Carroll has been revered as the second-coming of Alan Shearer on Tyneside, and while no doubt showing promise, many a striker has banged in goals at Championship level and failed to replicate such exploits in the top flight. Just ask Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. Most relegated sides are undone by their inability to score goals, and Newcastle are entering this season without a proven goalscorer. Potential alone won’t score the goals to keep them up.

On the managerial front, Chris Hughton has done an admirable job steadying the ship at St James’s Park, but lacks Premier League experience. Don’t forget, the club put a stop to his disappointing stint as caretaker boss in 2009.

Lastly, new faces have been few and far between at Newcastle, with the club stating there will be no monetary outlay on transfers. This ordinarily would be a nail in the coffin of a promoted club, but the signing of Dan Gosling on a free seems to have masked the major issues the club faces in terms of squad improvement.

I’m not saying Newcastle will go down. All I suggest is that they are looked at in the cold light of day that other promoted clubs receive. Evidence of improvement over the side that was relegated is slim, and I see no reason to believe that they won’t be part of the relegation struggle this season.

If I asked you to name the big four in English football, chances are you would reply with Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea. You’d be wrong though. In fact, instead of the Blues, it is Wolverhampton Wanderers who find themselves firmly cemented in the top four in terms of all time results joining United, Arsenal and Liverpool. This may come as a surprise to a newer generation of Premier League followers, especially considering the relative lack of attention given to the Molineux club since promotion. Many for example, will not know that it is was Wolves’ domination of 1950’s football, including famous floodlit victories over the likes of the much feared Honved that led to the club being branded ‘Champions of the World’ by the British press. Such a label led the French to call for the formation of a European Cup, which fifty years on we now know as the Champions League.

Perhaps though, the lack of coverage allowed for Wolves can be interpreted as a compliment to the inconspicuous and effective way in which the club went about maintaining its Premier League status last year. None of the scandal of Pompey, farce of Hull, or media outbursts of West Ham. Instead, the trio of owner Steve Morgan, Chief Executive Jez Moxey, and manager Mick McCarthy have created a co-operative ethos of professionalism that permeates every level of the club.

Morgan took over Wolves having long courted ownership of Liverpool, a move which raised eyebrows in some quarters. However, the £10 he paid for the club, following a remarkable act of generosity by Wolves’ outgoing Chairman Sir Jack Hayward, now looks like the purchase of a lifetime. Having committed to investing at least £30m, Morgan has established himself as one of that rare breed of owners that is well-liked amongst supporters.

McCarthy, who became manager when Wolves were at their lowest-ebb in recent years, has transformed the way in which the club do business. No longer is Wolves a final pay-cheque for big names. The money made available by Morgan has been invested responsibly and wisely in a newer generation of young players. Very few players have moved on at a loss for the club. McCarthy, well known from his Ireland days, is often typecast as a gruff Yorkshireman, demanding grit and effort from his teams, but not much in the way of invention. While the way Wolves played last season didn’t do much to dispel this myth, supporters familiar with the way in which Wolves were promoted from the Championship will know that McCarthy can produce fast, exciting, footballing teams. Furthermore, he has shown a tactical awareness beyond the credit he is given by the footballing public – outthinking several rival managers in the course of last season, most notably Gianfranco Zola when Wolves travelled to Upton Park.

So what is in store for Wolves next season? Well, at a time when clubs are scrambling around trying to do business with the season looming on the horizon, Wolves’ business is largely concluded, having signed Stephen Fletcher, Stephen Hunt, Steven Moyokolo and Jelle Van Damme within weeks of the conclusion of last season. It is perhaps joint club record signing Fletcher that most catches the eye. Having scored eight goals in a very poor Burnley side, hopes are high that he can forge an exciting partnership with Kevin Doyle.

Despite Wolves being extremely light on the goal front last season, Doyle drew admiration from opposing managers and fans alike for his intelligent hold-up play. Now coupled with Fletcher, it is hoped they can form one of the Premier League’s more exciting young partnerships.

Sylvain Ebanks-Blake, who arrived in the Premier League as the Championship’s top goalscorer two seasons running is also expected to improve on his disappointing, albeit injury interrupted last term. Extra creativity from midfield will be provided by Hunt, who is a reliable Premier League performer. With the Irish international added to rising young star Matt Jarvis, and the once hottest property outside the Premier League Michael Kightly, Wolves fans will expect goals to be easier to come by this season.

As well as improvement on the pitch, Wolves are embarking on a period of significant stadium expansion. Molineux, one of the famous names in British stadia, while remaining an impressive structure, at 30,000 capacity is too small to host a club with a fan base far in excess of its league position. Plans are in place to take the ground to closer 50,000, with work commencing at the end of this coming season.

Long described as a sleeping giant, there is a genuine feeling around Wolverhampton that the giant is stirring. However, Wolves fans must remain cautious. History proves that second season syndrome is a genuine threat, and while on and off the pitch the club appears to be making significant strides forward, the weight of expectation from the Molineux faithful has proven a heavy burden in the past. However having currently strengthened more than their rivals at the foot of the Premier League, the club should see no reason not to aim to improve, or at least consolidate on their 15th position last season.

Once the perilous second season is out of the way, and with an owner set on top half and European positions, while maintaining responsible financial management, who knows how far Wolves can progress?

Whether it is the fear of losing, lack of fitness or early tournament nerves England have consistently struggled to grab all three points in their recent opening matches at International tournaments.

In fact, a quick look at the history books shows that since 1986 The Three Lions have only won their opener on two occasions – against Paraguay in 2006 and Tunisia in 1998.

The 1-0 victory over the South Americans in Germany was also the first time in that period England have won their first game and also gone on win their group.

Altogether, including European Championships, England have won two, lost four and drawn four of their opening games since Mexico ’86. Certainly a worrying statistic as England prepare to face the USA in what will arguably be their toughest group game of the 2010 World Cup.

However, despite their stuttering starts England have never failed to make it out of their World Cup group in that time; suggesting they have enough bouncebackability on the biggest stage to get results in the second and third matches.

The difference this time around is the possible opponents in the knock-out stage. Germany are lurking in Group D and with the old enemy almost certain to top their group (they always do don’t they?!) England will want to avoid playing them for as long as possible – topping Group C will make their path to the latter stages a whole lot easier.

But given their tough opponents at Rustenberg on Saturday, as well as their shaky record in opening group games, there is no guarantee they will do so!

To cover all eventualities, to make worried England fans feel a bit better, as well proving statistics can be skewed to mean anything, here are some of the all too common occasions where England have made a stuttering start, but all with different eventualities.

World Cup 1986: Portugal 1-0 England

Finished in Group: Second

Carlos Manuel’s goal 14 minutes from time sent Bobby Robson’s England down to a opening day defeat in Mexico. A dismal 0-0 draw with Morocco in the next match left the Three Lions staring at elimination before a Gary Lineker hat-trick against Poland saw them nudge above their Eastern European opponents and into second place.

World Cup 1990: England 1-1 Republic Of Ireland

Finished in Group: Second

Hero of ’86 Gary Lineker gave England an early lead in Cagliari only for Kevin Sheedy’s drilled left foot shot to level things up with 17 minutes left. A drab goalless draw against the Netherlands followed, before a 1-0 over Egypt saw them through as group winners ahead of Ireland in second.

Euro 1996: England 1-1 Switzerland

Finished in Group: Winners

Alan Shearer’s early goal sent an expectant Wembley into raptures at the start of the 1996 European Championships. However England failed to press home their advantage and the Swiss equalised through Kubilay Türkyilmaz’s late penalty. But England bounced back to beat Scotland and then famously The Netherlands 4-1 to go through as group winners.

World Cup 1998 England 2-0 Tunisia

Finished in Group: Second

England laboured for long periods in the sweltering Marseille heat but eventually came away with the three points. Alan Shearer nodded England in front just after half time before Paul Scholes finished things off in the last minute with a marvelous curling shot from the edge of the box. England would later lose to Romania before a David Beckham inspired 2-0 win over Colombia saw them through in second.

Euro 2000: England 3-2 Portugal

Finished in Group: Third

England made a flying start in Eindhoven, going 2-0 in front within 20 minutes thanks to Paul Scholes and Steve McManaman. Luis Figo’s 25 yard thunder bolt brought Portugal back into the game before Joao Pinto square things up eight minutes before half time. The comeback was completed by Nuno Gomes 13 minutes into the second period. A 1-0 win over Germany in the next game would briefly revive English hopes before a last gasp defeat to Romania sent them crashing out.

Euro 2004: England 1-2 France

Finished in Group: Second

As far as defeats go, this one was pretty spectacular. Frank Lampard had given England a half time lead before David Beckham spurned the opportunity to double the advantage from the penalty spot in the second half. England paid dearly for that miss when first Zinedine Zidane curled home a marvellous free kick in injury time before converting from the penalty spot two minutes later.The genius of Wayne Rooney would help England recover though, scoring in wins over Switzerland and Croatia to send England through in second.

World Cup 2006 England 1-0 Paraguay

Finished in Group: Winners

The much vaunted golden generation got their 2006 campaign with a win, but it was a stuttering one as the players quickly wilted in the summer sun. David Beckham’s early free kick drifted in off the head of Carlos Gamarra to give England the points, but it was far from convincing. A late win over Trinidad and Tobago put in England in control of their group before a draw with Sweden sealed their passage as group winners.

The cult hero, every club has them. They are not always the best player to turn out for your team, indeed sometimes they can be among the worst. But they had that little something that meant they were held in the highest regard by the fans. Sometimes there is a personal reason why a supporter has a particular affection for a player. Maybe they scored in the first game you attended or perhaps you bumped into them in the street and they made a lasting impression on you? Below are five well known cult heroes, all for differing reasons. There are plenty more of course, and would love to hear your cult heroes and comments below. 1) Shaun Goater – Manchester City

“Feed the goat and he will score!” Was the chant that echoed from the Maine Road terraces, though not too many people know that Bermudan striker Shaun Goater actually began his career at Manchester United. He left the club without making an appearance but carved out a successful lower league career at Rotherham and Bristol City before moving to Man City in 1998. He hit 40 goals in his first two seasons as City won back to back promotions to the Premier League. Goater then finished top scorer for the third successive season with 11 goals, though it wasn’t enough to prevent relegation. The following season though Goater hit 30 goals as City returned to the Premier League as Champions. Kevin Keegan’s men spent big in an attempt to stay in the top flight but despite the high profile signings of Jon Macken and Nicolas Anelka, ‘The Goat’ still managed to score seven times in 14 appearances – including two against City rivals United.

2) Paul McGrath –Aston Villa

Despite leaving Aston Villa 14 years ago Paul McGrath’s name is still sung from the stands today, which shows the high regard in which he is held by the Villa faithful. McGrath’s first club was St Patrick’s Athletic in Ireland before signing for Manchester United in 1982. Often regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation, several knee injuries stopped the Republic Of Ireland international from becoming a regular at Old Trafford and he was eventually transfer listed by Alex Ferguson in 1989. Moving to Villa, McGrath played some of the best football of his life despite recurrent problems in his knees which meant he barely trained between games, as well as his recurrent alcoholism. Villa came close to winning the title in McGrath’s first season, finishing second to Liverpool. Four years later he won the PFA Player of the Year as well as being a member of the side that beat Man United in the League cup final. He left in 1996 with his legendary status firmly secured.

3) John Jensen – Arsenal

When new Arsenal signing John Jensen scored a spectacular goal for Denmark from 25 yards in the 1992 European Championship Final, many Gunners fans thought they would soon be celebrating similar strikes at Highbury. However, the reality proved a little different as Jensen’s chronic inability to hit the net became stuff of legend. Arsenal fans would scream ‘shoot’ when he picked up the ball, in the hope he would finally break his agonising duck. Finally, after 98 attempts, Jensen curled home a 25 yarder against QPR in December 1994 before understandably celebrating wildly with the supporters. It would be his only goal in his 132 game Arsenal career, though he did pick up an FA Cup, League Cup and Cup winners Cup medals in his time at Highbury to cement his cult hero status.

4) Jimmy Bullard – Wigan, Fulham and Hull.

Known as much for his off-field antics than those on it, Jimmy Bullard has quickly become a popular figure among supporters of all clubs in the Premier League. He started his league career at boyhood club West Ham but was released in 2001 and joined Peterborough. A successful two year spell at London Road earned him a move to Wigan in January 2003 where he helped them climb two divisions into the top flight for the first time in their history. Moves to Fulham and Hull followed, though Bullard has never really recovered from a serious knee injury that initially kept him out of action for over a year back in 2006. Thankfully for a player who has missed so much football Bullard doesn’t take himself too seriously and always has a smile on his face. He quickly become cult hero for infamous on field antics that included throwing an inflatable ball into play instead of the actual ball and pulling Freddy Ljungberg’s shorts down when the floodlights went out in a league cup match with Arsenal. He also mimicked Hull boss Phil Brown’s infamous on-the-pitch half time lecture when he scored a penalty for The Tigers against Man City in the Premier League. He is a reminder for everyone to not always take life so seriously.

5) Barry Horne – Everton

Barry Hooooorne! Is the chant you may hear from the Everton fans from time to time, despite the player in question last playing for the Toffees in 1996. Why? Well let me tell you. The Boyhood Blue was already 30 when joined Everton from Southampton for £700,000 in August 1992, but enjoyed something of an Indian summer to his career during his time with the club, winning the FA Cup in 1995. Known for his tough tackling and fierce determination, his battling qualities meant he became popular with the fans, who watched a side that consistently battled against relegation. Horne wrote his name in the history books though and became a cult hero in the process when he scored the most important goal of his career. It was the final day of the 1993/94 season and Everton needed a win at home to Wimbledon to avoid going down for only the third time in their history. Midway through the second half, with the Toffees trailing 2-1 Horne chested down a high ball and unleashed a swerving, dipping 30 yard volley that thundered off the post before nestling in the net. Everton fans were delirious and although Graham Stuart’s late winner was the goal that kept Everton up, the importance of Horne’s equaliser cannot by understated – especially by the fans who later sung: “Who needs Cantona when we’ve got Barry Horne!”

Hmmm.

David Moyes - Management is a lonely job at times

To say it was a week to forget for Evertonian’s is an understatement.
Three games, three defeats, 10 goals conceded and a casualty list befitting a small battlefield, it is no wonder Toffees fans are wearing concerned expressions at the moment.

What makes it more galling for Blues fans is its predictability and familiarity. This time last year they were actually three points worse off, without a win on home soil and dumped out of Europe and the League Cup. This had come off the back of a frustrating summer where Moyes was hamstrung in the transfer market and had to be content with a clutch of last minute deadline-day signings.

Fast forward to the summer of 2009 and things began to take a familiar path.

Once again Moyes struggled to make an impact in the transfer market with much of the transfer talk involving the protracted departure of Joleon Lescott. This disrupted and fractured summer no doubt affected the side as they crashed 6-1 on the opening day to a rampant Arsenal.
Ironically, part of the recovery process last year, which culminated in a second consecutive fifth place finish and a FA Cup Final appearance, was injuries to all of David Moyes’  first choice strikers.  Tim Cahill and record signing Mauroane Fellaini were pushed further forward and all of a sudden results started to return.

A brief upturn this year saw European progression and a six-game unbeaten run, but Everton’s injury curse struck again and any momentum has screeched to a shuddering halt.
It was interesting to hear Rafael Benitez’s comments in the build up to the Manchester United game last week regarding the injury ‘crisis’ at Anfield , particularly to key players Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres – ‘the worst he had ever known’ he said.

Well across Stanley Park Everton fans feel Rafa’s gripes are trivial compared to what they have had to deal with. They have been without star midfielder Mikel Arteta since February with a serious knee injury.  Phil Jagielka suffered a similar injury in April and is yet to return. Twenty goal striker Yakubu ruptured an achilles last November and has only just comeback while young striker Victor Anichebe has also been sidelined for eight months.

But the Blues had shown they could cope with these setbacks last season as they defiantly marched onto Wembley in May. But with a squad already at breaking point Moyes knew he needed to increase quantity as well as quality in pre-season. He didn’t, and Everton are paying the price.

The knee curse struck again when captain Phil Neville was sidelined for three months in August. Steven Pienaar has been out for the past month after being caught late on the, you’ve guessed it, knee, down at Portsmouth, while injury-plagued forward James Vaughan once again had to go under the surgeon’s knife.

It has proved one injury too many and with an entire XI out against Benfica, their lack of squad depth was ruthlessly exposed as they were taken apart by the dominant Portuguese at the Stadium of Light last Thursday.

So what lies ahead for Everton?

Well they have to play the waiting game.

The inspirational Arteta and reliable Jagielka – the duo most Toffees fans would say have been missed most – are not set to return till the end of November and with matches coming thick and fast, those who remain will have to soldier on.

But having already been dispatched out of the Carling Cup, that sobering defeat in Lisbon and lying a lowly 14th in the league. Will Everton’s pre-season ambitions be irreversibly damaged by the time they return?

Fabregas joined Arsenal from La Liga club Barcelona in 2003 aged just 16 and with the Gunners enduring a difficult few years, he may just be ready to make the return journey.

The last couple of season’s have been the best of Xavi’s career, with the midfielder being named Spain’s player of the tournament for his fine performances in their successful Euro 2008 campaign. He then returned to club football in spectacular style; playing a key role as Barca won an unprecedented treble of League, Cup and Champions League.

He is now one of the most influential figures at the Nou Camp and so his comments carry extra significance. In an interview with Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo he said: “I would love to play with him [Fabregas],”

“I’ve always said that in the national team I link up with Cesc very well, despite the fact that many say we can’t play together.

“We demonstrated in the final of the European Championship that isn’t true. I especially hope that Cesc comes. He is a football player with Barça DNA and he is showing at Arsenal that he is on another level.

“I would love him to sign and that we could play together at Barça. Clearly, a lot of his career is ahead of him and I think that in the future he will be at Barça.”

This is by no means the first time that Fabregas has been heavily linked with a return to his former club but with Arsenal trophy-less since 2005 and Barcelona firing on all cylinders, the temptation to move come the end of the season may prove too strong to resist.

Though the match was over as a contest after 55 minutes I saw enough action to glean a few post-match points to ponder:

First off, Everton are better than their position suggests. Once again it looks like Moyes’ boys have begun badly but are set to shoot up the table like last season. With the Lescott situation finally put to bed the team has a more settled look about it and in Sylvain Distin, have a ready made replacement.

Secondly the Toffees have a star in the making in Jack Rodwell. Please believe when I tell you – this kid can go all the way.

Still just 18, he has and air of authority that belies his tender years. He makes football look like a graceful art as he glides across the turf, calmly spraying passes across all corners of the pitch.

Wayne Rooney is generally considered to be Everton’s greatest youth product. But Rodwell is rapidly challenging that crown.

Anyway, to my third and main point, and that point is Louis Saha. The enigmatic Frenchman bagged another two goals against Rovers (the first admittedly was aided by a static Blackburn defence) and another against Pompey on Saturday to take his tally to seven this season.

But it is not just the goals that have made him stand out this campaign. Blues fans have noticed an extra spring in his step, the extra spark that only comes with match sharpness.

It amazes me how many Premier League players struggle to control the ball, turn and pass to a team-mate in one fluid movement. It is a good barometer as to the standard of the player. Observe Saha for a few minutes and by that measure you will quickly tell he is a quality footballer.

His control is instant, he turns on a sixpence and his vision and accuracy is that of a striker once valued at £12.8 million by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Saha’s problem at Old Trafford was his increasingly brittle limbs as a succession of injuries eroded his confidence and ruined his Manchester United career. In the end United couldn’t afford to carry him along their trophy-laden path. But at cash starved Everton, they knew he was a risk worth taking.

Toffees boss Moyes has spoken of his belief that much of Saha’s injury worries are in his head, that the fear of injury has hamstrung his play, a debilitating self-fulfilling prophecy.

Now he seems clear of his injury demons Saha’s play appears to be returning to the level of four years ago, Evertonians have certainly never seen him fitter.

But will it last?

Everton fans certainly hope so, and you can almost feel the sharp intake of breath that echoes around Goodison Park every time Saha goes in for a challenge.

I get the impression most football fans hope he does well too. Neutrals appreciate his talents and empathise with his troubles while Fulham and United fans are only too aware of is abilities – many of my United supporting friends still rue his injury enforced departure.

At 31 Saha not getting any younger and his fitness will no doubt be nurtured and monitored throughout the season. But if he can avoid serious injury this year then Everton have a world class striker on their hands once more.

And after all his troubles that have wrecked much of his career, few would begrudge Saha his second chance.

The vultures are circling at the Vicente Calderon stadium and another defeat for Athletico on Wednesday could be the final straw for manager Abel Resino. There were protests by fans after a disappointing home draw with Racing Santander and the mood has not been helped by a Champions League stalemate with Cypriot minnows APOEL, followed by a comfortable 5-2 reverse at Barcelona.

Atleti play host to Almeria on Wednesday and may be without star striker Sergio Aguero who sustained a knock to the thigh on Saturday. However the Argentine international is refusing to panic.

“The season has only just started and there is still too much in front of us for everyone to start feeling sorry for themselves” said Aguero.

Meanwhile, neighbours Real face a difficult trip as they take on new coach Manuel Pellegrini’s former club, Villarreal. Pellegrini worked wonders at El Madrigal but will be hoping for an away victory on Wednesday. Los Merengues appeared to step up a gear as they thrashed Xerez 5-0 at the weekend and £80million man Christiano Ronaldo thinks that they can get even better.

“I don’t think it is a problem of adapting to a new system, we have to improve but we aren’t doing badly.” said Ronaldo after Sunday’s victory.

Elsewhere, La Liga champions Barcelona will be hoping to extend their 100% start as they visit Racing Santander and surprise package Athletic Bilbao will also be going for four wins out of four when they travel to Tenerife.

This is definitely the case with Barcelona, with whom Robson had a successful two year spell in the mid 1990s. Before moving to Catalonia Robson was manager of FC Porto where, with a certain Jose Mourinho as his right hand man, he won a Portuguese Cup and successive league titles.

Then in the summer of 1996 a phone call from Barca vice-president Joan Gaspart regarding Luis Figo led to Robson moving to the Nou Camp with Mourinho again as his assistant. He was succeeding Johan Cruyff, a true Barca legend, who had guided the Barca ‘dream team’ to European Cup success in 1992. The pressure was on Robson.

Having been told by Blackburn that Alan Shearer wasn’t for sale one of Robson’s first actions at Barcelona was to persuade president Josep Luis Nunez to part with upward of $20 million to sign 20-year-old Brazilian striker Ronaldo from his former club PSV Eindhoven.

It was a huge gamble by Robson and one that put his reputation on the line. But one of Robson’s skills was getting the maximum out of his players. His man-management was second to none and his gamble on Ronaldo proved to be a masterstroke as the striker upset the Spanish football odds and went on to grab 45 goals in 48 starts during the 1996-97 season.

Not that Robson’s skill was restricted to young players. He knew that big name players needed to be carefully managed. In an interview while at Newcastle United Robson recalled his time at Barca:

“To have managed big players like Ronaldo, Guardiola, De La Pena and Figo you have to have tremendous knowledge, courage, guile and self-confidence. If you don’t they will find you out.”

That year Barca beat Atletico Madrid to lift the Spanish Super Cup and defeated Real Betis 3-2 to lift the Copa Del Rey. Robson added a third trophy to the cabinet when Barca beat Paris St-Germain 1-0 to lift the European Cup Winners’ Cup.

But despite the success Robson was always seen as an interim coach while the club waited for Louis Van Gaal to become available. When the Dutchman moved to Barca in the summer of 1997 Bobby Robson moved upstairs to become technical director.

Further success would follow in 1997-98 as they won the Spanish League and Cup double. But in the summer of 1998 the lure of Robson’s former club PSV proved too much to resist and he returned to Holland.

Despite his short tenure in Spain the Barca fans quickly took Robson to their hearts, in particular because of the way he guided and nurtured a young Ronaldo to such heights. We can only wonder what he would have achieved had he stayed on for longer.

But  for now I am sure Barca fans will join the rest of the footballing world in mourning the passing of a true footballing legend, whether he played for or managed a side you support or not.

R.I.P. Bobby, football is much the poorer without you.

The former Rangers and Real Sociedad man told the local press in Liverpool that he had been told he was set for a first call-up to the Spanish national side for the friendly with England, just days before he crumpled to the St James’ Park turf in agony. A scan revealed a cruciate knee ligament injury, instantly ruling him out for six months, once again dashing his international ambitions.

Prior to his agony on Tyneside Arteta was in the form of his life. A switch from right midfield to the centre of the park allowed his creative instinct to flourish. Skilful and inventive yet strong and determined, Arteta is the heartbeat of his Everton side, providing assists from open play as well as from set pieces, where he is also a goal threat from direct free-kicks.

Arteta’s form has seen him pick up a string of personal awards on Merseyside. The 2005–06 season saw him pick up both the Everton Fans’ Player of the Season and the Players’ Player of the Season awards. The following year he was awarded the Player of the Season Award again and was also voted the Premier League’s ‘Midfielder of the Year’ by the readers of Sky Sports, beating a certain Cristiano Ronaldo. He was also ranked by the ACTIM Index as the sixth best player in the Premier League. The following season Arteta picked up North West Footballer of the Year award and then became the first Everton player in five years to receive the Liverpool Echo’s Sports Personality of the Year award in January 2008. But despite these honours the one Arteta craves, an international cap, has eluded him.

Evertonians were converted a long time ago and have frequently called for Arteta to be recognised by his national side. They even started a campaign for Arteta to play for Fabio Capello’s England squad when he is eligible for English citizenship next year. Arteta, while flattered, has committed himself to his country of birth but he has constantly been overlooked.

To be fair it isn’t as if Spain have suffered in Arteta’s absence. They are  European Champions, number one in the world and contain arguably two of the world’s greatest midfielders and certainly one of the best midfield partnerships in Xavi and Iniesta. With those two in front of him it is no surprise Arteta hasn’t had a look in.

But Arteta’s versatility could give him an edge. He can play right across the midfield and is comfortable with both feet, always a useful type of player to have on the bench. His time in the Premier League has also given him a tougher edge – he was the most fouled player in the Premier League last season.

If the rumours are true and Arteta was on the brink of a call-up it makes his injury particularly cruel, especially as he missed a Cup final with his club side to boot. But if he makes a full recovery and returns to his best form, will he earn a call up in time for a certain tournament in South Africa next summer? Football betting on that one may be interesting!

One of the amazing things about the Premier League today is thanks to advancements in technology and its rapid growth in worldwide popularity a match can be enjoyed not just by the 40,000+ people in the stadium, but millions across the world in pubs, clubs and front rooms.

Whether it is in the middle of the night, early in the morning, tea-time or lunchtime, It doesn’t seem to matter, devoted fans of EPL clubs will make sure they catch all the action, be it via dodgy internet feed, cable TV, their local pub, or the ground itself.

Because of that each fans’ match day experience varies greatly yet contains the same elements of anticipation, excitement and superstition. I am lucky enough to have been on both sides of the match day fence. I currently live close enough to my favourite side to have a season ticket, giving me ample practice to perfect my pre-match routines. Yet I have also lived on the other side of the world, meaning the internet and TV has had to fulfil my Premier League void.

In the first of a three part series I thought I would describe my thoughts and feelings during the course of a home match day and the bizarre idiosyncrasies that may seem strange to outsiders, but to a football fan seem perfectly normal. Feel free to share your thoughts below.

1)    The morning
A quick scour of the internet to read any story related to my team. Match previews, injury news, transfer rumours –  all to help you get ‘up’ for the game. I will put Sky Sports News on, waiting for the preview of my match. It usually only lasts about 35 seconds but it is all part of the vital preparation.

2) The journey
If it is a three o’clock kick-off, increasingly rare nowadays, I will always strive to get the same time train to the ground. It allows me to watch the first throws of Soccer Saturday before I leave the house, yet get to the pub in time to check out the early kick off. I meet up with my mates, discuss what was floating around the internet that morning, predictions, thoughts and guessing of the line-up.

3) Around the ground
Ah the magic of the stadium. A quick walk from the pub and you are quickly confronted by the sights and sounds that can only be a football ground. Granted you get a whiff of horse crap and cigarettes ( I’m a non-smoker sorry), but combined with the sounds and smell of onions sizzling on the burger stall, the bawls of the badge sellers, the excited chitter-chatter enveloping the gathering masses, or the clicker-clacker of the turn stiles, it forms an intoxicating cocktail of expectation and excitement. My mate will buy a programme from the same stallholder, I always used to oblige but I usually opt for a cheaper fanzine now – if I have any change from my beer money (it is a recession after all!)

4) We’re in
Most fans have their preferred area of the ground. Mine has always been the ‘home’ end behind the goal. It was where I was taken as a kid and although it may not have the best view of the pitch, it is generally the best for atmosphere, which I feel is just as important.
Whether you have been to 100 games or one there is something special and spine tingling about the walk up the steps from the concourse towards your seat. You make the walk, hearing the chants from the fans already ensconced in their usual positions, the hairs stand up on the back of your neck, you reach the top step and take a second just to survey all that is before you – your home for the next 90 minutes.
As I usually get into the ground just before kick-off (I’m not a fan of the over-priced watery beer found inside the grounds!) I don’t have much time to get to my seat before the team comes out.

5) The match
The referee and linesman are the first you see emerge from the tunnel and you know that just behind are the teams. The ground rises as one, the cheers go up and your side take its first steps onto the field. Nowadays, of course, the team has to line up for the fair play handshake (In my opinion typical FIFA nonsense). I always preferred it when the players ran out onto the pitch. To walk on and line up nice and politely is like tethering a wild beast. The players are ready to go but they can’t be unleashed, yet.
The usual chants go up, cycling through your best players, they respond with a clap towards the fans, which is warmly reciprocated. The captain goes for the coin toss, fingers crossed we are kicking to our end second half, yes, they are not swapping, always a good sign, come on boys we can win this one!

6) Goal
I don’t know about you but whenever my team concedes a goal I have to look over to the opposing fans. There is something fascinating watching thousands of bodies gyrating in unison, arms waving in a million directions, some forming rather rude hand gestures towards where I’m sat. It is an example of the power of football, that one incident can make so may people go so crazy.
What if my side scores? Well, I’m sorry, I am not responsible for my actions. That old guy in front of me? hugged him. The two lads to my left? Hugged them. My mates to my right? Hugged them and shouted ‘yeeessss get in’ several times.
You feel so invigorated; it should also be billed as the ultimate hangover cure. I have attended many matches after a heavy night and felt like falling asleep in my seat. But when my team scores, the fog lifts, my head eases and the nausea evaporates from my stomach.

7) Last minute
You gotta love last minute winners. That unexpected point,  that win snatched at the death with no time for a comeback. The supporter’s flailing arms pulsate a little bit quicker when it’s in the 90th minute. Conversely conceding a goal in the last seconds makes you sick. Seconds before you are mentally visualising the win, the match reports after the game and your celebrations for the evening.
Then, all of a sudden, their man breaks free in the box, the fans take a collective breath, the shot is goal bound, you hear the screams, and then the stunned silence, just for a second, as both sets of fans contemplate what has just happened.
After that ‘decompression zone’ is over all you can hear are the opposition fans going crazy while seats are slammed in frustration around you.

8 ) Post-match
I doubt it would come as a surprise to you that my post match ritual is totally dependent on the result. A win, we celebrate. A few beers at the pub by the ground, discussing the game, checking the other results on Soccer Saturday and causally watching the late game on Sky. Then home and a night built around Match Of The day. I read the match reports on Teletext  (both ITV and BBC, just to get the full picture you know?) check out Sky Sports News, and scour the internet yet again. Then, confirm what time MOTD is on, ensure you can watch it, and get ready to curse Gary Lineker when it turns out your team are on last…again.
Lose and it is like the match never happened. A quick pint perhaps to digest the score, have a whinge, blame the ref etc… I will check the other results just to assess the damage. But other than that football is off for the rest of the day. Does the girlfriend fancy a meal out? Of course! Anything to avoid being near a television come 10.30 when Alan Hansen appears and slags off our defence.

The pain eases slightly come the Sunday, Icould perhaps dare to watchTV again, or read a paper, still cursing the goal that was blatantly offside.

Come the Monday I am ready to move on. I check the fixture list. Whose next? Easy, we will have them. Can’t wait.

And I prepare to do it all over again.

Do you have your own match day experiences? Those lucky pants? That sight, sound or smell that’s sums up your day at the match? Feel free to let me know you thoughts and comments below.

Unless you are familiar with both towns it would be easy to confuse an image of  Burnley for its near neighbour Blackburn. Both share the marauding rows of tight Victorian terraced housing, offering a window to England’s past and evoking images of men in cloth caps and the bustling noise and billowing smoke of busy cotton mills.

For those who don’t know the two East Lancashire towns played a key role in Britain’s industrial revolution at the end of the 19th century. Much of its growth surrounded the cotton industry and indeed, fuelled by the growth of the cotton mills, Blackburn became one of the first industrialised towns in the world, while Burnley became the biggest cotton producer on the planet.

What has this to do with football you may ask? Well alongside the cobbled streets and coke filled chimneys were two football clubs, whose roots are born in the industrial revolution. Both Blackburn and Burnley were founder members of the football league in 1888 and have established a rivalry older than the likes of Everton and Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal and the two Manchester clubs.

This is despite the two towns fortunes being closely linked over the past 100 years, with the growth and boom of the late 1800s and the relative decline of the 20th century. Even the two town centres are physically similar while the thick Lancashire dialect, though apparently different, is hard to separate even for a northerner like me. Yet even with all that shared history if you were born in Burnley you were brought up to hate Blackburn and vice versa, it’s that simple.

Their first league meeting came on 4 November 1887 and saw Rovers come away with a convincing 7-1 away win, still their biggest win over the Clarets to date. Three months later Blackburn were triumphant again, this time winning 4-1  en route to a fourth place finish in the inaugural football league season.

As the football league grew Blackburn v Burnley became a staple diet of the English football calendar before the Clarets were relegated in 1889. The two rivals would not clash for another 13 years, when Burnley came away with a 1-0 win from Ewood Park in the FA Cup fourth round on 8th March 1913.

As they moved through the 20th century it was Rovers who edged ahead in the silverware stakes. They won the first division championship (now the Premier League) for the first time in 1912 and again two years later. Rovers also famously won the new Premier League title on the last day of the 1994-95 season. They have also won the FA Cup six times, though only one of those has been in the 20th century.

For Burnley they won their inaugural first division title in 1921 and again in 1960. The Clarets then averaged a league title success every ten years, with the second division (now the Championship) title in 1973, the third division title (now league One) in 1981 and the fourth division (now league two) championship in 1992. Their 1992 success meant they became only the second team ever to win the title of all four professional divisions.

But come  October 17 2009 all that history will go out of the window as the two rivals square off for the first time in the top flight since 1966 (they have since met ten times in the second division, now the championship, with the last meeting coming in 2001).

We got a taster of what this rivalry is all about in the 2005 FA Cup when a tumultuous and fractious clash finished 0-0 at Turf Moor, with Rovers winning 2-1 in the Ewood Park replay.

Anyone who disputes the antagonism surrounding this fixture should speak to former Blackburn striker Simon Garner. Garner once emerged from the Turf Moor dressing room having scored the winner only to be confronted by a Burnley fan brandishing a meat cleaver and asking where he was. Or maybe read the autobiography of Stan Ternent, the former Burnley manager. Ternant remembers Accrington, the border town between Burnley and Blackburn, being “a Berlin wall of terraced houses, where petty comments can spark full-scale riots”.

While we all hope the fans can behave there is no denying that when there is animosity between two sets of supporters the resulting football match can be explosive and thrilling to watch. These two clubs may not have the glamour of your Arsenals or United’s or Liverpool’s, but when the two sides meet this season it will contain as much passion, drama and commitment as the best of them. And I for one can’t wait.

Michael Owen’s shock transfer to Manchester United gives him the chance to be re-united with Wayne Rooney, a strike partnership that proved so fruitful with the England national side.

A successful pairing up front is often at the heart of a side’s success and if they develop a mutual understanding can prove greater than the sum of their parts.

With that in mind I thought I would delve into the history books and pick out a number of memorable Premier League strike partnerships that can compare with Owen and Rooney. I am sure many of you will disagree with my picks or have some of you own, so feel free to write your comments below.

Shearer and Sutton.

Way back in 1994 Blackburn broke the British transfer record to sign Chris Sutton from Norwich for £5million. His capture meant they could boast two of the most feared strikers in the English game, with a certain Alan Shearer already banging them in at Ewood Park. Powerful, direct and clinical in front of goal, the pair bagged 49 goals between them as Blackburn stormed to their first league title since 1914.

Cole and Beardsley

Back in 1993 Newcastle, resurgent under Kevin Keegan, took the Premier League by storm. Central to that were the goalscoring feats of young striking sensation Andy Cole and Geordie legend Peter Beardsley, who had returned to the club from Everton that summer. Together they hit 59 goals between them as the Magpies secured an impressive third place finish, playing some exciting football on the way – a far cry from what is currently going on at St James’ Park

Collymore and Fowler

Cole and Yorke

An unlikely partnership perhaps but the two goal poachers gelled magnificently at Old Trafford for three years between 1998 and 2000. Renowned for almost having a ‘sixth sense’ they would often combine quickly and unlock defences by instinctively knowing each others positions. They hit 35 goals between them in 1998-99 as Alex Ferguson’s men marched towards the treble.

Henry and Bergkamp

Arguably the most complete strike partnership Thierry Henry’s speed, finishing and moments of magic combined with Bergkamp’s sublime skill and inventiveness  to devastating affect for the Gunners. Their 31 goals helped Arsenal towards the title in 2001-02, a smaller total than most partnerships but such was their skill they set up as many goals as they scored. Three years later things would get even better for the two as they formed the axis of the ‘invincibles’ side that went the whole league season unbeaten.

So there is my pick, but are they deserving of my top five list? Are we discounting the influence of great midfielders? For example would Cole and Yorke have scored so many without the service of Beckham and Giggs?

Feel free to add your suggestions, I know I have missed some notable ones off.

A few others to get you started include:

Berbatov/Keane
Owen/Heskey
Dublin/Huckerby
Saunders/Atkinson

Let me know your thoughts!

£56 million here… £80 million there… this summer has been dominated by the outlandish spending of a select few, with transfer records tumbling at every turn. But one deal that will grab most of the headlines could well be a free transfer.

Michael Owen, labelled a fallen idol, a faded star, even a has-been by the media, looks set to complete a dramatic move to Manchester United.

Just a week ago Owen’s options looked far more limited, he had admitted in an interview with Sky Sports that staying at Newcastle wasn’t an option, but the only two clubs publicly declaring an interest were Stoke and Hull.

Were they serious contenders? I guess we will never know, but as soon as United came in I doubt Owen will have taken long to make his mind up.

Talk has immediately been about Eric Cantona and Teddy Sheringham, two aging players who seemingly had their best years behind them but were inspired by Ferguson at Old Trafford and helped the club to numerous trophies. Similarly the likes of Scholes and Giggs have continued to flourish at the club despite being well into their thirties.

Is Owen another Ferguson masterstroke? Or is it a desperate move in the wake of failed moves for Benzema and Ribery, as well as the departures of Ronaldo and Tevez?

Owen’s form certainly doesn’t make him a prized asset. Without a goal since January he cut a forlorn figure towards the end of last season as his Newcastle side tumbled towards the Championship. His injury record also suggests he would struggle to make it through a full campaign, complete with Champions League matches, unscathed.
That is, of course, an outcome Sir Alex Ferguson seems willing to risk, counter balanced by what he feels he is getting for relatively little outlay.

First off is Owen’s goalscoring record. Despite his injury worries Owen managed 30 goals in 65 starts for Newcastle; even with my poor maths that is nearly one in two. With vast array of creative talent on offer at Old Trafford they have no problem carving out chances. And the one thing that hasn’t diminished with Owen is his finishing ability.

He will no doubt put through a stringent medial, especially on the knee that he damaged at the 2006 World Cup. He will only sign if they are certain he is fit enough. But again he will be joining a number of attacking players in large squad – I doubt he will be forced to play more than three games in a week unless he really has to.

Another factor, and the one that I think persuaded Ferguson to go for Owen, is motivation. Owen will have been hurt by the events of the last six months – I can imagine the Newcastle training ground has not been a happy place to work recently and has hardly encouraged a players best form.

Also given the English media’s penchant building up players only to revel in knocking them down; they have been quick to write Michael Owen off. The former Liverpool man’s determination to prove his critics wrong could be enough to ensure he can re-discover his form.

Add to that the fact that it is a World Cup year. Fabio Capello has shown he will pick players on form and would no doubt relish having a fully fit Michael Owen firing on all cylinders in his squad. A seat on the plane to South Africa could restore the fire in Owen’s belly and Ferguson wants United to benefit from that.

Looking at those reasons the deal suddenly looks like a no brainer. If he fails then he will only cost the club his wages, likely to be largely paid on a performance related basis. If he succeeds, then United will have one of the country’s greatest goal scorers in their ranks for absolutely nothing.

I would be interested to hear United fan’s thought on this issue – is it merely a desperate insurance policy for Ferguson with his transfer shopping list reducing seemingly by the day? Or is it another piece of managerial genius?

If Owen does succeed what will Liverpool fans think? If they had shown an interest I am sure Owen would have made the move back to Anfield. With finances tight at Liverpool should they have made move? Let me know your thoughts.

An Evertonian and a Liverpudlian up front for United – I never thought I would see the day!  😉

But the noises coming from Perez were one of work beginning, not ending, and the two deals merely signalled the start of spending. No doubt fuelled by the success of rivals Barcelona, who swept all before them last season, Perez has stated he wants to do three years work in one and spend up to 300 million Euros in order to compete with Barca. He has duly delivered s far with deals for Raul Albiol and most recently Karim Benzema set to be completed.

But will this galacticos policy work? Well last time it did bring success, with three Spanish titles and two Champions League trophies between 2000 and 2006. But the drought then began when the likes of Figo, Zidane and Ronaldo began to show their age. With so much money spent on their marquee players the others around them couldn’t carry the side when things stated to go wrong. But the main difference between now and then is age. Figo was 28 when he signed for Madrid, Zidane 29 and Beckham also 28. Players at their peak yes, but also only three or four years away from fading out. Compare that with Ronaldo, 24, Kaka 27, and Benzema, 21 – Younger players with their best years ahead of them. Therefore if success isn’t instant there are plenty of years ahead of them in order to win things for Real.

However how much time will the team have? With substantial investment comes expectation and if new coach Manuel Pellegrini fails to get results quickly he could soon be out of the door. On the other hand with the players at his disposal he could kick off a new magical era for the club.
So what about Barca?

Well the European Champions have been silent in comparison, though admittedly they already have a world-class squad. Much of the talk has involved Samuel Eto’o, linked with a move to the other big spenders of the summer, Man City. It had been reported Barca boss Pep Guardiola didn’t see Eto’o in his plans for next season though he has since been offered a new deal.

Incoming much of the talk involves Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, again. Much like the Ronaldo to Madrid story the Gunners midfielder has been perennially linked with a move to the Catalan club, who he left for London as a 16-year-old in 2005. Barca President Joan Laporta admitted this week that he wanted Fabregas at the Camp Nou, though again this one could run and run for longer than this summer.

Fabregas or not Barca have been forced to sit up and take notice at events at Madrid. Their majestic 6-2 win in El Clasico at the end of last season highlighted the gulf in class between the two sides. But with an unprecedented spending spree underway Real are doing their best to close the gap. A ‘Harlem Globetrotters’ star-studded approach doesn’t always work – a glut of new signings need to gel and the team needs to better than the sum of its parts.

But if it works at Real, the likes of Kaka, Ronaldo, Sneijder, Benzema, Raul and Huntelaar all clicking together will be a sight to behold.

So he is not the sort of person you would expect to go and criticise another European league. But that is what Wilkins appears to have done in the wake of David Villa’s decision to reject Wilkins’ club, Chelsea, and join the Galacticos 2.0 revolution at Real Madrid along with Kaka, who also snubbed the Blues.

Wilkins said:

“Do they want the challenge of the Premier League? It’s difficult to play in the Premier League as a foreign player, especially in the first year.

“Are some of these players taking the slightly softer option in going to Real Madrid and staying somewhere where they know and not taking up the challenge elsewhere? I don’t know. I’m just playing devil’s advocate.

“Our league is the best league in the world.”

Now maybe he is comparing Villa to himself, who took the brave move of moving abroad at a time when very few English players left their shores. However I still think his words are a little harsh on Villa and Kaka, after all I don’t think joining Real is the easy option, and maybe he is being a little naïve as to the size of playing for Real.

It is a chance after all to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world. Chelsea for all their riches, do not have the same reputation, history and heritage as Real. They may in a few years, but their success only really began 10 years ago with the rapid growth of the Premier League, Real’s story goes back much further.

But signing for Real is just the start. In no way are you made just by signing on the dotted line, you have to go and prove to the Madrid fans that you are worthy of pulling on the famous white shirt. Many people have tried and failed to cope with the white hot atmosphere in the Bernabeu. For any player, Spanish or otherwise, it is the ultimate challenge.

Wilkins’ comments will also again raise the age old question of which is the better league – though Wilkins seems sure of his choice. It is an argument you could wage until you are blue in the face.

In terms of raw passion and excitement I don’t think it is any better than in the Premier League. The pace of the game is frightening, you don’t have time to think. It is the ultimate test of stamina and strength.

La Liga is not as frenetic and at times adopts a more considered approach. But that means the levels of skill required to score are higher, this is where I feel La Liga has the edge. In terms of technical ability I think Spain holds the ace, whereas in England you are hustled and harried until you make a mistake, in Spain you will be undone by a piece of magic.

Their long-standing money troubles look to be coming to a head this summer, with the crippling costs of their new stadium taking its toll.

President Vicente Soriano, who only took office last July, has resigned after admitting he couldn’t put a business plan in place that would safeguard the clubs financial future.

The club have been spiralling into financial meltdown for a few years now, mainly stemming from the attempt to build a new stadium. Initially seen as a bid to maximise match day revenue, the 200 million Euro project has proved to be a deadly millstone around their necks as it became financially unmanageable.

Soriano tried to sell land surrounding Valencia’s current stadium, the 55,000 capacity Mestalla, to help financial the move. But the global economic slowdown plunged Spain into recession meaning buyers dried up.

As finances worsened and debts mounted, the two-time Champions League finalists temporarily suspended payments to players and to the company constructing the stadium in February, meaning building work was stopped altogether. The Spanish media now report that Valencia’s debts total £400 million.

A 50 million Euro loan from a local business group in April eased some of the pressure and at least allowed them to pay their players. But it appears only to be a temporary let-off, with the sale of the clubs star players surely imminent in order to keep the club afloat

They are problems that belay Valencia’s status as one of the biggest clubs in Spain. They have won six La Liga titles, Seven Copa Del Rey’s, two Spanish Super Cups, a UEFA Cup, UEFA Cup-winners cup and two UEFA Super Cups. Valencia is the third biggest city in Spain and Los Che are often positioned just behind Barcelona and Real Madrid in Spain’s pecking order.

But ever since they tumbled out of the 2006-2007 Champions League the club has been on a steep downward spiral. They finished last season in a lowly 10th place, which spelt the end of boss Ronald Koeman. Although this season was marginally better, the lack of Champions League money could force a fire-sale in the summer.

Three of those players include Juan Mata, David Silva and EURO 2008 golden boot winner David Villa, who will all surely be sold to European clubs who have been circulating around the Mestalla for several months now, like vultures hovering above a dead carcass. Indeed Villa has already stated his desire to play in the Champions League next season and has been linked with Real Madrid and Barcelona. It sad to see such a great club in such a desperate position.

Fans of English football will hold up the likes of Leeds United as an example of what can happen when a club over-stretches itself. The club reached a Champions League semi-final, against Valencia ironically enough, in 2001 but since then creditors demanded their cash back, players were sold and the club tumbled down two divisions. It is not unrealistic to suggest Valencia could succumb to a similar fate. Even with the sales of Villa and co, the burden of that half-built stadium will not loosen its grip. You wonder how far they will fall before they can start to recover.

No no I am not jumping the gun about the result of FA Cup Final.

But even if Everton lose on Saturday David Moyes can have the consolation of collecting  a personal piece of silverware this season – The LMA Manager Of The Year Award.

It is the first time a manager has won the award three times, after the Scot received the accolade in 2003 and 2005 – even Sir Alex Ferguson hasn’t done that!

Once again Moyes has guided his Everton side to a fifth placed finish and have the added bonus of that day out at Wembley despite extremely limited resources.

What makes his achievement more remarkable, and is perhaps what persuaded his fellow managers vote for Moyes, is the fact that last summer proved to be a tortuous one for the Blues.

The club were desperate to build on last year’s fifth place finish and challenge for a Champions League place but as other clubs around them spent lavishly, Everton dithered in the transfer market and began the season without making a single signing and had only 16 fit senior pros. In the second game of the season, away at West Brom, they had a 16 and 17 year old starting as well as a bench full of untried teenagers.

Last ditch deadline day signings were made, most notably big Belgian Maourane Fellaini for £15million, but the Toffees couldn’t arrest a slide in form and by October were out of Europe, the League cup and were languishing in 14th place.

But the club started to turn things round in the winter and returned to the top six with a Boxing Day win over Middlesbrough. But just as things started to go their way on the pitch a succession of serious injuries to key players threatened to completely de-rail their season. First Yakubu ruptured an achilles in November, Mikel Arteta damaged cruciate knee ligaments in February and, a week after the FA Cup semi-final win, player of the year Phil Jagielka also damaged cruciate knee ligaments, meaning the entire spine of the side had been removed. But Moyes and his men have coped with everything that has been thrown at them, finishing above clubs with considerably higher budgets than what is found at Goodison.

In the three years that Moyes has won the award Everton have finished 7th,4th and 5th – with no trophies, unusual perhaps for manager of the year. But I think the award is an acknowledgement from his peers of the difficult financial constraints Moyes has been under in his seven year spell with the Toffees.

He has turned a side who regularly struggled at the wrong end of the table into a top six side without considerable investment. He often bought one ‘big’ name player a year e.g. Andy Johnson, Yakubu and Fellaini. He then makes great use of the loan market with the likes of Jospeh Yobo and Steven Pienaar initially joining the club on season-long loan deals. He also has had a habit of picking up bargains from the Championship and turning them into international players, most notably Phil Jagielka, Joleon Lescott and Tim Cahill.

The club also has one of the most successful youth development programmes in the country with the likes of Wayne Rooney, James Vaughan, Victor Anichebe and Jack Rodwell all being given their chance to shine in the first team

In the days of foreign billionaires bankrolling clubs I think this reward recognises the fact that the traditional skills of good management, hard work, organisation, discipline and team spirit still exist.

Moyes has forged a staff and team ethos whereby individuals do not matter and they work together as one towards the same cause. That explains why the club have coped with so many setbacks this year.

The one thing missing, of course, is silverware and you can be sure his side will go full tilt for the FA Cup at Wembley on Saturday and would gladly swap personal prizes for that famous old trophy.

But can they do it? Well they will start as underdogs that’s for sure. Plus they have a dreadful recent record against the Londoners, without a victory against them since 2000.
But with Liverpool, Manchester United and Aston Villa already dispatched on a tough route to Wembley, few would begrudge Moyes and his players a reward for their hard work, not just this season but for the past seven years of steady progress.

From one Scottish manager at the start of his career to one near the end. Sir Alex Ferguson was a double winner at the LMA Awards, winning the EPL Manager Of The Year, chosen by a panel from sponsors Barclays, and a LMA Merit Award for his achievements over the past two years.
Fergie was too busy in Rome to pick up his awards but despite defeat in the Italian capital, his achievement in reaching back-to-back Champions League finals and successive EPL titles (equalling Liverpool’s record of 18 to boot) is something that deserves recognition. His relentless determination and winning mentality over a career spanning more than 20 years is something to admire and he is certainly set a benchmark whereby all young managers should strive for.

Incidentally a certain Mr Ferguson Jr picked up the League One award after earning  promotion with Peterborough -what odds on Ferguson succeeding Ferguson at Old Trafford??!

Champions and Copa Del Rey winners, his side have dominated the Primera Division this year and are worthy winners. They can, of course, claim a treble with a win over Manchester United in the Champions League final in Rome next Wednesday.

It is hard to believe that many fans and press were questioning Guardiola’s abilities at the start of the season. A shock opening day defeat to Numancia and a home draw with Racing Santander was their worst start to a season for 25 years and doubts were raised about the wisdom of appointing such an inexperienced manager.

But credit to Guardiola he seems unaffected by pressure and rode out the storm. He has a steely determination and desire to play the right way and set about his task with confidence and focus.

By November it had swung the other way and many people were suddenly comparing the side to the dream team of the early ‘90s. A little too early to compare this side to the likes of Koeman and Stoichkov, but it was testament to the level of football Barca were playing week in week out.

Again as nice as it was to receive such praise it brought pressure of its own but Guardiola still appeared unruffled. He got the side playing the football he wanted them to and one which was brilliant to watch and virtually impossible to stop.

In the first half of the season six goals were smashed past Sporting Gijon, Atletico and Valladoild. Five despatched past Almeria and four past Malaga and Valencia as Barca stormed to the top of La Liga in style.

The stats also speak for themselves. They have amassed with 86 points from 35 games with 50 points on the board at the halfway stage. They have beaten the record for home wins in a row (9), were unbeaten from game 2 to game 24 and have scored almost three goals per game on average.

The turn of the year saw a resurgent Real under new boss Juande Ramos try to chip away at Barca’s lead. A draw with Betis and defeats to Atletico and Espanyol in early March threatened to de-rail Barca’s season but once again Guardiola‘s faith in his players and the style of football prevailed, culminating in El Clasico to end all El Clasicos.

You know it must have been something unique when one of your bitter rivals admit you played “great and special football.” This was exactly what Raul said after Real’s 6-2 mauling at the hands of Barca at the Bernabeu. The game effectively sealed the title, ending Ramos’s slim hopes of catching them and forced the footballing world to stand up and take notice (if they weren’t already on their feet).

All eyes now, of course, turn to Rome and the Champions League final with Manchester United. Though we mustn’t forget that Barca were very nearly not there. Chelsea’s frustrating tactics in the semi-final meant the likes of Henry, Messi and Eto’o couldn’t break free from the defensive shackles of the Londoners, until a moment of brilliance from Iniesta in the dying moments. It remains to be seen whether United play the same way. One thing is for sure and that is Barca will play one way, the only way they know how.

It can be seen as a weakness – sometimes you need to adapt the way you play and play ugly to win games. But Guardiola has such faith in his style and instilled such confidence in his players they believe they will steamroller over their opposition, whoever it maybe, on their terms.

I can’t see United being steamrollered, but I can’t see them employing the same tactics as Chelsea either. If both sides attack, it could be an all-time classic.

Bendtner - caught with his trousers down.

It is one of the more unsavoury sides of English football. The tabloid headlines and pictures outlying in detail the drunken antics of professional footballers.

Court appearances, suspensions, rehab visits, it isn’t what a manager needs when planning a big game, let alone the far reaching impact such problems can have.

Some big name players have made the headlines for the wrong reasons this year – only recently Nicklas Bendtner was thrown out of a nightclub with his trousers round his ankles. Then last weekend Tottenham skipper Ledley King was arrested on suspicion of assault after a night-out in Soho.

Harry Redknapp responded to Kings indiscretions by saying he plans to ban alcohol from the players bar for next year. He told the Sun newspaper:

“I’ll implement a strong rule next season that drinking is a no-no here. Footballers should dedicate their lives to playing.

“Footballers should not drink. You shouldn’t put diesel in a Ferrari. I know it’s hard but they are earning big money, they are role models to kids.”

His comments raise a couple of questions, one: is there a drinking problem among Premier League footballers? And two: will a complete ban stop the problem?

Well I think that although drinking goes on it is nowhere near the levels of say the 70s and 80s. Then even the top players would go out and get hammered only to sweat it out on the training pitch the next day. Even as late as 1996 the England squad reportedly trashed a plane on the way back from a EURO 96 warm-up match in the Far East – their antics proving the inspiration for Gazza’s famous ‘dentists chair’ celebration in the win over Scotland.

But as the physical demands of the Premier League got tougher and the fitness bar rose, players simply could not continue living the same lifestyle. The problem now seems to be the behaviour of footballers when drunk rather than addiction.

Added to that is the increasing media glare players find themselves in as the Premier League grows and grows – players can barely sneeze without it being reported in the papers nowadays.

Which brings me to my next point. As soon as a player is spotted in a bar or club he will immediately have wannabes and drunks hovering around them. Some will seek to goad these players knowing that if they take the bait they will have their camera phones in hand and a hotline direct to the tabloids ready to sell their story for a princely sum. Either that or the paparazzi will be queued up outside waiting to snap them tumbling into a taxi.

Footballers haven’t really got a chance in that respect and even a very minor incident can be blown out of all proportion. Because of that it is very hard to sift through the tabloid hype and establish what actually took place. Though it is clear some players have done some very naughty things under the influence of booze the numbers may not be as high as the papers make out, only really the clubs can know for sure.

So what can be done about it?

Well a complete ban seems a little extreme – Though the only player to come out against Redknapp’s move has been Gazza, hardly a shining example when it comes to drinking. The oversized egos of the modern-footballer mean they will not appreciate being treated like children and any ban will just be in-place to be broken, plus it is impossible to shaparone players 24/7.

With all the trappings of fame the temptation to live a rock-star lifestyle is all too much to resist for some – the problem is that while some players can go out for a few quiet beers with the lads many don’t know when to stop.

What I think needs to be done is education. The players need to be made aware of their responsibilities and the dangers of celebrity. Similarly if a player looks to be struggling or looks to have a weakness for booze or gambling, the proper support needs to be in place before the problem escalates.

Tony Adams’ Sporting Chance clinic has done a great job in supporting players with drink, drug or gambling related problems, but maybe something should be done before they become addicted in the first place?

Much is said about the binge-drink culture in Britain and football is not immune to that worrying trend. But people across the country can paint the town red of a weekend knowing their actions won’t be recorded in a paper the next day, is the behaviour of footballers any worse to what goes on elsewhere? Is it a greater social problem?

Drinking in football has been going on for years – only the coverage of it has changed. Pictures of drunk footballers sell papers and the press will always run with these stories even if they greatly exaggerate what took place. However the papers would argue they are simply uncovering a deeper problem and one that needs to dealt with.

I would be keen to hear your views on the subject. Drinking in football – a serious epidemic or tabloid hot air?

But it wasn’t total football that won Barca the game last Wednesday night, it was one moment of brilliance from Iniesta in the last minute – Barca’s only shot on target.

The Catalan giants were very close to falling at the semi-final stage in identical circumstances to last year, when, after a goalless first game at the Nou Camp, an early second leg goal from Paul Scholes gave Man United the narrowest of victories.

All this shows that as beautiful as Barca are, they need to come up with a plan B if they want to consistently overcome sides who employ the tactics that Chelsea did on Wednesday. In both games against the Blues Barca tried to score the perfect goal. But with Guus Hiddink’s side lined up like they were it was always going to be difficult. It was tight, stifling and attritional but for 180 minutes, it was effective.

Barcelona looked awful for most of the match with their free kicks and shots at goal poor – Dani Alves’ delivery in particular was sloppy. Lionel Messi, much hyped before both games, with up to three players marking him, looked lost, frustrated and ineffective.

Chelsea received a lot of flack for their tactics, with people labelling it anti-football, but can you blame them?

Barca have one of the most potent attacks in Europe, if not the world. Their 6-2 demolition of Madrid in El Clasico was a joy to behold (unless you’re a Madrid fan of course). After watching that match it would have been foolish for Chelsea to play open against them, as many teams seem to do in La Liga, where any defensive deficiencies are ruthlessly exposed. It was very nearly job done, and perhaps should have been if referee Tom Ovrebo had awarded at least one of Chelsea’s four penalty shouts.

The greatest teams are the ones who can adapt their style of play to an individual match, opponent or game situation. It became apparent that when one door was closed the Barca continued to try and barge it down, without looking for an alternative route round, which played into Chelsea’s hands.

I am not saying Barca are a poor team, they are clearly not. But they need to be a bit more imaginative against smothering tactics like those of Chelsea. The thing is I don’t know if they have the players to do so. They are similar to Arsenal in the Premier League, who when they are on form are beautiful to watch. But when they were up against defensive organisation and aggression are often out muscled and out-fought.

It will be interesting to see what tactics Sir Alex Ferguson employs against them in the final. Will he be conservative and look to shut down the Barca threat? Or will he choose to attack? If he does, with the likes of Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov at one end and Henry, Messi and Eto’o at the other, it could be an all time classic.

Ok I give up, I can’t find one.

I’ve tried to find a football fan that has a strong disliking for Gianfranco Zola and failed miserably – the guy is just too darn nice!

Even those who aren’t fond of Chelsea – the club he played for so successfully – can’t help but respect and admire not just his skills as a footballer but his attitude and professionalism both on and off the field. He is a true footballing gentleman.

He has, of course, made a return to the Premier League this season as manager of West Ham – and the league is much richer for his return.

You may think it is odd that, in the week of the Champions League semi-finals and ahead of a weekend packed full of titanic relegation and title battles, I have decided to talk about a side that currently lie seventh in the table.

But I think its worth going against the grain on this one as his achievements in what potentially could have been a troubled season at Upon Park deserves a mention.

His predecessor, Alan Curbishley, had left on transfer deadline day following arguments with the club’s board over transfer policy – in particular the enforced sales of Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney.

Now I am not sure of the exact ins and outs of the boardroom wrangles that tainted the dieing embers of Curbishley’s reign, perhaps Hammers fans can enlighten me?

But it did seem apparent that supporters weren’t exactly disappointed with his departure, given the direct style of football he was uncomfortably enforcing on the playing squad.

Another rather uneasy backdrop for Hammers fans was the ongoing financial problems. Firstly sponsor XL Airlines went bust which not only cost the club money but forced them to patch over the XL logo on the club shirts with the players’ squad number. Though that was a minor aesthetic inconvenience when you consider, following the collapse of the Icelandic economy, the very future of the club was put into question, with administration mooted if a buyer could not be found. Only this week the alleged debts of chairman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson have been put at £300 million, with another Icelandic bank apparently ready to launch a takeover bid.

Added to that was the extended hangover from the Carlos Tevez affair and a costly out of court settlement which put a further drain on the clubs shrinking finances.  Now whether the financial situation was exaggerated by the press I don’t know for sure, but it certainly wasn’t looking rosy.

So all in all it wasn’t the most settled of situations when Zola strolled into East London in early September. I have to admit at the time I had my doubts. He had no club managerial experience, with only a spell with the Italy Under-21 set-up to fall back on. Plus history has proved that great players don’t necessarily make great managers. It was a baptism of fire in one of the toughest leagues in the world and I wondered yet again – is he just too nice to be a manager?

Now I admit my initial thoughts and fears turned out to be naive – shouting and bawling isn’t always needed to get the best out of your players. It seems Zola’s thoughtful and measured approach, particularly with West Ham’s younger players, has borne fruit.

With not much money to work with (Bellamy was also sold off under Zola’s stewardship) the former Chelsea man has had to, in the main, work with what has got. Of the players who have come in Ilunga has become a fans favourite at fullback and January window signing Nsereko appears to have future potential (I haven’t seen too much of him though – again could Hammers fans enlighten me?)

Zola also brought back the style of football the fans craved – and what was so lacking under Curbishley. It may have taken a few weeks to get going – a run of one win in 12 plunged the Hammers towards the bottom – but slowly but surely Zola steered West Ham away from the relegation zone and turned them into an attractive, attacking, European chasing outfit.

As I said earlier I am not a West Ham fan so would be keen to hear Hammer’s fans views on their Boss’s performance this season, and perhaps the influence of assistant Steve Clarke?

So what for the future?

Well Europa League qualification or not it is yet to be seen how much money will be available in the summer to improve the squad, it appears the club aren’t out of the woods yet in terms of finances. However the progress this year of the likes of Jack Collison, Freddie Sears, Junior Stanislas and James Tomkins is testament not just to West Ham’s ever productive youth system but the man-management skills of Zola, and could save the club millions of pounds. Collision has already cited the tuition of the Italian as the main reason behind his progress this year, while Carlton Cole went from boo-boy to England international under his guidance.

Zola has gone about his business quietly and efficiently this season and I think he deserves some credit for what he has achieved in difficult circumstances. I have to confess I am a fan of Zola, both as a player and now as a manager and I think his presence in England is not only of benefit to West Ham but to the whole Premier League.

But for those fans of teams at the bottom of the EPL there is hope.

I had a dig round the archives and have found some examples of teams who looked dead and buried, but somehow found Premier League salvation.

Feel free to add your examples – I would be interested to hear your experiences of ‘great escapes’.

But for now here is a few I found (in no particular order!):

Everton 1993-94
A 3-0 defeat to Leeds the previous week had plunged Everton into the drop zone and Mike Walker’s men went into the last game of the season at home to Wimbledon knowing that even a win might not be good enough.
Things got worse for the Toffees when the Crazy Gang went 2-0 up after just 20 minutes. Everton battled their way back to level terms through a Graham Stuart penalty and a Barry Horne stunner, but with nine minutes of the season to go they were still down.
Salvation arrived however in the shape of former Chelsea man Stuart, who sidefooted home his second of the game to save the Blues and condemn Sheffield United, who were losing at Chelsea, to the drop.

Oldham 1992-93
Joe Royle’s Oldham had to win three games in seven days and hope either Crystal Palace or Sheffield United lost their last two fixtures in order to stay up. The problem was that the first of those three games was away to Aston Villa, who had to win to keep their title challenge alive. Oldham stunned Ron Atkinson’s men by grabbing the only goal which handed Man United the title and gave them hope of survival.
When a resurgent Sheff United won at Everton on the Tuesday, the survival battle was down to two – Oldham or Palace. A day later Royle’s men beat Liverpool 3-2 at Boundary Park, while Palace drew 0-0 at Manchester City – setting up a last day scrap. If Oldham won and Palace lost, Oldham were safe and Palace were down. On the final day Palace lost 3-0 away at Arsenal meaning a win for Oldham over Southampton would see them safe. It would become an early Premier League classic which swung either way but one that Oldham eventually triumphed 4-3 – despite Matt Le Tissier grabbing a hat-trick. Oldham were back from the brink while Palace were down and stunned.

West Brom 2004/05
The Baggies defied the odds in 2005 by becoming the first-ever Premier League side to be bottom at Christmas and avoid the drop.
An excellent performance and point at Old Trafford in the penultimate week of the season set up a last day decider where three out of four sides could go down. Even then The Baggies knew a win might not be enough and began the final day in the relegation zone. They claimed a 2-0 win over Portsmouth at The Hawthorns thanks to goals from Geoff Horsfield and on-loan Kieran Richardson. Elsewhere Charlton’s late 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace relegated The Eagles and defeats for Norwich and Southampton also condemned them to the drop.

West Ham 2006/07
In a season dogged by controversy West Ham somehow avoided the drop thanks to a last day win at over Man United at Old Trafford. But that isn’t the only story. The controversial signings of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano the previous August broke Premier League rules over third party ownership yet the Hammers avoided a points deduction.  With Alan Pardew’s men staring relegation in the face Tevez proved the inspiration for a late surge of form which dragged them to safety and relegated Sheffield United, who lost 2-1 at home to Wigan on the last day. The Blades later sued The Hammers, claiming the illegal signing of Tevez was the main reason they stayed up at their expense. The claim was later settled out of court with West Ham agreeing to pay compensation.

Coventry 1996/97
Going into the last game of the 1996/97 season, Coventry were sitting in the final relegation spot of the Premiership and travelled to Spurs needing to win. Goals from Dion Dublin and Paul Williams gave The Sky Blues a 2-0 lead before Paul McVeigh’s effort on the stroke of half-time reduced the deficit. The hero of the day though was veteran ‘keeper Steve Ogrizovic who made some fantastic late saves as Coventry held on for the win which kept them up and relegated Sunderland

Everton (again) 1997/98
Everton once again found themselves needing a result  on the last day against Coventry to keep them up. Needing to better Bolton’s result against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge them Toffees made the perfect start when Gareth Farrelly half-volleyed home from 25 yards. Dion Dublin’s late header made it a nervy finish at Goodison but two late goals for Chelsea condemned Bolton and kept Everton up on goal difference.

Fulham 2007/08
Fulham looked destined for the drop after a 3-1 defeat to Sunderland at the start of April. With three out of their four remaining games away from home, and the home clash being against Liverpool, the writing was on the wall – especially as Roy Hodgson’s men hadn’t won away from Craven Cottage since September 2006.
But three away wins, at Reading, Man City and Portsmouth on the final day, completed a miraculous escape, sending Reading and Birmingham down instead.

It become an almost weekly occurrence throughout the season.

After each and every defeat Tony Mowbray, West Brom’s beleaguered manager, has been forced to batter away suggestions from the baying press that his side should change their style of play in order to compete in the division.

You can see where the journos are coming from. Every week the Baggies are praised for their pretty passing but with no end product they have nearly always ended up on the losing side.

They appear to be stuck in a kind of footballing purgatory. Too good for the Championship, they sauntered to the League title last year, but consistently get found out at the top level.

The success of Stoke in particular has only increased the pressure on Mowbray to swallow his pride and change tactics. Pre-season favourites for relegation, Tony Pulis’ side have comfortably staved off the drop with a bruising and direct style of play. This is despite appearing to have a weaker squad on paper and finishing below West Brom in the Championship last year.

Similarly the success of Bolton, who have been in the Premier League for seven years, has led to a number of sides in the bottom half of the league adopting their direct, set-piece heavy (but ultimately successful) style of play.

At first I believed Mowbray’s stubbornness was cutting his nose of to spite his face – his refusal to buckle under the pressure and sticking to his guns was also condemning his side to the drop.

But on the occasions I have watched his side this season I have begun to share his belief that his team are close to being a very good side. They actually pass the ball better than most of the sides in the division but that fateful combination of failing to convert chances at one end and poor defending at the other has consistently let them down.

The game at Spurs last weekend was a microcosm of their entire campaign. Pretty on the eye, West Brom carved out half a dozen chances but couldn’t stick the ball in the net. Spurs’ Jermaine Jenas, however, showed the extra composure and quality required at this level to break Baggie’s hearts yet again.

Who knows what difference Kevin Phillips would have made this year?  The former Sunderland man grabbed 24 goals for Albion last term and won Championship Player of the Year. But The Baggies’ refusal to offer him a new contract saw him jump ship to Birmingham, who will replace West Brom in the Premier League next season. It is clear a predatory striker in Phillips’ mould is needed to feed off Mowbray’s industrious midfield.

It is also obvious that in the defence naivety, poor organisation and individual errors have cost them dear. Keeper Scott Carson’s confidence appears to be shot and clearly hasn’t recovered from his horror show for England against Croatia in November 2007.

The likes of Leon Barnett and Gianni Zuiverloon are not of Premier League standard while the lack of organisation is surprising considering it was one of the characteristics Mowbray was renowned for as a player.

Sadly the writing is on the wall for West Brom this season; only a miracle can save them now. But I hope Mowbray sticks to his guns and can bring them back up with a flourish; it would be just rewards for his bravery and single-mindedness.

By choosing to play such an expansive style of football his side were always leaving themselves open and exposed. With the financial oblivion of relegation proving to be a recurring nightmare for many a Premier League club’s board, it is perhaps not a surprise that so many teams now set out first and foremost to avoid defeat, playing direct and narrow, rather than to pass a team to death.

Anyhow a change in style would sit uncomfortably with the players and fans, who expect a certain brand of football. The fact that the majority of supporters are backing Mowbray, despite the inevitable drop down a division, points to that.

Roy Hodgson at Fulham has shown how Premier League success can be achieved without sacrificing your style of play – albeit with considerable investment. If the club can somehow supply Mowbray with the funds to purchase a goal-scorer and a reliable centre-back pairing (admittedly something that is easier said than done) I believe the Baggies can return to the top table of English football and prosper.

If not, then the Baggies will be boinging up and down the divisions for some years to come.

Oh dear here we go.

Man United boss sir Alex Ferguson, not content with moaning about Rafa Benitez’s arrogance or Arsene Wenger’s team selection, has found another excuse for his side’s failings: The changing rooms.

Yep according to Fergie the changing rooms at some Premier League clubs are below the standards expected of the modern day footballer and he believes some sort of minimum code of standards need to be brought in – like those for the stadium terraces.

Ferguson told Inside United magazine:

“Everton’s are so narrow it is unbelievable.

“Portsmouth’s away dressing room is not great and the one at Craven Cottage is smaller than my office.

“Fulham is one of my favourite grounds but when you have 18 players stripping down, plus coaches, physios and kit men, it is ridiculous really.”

18 stripping players indeed Fergie.

Well, naked players apart Ferguson’s latest moan seems highly unnecessary.  Haven’t United  got enough advantages as it is?

They are one of the richest clubs in the world, they bully other clubs into selling their best players (Berbatov anyone?) hoover up all the best young talent across the globe when they are barely out of nappies and consistently have the rub of the green when it comes to big refereeing decisions.

Giving away teams the more uncomfortable changing rooms is a piece of psychological warfare that happens at every level of football across the world.  Even modern day stadiums, Sunderland’s Stadium of Light for example, have considerably smaller away changing rooms than home. Why shouldn’t the home side give themselves as much an advantage as possible?

Granted the stadiums Fergie mentions are among the oldest in the division but they are hardly slums. I’m sure his comments are an insult to the hardworking staff at Fratton Park, Craven Cottage and Goodison Park who do their best despite working in stands that are, in places, nearly 40 years old.

If United want to bring a coach-load of backroom staff then that’s their problem. I feel it’s just another example of Ferguson’s arrogance as anything he finds remotely uncomfortable he demands the Premier League bring in a rule to ensure everything is to his liking.

He has, of course, a history of giving amusing excuses for his side’s failings. The most infamous one was probably the grey kit fiasco in 1996. When his side fell 3-0 down away at Southampton Ferguson claimed his players couldn’t see each other in their grey away kit and ordered them to change at half time. They still lost 3-1.

But if Fergie finds Craven Cottage uncomfortable I wonder what his reaction would be if he had travelled to Cambridge United in the early 90s under controversial boss John Beck.

Pushing gamesmanship to the extreme Beck:

*Repositioned the away team’s dug-out in order to make it harder for the visiting side’s coaching staff to relay their instructions.

*Ordered his ground staff to grow the grass longer in the corners of the pitch to help slow the ball up when his team pumped it down the channels.

*Told his ball boys to delay returning the ball to the opposition while instructing them to hand it back to his own side as quickly as possible, drying it with a towel as they did so.

*Turn up the heating in the visitors’ dressing room on the warmest of days and turning it off on cold ones in a blatant attempt to disrupt their preparations.

*Made the opposition warm up with balls that had been soaked overnight in water.

I wonder what Ferguson and his merry band of pampered players would have made of that?

Referees – the bane of a football fan’s life.

Your hopes and dreams can be shattered by one shrill peep of the man-in-black’s (or red or green or whatever colour they choose to wear these days) shiny whistle.

They are also, of course, an easy target for fans, players and managers who divert the attention onto the ref rather than their own team’s inadequacies.

The one thing that annoys me though is the protection refs seem to get when they make a bad decision.

Referees are always going to make mistakes as all humans do. What frustrates the fans the  most is the wall of silence – and the feeling that referees and officials close ranks, often refusing to even acknowledge that a mistake has been made.

With 24 hour saturation coverage of football nowadays players and managers cannot hide and are held accountable for their mistakes through TV, radio or Internet interviews.

But the situation is different with referees. They aren’t obliged to come out after a game, offer opinions on issues and are very rarely seen in the media.

This perhaps explains why, upon retirement, many of them become veritable media whores (Jeff Winter anyone??) offering their view on any topic going.

It is this apparent imbalance – protecting referees even when they continue to make errors – that infuriates me the most. Heck if they were a little more open we may even establish which team Mike Riley supports (Rotherham is the rumour I heard).

All this makes Howard Webb’s recent admission that he made a mistake in awarding Man United a penalty at the weekend so refreshing.

Webb was quoted as saying:

“I’ve looked at it again and I think it was a mistake but we make these decisions honestly. It’s not always easy to see the way the play pans out from pitch level.

“I could see the Manchester United player touch the ball and saw him get clattered by the goalkeeper but didn’t see the extra deviation from the goalkeeper’s fingers touching the ball.

“I’m disappointed as I always strive for perfection. I’ll look at the tape in detail later in the week and try to avoid it happening again in the future.

“I never want to have a negative impact on a game and I get no pleasure from not reaching the high standards we set ourselves. But show me a man who’s never made a mistake and I’ll show you a man who’s done nothing.”

Wise words indeed.

Plus you can’t really argue with him, he gave the incident as he saw, watched it again, realised he made a mistake and re-affirmed his determination not to do so again. Fair enough.

It doesn’t change the result but at least gives an explanation as to Webb’s thinking and gives them a human side, perhaps placating some of the fans in the process. Too often it feels like top flight refs are tucked away in a box after a match, hidden away for a week, only to be wheeled out again the next match day.

Webb’s admission has confirmed to me what many people are saying – that he is the best referee in the country and others should lead by his example (cough, cough, Mike Riley, cough).

I used to be a firm believer that refs should come out after the game and explain the decisions. But I now agree that incidents perhaps need to be looked at in the cold light of day (once everyone has calmed down) in order to preserve the referees authority.

But why not on a Monday, after the dust has settled, the ref speaks to the media about his performance at the weekend and the thinking behind his decisions? I think in Webb’s case it has worked (just don’t tell Jermaine Jenas).

It may not improve the standard of refereeing – that is a totally different issue. And we have to be careful not to turn them into celebrities by overfeeding their ego’s. But by giving refs a voice it could make fans and managers appreciate the difficult position they find themselves in every Saturday afternoon, and perhaps ease the pressure (and levels of abuse) imposed on them.

It’s worth giving it a go.

Jagielka - to miss FA Cup final

Another game, another catastrophic knee injury to one of Everton’s key players. The sight of Wembley hero Phil Jagielka writhing in agony around the Goodison turf was a sobering one for the Blues, coming just a week after the ecstasy of that semi-final win over Manchester United.

Injuries are a fact of the game. Every player who takes to a football field across the world knows that, should fate deal you an agonising hand, an injury could put you out for weeks, months or even threaten your entire career.

Thankfully such serious injuries are rare, but that makes it even more galling for Everton fans when your look at what they have had to cope with this season.

The campaign began without talismanic Aussie Tim Cahill who was still recovering from a broken foot sustained the previous March – the third spell out with such an injury in three years. The likes of Mikel Arteta and Tony Hibbert also had operations over the summer and that coupled with Moyes’ inertia in the transfer market, meant the side began the season with just 14 fit senior players.

Worse was to come. Nigeria international Yakubu, who hit 21 goals in his first season at Goodison, ruptured an achilles tendon at Spurs in November, instantly ruling him out for eight months. With the likes of Louis Saha, James Vaughan and Victor Anichebe also suffering minor niggles, Everton found themselves without any strikers. However a fit-again Tim Cahill and record signing Marouane Fellaini formed an unlikely, but effective, strike partnership.

A key cog in the Everton machine was Mikel Arteta. The Spaniard had finally regained match fitness and was arguably playing the best football of his Toffees career when again the injury curse struck at St James’ Park in February. A cruciate knee ligament injury put him out for up to eight months – another hammer blow. In the same game Victor Anichebe was the victim of a horror tackle by Kevin Nolan and was also ruled out for the rest of the campaign with a knee cartilage problem.

But once again Moyes, who has never dwelt on or moaned about the injuries, rallied the troops again and found another system which garnered more Premier League points and FA Cup wins. It reminds me of Rocky IV, when our hero took on steroid-fuelled Russian giant Ivan Drago. Punch after punch battered Rocky’s face and chest, but he continued unabated and unmoved. Everton have taken each blow full in the face but have refused to go down, bravely fighting on battered and bruised.

The icing on the cake therefore, as a reward for defying the odds, came at Wembley last week when Phil Jagielka tucked home the decisive spot kick to send Everton to the FA Cup final for the first time in 14 years.

If anyone deserved that moment it was Jagielka. The former Sheffield United man has improved dramatically under Moyes’ stewardship, becoming a first-team regular and establishing himself in the England squad. He also deserved to line-up for the final on May 30th, his injury is devastating both for the club and the player himself.

To put it into context take Vidic, Ronaldo and Rooney out of United’s side, or Gerrard, Carragher and Torres out of Liverpool’s starting XI, and you will understand how important the injured trio are to Everton’s fortunes. The entire spine of the squad has been removed.

Now I know all clubs have to deal with injuries but few have coped so admirably and with such a small squad than Everton. The fact they sit comfortable sixth in the table as well as reaching the Cup final (meaning they have qualified for Europe for the third successive year) is testament to Moyes’ man management and the resilience and determination of his players.

Jagielka’s injury is massive blow but if one club can cope, it’s Moyes’ tough Toffees.

Photo credit to TorontoBlue.

One shotstopper destined to go down in history is Spanish legend Andoni Zubizarreta. A list of honours as long as his arm and a record number of international caps and La Liga appearances he is considered one of the greatest keepers in Spanish football. And I consider him to be one of the world’s best.

He began his career at his home-town club Aretxabaleta and then Deportivo Alaves before his big move to Athletic Bilbao in 1980. He won the first of his six career La Liga titles there in 1983 and again lifted the Spanish title a year later. His performances at this point certainly deserved international recognition, but in front of him was Luis Arconada – another Spanish goalkeeping legend.

Arconada had held the number one jersey since 1977 before a horrendous error that gifted France a goal in the EURO 1984 final signalled the beginning of the end for him. Zubizarreta finally earned his first cap in a 3-1 victory over Finland on 23 January 1985.

The following year he made the biggest move of his career to Barcelona.  It was there he truly made his name and, well, the football stats speak for themselves:

– Games played: 490
– Goals conceded: 435
1 European Cup (1991/92)
1 Cup Winners Cup (1988/89)
1 European Super Cup (1992)
4 La Liga (1990/91, 91/92, 92/93 and 93/94)
2 Copa del Rey (1987/88 and 89/90)
2 Spanish Super Cups (1991 and 1992)
2 Copa Catalunya (1990/91 and 92/93)

‘Zubi’ as he became known, formed the backbone in one of the Catalan club’s greatest ever sides – and that’s saying something given Barca’s illustrious past. The so called ‘dream team’ under boss Johan Cruyff, who had returned to the club as manager, featured players like Josep Guardiola, José Mari Bakero, Gheorghe Hagi, Ronald Koeman, Michael Laudrup, Romário, Hristo Stoichkov and, of course, Zubizarreta.

1992 perhaps saw the peak of their powers, when Ronald Koeman’s extra-time free-kick overcame Sampdoria at Wembley and brought the European Cup back to Cataluna. But after that famous night Cruyff’s team began to break up and after eight successful years at the Nou Camp Zubi transferred to Valencia in 1994 where he racked up another 152 La Liga appearances.

Internationally Zubi matched his excellent form at club level. He had an excellent awareness, anticipation and reading of the game, meaning he rarely had to make spectacular last ditch saves – because he had already positioned himself so well.

He played in two European Championships in 1988 and 1996 , as well as four World Cups. He reached the quarter-finals in 1986 and 1994, though some of his greatest international performances came at Italia 90 when Spain only made the second round. His fourth and final World Cup appearance, at France 98, ended in disaster when he pushed the ball into his own net, gifting Nigeria victory in Spain’s opening group match. They never recovered and exited the competition at the group stage.

It was a sad end to a spectacular career and it shouldn’t be allowed to cloud your judgement on a player who ranks up there with the finest, not just of his generation, not just in Spain, but of all time.

I’m keen to hear anyone else’s views on Zubi’s career, whether you think he is indeed the greatest keeper of all time, and whether there are any pretenders to his throne?