July usually sees major soccer clubs the world over take flight to embark on their respective summer tours. Generally, these are exercises in connecting with the global fan base, maintaining and raising profiles and of course getting some match practice in preparation for the new season.

It’s safe to say that none of these clubs could even begin to imagine let alone experience the amazing world tour that the Dallas Tornado undertook in 1967. It was a journey that spanned five continents taking the team to 25 countries and saw them play 48-matches.

The Tornado players narrowly avoided an air disaster on their way to Cyprus, had to trek through the Bengali jungle at the dead of night and play in Vietnam in the midst of the war to name but a few notable incidents.

Their extraordinary tour is chronicled in The Amazing World Tour of the Dallas Tornado and tells the tale of 16 young soccer players who just wanted to play the game no matter where the pitch was.

Dallas Tornado team in Morocco

50 years on from that incredible voyage the members of the Dallas Tornado held a reunion in Chester, UK and discussed the highs and lows of their seven-month tour. They recalled their affection for manager Bob Kap, spoke their admiration of the vision of the Dallas Tornado owner, Lamar Hunt and of course reminisced about the soccer tour that changed their lives forever.

Jan Book, the Tornado’s number 14, summed up the feelings of the players as he recounted his and their memories for World Soccer Talk.

World Soccer Talk: 50 years on from such an amazing journey. What’s the first thing you felt when meeting your teammates again?

Jan Book: Hard to believe it’s been 50 years, it just seems it was a few years ago. Some of us have not seen each other in 48 years, but it seems we just picked up where we left off. A wonderful feeling of brothers being united again. Very emotional and many tears of joy. Someone called us the “Band of Brothers”. It was a very special bond that was developed between the players. We only had each other on the tour. We had to stick together, in good and bad. We trusted and relied on each other. The love for each other never left us. Strangely enough our spouses connected in a very similar way, at the reunion, even though most of them had never met before.

WST: What are your memories of Lamar Hunt? In your mind what was his mission for the Dallas Tornado?

JB: A wonderful, caring person and a true gentleman. A world class innovator and visionary, with a goal of: “Anything is possible.” Lamar’s mission was for the Dallas Tornado to become a world famous soccer team. To show the world that soccer was played in America. In addition to show the world, that Dallas and specifically Texas, was famous for more, than the Kennedy assassination.

WST: If Bob Kap were with you today what do you think he’d say to you?

JB: Mr. Kap would say: “I’m extremely proud of the way you boys turned out in life.
I’m pleased to see that you listened to all my advice and teachings. I can tell by the good looking women in the room, that you have been successful and lucky. I knew that when I selected you, this was a group of young men that would make a difference in making the world a better place. I can see you have contributed well. Now go and get a haircut!”

WST: Did Kap really know Ferenc Puskás?

JB: They went to coaching school together in Hungary. They were very good friends. Ferenc was godfather to Mr. Kap’s daughter Sonja. Puskás helped coach us during our training camp in Spain.

WST: The tour started normally enough in Spain, Morocco and Turkey. Then it took an extraordinary twist in Greece when you missed your flight from Athens to Nicosia. The plane you were supposed to take was blown up in a terrorist attack. How did you miss it? What was the team’s feelings taking the following flight?

JB: The team members have different recollections of this event. Of what we remember is the fact that the plane that took off before our flight for Cyprus that day had a bomb on board that was placed there by a terrorist group to assassinate a Greek General, named Grivas. The plane exploded and tragically killed 66 innocent people. We learned later, that General Grivas was actually on our flight, that same day to Cyprus.

WST: In Cyprus given all that happened how could you possibly concentrate on playing soccer?

JB: It was very difficult to focus on a soccer game, knowing how close we had been to death. However, we had to move on and play the scheduled game, the next day. The game against Apollon of Limassol was played on a field which was made up by cinder surface, which made it even more difficult.

WST: The next stop was Iran. What was it like playing there?

JB: At that time in history, the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his wife Farah, ruled Persia (Iran). We played during the preparation for the “Crowning “, to make them “King of Kings”. The entire country was in a festive mood. People were happy and friendly. The team was welcomed and popular wherever we played and visited. Hard to believe that only a decade later, the American Embassy was attacked and 52 American diplomats were held hostage for 444 days. Our only complaints playing in Iran were the local referees being used for all of our games. It was impossible to win. Even if we were ahead after 90 minutes of play, the referee would not blow the final whistle, until Iran had scored to tie the game, or win the game.

WST: There was a player called Graham Stirland on the tour at that point. What happened to him?

JB: Mr. Kap decided that Graham did not live up to the quality of play that was required. Therefore he was sent back to his home country England, when we arrived in Teheran. Since Bob Kap was the only coach and manager during the entire the World Tour, his expectations on the field, as well as off the field, was very high. We were 16 young talented single players, all under 21 years of age, with one adult, Bob Kap. No team doctor, assistant coaches, trainers or anyone else.

WST: Following your game in Iran you had some matches in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India. The border crossing from Bangladesh to India was interesting to say the least. What are your recollections?

JB: At the time, Pakistan and India was at war with each other. It was very difficult to cross the borders from one country to the other, without Visas and government documentation.
While trying to cross the border it seemed that 11 of the 16 players, who did not carry a British passport, did not have the correct papers, to enter India. We were detained in a small jungle village close to the border, on the Pakistani side. A local Football Association representative was to leave the team and find us proper documentation to enter India.

As hours passed, we realized we would be stuck in this small village for the night. Luckily we found a small bamboo hut that would accommodate all 11 of us. Dirt floor, with only two beds and six chairs we would take turns resting. Small and some large bugs and creatures occupied the hut on a regular basis.

After eight hours without food and drink, we approached the local population about getting some food. Since we had no money, we were lucky to trade some soccer balls and jerseys, for what we believed to be a chicken, or some other type of bird, with feathers still attached. We also traded for some Fanta orange drinks. We were somewhat satisfied, but still concerned. After spending a sleepless night and another full day in the hut, help finally arrived with new Visas, late the second night. Boarding a small bus without seats, we took off deep into the Bengali jungle, where the famous Bengali tigers ruled, towards the India border.

We arrived 20 minutes before midnight, at a border station, which was closed for the night. Since our Visas would expire at midnight, we were desperate to get across. After bribing a couple of soldiers they cut a hole in the fence away from the border crossing station. We quietly crawled through the fence in total darkness, on our knees, with our luggage, praying that we would not get shot, or attacked by the tigers. Just wondering…what would Maradona have done at that time?

Safely back on the Indian side, we arrived at our Hotel at 6AM, exhausted, but safe. Played a game against India’s national team, the same day at 1PM, in 100 degrees F. and tied 1-1.

The Tornado lineup with their Indian opponents

WST: All of the events mentioned thus far happened within the space of two to three months which is extraordinary all things considered. At the time did the Tornado players realize how unique this tour was already?

JB: The tour lasted seven months. At the time, we did not realize how difficult and hard this trip actually was. For a long period of time, we would play three games a week. Sometimes in different countries, with only 16 players, two of those players being goalkeepers. However, we were young and loved playing soccer.

WST: Given the nature of the tour nothing was ever going to be straight forward. The Tornado had to delay its trip to Burma because of political riots in India, correct?

JB: When we arrived in Calcutta, rioting had broken out. A civil war had started, people were protesting for not getting enough food. The political coalition that ruled that area could not guarantee safe passage, to the airport for an American team. The team was locked up in a hotel for three days, before we sneaked out and went to the airport for our flight to Burma. We found many buildings, busses and cars on fire in the city.

WST: So in Burma things seemed a little smoother and you played to crowds of over 40,000. What was that like? Overall during the tour what were the crowd sizes like?

JB: The government of Burma was ruled by a military junta. Never before had an American sports team been able to visit and play in Burma. We did not know what to expect, however we were well received, the crowd appreciated the way we played and performed. We played two games in sold out stadiums, with 40,000 spectators for each game, against their strong national team.

Overall, the crowd sizes would vary from 5,000 up to 40,000 depending on country and population.

The Tornado tour Rangoon

WST: Your game in Singapore in December 1967 was, to put it mildly, tense. Would it be fair to say that the match was a battle with the odd bout of football?

JB: Beautiful Singapore turned out to be a nightmare for us. Greeted at the stadium with a hostile crowd, of Chinese communists who was screaming “Yankee Go Home “, even before the game started.

During the game we would hear chants of “Down with American Imperialists!”

It did not take long before the game got out of hand. The local referee lost total control of the game. One of their players picked up a corner flag and chased one of our players like a bayonet, sharp side out! Many of the players got into fistfights, the crowd going berserk. The referee was hiding and nowhere to be seen. The anti-American crowd started to throw bottles and small rocks. Many of us got hit in our heads, however no serious injuries.

We finally rushed to the dressing room, as the angry spectators started to invade the field. After holding out in the dressing room for several hours, we finally made it back to the Hotel under heavy police escort. Needless to say the following day’s game was cancelled.

WST: Was that match in Singapore the most hostile it ever got on the pitch?

JB: Yes, it was actually the worst. It could have turned out very bad. We were just lucky we did not get hurt bad. The crowd was totally out of control. We feared for our lives.

WST: The fact that an American team played in Vietnam during the Vietnam War in itself is quite an amazing thing to hear. What was the general experience like there? Was it true that a few of the players went sight-seeing?

JB: We all were a bit worried and concerned about visiting and playing whilst the war raged all around us. It was very clear we had entered a warzone. Soldiers were everywhere. Helicopters buzzing in the sky nonstop. We were escorted to a hotel in Saigon, by the Military Police in a bus with heavy steel plates and bullet proof windows. We were briefed at the American Embassy not to be in groups of more than four people, at the time. Discouraged to do any sightseeing trips, or go out at night by ourselves.

We played two games while in Saigon with heavy armed soldiers at the stadiums. We tied both matches against South Vietnam national youth team and their senior national team. We also took a 10-mile ride up the Saigon River in a fully armed patrol boat, to visit and kick the ball around with American soldiers in an ammunition depot camp.

We could hear bombs and grenades exploding in the not too far distance. We experienced first-hand how these young American heroes lived and fought. All of us had nothing but respect and high regards for these young men. We all considered us lucky that we left Vietnam unharmed. Just a few weeks after our visit to Saigon the Tet Offensive occurred. Again we escaped a life threatening event.

WST: After the Vietnam leg the tour seemed to return to a semblance of normality with games in Taiwan, Australia and Japan. After all the extraordinary experiences what was it like returning to just a run of the mill football tour?

JB: It was never a run of the mill football tour. Nothing was normal, but we loved every day. Every country we played in, wanted to beat us. It would be a disgrace for them to lose against an American soccer team. Long flights, late nights, early mornings, different foods and cultures, games every third day. Biased local referees, PR events, American embassy visits and sightseeing kept the hectic schedule going.

It was never time for rest, or relaxation. But…we truly enjoyed it to the fullest.

We were really living our dreams. Every day was a new adventure and a new experience.

The Dallas Tornado take to the pitch in Taiwan

WST: So the tour wrapped up in Honduras in March 1968 ending an adventure that began in August 1967. If you could sum up the tour in three words what would you choose?

JB: It’s very hard to do in three words only. Many of us had different answers; here are some examples of what the guys said:

“Let’s go again!”
“Unbelievable! Amazing! Brilliant!”
“A lifelong lesson”
“Band of Brothers”
“Living the dream”

WST: Throughout this whole tour how did Bob Kap handle everything? It must have been stressful. What did Lamar Hunt say to the Tornado upon the conclusion of this epic journey?

JB: Mr. Kap did an unbelievable job in guiding a group of young single guys, around the world all by himself without any major incidents, even though it must have been stressful at times for him. He did a fantastic job. The responsibility he must have felt, not only to win soccer games, but also to keep us safe.

At times, he was like a father: a strong disciplinarian, a teacher, a general manager, a doctor/ trainer. He was the BOSS!

Lamar Hunt who did not travel with us, but would meet up with us from time to time was extremely pleased with the way we had conducted ourselves. He had received several letters from the various embassies around the world, expressing their gratitude towards the impact of goodwill we had created in many countries.

He was very proud of us.

Even though Lamar (and all of us players) would have liked to win more games, he was still satisfied. His goals had been met. He had shown the world that soccer did indeed exist in the US. That an American team could be compatible and compete in soccer matches, all around the world. And…that guys from Texas were pretty “Good Ol’ Boys, after all.

The Amazing World Tour of the Dallas Tornado is available on Amazon.com in the United States.

The book can also be ordered in the UK, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands. Contact dallastornadobillycrosbie@gmail.com for more details.

The Dallas Tornado (from left to right): ons Stoffels, Bobby Roach, Billy Crosbie, Odd Lindberg, John Stewart, Chris Bachofner, Jan Book, Mike Renshaw and Andy Faegri

The mere mention of Dennis Viollet conjures up images of a clinical striker scoring goals for Sir Matt Busby’s Manchester United. The name of the Busby Babe is permanently etched in the Old Trafford club’s history books being the first player to score in European competition for United as well as holding the record for the most number of league goals in a single campaign, 32 in the 1959-60 season. It is a tally that has yet to be bettered.

He was the man Sir Matt Busby turned to and made captain of Manchester United after the Munich air disaster and he served the club with distinction scoring 179 goals in 293 appearances.

However Viollet’s soccer career was more than just his time as a Babe. He led Stoke City from the old Second Division to the First and most intriguingly left England for the United States to continue his soccer journey.

It’s a period of his life chronicled in “Dennis Viollet – A United Man” a documentary produced and directed by his daughter Rachel Viollet.

“I think he initially loved the enthusiasm surrounding the formation of the NASL. To be at the forefront of bringing pro soccer to America must have been very exciting! My dad loved new challenges,” she said.

Indeed Dennis was fond of America, having visited the US in the 1950s with Manchester United. “He really enjoyed the relaxed lifestyle,” revealed Rachel Viollet. So in hindsight it perhaps wasn’t surprising that the former United striker grasped the opportunity to start a new life in America.

Unfortunately for Dennis his first stint in America was somewhat of a false start. Viollet signed on in 1967 to play for the Baltimore Bays in the National Professional Soccer League but shortly afterwards the NPSL merged with the United Soccer Association to form the North American Soccer League. The instability surrounding the NPSL and the Baltimore Bays forced Viollet to return to England where he had an ill-fated tenure as manager of Crewe Alexandra.

It was a difficult period in Dennis Viollet’s life who reluctantly signed on for unemployment benefit to support his young family, an experience he found “humiliating” in the words of his wife Helen especially in the light of his illustrious playing career at Manchester United.

But Viollet had an opportunity to return to the US to coach the relaunched Baltimore Bays. There was the twin appeal of making a new start whilst being able to tend to some unfinished business.

“Yes, I think that was part of it,” Rachel admitted of her father’s desire to return to the US. “When he left America the first time, the professional game was in turmoil. He would not have returned unless he felt America was ready for a mainstream pro league. Keep in mind, his return was in a different capacity, coaching. He had gone through a lot of personal and professional changes, so a fresh beginning in America was very appealing.”

Once again Viollet endured difficulties at the Baltimore Bays but the situation became more stable when the club moved to Washington and changed their name to the Diplomats. Viollet enjoyed a number of seasons there before becoming assistant coach to Noel Cantwell, his former teammate at Manchester United, at the New England Tea Men in 1968.

Moreover and unsurprisingly given his Manchester United upbringing, Viollet looked to develop soccer at a grassroots level in America. His soccer clinics, based in Florida, allowed him to teach American youths the Jimmy Murphy-Matt Busby philosophy and that message has continued to spread.

“What’s amazing is when I see players that my father coached, who are now youth coaches themselves, passing on my dad’s philosophy. Great to see the Manchester United legacy living on in America!” Rachel exclaimed.

Despite soccer not being a mainstream sport in America during his time the former United star didn’t find it hard to garner interest in his schools. “It wasn’t that difficult for him to become established because there was a real hunger from kids to play the game,” Rachel explained. “The new pro league had created such an excitement and curiosity, but there weren’t many resources available. My dad’s soccer school provided a much needed outlet for kids to learn the game.”

And he achieved this without having or choosing to publicize his decorated playing career at Manchester United. “He wasn’t a self-promoter,” his daughter confessed. “During the 1980s when he started his soccer schools, United were not the recognizable brand they are today. Americans didn’t care as much. By the 1990’s as soccer grew in the United States, and Manchester United became more successful under Sir Alex, dad’s achievements were much more publicized.”

Indeed if anything was driving Dennis Viollet to coach it was to see the game grow and take off even at the expense of his own wallet. His wife Helen, who dealt with the finances of Viollet’s soccer clinics recalled that he wouldn’t turn away anyone looking to play.

“My dad was always helping people,” Rachel said. “He wanted soccer to grow, and he loved seeing children enjoy the game. He made sure that money was never an obstacle for a kid who wanted to play.”

No matter where he was whether holding his own clinics, coaching Jacksonville University, the Richmond Kickers or the Jacksonville Cyclones, Dennis Viollet ensured that developing American talent stayed at the heart of his philosophy.

“He was very proud of his soccer school in Jacksonville, Florida,” Rachel highlighted. “Also, the success he had with the Richmond Kickers winning the USISL and US Open Cup in 1996. A lot of those players went on to play in MLS.”

Indeed Rachel Viollet believes that her father would be extremely encouraged by the state of soccer in the United States with the progression of MLS as well as the men’s and women’s national teams. Unfortunately for Dennis he didn’t have the chance himself to coach a Major League Soccer franchise, an ambition of his.

Dennis Viollet passed away from cancer on March 6, 1999, aged 65.

Viollet’s legacy in American soccer lives on though; he was elected in the Washington DC and United States Soccer Leagues Hall of fame, the Dennis Viollet Soccer Training Center in Longwood, Florida was named in his honor whilst The Viollet Cup is contested between North Florida and Jacksonville University.

Amongst all his contributions to American soccer Rachel Viollet attests that there’s one that stands out above all else. “Without question, his ability to inspire young people to go after their dreams,” she said.

Maybe it’s fitting that Dennis Viollet’s legacy in American soccer is similar to that of his at Manchester United, understated but undeniably important. It’s a legacy that’s explored in Rachel Viollet’s documentary of her father.

Whether in Manchester or in the US, Dennis Viollet was truly “A United Man”.

Dennis Viollet – A United Man is available on DVD, Digital HD and Streaming via Amazon.com and www.dennisviolletdocumentary.com

A young boy was sitting on his own after a particularly disappointing soccer training session. Looking down at his boots, he felt physically sick believing he had let his coach down.

The coach noticed this lonely figure, made his way over and put his arm around the forlorn player seemingly attuned to the pain that was filling the youngster but didn’t say anything at first allowing the moment to speak for itself. Finally, he spoke sagely to the boy:

“If you want to achieve your dream, you have to be prepared to chase it.” The coach paused to let the words sink in. “Figure out what your dream is Jeremy and you will make it. For certain”. There was a pause again before he finally said “now let’s get Rach and go have a great meal at Applebee’s!”

Those words were delivered to Jeremy Blain by a man simply known to him as “Uncle Dennis”. The rest of the soccer world better knows “Uncle Dennis” as Dennis Viollet, one of the first of Manchester United’s celebrated Busby Babes.

The journey of Dennis Viollet is an interesting, if undertold, story of a man whose impact on the game was not just restricted to his years at Old Trafford The striker had a successful playing spell at Stoke City before embarking on a mission to coach soccer in the US.

“Dennis was soccer in the US,” Blain said. “When I stayed with the family it was soccer 24/7. Dennis wasn’t just committed to soccer he ate it, drank it, breathed it, lived it, talked it, celebrated it, cursed it (occasionally!) and loved it. It was his other family. No question. Coach Viollet to this day is mentioned with a smile and with honor – and quite rightly too. Not many people outside the US will understand just how great an impact Dennis made on the game there – as a player in ‘those’ power teams and as a coach focused on building the game from the ground up, with American talent and with an eye on the long game – not just the short term wins.” 


Indeed Viollet donned the jersey of the Baltimore Bays as well as the coaching the likes of the Washington Diplomats and the New England Tea Men.

Rachel Viollet, Dennis’ daughter, sought to tell the world about the trail her father blazed particularly his contribution to soccer in the United States producing and directing a documentary about his life: Dennis Viollet – A United Man. The production itself is a family affair with Blain teaming up with his cousin as an associate producer. Blain, who lives in Singapore, suggested the possibility of screening the documentary in Asia allowing Dennis’ story to be told to a whole new audience.

“Following the success of the other screenings around the world, it suddenly hit me to do it in Asia as an official premiere,” Blain explained. “I guess I was half joking at first – I didn’t know how Rachel would react. She was totally up for it and then, suddenly, we were ON!”

Having the idea to hold an Asian Premiere was the easy part, independently organizing a screening was another thing entirely. The first decision was ensure the screening wasn’t just a run-of-the mill affair so Blain along with fellow Associate Producer Duncan Merrin went to work on making the premiere a memorable affair.

“I soon became convinced that if we were going to do it, we needed to do it well, so we devised an evening event, featuring two films (the other being a documentary on Duncan Edward) and supporting souvenir packs, programmes, website etc. That’s when the challenges started. How to do it? Who to get to help us? Not easy,” Blain recalled. “I hit on the idea to bring sponsors on board and we ended up with three, so that took a huge cost away. Secondly I used our fantastic network out here of United fans, who were only too happy to give some of their time to help. For example Khalid Maideen in Chennai, did all our wonderful design, artwork and collateral.”

It helped that the cinema secured for the screening felt like a 50s or 60s stadium with an almost terrace like quality not to mention the fact that it was fully licensed. “Always good for footy fans,” Blain joked.

The Asian Premiere of “Dennis Viollet – A United Man” was duly held on March 17 complete with a raffle, a Q&A featuring ex-Manchester United defender Paul Parker and an auction for a jersey signed by Zlatan Ibrahimović.

But for all the fun and games, the main event was the screening of the Dennis Viollet documentary, an emotional experience Blain readily admitted.

“I spent time with the family when I was growing up and got to know my Uncle Dennis a bit. Seeing the full story on celluloid was stunning and helped me understand even more the legend that is Dennis Viollet. I was very proud to be associated with the film and to see it up there on the big screen in Singapore in front of over 150 guests was very moving,” said Blain “A couple of days prior to the official screening I was in the cinema on my own watching the film, to check the quality. It was a very special feeling and I don’t mind admitting that a tear or two was shed. Not very ‘Manchester lad’ like – but there you go! Amazing experience. The post script to this, of course, is that over half the audience were in tears also at the end of the film. Job done!”

Among those moved by the documentary was former United defender Paul Parker who wasn’t fully aware of Viollet’s achievements at United particularly the striker’s 32 goal haul in the 1959/60 league season, a feat made all the more remarkable coming one year after surviving the Munich air disaster. It was Viollet’s humble nature that really struck a chord with Parker, indeed during the Q&A session the ex-United fullback said if given the opportunity he would screen the documentary to young players in the modern professional game to help them get a sense of grounding.

“I feel Paul was moved by the man himself,” Blain observed. “Not many people will know this but Paul is an incredibly humble guy. He gave a huge amount to this event and helped us get hold of a signed Zlatan shirt and 2 tickets for a home match – this was a massive injection into the evening event that created excitement and involvement. Dennis was also a humble man and never liked to blow his own trumpet. He was a dedicated to the game during his player career and after, in the USA. Paul shares some of that.”

Parker’s admiration of Viollet was matched by the official Manchester United Supporters Club in Singapore. Few members really knew about Viollet’s legacy so the documentary was an eye-opening experience especially his achievements post-United. “The feedback I have received since from members has been overwhelmingly positive. They just couldn’t believe the contribution that Dennis made to United, Stoke and to MLS in the early days,” said Blain.

The Asia-Pacific Premiere of Dennis Viollet – A United Man was a personally satisfying event for Blain seeing his uncle’s story told to a whole new audience and plans are already afoot for more screenings around Asia with India and Malaysia being looked at as the next ports of call.

The experience organizing the Asian Premiere brought to the surface just how much of an influence “Coach Viollet” was on Blain.

“It’s funny, my leadership and coaching style in business mirrors Dennis in many ways and I hadn’t put two and two together until fairly recently. Immersing myself again in the Viollet world helped me see the influence of Uncle Dennis not just then but now.”

And that boy who felt he let down his coach took on board the words of wisdom of the former Manchester United great.

“I followed my own dreams and – voila – one successful Asia Pacific Premiere, in the bag! Thanks for the advice Uncle Dennis.”

Dennis Viollet – A United Man is available on DVD, Digital HD and Streaming via Amazon.com and www.dennisviolletdocumentary.com

Mental health is an issue that soccer has an uneasy relationship with. Despite all the advancements in the game from physical conditioning, boot design and treatment of injuries the topic of mental health still draws uncomfortable breaths from players and coaches alike. Mental health is still an area that is considered taboo in football circles although there are ongoing efforts to lift the stigma attached it.

World Soccer Talk discussed the topic of soccer and mental health with Dr. Vincent Gouttebarge, Chief Medical Officer of the World Players’ Union FIFpro.

Here are his thoughts:

World Soccer Talk: You played professional football but then transitioned to sports science and health. What was that journey like? What convinced you to set on this path?

Dr. Vincent Gouttebarge: When I was 14-15 years old and when professional clubs wanted to have me in their youth academy, my parents told me that a proper education was also important as the chance to become a professional footballer is not big and as a professional career can ended suddenly after an injury for instance. Consequently, I was always driven to combine studying and playing professional football. During the last five years of my career, I was doing my PhD in the morning, starting at 6.15am up to 12.30pm…then going to the club for the afternoon training session!

WST: How did you find the approach to mental health in your playing days? Was it a topic that clubs, management or players knew how to approach let alone discuss?

VG: During my career, mental health was not an important issue….metal skills were important to perform optimally. Through my career, I saw that mental trainers were included to the staff in order to achieve better performances, or we had several sessions with a mental coach. Things have been changing but the only aspect important for a club is performances. From my position as Chief Medical Officer of FIFPro, I’m looking at the long term mental health of players, both during and after their career.

WST: The late Andreas Biermann, formerly of St. Pauli, once said “if any footballers out there are suffering from depression I’ll advise them to keep it for themselves”. It seems inconceivable that football hasn’t made any worthwhile strides to help players with depression or anxiety. Is that view too naïve? 

VG: We know that mental health problems are kind of taboo in professional sports such as in football. We need to change it and I’m sure that it is a question of time. Some high profile players start to speak about their mental struggle and this is a way to break the barrier.

WST: Are clubs and associations better equipped to help players who are suffering from mental health issues? Are coaches or teammates taught to look out for telltale signs?

VG: As long as mental health remains a taboo to talk about, then it remains difficult to recognize symptoms and signs. Once all actors within professional football are properly educated about the potential mental health problems that might occur during a football career, then it will be easier to recognize it.

WST: Equally do you find that players are more ready to speak about their battles with depression and/or anxiety?

VG: Things are changing in professional sports, in football also. Some high profile players start to speak about their mental struggle and this is a way to break the barrier.

WST: As the CMO of FIFpro what are the most common questions you get from clubs and players regarding mental health and what do you advise them to do?

VG: I always emphasize that mental health problems can occur as much as physical health problems….and that it is important to recognize it, to speak about it with the proper person, and to seek the proper support.

WST: In general does the nature of professional sport, i.e. the need to win and avoid failure, discourage players or coaches from speaking out about problems they could be suffering from?

VG: Professional football (as other sports) is a kind a macho environment, and consequently, it might not be favorable to feel free to speak about it.

WST: How much does injury play a part in the mental health of a footballer? Do you find that the more injuries a player suffers the more susceptible they become?

VG: Severe injuries lead to a long period of time without training or competition. Those are huge stressors for players and these injured players have to cope properly with it. It is not easy, especially when other stressors in social context might combine with an injury. Mental health problems are multifactorial: it is often the combination of stressors (football specific or outside football) that leads to mental health problems.

WST: How about finances too? There are cases, unfortunately, where player wages have been withheld by poorly run clubs. That kind of mental strain must take its toll.

VG: Yes it is also considered as a potential stressor for the mental health of the players.

WST: How much of a factor does retirement play? How common is the struggle for former footballers to make the transition from player to ex-player?

VG: Transitioning out of football is not easy and remain difficult for many players. We know from scientific studies that players forced to retire (because of an injury or no contract) are more likely to report mental health problems than those who choose to retired.

WST: Have you noticed any noticeable difference between the men’s and women’s game with respect to mental health issues?

VG: We do not have a lot of information about that but it seems that both male and female players are likely to report mental health problems.

WST: At which level of football do you think need to make the most advances with respect to mental health? The elite may have good infrastructure but what about more modest clubs and organizations?

VG: At all professional levels: money does not make anyone immune to mental health problems. Mental health problems might occur at all professional levels but the stressors that play a role in the occurrence of mental health problems might differ from the elite to the lower professional leagues.

WST: How have you found the approach of governing bodies, such as FIFA, towards the issue of mental health? Are enough studies being done and solutions being found?

VG: FIFPro was the first organization in 2013 to look to mental health in large groups of players. Since then, FIFA has started few projects on that so it can have only some positive and added value for professional football.

WST: Do you find that certain nations and associations treat the issue of mental health more seriously than other?

VG: In some countries, mental health in the community and in professional sports has a lot of attention, for instance in the UK.

WST: Are clubs making talent aware of professional opportunities beyond football or better yet helping them to prepare? Do such programs help give peace of mind as they show people involved in football that there’s more from a career point of view beyond playing and coaching?

VG: I believe that clubs but also agents (not working for a players’ union) should emphasize more and more that education and career planning are very important to prevent mental health problems on the long term but also to achieve better performances.

WST: How do you find the media’s approach to the subject of mental health? The tragic deaths of Robert Enke and Gary Speed were rightly covered extensively but beyond high-profile tragedies is there enough focus from the media about mental health?

VG: Media remains media: they want to capture some sensational stories and are very keen to publish about the mental struggle of any player.

WST: FIFpro conducted its own study and found that 38% of the 826 players surveyed admitted that they suffered from mental health problems. What was like carrying out this study? How difficult was it to organize and for players to open up and do you fear that the percentage is a conservative number?

VG: In 2013, we first conducted a pilot-study in 6 countries (Australia, New Zealand, USA, Scotland, Ireland, and The Netherlands) in order to get an insight about the mental health problems among current and former players but also in order to estimate whether a larger study would be feasible. As this pilot-study was well received by players’ unions and their members, we decided to launch a larger studies across 11 countries on three continents. It was logistically challenging of course but thanks to the support of all, it has been a very successful study…for the football family but also from a scientific point of view!

WST: It’s important to stress that mental health issues are not confined to football other sports have to deal with it too. What have you discovered from your contemporaries in different sports?

VG: I have been initiating similar studies across many other professional sports such as ice hockey, handball, cricket, rugby or even in professional football referees. Mental health problems occur also in all other professional sports.

WST: This is a very general question but what are the primary solutions for football to help tackle mental health issues?

VG: For any health issue, we always want to work on prevention. In order to prevent mental health issues, we first need to make it easier to talk about and to recognize it properly and in early stage. Education of players and staff about it is an important prerequisite.

WST: Finally, for any player or coach at any level (or their friends and family) suffering from mental illness what are the first steps they need to make?

VG: Talk about it to someone you know and trust…this is a big step but a necessary one!

You can follow Dr. Vincent Gouttebarge on Twitter @VGouttebarge

Louis van Gaal’s tenure at Old Trafford ended with a trophy, the FA Cup no less, but you’d be hard pressed to find a Manchester United fan labeling the Dutchman’s two seasons at the club a success.

Sandwiched in between the dreaded ‘P’s ‘philosophy’ and ‘process’ was a serving of sterile, unambitious football that found no favor with the United faithful. Factor in an expensive squad restructure, €190.77m net spend over Van Gaal’s reign, that produced precious little and it’s easy to see why the Iron Tulip’s time was cut short.

One can only speculate whether United would have honored his contract had he steered the club into a Champions League position.

However, his efforts at United have been consigned to history and despite his less than stellar time in Manchester, Van Gaal can still boast a glittering, trophy laden resume. After an eventful career, he can enjoy retirement in his Portuguese villa, unless of course the right position comes up for the 64-year old.

“He’s thrilled about the level of the Belgium national team,” said Cees Wijburg, a friend of Van Gaal. Speaking to Andy Mitten on the United We Stand podcast.

Louis van Gaal as the head coach of Belgium, it’s an intriguing proposition. For all his perceived failings at United, the Dutchman’s second stint as the boss of the Netherlands was an unexpected success as he guided his troops to third place in the 2014 World Cup.

Going into the World Cup, the Dutch squad selected by Van Gaal was seen to be one of the poorest, quality-wise, in recent memory. Despite the limitations, he led his national side to the semi-finals, dismantling the defending champions Spain on the way.

One can argue mitigating circumstances such as a relatively kind run in the knockout phase but that should not detract from the fact that the Netherlands emerged from a group containing Spain (then World Cup holders), Chile (current Copa America champions) and Australia (current Asian champions). His tactical tweaks against Mexico played a big part in the Dutch turning around a one-goal deficit in the last vestiges of their round of 16 tie when all seemed lost.

Moreover, he was willing to switch from a 4-3-3 to a 3-5-2 after cruelly losing Kevin Strootman to a serious injury just before the World Cup in Brazil. It was a significant gamble because if his tactical gambit failed, he would have been accused of unnecessarily ripping up the team shape for no discernible reason.

It is a fine line that separates success and failure. His tactical flutters at Old Trafford were at best hit or miss, but for the Dutch at the World Cup he made the right choices more often than not.

The Netherlands’ subsequent struggles after Van Gaal left revealed how important he was to the Dutch set-up.

So it begs the question, should Louis van Gaal coach the national team of Belgium? From the Red Devils to the Red Devils.

Van Gaal certainly has the experience, personality, confidence (in spades) and know-how to make the job a success. He won’t have to worry about the day-to-day strain that is part and parcel of the club game. At the age of 64 the position, if offered, would be a tempting opportunity and surely a whole lot more interesting than singing Paul McCartney’s ode to aging.

From a Belgian point of view, they are desperately crying out for someone who is tactically savvy. Another disappointing international campaign finally put paid to the stewardship of Marc Wilmots and if Thibaut Courtois’ comments are anything to go by the former will not be missed.

“This was an opportunity we may not get again. I gave him my opinion in the dressing room. He has to make his own decision,” raged the Chelsea goalkeeper shortly after Belgium were dumped out of Euro 2016 by Wales.

“I pointed the finger where it had to be put after the game. We have to remain intelligent. We’re young and we’re going to still spend a lot of time together. But it’s a disappointment because we had a golden chance to go to the final,” he detailed to Belgian outlet Rtbf.

Courtois is now working under the watchful gaze of Antonio Conte, the coach whom outsmarted Wilmots when Italy face Belgium in Euro 2016. The Belgian number 1 would be forgiven for wondering how his national side would have fared had they been coached by Conte.

Rumors of a lack of cohesive tactical plans and general disharmony swirled around the Belgium camp, charges that were given further credence when the Red Devils failed to produce the goods on the pitch. Wilmots was simply ill-equipped to provide the leadership that his country needed.

Louis van Gaal may not be everyone’s cup of tea but he’s certainly an upgrade over Wilmots and crucially the Dutchman knows what he’s talking about when it comes to tactics and preparation.

Van Gaal presented a fascinating lecture about his management style and it’s hard to think of Wilmots ever putting together something as detailed and comprehensive.

From the outside looking in, it’s easy to posit that Van Gaal and the Belgium national team could be quite a good fit.

From the players’ point of view, they will be overseen by a proven winner who is regarded as sharp tactician. Most importantly, they will only have to deal with the Dutchman in short bursts therefore they can be tactically drilled without the fear of things becoming overly routine.

With respect to Van Gaal, he’d still be involved in the game without the hassle of dealing with the day-to-day cycle of the club game. He’ll also have the opportunity to work arguably the most gifted set of players in world football.

On the face of it, Van Gaal for Belgium seems the obvious choice. The president of the Belgian FA Francois De Keersemacker was more than happy to invite the Dutchman to apply for the position. 

“Van Gaal might be a potential candidate. We will see if he puts himself forward as a candidate. If he does then we will evaluate his candidacy,” De Keersemacker said.

Handily, the Belgian FA put up an ad for the role on their website should LVG want to check before emailing in his CV.

Van Gaal so nearly took over the reins Belgium in 2007. His friend Cees Wijburg revealed “he loves the Belgium team and I can tell you that in 2007 I arranged a meeting with the top of the Belgian FA to get him to Belgium because he wanted to go to Belgium but the day after he was asked by Bayern Munich so the choice was made.”  

It wasn’t meant to be in 2007, but 2016 could present a new opportunity for Louis van Gaal to finally coach the Belgian national side.

With Van Gaal, anything is possible and whilst he’s been successful more often than not, there have been notable failures too. He’s more than capable of spectacularly falling out with players and figureheads but he possesses the tools and the pedigree to extract more from Belgium’s so-called “Golden Generation” than the departed Wilmots.

One gets the feeling that the Iron Tulip is not quite finished with soccer just yet. Don’t bet against the Dutchman going for one last hurrah.

In a sense, the Van Gaal and the Belgium national team seem made for each other. A pair with bruised egos looking to put right past setbacks. The ingredients are there for them to harness their hurt and channel their energies to creating something potentially special.

So Louis van Gaal from the Red Devils to the Red Devils? To quote the Dutchman, it could be something to get “horny” about.  

Spanish club Recreativo de Huelva is in a race against time to avoid extinction. Recre requires 2 million euros by June 30 in order to survive.

Here’s our interview with a member of the Recreativo de Huelva’s Supporters Trust:

Can you let me know me your role/title in the efforts to save Recreativo de Huelva?
Narciso Rojas – I am, Narciso Rojas, member of the Recreativo Supporters Trust. I am member of the Trust´s board.

For fans who may not be too aware of Recre’s history can you give us a brief account?
NR – It was founded in 1889 by [the] British who lived here due to the mining business of Rio Tinto and Tharsis Companies. [It] is Spain´s oldest football club, and kept as amateur club until the founder, William Alexander Mackay, ended his presidency in 1920 or so. We have played in the top tier of La Liga several seasons, and players as Santi Cazorla, Valencia (now in Man United) and Almunia… played in our club.

How did the situation become so perilous? Was it the result of bad choices by the ownership? How close is Recreativo from folding?
NR – The bad administration of the club, and maybe, some economic crimes by the owners made the club has a €20 million debt, and needs €2 million to inscribe the first team in the third tier competition, where we were relegated.

What is the relationship between fan groups and the owners? Any movement towards finding new owners? How have the players coped with the uncertainty?
NR – The relationship could be called, WAR. The only movement comes from the Recreativo Supporters Trust to make the people own the club. The rest, if it exists is secret, or nothing. Players have been playing the whole season without their salary.

What initiatives have been set-up to help the club survive? Are you positive about the future of Recre?
NR – We started a “salvation” campaign, [now] we have a crowdfunding [set-up] (in english too), and made lots of things in the city and the county of Huelva to get the money we need from the fans, the local companies, parties, etc etc…

Why is it so important to save Recre and what can fans from around the world do to help?
NR – Recre [represents] a whole country’s heritage. Football started in Spain with Recre, and the best way to save it is by make the club become a fan owned one. If you want to help just join the campaign by [donating] to the crowdfunding site, and spread it through social network. The web is liberosdeldecano.com

Apart from the Supporters Trust and fans, who else has rallied around Recreativo’s cause? I saw on the website that Raul agreed to provide a signed shirt to help raise funds.
NR – Raul, Iker Casillas, Santi Cazorla, even clubs as Real Madrid, Betis Sevilla… Everybody in Spanish football. The club is the origin.

Can you tell us a little more about the ‘Recre Sweepers’ and ‘Captains’ initiative? If someone decides to become a sweeper will they become part owner and help shape the future of the club? What about the ‘Captains’?
NR – Both will be in a group of people (fans) that will become Recre Creditors, and in the future (beginning of the season) [the club will] change the debt for shares. The shares will be managed by all in a democratic way. We will build up the informational tools to make everybody participate in the ballots and votes. The difference between Sweepers and Captains is the amount of money, the more you give, the more time you can participate in the club democracy

If the worst case scenario does happen what will fans do next? Will there be an attempt to restart the club?
NR – We do not think about this, we want our club, the old Recre to keep going on.

When you successfully raise the funds what’s the next step? What more needs to be done?
NR – The club needs to change. The Trust has an [idea] to change everything and make the club a Community (global and local) tool. We have to start to solve the economics troubles, little by little, and make Recre something sustainable.

Personally, what will it mean to you and fans if Recre is saved?
NR – It is so important to us just go to attend the matches of our club in the stadium, that only this is enough. It is true that if we get the target, the club will have the people inside again, and this is something that will give it health.

If you would like to learn more about Recreativo de Huelva or donate to the campaign to help keep the club playing, visit the crowdfunding website HERE or on their twitter page @liberosdecano.

You can find Narciso Rojas on Twitter @narciso_rojas.

The eyes of the soccer world, quite rightly, are tuned to a pair of rather big international tournaments, Euro 2016 and Copa Centenario. However by the time both competitions end, Spain could see it’s oldest club disappear from existence.

Recreativo de Huelva requires 2 million euros by June 30 in order to survive.

It was only 10 years ago when El Decano humbled the Galacticos of Real Madrid at the Bernabéu. The Andalusian team walked away with a famous 3-0 win against a Real side containing Ronaldo, Fabio Cannavaro, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Raúl and David Beckham. It was a fitting tribute to four Recreativo fans who lost their lives in a bus crash on their way to the game.

The club’s origin can be traced back to 1878 where football, tennis and cricket were brought to Río Tinto by a group of Englishmen and Scots who moved to Huelva to work for mining companies.

Scottish doctors William Alexander Mackay and Robert Russell Ross initially formed the club in order to provide the workers in the mines the opportunity to exercise. Huelva Recreation Club was born on the 18th of December 1889 when the first official board meeting took place with the founding charter signed a few days later on the 23rd.

Success though has been fleeting. The closest Recreativo de Huelva has come to major silverware was when they lost out to RCD Mallorca in the 2003 Copa del Rey final. Indeed they have only spent five seasons in Spain’s top division.

The club has seen some famous players grace its pitch ranging from Luis Aragonés to Antonio Valencia to Martin Cáceres to Santi Cazorla. The Arsenal player played for Recreativo in their famous win against Real.

Right now though the club is facing its greatest battle. According to http://liberosdeldecano.com, the website set-up to save the club; Recreativo must pay off the debt to the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the players via the Association of Spanish Footballers and to prepare for the next season. The amounts are €750,000, €1,000,000 and €250,000 respectively.

If the club cannot raise the funds by the 30th of June they will be relegated to the fourth tier of Spanish football and will be doomed to dissolution.

According to former Liverpool and current Recreativo midfielder Antonio Nuñez the situation isn’t pretty.

“We owe around 20m euros, mostly in taxes,” he confided to Azi Farni of the BBC in March. “Two years ago the tax office blocked all the money coming into the club. That’s why we are not receiving our wages and that’s why we can’t sign any new players. We currently have just 14 players in the first team and we are playing with our kids from the second team.”

“The situation is really difficult for all the employees of the club, because we haven’t been paid for eight months. These are people with families, who need to pay their rent. We are just fighting trying to save the team,” Nuñez said.

Despite the difficulties there is a spirit of defiance. Tickets for the home match against Granada B in the season just gone were sold at just €1 a piece and were snapped up by fans across Spain. The Nuevo Colombino stadium was filled to its 21,000 capacity and the home side managed to win the game with a Ruben Mesa strike.

Coach Alejandro Ceballos hailed the result as an example of the fighting spirit of Recre but if they are to survive then they’ll need more than a victory on the pitch.

“This club can’t die. We are already in Segunda B, which is already bad in a sporting sense but mainly bad in an economic sense. If this club falls down another division again, it would be an inferno,” admitted Ceballos.

This is a club at war with itself too as fans have voiced their ire at the owners. There have been protests and demands that the club is sold to new investors. The president’s box at the Nuevo Colombino stadium generally is empty on match days. Indeed it’s a sad state of affairs at the oldest football club in Spain.

There is still a glimmer of hope but it does demand the generosity of fans from all over the world to help Recreativo survive. The Recre Supporters Trust is encouraging fans from all over to become “Recre Sweepers”.

The liberosdeldecano website elaborates: “A Sweeper is the last man on the team. He plays with freedom, protecting the defensive line and starting or joining to the attack if necessary. The supporters have to play the most difficult game in the history of Recreativo de Huelva, we have to get dressed with our colors and jump into the field to achieve victory. Be a hero attacking and become a “Recre Sweeper”.

There’s an opportunity to help save Recreativo de Huelva by donating to the Sweeper scheme. With that donation there’s the chance to shape the future of the club voting on major decisions that could change the future of El Decano, Spanish football’s oldest team, for the better.

Don’t expect to see any monetary return from this scheme. This is a club that’s desperate for help.

For more information you can find details here at liberosdeldecano.com

At the end of each EuroCopa podcast the hosts invariably sign off with “enjoy your football”. Enjoy the Euros and the Copa Centenario and if you choose to become a “Recre Sweeper” you could help keep alive a Spanish institution and help fellow fans enjoy their football too.

“I’m going to wait until the summer time and make a decision in the summer time,” David Moyes recently told Sky Sports. The former Preston North End, Everton, Manchester United and Real Sociedad manager was addressing the issue of the impending opening at Celtic.

Moyes noted that there are a lot of teams that will “interest” him. Come the end of the season, he could have his pick of Aston Villa, Celtic and his old club Everton.

After his stints at Manchester United and Real Sociedad ended in less than glorious circumstances, it’s only natural that Moyes studies any potential opportunity meticulously before making a decision.

Perhaps ‘meticulous’ is the wrong word to describe Moyes. ‘Cautious’ may be more appropriate given his approach to managing soccer clubs. Whether it was in the transfer market or on the pitch, the Scot was never one to take a flutter and only did gamble when backed into a corner.

In recent weeks, stories have emerged about Moyes’ interest in managing Aston Villa, his keenness in taking over at Celtic and his desire to return to Goodison should the Merseyside club dispense of Roberto Martínez’s services.

Of the three, the safe option would naturally be Everton. On the surface, it seems like an ideal fit; Moyes spent 10 full seasons at Goodison, got them as close as they ever have been to the Champions League during the early years of his reign and effectively established the club as a top 10 outfit.

The negatives were his trophyless haul and his poor record against cross-town rivals Liverpool. Moyes only won three of the 22 Merseyside derbies in the Premier League, whilst he saw his side defeated 12 times. He never managed to mastermind a win against Liverpool at Anfield.

However, should Moyes think more carefully before deciding on a return to Goodison? From a transfer point of view, the purse strings may be loosened with the arrival of Farhad Moshiri as majority shareholder. But across Stanley Park, Liverpool are undergoing their own uplifting face lift under Jürgen Klopp. If Moyes is thinking about a second coming then he’ll immediately have the Merseyside derby albatross over his head.

More than anything, it feels like his story at Everton is done. He may bring stability back to Goodison, could recruit bigger name players and maybe even target a cup but if his return merely ushers in a history repeating cycle, then is it really worth it?

Moyes was lauded for his loyalty to Everton and that his longevity was a key reason for his ascendancy to the throne at Old Trafford. However what is the flip side of the argument? Did he stay too long and entrenched himself in a certain footballing mindset thus setting himself up for inevitable failure? Hindsight is 20/20 but the Scot lost out on an opportunity to expand his footballing horizons by not opting to move clubs and experiencing different expectations. By the time United came calling, he was too set in his ways.

SEE MORE: Watch Celtic and other Scottish Premiership games on FOX Soccer 2GO

So if Goodison is off the books, he could look at the fallen Birmingham giants, Aston Villa. If any club needs an injection of optimism, it is Villa and appointing Moyes is one way for the hierarchy there to show they mean business.

As with the Everton job, Moyes was reported to be interested at the vacancy at the Villa. The club, to put it mildly, is a complete and utter shambles, and the Scot is the kind of character the Villans need to straighten things out and put them on firmer footing.

The key question is ‘can he trust the powers that be at Villa?’ Rémi Garde effectively was on a hiding to nothing when he joined Villa and was undermined by the top brass when no signings came in during the January window. It’s not quite Manchester United but the retooling at Aston Villa will be significant. He will need to shift the under performers, recruit the right players capable of mounting a promotion challenge in the Championship and, if successful, strengthen for the Premier League the following season. Easier said than done.

Moyes, for all his recent failures, is a manager of some stature. Surely he can aim higher, with all due respect to Aston Villa.

Then there’s Celtic. The Glasgow giants will be looking for a new boss with Ronny Deila leaving Celtic this summer after an underwhelming stint in Scotland. Moyes has a connection with the club winning the title with them in 1982, and the opportunity to land the trophy as a manager too must be an attractive proposition.

On the face of it, joining Celtic would seem counter intuitive. The level of competition in the Scottish top flight is not high, the wage packet in all likelihood won’t be as large as what Everton (or even Villa) could offer, and if the club fails to make it into the Champions League group stages, then the season is practically over before it starts.

Yet, the Celtic job offers a unique challenge that Moyes has never really quite experienced, even when he was manager of Manchester United. The Scot hasn’t ever had to handle the tag of managing the ‘favorites’.

Even with cross-town rivals Rangers returning to the top flight next season after a four year absence, and the improvement of Aberdeen, Celtic will start the next campaign as favorites for the Scottish Premiership title.

SEE MORE: David Moyes is tailor-made for MLS and would be a great fit for US Soccer

With that expectation comes its own pressure. Moyes will find that the onus would be on him and his side to break down the opposition therefore taking him out of his comfort zone, the natural inclination towards caution. He will need his team to take the game to his opponents in each and every domestic competition and win handsomely.

It’s not presumptuous to assume that should he take over the reins at Celtic, Moyes will finally win a top-flight competitive title and in doing so end his long trophy drought. It may ‘only’ be the Scottish Premiership but the experience of winning a title is something that cannot be underestimated.

The one challenge that Celtic can offer Moyes over other clubs is the opportunity of Champions League football. Deila failed to lead the Glasgow giants into the group stages but if Moyes can succeed where the Norwegian faltered, then he’ll be rewarded with the mouth-watering prospect of experiencing Champions League nights at Celtic Park.

A spell at Celtic can give Moyes a different type of soccer education that the other clubs just cannot offer. On the surface, it may look like the ‘easy’ option but that doesn’t make the experience any less valid. If anything, a successful period in Scotland will add a string, long missing, on Moyes’ bow.

The Celtic squad will need reshaping. He will have to work within a limited transfer budget, and will demand full managerial control but this is a club steeped in history and the thought of adding more trophies whilst returning them to the Champions League group stages must be an appealing one for Moyes.

When the Scot finally makes a decision, it won’t be on a whim. He’ll study each and every offer forensically and to the minutest detail. Jobs at an English club may be more enticing but a spell at the Scottish giants may be just the thing David Moyes needs at this stage of his career.

Soccer dynasties aren’t uncommon in France. Since the French league turned professional in 1932 Saint-Étienne, Marseille, Olympique Lyonnais and most recently Paris Saint-Germain have had the honor of ruling the roost for a significant period of time.

Saint-Étienne were the first club to stamp their authority, winning the league four times in a row starting in the 1966-67 season and then claiming a hat trick of titles by finishing first in ’73-74, ’74-75 and ’75-76.

Marseille were the next team to assert their dominance, winning four titles on the trot beginning in the 1988-89 season. It could have been an even greater streak had l’OM not been caught up in a match-fixing scandal that rocked French football.

Olympique Lyonnais then took up the baton, winning an incredible seven Ligue 1 crowns from 2001-02 to 2007-08. The finances of Les Gones during that period was greater than any of their rivals, and an incredible names like Juninho Pernambucano, Karim Benzema, Grégory Coupet and Michael Essien where among the team’s illustrious stars.

Now it’s Paris Saint-Germain’s turn to sit on top of the perch. The Parisian club, formed in 1970, have won the past three Ligue 1 titles and completed the domestic treble last season. But their dominance feels different. There’s a dangerous sense of permanence to PSG’s current dynasty.

SEE MORE: PSG threaten M.I.A. over use of jersey in video.

A cursory look at the Ligue 1 table tells its own story. Laurent Blanc’s side has won 18 games, drawn three and hasn’t tasted defeat once. They sit on 57 points, a full 21 points ahead of nearest rivals, Monaco. They have scored 51 goals and conceded just nine. The next best attacking side in Ligue 1 is Nice, who’ve netted 35 times, whilst surprise package Angers possess the second meanest defense, giving up just 13 goals.

Such is the dominance of PSG that the real stories this season in France’s top flight are the rise of Angers, promoted from Ligue 2 last season, the renaissance of Hatem Ben Arfa and the struggles of Olympique Lyonnais. There’s the possibility that next season could see a female head coach in Corinne Diacre pitting her wits in Ligue 1, should Clermont Foot gain promotion this season.

Paris Saint-Germain could go the entire league season unbeaten, win another domestic treble and still have those achievements met with a Gallic shrug. And so it should for a side whose transfer budget dwarfs their rivals by a ridiculous degree.

Just last summer PSG had a net spend of €98.7 million. In fact the total net spend of PSG since it was completely taken over by Qatar Sports Investments in 2012 comes to €400.6 million.

Compare PSG’s summer spend to that of last season’s runner-up, Olympique Lyonnais. Les Gones made a net profit of €3.4 million in the summer and have just sold striker Claudio Beauvue in the January window for €5 million, boosting the total to €8.4 million. Marseille made even more, turning a profit of €35.3 million whilst Monaco made a whopping €83.9 million selling key defender Layvin Kurzawa to PSG in the process.

The so-called pretenders cannot hope to cope with PSG’s financial muscle unless one of them lucks out and is taken over by super-rich owner or investment group.

In fairness it’s not the fault of Paris Saint-Germain that their competitors have differing goals and outlooks.

Monaco’s brush with big spending came to a crashing halt after their owner, Dmitry Rybolovlev, had to focus his attentions on a long running divorce case. Even with that settled, Monaco haven’t gone back to their bank breaking habits.

Lyon had to keep their belts tight in order to finance the construction of their newly opened stadium, the Stade des Lumières. This circumstance made Les Gones turn to their youth academy to supply players for the first team.

SEE MORE: PSG could reach UCL semis, might sell in January, says Blanc.

It would also be churlish to say that Ligue 1’s profile hasn’t been raised because of Paris Saint-Germain. With the club bringing in the likes of Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani, Ángel Di María and, of course, Zlatan Ibrahimović, PSG have managed to add stardust to a league that otherwise would be unable to attract top talent.

However, the others can’t catch up. That’s to PSG’s detriment too. If the Parisian club are looking to make inroads in Europe and become one of the continent’s elite they need the competition to be tougher. It’s in their interest for Ligue 1 to become more competitive.

From a general point of view, French sides need to up their performance in Europe. This season, Lyon crashed out of the Champions League, Monaco couldn’t even reach the group stages of the competition and have been knocked out of the Europa League. PSG are joined by only Saint-Étienne and Marseille in flying the flag for France, and the latter two are in Europe’s secondary cup competition. If Ligue 1 slips further down the slippery coefficient slope, it will lose crucial Champions League spots to other leagues. The knock-on effect being that playing in Ligue 1 would be a less attractive prospect for ambitious players.

There could be some limited respite. Come the start of the 2016 season, a new television deal will kick-in lasting till 2020. Canal+ and beIN Sport bought the rights to televise Ligue 1 games for a record sum of €726.5 million, a full €119.5 more than the current deal. The new deal is worth more than the rights for the Bundesliga and on par with La Liga. That coupled with teams such as Lyon, Lille, Bordeaux and Nice playing in new stadiums means new commercial opportunities potentially available to exploit. If Euro 2016 is a success, that could be a catalyst to increase interest in Ligue 1 domestically, and perhaps internationally.

However, the new television deal, stadiums, the warm afterglow of a successful Euro 2016 are only nominal solutions. PSG struck the jackpot when they were taken over by Qatar Sports Investments, who took the club into the next stratosphere. However, Ligue 1 was ill-prepared for such a vast injection of financial muscle, with the other clubs and the organization itself unable to react quickly to the ever-growing behemoth that is Paris Saint-Germain.

Unless the league and clubs can somehow manage to boost revenues, Ligue 1 could be in danger of becoming as uncompetitive as the Scottish Premiership, with PSG hoovering up the best talent and leaving the rest with the dual problem of fighting for scraps while trying to retain their current stars.

Last season’s title race looks to be an outlier, and it will take something special from another team or a spectacular collapse from the Parisians to change the Ligue 1 landscape. PSG’s dominance is damaging Ligue 1, however, the solution to making the league more competitive remains elusive.

The Bundesliga title race isn’t exactly setting pulses racing, but there are still plenty of talking points. Pep Guardiola is leaving for pastures new at the end of the season, and the Munich giants have acted swiftly in securing Carlo Ancelotti as his replacement. There’s Borussia Dortmund under the stewardship of Thomas Tuchel, whose team has scored more goals than any other side in the Bundesliga.

Then there is the most remarkable story of them all, the tale of Borussia Mönchengladbach and their phoenix like revival inspired by a reluctant hero, Andre Schubert.

“I don’t need to be a coach in the Bundesliga or Bundesliga 2 to be happy with my life,” were his words when he was initially appointed as head coach of Borussia Mönchengladbach on a caretaker basis. Mönchengladbach had lost their opening five Bundesliga matches of the season leading, to the resignation of Lucien Favre. Favre had guided the Foals to a Champions League position the previous season and was expected to take the clubs to further heights. However things this season didn’t quite go to plan for the Swiss.

MORE BUNDESLIGA: Ancelotti to replace Guardiola at the end of the season.

Möenchengladbach were anchored to the bottom of the Bundesliga table when Favre left in September. Enter Schubert, the club’s under-23 coach, whose previous managerial stints at FC St. Pauli and Paderborn provided little to suggest that he was the man to turn things around. Then came eight wins in 10 matches, including a 3-1 victory over league leaders Bayern Munich and saw Gladbach race up the table into third. Their run came to a spectacular end when The Foals were thumped 5-0 by Bayer Leverkusen last weekend, but normal service resumed when they beat Darmstadt on Sunday. Glabbach currently sit fourth in the Bundesliga.

This run wasn’t built on a mean defense but on a free scoring attack. Mönchengladbach scored two goals or more in all but two matches in that run, doing so by playing fast, enterprising, dynamic soccer.

Schubert’s genius was not to overhaul the team tactically but to make several minor adjustments to get the team functioning again. Speaking to Bundesliga.com, Schubert revealed:

“We knew we needed to play more aggressively – that was the first point. The second thing was our transitional play after winning the ball back. The players’ quality means they can recognize if there’s a good chance of being able to score, and we organized training so that they’d have to play in a really enclosed space, so you need to be very good on the ball. The third thing we did was work with them psychologically, using video analysis.”

Under Schubert, Gladbach are more direct, play with more tempo and pressing higher up the pitch. The style of play leaves them exposed at the back, with the team conceding 18 league goals in the 12 games. But the attitude is if the opponents get one Möenchengladbach will score two. It’s a style which has found favor with the players ,with the likes of Raffael, the hard-working Lars Stindl, Fabian Johnson and Granit Xhaka responding to his methods.

MORE BUNDESLIGA: Bayern move eight points clear of Dortmund.

Seven league games after Schubert was appointed caretaker, Gladbach took the plunge and gave the former defender a permanent deal. Sporting director Max Eberl noted, “we know that our team is in good hands. We therefore decided to give him a new contract. Not bad for a man who was initially brought in just to steady the ship.

Going into the winter break, Bayern Munich may be top of the tree, but the resurrection of Borussia Mönchengladbach is the real story.

Adrian Doherty, the forgotten fledgling. A player from Strabane, County Tyrone in Northern Ireland who was seen as the genuine heir apparent to the legendary George Best.

However Doherty’s story is a sad one. A tale of just how cruel football can be.

READ MORE: Chris Smalling’s transformation from stooge to defensive stalwart has been astounding

Doherty played in the same youth team as Ryan Giggs at Manchester United and was considered on par if not better than the Welshman.

He was so gifted Sir Alex Ferguson included him in his squad at the age of 16 in March 1990.

“Imagine a bit of Andrei Kanchelskis and a bit of Cristiano Ronaldo, then put it all together; Doherty had everything.” That was the opinion of Tony Park, the co-author of Sons of United, who has followed the Manchester United Youth Academy since the 1970s.

Park rated Doherty as one of only four players who were absolute certainties to graduate from the youth set-up to the first team. The other three were Norman Whiteside, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.

There’s always a danger of mythologizing unfulfilled talents but those who knew or were aware of him were convinced that Doherty was the real deal.

Brendan Rodgers was a friend of Doherty and the pair played for United at schoolboy level. The former Liverpool manager was certain that young man from Strabane was a football genius.

“Speak to Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, the Nevilles, they will all tell you he was the best player they ever played with at that level,” said Rodgers.

Doherty came to prominence in 1987 playing for Moorfield’s Boys Club in Derry in an under-14s match when he was spotted by football scout Matt Bradley.

“He was the best young player that I have ever seen in Ireland in over 30 years of coaching and scouting,” he said.

Bradley immediately got in touch with United’s Irish scout who arranged for a trial in Manchester. Sir Alex only needed 15 minutes to decide that Doherty had all the attributes to be a Manchester United player.

Ferguson snapped up the talented youngster beating Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest and Arsenal in the process.

At the age of 16 he moved over to Manchester and the excitement that surrounded Doherty was barely contained.

David Meek who followed United for the Manchester Evening News wrote: “Behind the scenes Doherty is tipped to make the kind of impact not seen since George Best was given his chance. Alex Ferguson is being urged by his back-room staff to play the boy from Belfast. His speed and skill have been a revelation in training. Doherty, a first-year trainee, is immensely shy but plays with courage to match his ability. He is a winger who can dribble at top speed and can shoot with either foot”.

Meek’s observation that Doherty was ‘immensely shy’ captured an aspect of the youngster that set him apart from other upcoming hopefuls.

Doherty was known for arriving at United’s old training ground, the Cliff, with a guitar over his shoulder seemingly uninterested in fashion, fast cars and fancy haircuts.

Following football never seemed to pique Doherty’s interest with music (he was a big fan of Bob Dylan) and poetry being more to his taste.

Brian McClair recalled “He was a fearless, strong and skillful footballer but what I remember most was his personality and intelligence. He loved to chat about music, books and poetry.”

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Doherty’s story is how he almost vanished from football without a trace. Had Doherty been playing today his skills would have been highlighted through social media and the world would have known about his prodigious talent.

However back in the 1990’s he was a hidden superstar in the waiting. He was on the cusp of making his first team debut when he endured a devastating blow in a match against Carlisle United in February 1991. Doherty suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in the game. It was a setback he never could quite overcome.

It took several months to recover from his initial injury however in a cruel twist his knee gave up on him again in his comeback. He didn’t play much more for Manchester United after that with injury robbing him of the opportunity of footballing stardom.

His family were upset with how United handled Doherty feeling that they could have done more to help and support him.

Doherty, drifted away from the game working in a chocolate factory in Preston.

He joined Derry City (whom his father played for) and made a few appearances but the knee injury had taken away the frightening pace he had once possessed. The player who was once described by scouts at United as so quick “he could catch pigeons” was overtaken by a debilitating injury.

Moreover though his heart was not in football anymore.

In April of 2000, the year after his contemporaries like Giggs, the Nevilles and Scholes had won the treble, Doherty moved to the Netherlands to work at a furniture company. One morning on his way to work he tripped and fell into a canal. He was pulled out by the emergency services but slipped into a coma. He would never wake up.

On the 9th of June, 2000, a day short of his 27th birthday, Adrian Doherty died in a hospital at The Hague with his family at his bedside.

The Doc as he was nicknamed at Old Trafford was the fledgling time had forgotten. A footballer who wasn’t just about football or its trappings. He was “formidable” said Ryan Giggs, “a really good lad,” according to Gary Neville, “greased lightning,” in the opinion of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Perhaps most tellingly Doherty was a quiet soul who, in the words of Robbie Savage, would be “strumming in the next room.”

Who knows what the football world may have gained had Doherty not suffered that fateful injury. But there is a sense from those who knew him that the game had lost someone special.

“You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” Those were the sage words of Joni Mitchell and it certainly applied to Olympique Lyonnais’ case, the big yellow taxi excepted of course.

On a cold, rainy evening yesterday at Stade de Gerland, Hubert Fournier’s team huffed and puffed but were left frustrated against a well-drilled and disciplined Lille team superbly prepared by Hervé Renard.

With the start of their Champions League campaign on the horizon, Les Gones lacked a cutting edge, they were short of a spark and they were missing Nabil Fekir. The Lyon star ruptured his anterior cruciate ligaments against Portugal in a friendly for France and is expected to be out for six months.

The 22-year old who enjoyed a superb 2014/15 season with Lyon was hoping to build on his impressive breakout campaign. He seemed to be on his way with a hat trick against Caen but now faces the reality that he may miss out not only the Ligue 1 season but Euro 2016 as well.

His absence was missed at Stade de Gerland, where the crowd sang his name, as Lyon struggled to create many meaningful chances against Lille as the game finished 0-0. Even when they did the bar, the post and the exceptional Vincent Enyeama were on hand to deny the home team.

The mood of the stadium became gradually more restless as the minutes ticked away. There was exasperation at the referee who didn’t give the natives the decisions they wanted, at the Lille players who broke the up the game whenever they could but perhaps most tellingly the source of the frustration was the fact that Lyon didn’t do enough to win the game.

The creative burden with Fekir out rested with the diminutive Mathieu Valbuena, a summer capture from Dynamo Moscow. The little attacker was at the heart of everything positive for Olympique Lyonnais with his set pieces being the home team’s most dangerous weapon. He had Lyon’s best attempt five minutes from the end of the first half when his free kick hit the angle of bar and post of Lille’s goal with Enyeama beaten all ends up.

The midfield consisting of Maxime Gonalons, Jordan Ferri, and the impressive Corentin Tolisso controlled the middle third hustling and winning the ball back though Lille’s midfield four were more concerned in retaining their shape rather than contesting.

Tolisso for all his good work was guilty of wasting a couple of gilt edged openings to put the home side in front. His best opportunity came in the 53rd minute when he left unmarked in the box from a Valbuena corner. The Lyon number 8 though could only head the chance wide.

Alexandre Lacazette has thus far been struggling to hit the heights of last season’s campaign. The OL striker was often isolated and failed to affect the play providing only sporadic moments of magic to engineer space and create half-chances. With Fekir out of the picture Lacazette will need to shoulder the goal-scoring responsibilities and hope that the likes of Claudio Beauvue (who had a quiet game) and Valbuena score 10 or more goals this season.

Lille looked dangerous on the break as Anthony Lopes was forced into making a couple of smart saves to deny the visitors. The luckless Florent Balmont had a great opportunity to break after Lille cleared a Lyon corner but the midfielder’s hamstring gave way just as he was striding into the home team’s half.

It was interesting to study the habits of goalkeepers Anthony Lopes and Vincent Enyeama when the ball was at the other end of the pitch. Lopes, Lyon’s custodian in net, was always on the go doing little training drills whilst observing the action whereas Enyeama was a picture of concentration studying the development of play. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the pair are probably the best keepers in Ligue 1 and in the case of Lopes it seems like a question of when, not if, he moves to a bigger club such is his ability.

SEE MORE: Where to find Ligue Un games on US TV and streaming.

Lyon coach Hubert Fournier was becoming ever more agitated in the home dugout and threw on three attacking subs bringing in Gnaly Cornet, Aldo Kalulu and Rafael.

The ex-Manchester United fullback came as close as anyone to breaking the deadlock heading a Valbuena free kick onto the post during the dying stages of the match.

Alexandre Lacazette was urging the home fans to make themselves heard and inspire the home side to one final push. There nearly was a winner for Lyon but Enyeama was on hand to deny Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa right at the end.

As the ref blew to bring the match to an end the home fans at the Gerland whistled their disapproval with his display. It was a disappointing end to a frustrating display.

Last season Lyon were the surprise package of Ligue 1 playing expansive attacking football. This time around teams are cannier to Lyon’s style of play and look happy to sit deep and defend against Les Gones. That’s where a player like Nabil Fekir is so important because of his ability to create something out of nothing.

The staff at Olympique Lyonnais will need to figure out how to compensate for Fekir’s absence, no easy task.

Walking out of the Gerland one couldn’t help but think ‘what if Fekir was there?’

What a difference two weeks makes. David de Gea was minutes away from joining Real Madrid. A stage had been built at the Bernabéu to introduce Florentino Pérez’s latest Gálactico, and the Spanish international had a suit ready for the occasion.

A couple of weeks and a few rounds of finger-pointing later, Spanish Dave has signed a new four-year deal with the option of a fifth to keep him in Manchester.

DE GEA’S SAGA: Close | No | He said | She said | Make up | New deal

No doubt champagne corks will be popping at Old Trafford, while Pérez’s sangria may have the taste of bitter tears.

Pérez has been doing the media rounds discussing numerous issues as well as absolving Real Madrid of any wrongdoing. During his interview blitz, he went out of his way to say that the Bernabéu club a.) would not be bidding for de Gea in January, b.) did not agree to pay the Spanish international €5 million if they failed to sign him in the summer window and c.), intimated that there will be no further bids, and that De Gea would in all likelihood sign a new deal at Old Trafford.

Lo and behold, his prediction was correct, with de Gea extending his contract and completing a thoroughly remarkable U-turn.

Whilst Pérez has been putting forward El Real’s version of events, Spanish paper El Confidencial reported a breakdown in the relationship between the him and de Gea’s representative, Jorge Mendes. Mendes, it was reported, was so ‘disgusted’ with Pérez’s behavior during the de Gea transfer that the Portuguese super agent does not want to work with the Real Madrid president again. All in all, it’s a pretty spectacular tiff.

Over at Old Trafford, de Gea’s contract extension is welcome news for the club after a round of negative headlines over the fallout of the Spanish international’s failed transfer, the size of the Anthony Martial deal and recent reports that senior players have confronted Louis van Gaal over the training regime and the Dutchman’s approach to man-management.

MARTIAL ARRIVES: Deadline day deal | Rooney’s support | Van Gaal admits price ‘ridiculous’

More than anything, the biggest victor in this saga is perhaps the most maligned figure at Old Trafford, Ed Woodward.

Over the summer window, van Gaal stressed that it was Woodward who would handle de Gea’s future. This revelation followed doubts about De Gea’s mental readiness and focus by the Dutch manager, which culminated in the Spanish international being dropped for the opening matches of this season. Indeed, it looked like van Gaal was resigned to losing de Gea, speaking about the attraction of moving back to Madrid amid rumours of a frosty relationship between the Old Trafford number one and goalkeeping coach Frans Hoek. With all corners of the soccer world accepting that De Gea would move to Madrid, the only figure who seemingly didn’t want to play ball was Woodward.

The executive vice chairman played a high-risk game with Real Madrid, first demanding that Sergio Ramos be part of any deal for de Gea and then insisting on a world record fee once the defender signed a new deal at the Bernabéu. When United did eventually agreed on a transfer the package,one  which included Costa Rica international Keylor Navas, de Gea valued at £29 million.

Conventional wisdom suggested the best course of action for United was to sell De Gea, receive a fee and then recruit another keeper, but Woodward took a far riskier approach, given that De Gea only had one year left on his contract. And he has been rewarded.

De Gea has ensured that any uncertainty surrounding his future has been removed by signing a new deal, and he certainly had numerous reasons to extend his contract. Firstly, he’ll be earning £200,000-per-week – a huge increase on his old wage. From a playing standpoint, de Gea needs to be involved in competitive matches if he wants to be the first choice for Spain in Euro 2016. Signing an extension with United will dampen any transfer natter and allow him to focus on his soccer. And on a personal level, he may very well feel let down by Real Madrid. Initially, rumors were swirling that de Gea blamed United for the collapse of the transfer, but if that were the case, he would have seen out his contract rather than sign an extension.

In his interview, Pérez made it sound like Madrid was doing de Gea a favor, stating:

“We had to make an effort in order for the player not to feel abandoned. They (United) tried until the end to renew his deal and only decided to sell him 12 hours before (the transfer deadline). We had a commitment towards him, they (United) told us the cost (of the transfer) 12 hours before (the deadline) and the rest we’ve already spoken about. We did our job as best we could. We didn’t get there on time because Manchester did not have the necessary experience to undertake these things on the final day, as was the case with Fábio Coentrão.”

Pérez, if anything, misjudged Woodward’s mettle, assuming that United would come to El Real to initiate any transfer for de Gea to Madrid. Pérez got his fingers burned and didn’t enjoy the sensation.

The intricacies of the deal haven’t been revealed. There’s talk that there is a buyout clause should El Real (or another club) decide to come in for de Gea. What Woodward has achieved with his stubborn stance is, at the very least, resale value. In the best case scenario, he’s secured the future of one of finest goalkeepers in the world.

Who would have thought this possible at the beginning of the transfer window?

During his tenure at Old Trafford, Woodward has received a lot of flak (justifiably so, in some circumstances), but in this case he has achieved the seemingly unthinkable. Not only has he retained the services of de Gea, but has convinced the Spanish international to extend his stay at Old Trafford. For that Woodward deserves credit.

The summer window may not have been ideal for United but it looks a whole lot better now than it did two weeks ago.

“Making the film has always been the goal, not having an office with bagels and coffee and tons of overhead”. So said Tyler Gooden the director of The FC Start Movie.

Bagels and coffee aren’t bad companions to have though in creating an animated featurette and feature.

The making of The FC Start Movie has been a long, challenging journey for the director who has surmounted seemingly impossible hurdles on several occasions. A less passionate filmmaker may have already given up on the project but Gooden’s drive has ensured that his vision of FC Start’s story will be told.

“This is a winding road, really. I just want to make the film – And I have wanted to since 2002,” he said.

Gooden originally envisioned the movie as a live action feature but after, in his words, “a few years of roadblock,” he toyed with the idea of doing it as an animated film. 

“I noodled around with the idea of making it as an animation in 2009, but it didn’t quite formulate,” Gooden admitted “Then, a couple years ago, I just simply announced that I was going to make it, and I started”.

A featurette is well on its way to being completed and the production of it has taught Gooden and his crew a number a valuable lessons. On a wholly practical level the featurette serves a dual purpose for Gooden, as it’ll allow him to show the audience the look and feel of the film whilst providing the platform and building blocks he requires to make the full movie.

“It’s a prototype, but it’s also the architecture for the feature, and teaching us many lessons. Once the featurette is complete, we are already on our way, with assets built, infrastructure, style, and many things already in motion. The featurette will give the audience something to enjoy and will have taught us what we need to know, while building value and making it appealing to investment.  

The evolution of the look itself has seen a few iterations initially starting off as a 2D production before switching to a 3D universe. Though The FC Start Movie is an animated feature Gooden has tailored the 3D approach to be a central part of the story-telling experience whilst acknowledging its practical advantages.

“It’s more like a moving painting, and not some squishy cartoon. It will be very cinematic, made as if I was shooting it on a location,” he explained “I just had to choose a medium, and with animation I can do more than the big budget guys at a fraction of the price. I am incredibly mobile and I have control. I have a great team who has stuck it out with me, and they bring a lot of value to the chosen medium. But most importantly, with animation we are making it, and not just talking about it or waiting around for someone to tell us we can”.

Having settled on a visual medium there’s still the challenge of bringing the characters to life, framing dramatic scenes and of course animating FC Start’s exploits on the football pitch.

“Blocking scenes, dynamics between characters, keeping the story held together, subtleties in performance and dramatic precision are always more difficult than action sequences,” admitted Gooden. “Action sequences come naturally to me. The big football sequences will come a little later, but I love choreography, and I don’t have it all worked out yet, but the audience is going to be lifted out of their seats when we arrive at that. First, I am focused on getting the pieces to come together so we can all enjoy that part even more”.

There are many facets in bringing this movie to life from character design:

“The characters in the featurette are a mix of a little imagination, some references, and in fact, some friends. I have a few friends who pledged some money towards the film, and in turn, we created characters inspired by their likeness”.

To finding the right voices:

“In casting, I look and listen for actors who know how to hold a secret, who don’t tell me everything, and make me want to know more. If it’s a physical performance, such as the stage, I look for actors who use their bodies as the medium.   But in this case, it was important to listen deeply, and try and find actors who really use their voice as instruments instead. Distinct voices, clear voices, people who have a grasp of language. Who love their words to the core. Some people get it, many do not.   Some do not go deep enough and fall in love with words enough. I love words, so I want to hear the meaning of each word in the way it sounds, the way it rolls off the tongue should reflect the innate meaning embedded deep in a word’s history.   So we will do a final round of casting before even the featurette is finished”.

And getting it right musically:

“I want the music to capture a feeling of homesickness from a country that was abrupted, and the ghosts of the past are calling to the present, asking why that country never came to be”.

It’s fair to say that Gooden has undertaken an ambitious project but then again it helps working with “elite, mobile, production ninjas who can solve anything”.

“There’s never been more than four of us at any given time.  Usually it’s either been just me and one other person, but one of my goals for this year is to start scaling up now that we’re into the last couple laps of the featurette,” he detailed “ In the beginning, I was very conscious of making sure we could get each step following the last, and that’s why I didn’t hire tons of people just for the sake of making it quickly.  We could have easily ran ourselves into deficit.  Instead, we just keep putting one foot in front of the other, every day.  20 paces every day, no excuses. And I’d also like to make it clear, that, while I am proud of all we have done as a small team, this is not the end game.  It’s all going to grow. As we inch closer to the finish line of the featurette, it becomes clearer and clearer how to scale it up. We are a small team, but our psychology is not”. 

And if overseeing the technical aspects of the movie wasn’t difficult enough Gooden also devoted time into researching the details of the FC Start story and the era the movie is set in. From having articles translated from Ukrainian to English to reviewing material chronicling football and the art of that period to interacting with scholars of Slavic culture, Gooden’s dedication to telling the full story is nothing short of remarkable.

“I am constantly researching, and it’s not just about the story. Every day requires research, learning something new and exploring something new, whether it be the technical challenges, cash flow and marketing, staging a scene, lighting a scene, character development, accents, art direction, or history. It’s a constant, constant process, a journey in every sense,” said Gooden.

And that journey has brought to light fascinating insights into the Soviet sporting culture as well as the birth of one of the most successful sides in Ukrainian football. Gooden explained: 

“Well, ‘FizcultHura’ itself was a big deal in the Soviet Union. Meaning, a lot of emphasis was put on the athlete, physical culture, and how the athlete is perceived.   They would have great events, called Spartakiads, which were meant to embellish the greatness of their athletes. But another interesting aspect, which is perhaps more relevant to our film, is the club now known as Shakhtar. Shakhtar started as Stakhanovitch, named after a working class hero, Alexey Stakhanov. This team was composed of miners, ‘hirnyky’ from the east. Alexei Klimenko (a member of FC Start) was among them. So, you had these football clubs that were made up of workers, tough, working guys from the mines and the fields. And they were stars. There are lots to talk about in terms of impact, but perhaps historically, the important thing to mention is that the state attempted to mold the spectator into the ‘Soviet New Person,’ a controlled perception of how the spectator should participate. This is important to the history. But this is also contrary to how I focus on the spectators in my film, which are meant to reflect how they really feel, and not the false picture the state attempts to manipulate – although this will be present as well in my film”. 

It is clear that Eastern Europe has left an impression on Gooden. The filmmaker lived there for a decade and acknowledged that the region remains close to his heart. In that sense it really isn’t surprising that he’s invested so much in himself in bringing to life one of the most iconic true stories from Eastern European history.

The journey in making this movie has taken Gooden to many places, physically and emotionally. He’s discovered a hitherto unknown level of patience and that if the passion is there then anything is achievable though there will be costs.

“Something happens when you are making a film, especially for this long. You become a part of it, and it becomes a part of you,” he detailed, “you are immersed, and you just lose the ability to be analytical, you lose a lot while gaining a lot. I have my team, and they are the ones who keep the ship moving, and they have my loyalty. Really, it is like a journey on a ship or being in the trenches with your brothers. Everything else falls to the side. It’s hard to really describe, because so much is at stake, so much investment of ourselves. The story, to me, is about a game we all play, a game on the field of life, a game in which we all know the ending, but we play anyway. Death is around every corner, and from that desperation, real life is found. In all it’s horror, weight, lightness, comedy and tremendousness. This is beautiful to me, and this is why I will make the film”.

Gooden summed up his movie in three words: Agony, Ecstasy, Victory. Given his continuing journey in making this movie and the passion he has put into this project The FC Start Movie promises to be something special.

On his hopes for the movie Gooden humbly wishes that the audience will be well served by his offering.

You can follow the progress of the feature on his website TheFCStartMovie.com. The journey will no doubt be fulfilling.

Let’s deal in cold, hard facts first.  After eight games played, FC United of Manchester sit 10th in the table on eleven points.  The purveyors of punk football have won three, drawn two and lost three.  It’s a solid if unspectacular start to life in the Vanarama National League North.

Beyond the ‘cold’ and ‘hard’ facts, FC should have nothing to fear after winning promotion to the National League North.   Going up as champions, ending seven frustrating years in the Northern Premier League and complete with a brand new stadium, Broadhurst Park, FC United have the platform to build on their upward momentum though it may be a little optimistic to expect the team to achieve a second successive promotion.

Indeed it has been a difficult introduction to life in the National League North for Karl Marginson’s men going winless in their first four games before notching up a victory against Brackley Town.  Since that win, FC have gone on to win a further two games and draw one more, signs that the Red Rebels have finally found their feet in the division.

Strengths: Going forward

From the opening game, FC United have looked to play on the front foot. Karl Marginson has encouraged his players to take risks and look for goals.  When the side have the bit between their teeth, they look extremely dangerous and are compelling to watch.

Rory Fallon, who scored the first competitive goal at Broadhurst Park, is a dynamic presence.

The predatory Tom Greaves is back amongst the goals, a welcome sign for Margy and company who’ll need his front man to keep firing all season.

And Sam Madeley, who seems to be on a one-man mission to win the goal of the season award with wonder strikes against Lowestoft and Curzon Ashton, looks to be an exciting signing from Salford City.

With the frontline gelling, fans of FC United can look forwards to plenty of goals.

FC have scored 15 times this season, a tally only bettered by Corby Town and current leaders Solihull Moors.  With risk comes reward but…

Weaknesses: A leaky defense

Given the style of play FC employ, opponents will always have the chance to counter and more often than not this season United have been punished.  So far the team has only managed to keep one clean sheet and have conceded 13 goals.

Naturally, the attacking ethos of the side means that the back four and keeper will need to keep their wits about them whenever opponents of FC United break on the counter.

The defense has been hit with the departure of Lewis Lacy who took up a football scholarship in Syracuse but there is enough quality in the backline to overcome that setback.

What Karl Marginson needs to find is a way to retain FC United’s cutting edge whilst making the defense tighter.  It’s not an easy task in a division where the quality of play is higher but thus far Margy more often than not has found solutions to any problem.

Rating the Manager: A

It’s impossible to think of FC United without manager Karl Marginson.  He’s been there from the beginning and has masterminded three successful promotion campaigns.

After a wobbly first few games he’s overseen an upturn in form and will be looking for FC United to consolidate their position and build a platform to move upwards in the Vanarama National League North.

His signings have improved FC’s attacking options as he looks for his frontline to score the requisite number of goals to stay in the division and possibly mount another promotion charge.

Margy has been there through thick and thin and continues to show that he’s the man to take FC United forward.

The Broadhurst Park Factor:

FC United haven’t quite settled into their new home quite yet.  In four league games FC have only won once, drawing two and losing the other.  If FC United want to mount a charge up the table then they’ll need to make home comforts count.

On this front the fans will play a huge part in pushing the team on.  The atmosphere is electric at Broadhurst Park on match days and if the players use that support to their advantage then FC United’s new home can become a fortress.

Season Expectations:

After a seven year toil to gain entry to the Vanarama National League North it may be a bit greedy to expect another promotion tilt though another 14-match unbeaten run would be handy.  The immediate goal is to establish FC in this division and then look upwards.

That’s not to say that the club are incapable of achieving back to back promotions but after an extended stay in the Northern Premier League everyone associated with FC United knows that patience is a virtue worth keeping.

If a good platform can be built then Karl Marginson can look to target the play-offs.

Right now the key goal for this season is to establish a foothold in the National League North and build from there.

Imagine stepping on to a soccer pitch knowing that it could possibly be the last game of your life. Imagine kicking off knowing that you and your teammates are the only beacons of hope in a Nazi-occupied city. Imagine scoring a goal knowing that victory could have potentially tragic consequences. Imagine playing the match without fear despite carrying all those burdens. Imagine.

That is the story of FC Start, the greatest team you may have never heard of, and the infamous ‘Death Match’ against Flakelf, the Nazi Luftwaffe XI.

“I knew it would be the greatest film ever made,” said an excited Tyler Gooden, director of the independent 3D animated film, The FC Start Movie.

The making of the FC Start Movie is a labour of love for Gooden ever since he came across their story whilst backpacking in Europe.

“I was recruited onto a Terry Gilliam film in Prague when I was drawing in a café,” Gooden explained “From there, I found work in visual effects and concept design all across Europe. Somewhere in there I read about FC Start in a travel book, and immediately began research and translating old Ukrainian newspaper articles”.

Gooden has no illusions about the size of the task in bringing the story of FC Start to life. Despite seemingly being an ideal tale to make into a movie there have been relatively few attempts to dramatize the story.

“It’s not an easy film to make,” warned Gooden and upon closer inspection of the story of the team from Bakery #3 he couldn’t be more correct. This isn’t simply the chronicle of an extraordinary football team; it’s the chronicle of an extraordinary team living in extraordinarily bleak times.

“In 1942, after years of brutal dictatorship from one of the worst dictators in human history, Josef Stalin, the country of Ukraine was ‘liberated’ by the other most murderous dictator in human history, Adolf Hitler. The people of Ukraine were stuck in the middle, in a land known as ‘The Breadbasket of the Soviet Union’, the richest most fertile farmland in Europe,” detailed Gooden “And yet, with enough food to feed Europe, millions were dying – many from starvation. They were starved out and forced to give grain or run mechanized bakeries to feed their enemies, who had now seized their capital city, Kyiv. Amongst the survivors was (Josef) Kordik, a baker, but more important, he was a legendary fan of football. When the Nazis summoned him to lead production in one of these bakeries, he was tasked to search for bakers in order to meet their demanding quota. With all of his bakers killed in the invasion, he had to find new bakers. Being the great fan of football, he scoured the streets for any surviving members of his favorite professional football clubs. He found them scattered about and brought them in, saved them, and gave them work. In turn, he was in the presence of his heroes. Things changed when the Nazis saw them kicking around a football and then they challenged the bakers to a game. The Nazis had no idea who they were about to play –the surviving members of Kyiv’s greatest teams. From there, the stakes just rise and rise until the bakers must make a tremendous decision – remain the best, reclaim the voice of their nation and win the game – but suffer the consequences. Or throw the game and walk away with their lives.”

The weight and the gravity of the FC Start story is a tough enough task to translate into a movie but the additional challenge for Gooden is to ensure his animated feature comes across as a dramatic retelling rather than a documentary.

“Well, to be honest, this is a very fine line, and my film may not be for everyone,” he candidly admitted, “I really don’t know yet how people will receive it. My goal is not to repeat facts, but to frame the truth, which is not the same thing as a timeline of facts. This is an expression, and an interpretation, not much different than the way a poet or another artist might interpret other events in history”. 

Even though The FC Start Movie is a dramatic retelling of the exploits of the Ukrainian wonder team Gooden is acutely aware of the era the players were living in.

“This is a sensitive time and place in history. For that, I have a lot of respect. I want to be sure I represent Ukraine, the region and history, and FC Start well, while still having room to express and interpret. I keep returning to the theme, the allegory, the symbols that are embedded in the story. If I maintain orbit around the deeper meanings in the story, I like to think I maintain that integrity. I can only tell you that I, and my team, are giving every day, to be honest in our work, and to give the world something that elevates their experience. Once it’s finished, the audience may decide what to do with it”.

What does make the FC Start story unique is that the team’s talisman was not a striker but the goalkeeper Nikolai Trusevich. Indeed applying the descriptions ‘captain, leader, legend’ do not begin to describe to Trusevich’s stature.

“He’s the goalkeeper, the last defense. I see his role as very symbolic, rather than just in football terms. He’s quite important to my story,” Gooden revealed “And if you study art and cinema and the culture of the times, the goalkeepers in the Soviet Union were, in fact, seen quite heroically”.

Despite having many strong characters to choose from to drive the story the team practically and symbolically remains at the centre of the story.

“My view is what is buried deep below the surface of each of the Ukrainians is the main character in the story. The football team becomes a mirror which reflects the heart of Ukraine,” said Gooden.

The journey of FC Start culminated on the 9th of August, 1942 in the infamous ‘Death Match’ against Flakelf, the Nazi Luftwaffe team. The game itself finished 5-3 to FC Start but the score only tells a small part of the amazing story of this clash. There’s the iconic poster, the outrageous defiance of Trusevich and company in the face of Nazi threats and how FC Start effectively became more than just a mere football team.

Gooden acknowledged the dilemma and difficulties that the members of FC Start faced. The players never asked to be heroes but didn’t shy away from their responsibilities to the people of Nazi-occupied Kyiv either. FC Start were a collection of footballers who just wanted to play but they were well aware that they gave the locals of Kyiv a ray of hope in the darkness of Nazi rule.

“There’s a heaviness in their decision and a lightness in their conviction,” described Gooden “to play the game was to be truly alive in a life that offered nothing but misery anywhere else but the football pitch. But to play came with a price. You don’t challenge death to a game, without inviting trouble. If you choose to live, you know the consequences. So how are you going to play?”  

Gooden realizes how central the ‘Death Match’ is in crystallizing the legend of FC Start. To do it justice was proving to be a challenge.

“I drafted several versions (of the match) long ago, all based purely on historical fact, and none were working and all were getting rejected,” Gooden admitted, “I then took a train from my home in Prague, into Krakow, Poland. I went to Auschwitz, and was moved by the experience.   Then I returned and walked around Krakow for two hours just thinking about the story over and over as I walked the perimeter of the city in circles. Suddenly, it hit me, and I knew how to tell it.   The entire structure fell into place on that trip to Poland. I am not going to say anything else, but when we arrive at the final game, I recommend you bring an anchor if you don’t want to be floating across the ceiling.” 

Despite triumphing against the odds the story of FC Start is not a happy one. They played one further match thrashing Rukh 8-0 before being rounded up by the Gestapo and sent to a concentration camp in Syrets. Some members of the team including the captain, Nikolai Trusevich, were executed while the survivors had to live through the horrors of Stalin’s regime again after the fall of Nazi rule. The experiences of the survivors is captured in the movie and a chapter of the FC Start story that Gooden felt had to be included.

“Not only did they face Stalin once, and then Hitler, but they faced Stalin a second time when the Red Army took back the country.  They went from the frying pan, into the fire, and then got served for dinner when Stalin returned, more paranoid than ever, and ready to punish Ukraine again, either for losing the invasion or for suspicions of treason. They were truly stuck between hell and hell.  That’s dealt with in our story, and one of the reasons why I have composed it in the way I have, structurally,” he explained “so yes, I can imagine the helplessness, but it’s also why you will shiver when you watch the film and see the game.  

The making of the FC Start Movie has certainly been a long road for Tyler Gooden, but it promises to be a compelling account of the exploits of the greatest team you may never have heard of.

To follow the production of the film and watch a tour behind the scenes visit the website TheFCStartMovie.com. “You get lots of cool stuff as we continue the journey,” Gooden promised.

In the second part of our interview with Tyler Gooden, director of The FC Start Movie, World Soccer Talk looks into the technical challenges of making the story into a 3D-animated film and the director’s personal reflections on bringing this piece of football history to life.

Till then FizcultHura!

Ever seen the movie Alien vs. Predator? If you haven’t believe me you’re not missing out on an art house classic.

To my eternal shame I have seen it, in the cinema no less, and walked out with a one-word critique, “meh”. The danger of too much time coupled with poor judgment.  

As odd as it sounds the whole David de Gea to Real Madrid saga keeps reminding me of Aliens vs. Predator.

No, I’m not thinking of Florentino Pérez suited up as a Predator nor am I envisioning Ed Woodward and Louis van Gaal as a pair of salivating Xenomorphs with David de Gea stuck conveniently in the middle of an almighty transfer scrap. That said given the deadline day farce, the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog* appears to be far more ruthless (and competent) than Pérez, Woodward and van Gaal combined.

It’s the Alien vs. Predator tag that sums up this transfer tug-of-war quite nicely, whoever wins…we lose. Maybe it’s worth altering the tagline slightly to whoever wins…they lose. 

Why does it seem appropriate? To boil it down, no matter who ‘wins’ this tussle it won’t be the total victory that they’re searching for.

From a United standpoint the posturing of Woodward and company is understandable to a point. A club of United’s stature shouldn’t roll over and have their belly tickled every time Real Madrid comes in for a player.

However by initially raising the stakes in insisting that Sergio Ramos be part of any transfer negotiations and then waiting for the eleventh hour of the window to engage in any purposeful negotiation, Woodward and van Gaal allowed an unnecessary soap opera to engulf the club. The intransigence has proven costly on the pitch with Sergio Romero not looking at all convincing in goal and arguably costing United the win at Swansea.

Moreover, questions should be asked within the club as to why De Gea’s contract was allowed to wind down before any concrete action was taken.

United are still in the midst of an expensive transition since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson. Post-Ferguson, David Moyes, Ángel di María and Radamel Falcao have all come and gone whilst Wayne Rooney went from being an outcast to club captain. Arguably, during this period United dropped the ball with De Gea, the club’s best performing player over the last two seasons, by not securing him to a long-term deal before Real really ramped up their interest.

Hindsight of course is 20/20, but De Gea was clearly showing his class after a nervy couple of seasons at Old Trafford. In Ferguson’s swansong year De Gea was named in the PFA’s Team of the Season.

Ideally, the time to have extended his contract would have been in the summer of 2013. In mitigation United were dealing with the aftermath of Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, David Gill’s departure and the uncertainty surrounding Wayne Rooney’s future. Despite the upheaval surely it would have been a smart move to attempt to secure De Gea’s future and sort out an extension. There’s no guarantee that De Gea would have signed but United left themselves vulnerable by not proactively dealing with the Spaniard’s contract status. By the time United offered a record-breaking deal talk of Real’s interest in De Gea had been doing the rounds. United were caught reacting to events rather than setting the agenda.

Initially, van Gaal appeared to understand the dilemma De Gea found himself in. The United manager said after the 1-1 draw against Arsenal last season:

“I analyse his position and then I say he is Spanish, he is Spanish international, still behind (Iker) Casillas, now a Spanish club is coming, his girlfriend is Spanish, his father and mother come here every week or every two weeks so it is difficult. He shall not leave us so easily because we have a great club. But he can go to another great club and that is for him to decide”. 

De Gea’s performance against Paris Saint-Germain was a cause for concern, not only was he culpable for the first goal, but he was sloppy with possession and just didn’t seem on the ball (if you’ll forgive the term).

Prior to that match Van Gaal was at pains to highlight De Gea’s professional behavior as the Reds were touring the US. It’s easy to forget that the Spaniard had a good game in United’s 3-1 victory over Barcelona in Santa Clara.

The PSG result though made Van Gaal was sufficiently worried enough to drop De Gea for the opening game of this year’s Premier League season but the decision looked to be rooted in a place of sympathy. In the build-up to the opening game against Tottenham he said:

“We have seen in our training sessions and matches he is not the David de Gea of last year. He tries, he does his upmost best, but it is a difficult situation. He cannot manage this situation. A human being is more than just a player and he cannot manage so he will not play and you will have to wait to see who does (Van Gaal chose Sergio Romero). We have to play our first match and this is the most important match so I want players who can focus only on the match. He is not capable of doing that.”

Van Gaal’s treatment of De Gea does seem to be on the bizarre side though as he effectively called into question the Spaniard’s mental toughness. And if De Gea stays at United beyond the transfer window then what? Will he be thrown straight back in as first team keeper? Will he need to be reintegrated more gradually given his frame of mind? Will he play at all?

The current state of flux in United’s goalkeeping department is not doing the club any favors. De Gea’s situation despite the collapse of his move to Real has yet to be resolved properly, Victor Valdes has no future at the club whilst Sergio Romero only appears to be a temporary solution.

United may have stood up to Real Madrid but given the high-stakes game Woodward and van Gaal played with Pérez the ‘victory’ may look pyrrhic at best.

Ed Woodward is taking flack for another chaotic transfer window but what of Florentino Pérez’s? The Real Madrid president who prides himself on signing galacticos has been made to look at the very least incompetent in his pursuit of De Gea.

His expectation was that United would be happy to sell however the reality was completely different when United turned the tables and asked about the availability of Sergio Ramos.

What swiftly followed was news that Ramos was seriously considering a move away from the Bernabéu given that he had yet to receive a new contract offer from Real and that the club refused to deny reports that the player had been linked to a move to rivals Barcelona.

Politically, the Real Madrid President was left in a sticky situation of his own making due to his handling of the club’s big players.

Pérez effectively forced out Iker Casillas giving a textbook demonstration into how not to let go of a club legend. The first of Casillas’ farewells was deemed to be disrespectful given the low-key nature of the event and the lack of club representatives present whilst the second turned into a demonstration with fans warning Pérez not to sell Sergio Ramos.

Suddenly, Pérez’s focus shifted from signing De Gea to securing his position as President. After shunting Casillas out the door Pérez held reportedly tense talks with Sergio Ramos in China. Pérez apparently told Ramos that if the defender was sold to Manchester United he would be forced to step down as Real Madrid President because of the fan backlash.

In terms of a statement Pérez did not exactly say to Ramos that he wanted him at the club it was more of an admission that he needs the defender’s presence to prevent a revolt. As the saying goes “keep your friends close and your enemies even closer”.

The pair may not like each other but Ramos got what he wanted from Pérez, a nice new contract.

At a club that seems in a perpetual state of transition Pérez has outdone himself with his handling of the De Gea non-transfer. Costa Rican international Keylor Navas, who was set to move to Old Trafford, knows definitively that no matter what he does this season at the Berbabéu he will be deemed surplus to requirements. It also leaves Rafa Benitez with an unwanted headache as the Real Madrid coach having to deal with a first team player who has been undermined by the club president.

Politically, Pérez has been uncomfortably exposed and though there’s no sign of him losing his grip on Real Madrid anytime soon his reputation has taken an unnecessary self-inflicted hit.

Finally, what of De Gea? He has not sought the spotlight throughout this whole saga. He has not stated publicly that he wants to join Real Madrid or leave Manchester United even though it’s common knowledge that he wishes to return home.

De Gea himself is well aware of the differing football cultures in Spain and England. From a professional perspective he told the Spanish press in the run-up to last year’s World Cup that he preferred the atmosphere in England. He enjoyed the fact that training was behind closed doors, that fans were more supportive and that he could enjoy life with a certain amount of peace that would not be afforded to him if he were playing in Spain.

De Gea’s silence does appear to be undermining him though. The Spaniard by all accounts did not run to the media to ‘engineer’ a move but by keeping his counsel he allowed others to set the agenda.

Oddly enough, by not speaking up he effectively left Real Madrid and his agent to sort out the transfer. If he had just come out and said he wanted a move United would have been forced onto the negotiating table. Instead to his cost he found out how much Real Madrid and Florentino Pérez really wanted him.

As it stands De Gea will have to see out his contract at United.   It could be an uncomfortable 12-months for De Gea. Should he concede any sloppy goals the immediate reaction will be that the Spaniard’s heart and mind is in Madrid rather than at Old Trafford. Perhaps it’s fortunate that Euro 2016 is not too far away as he will need to keep his focus and perform in order to usurp Casillas as Spain’s No. 1.

For now De Gea will need to win over those who may have been put off by his attempts to secure a move to Real Madrid. The Old Trafford faithful generally support their players so he should find himself backed by the majority of fans, his teammates may have sympathy but he’ll most certainly have to get back into the good books of Louis van Gaal.

There’s also the added conundrum for De Gea that Real Madrid didn’t attempt to make a formal bid until the final few hours of the Spanish transfer window. He can reasonably ask if Los Merengues really wanted him why didn’t they make a bid earlier and agree a deal? He may be a galactico in name perhaps but not in status.

No matter the outcome there aren’t any real big winners in this saga, as all the key players will have lost something. United will lose a world-class goalkeeper next season for nothing without receiving what they truly wanted in return. Florentino Pérez comes out of this drama looking just as competent as Ed Woodward whilst undermining his coach and goalkeeper. As for De Gea he can sign for Real on a free next season but he’ll know that for all of Madrid’s bluster the top brass don’t really consider him worth pushing the boat out for. Whoever wins…they lose.

I suppose it’s too much to ask to be spared a sequel. Real Madrid, Gareth Bale and Manchester United never seem too far from each other in terms of gossip regardless of whether the transfer window is open or shut.

Alien vs. Predator: Requiem anyone?

*In case you’re wondering the Killer Bunny of Caerbannog is Daniel Levy.

In case it escaped your notice, Manchester United made a major signing a couple of days ago.  The Old Trafford club have struck a deal with Donaco International, making them United’s official casino resort partner.  Oh yes and there’s the business of Pedro signing for Chelsea right under the noses of Ed Woodward and Louis van Gaal.

On the face of it, this has been another underwhelming window for Manchester United so far.  Pedro opted against a move to Old Trafford. Sergio Ramos is staying at Real Madrid. Ángel di María disappeared for a few days before popping up in Qatar to sign for Paris Saint-Germain and of course there’s the specter of David de Gea’s seemingly inevitable move to the Bernabéu (this season or next) hanging over the club.

Spanish paper Marca, who have peppered their pages with stories about David de Gea all summer, put the boot in labeling United a ‘curious club’ whilst deriding the Red Devils’ inability to recruit top players despite being the second richest team in the world.  Quite the putdown.

Let’s take stock here though.  Thus far United have signed Matteo Darmian, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin, Memphis Depay and Sergio Romero.  It’s an obvious statement but United look stronger with those outfield additions.  Darmian is already looking to be a bargain. Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin add quality to the midfield and in Memphis, United may have found a fitting heir to the fabled No. 7 shirt.

Compared to the last two summer windows United have been far more efficient this time around.  Granted the bar was set so low the last couple of seasons that any level of competency was bound to be seen as an improvement.

In fact, this is the first settled summer window United have had since losing both Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill but it’s fair to say that the club are still trying to find their feet in ruthless world of the soccer transfer market.

Ed Woodward, United’s chief executive, has taken the brunt of the criticism for the failures in the market.  Certainly he was culpable in his first foray into the summer window along with David Moyes aiming for the likes of Cesc Fàbregas and Gareth Bale but ending up with Marouane Fellaini instead.

His first window with Louis van Gaal in 2014 was an affair in last minute wheeling and dealing.  After securing the signings of Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera in June, United waited till the last few days of the window to bring in the likes of Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind, Ángel di María and Radamel Falcao.  Not a day went by in that window without a link to Arturo Vidal, Cristiano Ronald and of course Gareth Bale.

That window had the added disruption of Louis van Gaal’s long World Cup run.

This time around United have been more decisive in the window but Woodward and van Gaal have still had their fair share of bumps.

Dani Alves effectively used Manchester United as leverage to secure a new deal with Barcelona.

Long term target Mats Hummels opted to stay at Borussia Dortmund.  Nathaniel Clyne was considered before van Gaal decided to look elsewhere whilst any interest in Roberto Firmino failed to turn into anything more tangible.

The pursuit for Sergio Ramos was scuppered because of the political climate at the Bernabéu.  Florentino Pérez’s treatment of Iker Casillas created an atmosphere of hostility and backed the Real Madrid president into a corner.  Pérez refused to sell Ramos with the former apparently telling the latter in a meeting in China that fan pressure would force his resignation if the player was allowed to leave the club.  Pérez may not have wanted Ramos to stay but he certainly needed the defender to remain.  As a result of political expediency Real Madrid’s new club captain got the contract he felt he deserved from Real.  Ramos may have well been interested in going to Old Trafford but him and his agent, brother René, certainly used Manchester United’s interest to force Florentino Pérez’s hand.

Even when United aren’t in for a player they are still being used as leverage.  The twin recognition that the club still needs players coupled with the knowledge that United have money makes the club an irresistible option for agents.  Nicolás Gaitán has been forever touted to move to Old Trafford and has once again figured prominently in United transfer gossip.   During the Ferguson era David Gill became so fed up with the continual ‘Gaitán to Old Trafford’ stories he phoned his counterpart at Benfica to request that they stop linking the player with United.  Expect more ‘Gaitán to United’ stories with the collapse of the Pedro deal.

Contrary to popular transfer gossip Louis van Gaal was not interested in signing Nicolás Otamendi (whether he should have been interested is another debate).  Reports linking the player with United were driven by his agent according to a number of journalists including Gabriele Marcotti and reporters from the Manchester Evening News amongst others.  Ed Woodward apparently labeled Otamendi “this year’s Gaitán.” Otamendi’s agent did earn his corn though securing his client a move to the blue half of Manchester.

United are good fodder for agents but then again the club have invited it upon themselves especially with boasts about its spending power and the public nature they appear to be conducting transfers.  It’s a far cry from the days of Sir Alex Ferguson’s cloak and dagger operations and the mantra of ‘value in the transfer market’.

The transfer for Pedro displayed an almost ‘Moyesian’ level of dithering.  United could have secured the Spanish International’s signature weeks ago but whether it was an issue of haggling over the fee or a change of heart from Louis van Gaal, the club have been made to look like amateurs by Chelsea.  If the fee was the reason for the hold-up then Woodward only has himself to blame but if it was van Gaal’s decision to pull the plug on the deal in favour or pursuing Sadio Mané then one can feel a measure of sympathy for the Manchester United chief executive.

With United failing land Pedro, Aleksandr Kokorin’s agent spoke up saying that the club were interested in the Russian international.  Opportune timing indeed.

However it’s worth remembering this isn’t the first time Chelsea have pinched players seemingly destined for Old Trafford.  Arjen Robben was ready to join Sir Alex Ferguson’s team before Chelsea nipped in to whisk him away to Stamford Bridge.  The John Obi Mikel saga was another affair where United and Ferguson were outdone by Chelsea.

In fact if we look at the United’s transfer history under Ferguson there have been plenty of players whom the club have failed to secure.  Aaron Ramsey, Gareth Bale, Alan Shearer (twice), Paul Gascoigne, Ronaldinho and Patrick Kluivert are just a few names who have slipped past Ferguson.

Looking further, Ferguson rarely purchased ready-made stars.  Robin van Persie was the last time he purchased a player considered to be the finished article.  Arguably, the only other previous purchases who could slot into that category in recent history are Dimitar Berbatov and Juan Sebastián Verón.  Indeed the Scot seemed happier to spend big on players with potential with Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Cristiano Ronaldo being the stand-out examples.

It’s plain to see that Woodward wants to make a statement, see big names like Gareth Bale or Thomas Muller at United and more importantly have them succeed.  It is a shift in policy from the Ferguson-era though the experiments with Ángel di María and Radamel Falcao didn’t end up well.  Also aiming high, as Woodward has found out, can leave one in danger of having their fingers burned.

So what is the issue at United?  Perhaps it is a question of structure and it could continue to be a problem no matter who is in charge until it is addressed.  Should United hire a sporting director to help with player recruitment and other football related issues?  With Gill and Ferguson the club didn’t need one as they knew and more importantly were capable of handling all aspects of player recruitment from strategy to negotiation.

Ferguson is a figure unique in football.  Not many people could do what he did at a big club.  His successor is a case in point.

When David Moyes was in charge he flew off to different parts of Europe to personally scout players.  His dedication to run the rule on targets can’t be questioned but could he really afford to be that personally thorough whilst delivering success at the same time?  The answer was ‘no’ as he discovered to his cost.

As for Louis van Gaal he has had limited experience in direct player recruitment and more often than not worked with a sporting director.  His specialty is coaching not recruitment and it’s too much to expect that he handle all the transfer dealings whilst being expected to bring trophies to Old Trafford.

Looking at United’s rivals in the Premier League all of them, with the exception of Arsenal, have a team tasked with recruiting talent.  At Chelsea, Michael Emanalo and Marina Granovskaia have proved to be extremely good working the transfer market.  Manchester City have Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain overseeing football related activity whilst Liverpool have a transfer committee that looks after player recruitment.

You can argue with whether the players they recruit are any good but the key thing is that the clubs have a team with know-how as to how the market operates and more often than not have the wherewithal to complete transfers smoothly.

If United keep their current structure then it’s reliant on Ed Woodward learning the ins and outs of the transfer market and thus far that has been an expensive lesson.  In time he could learn to be a savvy operator in the market but at the moment United are not being as effective as they could be.

In the long term it may be in United’s best interest to get a player recruitment team together or a sporting director.  No doubt United would want a top class name like Pep Guardiola, Jürgen Klopp, Antonio Conte or someone of a similar caliber to take care of first team affairs when van Gaal steps down but like the Dutchman they are used to working with sporting directors.  They need a support system.

Looking away from player recruitment the sporting director could be just as effective in helping with retention of talent.  The David de Gea situation does smack of carelessness and the fact that he, one of the best goalkeepers in the world, could leave United on a free next season doesn’t reflect well on anyone at the club.

If United had appointed a sporting director after Ferguson’s departure they could have led any contract negotiations with de Gea’s agent, Jorge Mendes, leaving the head coach concentrate on first team matters.  Whether de Gea would have signed an extension is a different matter but as it currently stands United’s efforts to keep him smack of too little and too late.

Woodward may have surprised the heads at the Bernabéu by standing up to Real Madrid in their pursuit of United’s number 1 but the reason the club are in this position is due to the fact that they didn’t deal with de Gea’s situation earlier one way or the other.  Indeed Real haven’t even launched an official bid, at the time of writing, given de Gea’s contract status.  At the moment it appears only Florentino Perez’s impatience will see the Old Trafford club get the fee they are looking for.

A sporting director will not sort out all the transfer woes at Old Trafford and there was bound to be some turbulence once Ferguson retired.  However it would be wise of the club to access the merits of having one given the high-states nature of football at the elite end.  It’s too much to expect one person, be it the manager or the chief executive, to handle everything themselves.

United have done some tidy business this window and they may have a few more signings up their sleeves, possibly even a marquee one.  Regardless of what happens in the final days of the transfer window the hierarchy should review its method for recruiting players and look into whether they need a sporting director at a club.

The alternative is Ed Woodward learning on the job.

At White Hart Lane, it appears to be a case of out with the old and in with the new. Roberto Soldado’s ill-fated adventure in the Premier League appears to be at an end with Clinton N’Jié close to finalizing his move from Lyon to the North London club.

On the face of it, the transfer seems to make sense for everyone involved.  From Spurs’ point of view, they will be bringing in a replacement for the underwhelming Soldado.  Moreover, if the 22-year old N’Jié can develop and realize his undoubted potential, Tottenham will possess one of the more dangerous forwards in the Premier League.

Lyon have boosted their attacking options this season by signing Claudio Beauvue from Guingamp as well as the diminutive Mathieu Valbuena from Dynamo Moscow.   Add to that the fact that Alexandre Lacazette and Nabil Fekir have pledged their immediate futures to the club, Les Gones possess an enviable number of attacking talents.

In that sense, something had to give and with the club’s President Jean-Michel Aulas reluctant to sell Lyon’s prized assets, Lacazette and Fekir, the decision to offload N’Jié makes sense.  The deal with Tottenham is worth a reported £10 million, which would cover the cost of a number of Lyon’s summer recruits representing a tidy piece of business for Aulas and company.

As for N’Jié himself, he has the opportunity to play in the Premier League for a Spurs side who could do with an attacker of his versatility.  Arguably, he has a better chance of starting for Spurs this season than at Lyon.

So what does the Cameroonian forward bring to the table?  First and foremost N’Jié has a quality that scares any defender — out-and-out pace.  N’Jié is frighteningly quick and can hurt any team that opts to play with a high line.  Similarly, he has the ability to lead lightning quick counters.  If he is given space (and he’s good at finding it), N’Jié will punish teams.

Looking at his statistics last season, N’Jié played 30 games for Lyon last season.  He started 15 of those, and came on as a substitute for the other half.  In those matches he scored seven goals and set-up a further seven.  Not a bad haul given the amount of playing time he had over the course of the season.

The question has to be asked why did he not feature more often in the starting line-up for Les Gones?  The prolific form of Alexandre Lacazette and Nabil Fekir was a major factor in seeing N’Jié spend a big chunk of the season on the bench.  The pair had outstanding campaigns for Lyon last season and not surprisingly were automatic starters when fit.

Given that Lyon coach, Hubert Fournier, generally opted to play a 4-4-2 diamond N’Jié had to vie for the last attacking spot with the likes of Mohamed Yattara, Steed Malbranque, Yoann Gourcuff and to a lesser degree Yassine Benzia.  Of the attacking options listed above, Fournier’s preferred choice, when fit, was Gourcuff.

SEE MORE: Ligue 1 preview for the 2015/16 season.

In light of that challenge, the fact that N’Jié managed not just to play so regularly but contribute seven goals and assists given the competition for places is a credit to the young Cameroon international.  Towards the end of last season he seemed to finally make the breakthrough, starting six of Lyon’s final seven league games.

However with Lyon recruiting Beauvue and Valbuena this season to replace Mohamed Yattara (sold to Standard Liège) and Yoann Gourcuff (released), N’Jiè would have found himself in the same situation as last season, trying to battle for the one attacking slot.  The move to White Hart Lane makes sense for him.

N’Jié is not just a speed merchant though.  He’s an adaptable forward who can play up top, behind the main striker or in a wide role.  N’Jié has already demonstrated his ability to link up intelligently with Fekir and Lacazette, so it’s not really a stretch to imagine him forming a good understanding with Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen.  If N’Jié can quickly adapt to the rigors of the Premier League, then he could alleviate the scoring burden off Harry Kane who scored 36% of Tottenham’s Premier League goals last campaign.

N’Jié’s versatility will no doubt be a benefit for Mauricio Pochettino but the Cameroon international cannot expect to play as the central striker as that’s Kane’s position and is more likely to start in one of the wide roles, if selected, in the three behind the striker should Spurs play a 4-2-3-1.

SEE MORE: Read Tottenham’s 2015/16 season preview.

At Lyon, playing as part of an attacking three in the 4-4-2 diamond, N’Jié wasn’t obliged to defend or track back.  In Fournier’s system, the goal was to harness his attacking talents. At Spurs though he will be required to cover his full back, press and react to transitions in play more sharply especially when possession is conceded.  He will have to sacrifice himself more for the team in Pochettino’s system so it remains to be seen whether he will be capable of that.

Another potential weakness is his over-reliance on his right foot.  French football expert Andrew Gibney pointed out that N’Jié tends to favor his right foot a little too much and that dependency could curtail his attacking effectiveness.

That said, N’Jié comes across as a calm character who is willing to learn and adapt.  The striker dubbed the future Eto’o by Lyon President Jean-Michel Aulas seems to be a player who isn’t put-off by challenges and is willing to take things as they come.  He certainly wasn’t intimidated in his introduction to the international game last September scoring 44-minutes into his debut for Cameroon against the Democratic Republic of Congo before netting a double against the Ivory Coast in a 4-1 win four days later.  He has scored six goals in 11 appearances for The Indomitable Lions.

If he can adapt to the Premier League with the same ease, then Spurs do appear to have a genuine attacking talent on their hands.  If Pochettino can smooth out the rough edges N’Jié has the ability to excite the fans to live up to the club’s motto To Dare Is To Do.

N’Jié is certainly daring and if he hits his stride is more than capable of doing the business for Spurs.

Mention Real Madrid and Manchester United in the same sentence these days and invariably the conversation will shift to the transfer sagas involving David de Gea and Sergio Ramos.

Currently, both clubs refuse to give an inch with respect to the prospective sales of their players. However to reduce the relationship of the two clubs to petty squabbles over players doesn’t do justice to the shared history United and Real have enjoyed especially during the era of Sir Matt Busby and Santiago Bernabéu.

United and Real first crossed swords in the 1956-57 season in the semifinal of the European Cup. Real were looking to defend their crown after winning the trophy for the first time the previous season whilst United were making their inaugural bow in European competition.

Real prevailed winning 5-3 on aggregate beating United at home 3-1 before drawing the away leg at Old Trafford 2-2. Though United lost the tie they won an admirer in the form of Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabéu.

Bernabéu was so taken by the spirit and style of Busby’s young team that he offered the Scot the managerial position at Real. Busby though turned down the chance believing that he was building a special team capable of challenging Real for European honours.

Unfortunately, Busby never managed to see that particular dream realized. On the 6th of February 1958, on their way home after beating Red Star Belgrade on aggregate in the European Cup quarterfinal, eight members of the Manchester United squad lost their lives in the Munich air disaster. They were: Roger Byrne (28), Mark Jones (24), David Pegg (22), Eddie Colman (21), Liam Whelan (22), Geoff Bent (25), Tommy Taylor (26) and Duncan Edwards (21).

Byrne, Pegg, Edwards, Whelan, Colman and Taylor had faced Real Madrid in the semifinal the previous season.

Ray Wood, Bobby Charlton, Jackie Blanchflower, Johnny Berry, Bill Foulkes and Dennis Viollet comprised the survivors who had faced Madrid over the two legs.

Despite the tragedy United fielded a team against Milan in the semifinal of the European Cup. However the makeshift United couldn’t overcome their Italian counterparts.

Milan went on to play and lose to Real in the final. Real sealed a hat trick of European triumphs but the wish to honour the flowers of Manchester and aid United was foremost on Santiago Bernabéu’s mind. He dedicated the triumph to United and the victims of the Munich tragedy. He went as far as to offer the trophy to United but the gesture was politely declined.

Bernabéu’s generosity did not end there. He offered to loan Alfredo di Stéfano to United for the 1958-59 season, his wages split between the clubs 50/50. United, Real and Di Stéfano were ready to complete the deal but incredibly the loan was blocked by the Football Association who feared that the arrival of the Madrid star would deny a British player the chance of making the grade.

Despite that setback Bernabéu sought other means to help United recover from the tragedy. Real created and auctioned off a memorial pennant with the names of victims of the Munich crash with the proceeds going to United. It was named, appropriately enough, the Champions of Honour.

The survivors and the families of the players who lost their lives were offered free use of Madrid’s facilities to recover whilst a series of friendlies were arranged between Real and United.

Ordinarily, Real charged a £12,000 appearance fee but Bernabéu insisted that United only pay what they could afford.

The importance of those friendlies were two-fold. John Ludden, author of A Tale of Two Cities: Manchester and Madrid 1957-1968, noted that not only was the money needed to get United back to a stable footing it also gave the club and its fans something to aim for. He said:

“United could not even dream of Europe, it was more a case of staying up [in the First Division]. So Busby’s idea was to keep the idea of Europe alive for the fans and players. It gave the players a level – of Ferenc Puskás and Di Stéfano – they had to get to if United were to get back in Europe.”

The first friendly at Old Trafford in October 1959 was played in front of 63,000 fans and saw Real run out 6-1 victors.

The rematch a month later saw Madrid win a high scoring game 6-5. That evening a banquet was organized by Madrid to raise funds for families of the victims of the Munich tragedy. It was there that Bernabéu proclaimed Busby as “not only the bravest, but the greatest man I have ever met in football”.

Busby for his part replied that Madrid “are now like our family”. The level of mutual respect could not have been higher.

The next time United faced Real in a competitive match was the semifinal of the 1967-68 European Cup. United beat Madrid at Old Trafford 1-0 courtesy of a George Best goal. The return leg saw the two sides play out a thrilling 3-3 draw. Fittingly, the decisive strike came from Bill Foulkes a survivor of the Munich air disaster. Busby and his side overcame the might of Real Madrid.

Bernabéu reflected “If it had to be anyone, then I am glad it was them”.

Sir Matt for his part was correct. United and Madrid, at that time at least, were like ‘family’.

Yoann Gourcuff is France’s soccer enigma. On his day Gourcuff is a mesmerizing presence who makes the game of soccer look ridiculously easy.

Elegant on the ball, creative with an uncanny ability to dictate the pace of a soccer match the soon to be ex-Olympique Lyonnais star (whose departure was confirmed by the club’s owner Jean-Michel Aulas) delighted the masses at the Stade de Gerland with moments of sumptuous skill and made telling contributions in big matches.

It was Gourcuff’s goal against Marcelo Bielsa’s Marseille last October that brought an end to OM’s eight-game winning streak and it was a strike to savour. It also proved to be the last time he found the back of the net for Lyon.

[jwplayer mediaid=”140541″]

Unfortunately for Gourcuff moments of such brilliance were too often sandwiched by periods of injury and controversy.

Lyon’s title ambitions suffered arguably a fatal blow when they lost to Nice in March. If ever a moment encapsulated the feeling of disappointment and despair it was Gourcuff’s reaction to an injury he sustained at the beginning of the second half. After striking a shot high and wide the man who was once seen as the heir to Zidane shook his head, realized his game was up and trudged towards the player’s tunnel without waiting to be substituted. As he disappeared from sight one couldn’t help feel that the Ligue 1 championship had gone with him.

Lyon manager Hubert Fournier couldn’t quite believe what he was witnessing and it took him a few moments to shake off the momentary shock to bring on Mohamed Yattara.

The match unfortunately, but perhaps fittingly was Gourcuff’s final appearance for Lyon. So much promise, so much frustration.

How could someone so gifted seemingly waste away his talent? Gourcuff’s attitude was questioned by AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini during the Frenchman’s ill-fated stint in Italy for the Rossoneri.

“Gourcuff in Milan was wrong 100%. His problem here was his behaviour. He did not show an intelligent way to manage himself. When he played here, he did not want to make himself available to the squad. 

“He did not start studying Italian immediately. He did not work. He was not always on time. It happened a lot. [There are] things he cannot tell. But he knows what he did”.

“When he came into the game, he did not give himself fully. Less talented players have earned the respect of Milan because they gave everything. Him, he did not. And he knows it. After a while he became foreign to the group.”

A foreigner to the group. If a statement could sum up Gourcuff that would be it. A loner who could never quite fit in.

The most striking example of this was during France’s ill-fated 2010 World Cup campaign in South Africa. Raymond Domenech, highlighted revealed in his book Tout Seul (All Alone) the contempt in which Franck Ribéry held Gourcuff in:

“Ribéry doesn’t like Gourcuff, that’s for sure. Before the Uruguay match, I told Gourcuff: ‘You have the keys to the match, it’s down to you’. The worst thing was Franck Ribéry’s look. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but in his eyes I saw hatred, contempt or jealousy.”

Amazingly, there were rumours that Ribéry’s jealousy was fuelled by his wife’s apparent ‘admiration’ of Gourcuff.

Moreover it appeared that Gourcuff’s introverted nature, childhood and well to do background was held against him and contributed to the rift between him and his teammates.

On the pitch Gourcuff’s 2010 World Cup in South Africa ended in disgrace as he was sent off after 25 minutes against the hosts in France’s final group match.

French soccer expert Julien Laurens painted Gourcuff as a football loving introvert. A man who could provide genuinely thoughtful insights about the game but too shy to embrace limelight and celebrity that shone on the brightest talents.

Laurens’ article described a player who just wanted to play the game and nothing else. Gourcuff was not interested in the glitzier side of things, the corporate aspects of the game nor was he comfortable engaging with the media. The distractions for some reason or another conspired to the derail his ascent to superstardom.

All in all it details a man not just out of sync with the trappings of modern football but consciously objecting and avoiding the perceived stereotypes associated with the game. Naturally, such an attitude will see one marked out as an ‘outsider’.

His career at Lyon has been blighted with injury problems and that in turn has affected his confidence. Alexandre Marles, Lyon’s performance director, said as much when discussing Gourcuff’s injury problems. A crisis of confidence and persistent injury is a nasty cocktail and is a combination that the skillful Gourcuff has not been truly able to shake off.

Gourcuff has been linked with Arsenal in recent weeks and it may not be as ludicrous a move as it first appears. He would be part of a wealth of attacking options and maybe at this stage of his career he needs to be seen as part of a unit rather than being the main man.

Turning 29 in July, he still has a few good seasons left in him provided he steers clear of injury of course. On paper signing Gourcuff seems like a gamble worth taking. He is available on a free transfer and with Wenger’s oversight can be eased into the first team picture rather than being thrust into the limelight.

Be it at Arsenal or anywhere else Gourcuff needs to find a place he can truly call home. He hasn’t really belonged since guiding Bordeaux to the Ligue 1 title in the 2008/9 season. Then again he’s seemingly not an easy person to get to know. Falling out with Ribéry because of so called personality issues is one thing but being called out by Maldini on a professional level is quite another.

If a coach or manager can figure out the Gourcuff enigma then they will have an outstanding player on their hands but time is running out to figure out the mystery of what really makes France’s great lost talent tick.

There was a point during Lyon’s match against Bastia at the Stade de Gerland where the crowd felt that things were not going to go the home side’s way. Nabil Fekir was having an underwhelming game, Alexandre Lacazette was becoming increasingly exasperated with his side’s inability to break down the impressively organized visitors, whilst on the sideline coach Hubert Fournier was looking on hoping for a chance to materialize.

In what looks increasingly like a two-horse race for the Ligue 1 title Les Gones required a win to reclaim top spot and keep the pressure on Paris Saint-Germain.

Since the turn of the year Lyon have won seven games, drawn four (three of which came against Monaco, Marseille and Paris Saint Germain) and two losses. PSG have a near identical record winning seven, drawing three and losing two. The pair are almost inseparable.

On an injury front Lyon have been suffering. Key defensive duo Milan Biševac and Christophe Jallet are both out, the former for the rest of the season, whilst captain Maxime Gonalons and Yoann Gourcuff both injured their hamstrings in the defeat to Nice. To lose four key players is a big blow for any team but their absences take on a more significant meaning given the experience and calm they bring to what is a young Lyon team.

So with just under half an hour to play Hubert Fournier rolled the dice and brought on a player who last saw Ligue 1 action at the end of the previous season. Clément Grenier finally managed to grace the Stade de Gerland pitch after suffering an horrific year-long injury (and medical) nightmare which saw him suffer an adductor muscle problem, bacterial infection and groin injuries.

In the 77th minute Grenier set-up the vital opener collecting the clearance from his initial corner and crossing the ball back in for Mohamed Yattara to slot home. The sense of relief was as palpable as the outburst of joy as Bastia’s stubborn resistance was finally broken. Lyon went on to win the match two-nil with Lacazette finishing off a lightning quick counter-attack instigated by Clinton N’jie.

Grenier did look rusty and slightly off the pace which is understandable given his lengthy absence but he combined neatly with his teammates and tested the Bastia keeper Alphonse Areola on top of making an assist. If he can stay fit between now and the end of the season Lyon will be in with a real chance of lifting the Ligue 1 title.

Grenier’s return is vital as he can slot into the No. 10 role and allow Nabil Fekir to play further forward alongside Alexandre Lacazette. Grenier is also the closest like for like replacement for the gifted but unfortunately injury prone Yoann Gourcuff.

Gourcuff and Grenier are both skillful, technically adept players whose in-match awareness makes them tailor made for the playmaking position. They have an eye for a pass and a shot and are comfortable table on either foot and their styles of play compliment the predatory instincts of Alexandre Lacazette and the trickery of Fekir.

The importance of Grenier’s return cannot be understated as he provides a balance as well as danger that appears to be lacking when he or Gourcuff are out of the side.

Hubert Fournier has tried different players in the No. 10 role ranging from Fekir to Steed Malbranque but neither have looked quite as effective or at home in that position as Gourcuff or Grenier. With the talented Grenier back in the fold Fournier has the luxury of putting his attacking players in positions that best suit their skills whilst knowing that the Lyon No. 7 is more than capable of setting up chances as well as scoring the odd goal or two.

Lyon’s next match is against local rivals Saint-Étienne in the Rhône-Alpes derby at the Gerland this weekend. It probably is too much to expect Grenier to start the match but there’s no better way of announcing a return than scoring the winner against your local rivals and don’t bet against the Lyon star having the final word in the derby.

Moreover, for Les Gones Grenier’s return couldn’t have come at a better time as they look to claim an eighth Ligue 1 title.

Predicting what Mike Ashley has got in store for Newcastle United is a dangerous game to play. During his reign, the Magpieshave seen Sam Allardyce, Kevin Keegan, Joe Kinnear, Alan Shearer, Chris Hughton, Alan Pardew and currently John Carver in the Newcastle hot-seat.

In all likelihood, the hierarchy at Newcastle will be looking for a new permanent head coach once this season ends. Names such as Rémi Garde and Christophe Galtier have been linked with the position and it’s easy to see why they may be favored by the board of the Tyneside club. The pair are relatively young coaches with respectable track records who can fit into Newcastle’s structure.

However, there is a coach currently operating in Ligue 1 whose name has been linked to the Newcastle job recently who could be just right for the Tyneside club. His name is Jocelyn Gourvennec, the coach of Guingamp, and his work at the Breton club has been nothing short of remarkable.

Guingamp is located in Brittany and has a population of just under 8,000 inhabitants. Bizarrely their home ground, the Stade du Roudourou, can hold just over 18,000 spectators. It’s fair to say Guingamp aren’t the biggest of clubs.

Enter Gourvennec who took over the reins of the Breton club in 2010. The former Nantes midfielder had previously been coaching an amateur team La Roche Sur Yon before being offered the head coach role at Guingamp. When he took over the club were in the Championnat National, the third tier of French football.

Under his guidance they won promotion into Ligue 2 and then to Ligue 1 two seasons later. He also delivered silverware in the form of the Coupe de France last season defeating Rennes in the final 2-0.

This season they had a creditable run in the Europa League too reaching the round of 32 and going further than any of their French contemporaries: Lyon, St Etienne and Lille.

From a Newcastle point of view Gourvennec is a potentially enticing option. He has demonstrated the ability to extract the maximum from limited resources, is committed to playing entertaining football but is pragmatic enough not to let pure aesthetics cloud his judgment. If Gourvennec can fit in line with the club’s vision and practice then it could prove to be a fruitful relationship.

The issue is and it is the rather large magpie in the room will the Newcastle board help or hinder Gourvennec’s ambitions? He does seem destined to go on to bigger things but are Newcastle the right club for him?

David Conn outlined in his article for the Guardian that the Magpies are a football club that is in a kind of ‘zombie’ state. Though the club announced an £18.7 million profit for 2013/14 the feeling amongst fans is that the northern giants are “half alive, half dead, going nowhere”.

Newcastle United under Mike Ashley’s ownership retaining Premier League status is the main if not only priority. At a Newcastle United Fans’ Forum last year Managing Director Lee Charnley detailed that cup success didn’t figure highly in the board’s thinking. 

For any follower of the Tyneside club that is a bitter pill to swallow so what would any coach hoping to win trophies think about the board’s attitude to on-field success? Charnley in an interview with The Chronicle claimed that the club had received about 80 applications for the role of head coach but which ambitious coach would truly be willing to work within the constraints of the Newcastle model? The man currently in the hot-seat, John Carver, is there by default and unlikely hold the position beyond the summer, his predecessor Alan Pardew jumped when a better opportunity came along, Chris Hughton was not much more than a stop-gap, Alan Shearer was a gamble that failed, Joe Kinnear’s tenure was just plain bizarre and Kevin Keegan was a populist appointment. 

If Ashley and Charnley want to recruit a decent coach, let alone a top quality one, they will need to readjust their model to match the ambitions of any potential candidates. The current model only appears to encourage mediocrity and that could lead Newcastle United into a downward spiral if the board are not careful.

No reasonable football fan expects Newcastle to challenge for the Premier League title any time soon but a good cup run whilst maintaining their status in the top flight shouldn’t be beyond them. Since Mike Ashley took over at the Magpies in May 2007, Newcastle have not gone beyond the fourth round of the FA Cup or the quarter-final of League Cup. 

It’s clear that all sense of romanticism is lost on the hierarchy at Newcastle but what they do understand is the bottom line. The new Premier League TV deal will no doubt boost the coffers when it kicks in in 2016 but their current transfer policy of buying players at a reasonable price and selling them on at a profit will only work if there is some form of tangible success on the pitch be it good league position or proper cup run. If Newcastle are still stuck in their current morose state then none of their playing personnel will appreciate in value, fans could stay away (and they are threatening to do so) and sponsors will not want to spend their money on a brand (as horrible a word as it is) that appears to be lifeless. 

The Magpies do need resuscitating on the pitch and that can only truly be done with a proper football vision. Gourvennec is a coach who thinks about the game, gets his teams to play attractive football and looks to lay down long term plans and strategies. He’s not a person hamstrung by ego having experienced the highs and lows in his football playing career: 

“I have seen it all, from the very high to the very low. I’ve played in all the divisions, for big clubs and for small clubs. I was unemployed for four months, I overcame a serious injury. I was an idol at Rennes and Nantes, and then I was an outcast. I played for two teams that were relegated from the second division to the third.” 

L’Equipe have reported in recent days that Newcastle are interested in bringing the Guingamp boss to St James’ Park in the summer. He’s already worked his magic on Sylvain Marveux who is currently at Guingamp on loan from Newcastle. There’s no doubt he is a talented coach with a potentially bright future. 

However Mike Ashley and the board will need to readjust their current on-pitch focus, back the man in charge in the transfer window and set their sights higher and aim for cup success and not completely focus on just retention of Premier League status. Admittedly, Newcastle are on a financial sounder footing but success on the pitch and off it are not mutually exclusive. 

If, and it’s a big IF, the Newcastle United board can convince Gourvennec that he can achieve his ambitions at Tyneside, get him to buy into their model and more importantly assure him that he will receive their full and complete support then the Frenchman could quite possibly be the one to bring better times back to the long-suffering Geordie faithful.

It’s easy to feel a measure of sympathy for Jack Harper, the Spanish-born Scotland footballer currently on the books at Real Madrid.  Through no fault of his own, the 19-year has set off a debate in Scottish soccer that has seen the likes of Craig Brown, Ian Cathro, Kevin Gallacher and Graham Hunter all weigh in with their opinions.

So what’s been the cause of this very Scottish controversy? Scotland Under-19 coach Ricky Sbragia opted to leave Jack Harper out from his squad. A surprise decision perhaps but one that Sbragia has every right to do as he is the coach. However it was his justification for Harper’s omission that has prompted the outcry and led to a larger discussion about the direction of the game in Scotland.

Before we delve in to the intricacies of this debate, it’s important to know what Sbragia said. Building up to the matches against Austria, Italy and Croatia, Sbragia explained: 

“Our concentration is on the opening game with Austria (which Scotland won 2:1) and we’ve deliberately got more height in our squad. That’s one of the reasons why Jack isn’t in.

“Unfortunately, I don’t see enough of him in action. The last time he was with us, he did OK, but I wanted a little more impact. At Real Madrid he can float all over the place, which he does. But with us, he has to be more disciplined.

“He’s an exceptionally gifted lad, but sometimes we can’t carry him. He can be a luxury sometimes. In some cases, if it’s going well, he can be a good luxury.

“Listen, Jack’s time will come. The last time I spoke to him, he wanted to really settle in at Real Madrid and find a place there. That’s been a big thing for him. I’ve gone with the boys I’ve seen most in the last six months. We keep tabs on Jack and see video clips of him. We have people over there who keep their eye on him.

“There are others I’ve left out like Dominic Thomas at Motherwell who will have gripes that they’re not in the squad.  But I’ve picked a group of 18 which will hopefully do well for us. It’s my opinion and I’m not saying it’s right. But the squad I’ve picked is an extremely strong one.

“I can only pick 18 when I really could have picked 26 or 27. I’ve gone for a physical side and runners. Hopefully I’m right. It’s purely tactical and there certainly hasn’t been a lack of enthusiasm from Jack about playing for Scotland.”

There are quite a few things to unpack in that statement.

First, Sbragia hasn’t banished Jack Harper into the international wilderness.  It is entirely feasible that if Harper progresses into the Real Madrid first team squad (easier said than done), he will in all likelihood become a full Scottish international on the proviso he’s not capped by Spain first.

Second, he mentioned height which is a rather more confusing justification. Harper stands at 6ft 1in so he’s not exactly on the short side — sleight perhaps but not small. Was Sbragia more concerned about the Real Madrid player’s heading ability? Former Scottish international Kevin Gallacher was dubious citing his own playing career:

“I don’t believe in it. I stood at 5ft 8ins and under 11 stone when I played my best.  It’s about the talent, how you can play for that team and if you fit into it. For me, that’s a football player.”

Third, Sbragia admitted that he didn’t see Harper enough. Now that is an interesting statement to say the least though he did qualify that by stating that there are people there observing Harper’s progress. Spanish football expert Graham Hunter (who happens to be a Scot) was scathing in his assessment when the Scotland U-19 coach made that admission.  Hunter reasonably claimed:

“This coach isn’t in a full-time club job, and one of the complaints of all who coach at international level is the lack of day-to-day contact with players.

“What they DO have is time. Time to study, time to follow players’ development. If Ricky hasn’t seen a lot of Jack … then WHY not?

“Games in the Madrid youth system are easy to follow, there’s no reason not to have taken in five or six of them in person or via a scout”.

Another point worth raising is that if Sbragia didn’t see Harper enough, then how can he label the youngster a ‘luxury’ player?  Surely to form that kind of conclusion the coaching and scouting team at the very least should have seen him play enough times at Real Madrid and in close quarters to make that decision. Again Hunter shot down Sbragia’s assessment and conduct:

“Quality is never a luxury. High technique is never a luxury. If the coach has an issue with Jack’s work rate he should a] tell him in private b] help alter that.

“Personally, having seen how Jack plays, understanding his will to play for Scotland, and having suffered too long without Scotland having sufficient high quality players in our playing pool I think this is a retrograde step, almost impossible to understand and extremely disappointing”.

Is the footballing public being seduced by the name Real Madrid?  It’s not every day that a Scottish talent is progressing at one of the leading clubs in world soccer but then again there’s no guarantee that Harper will fulfill his potential.  Former Scotland boss Craig Brown opined: 

“The name Real Madrid hypnotizes people.  They have hundreds of development players; you can’t simply say because he plays for Real Madrid he’s got to play for Scotland.”

That said Graham Hunter made the point that the Real Madrid youth system is not a place for those short of the highest quality:

“They cull every year if you’re not good enough, if you’re not athletic enough, if you’re not intelligent enough, if you’re not professional enough – you’re out”.

Finally, Sbragia said that the choice to omit Harper was a purely tactical one. This is a tough statement to consider too. Is the focus purely results driven hence the decision to take a more physical approach? Is Harper incompatible with the other players in the Scotland Under-19 squad? Is this the footballing identity that Scotland wants to pursue?  The under-19 coach explained:

“It would be great to have eleven technical players, but that doesn’t happen now. The more games I see, the more it is becoming physical and the height factor. It has gone back to that now.

“They say ‘let’s play from the back’. There are not many teams that play from the back now, maybe the top four or five. They launch it and play off the second ball.

“Set-plays are a big part of it now. We lost a set-play against Finland and one against Norway. At that time, we were on the edge of maybe being too small and it was a concern.

“I looked at what I saw in Austria, Italy and Croatia – and they are big, physical teams – so that is the idea behind the squad I have got now.

“If it had been different depending on the draw, it might have been a different squad.”

Sbragia’s observation about the game becoming more direct could be interpreted in a couple of ways. Is he simply being pragmatic to the changing nature of soccer? Is he being reactive rather than trying to forge his own path? To be fair, the game has been favoring teams that are quickest to transition from attack to defense and vice-versa though his description of sides launching and playing off the second ball does suggest that he’s looking to go direct.

However judging from his quotes, Sbragia has clearly decided to take a pragmatic approach rather than an ideological one. As he admitted if the draw was different his squad make-up may have been too. That again throws up the question of results versus player development and what’s valued more.

Will that style of game suit the likes of Harper, who has been described as an intelligent, technical player? Can the team adapt to Harper’s interpretation of the game? Is the focus on the team stifling the development of individual skill? Former Scottish FA Performance Director Mark Wotte, who labeled Harper as Scotland’s answer to Robin van Persie, has railed against emphasis on results rather than the development of players. In an interview with Inside Futbol, Wotte claimed:

“I’m not sure if academy managers in Scotland have picked up what is essentially the most important aspect for current football youngsters: to be recognized as individuals with their own potential and DNA, to be treated as football pupils/students, to be educated as world-class footballers and prospects for their clubs and to become part of a better future within the first team or somewhere higher up with a decent return on investment”.

He went on to elaborate his fear that Scottish football would stagnate or even go backwards when it comes to developing talented players.

On the face of it, Sbragia’s justification does seem to hark back to an outdated style of football favoring graft over talent. Graham Hunter bemoaned the dropping of Harper stating:

“This is a horrible day for the future of Scottish football – if we want to play well, intelligently, maturely, in a cosmopolitan, European style.”

Of course, everyone associated with Scotland wants to see the team play well, intelligently and maturely but do they necessarily want it done in a ‘cosmopolitan, European’ style?

Ian Cathro, the Scottish assistant coach at Valencia, warned against his country trying to copy the model of other nations:

“History says that Scottish football does have a tendency to shy away from the technical players in favor of the more physical.  We’re Scottish. We should not try to be Portuguese or Spanish because we will just get beaten. Scottish football has its own values and there are ways of making progress with a particular type of football. But you must always respect who you are, what you are”. 

Scottish soccer needs to figure out its values though and what it wants to pursue on the pitch. Realistically, Scotland is not going to compete for major titles any time soon.  So do the powers that be focus on athleticism over technique as the future of the Scottish game and get the likes of Jack Harper to conform within the system?  Do they want to play a more progressive game and let players express themselves?  Can a convenient middle be found?  Scotland, at the moment, will not produce a similar number of players with the same technical ability as Spainish so Cathro is right insofar as warning against copying the styles of other countries.  That said it still seems strange that a player of Harper’s skills can be overlooked.

The focus has been on Jack Harper’s omission but it does the whole debate reflect fairly on the abilities of the other player within the squad?  Harper was labeled a ‘luxury’ player with the inference that he is tactically ill-disciplined but inadvertently the rest of the under-19 squad have been tagged as just tall, physical runners which seems hardly fair on them either.

It just goes to show how a few words, no matter how well intentioned, can change the perception of things.  Sbragia deserves credit for being honest and after seeing Scotland beat Austria and draw against Italy his young team could seal a spot in the European Under-19 Championships if they can get a positive against Croatia.  However he has painted himself into a corner not only by seemingly abandoning technique in preference for athleticism but also the need now to produce the results to justify his decision.

If Scotland fail to qualify for the European Under-19 Championships then the door for a Jack Harper return will be well and truly open.  If Scotland make it then Sbragia will be justified in his squad selection, for the short term at least.

More importantly should results at this level of the game take precedent over player and team development?  Does development beget results or is it the other way round?  Results and player development are not mutually exclusive either.

Harper’s father said that Spanish footballing authorities enquired about Harper’s availability once they learned he was dropped from the Scotland squad.  The nightmare scenario for anyone involved with the SFA would be seeing Jack Harper score the winning goal in a competitive match for Spain against Scotland.  That couldn’t happen, could it?

The 11th of April boasts some intriguing Premier League fixtures but there’s one game where football will be part of a larger tribute. That fixture is at the Hawthorns and it sees West Bromwich Albion face Leicester City.

The day and the game will be an emotional fare for every person connected to the Baggies as the club will honor a legend known to them simply as ‘the King’.

April the 11th will mark Astle Day and West Brom will pay tribute to their legendary No. 9 by wearing a replica 1968 FA Cup final kit.  Astle scored the winning goal in 1968 to clinch the famous trophy for the Baggies.

[jwplayer mediaid=”134742″]

The day will also see the launch of the Jeff Astle Foundation which will help support sufferers of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Astle developed the condition as a result of repeatedly heading the heavy, leather footballs used during his playing days which caused minor traumas that would affect him later in life.

Astle died after suddenly collapsing in his daughter’s home on the 19^th of January, 2002 at the age of just 59. The condition had affected him greatly in the immediate years before his passing. Astle scored 174 goals in 361 games for West Brom and sadly couldn’t remember a single one because of CTE.

Though Astle couldn’t remember his place in football history his achievements were certainly not forgotten.

West Brom Chairman Jeremy Peace stated:   “We promised at the start of the season to honour both Jeff and his family’s efforts to raise awareness of an important issue by dedicating a home game to him – and it promises to be a special day”.    

On that special day expect the West Brom faithful to burst into applause on the nine minute mark (as per usual) as well as chanting “Astle is the king, Astle is the king, the Brummie Roaders sing this song, Astle is the king,” to the tune of Camptown Races to be bellowing around the Hawthorns.

It’ll be a deserved and fitting tribute to the striker affectionately known as the King.

[jwplayer mediaid=”134743″]

“Rafael is one of the club’s brightest young prospects. He has no fear of playing and has great belief in himself. Rafael has all the attributes to become one of the best fullbacks in the world”.

Those were the words of Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2012 when Rafael signed a new contract securing his services till 2016.

Rafael da Silva, it’s fair to say, hasn’t kicked on since the retirement of Sir Alex.  The Brazilian fullback played his last competitive game for Manchester United against Yeovil in the third round of the FA Cup and the odds are that he will not feature in many more matches under Louis van Gaal.

The man who was tipped to be Gary Neville’s natural successor is now seemingly behind Antonio Valencia and Paddy McNair for the fullback role. Indeed this season he has only featured nine times in the Premier League with his last start being against Chelsea back in October.

So where has it gone wrong for Rafael and why is he behind seemingly inferior players? In terms of footballing attributes he is dynamic, quick, comfortable with either foot and is extremely good at supporting the attack.

Watching United build attacks down the right with the extremely one-footed Valencia or the inexperienced McNair one could argue that the team are crying out for someone who could add a little more verve, pace and penetration down that flank.

Rafael enjoyed his finest season at United in Ferguson’s swansong year. He started 27 Premier League games providing three assists and scoring three times, including a screamer against Queens Park Rangers and a superb equalizer against Liverpool at Anfield.

After such a good season one would have expected the Brazilian to progress and cement the right back slot however Rafael, like a number of players in the United squad, seemed to regress after Fergie’s departure.

The big question marks over Rafael’s game are his defensive capabilities and his temperament. For a player who has a reputation for being a hot head, Rafael has only been sent off three times during his United career.

Crucially, one of those reds came in a Champions League game in 2010 against Bayern Munich coached by a certain Louis van Gaal. No doubt the Dutch manager would have recalled that incident when assessing the relative merits of the Brazilian fullback.

The other ‘memorable’ straight red was when he kicked out at David Luiz in Chelsea’s 1-0 at Old Trafford in May 2013. On a side note Juan Mata scored the winner for the Blues that day.

Of his defensive play the Brazilian’s style is viewed as impetuous with a lack of positional sense (which brings into question his reading of the game) and is prone to lapses of concentration. In the 2014 Olympic final against Mexico it was Rafael’s careless pass within the first minute of the game that allowed El Tri to take the lead. The Mexicans went on to win the gold.

Earlier this season Rafael was part of the United defense that capitulated at Leicester giving away a penalty (though he was not the only player to underperform that day) and bizarrely was marking Didier Drogba at a corner which the giant Ivorian took advantage of to score when Chelsea visited Old Trafford. To be fair Rafael is far from alone amongst the current United defensive personnel in making backline blunders, whilst defending set-pieces in general have been problematic for Louis van Gaal’s side this season.

Maybe the Brazilian’s defensive frailty can be explained down to a lack of proper playing time. Again his best season was only a couple of years ago and that was when he had an extended run in the first team. For all the concerns about his defending Rafael, that season at least, displayed a maturity that was lacking in campaigns before whilst his attacking play pinned back the opposition fullbacks and wingers.

A lack of trust first from David Moyes, starting 18 league matches under the Scot, and then Louis van Gaal seems to have played a role in the limited number of games that the Brazilian has featured in but his injury record is doing just as much damage if not more. The fractured cheekbone he suffered against Yeovil was Rafael’s 27^th setback in six years according to the Manchester Evening News. Van Gaal did praise the Brazilian’s resilience in playing on for nearly half an hour to see out the first half with the fracture hailing Rafael for his “fantastic attitude” and labeling him as “unbelievable”.

Like Phil Jones, Rafael is a victim of his all-action style which leaves him prone to injuries. Rafael has already suffered from two groin strains since last summer on top of his fractured cheek bone. His record can be interpreted in a couple of ways. One view is that he is unlucky with all the setbacks that he has suffered whilst the other harsher assessment decrying that the United fullback hasn’t adjusted his game enough to minimize the risk of injury.

So why pine for a player who still hasn’t ironed out the big flaws in his game? Simply put from an attacking perspective he offers more than Antonio Valencia and Paddy McNair. Rafael can provide the same thrust on the right flank that Luke Shaw (or Ashley Young) does on the left. With an attack that has yet to fire Rafael’s forward thinking mindset adds an extra dimension to United’s play and at the very least he can supply crosses for the strikers to attack. Indeed playing in a diamond gives the fullback an extra responsibility to go forward to provide width and Rafael has more tools in his locker to create potential goalscoring opportunities than either Valencia or McNair.

It’s worth remembering that Rafael was named Man of the Match in United’s game against West Ham United at Old Trafford. That game though was overshadowed by Wayne Rooney dismissal following a foul on Stewart Downing.

Perhaps the exclusion of Rafael is part of a wider issue for Louis van Gaal. The Brazilian is far from the only defender that van Gaal has question marks over and the Dutchman is opting for conservatism over a truly expansive approach. Statistics can only mask United’s performances up to a point.

That said time is running out for the 24-year old and it’s difficult to see Rafael getting a run-out in the first team unless there is an injury crisis which forces van Gaal’s hand. With United in the market the market for a right back the odds are against Rafael staying at Old Trafford beyond the summer.

Rafael is a polarizing figure amongst the Old Trafford faithful with fans and critics choosing to view his qualities in a different light. Is he committed or impetuous? Is he adventurous or defensively ill-disciplined? Is he feisty or just plain hot-headed?

Maybe that’s Rafael’s problem, he just poses too many questions. He may have already had his last drink at the last chance saloon. However there is a nagging feeling that he still has something to offer for United. It would be churlish to suggest that Rafael would solve all of United’s problems on the right but he surely isn’t a worse option than Valencia or McNair, is he?

Going into the 2015 AFC Asian Cup there were a number of teams who had a point to prove. After a disappointing showing at the World Cup in Brazil the likes of Japan, South Korea, Iran and Australia had an opportunity to right a few wrongs and rebuild.

As for the other pretenders within the AFC, the tournament provided an opportunity for emerging nations and sleeping giants to upset the natural order and stamp their mark.

What we saw was a competition that more than delivered in terms of entertainment, thrills and spills. Australia hosted the AFC Asian Cup exceptionally well and the public embraced it fully. The 32-game football festival saw an aggregate attendance of approximately 650,000 or more than 20,000 spectators per match.

The final itself between Australia and South Korea drew a crowd in excess of 76,000.

The 2015 AFC Asian Cup has arguably been the best one yet and whoever organizes the event in 2019 will have quite a task on their hands to top what Australia has delivered.

A fitting final for a fantastic festival of football:

Australia 2 – 1 South Korea (after extra time)

The best two teams in the tournament, South Korea and Australia, made it through to the final and overall the Socceroos were deserved winners of the trophy though they had to do it the hard way.

Indeed it was South Korea, the Taeguk Warriors, who had the better of the first half and it was against the run of play when Massimo Luongo put his team ahead with a stinging long range effort. It was the first goal South Korea conceded all tournament. The strike capped off a great Asian Cup for the Swindon Town man, who was named the most valuable player in the tournament.

Australia were seconds away from being crowned Asian champions in normal time but not for the first time this tournament there was a dramatic twist. Son Heung-min equalized in stoppage time running onto a pass from Ki Sung-yueng to force an extra 30 minutes. The finish by the Bayer Leverkusen star under huge pressure was extremely cool.

However, the effort that the South Koreans put in to find the equalizer seemed to take its toll as the Australians physical fitness started to play a decisive role in the contest. Spare a thought for South Korean left-back, Kim Jin-su who shone for the Taeguk Warriors throughout the tournament. Call it tiredness, a mental lapse or plainly a poor decision but Kim’s choice to back heel the ball right on the edge of his penalty area instead of getting it clear proved to be crucial in the build-up to Australia’s winning goal. The fullback then lost out in a tussle with Tomi Juric, who was brought on for Tim Cahill, and the subsequent cross from the Socceroo forward was palmed out by Kim Jin-hyeon into the path of James Troisi who gratefully tucked the ball home.

The strike was decisive and saw Australia win their first major piece of soccer silverware. The final provided a fitting finale to the international careers of Cahill and Mark Bresciano (both of whom are likely to retire) and capped off a wonderful tournament for the hosts.

Losing in the final is a bitter pill to swallow for the South Koreans but the longer term picture looks rosier for Uli Stielike’s team. South Korea arguably were the most disappointing Asian team in the World Cup so to reach the final of the AFC Asian Cup was quite an achievement and vindication of Stielike’s methods. The German’s understated, yet demanding approach, has sparked the South Koreans and now he has a platform to build and improve his team.

Most of all though, this was a final that showcased the best of the tournament – the teams were aggressive, skilful and determined whilst the match was filled with drama from first whistle to last. It was a great final worthy of a great tournament.

Tournament Highlights:

Where to start? Palestine’s Asian Cup campaign was a highlight even though they lost all their matches. They played a positive, entertaining brand of football with Jaka Ihbeisheh scoring the first ever goal in a major football competition for the Palestinians.

The attendance of the tournament was another big plus too. The AFC Asian Cup was well supported as the fans came out in droves. It’s a testament to the supporters and they were treated to some fantastic football games.

Stephen White. “Stephen who?” I hear you ask. He’s China’s lucky charm of course. White was asked by Chinese goalkeeper Wang Dalei which direction to dive after Saudi Arabia were awarded a spot kick. The ball boy told Dalei to dive left, the keeper listened and saved the penalty. The Chinese went on to win the game and a 12-year-old boy from Brisbane, Australia became an instant celebrity in China.

Goals! There were 85 goals in 32 games an average of 2.65 per game, not a bad return. This is also on top of the number of decisive results in the whole tournament. None of the group games yielded a single draw and throughout the entire Asian Cup only four games finished level after 90 minutes.

Tournament Lowlights:

We’ve been treated to some entertaining, high quality football but the tournament was somewhat lacking a really stand-out striker. Iraq’s Younis Mahmoud provided some flashes of brilliance, whilst Ali Mabkhout topped the goalscoring charts but the lack of a truly clinical goal scorer perhaps highlights one of Asia’s great deficiencies in the world game – the absence of a clinical match winner.

Japan had a thoroughly underwhelming tournament and were knocked out by the UAE in the quarter-finals. Over-elaborate to the point of frustration the Samurai Blue had so much talent to make it all the way but the lack of an aforementioned clinical goalscorer cost them dearly. The cloud of match-fixing also hung over the head of their coach Javier Aguirre, charges that he vehemently denies, and refused to go away. It just wasn’t a good tournament for Japan. Keisuke Honda’s imitation of Jaap Stam and Phil Jones blasting a penalty over the bar at the start of the shoot-out against the UAE summed up Japan in a nutshell.

Iran’s refusal to be beaten is admirable but maybe Carlos Queiroz and his team are thinking of what could have been. If Iran had been a little bit more adventurous or utilized their attacking talent more could Team Melli have gone further in the tournament? Also what must be going through Mehrdad Pooladi’s mind? Say what you will about referee Ben Williams’ handling of the red card incident in Iran’s match against Iraq but Pooladi deliberately and cynically tried to get an opponent sent off. If he had stayed on his feet and not attempted to con the referee he would have remained on the pitch and things could have been oh so different for Iran.

Uzbekistan, so much potential so little end product, will they ever shake off the also-ran tag? The talent is there, the results though are sadly lacking.

Players of the tournament:

Massimo Luongo was named the Most Valuable Player but for sheer class and style one man stood head and shoulders above the rest, Omar Abdulrahman. The United Arab Emirates playmaker was a joy to behold with his understanding and reading of the game. His partnership with Ali Mabkhout was almost telepathic. Abdulrahman currently plies his trade in his homeland but he wouldn’t look out of place in Europe’s top leagues.

China’s Wang Dalei was one of the better goalkeepers in the tournament and possesses the right personality for his side. The likes of Mat Ryan performed wonderfully well for the Socceroos but Wang was crucial in China’s progression to the knock-out phase of the competition. Confident and commanding his area seemed to calm his team and saw them play with a hitherto unknown defiance. Remember it took a (mishit) overhead and an outstanding header from Cahill to beat Wang. The Chinese shot-stopper left the competition with his reputation enhanced.

Younis Mahmoud entered the AFC Asian Cup without being attached to any team and still proved he could cut it at this level. On top of that he scored in the quarter-final clash against arch-rivals Iran and dinked in a Panenka in the penalty shootout against Team Melli for good measure.

Mahmoud’s Iraqi teammate Dhurgham Ismail was a revelation in the Asian Cup emerging as one of the stand-out fullbacks in the tournament. Motoring up and down the left flank the Iraqi fullback was a constant menace going forward whilst keeping his defensive discipline. The 20-year-old also displayed ice-cool nerves to dispatch, not one, but two penalties against Iran. This is a player who has a bright future ahead of him.

Ki Sung-yueng was a key component of Uli Stielike’s South Korea. The Swansea City man was the heartbeat of his team, providing the attacking impetus to dictate the tempo of matches whilst screening his defense effectively. He was a class act from first game to the last.

Trent Sainsbury was a towering presence at the heart of the Australian defense, but one shouldn’t forget his attacking contribution in the semi-final against the UAE. Sainsbury, who plays in the Eredivise for PEC Zwolle, scored a crucial goal in the semi-final in the opening minutes to set Australia on course for the final. The defender visibly grew in stature as the tournament progressed and will be a Socceroo lynchpin at the back for years to come.

Match of the Tournament:

Iraq versus Iran, no other game comes close.

120 dramatic minutes, six goals, a controversial red card, two teams that refused to be beaten, a Younis Mahmoud Panenka and so much more. It was breathless stuff and it summed up this edition of the AFC Asian Cup beautifully. Words really can’t do justice to the emotional rollercoaster that was Iraq against Iran.

2015 Asian Cup Legacy:

Asian football needed a reason to feel optimistic. Going into the tournament not a single Asian team featured in the top 50 of the FIFA rankings. What we got was a fiercely competitive and wonderfully entertaining competition that was embraced by the Australian public.

For the likes of Australia, South Korea, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates this was a positive tournament and they have the platform to build on.

The likes of Japan, Iran and Saudi Arabia will have to lick their wounds and rebuild.

Overall though this was the morale boosting competition that Asian football needed.

The path to redemption is a long one but perhaps we’ve seen the first positive steps towards a better footballing future in Asia.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament was shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. In addition to the Asian Cup, One World Sports has rights to Arsenal TV, Chelsea TV, Bayern Munich TV, New York Cosmos home and away games, and much more. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

So after 30 games, 257 shots on target, 178 saves and 77 goals, we’re down to one final meaningful game in the AFC Asian Cup — Australia against South Korea (live on One World Sports and DishWorld at 4am ET/1am PT on Saturday).

South Korea, aka the Taeguk Warriors, have progressed through to the final without having conceding a goal whilst the Socceroos have powered through playing an energetic, intense brand of soccer.

From a South Korean perspective, reaching the final is somewhat of a surprise given the state of the national team after last year’s World Cup debacle.  For that achievement, immense credit must go to Uli Stielike whose understated yet demanding approach appears to have coaxed the best out of his squad.  He never got carried away with any one victory, pointing out areas for improvements whilst highlighting the strengths of his outfit.

Over in the Australian camp, Ange Postecoglou has prepared his troops well, identifying the key strengths of his personnel and setting up a system to maximize the home team’s effectiveness.  Their all-action approach has seen the Aussies overwhelm their opponents with one notable exception, the South Koreans.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

South Korea’s path to the final:

Drawn in Group A with Australia, the Taeguk Warriors started the tournament off relatively slowly and in rather unconvincing fashion.  Though three 1-0 score lines suggests a relatively serene passage through to the knockouts, the reality has been anything but.  They were lackluster in their opening match against Oman, could have conceivably lost against a spirited Kuwaiti team and though they beat Australia in their last Group A encounter, Stielike’s side did present Australia with some clear cut opportunities to score.

Throughout the group phase, Stielike was searching for the right blend, chopping and changing his starting eleven trying to find an element of fluency that would stabilize his team.  In mitigation, Stielike has had to contend with the loss to injury of Lee Chung-yong and Koo Ja-cheol.

The quarters saw South Korea escape against Uzbekistan as the latter wasted two gilt-edged opportunities to score and potentially knock the former out.  However, South Korea did demonstrate their staying power and managed to grind out a 2-0 win courtesy of a brace from Son Heung-min.  Stielike’s intelligent substitutions exploited the tiring Uzbeks and it was no surprise that the relatively fresh Cha Du-ri, who came on in the 70th minute, was able to power past the Uzbekistani backline to set-up Son for South Korea’s second.

Perhaps their most convincing performance came in the semis against an understandably drained Iraqi team.  Younis Mahmood did threaten to cause some problems for the South Korean backline at points but overall this was a relatively comfortable victory with the game effectively wrapped up in the 50th minute.

They’ve had their fair share of luck reaching the final but maybe the Taeguk Warriors deserve a bit of good fortune given their battling performances.  If they can keep one more clean sheet, then the odds are they will win their first AFC Asian Cup in 55 years.

Australia’s path to the final: 

The Australians have reveled in their role as hosts, and have taken the game to their opponents right from the off.  Their first two Group A encounters saw them score eight goals before they came unstuck against South Korea.

Ange Postecoglou did rest a few key players against the South Koreans but it was an eye-opening result because it did teach him that sheer force and intensity isn’t always enough.  If anything, it served as a wake-up call and reminder of the dangers the Socceroos face if they don’t concentrate for the full game.

In the knockout phase, the Socceroos overpowered an impressive Chinese side but were dependent on a Tim Cahill brace to see them through to the semis.  The New York Red Bulls man is so important to the Australians because of his goal threat and all round inspirational qualities.  Despite the Aussie goal rush, there was always the lingering question as to who would step up if Cahill couldn’t find the back of the net.

The semifinal against the United Arab Emirates saw the Socceroos share the goal burden about with defenders Trent Sainsbury and Jason Davidson striking in the opening quarter of an hour.  After the goals though, it appeared as if the Socceroos suffered a little stage fright as the UAE gained a foothold in the contest.  It was almost as if it dawned on the men wearing Aussie gold that they were on the brink of reaching the final on their home soil.

If the UAE had scored, it would have made for an interesting contest but that wasn’t the case and Australia progressed through to their second AFC Asian Cup final in a row.

Key men: 

For South Korea, a lot will depend on Swansea’s Ki Sung-yueng who has been one of the outstanding players in the AFC Asian Cup.  Calm on the ball, defensively disciplined as well as being an attacking threat, Ki possesses the skill and guile to fashion chances and dictate the tempo of a game.

A lot of responsibility will rest on the shoulders of goalkeeper Kim Jin-hyeon.  Neither Kim nor his counterpart Kim Seung-gyu have looked terribly convincing throughout the Asian Cup.  Jin will need to be on top form for the final.  If the Australians detect even a hint of vulnerability, then they will target him mercilessly.

Lee Jeong-hyeop may not one of the bigger names in the South Korean outfit but he’s valued by Uli Stielike because of his hard work.  The striker, who has two goals in the tournament, will be tasked to press and harry upfront which in turn will create space for the likes of Son Heung-min and Nam Tae-hee.  It’s doubtful that Australia will take him lightly as Lee was the man who scored the winner against them in the group game.

It’s hard to talk about Australia without mentioning Tim Cahill.  He is Australia’s talisman.  It was Cahill who dragged his shell shocked team back into the contest in the opening match against Kuwait when the visitors had the temerity to take the lead in the eighth minute not to mention his quarterfinal winning brace against China.  At 35, Cahill has clocked a few miles but he has been managed well by Postecoglou.  Expect Cahill to be in peak condition for the final competing from the first whistle to the last.

Mile Jedinak hasn’t had a sparkling tournament.  The Crystal Palace star’s competition has been blighted with an ankle injury and that has prevented him from playing to his full ability.  Jedinak will need to be at his peak as to quell any potential South Korean threat.  Jedinak will have his hands full especially if Son Heung-min is on song.

Mathew Leckie has been enjoying the freedom to attack swapping between the left and right flank and generally creating havoc where ever he has roamed.  What’s missing from his tournament so far is a goal.  The final would be a perfect match to break his duck.  Moreover he will be required defensively providing cover for Jason Davidson or Ivan Franjic on the left and right flanks.  The South Koreans have talent and explosive pace in the wide areas so Leckie will need to temper his attacking instincts and prevent his fullback from getting into a one on one situation.

Things to look for:

The Australians are more than happy to take a pro-active approach to the game.  They may temper their attacking instinct but they will take the game to the South Koreans playing fast, aggressive soccer.

That approach may work to the South Korean’s favour as they have the guile and the pace to pick off the Australians on the counter attack.  The Taeguk Warriors will not be bullied by the aggression of the Australians and can match them physically if need be.    

The flanks could be the area where this game could be won and lost.  Both sides pose threats in the wide areas.  Australia will be looking to provide service to Tim Cahill who is phenomenal in the air whilst the South Koreans have pace to burn in the wide areas.

It’ll be interesting to see how Stielike uses the rapid Cha Du-ri.  If the German believes that the match could turn into an open, frenetic, end-to-end affair then he could hold the jet-heeled Cha on the bench and bring him on with half an hour to go to take advantage of any tiring legs.

The first goal will be hugely important.  If South Korea strike first they have shown throughout the tournament that they are capable of holding on to a lead.  It begs the question, do Australia have a plan B if their initial game plan is negated.  If the Socceroos score then the onus would be on the Taeguk Warriors to commit more men forward playing right into the hands of the attacking trio of Cahill, Leckie and Robbie Kruse.

Prediction:

Australia will go in as the favorites but perhaps South Korea are the team best equipped to nullify the strengths of the home team.  I have been critical of the South Koreans but under the guidance of Uli Stielike they have answered all questions that have been asked of them.

Australia also play the style of soccer that could play into the hands of the South Koreans.

This final will be tight and it wouldn’t be surprising if the match goes into extra time.  However, South Koreans may just have enough in their locker to ruin the party for the hosts.

AUSTRALIA 1 – 2 SOUTH KOREA (After Extra Time)

Australia and South Korea are the favorites to meet in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup final but Australia must dismiss the United Arab Emirates to book a place in the final against the Korea team that defeated Iraq 2-0 earlier on Monday.

Of the four quarter-finals, only Australia came through their match without the need for extra-time.  Iraq, South Korea and the UAE on the other hand were all involved in absorbing and draining encounters.

The final is only one game away; the question is which two teams will make it through?

Australia go into this game (televised on Tuesday at 4am ET on One World Sports) as favorites but they will be wary of a talented United Arab Emirates side whom Carlos Queiroz has described as the best soccer team in West Asia.

Both teams finished second in their groups losing their final group games and it appears that the pair learned lessons in their defeats.  Australia over-powered China in their quarterfinal win whilst the Emiratis produced a brave, intelligent performance to down the defending champions Japan.

In terms of performers, the obvious showdown would be between Australia’s veteran inspiration Tim Cahill and Omar Abdulrahman the man dubbed the Emirati Maradona by former Socceroo Robbie Slater.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

South Korea 2 – 0 Uzbekistan (after extra time)

The pair had contrasting quarterfinal experiences with Cahill turning in a match-winning performance with two strikes against China whilst Abdulrahman was effectively shackled by the Japanese in what has thus far been his most disappointing game.  That said the UAE star still had the confidence and cheek to execute a Panenka in the penalty shootout against the Samurai Blue.

However, it would be unfair to single out those two as the only threats.  Ali Mabkhout has found the net in the Asian Cup four times including that crucial strike against Japan.  Robbie Kruse, Mathew Leckie and Massimo Luongo have impressed for the home nation as the tournament has progressed.

At the back the respective keepers Mat Ryan and Majed Naser have been solid whilst both sets of defenses have been relatively well marshaled and disciplined.  It is worth noting that the UAE have not kept a clean sheet in the Asian Cup.

As with the previous match, the United Arab Emirates won’t have to force the play and will have to option of sitting deep and hitting on the break.  The combination of Abdulrahman and Mabkhout has been a fruitful one so the Australians will have to keep an eye on those two.  It’ll be interesting to see if Ange Postecoglou will have a specific plan to counteract the creative threat posed by Omar Abdulrahman.

The Socceroos though will not be afraid of playing on the front foot and will pose a lot of problems if the attacking trio of Cahill, Kruse and Leckie fire.  However their most important player for this game at least could be captain Mile Jedinak.  The Crystal Palace man is a great reader of the game who possesses a knack of intercepting passes and breaking up the opposition’s rhythm.  However he didn’t enjoy the best of games against China after recovering from an ankle injury. Jedinak will need to be back to his best as he will be key in stymieing the UAE attack.

That said, the Socceroos will need to take the goal scoring burden off of Tim Cahill.  If the UAE backline effectively cancel him out of the game it’s tough to see who else will provide the goal threat.

The semi will be played in Newcastle and the state of the pitch there has come under scrutiny so that may have an effect on the pattern of game with both teams possibly opting to play in a more direct manner.

Both teams will welcome back players from suspension. Walid Abbas and Matthew Spiranovic are available for selection for the UAE and Australia respectively.

This match will be the first competitive game between Australia and the UAE.  Aussie intensity versus UAE class so who will emerge victorious? Fatigue shouldn’t play too much of a role though Australia had an extra day to recover.

In the end, it’s hard to see past Australia though the UAE have shown they are more than capable of upsetting the apple cart.  Playing at home could provide Australia with the crucial edge.

Prediction: Australia 2-1 UAE (after extra time)

The 2015 AFC Asian Cup witnessed a unique event. That’s right, for the first time since the tournament kicked off, there was a game that didn’t have a conclusive result after 90 minutes. South Korea versus Uzbekistan has the ‘honor’ of being that match as it finished 0-0 in normal time. However the 0-0 score line does not begin to indicate the action and the goalmouth drama witnessed in this game as the pair kicked off the knock-out phase of the competition.

In the night’s other match the hosts Australia faced a potentially tricky tie against China. The Chinese were not overawed by the occasion but they fell to a Tim Cahill brace as the Socceroos kept their hopes alive of winning the Asian Cup on home soil.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

South Korea 2 – 0 Uzbekistan (after extra time)

Ever heard of Maksim Shatskikh? He was recruited by Dynamo Kyiv shortly after they sold Andrei Shevchenko to AC Milan. For all intents and purposes he had a relatively successful spell there scoring 97 goals in 215 league appearances for the Ukrainian club breaking the 20 goal mark twice during his nine seasons at the club.

He is also Uzbekistan’s leading international goal scorer scoring 34 goals in just 61 internationals. Shatskikh bade farewell to international football on the 29^th of May last year.

So, why mention him? The simple reason being that if Uzbekistan had a striker approaching the class of Shatskikh they would have probably booked a spot in the semifinals of the Asian Cup. He certainly would have done better with the chances that fell the way of Sanjar Tursunov and Lutfulla Turaev.

Uzbekistan were not afraid of taking the game to South Korea and Mirjalol Qosimov’s side’s desire to push forward contributed to an open and entertaining game of football. Once more Sardor Rashidov was impressive for the White Wolves with his pace and trickery causing problems down the South Korean left flank. Uzbekistan did have to contend with the early loss of Odil Ahmedov who was substituted because of injury.

That’s not to say that it was one-way-traffic because South Korea had put together neat moves too only to be denied by an inspired Ignatiy Nesterov who produced crucial saves to stop both Son Heung-min and Lee Jeong-hyeop. The Taeguk Warriors struggled to get to grips with the game initially especially in the first half when passes went astray. Uli Stielike’s side raised their performance in the second half though and slowly but surely exerted wrested control of the match as they began to complete their passes and shift the game up into Uzbekistan’s half.

Though the South Koreans couldn’t make the breakthrough in the 90 minutes the effort put in by Uzbekistan took its toll as the White Wolves faded in extra-time. Son Heung-min made the difference scoring a header from six yards out in the 104^th minute but the Uzbekistanis were the architects of their own downfall as Shukhrat Mukhammadiev tried to dribble out from the edge of his penalty area only to have the ball pinched by his opposite number Kim Jin-su who centered for Son who appeared to collapse on the ball more than head it in.

In the second period of extra-time as Uzbekistan pushed for the equalizer they left themselves more exposed at the back. Stielike had left the pacy Cha Du-ri on the bench till the 70^th minute and his freshness proved to be key in the set-up for the second goal as he tore down the right powering past a visibly tired Uzbekistan defense before squaring to Son Heung-min who took his time and then powered an unstoppable shot past Nesterov in the 119^th minute. Son promptly collapsed from cramp after sealing his side’s passage through to the semis.

Uli Stielike was concerned with his team’s performance but was delighted with the mental toughness his troops displayed. That said they’re still in with a shout for lifting the Asian Cup.

As for Uzbekistan they once again will depart reflecting on what might have been.

Australia 2 – 0 China

The second quarterfinal saw another brace decide the outcome. This time it was Australian icon Tim Cahill who stood up providing his side with the strikes to send the Socceroos through to the semis.

Cahill and Mat Ryan could be the difference for the Australians as not many other teams left in the competition boast both a solid, dependable goalkeeper and a clinical finisher.

The Chinese came in and played with a certain freedom borne of three straight wins in the group stage.  Early on Sun Ke caused problems with Zhang Changdong providing width down the right flank. At the other end Wang Dalei further burnished his credentials as one of the standout goalkeepers in the tournament keeping out a Mathew Leckie effort in the first half.

No blame could be laid at the feet of Wang Dalei for either of Australia’s strikes.

Alain Perrin was critical of his team for the concession of the first goal shortly after the resumption of the second half. Zheng Zhi came off worse after contesting a header with Tim Cahill and was on the floor and none of his teammates thought to cover as the ball was knocked back into the box by Ivan Franjic. Wu Lei, who was close to Franjic, could have read the situation better to clear the danger but was caught flat-footed as the ball came out his way. This allowed Franjic the split-second he needed to head the ball back in to the area occupied by the stricken Zheng Zhi. Tim Cahill sniffing a chance opportunistically attempted an overhead and though it looked spectacular the goal it was a little fortuitous as the shot appeared to slice off the 35-year old’s boot wrong footing Wang Dalei in the process. Even Cahill admitted that the strike was “probably a fluke”.

If the first goal was a fluke then the second was classic Cahill. Matthew Leckie who worked tirelessly all game won the ball on the left and floated a ball in for Cahill. The Socceroos star stole a yard in between his markers and soared to steer a precise header past Wang Dalei. The goal displayed all of Cahill’s strengths: his ability to find space, his fantastic spring and the technique to accurately place his header into the corner of the net.

Cahill proved to be the difference as China had no equivalent player to convert any opportunity that came their way. The value of a clinical finisher is so important as pressure means nothing if chances are not converted into goals.

If Ange Postecoglou has any concern it would the nightmare scenario of Tim Cahill suffering an injury. Though the likes of Robbie Kruse, Massimo Luongo and Mathew Leckie have impressed none of them possess the goal threat of Cahill.

To be fair the Australians have been sharing the goals around the team but Cahill’s presence will scare any opponent. The space Cahill creates as a result of the opposition focusing on him aids his teammates insofar as creating space and opportunities for other Socceroo players to strike.

For now Australia are marching to the semifinals and ominously they look like they’re peaking at the right time.

The quarterfinal between Iraq versus Iran was never going to be a run-of-the-mill affair.

Coming into the match, Iraq had only beaten their arch rivals once in their previous five AFC Asian Cup meetings losing the other four.

Iran, on the other hand, had exited the AFC Asian Cup at the quarterfinal stage in 2011 and 2007, so something had to give.

The two sides couldn’t be more contrasting. The Iranian’s well-drilled, experienced and obdurate against a youthful, energetic but inconsistent Iraqi team.

What Iran and Iraq served up was an incredible encounter between the two Asian rivals.  It’s safe to say that this has been the game of the tournament so far.  It may be clichéd to say but this clash had it all.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

1. Dejagah and Gharouri had the freedom of the right flank:

Team Melli had a lot of joy down the right hand side even when they were down to 10-men.  Ashkan Dejagah, before he was subbed off, and Vouria Ghafouri were constantly getting into good positions and tormenting Iraqi fullback Dhurgham Ismail.  Ismail wasn’t helped by his teammate Abdul Zahra.  Zahra’s unwillingness to track back exposed Ismail to constant two on one situations and the Iraqi defender was struggling to cope.

One wonders if Iran would have created further clear cut chances if they had pushed more men into the box when they had a full complement of players on the pitch.

As for Ismail, he would eventually have the last laugh.

2. Ben Williams – Spotlight on the official:

Iran versus Iraq is always going to be a tasty affair, so not only did the match need a strong official it needed a smart one too.  Ben Williams for the most part did his job well but he made a huge call at the end of the first half sending off Mehrdad Pooladi.

Before the incident, the Australian official consistently looked to play advantage recognizing quickly that both sides were not above from committing cynical tackles to break-up the rhythm of the game.

Indeed, it was an advantage played by Williams that led to the opening goal.  Ashkan Dejagah was fouled just inside the Iraqi half but the Australian official was quick to spot Vouria Ghafouri picking up the ball and charging down the right.  The fullback’s cross invited Sardar Azmoun to power a thumping header into the back of the net.

By playing the advantage at every opportunity Williams demonstrated to both teams that he wasn’t going to let cynical play disrupt the flow of the game.

However, Williams changed the tone of the contest dismissing Pooladi for two bookable offences.  The Iranian player had been booked in the 21^st minute for a late challenge and got his second yellow for simulation at the end of the half.

Pooladi had got into an altercation with the Iraqi goalkeeper Jalal Hassan with the latter putting his hand on the former’s chest.  Pooladi saw the opportunity to go down and forced the official to make a decision however the Team Melli man could not have foreseen what choice the ref was going to make.

The extraordinary thing about the sending off was that Williams appeared to forget that he had booked Pooladi earlier and needed to be reminded by the Iraqi players the Iranian was on a yellow.  Would he have shown Pooladi a second yellow if he remembered that the player was already on a booking?

It certainly was a controversial incident but it’s hard to feel any sympathy for Pooladi who was deliberately trying to get an opponent sent off.  He may think twice before hitting the deck again.

3. Radhi Shenaishil’s positive thinking paid off:

At the beginning of the second half Iraq’s coach Radhi Shenaishil  made an attacking change bringing on Marwan Hussein  and instructed his fullbacks to push up high and pin the Iranians back in their half.  He gambled that his opposite number Carlos Queiroz would tell his team to shut up shop and defend their lead.

Shenaishil’s plan worked as Iran were forced to play in their own half and clear the ball often inviting wave upon wave of Iraqi pressure.  The Iraqis was rewarded when Ahmed Yasmin equalized turning in a cross to score a deserved equalizer.  Iraq had threatened to level with a free kick which Alireza Haghighi superbly tipped over.  Naturally Iraq sat back a little after scoring the equalizer but one wonders what would have happened if they pushed harder during normal time.

The advantage was with the Shenaishil’s men going into extra time as the Iranians looked as if they were tiring.  Sadar Azmoun came off as early as the 63^rd minute suffering what appeared to be severe cramp.

The Iraqis pushed forward once again and initially it seemed like the extra-man advantage would eventually tell as the veteran Younis Mahmood stooped in to head Iraq in front with more joy from the left.  The Iraqis celebrated as if they had won the match but Iran were made of sterner stuff…

4. Iran refuses to be beaten:

You can question Iran’s tactics, the defensive nature of the side or the lack of service to their front men but what cannot be queried is their sheer refusal to lose.  Javad Nekounam and Andranik Teymourian were superb in midfield organizing the side and pressing when was required.

When Iran went behind the first time it seemed like Iraq had done enough.  When Iran went behind a second time it looked certain as if Iraq had done enough.  Regardless of his tactics Carlos Queiroz has instilled in his team a never say die spirit.

Their first equalizer saw Morteza Pouraliganji rose to head home in the 109^th minute.  The second equalizer came with just one minute left.  There was a desperate goalmouth scramble from a corner which saw the ball cross the line and bounce back into play before Reza Ghoochaanejhad headed in from close range making the score 3-3 to send the game into a penalty shoot-out, the first of the competition.

It was a remarkable show of courage especially as Iraq’s fullback, Dhurgham Ismail, had coolly converted a spot-kick, correctly given by the referee, just two minutes earlier.

5. Younis Mahmood’s Panenka Perfection:

The cliché is that penalties are a lottery.  That is an absolute nonsense shoot-outs are a test of nerve and skill.  The start of the shoot-out didn’t promise much as the first two penalties were missed horribly.  From then on in the spot kicks were exemplary, going high into the roof of the net.

With Iraq trailing 4-3 on penalties up stepped Younis Mahmood with his country’s last regulation spot-kick.  He had missed his previous two efforts and didn’t look too confident as he walked to the penalty spot.  He then produced a delicate Panenka completely wrong footing the Iranian keeper Haghighi.

To take a Panenka in normal time takes guts.  To take a Panenka after 120-minutes, losing the lead twice in the process and knowing that a miss would mean elimination from the competition takes an incredible amount of self confidence and steel.  The penalty visibly lifted his fellow Iraqi teammates.

Then at 6-6 following a miss by Iran’s Vahid Amiri, Salam Shakir stepped up and slotted home to give Iraq a famous 7-6 penalty shoot-out victory and finally end a match that will echo long in the annals of history of the Asian Cup.

The Lions of Mesopotamia are making themselves heard.  Their next opponents, South Korea, will do well to heed the roar.

The group stage of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup is over and there wasn’t a single draw at all. There have been 24 definitive results in 24 matches, which is quite remarkable.

The knockouts have a lot to live up to and there are some tasty fixtures to look forward to.

In total there are eight more matches left in the AFC Asian Cup so say hello to the business end of the tournament.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

SOUTH KOREA vs UZBEKISTAN:
Thursday, 2:30am ET; live on One World Sports and DishWorld

This is probably the hardest game to call out of all four of the quarterfinals. Uzbekistan have been consistently inconsistent scraping past North Korea, losing surprisingly to China before dispatching Saudi Arabia.

As for South Korea their record reads played three won three but that doesn’t tell the tale of their nervy performances in their first two matches before pulling off a surprise result against the hosts Australia. That’s South Korea in a nutshell; they may be unconvincing but still possess the pedigree to get a result when it matters.

Uzbekistani coach Mirjalol Qosimov has promised a win against the Taeguk Warriors which is a rather bold statement to make. That said if Uzbekistan are to make the step up to be considered one of Asia’s leading football nations then they need to beat the region’s big teams. A little bit of positivity is not a bad thing.   After their 3-1 victory against Saudi Arabia it’ll be interesting to see if Qosimov keeps his faith with the side that clinched qualification for the knockout stages or recall two time AFC Asian footballer of the year Server Djeparov. Expect Sardor Rashidov to retain his place after his brace against the Saudis.

Uli Stielike’s side haven’t set the Asian Cup alight but they could sneak into the semifinals somewhat under the radar. Prior to the tournament expectations were low and that may have been to South Korea’s advantage. Their best player by far has been Swansea City midfielder Ki Sung-yueng and he will be key if his are to dictate the tempo of the match. He has been at the heart of everything good that the South Korean’s have produced dictating the flow of the game for his side.

Both sides haven’t played to their full potential but the ingredients are there for this to be an entertaining encounter. Will Uzbekistan start the match quickly and hope to rattle the South Koreans? Can South Korea overcome their nerves and play the kind of football they are capable of especially with the talent at their disposal? The Uzbekistanis can play physically but the South Koreans aren’t a side who will be bullied easily.

In terms of the head to head count, Uzbekistan have only beaten South Korea once in eleven outings with the Taeguk Warriors emerging victorious on eight occasions. This should be a tight contest but South Korea’s superior technical quality may be enough to see them squeeze past Uzbekistan.

PREDICTION: SOUTH KOREA 2  UZBEKISTAN 1

CHINA vs AUSTRALIA:
Thursday, 5:30am ET; live on One World Sports and DishWorld

China have been one of the surprise packages in the AFC Asian Cup winning all three of their group matches for the first time in their history.   Their reward for topping Group B is a quarterfinal clash against the hosts Australia. Alain Perrin, China’s coach, can be forgiven for cursing his luck as a tie with South Korea would have probably suited his side better.

That said China in this tournament have been making a habit of surpassing expectation and a match against an Aussie side backed by a passionate home crowd will not cow the Chinese. If anything that could inspire them to raise their game. Sun Ke has found his shooting boots netting four goals in the tournament, Zhang Linpeng is showing why he’s considered one of the best defenders in Asia whilst Wang Dalei has emerged as one of the best goalkeepers in the tournament.

Stylistically China have also shown that they are capable of playing eye-catching football and going direct when they need to and have shown an inner steel hitherto unknown in recent years after coming back from a goal down to defeat Uzbekistan.

Alain Perrin wasn’t the first choice for Chinese fans when the head coach position became available for Asia’s perennial sleeping giants but he deserves a lot of credit for instilling confidence and resolve in his side. He will be hoping that midfielder Zheng Zhi will be fit to play as he plays a crucial role in organizing the Chinese midfield.

Australia started this tournament in barnstorming fashion swatting aside both Kuwait and Oman scoring four times in each match. Their defeat to South Korea came as a surprise but one feels that it was more of a learning experience for Ange Postecoglou and his players rather than a genuine setback.

The Socceroos are relishing their role as pre-tournament favorite and are riding the wave of support and expectation as hosts of the AFC Asian Cup. In terms of fitness and sheer intensity they are extremely difficult to live with and though they lack an out and out playmaker the Australians have more than enough trickery and firepower to see them through to the semis. A word of caution is required though. The Australian defense can be got at and though goalkeeper Mat Ryan has had a good tournament up till now the Socceroos must be mindful to keep things tight at the back.

On a more positive note for Postecoglou he will welcome back Mile Jedinak from injury and should restore Tim Cahill, Robbie Kruse and Mathew Leckie to the starting eleven.

The Australians will go into this game as strong favorites and perhaps the defeat to South Korea may have been a blessing in disguise. If any complacency was setting in it was knocked out by that eye-opening loss. They will not take the Chinese lightly.

China for their part will have to live with the intensity of the Australian game and match them physically and mentally. It may be a step too far for China though they have been quite happy to prove critics wrong in this tournament thus far.

PREDICTION: AUSTRALIA 2 CHINA 0

IRAQ vs IRAN
Friday, 1:30am ET; live on One World Sports and DishWorld

Iraq against Iran has the potential to be the tie of the quarterfinals. It’s certainly the most eye-catching fixture and promises to be a spicy encounter but if Carlos Queiroz has done anything with Iran it has been to instill an incredible level of discipline. Iran will go into this quarterfinal focused on playing the match and not the occasion.

Iran’s progress has been steady if not spectacular though they needed an injury time winner from Reza Ghoochannejhad against the United Arab Emirates to secure top spot in Group C. Under the guidance of Carlos Queiroz Iran are a steely, resolute outfit who are extremely difficult to break down and have the ability to strike ruthlessly if given a sniff.

The question is how adventurous will Queiroz be? Against the United Arab Emirates he left out both Ashkan Dejagah and Masoud Shojaei. The decision nearly backfired as Iran were seconds away from a quarterfinal clash with Japan before Ghoochannejhad intervened to spare Queiroz’s blushes. Given Iraq’s natural inclination to go forward the Portuguese tactician could see them as being ripe to be picked off on the counter. Queiroz has the personnel to pull off the result as well with an array of attacking talent, an industrious midfield, a solid defense and a confident goalkeeper. Collectively, this is a side that refuses to lose and if they take the lead it would be hard to see Iraq getting a foothold back into the contest.

Iraq have not had the most convincing of Asian Cup campaigns thus far. Their defense had some shaky moments against Palestine before striker Younis Mahmoud settled his side’s nerves. The vastly experienced Mahmoud will be a key player leading the line for Iraq against Iran.

Iraqi coach Radhi Shenaishil believes that victory over their arch-rivals will propel his side into the final and that a repeat of their 2007 success is certainly not out of the question. Iraq will have to rely on their flair and creativity and if their players click they could pose a number of problems going forward. However if they do over-commit and leave bodies forward they are susceptible to a swift counter. The Lions of Mesopotamia may have to curb their attacking instincts if they are to be in with a chance of causing a shock.

This won’t be just another game and the atmosphere will be electric when these two meet. It will need an almighty effort for Iraq to clinch a win. Iran are looking ominous though they have not hit their stride just yet.

Iran should get through but they won’t be given an easy time.

PREDICTION: IRAN 2 IRAQ 0

JAPAN vs UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Friday, 4:30am ET; live on One World Sports and DishWorld

This is an intriguing fixture featuring arguably the two most technically gifted teams in the competition. The United Arab Emirates have impressed with brand of slick attacking football with Omar Abdulrahman emerging as one of the tournament’s leading lights whilst Ali Mabkhout has been sharp scoring three goals in the group stage.

Japan qualified comfortably from their group though ominously they can probably play better. Their attacking play at times has been a joy to behold although they can over elaborate at times. Their defense has not been severely tested yet so it remains to be seen how they’d react if put under pressure though the tactics espoused by Javier Aguirre has been for the Samurai Blue to swamp their opponents giving them very little time to play.

Keisuke Honda has been leading the way scoring three goals for his side and displaying a great understanding with Takashi Inui and Shinji Kagawa. The goals have been spread around the team with Kagawa, Shinji Okazaki, Yasuhito Endō and Maya Yoshida finding the back of the net for the Japanese. If we’re being critical Japan should have scored more in the group stages and put games well out of the sight of their opponents. If anything is going to haunt the Japanese it’s their seeming inability to convert their possession and chances into goals. They’ve had 45 shots on goal, 22 on target and scored just seven with four of those coming against the minnows Palestine.

The United Arab Emirates have emerged alongside China as possible dark horses for the Asian Cup crown. They were unlucky against Iran and had the Emiratis taken their chances they would have topped their group. But therein lies the problem. For all the wonderful approach work they are not converting their chances either, indeed only two players Ali Mabkhout and Ahmed Khalil have found the net for the UAE. Mohamed Hasan did score for the UAE too; problem is he plays for Bahrain.

Omar Abdulrahman has shone in the tournament but if there is to be a criticism made against the young playmaker it’s that he hasn’t scored for his country in the AFC Asian Cup, yet. If there’s a game for Omar Abdulrahmen to stamp his class and make a statement it is against Japan. The UAE number 10 has the class and talent to make an impact so expect the experienced Makoto Hasebe to keep an eye on the playmaker.

This game could resemble a bit of a chess match especially if the technical qualities of both teams come to the fore. It promises to be a fascinating game but Japan’s greater number of match-winners could edge the contest in favor of the Saumrai Blue.

PREDICTION: JAPAN 1 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 0

Japan have been efficient if not spectacular in their defense of the Asian Cup. They dealt with Palestine easily and eased past Iraq. Against Jordan the Japanese had a chance to finish Group D on top with a 100% record and set themselves up for a mouthwatering with the technically proficient United Arab Emirates.

Jordan for their part had a chance of advancing to the quarters provided they defeated Japan.

The Japanese notched up a regulation win with little fuss and didn’t allow Jordan to get into the game. However, this was not the complete performance from Japan and in truth they should have been out of sight by the time the first half ended.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

1. Okazaki vital to Japan’s hopes: 

Japan are a neat and tidy side full of talented technicians like Shinji Kagawa, Keisuke Honda and Takashi Inui but despite the blistering start to the game Japan were trying to be a bit too intricate at times. Shinji Okazaki was key to breaking the deadlock in the 24th minute getting into a good position on the left hand side of the penalty area and opting to shoot instead of trying to cross the ball for a teammate to tap in.

Okazaki’s effort forced Jordanian keeper Amer Shafi into a good save but the latter only succeeded in deflecting the ball into Keisuke Honda’s path.

On top of his willingness to shoot Okazaki’s work rate was phenomenal. He was vital to Japan’s game plan to pin the Jordanians in their own half. Defensively, he worked hard to close down the opposition and press the ball. When his team were on the front foot he made a number of intelligent runs, creating space and options for his teammate.

Okazaki provides a directness that Japan don’t otherwise possess. His importance to the Samurai Blue cannot be understated.

2. Technique and intensity a winning combination for the Samurai Blue: 

Japan started off like a whirlwind and didn’t allow Jordan any time to settle in the match. Intense pressing, quick passing and intelligent runs off the ball made Japan almost impossible to live with. The hardworking Okazaki gave the Jordanian defense no time to think whilst Kagawa, Honda and Takashi Inui constantly interchanged positions posing different questions to the Jordanian backline. The full backs Yuto Nagatomo and Gōtoku Sakai had the freedom to raid down the flanks taking advantage Honda’s and Inui’s infield darts from wide areas.

If there was a surprise it was that the goal didn’t come sooner. That’s something that Japan will have to be wary of as the likes of Australia and the UAE found out to their cost it doesn’t matter how well you play, how many passes you make or how much possession you have if that dominance does not translate into goals then there’s always the danger of being hit with a sucker punch. 

3. Amer Shafi stemmed the tide: 

Apparently, Amer Shafi’s nickname is the ‘whale of Asia’. Sounds like a rather cruel moniker but perhaps an apt one because for the most part whatever Japan threw at him he repelled and kept his team in the game especially in the first half. He was called into action almost immediately at the start of the second half when he bravely dived on a loose ball to deny Okazaki and had the air and authority of a top class goalkeeper.

It was noticeable that the defense trusted him and had faith in their stopper to deal with whatever came his way.

Shafi could have and should have done better with Japan’s second goal as Kagawa’s shot was directed right at him but given the sheer number of shots against him in this tournament an error was bound to happen.

The standard of goalkeeping in the AFC Asian Cup has been mixed but Shafi can look back at his Asian Cup campaign with a sense of satisfaction emerging as one of the better goalkeepers in the tournament.

4. Butch’s game plan falls flat but he had limited options

Ray Wilkins was an animated figure on the touchline. After seeing his team overwhelmed by Japan in the first half the Englishman rang in the changes at halftime bringing on Ahmad Hayel and Munther Abu Amrah. They helped their side going forward as in the first half Hamza Al-Dardour, who scored four goals in their last game against Palestine, cut a lonely figure upfront.

The duo provided much needed support for Al-Dardour as Jordan saw more of the ball in the second half as Jordan switched to a 4-4-2 from a 4-5-1.

Starting the game playing a 4-5-1 system was understandable but the formation coupled with the lack of pressing from the Jordanians only encouraged Japan to attack over and over again.

Remember Jordan needed a win to advance to the knockouts so ceding the initiative right from the first whistle seemed counter-productive.

Wilkins additionally instructed his side to pressurize the ball in the second half. Initially the plan did pay off as Jordan fought their way back into the match creating a couple of half chances.

Ultimately, their blunt attack and lack of poise showed and Japan quickly got back into their stride.

5. Are Japan too clever for their own good?

Watching Japan swarm forward is a beautiful sight to behold. The patterns and intricate play can cut open teams especially when done at pace. However, there are points where they over elaborate and let the opposition off the hook. It’s ok when playing like that against Asia’s lesser lights but they can’t afford to be so generous when up against the big guns like Iran or Australia.

Honda was class throughout the match constantly causing problems with his positional play, awareness and creativity but he should have had more than just the one goal to his name.

Japan are no doubt one of the best teams in the tournament but they can afford to be a little more ruthless and a little less flashy.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Japanese backline respond to a spell of consistent pressure. This wasn’t the match to judge the defensive resoluteness of Makoto Hasebe, Maya Yoshida, Masoto Morishige and Eiji Kawashima.

From an overall perspective tricks and flicks are nice but goals are better though.

Up next the United Arab Emirates.

This is a group that featured one dead rubber and a game that would determine who would finish on top.

Iran eventually came up trumps against an impressive United Arab Emirates in a tense match. Indeed if the UAE were more clinical in front of goal they could have topped Group C but instead it was Iran who dug deep and conjured up a winner in the dying moments of the game.

The other match was a battle for the wooden spoon and it was 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar who eventually went home empty handed. The Bahrainis extended their unbeaten run against Qatar having not lost the previous 13 encounters between the two.

Once again, the AFC Asian Cup witnessed definitive results in both matches. That makes it 22 games without a stalemate it truly is a quite remarkable statistic.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

Bahrain 2 Qatar 1 

The Bahrainis exited the Asian Cup with three points courtesy of a long range effort from Sayed Ahmed Jaffar eight minutes from time. ‘Long range effort’ is a generous description of the goal as much of it owed to a misjudgment from Qatari keeper Qasem Burhan.

In fact at both ends of the pitch the woodwork seemed more secure and reliable than either goalkeeper coming to the aid of both Bahrain and Qatar.

The opening goal did come from a moment of quality produced by Faouzi Aaish who jinked his way into the penalty box before setting up a chance for Sayed Dhiya Shubbar who still had a bit of work to do to find the corner of the Qatari net.

The Qatari equalizer came from a moment of ingenuity from Hasan Al-Haydos. He gambled on hitting his free kick low and the Bahraini wall obligingly jumped over the shot leaving keeper Hamad Al-Doseri with little chance.

In fairness the Qataris had the better of the 90 minutes, out passing their opponents and taking the initiative. They bossed possession and had 18 shots with five on target. Unfortunately, their lack of a clinical edge cost them and in the 82nd minute Sayed Ahmed Jaffar’s hopeful effort caught Qasem Burhan off guard with the Qatari keeper deceived by the flight of the ball. By the time he readjusted it was too late.

Bahraini coach Marjan Eid acknowledged that his team did have the rub of the green in this encounter though he was keen to point out that lady luck wasn’t kind to his side in the previous two matches.

Djamel Belmadi bemoaned his side’s busy schedule in the run-up to the Asian Cup stating:

“In one year, we had three competitions, which is a lot for a national team. We won two, so it’s something that’s not easy. One West Asian Cup at home, one Gulf Cup away from home in Saudi Arabia and we know how difficult it is to win there. Maybe, this third competition is too much for us, especially when you have a short time between the competitions, only one month between. It’s not an excuse, but a fact. In three competitions, we won two of them. Maybe I will analyze about this. It’s about our level, maybe too many competitions for one year.”

Belmadi may not have much time to analyze Qatar’s performance as speculation is rife that he will be relieved of his position. This tournament has been a forgettable experience for Qatar who failed to produce on Asia’s biggest stage. All focus now will be on qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia but the Qataris may embark on that journey without Belmadi.

Iran 1 United Arab Emirates 0

The 1-0 score line suggests a tight game, which it was, but it doesn’t reflect a wonderfully fascinating match between the United Arab Emirates and Iran.

The game ebbed and flowed and the United Arab Emirates took the game to their more illustrious counterparts and for all intensive purposes bossed the proceedings. Their play was slick, inventive and industrious. They stroked the ball with confidence as they searched for a way to break down an obdurate and resolute Iranian defense. They had the lion’s share of the ball, made over double the number of passes compared to Iran but crucially didn’t manage to produce a single shot on target.

Much like Australia against South Korea, the United Arab Emirates learned a harsh lesson. Dominance means nothing without goals and any lapse in concentration will be punished.

Once again Omar Abdulrahman was the star of the show outshining the Iranian Messi Sardar Azmoun. Abdulrahman’s reading and understanding of the game seems instinctive and natural, football comes easy to him. The UAE playmaker was at the heart of anything good produced by the Emiratis his passing was sharp and incisive and he didn’t allow his marker Javad Nekounam the opportunity to shackle him. The only thing missing from Abdulrahman’s Asian Cup collection is a goal to cap off his fine displays. A recent column on ESPN FC suggested that the Asian Cup has yet to see a bona fide star but if anyone has the potential to become this tournament’s outstanding player it is the UAE number 10.

That said the Iranians weren’t exactly slouches either creating dangerous chances whilst remaining tight at the back, a hallmark of this side under Carlos Queiroz. The question is whether Iran will be willing to come out of their shell in the knock-out matches. Indeed for all the attacking talent at their disposal Iran were relatively unambitious and it will be interesting to see how they would respond if required to force the issue. For this game though Queiroz chose to bench some of his bigger names like Ashkan Dejagah, Masoud Shojaei and Reza Ghoochaanejhad placing the attacking burden on Azmoun.

That said their discipline and organization was impressive and Iran’s opponents will need to take their chances against Team Melli because under Queiroz this side does not give away too many clear cut opportunities. Iran’s ability to pull a result out of the fire in the dying seconds, an experience Queiroz is familiar with during his days at Manchester United, will no doubt please the Portuguese coach.

Make no mistake, Reza Ghoochannejhad’s stoppage time header was vitally important. If the match had ended up as a stalemate then Iran would have finished second in the group.

Mahdi Ali, justifiably, said his team deserved something from the game but is looking forward to the quarterfinals.

“This is football. Sometimes, you see the side of football you don’t want to see. We didn’t deserve to lose the game but we lost. Now we have to focus on our game against Japan”.

Queiroz for his part stated:

“It was a good win against the UAE as in my opinion they are the best football team in West Asia – they have beautiful players and good combinations and have played together for a long time. It is difficult to play against them as they play like a club team. (We) showed good concentration and played with a fantastic attitude and were willing to sacrifice for the team. We played a passing game and were better than UAE in terms of penetration and movement. It was a great football game, very emotional and skilful.”

The United Arab Emirates can go into their quarterfinal match with confidence as they have been playing some of the best soccer in the Asian Cup.

Iran have proved that they will be extremely difficult to beat. Judging from the group games Iran are a team set-up not lose. Team Melli are well-drilled and if they take the lead it’s hard to see anyone breaking down such an organized and disciplined unit.

The 2015 AFC Asian Cup has written itself in the history books. How so? Well after this weekend’s results, the tournament has seen 20 straight games with a winner. That’s right there have been no draws in this tournament thus far.  No major football tournament — be it the World Cup, European Championships, African Cup of Nations, Copa América — have seen this number of consecutive results.

The record was previously held by the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay which saw 18 consecutive games yield definitive result.

So what do we know after the weekend’s matches?  Well two quarterfinals have been decided already.  The hosts, Australia, will take on the in-form China whilst Uzbekistan face South Korea.

How did we arrive here?

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

Australia 0 – 1 South Korea

Well who saw this result coming?  The Socceroos in their previous two matches helped themselves to eight goals whilst only conceding the one.  South Korea, on the other hand, scraped to two 1-0 victories and barely looked impressive in either of their Asian Cup outings.

Soccer, being the game that it is, saw fit to throw the form book out of the window and delivered perhaps the most surprising result of the tournament so far.  South Korea managed to sneak a 1-0 victory.

The result doesn’t fatally wound Australia’s chances at the Asian Cup.  If anything, it’s a timely reminder that nothing can be taken for granted.  Ange Postecoglou gambled by leaving first choice attacking trio Tim Cahill, Robbie Kruse and Mathew Leckie on the bench and though it failed to pay off, he did learn a lot about his team.  He would have been pleased with the fighting spirit and never-say-die attitude of his side but if this match demonstrated anything, it is that a lapse in concentration can prove costly.  Australia now face a winnable if tricky encounter with China.  No doubt Postecoglou and company will work to ensure that they don’t suffer a repeat when they face the Chinese in Brisbane.

As for Uli Stielike, this is his side’s third one-nil victory in a row.  The winner itself, which came in the 33rd minute, was a cleverly crafted goal.  Ki Sung-yueng slipped a clever ball through to Lee Keun-ho behind the Australian right flank, taking out three players in the process.  Ho took advantage of Nathan Burns’ lapse in concentration to play the ball across the face of goal, which was diverted in by Lee Jeong-hyeop with the merest of touches.

Of the three matches, this game would have pleased Stielike the most with the German coach remarking that the atmosphere of the tie had the feeling of a cup final rather than a group game.  He was pleased with how his side raised the level of their game and added in rather understated fashion:

“I hope tonight will serve as the benchmark for the rest of the games”.

South Korea played the match without injured Mainz duo Park Joo-ho and Koo Ja-cheol, so it’s a testament to their team ethic and approach that they didn’t let the absence of the pair weigh them down.  Park could make it for the quarterfinal against the unpredictable Uzbekistan but Koo could be a doubt.

Oman 1 – 0 Kuwait

There wasn’t much to play for but pride for the two Middle Eastern sides.  On paper, the stats didn’t suggest a goal fest as Kuwait had only scored twice in seven Asian Cup matches whilst Oman were yet to hit the back of the net in 418 minutes prior to this encounter.

Abdulaziz Al Muqbali scored the crucial goal for Oman, heading home in the 69th minute against the run of play it has to be said, to secure the points and the win for the Omanis.  He really should have had a hat trick as he spurned two great opportunities to put the game out of sight.

Oman Coach Paul Le Guen was happy with the result praising their resilience:

“We had some difficulties during the game but we kept fighting. I like that about this team.”

As for Kuwait, the curtain is drawn on a fruitless Asian Cup campaign.  Their coach Nabil Maâloul bemoaned his side’s injury problems and believed that it played a big part in Kuwait’s poor campaign.

Uzbekistan 3 – 1 Saudi Arabia

It was a must-win game for Mirjalol Qosimov’s Uzbekistan as they rang in the changes, bringing in five new faces and instructing his team to attack from the off.  Sardor Rashidov gave his team a dream start scoring inside 90 seconds pouncing on an error before sliding a shot through Waleed Abdullah legs.  In truth, it was a terrible piece of goalkeeping and Abdullah’s keeping arguably played a huge role in Saudi Arabia’s early exit from the tournament.

Uzbekistan, the White Wolves,  sought to impose a physical style on the match and for most part it unsettled the Saudis who had trouble keeping up with the pace and power of the Uzbeks.  However the Green Falcons were given a lifeline in the 60th minute when Vitaliy Denisov was adjudged to have fouled Naif Hazazi.  It was the Saudi’s third penalty in the tournament and having missed the previous two Mohammed Al-Sahalawi stepped up and ensured it wasn’t third time unlucky slotting the ball home.  With the score at 1-1 the Saudis were on course to qualify for the quarters.

Despite getting back in the game the men in green were always susceptible at the back and only held their advantage for 11 minutes before Vokhid Shodiev towered above the Saudi backline to head home.  Once again Waleed Abdullah must shoulder a fair share of the blame as his indecisiveness as to whether to come out to meet Shavkat Mulladjanov’s cross left him with no time to react to Shodiev’s header.

With the disappointing Saudi’s desperately looking for an equalizer the Uzbeks clinically hit them on the counter with Rashidov finishing the contest off in earnest side footing home.  It was a deserved win and Uzbekistan now march on to face South Korea.

If the Saudis were honest with themselves, they will admit they didn’t do enough in the big matches as an attacking and defensive unit to get through.  One has to wonder what’s going through Naif Hazazi’s head at the moment.  It was his casual penalty against China that effectively set the tone for Saudi Arabia’s tournament.

As for Uzbekistan, coach Qosimov has promised a victory against South Korea.  It’s a bold thing to say but perhaps now it’s time for the Uzbeks to step up and claim their place as one of Asia’s footballing powerhouses.

China 2 – 1 North Korea

Pim Verbeek, in the run-up to the tournament, tipped China to do well as they had time to prepare for the AFC Asian Cup.  Thus far, he has been proved right as the Chinese unexpectedly topped their group displaying a level of resilience that has thus far been alien to them in recent years.

At the back, they have been marshaled really well by Zhang Linpeng whilst goalkeeper Wang Dalei has established himself as one of the standout goalkeepers in this tournament.

Another early goal, this time by Sun Ke who scored with just 45 seconds on the clock, put China in the box seat.  That said he was helped by some woeful defending by the North Koreans but don’t take anything away from Sun’s alertness and smart finish to capitalize on the error.  Sun Ke doubled China’s lead meeting Jiang Zhipeng’s cross to head home though the North Korean goal keeper left a lot to be desired.  The first half was a cruise for China and could easily have been three or four goals up by half time.

China did take their foot off the gas and the North Koreans pressed.  They pressured down the flanks and created a number of decent chances.  First, Gao Lin inadvertently steered the ball into his own net after Zhang Linpeng’s clearance off the line came off the unsuspecting striker.  So Hyon-uk so nearly equalized with a spectacular volley and had it been a few inches lower it would have been a contender for goal of the tournament.

China now take on hosts Australia.  All the pressure will be on the Socceroos to deliver and that could play into the hands of Alain Perrin’s men.  In this scenario, the Chinese will be more than happy to be the underdogs.

We’re starting to see the knock-out phase of the AFC Asian Cup take shape as two more teams qualified for the quarterfinals.

Both the United Arab Emirates and Iran extended their stay in the competition at the expense of Bahrain and Qatar respectively. The pair face-off in their final Group C match to determine who’ll top the table with the winners in all likelihood avoiding a clash with defending champions Japan in the quarters.

The players who lit up the games were Omar Abdulrahman for the United Arab Emirates and the Iranian Messi Sadar Azmoun. Abdulrahman is stamping his class on the tournament whilst Azmoun produced a sublime piece of skill to score the winner for Iran.

Once again the crowd support has been strong with the Australian public really taking to the tournament. Even the ‘North Korean Ultras’ have been getting in on the act.

United Arab Emirates 2 – 1 Bahrain

The United Arab Emirates created Asian Cup history by scoring the fastest goal the tournament has ever seen. Ali Mabkhout latched on to a pass from Omar Abdulrahman 14-seconds into the match to give his side the perfect start. It set the tone for the first half as Bahrain sought to get a foothold into the game after suffering the early set-back. The UAE had a golden opportunity to go two goals to the good as Mohamed Abdulrahman slipped a ball through for the onrushing Ahmed Khalil but his effort rebounded off the foot of the Bahraini post.

That miss proved costly as Bahrain equalized courtesy of star striker the Nigerian-born Jaycee John who headed Faouzi Aaish’s corner in the 26^thminute. Throughout the game John looked to be Bahrain’s most likely source of goals.

The United Arab Emirates did seem vulnerable to crosses and that problem did not escape the notice of their coach Madhi Ali. He adjusted his side’s tactics to shut down the space from wide areas and prevent the Bahrainis from peppering box of the UAE keeper, Majed Nasser, with pacy crosses. Ali may look to make his team a little more compact in the final game against Iran as Team Melli have the talent to create opportunities from out wide and in central areas.

The UAE did have a stroke of good fortune with their winning goal when the luckless Bahraini captain Mohamed Ali Hussain rose to divert Amer Abdulrahman’s free-kick past his keeper in the 73^rd minute for an own goal.

The UAE held on and have made it to the knockout stage of the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in 19 years. The victory itself was doubly historic as it marked the first time the UAE managed to win their opening two group games in any Asian Cup tournament. The Emiratis will go into the game against Iran with no pressure as the weight of expectation will rest on the Iranian’s shoulders. If Madhi Ali’s side can keep his side solid defensively then there is a chance of causing a mini-upset especially if Omar Abdulrahman continues his fine form in the tournament.

Iran 1 – 0 Qatar

Once again the support Iran enjoyed was so vociferous it really did feel like they were playing at home. The atmosphere if Iran and Australia meet would be quite simply electric. If all goes to form the two should meet in the semifinals.

Though Iran are one of the pre-tournament favourites their preparations for the Asian Cup has been a source of frustration for their coach Carlos Queiroz. Since the World Cup Iran have only played twice in the run-up to the Asian Cup which is far from ideal. The lack of match practice did seem to tell as Team Melli initially struggled to get up to speed against the Qataris.

Indeed the hosts of the 2022 World Cup caused a few problems with their passing and movement but lacked a cutting edge to trouble the Iranians who slowly grew into the game. Iran’s most dangerous effort came towards the end of the first half when Javad Nekounam’s towering header was cleared off the line with the Qatari keeper Qasem Burhan beaten all ends up.

It’s surprising that the Iranians didn’t try to test the Qatari keeper more as he was short on confidence and floundering when balls were crossed into the box. Whilst the Iranian’s especially in the first half were slow to transition play one can’t ignore the defensive effort that the Qataris put in to nullify the Iranians.

Carlos Queiroz opted to start Sadar Azmoun ahead of Reza Ghoochannejhad and that decision paid off handsomely as the forward executed what’s been described excitedly across the internet as a ‘Bergkamp-esque’ piece of skill to beat his man before stabbing the ball home beyond Bursan.

The genesis of the goal though came from a poor throw-out from Burhan who immediately put his teammate under pressure. The industrious Andranik Teymourian was alert to the potential opportunities and won the ball back. The Iranians in the second half started to press for the ball higher up the pitch and that played a big role in the opening goal

Teymourian set Ashkan Dejagah away who in turn played the ball in. Azmoun let the ball run across his body fooling the onrushing marker with a delicate back heel and spin before tucking the ball home. It was a moment of sheer class.

Queiroz likened the strike to another Dutch striker, Ruud van Nistelrooy, and justified the former Manchester United assistant manager’s decision to start Azmoun. The Iranians themselves grew into the game as the match went on and eventually their talent shone through.

Iran now need a positive result to win the group but they’ll be in confident mood as they approach their match against the UAE. As for Qatar the long road for Russia 2018 beckons and there’s still a fair bit of work that needs to be done if the Qataris are to qualify for their first ever World Cup.

Both Jordan and Palestine needed a result Friday morning to give themselves a chance of qualification for the knockout phase.

Of the pair the Jordanians came in with pressure on their shoulders.  They had lost their previous six international matches and had not won in 11.

If that wasn’t enough in the Jordanians were involved in a spat with the tournament’s drug testers accusing them of mistreating striker Ahmad Hayel claiming that the player suffered from hypothermia as a result their actions when they tried to obtain a sample.   Needless to say the test was botched.

The Palestinians on the other hand had the freedom to play as they weren’t expected achieve much in their Asian Cup campaign.  The Palestinian players reflected this relaxed attitude, attacking incessantly.  Unfortunately, for all their effort they came up against an inspired Hamza Al-Dardour who single-handedly took them apart.

The game was summed up succinctly an Australian commentator when he said “all the goals came from Jordan but all the football came from Palestine”.  

Indeed 5-1 doesn’t truly tell the story of this game.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

1. The Palestinians – Spirited but taught a clinical lesson:

What will annoy the Palestine coaching staff and the players was that Jordan didn’t look like scoring in the opening half an hour and the goal, a good one at that, by Yousuf Ahmad was against the run of play.  A minute later Jordan were 2-0 up and from then on the Palestinians were always up against it.

Setting up as a 4-2-3-1 the Palestinians initially played at a high tempo but were smart enough not to expend all their energy in the opening minutes.  Overall they were quick, moved the ball swiftly, mixed up their passing, hunted for possession in packs and created chances with neat interplay.

It could have been so different had Hisham Sahli’s fourth minute effort had not been tipped onto the bar by Amer Shafi.  If they had something to hold onto they could have really tested the mental strength of the Jordanians and hit them on the break.

Crucially, the Palestinians did not build on their good foundations and were made to pay by the devastating finishing of Hamza Al-Dardour.

Palestine will be reflecting on how things might have been had they converted the opportunities they created.  By the time Jaka Hbaisha slotted home, creating history in the process by scoring Palestine’s first ever goal in the Asian Cup, it was too little too late.

2. Hamza Al-Dardour – Jordan’s goal-den boy:

Maybe Jordan’s initial mediocrity was too much for Hamza Al-Dardour who rolled his sleeves up and got his team out of a difficult spot.  He sparked the Jordanians into life by skipping past a couple of Palestinian markers just outside the penalty area before rolling the ball to Yousuf Ahmad who curled in a delicious effort.

He was then on hand to finish off a pair of incisive counter-attacks after the Palestinians had overcommitted.  On both occasions he intelligently peeled off his marker to give himself space help himself to a brace before the end of the first half.

The striker then showed his rapid turn of pace in the second half speeding past the Palestinian defense before slotting home a composed finish to complete the AFC Asian Cup’s first hat-trick.  He amazingly helped himself to a fourth turning in Oday Zahran’s cross from the right.  This was as complete a performance as this tournament has seen from a striker.

It was probably an act of mercy when Al-Dardour was taken off by Ray Wilkins.

That said Jordan must thank their man at the other end for ensuring that the score looked relatively comfortable.

3. Amer Shafi’s keeping comes to the fore:

The score may suggest a comfortable enough game for Jordan but it certainly wasn’t a fair reflection of the match.  That in part was due to the intervention of the Jordanian keeper Amer Shafi.

For all the possession and neat play of the Palestinians they did not test Shafi enough but when they did the keeper came up trumps when it mattered most.

With the game at 0-0 in the fourth minute he produced a wonderful fingertip save to prevent Hisham Salhi’s vicious, swirling effort from going in to keep the score level.  Had Jordan gone behind would they have crumbled under the pressure?  We won’t know as Shafi prevented that question from ever being asked.

In the 51st minute he made another big save to keep Abdulhamid Abuhabib’s effort out. Had that gone in that would have made the score 3-1 and given the Palestinian’s a sniff of a chance.

When Shafi was finally beaten in the 85th minute he had done his bit and still had time to prevent the Palestinians from scoring a second.

4. A little discipline can go a long way for Palestine:

Palestine had eight shots with four of them on target.  Going forward they were inventive, clever and at points thrilling.

However they will need to learn the virtues of discipline as they were clinically taken apart by some quick incisive counter-attacking.  To a degree they decided Jordan’s tactics as Ray Wilkins’ team just needed to sit back, defend and spring forward as the Palestinians overcommitted time and time again.

The defense needs more organization too as they continually left their men and gave away very preventable goals.

It will be a long road for Palestine but they have shown that they are pretty handy going forward.  They will need to work on the defensive side and learn how to balance their playing style.

If they learn their lessons and tighten up their backline they have the potential to develop into a team that can compete at the Asian level.

5. Wilkins’ tactics leave Jordan exposed:

This is one of the stranger things I’ll ever write but this was the most evenly contested 5-1 games that I have ever seen.  If Palestine had an Amer Shafi in goal the outcome could have been totally different.

Ray Wilkins side played a 4-1-3-2 formation and that left them horribly exposed in the wide areas of the midfield.    The Palestinians intelligently spread the play and when the Jordanians overcommitted on one side they switched play quickly to the other flank.

The defending left a lot to be desired whilst they were extremely generous giving the Palestinians too much space and time.

A cannier team would have exploited Jordan’s weaknesses and it’s not surprising that they have failed to win any of their previous 11 matches.

Their goal difference is a lot healthier but the performance is a worry.  Jordan will need to raise their game immensely if they wish to achieve an unlikely result against defending champions Japan.

The last round of Group B fixtures have thrown up a tasty clash between Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan. Both sides have been beaten by Alain Perrin’s resilient China, who in the process have overcome their own mini-hoodoo by securing qualification into the knockout phase after failures in the previous two tournaments.

One point against the already eliminated North Korea will see China top Group B and will see them clash with either the hosts Australia or in all probability the thus far disappointing Taeguk Warriors, South Korea in the quarters.

Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan will meet in their final Group B encounter with the latter knowing that a win is the minimum requirement.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

Saudi Arabia 4 North Korea 1

4-1 is turning into a rather popular scoreline at the AFC Asian Cup. This is the third time the tournament has seen this result. Whilst the score suggests a stroll for Saudi Arabia they did have to contend with an early scare when the North Koreans took the lead when Saudi goalkeeper, Waleed Abdullah, could only push Pak Kwang-ryong’s shot into the path of Ryang Yong-gi who gleefully slotted the ball home in the 12th minute. The strike marked North Korea’s first Asian Cup final goal in 23 years, and it was a deserved lead.

In a marked contrast to their opening tussle against Uzbekistan the North Koreans started with aggression and attacking intent. Jong Il-gwan underlined the approach by getting booked within the opening 15 seconds. It was always going to be a hard task to keep up the tempo, especially given North Korea’s lack of technical finesse and they were made to pay when the Saudi’s picked up a loose pass on the left of midfield and neatly worked a chance for Naif Hazazi to equalize in the 37th minute. It was a moment of relief for Hazazi, who missed a penalty against China in the previous game, and the Saudi front man would prove to be a key figure for his side against the North Koreans.

The Saudis stunned the North Koreans after the break courtesy of a quick fire brace from Mohammad Al-Sahlawi in the 52nd and 54th minute. The striker turned in a deflected cross to net his first before benefitting from a moment of ineptitude by the North Korean defense to out his side 3-1 up.

Saudi Arabia, the Green Falcons, were later given a penalty in the 77th minute after Ri Yong-jik had handled on the line. Nawaf Al-Abed took over penalty taking duties but saw his strike superbly saved by Ri Myong-guk. Unfortunately for the luckless goalkeeper the ball rebounded off the post and trickled invitingly along the line for Al-Abed to fire in.

It was a spirited performance by both teams but in the end a combination of North Korean fatigue and Saudi class saw the game swing in the Green Falcons’ favour. Saudi coach Cosmin Olăroiu, who came in for criticism after the defeat against China, opted to play a more attacking game and was rewarded with a win, breaking Saudi Arabia five-match Asian Cup losing streak.

In fairness the Saudis only needed to wait for the North Koreans to run out of steam before asserting their authority, but the Romanian coach should be concerned with how easily rattled his team became as a result of the fast start of the opposition. He will be pleased though with how well his side dealt with transitions of possession, especially when going forward.

Olăroiu now has a decision to make, does he revert to the conservative game plan or once again let his side play a more attacking game? The Green Falcons certainly seem more comfortable playing a more expansive style but will that be enough against an unpredictable Uzbekistani side?

China 2 Uzbekistan 1

China needs to be less polite, well on the pitch at any rate, according to Alain Perrin. His side certainly weren’t accommodating in this match displaying an inner steel that has been lacking in recent years. The French coach once again masterminded another surprise with his team coming from a goal down to beat the infuriatingly inconsistent Uzbekistanis.

The Chinese started off brightly but the Uzbeks wrested a measure of control back and took the lead in somewhat fortuitous fashion when Odil Ahmedov, who did well to create a chance for himself, saw his 22nd minute shot loop in after it was deflected by Wu Xi.

In years gone by China would have lowered their heads and accepted their fate but this group weren’t willing to give up without a fight. They were aided by some uncertain and hesitant goalkeeping from Uzbekistan’s Ignatiy Nesterov in the immediate build-up to China’s 55th equalizer. That said the equalizer would not have come had it not been for striker Gao Lin, whose awareness to pick out teammate Wu Xi with an outrageous flick is one of the moments of the tournament so far.

Perrin also made a crucial intervention in the second half as his side were searching for the winner. He brought on Sun Ke for Gao Lin and his substitution paid off when the former was afforded too much space by the Uzbeks, allowing him to strike from the edge of the box.

With Jiang Zhipeng, who missed a good chance to make it three, marshalling his defense solidly the Chinese were never in danger of losing the game.

Whisper it but China are building up momentum and victory against North Korea will see them advance into the knockouts in buoyant mood. A semi-final spot is not beyond them, especially if they face the underwhelming South Korea. Perrin is too canny an operator to get carried away though and won’t be looking beyond the next game

As for Uzbekistan they seemingly flatter to deceive at each and every opportunity. Mirjalol Qosimov, the head coach, surprisingly took off his most inventive player Server Djeparov and his side didn’t look like creating too much after that substitution was made. His team now go into a must-win game against Saudi Arabia and there’s no guarantee that his side will go through.

Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia are two of the more technically accomplished sides in the tournament so it’ll depend on how each coach will look to set their teams up. With so much at stake expect a cagey affair to begin with but if the Uzbekistanis fail to score an early goal they will need to open up and Saudi Arabia are more than capable of hitting on the break with devastating effect.

South Korea and Kuwait kicked off the second round of matches in the group phase of the AFC Asian Cup at the Canberra Stadium. Kuwait needed a win to keep themselves in the tournament whilst the South Koreans were looking to improve on a nervy performance against Oman.

The form book suggested a win for Korea, especially as Kuwait had lost their previous six AFC Asian Cup final matches. It was a tight match showcasing two sides that were happy to employ short, quick passes which was pleasing on the eye.

South Korea will breathe a sigh of relief after capitalizing on a moment of quality courtesy of Cha Du-ri and Nam Tae-hee.

The Kuwaitis can be proud of their performance but will they be thinking of what could have been? Make no bones about it this was a game they well and truly could have won.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

1. Is Stielike German for ‘tinker man’? 

South Korea’s German coach Uli Stielike made no less than seven changes to his starting line-up, looking to keep his squad fresh and perhaps with the previous match in mind wanting to send a message to those players who underperformed against Oman.

Playing with a 3-5-2 formation South Korea were fluent in brief patches of the game but not enough for Stielike’s liking. At times they looked nervous and were unsettled by Kuwait’s movement and sharp passing.

South Korea’s next game will be against the hosts Australia and it’ll be interesting to see how Stielike will line-up his side. Whilst Kuwait tried to beat South Korea with guile the Socceroos will pose an altogether different problem for the Taeguk Warriors with their sheer power and intensity.

They may be the first side to go through to the knock-outs but at the moment South Korea don’t look like the real deal yet.

2. Mashaan the magician: 

One of the joys of watching tournaments like these is the opportunity to see players who you may not normally have the chance to catch on a regular basis. Kuwait’s diminutive number 10 Aziz Mashaan was an absolute pleasure to watch. The little forward was at the heart of everything good that Kuwait did.

He always seemed to find pockets of space, kept the ball in tight situations, prompted, probed and had the game intelligence to match his talent. The only thing missing from his performance was a goal to cap off his display.

More than anything Aziz Mashaan was courageous in this game demanding the ball whenever possible and making himself available for his teammates. He never hid.

He was named man of the match but that’s scant consolation for the Kuwaiti number 10. It’s a shame that we won’t see much more of Mashaan in the Asian Cup.

3. Kuwait will ponder at what could have been:

Kuwait gave the South Koreans an almighty scare and it would not have been a travesty if they had emerged victorious from this encounter. They created more than enough good chances, hit the post and had 11 shots on goal. Crucially, they only had one effort on target and in the end their profligacy in-front of goal cost them.

Tactically, Nabil Maâloul set-up his side well though Kuwait naturally became more exposed as they threw more men forward in search of an elusive goal. Defensively, they were disciplined and their goalkeeper Hameed Youssef was equal to almost everything the South Koreans threw at him.

It’s easy to say in hindsight but Kuwait’s big failing was their profligacy in front of goal. They had several clear cut opportunities and to only test the Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu once is a big blot on their copybook.

4. Jet heeled Cha proves to be the difference: 

After the match Uli Stielike was critical of his team’s performance. He was pretty forthright in front of the cameras and no doubt behind the scenes his squad will be at the end of some German poetry that won’t require any translation.

It was one of the team’s elder statesmen, Cha Du-ri who provided one of the few moments of quality accelerating past his man and standing up a cross inviting Nam Tae-Hee to head home and the latter gratefully did.

Cha’s experience will be crucial for South Korea but he can count himself lucky to be on the pitch after catching Fahad Awadh with a nasty looking challenge. The referee erred on the side of leniency and booked the South Korean wingback. Had he chosen to show a red, which would have been a justifiable call, Kuwait would have played the last 20 minutes against 10 men.

5. Quarterfinals the best South Korea can hope for: 

On current form the South Korean’s Asian Cup journey will end at the quarterfinal stages. In all probability they will finish second in their group unless they pull off a shock against a rampant Australia and should face Uzbekistan in the knockout phase.

Profligate, vulnerable in dead ball situations and defensively suspect Uli Stielike has his work cut out if he wants to extend South Korea’s run beyond the quarters. His only crumb of comfort is the fact that his side won’t meet the Japanese or the Iranians who look to be vastly better teams.

That said the Uzbekistanis will not be any pushovers and have the quality to punish any mistakes the Taeguk Warriors make.

The best draw South Korea could hope for would be a quarterfinal against China.

It’s not looking too positive for South Korea.

Japan got their defense of the AFC Asian Cup with a run of the mill 4-0 victory against debutants Palestine.

In a windy Newcastle Stadium the Samurai Blue ensured early on that they would not be the victim of any embarrassment let alone upset. In all fairness Javier Aguirre’s side didn’t need to get out of second gear as put the game out of sight after 25 minutes.

For the Palestinians it was a case of trying to match their illustrious opponents. To their credit they weren’t overawed and attempted to impose their own game when they had possession and worked hard when the Japanese were passing the ball about.

The experience of playing football at an Asian Cup level is something Palestine must make the most of and as for Japan it’s safe to say that they will have tougher tests ahead in the competition.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

1. Japan in no mood for fairytales:

The completely and utterly romantic story would have seen Palestine somehow achieve a giant-killing win. Even a battling loss would have seen the Palestinians come out with some kind of moral victory. Japan though were in no mood to be the patsy in any fairy tale.

The Japanese dispatched their opponents with ease and rarely looked flustered.   The moment Yasuhito Endo opened the scoring with in truth be told a tame effort the Japanese never looked back.

In a sense Japan was on a hiding to nothing facing Palestine. Nothing short than a convincing win would do for Javier Aguirre’s team and they achieved just that. This was a professional victory if not anything else.

2. The two Shinjis strike: 

It’s been a season of contrasts for the two Shinjis, Okazaki and Kagawa. The Mainz striker has been enjoying a productive time whilst the Dortmund man could be doing better since his return from Manchester United.

The pair eased themselves into this match rather than stamp their authority but then again they didn’t need to be at their best to breach the Palestinian backline.

Okazaki diverted a Kagawa shot expertly into the Palestinian net to score Japan’s second goal. The Dortmund man then stood up a cross for Maya Yoshida to head home and make it four.

The two Shinjis didn’t need to be at 100% but when required they produced quality moments.

3. What did Aguirre take out of the game?

Spare a thought for Japan’s new manager. He could take very little of substance out of this match. His side won comfortably, his defense was relatively solid and for most part the Japanese passing was generally okay.

What may have concerned him was the lack of intensity shown by his side especially after Palestine were reduced to 10-men with 20-minutes to go. From then on the passing went a little astray and his side didn’t really go for the jugular as they appeared to be happy with a 4-0 win.

It could be read in one of two ways; either the Japanese didn’t want to embarrass their opponents or they were simply being too nice. Regardless, apart from the three points there wasn’t much for Javier Aguirre to learn about his side from this particular match.

4. Spirited Palestine must learn from Asian Cup adventure: 

It’s hard to be too tough on the Palestinians. Their preparations haven’t been ideal and it would be churlish to expect them to compete with the likes of fellow group members Iraq and Jordan let alone the Asian champions.

Whilst their commitment cannot be doubted and they did have some neat passages of play they were perhaps unsurprisingly naïve giving away soft free kicks and penalties and maybe tried to take the game too much to Japan when they had the ball.

Palestine and the coach Ahmed Al Hassan must decide whether to take a more pragmatic approach and make themselves hard to beat against Iraq and Jordan or do they try to play a more open game and cause them problems. Adventure? Discipline? A mixture of both?

Whatever approach they adopt they will need to learn from this match and the other two so that they can build for future tournaments.

5. Surprisingly good crowd turnout: 

Maybe it was the very outside possibility of an upset, perhaps it was to see the Asian champions play or to watch the Palestinians in their very first AFC Asian Cup match ever but whatever the reason the turnout was from fans of both teams and the Australian public was pretty positive.

The tournament appears to be warmly received by the Australian public and the fans of each participating team are adding a welcome dose of atmosphere and colour.

Maybe the standard of soccer wasn’t of the highest caliber but the support has been top notch.

The AFC Asian Cup got into its groove with five matches played over the weekend.

One of the pre-tournament favorites, Iran, eased their way to victory. The United Arab Emirates enjoyed a comfortable start, Uzbekistan notched up a win whilst China provided the tournament’s first real surprise downing Saudi Arabia.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

UAE 4 – 1 Qatar:

The tournament’s second 4-1 victory saw the United Arab Emirates comfortably dispatch Middle Eastern neighbours Qatar. The Qataris took the lead with an exquisitely volleyed lob from Khalfan Ibrahim, unfortunately that was as good as it got for Ibrahim and his side.

A pair of braces from Ahmed Khalil and Ali Mabkhout saw the UAE stamp their mark on the game. Though the score line was comprehensive the Emiratis were helped by the hapless keeping of Qatari goalie Qasem Burhan.

Mahdi Ali, the head coach of the UAE, was happy with the display from his side singling out Omar Abdulrahman for praise. However he did acknowledge that there’s room for improvement and will hope to put on an even better display in their next match against Bahrain. A victory will almost certainly see the UAE go through to the knock-out phase.

Qatari coach Djamel Belmadi bemoaned his team’s performance stating that there were “no positives” he could take from the match. It doesn’t get much easier for his side as their next match is against Asia’s top ranked team Iran.

The next few years will be crucial for Qatari football. They need to have a good Asian Cup to use as a springboard for qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. If Qatar fail to make it to Russia they will suffer the ignominy of being the first nation to play in a World Cup without having qualified beforehand.

Saudi Arabia 0 – 1 China:

It would be incorrect to label this an upset but it is fair to say that not many pundits saw this result coming.

Saudi Arabia, one of the fancied teams in the Asian Cup were shorn of the injured Nasser Al-Shamrani, the current Asian Footballer of the Year, but even so they had a golden opportunity to take the lead against the Chinese after Naif Hazazi was fouled by Ren Hang. The Saudi forward picked himself up to take the penalty but his lazy effort was saved by Wang Dalei. Strictly speaking the penalty should have been retaken as the Chinese keeper was a couple of steps off his line when the spot-kick was struck.

Wang Dalei can’t take all of the credit though for his penalty heroics. He asked 12-year old ball boy Stephen White which direction to dive and was advised to go to his left. Since then White has become a minor celebrity in the Chinese media.

China then enjoyed a huge spot of good fortune as Yu Hai’s free kick in the 81st minute was deflected in.

China are rather fortunate to be playing in the Asian Cup. They only secured their berth in Australia in by finishing as the best third-place team. Zhang Xizhe’s penalty in a 3-1 defeat against Iraq in their final qualifying match was enough to edge the Chinese through who scraped ahead of Lebanon by a single goal. Sometimes a little luck is required in international tournaments and form in qualification is no definitive indicator as to how a team will perform in main event. China will go into the next game with some confidence but they face a strong Uzbekistani team. China are well aware of recent history too as they won their opening games in 2007 and 2011 Asian Cups only to be dumped out in the group stages. Another clean sheet will be the minimum requirement for Alain Perrin’s side.

Saudi Arabia do have a chance to put things right against North Korea to set-up a potential winner takes all clash against Uzbekistan in their final group game. Romanian coach Cosmin Olăroiu conservative tactics have been criticized and he will need to take the shackles off if Saudi Arabia are to fulfill their potential. Though Naif Hazazi missed his penalty the striker didn’t receive much support upfront.

Olăroiu’s decision to leave out Taiser Al-Jassim and Yahya Al Shehri was controversial and he exacerbated the situation by bringing on the latter with a minute of normal time left. The substitution prompted an Arabic football pundit to tweet “what is the point of bringing on Al Shehri with 60 seconds to go?” 

Uzbekistan 1 – 0 North Korea

The Uzbeks were the better side over the course of the game but they will be hoping to be more clinical as the tournament progresses if they wish to bring the cup back to Uzbekistan. After spurning a number of opportunities, Igor Sergeev rose in the 62nd minute to head his side into the lead. However they owe their goalkeeper Ignatiy Nesterov immensely after the keeper superbly denied Pak Kwang-ryong a last gasp equalizer.

Mirjalol Qosimov, Uzbekistan’s head coach wasn’t overly concerned though and believes that the next match against China will see a better performance from his team:

“We wanted to score many goals in the game but it was the first match and we missed many chances in both the first and second half. But we’ll work on it and I think in the next game we’ll be better.” 

As for North Korea they will need to open up (insert your own gag here) to be in with a shout of qualifying for the knock-out phase. Coach Jo Tong-sop believes his men can do the business but admitted that the tactics for their opening match, even after going behind, didn’t yield the desired result:

“Before the match we had planned to concentrate on defending and then counter-attack to score and win the game. But even though in the middle of the match, we gave away one goal, I still wanted to keep this strategy but it didn’t work very well.” 

South Korea 1 – 0 Oman

If any Asian giant requires a good tournament then surely it is South Korea. After an insipid World Cup they need to bounce back and give their passionate fans something to cheer about.   Though South Korea ran out 1-0 victors they will probably be only satisfied with the three points. New coach Uli Stielike had instructed his side to pepper the Omani goal with shots and this approach eventually paid dividends as Cho Young-cheol was on hand to turn in the rebound after Ali Al-Habsi parried Koo Ja-Cheol’s effort.

Like Uzbekistan, South Korea had their goalkeeper Kim Jin-hyeon to thank for keeping the score at 1-0. Kim produced a wonderful save to tip Amad Al-Hosni’s header on to the bar.

Though happy with the result Stielike was concerned with his players seeming inability to cope with the level of expectation placed upon them: 

“We were favorites before the game because the expectation in Korea is very high. But as a result the players feel a big responsibility so don’t ask a lot for the ball.”

It’s a rather worrying assessment by Stielike as South Korea possess assured ball-players like Swansea’s Ki Sung-yueng and Son Heung-min.

That said Stielike preferred having a tough opening start and was satisfied that his team adapted to the game situation and improved in the second half.

Next up is Kuwait. Once again the South Koreans will be favorites but it remains to be seen if they can handle the expectation in their second group match.

His counterpart Paul Le Guen was happy with the performance of his Omani side if not the result. The former Lyon and Rangers boss has been head coach of Oman since 2011 and they have benefited from the relative stability turning into a tidy outfit.

“I think more and more we are getting to the same level to compete with teams like Korea Republic. When you only concede one goal against Korea you can be satisfied because against such a team that’s not nothing, it is proof that we are on the right path and we are improving. Although I am never totally satisfied when we lose, my players gave their best; they fought hard on the pitch. It was hard work so congratulations to Korea Republic team, they deserved to win.”

A tough match against the hosts, Australia, is Le Guen’s primary concern. On paper a result seems beyond his side but then again football isn’t played on paper.

Iran 2 – 0 Bahrain

Asia’s top ranked side, Iran, started off comfortably enough recording a 2-0 win over Bahrain. At points it appeared like a home game for Team Melli such was the support in Melbourne for them. Dangerous going forward and solid at the back this was an accomplished performance by Iran. No doubt they were buoyed by Carlos Queiroz’s decision to extend his tenure when it looked as if he’d leave the post after the World Cup.

Ehsan Hajsafi got the Iranian campaign off to a spectacular start scoring arguably the goal of the tournament thus far.  Masoud Shojaei turned in a corner to put his side two goals to the good though the Bahrainis will be asking questions about the marking that led Shojaei’s strike.

That said Bahrain weren’t exactly pushovers starting the game on the front foot and testing Reza Haghighi in the Iranian goal. However Bahrain’s coach did concede that Iran’s nous was key to his side’s defeat:

“We started the first game well. We were focused, but the experience was important in this game and Iran have a lot of experienced and professional players and that is what changed this match.”

Their next game is against the United Arab Emirates in what looks to be an interesting encounter.

Iran will hope to reward their fans even more when they take on Qatar. Andranik Teymourian said as much stating:

“We made all our supporters very happy and I hope we can make them happy again in the second game against Qatar.”

It would take a brave person to predict that Team Melli will emerge from the clash against Qatar with less than three points.

The Asian Cup kicked off in Melbourne on Friday with a goal-laden game between hosts Australia and Kuwait. One of the pre-tournament favorites, Australia, eventually ran out 4-1 winners but the scoreline didn’t reflect some of the anxiety the Socceroos suffered throughout the 90 minutes.

Ange Postecoglu’s side went behind early in the piece and it took the Aussies a little time to recover from the shock.  Even when they went ahead Australia didn’t look wholly convincing and had to thank their keeper Mat Ryan and the woodwork from allowing the Kuwaitis back into the game.

That said the Socceroos did grow into the game and impressed going forward.  Massimo Luongo had a game to remember, Tim Cahill produced again for his country whilst Mathew Leckie and Robbie Kruse impressed with their jinks and dribbles.

The result marked a satisfactory start for Australia whilst there were a few positives for the Kuwaitis to take out of the game despite a heavy defeat.  The 2015 AFC Cup has well and truly begun.

Here are my 5 observations from the game:

1. Luongo repays Postecoglu’s faith:

Before the match began one of the big talking points was whether veteran Mark Bresciano would start the opener for Australia.  In the end Ange Postecoglu put his trust in in Swindon Town player Massimo Luongo and was rewarded handsomely.

Luongo set-up Tim Cahill for Australia’s equalizer with an intelligent cutback from the right hand side of the Kuwaiti area before scoring his first international goal for the Socceroos with a Cahill-esque header.

Were it not for his intervention Australia would have gone into half time one goal down instead up.  His industrious and committed display built the platform for Australia’s eventual triumph.

Postecoglu can give himself a pat on the back for making the right call.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

2. Can intensity see the Socceroos through?

A key feature from first whistle to the last was the sheer physical intensity of the Australians.  Not only were they dominant in the air and hard in the tackle but their pressing, desire to play the ball quickly and physical fitness eventually overwhelmed the Kuwaitis.

The last 20 minutes of the game saw a physically fitter Australia take advantage of a wilting Kuwaiti side and perhaps was a telling insight into Ange Postecoglu’s plans for winning the tournament.

Australia have their wise old heads in Tim Cahill and Mile Jedinak whilst Robbie Kruse and Mathew Leckie displayed flashes of trickery that can turn matches.  Indeed it was Kruse who earned Australia’s penalty, which Jedinak duly dispatched.

What the Australians seem to lack though is a proper schemer so in the absence of their own version of Shinji Kagawa or Omar Abdulrahman it looks as if the Socceroos will attempt to over power their opponents.

Judging on this result it could be the right game plan for the hosts.

MORE — Read our preview of the 2015 Asian Cup.

3. Mat Ryan proves Pim Verbeek right:

Former Australian head coach Pim Verbeek singled out goalkeeper Mat Ryan as a key player for the Aussies and Club Brugge goalkeeper didn’t disappoint.

Questions could be raised about his positioning for Kuwait’s opening goal though none of the Australian defenders covered themselves in glory but he did come up trumps at key moments.

In truth he didn’t have a whole lot to do but when he was needed he responded with aplomb.  With the game at 3-1 Ryan produced a top drawer save to tip Fahad Al Ebrahim’s superbly improvised effort on to the bar.   He prevented the Kuwaitis from getting a foothold back into the game.

Though the score line reflected an air of Australian dominance it didn’t reflect some of the nervous tension the Socceroos and their fans felt during the course of the match.

Whilst Ange Postecoglu will be happy with the resilience his team showed to comeback from goal down he would have been concerned at the vulnerability of his backline.

Kuwait’s neat interplay posed problems for the Australian back four and perhaps if the Middle Eastern side had shown more attacking intent they could have spoiled the party for the hosts.

On the basis of this display the Australians can be got at.

4. Slivers of comfort for Kuwait:

In the end the Australians deserved the victory but that shouldn’t take away how difficult the Kuwaitis made things for the hosts, at least early on.

Hussain Fadhel’s brave diving header gave Kuwait a shock 1-0 lead though the defending did leave a lot to be desired.

Indeed on the ball Kuwait looked comfortable and passed intelligently and in their number 10 Aziz Mashaan they have a good, clever player.   From the flanks the full backs got forward well to add width.

Their next game will be against South Korea and it is a match the Kuwaitis cannot lose.  Nabil Maâloul, the head coach of Kuwait, must decide whether to start Badar Al-Mutawa upfront and go for the win or bench the Kuwaiti icon and play in a more conservative manner.

The Kuwaitis are capable of pulling off an upset but they will need to be brave in order to pull it off.

5. Is one of the best referees in the world based in Asia?

Remember Ravshan Irmatov?  He was the referee who allowed play to go on after Valon Behrami was fouled in the final minute of the Switzerland-Ecuador match.  His choice to play advantage proved to be right as the Swiss went on to score the winner.

He took charge of the inaugural match of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup and got very little wrong.  He waved away, correctly, a number of penalty appeals from the home side when their players hit the deck in the area.  The spot-kick he did award in favour of Robbie Kruse was the right call.

Overall, he was always well placed to make the correct calls, no mean feat given the breakneck tempo of the Aussie game.  He was firm without being over officious, let the game flow and exuded authority.

It may be odd discussing the performance of a referee in this light but there have been gripes now and again about how only officials from ‘top’ footballing nations should handle big matches.  Irmatov, who has refereed two quarterfinals and a semi in his World Cup career, is proof that the best officials don’t necessarily officiate in the best leagues.

“I am seeking the Presidency of FIFA because I believe it is time to shift the focus away from administrative controversy and back to sport”. 

FIFA vice-president Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan has announced that he will challenge Sepp Blatter for the presidency of FIFA. Up till now only Jérôme Champagne has publicly thrown his hat into the ring to oppose Blatter for FIFA’s top job.

“This was not an easy decision,” said Prince Ali “It came after careful consideration and many discussions with respected FIFA colleagues over the last few months. The message I heard, over and over, was that it is time for a change. The world game deserves a world-class governing body – an International Federation that is a service organization and a model of ethics, transparency and good governance.”

Whilst not mentioning Blatter by name Prince Ali has pinpointed the key weakness of the incumbent’s presidency, scandal. It is also interesting that Prince Ali’s statement contrasts with Blatter’s assertion that a number of FIFA delegates pleaded with the Swiss to ‘please go on—please be our president in the future’.

For all the talk about publishing Michael Garcia’s report, ethics committees and reforms the most realistic way for FIFA to change its practices and image is for the organization’s younger administrators to take control of it. Only then can there be a real opportunity for football’s governing body to redefine itself.

Prince Ali will have the support of most UEFA nations (Russia probably being a notable exception) with Michel Platini publically backing his bid.

“I know Prince Ali well. He has all the credibility required to hold high office. We now await his proposals and his programme for the future of football,” said the UEFA president.

However the Jordanian may not receive the complete support from the associations of his own confederation, the AFC. The president of the AFC, Sheikh Salman Ebrahim al-Khalifa, is a Blatter supporter and has already thrown his weight behind the incumbent’s re-election bid. Shaka Hislop, who believes Blatter will be re-elected, asked why Prince Ali is going against his own confederation’s wishes and noted that the challenger’s most vocal supporters have come from the European governing body UEFA.

Still Prince Ali would not have declared an interest in contesting the top job in FIFA if he didn’t believe that he had a chance of winning.

Gabriele Marcotti recently listed his 30 wishes for football in 2015. With Prince Ali standing, Marcotti’s wish of a ‘credible’ candidate opposing Blatter has come true. Prince Ali though would be wise to take heed of another of Marcotti’s wishes, namely to understand why the current president keeps getting re-elected.

Before Blatter came along smaller, poorer FIFA members who had little to no chance of qualifying for the World Cup were ignored by the organization. Marcotti described FIFA in its pre-Blatter days as a purely ‘Europe-South America “old boys’” club’. Blatter, for all his numerous faults, ensured a redistribution of FIFA’s income to smaller football associations who have in return backed him.  As Marcotti pointed out anyone who wishes to defeat Blatter needs to realize the importance of this.

Prince Ali, 39, will also need to be wise to Blatter’s political skills. The 79-year-old is a FIFA veteran; indeed Blatter joined FIFA before the Jordanian prince was even born. Though Prince Ali has a background in football administration, he became President of the Jordanian FA in 1999 as well as the West Asian Football Federation a group he founded in 2001, his experience of FIFA’s machinations does not compare with Blatter’s. You can call Blatter many things, he has been labeled most things under the sun, but you cannot deny that he’s a wily operator.

So what does Prince Ali have going for him? He is untainted by scandal thus far having only been appointed to the Executive Committee in 2011 and was one of the leading voices demanding for the publication of Michael Garcia’s report after the farrago that was Judge Hans-Joachim Eckhert’s initial summary.

The make-up of the current FIFA Executive Committee is different from the group that was involved in the 2018/2022 World Cup vote in 2010. Only 11 (including Blatter) of the current 25 Executive Committee members were part of that process. Of those 11, three are still under investigation for their roles in 2018/2022 World Cup bidding campaign, they are: Ángel Mária Villa Llona, Michel D’Hooghe and Worawi Makudi. In short there is already a new group within the Executive Committee who can start to change the culture of FIFA if only in incremental steps.

For example the Executive Committee did agree unanimously to publish an ‘appropriate’ version of Michael Garcia’s report but that’ll only come out after the cases against Llona, D’Hooghe and Makudi have been dealt with. It’s not a huge leap forward but it is a step in the right direction.

Whilst it is encouraging that there seems to be a genuine challenger for the presidency that doesn’t mean Prince Ali can sweep into office on a wave of Blatter fatigue. As Marcotti stated Prince Ali has to present a clear vision, challenge the incumbent, tackle the big issues and detail how he will reform FIFA for the better to be a real alternative to Blatter, who let’s not forget is popular with many associations. Prince Ali saying all the right things with regards to transparency, ethics and good governance but talking about it and doing something about it are different things entirely.

He has already shown a distaste for FIFA’s internal politics when Mohammed Bin Hammam was connected to bribery allegations.

“I didn’t play a part in it and I don’t want to play a part in it in the future,”  he said in 2011.

Unfortunately, for Prince Ali he may need to play the political game in order to achieve his ultimate goal. The worry for him, or any other candidate for that matter, is if victorious can he change FIFA or will FIFA change him?

Sepp Blatter going away will not remedy FIFA’s operational culture overnight and any attempts at reform will likely be met with resistance. This is an organization shaped by Blatter (and his predecessor João Havelange) over decades so any change to the governance football’s world governing body will probably need to be done incrementally rather than in one big swoop.

He will also have to deal with Blatter’s legacy that are the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Realistically, Prince Ali cannot take the World Cup hosting rights away from either Russia or Qatar unless something monumental happens between now and then.

In fairness to Blatter he wanted the 2022 World Cup to be held in the United States whilst his biggest critic Michel Platini plumped for Qatar. Again it has to be stressed that ousting Sepp Blatter will not immediately lead to good governance.

Indeed the World Cup in Qatar poses an additional hurdle for Prince Ali. Despite the controversy surrounding the 2022 tournament from the bidding process to the abuse of migrant labour will Prince Ali have the stomach or will to take away the World Cup from his own region let alone his own confederation?

Maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves a little. It will be a tall order to defeat Sepp Blatter as most confederations have thrown their support behind him. Though there has been call for change externally there still appears to be little appetite for substantive reform within the organization.

Perhaps Prince Ali’s biggest chance stems from the culture of self-interest FIFA has cultivated over decades. If football associations privately believe that it would be in their best interest to topple Blatter they will do so without any hint of sentimentality.

A few months ago I wrote about the need for Sepp Blatter to be challenged. At the very least Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein’s announcement has ensured that the next Presidential election won’t be another coronation.

This election will feature a generational contrast between the 39-year-old Prince and the 79-year-old President.  That’s not to forget Jérôme Champagne bid too, the Frenchman has been quick to point out that he is the only candidate to have outlined a vision for the future of FIFA.

To a degree perhaps Blatter has more to lose from this election than either of the two candidates. The FIFA presidency has come to define Blatter so losing that would effectively strip him of his identity. Jérôme Champagne has already benefited from his campaign as his profile has been raised so even if he loses out this time around, as seems likely, he’s made himself more relevant in football circles again. Prince Ali’s four year term as a FIFA vice-president will end in May so aiming for the presidency may not be as daring a gambit as it first seems. He already has gained kudos for being a ‘credible’ alternative to Blatter so even if he loses in the short term he has could still benefit from the campaign in the long run.

Most importantly there is the opportunity for a genuine debate about the future of football’s world governing body. There have been grumblings that having more than one candidate to stand against Blatter will only benefit the incumbent. That may be true but at the same time the FIFA president will have to justify more clearly why he deserves another mandate.

Prince Ali’s candidature should not be seen as the cure-all to FIFA’s ills and if he does become president the organization will not suddenly become the clean, transparent, open governing body that critics have been calling for.

That said new blood is certainly required at FIFA and at the very least the upcoming election offers an opportunity for the body to head in a new direction.

There have been 60 games, 258 shots on target, 408 shots off target, 103 goals, 84 saves, 112 yellows and eight reds. Those numbers, statistically at least, paints a picture of the qualification process for Asia’s premier international football tournament the AFC Asian Cup.

For trivia fans the first Asian Cup was played in 1956 in Hong Kong and was won by South Korea with Israel as runners-up whilst the tournament itself (like the Africa Cup of Nations and the Copa América) is older than the European Championships. Japan is the most successful team in the history of the competition winning the title four times and are the defending champions. Saudi Arabia and Iran are the next most successful sides winning the trophy three times each followed by South Korea who have only won the cup twice.

The 16th edition of the tournament kicks off in Australia on the 9th of January and sees Asia’s leading lights looking for various degrees of redemption after a disappointing showing in the World Cup in Brazil. Iran and Australia can point to battling displays in the World Cup but Japan and especially South Korea were extremely disappointing.

Dutchman Pim Verbeek, who coached Australia in the 2010 World Cup, believes that this Asian Cup is as open as any feeling that a number of teams have realistic hopes of winning the tournament.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, the tournament is being shown exclusively on One World Sports and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to One World Sports, you can access the channel via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Sign up for DishWorld via their website.

Japan:

Defending champions the Blue Samurai are being tipped to retain their trophy. Indeed they’ve come a long way and now have a number of their best players based in Europe. 10 of their squad of 23 ply their trade in a European league.

The attacking trio of Keisuke Honda, Shinji Okazaki and Shinji Kagawa will be difficult to contain if on song. Honda and Okazaki are enjoying relatively productive seasons for their club with the former scoring six goals in Serie A, whilst the latter has netted eight times in the Bundesliga. Shinji Kagawa’s form is quite worrying though as he’s only scored twice in all competitions since his much heralded return to Borussia Dortmund.

Defensively, there was a blow as full back Atsuto Uchida was ruled out as a result of injury.

Their lead-up to the tournament, on the pitch at least, has been encouraging. A 4-0 tonking against a Neymar inspired Brazil in Singapore aside, Japan have won their post-World Cup friendlies beating Venezuela , Jamaica, Honduras and most importantly Australia.

Off the pitch things have been more turbulent for the Blue Samurai as their newly appointed coach, Javier Aguirre, was named as one of the defendants by Spanish prosecutors who were probing match-fixing allegations relating to a 2010/2011 La Liga match between Real Zaragoza (whom he was coaching at the time) and Levante. The Japanese Football Association have stood by their new coach, but needless to say this has not helped Japan’s preparations.

If Japan get going it’s hard to see who can stop them but they are by no means odds on to win a fifth title. 

Australia:

At the club level Australia is home to the AFC Champions League winners the Western Sydney Wanderers. With that trophy safely residing in Oz Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglu is plotting to ensure add to more soccer silverware in Australia by winning the AFC Asian Cup.

Postecoglu has injected an air of optimism into Australian football after the taking over from the unpopular Holger Osieck. Mixing youth and experience the Socceroos will rely on Tim Cahill, Mile Jedinak and Mark Bresciano to marshal the side whilst young goalkeeper Mat Ryan was identified by Verbeek as a key player too.

The concern is whether the older members of the squad will be able to handle the demands of the tournament especially in the group stages. This is where some of the younger members of the squad like Robbie Kruse will need to step up to give the elder statesmen the support they need.

Australia’s form hasn’t been much to shout about going into the Asian Cup winning only once since the World Cup beating fellow AFC side Saudi Arabia 3-2. They have drawn against the UAE and lost to both Qatar and Japan.

The 2011 finalists have a hard task ahead of them and they must make home advantage count if they’re to be in with a shout of winning.

South Korea:

Of all the Asian nations that took part in the World Cup the South Koreans were probably the most disappointing. Hong Myung-bo paid with his job and was replaced by German Uli Stielike.

Stielike started the job well enough steering his side to a 2-0 victory over Paraguay in his first game in charge. Since then he has notched up a victory against Jordan, whilst losing to both Costa Rica and fellow title rivals Iran.

Despite being one of Asia’s traditional powerhouses South Korea’s record in the Asian Cup leaves a fair bit to be desired. After winning the first two tournaments in 1956 and 1960, South Korea have not lifted the trophy since. It is an extraordinary drought all things considered and something the Taeguk Warriors will want to put right.

Swansea’s Ki Sung-yueng and Bayer Leverkusen’s Son Heung-min will be the main players for Stielike’s side whilst Lee Chung-yong, who has been impressed at Bolton under Neil Lennon, is more than capable of being a match winner.   However, this side is light on strikers with the likes of Lee Dong-gook, Park Chu-young and Kim-Shin-wook overlooked by Stielike either due to injury or poor form.

If anything the pressure is off South Korea as they’ve only just entered the Stielike era. Song Chong-gug, who played in Guus Hiddink’s 2002 South Korean side, believes that this may be a tournament too soon for the current generation and the best that Stielike’s team can achieve is third place.

With the level of expectation not as high as it could be the shackles will be off for South Korean. Although it’s difficult to see them winning the Asian Cup, if they string a run together and things fall in their favour they may be a decent outside bet for the trophy.

Iran:

Iran, nicknamed Team Melli, arguably performed the best out of the Asian teams in the World Cup and come into the AFC Asian Cup as one of the more fancied sides. They have a number of talented players but their key man is former Manchester United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz.

The Portuguese coach turned Iran into a solid, disciplined unit and there were fears that he was going to leave the three-time Asian Cup winners after the World Cup. He has agreed to stay on and that can only be a good thing for Team Melli.

The experience of Javad Nekounam and Andranik Teymourian in midfield will be vital for the Iranians. Going forward they have Ashkan Dejagah and Reza Ghoochannejhad but the exciting pair of Sardar Azmoun (who was reportedly a target for Arsenal) and Alireza Jahanbakhsh are worth keeping an eye on.

The build-up to the tournament has not been as smooth as the Iranians would have liked. On the pitch they secured a creditable 1-0 over South Korea whilst beating Portuguese sides Estoril and Benfica. They were due to face Palestine but that friendly was abruptly cancelled whilst off the pitch assistant coach Ali Karimi resigned from his post hours before the Iranian team flew for Australia. Karimi reportedly posted a message on his Instagram account that read “If you can’t serve, quit to not betray”. 

Despite Karimi’s absence Team Melli does have a semblance of continuity with Queiroz still at the helm. The side should be well versed to his system and style of play and if they avoid any further drama then it’s not beyond them to lift the Asian Cup.

China:

The perennial sleeping giants of Asian football China has always flattered to deceive on the international stage. For a nation the size of China which has a legion of football mad fans the level of underachievement even on an Asian scale is monumental.

Coached by former Lyon and Portsmouth man, Alain Perrin, the Chinese go into the Asian Cup with no great expectations though that doesn’t mean there isn’t pressure on the coaching staff and players.

The main aim is to get out of the group stages but predicting how well China will do is never a task for the faint hearted. They are equally capable of gliding through without a concern and crashing out in spectacular fashion.

If China hopes to go through to the knockout stages then a lot will rest on the shoulders of defender Zhang Linpeng. He was described as ‘our Sergio Ramos’ by Marcello Lippi, Guangzhou Evergrande’s Director of Football.  Defensively solid, strong and tactically sound Zhang will play a huge role in organizing the Chinese backline. Ahead of him in midfield is club mate Zheng Zhi. The former Celtic and Charlton Athletic player’s experience will be crucial too if China are to challenge the tournament’s big guns.

What will work in China’s favor is the amount of time they’ve had to prepare for the AFC Asian Cup. All the players are based in China and the domestic season wrapped up in November. This has given Alain Perrin plenty of time to work with his squad and ensure that they’re well rested and fit for the start of the tournament. Coming into the tournament they’ve drawn with Palestine and beat Kyrgyzstan twice.

A lot will need to fall China’s way if they’re to make a good impression but this is a side Verbeek believes who could surprise a number of people.

The best of rest:

This will be the first time that Palestine will take part in the AFC Asian Cup. The Palestinians qualified after beating the Philippines in the AFC Challenge Cup.

The likes of Ray Wilkins and Paul le Guen will be leading teams into the tournament with the Englishman taking charge of Jordan, whilst the former Lyon boss is at the helm of Oman.

Uzbekistan have always threatened to but never have quite established themselves as Asian footballing giants. They may not have the quality to win the tournament but they will be a side that most teams will want to avoid.

On top of the talent mentioned it’ll also be worth keeping track of the UAE’s Omar Abdulrahman who had a trial at Manchester City. A gifted playmaker he’s currently playing his football at Al Ain, but has been tipped to move to Europe at some stage in his career.

The Asian Cup will be an interesting showcase for Asia’s elite. An exciting tournament is due and in Australia we could get a real spectacle.

So the final Premier League games of 2014 have come to a close. Chelsea and Manchester City seem destined to battle for this season’s title whilst Manchester United have climbed up to third after a slow start. West Ham United and Southampton are defying expectation whilst at the other end of the battle to avoid the drop could develop into a six-team affair.

Who have been the stand out performers this season? Who would make it into combined Premier League XI? The temptation would be to load the side with Chelsea’s stars given the Stamford Bridge side’s near flawless campaign so let’s add a little caveat; this team can only include one player per side. That makes the task that little bit harder. Who would be your starting eleven?

GK: David de Gea (Manchester United)

This season has been somewhat of a slow burner for Manchester United but the one consistently excellent performer for the Old Trafford club has been goalkeeper David de Gea. He has made a total of 57 saves thus far this season according to ESPN FC and has been as important as any player in securing vital points for Louis van Gaal’s side. De Gea’s contributions against the likes of Everton, Arsenal, Stoke and Liverpool has ensured that United’s shaky defense hasn’t been as punished as it perhaps should have been and has secured the Red Devils position in third. 

Notable mentions: Thibaut Courtois & Hugo Lloris 

RB: Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton)

Doom mongers were swirling around St. Mary’s after the Saints lost key personnel including Mauricio Pochettino, Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren and Rickie Lambert. How wrong they all were with the club sitting in a Champions League position. There have been a number of success stories like the impact of Dušan Tadić but it’s been the breakthrough of Clyne that has caught the eye. He has scored twice this season against Liverpool and Aston Villa (neither winning causes though), has looked sharp going forward whilst being solid at the back. From an English perspective he could be his country’s right-back for years to come and not before time as the position has been somewhat of a problematic one for the past few seasons.

Notable mentions: Seamus Coleman, Branislav Ivanović & Pablo Zabaleta 

CB: Winston Reid (West Ham)

After a shaky start to the season Winston Reid has picked his performances up and has been a big influence in West Ham’s positive Premier League campaign. The big New Zealander has been key for the Hammers as their more adventurous play this season has led to them becoming more exposed at the back. Indeed Sam Allardyce’s men have only kept a clean sheet on three separate occasions.   Reid though has marshaled the backline well, scored an important goal against Liverpool, and has formed a good partnership with James Tomkins. Reid is in the final year of his contract and could potentially be a bargain purchase. Arsenal are apparently interested in signing the New Zealand international and it’s not hard to see why.

Notable mentions: John Terry & José Fonte 

CB: Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa)

This choice is rather left field if not controversial as the other option I mulled over was Martin Skrtel. As much I wanted to include the Liverpool man, Clark’s performance and maturity fighting his way back into the first team in what has been another frustrating season for Villa swayed it.  There hasn’t been much to shout about for Aston Villa this season but the Villans’ problems have been at the other end of the pitch. Indeed they have the worst attack in the league scoring just 11 times. Defensively though, Paul Lambert’s side have the sixth meanest backline in the league and that is in no small part due to Ciaran Clark. The Irish international has been crucial at the back since breaking into the starting eleven and has at points been the senior partner in the Villa defense. Paul Lambert has suggested that Clark and young Danish international Jores Okore can become first team regulars and the Scot could be tempted to cash in on Ron Vlaar given how well the duo have been performing in trying circumstances.

Notable mentions: Vincent Kompany & Martin Skrtel

LB: Leighton Baines (Everton)

It hasn’t been a good season thus far for Everton. They’re floundering in 12th and their form has been patchy to say the least. Baines on a personal note has been one of Everton’s few bright sparks scoring two goals and providing seven assists. Defensively, Everton have been extremely leaky but that’s as a result of the expansive style of play they employ and they have been regularly punished. Could Baines be performing better? Perhaps but from an individual point of view he has been one of Everton’s steadier players alongside James McCarthy. Baines will be a key figure for Roberto Martínez if the Toffees are to have any hope of regaining lost ground.

Notable mentions: César Azpilicueta & Kieran Gibbs

CM: Nemanja Matić (Chelsea)

Chelsea have so many strong candidates that it was hard to pick just one. John Terry has been one of the best defenders in the league, Diego Costa has provided the cutting edge that the Blues missed last season, Eden Hazard has been mesmerizing, César Azpilicueta has been world class at fullback and Cesc Fàbregas has slotted in seamlessly. However making this team is the Serbian giant who has been outstanding for José Mourinho. He’s been a near impenetrable shield in front of the Chelsea back four. According to WhoScored.com he averages 3.8 tackles per game and makes 2.1 interceptions. Matić doesn’t waste possession either as his passes rarely goes astray. At £21 million he represents an absolute bargain.   

Notable mentions: Vincent Wanyama & Moussa Sissokho

CM: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea City)

Talk about a homecoming. After stagnating at Tottenham Gylfi Sigurdsson returned to the Liberty and has prospered. One of the leading creative forces at Swansea Sigurdsson has set-up no fewer than eight goals and has scored four including a winner at Old Trafford in the first game of the season and that delicious effort against Aston Villa. Ideally, the Icelandic international would feature further forward in this team but he is versatile enough to play a deeper role but it would be remiss not to include him in this side.

Notable mentions: Michael Carrick, Cesc Fàbregas & Yaya Touré 

FW: Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur)

Christian Eriksen has been one of Spurs’ standout performers. Tottenham may not be as high up the table as they wish to be but that’s more down to a shaky defense than a lack of spark up front. Whilst Lloris has been keeping Tottenham in games, Eriksen and Harry Kane have contributed match winning moments in recent times that have seen Spurs convert one point into three. Eriksen has scored seven goals and provides a creative spark for Pochettino’s side and has the potential to become one of the brightest stars in the Premier League.

Notable mentions: Eden Hazard & Bojan Krkić   

FW: Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal)

Has a signing fitted in so seamlessly as Alexis Sánchez? He is Arsenal’s key man at the moment and if the Gunners are to have any hope of retaining a place in the Champions League next season then he’ll need to maintain his fine form. He’s already scored 10 and set-up six already and has been a bright spot in a turbulent season for Arsenal. A talisman for the Gunners, Alexis has been a breath of fresh air and is relishing being the central figure after playing second fiddle to Lionel Messi at Barcelona. The Premier League is a better place with him in it.

Notable mentions: Stewart Downing & David Silva

FW: Sergio Agüero (Manchester City)

This team would not be complete without the Argentinean hit man. Agüero was City’s main man before he succumbed to injury. City have coped alright in his absence but there’s no doubt that he adds an X factor that the other strikers do not possess. He’s nearly scoring at a rate of a goal a game netting 14 times in 15 matches including a four-goal haul against Tottenham and the winner against Manchester United at the Etihad. Agüero seemingly has it all – pace, power, clinical finishing and an appreciation of what’s going on around him. Simply put, he’s the complete forward. 

Notable mentions: Wayne Rooney & Raheem Sterling 

ST: Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers)

Austin is the Premier League’s top scoring Englishman. Not a bad accomplishment considering he’s playing at a struggling club. Like de Gea for United, QPR would not have the points tally they currently enjoy if it wasn’t for Austin. He netted a crucial hat-trick against West Brom, scored the winning goal against Sunderland and Leicester, struck a brace against Aston Villa, was crucial in earning QPR a point against champions Manchester City and earned his side a victory against Burnley (before being sent off against Sean Dyche’s side). An argument can be made that Austin is directly responsible (or at the very least played a huge part) for 16 of QPR’s 18 points.

Notable mentions: Diego Costa, Harry Kane & Diafra Sakho

So the final 11 would be:

Decent XI? Absolute bobbins? Who’d be in your team?

The big story in the Eredivisie has been the resurgence of PSV Eindhoven who had by their standards a disappointing campaign last season. 12 months ago Eindhoven were sitting in 9th place having lost six times in 17 league games. 2013/2014 was difficult all round for PSV, as Philip Cocu had to take time-off to remove a tumor on his back. Fortunately, it was benign but the former Dutch international missed the last few months of the campaign as a result. This season they’ve been quite the force wrapping up the first half of this Eredivisie season with a 5-0 thumping of Go Ahead Eagles.

Table:

Memphis Depay has been in scintillating form scoring 10 league goals and providing three assists though it has to be said that everyone at the club is stepping up. Luuk de Jong has 10 league goals to his name with Jetro Willems and Luciano Narsingh providing the service with seven and six assists respectively. They’ve had seven clean sheets to their name and crucially won at the Amsterdam Arena 3-1 against title rivals Ajax.

Ajax searching for their fifth successive Eredivisie title suffered a sticky start losing two of their first four games. Since the 13th of September though they have not lost a match, notching up 10 wins and three draws. Davy Klaassen has been a leading light for them this season setting up eight goals and scoring five. Ajax will need him to be on form as well as Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik who is on loan from Bayer Leverkusen.

Europe’s top clubs are looking at Klaassen and teammate Joël Veltman who has been impressing for the Amsterdam club, the big question is how long can they hold on to coach Frank de Boer? He has been instrumental in securing silverware for Ajax and has been linked with higher profile jobs. If he were to leave mid-season that would be a huge blow to Ajax and could scupper their bid to win five titles in a row.

With Feyenoord sitting a distant third and last season’s Dutch Cup winners PEC Zwolle even further adrift the Eredivisie looks like it’s going to be a straight fight between PSV and Ajax.

In terms of a title race it looks like it’s going to be a straight slug-fest between Juventus and Roma. The fight for the third Champions League position looks quite tasty though and that could be worth keeping an eye on too.

There was a sense of uncertainty when Antonio Conte, who guided Juventus to three consecutive league titles, left. That sense of uncertainty was further exacerbated when the Turin club announced that his successor would be Massimiliano Allegri whose reign at AC Milan fizzled and eventually faded out rather unceremoniously.

Table:

For all the fears though Allegri has taken the Old Lady to the top of the tree, three points clear of their closest rivals Roma. Allegri has wisely stuck with what has been working for the club i.e. playing with a back three though he hasn’t been afraid to switch to four at the back when the occasion suits him.

Carlos Tevez has been firing for Juventus topping the scoring charts with 10 goals but it is their defense that has been doing the business. The Turin club have kept 10 clean sheets, indeed they didn’t concede a goal in their first five league games.

The stability of the backline on the pitch has been matched off it too as Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon have both signed new contracts to prolong their stay at the club. If Juventus can tie Stephan Lichtsteiner down to a new deal then Allegri and company can say to themselves ‘job well done’.

That’s not to mention the contribution of Paul Pogba, Arturo Vidal, Claudio Marchisio and the ageless Andrea Pirlo all of whom who have chipped in with goals and assists.

Juventus already have a couple of stand-out results beating Parma 7-0 and their title rivals Roma 3-2 (in a fiery, if not controversial game). It would take a brave person to bet against them landing a fourth straight Scudetto.

Standing in the way of Juventus and glory is Rudi García’s Roma. The Rome side got off to a flier winning their first five league games before losing to Juventus 3-2. Their only other loss thus far this season was a 2-0 defeat away to Napoli.

In terms of squads Roma have as good as any in Serie A. The return of Kevin Strootman will further bolster a strong looking midfield.

Oddly enough despite being the second top scorers in Serie A, a criticism that has been laid at Roma’s door in recent week has been the effectiveness of their attack. If there was going to be any concern it would have been at the back with the sale of Mehdi Benatia and the misfortune of Leandro Castán who had to undergo surgery to remove a cavernoma to relieve pressure on his brain.

Whilst on paper all seems well Julian De Martinis writing for ESPN FC indicated that there are signs of trouble up front. Mattia Destro has gone backwards this season despite scoring four league goals whilst the other attacking players haven’t been contributing enough with the exception being Adem Ljajić.

According to De Martinis, Roma haven’t reached crisis levels yet but García should pay attention to his frontline and ensure that the Rome giants rediscover their clinical edge. They’ll need it for the title battle against Juventus. A little bit of Francesco Totti magic now and again wouldn’t go amiss.

A long way off the pace are Lazio, Napoli and Sampdoria. The title may be far beyond the reach of those three but there’s still a Champions League spot up for grabs. In fact only three points separate 3rd from 8th.

If anyone suggested that Paris Saint-Germain would be sitting in second let alone third going into the winter break they certainly would not have been met with a gallic shrug, quite the opposite in all likelihood. But that’s the state of play in Ligue 1 which is shaping to be the most keenly contested league in Europe.

The influence of Marcelo Bielsa at Marseille has set the league alight whilst Hubert Fournier has been reaping the dividends of Lyon’s phenomenally productive academy. The result is a Ligue 1 race that has become unexpectedly competitive.

Table:

Marseille have been the main story of Ligue 1 overcoming an ordinary start to reel off eight straight wins in a row. André Pierre-Gignac has been crucial to Marseille’s good start banging in 12 goals this season. The striker’s contract is up at the end of the season but he reassured OM fans that he will not be depart the Stade Vélodrome in the January window. André Ayew could leave next month though it has been mooted that he will sign a pre-contract deal with Everton.

Despite the rumoured departures Bielsa still has a strong-squad who have in general bought into his methods. The Argentinean coach despite his run-ins with the hierarchy (or maybe because of them) has made Marseille box-office again but can they keep up the pace over the course of a season? Bielsa’s vision of football is notoriously taxing so it’ll be interesting to see if the players can physically withstand the demands his style of play requires.

Hubert Fournier may not be as big a name as Bielsa but he has made his mark at Lyon since taking over in the summer. Olympique Lyonnais finished a disappointing 5^th last season below rivals Saint-Étienne. They started this season poorly losing three of their first four league games but from September onwards Les Gones have picked up the pace going on a 10-game unbeaten run winning seven (beating Monaco and Marseille in that streak) whilst drawing the other three (including a 1-1 draw with champions PSG).

Lyon’s success has been built on their home grown talent. The likes of Nabil Fekir, Jordan Ferri and Maxime Gonalons have all impressed but Lyon wouldn’t be sitting where they are were it not for the blistering form of Alexandre Lacazette.

The striker, who is a reported Liverpool target, has banged in 17 goals already this season but he is more than just a simple poacher. Lacazette sets chances up for his teammates, he has five assists to his name, and leads the line well. His understanding with his fellow attacking players has seen OL flourish.

Whilst the products of Lyon’s academy system have been dazzling it’s worth noting that the backline consisting of Christophe Jallet, Milan Biševac, Samuel Umtiti and Henri Bedimo is experienced and gives a platform for the players in midfield and upfront to take the game to their opponents. If Lyon, like Marseille, can hold on to their best players then a title challenge is not beyond them especially with the likes of Yoann Gourcuff and Clément Grenier waiting to return.

As for Paris Saint-Germain it’s been a frustrating campaign for the champions. They were unbeaten in their first 17 games but that run consisted of seven draws. Not exactly form to boast about. When they did lose it was to Guingamp who are currently sitting in 12th. The Parisian club will hope that talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic can steer clear of injury in the New Year after suffering a trying first half of the season.

The problem for the French champions has been up front. A team with the attacking talent at their disposal should be scoring more but thus far they haven’t been able to match the firepower of either Marseille or Lyon. Ibrahimovic, despite missing a number of games, is still the club’s top scorer in the league with eight goals.

Defensively, they’ve been solid keeping eight clean sheets and have only conceded more than one goal on two occasions.

Laurent Blanc needs the attack to start firing again. The title is the bare minimum for PSG and if he doesn’t deliver don’t expect the man nicknamed Le Président to be at the Parc des Princes for too much longer.

It’s worth noting that Saint-Étienne aren’t too far off the pace either sitting in 4^th. They have the best defense in the league conceding just 12 goals and five of those were courtesy of Paris Saint-Germain. In fact they have kept a remarkable 12 clean sheets in total. Saint-Étienne even managed to banish a 20-year hoodoo when they defeated rivals Lyon 3-0 at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. The last time they beat Lyon at home was in 1994.

Goals are the problem for Christophe Galtier’s men with their top scorer, Ricky van Wolfswinkel, netting five times and Max-Alain Gradel scoring four. If they can add goals whilst maintaining their defensive discipline then Les Verts could upset the apple cart at the top of the league.

Of the major European leagues, Ligue 1 is proving to be the most competitive. Paris Saint-Germain need to pick up their form but if Lyon and Marseille maintain theirs then the title could go right down to the wire.

This season’s Bundesliga looks more of a procession than anything else.

Bayern Munich are running away with the league and only a catastrophic collapse could see even a semblance of a title race. The chances of that happening with Pep Guardiola at the helm range from slim to none.

Looking at the numbers the consistency of the Bavarian side is incredible. They’ve kept 13 clean sheets and have scored in all but two matches. In a team packed with stars Guardiola has shaped this Bayern Munich outfit into a relentless winning machine. Going through the season unbeaten must be considered a realistic possibility.

Even the battle for second appears to be a bit of a non-event with Wolfsburg sitting six points ahead of Bayer Leverkusen. Kevin De Bruyne has been starring for Wolfsburg as has Ivica Olić and Naldo. Wolfburg enjoyed a six match winning streak going starting at the end of September right through to November.

The real story in the Bundesliga is how badly Borussia Dortmund are doing. This time last season they had 32 points but this season they have been struggling to stay afloat and if their form continues they are in danger of getting relegated. Given the talent at Jürgen Klopp’s disposal Dortmund should be nowhere near the bottom. Injuries have played their part in Dortmund’s fall from grace but that excuse can only be carried so far.

If anything the winter break has come at the right time for the Westfalen club insofar as they can regroup and try and turn around what has been a wretched season. They will be without Mitch Langerak, who has recently enjoyed a run of games in the starting XI, and Shinji Kagawa in January as the pair will be on Asian Cup duty. Kagawa hasn’t impressed on his return to Dortmund and the tournament comes at the wrong time for Langerak who just began to make his breakthrough.

It could be the end of the road for a lot of this current group of players. The likes of Mats Hummels and Marco Reus could move to pastures new whilst even Jürgen Klopp could consider his time up given the plight of the club.

The 10th edition of the biennial AFF Suzuki Cup has come to a close and the tournament delivered a final to remember.

To say that the tussle between Malaysia and Thailand delivered thrills, spills and no little entertainment would be quite the understatement.

A keenly contested final swung from one extreme to the other with the War Elephants winning 2-0 in front of their home crowd. If Thai coach Kiatisuk ‘Zico’ Senamuang thought that the title was in bag after the first leg he was in for a rude shock.

The Malaysians have made a habit of overcoming seemingly impossible odds and so nearly did it again in the second leg. Dollah Salleh’s men raced into a 3-0 lead at home and were 10 minutes away from securing an unlikely title. Safiq Rahim once again led the way scoring two goals, a penalty and freekick, which saw him end up as the tournament’s top goal scorer. Indra Putra, who was brought back in from the international wilderness, netted the other with a header.

The Thais, who lost in the 2012 final against Singapore, were determined not to be the bridesmaid again and conjured up two goals in the last 10-minutes. Charyl Chappuis capitalized on a mistake by the Malaysian keeper Farizal Marlias before Chanathip Songkrasin, the player of the tournament, netted a screamer in the final minutes to deliver the trophy for the Thais.

The War Elephants lost 3-2 on the night but won the tie 4-3 on aggregate. In all fairness the Thais were probably the best team in the tournament and deserved the spoils of victory.

Thailand vs. Malaysia – AFF Suzuki Cup Final Leg 1

https://www.youtube.com/embed/LgD_0NfhFmw?autoplay=1&wmode=opaque&rel=0

Malaysia vs. Thailand – AFF Suzuki Cup Final Leg 2

https://www.youtube.com/embed/g_ARO_S_1DU?autoplay=1&wmode=opaque&rel=0

The tournament overall has seen drama from the group stages right to the final. Here are a few highs and lows of the AFF Suzuki Cup.

Highs:

The fans: Tournaments featuring smaller football nations cannot survive if the fans don’t buy into it. Fortunately, the crowds turned up and in full force. The final legs saw 65,000 pack the Rajamangala Stadium in Thailand whilst 95,000 fans full the Bukit Jalil National Stadium for the return leg in Malaysia.

The semi-finals were similarly well supported and even the group game match between Singapore and Malaysia drew a crowd of close to 50,000.

Overall, the fan response (with a few unfortunate exceptions) was positive and shows that football supporters here are just as keen on their national sides as they are with their Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga or Serie A teams.

The next edition of the AFF Suzuki Cup has a lot to live up to and for it to do that fan support is crucial.

The stories:

There are plenty of good stories to pick from this tournament. Take for example the coach of Thailand Kiatisuk Senamuang. He’s become the first man to win this tournament as both a player and a coach leading the Thais to a fourth AFF Suzuki Cup final and ending a 12-year drought in the process. Revered in his homeland as a player Senamuang has further cemented his name in Thai football folklore. If that wasn’t enough his father promised to quit smoking if Thailand brought back the trophy. Not a bad haul for the man nicknamed ‘Zico’.

Dollah Salleh deserves credit too for masterminding Malaysia’s path to the final. Opting for experience Salleh’s side flirted with elimination on a number of occasions but he managed to instill a fighting spirit in his team. Indeed Malaysia nearly pulled off another Houdini-esque escape in the final but in the end the Thais proved to be too good. There will be an element of rebuilding and Salleh has earned time to oversee the transition.

Chanathip Songkrasin:

The player of the tournament tag sits well with the young Thai nicknamed ‘Messi Jay’. At 5ft 2inches he is on the diminutive side but withstood the physical treatment and lit up the tournament with his goals and skills.

The rumour is that J League side Shimizu S-Pulse are interested in him. If true not only would it be a big boost for his career but for the profile of Thai footballers too.

Lows:

The goalkeeping:

The standard of goalkeeping it’s fair to say is not of the highest order. Indecisiveness, soft goals and flapping at high balls all featured prominently. The tournament was not a decidedly positive showcase for the goalies of South East Asia.

The number of goals that came as a result of saves is worth noting. Two of Thailand’s goals in the finals came as a result of the goalkeeper not diverting the ball into ‘safe’ areas or behind for a corner.

If the level of goalkeeping is to improve top quality coaching is required to iron out the flaws and deficiencies for the number 1s in the South East Asian region.

Crowd Violence/Behavior:

The incident that marred the Malaysia-Vietnam match in the semifinals is something the sport can do without. Malaysian ‘fans’ reportedly attacked visiting Vietnamese supporters when the latter’s team was winning. It may have been an isolated case but that’s still one too many. Fortunately, scenes like these were not repeated in the finals.

Some Singaporean fans didn’t cover themselves in glory too throwing bottles of water and toilet rolls (yes, I know!) on to the pitch after perceived refereeing injustices. Maybe their grievances were justified but throwing items on the pitch is not the smartest way to make a point.

The state of the pitches:

Some of the pitches didn’t seem fit for a proper international tournament. The pitch at the Singapore National Stadium was under scrutiny whilst the one at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur was not much better.

Indeed Malaysia’s semifinal venue against Vietnam was switched from the Bukit Jalil to the Shah Alam due to the fact that the pitch at the former was not conducive to an international match.

The climate in the region is challenging with respect to maintaining pitches and the answer could be artificial turf but whatever the solution an international tournament deserves to be played on better surfaces.

Onwards to Oz:

The next big tournament in the Asian footballing calendar occurs in January when Australia hosts the AFC Asian Cup. After a poor World Cup showing by the Asian nations the Asian Cup provides the perfect opportunity for teams to banish any post-Brazil blues.

Japan are the current holders of the cup, they have talent to retain their title but can they hold on to their crown? All will be revealed in Australia at the end of January.