Flat Back Four

More Than a Game: Michael Shields is Innocent...

2005-07-28T14:20:00.000-04:00

Sprawled across the living room sofa, the Missus asleep upstairs, Pebbles the dog on restless evening patrol, I watched the Chicago Fire give a more than credible performance in the so-called World Series of Football last night. But while there should have been shouts of pride and awe from my lips as the Fire set about their Euro-opponents, I instead watched the match with the taste of ashes in my mouth.

The Fire played Milan last night.

A little more than two months ago, in the Champions League Final, so did Liverpool FC.

An 18 year-old young man from Liverpool, Michael Shields, was at the Ataturk Stadium to watch his club pull of the most remarkable comeback in the history of that competition. On his way back home, Shields and some friends stopped for a few days holiday in the Bulgarian resort of Golden Sands. Early in the morning before his return home, Sands was pulled from his hotel room, placed in a police lineup, then imprisoned, initially without being charged with a crime.

A Bulgarian waiter had been attacked with a paving stone by, according to the Liverpool Echo, “a British person with fair hair and of large stature.”

On the strength of eyewitness testimony from several Bulgarians that he tallied with such a vague, general description, and little else, Shields was charged with attempted murder.

Never mind that the young man had been asleep in his hotel room when the waiter was set upon by a fair-haired British man with a paving stone, forget that his friends could place him at the hotel at the time of that attack, and most crucially, disregard the fact that another man from Liverpool confessed to the attack on the waiter after hearing of young Shields’s plight.

Bulgarian justice had to be served, the confession about the attack by one Graham Sankey was not accepted as evidence, and two days ago, Michael Shields was found guilty of an attack he did not commit and sentenced to fifteen years in a Bulgarian prison, along with a victim’s compensation bill for £71,000.

Pretty steep price to pay for a crime you did not commit...

18 years old, on a trip to watch your team play the biggest match in your lifetime, a thrilling, spell-binding, magical comeback against the side that Phil Schoen referred to as the “Best Team in the World” roughly every five minutes during last night’s broadcast, a short stop for a vacation on the way home...

lose fifteen years of your life because a perverse conception of justice must be served.

You’ll pardon me if I have a relatively low opinion of the course of Bulgarian justice.

Now Mr. Sankey’s lawyer is calling for the release of Shields before any decisions are made about his client, who has stated his refusal to be deported to Bulgaria to face trial, instead preferring to face a British court.

How comforting that must appear for young Shields, imprisoned for a crime he did not commit in a foreign country while the self-confessed attacker negotiates a trial that suits him and his legal representation.

The lawyers in both Bulgaria and Britain are involved, and the politicians have gotten involved as well, guaranteeing that the process will become even slower and more complicated while Shields sits shivering in his cell, an innocent man condemned by the corruption of Bulgarian justice and the cowardice of a British man and his lawyer.
I took a look around the living room last night at 11:00, after watching the Fire play so well, so far above themselves against Milan, against many of the same players that Liverpool had faced that triumphant night in Istanbul.

Pebbles was perched on the back of the green easy chair, on silent sentry duty, waiting for my stepson Dylan to come home.

Dylan is with his father this week. He won’t be coming home until the weekend.

I watched my wife’s dog stare at the front door through which she hoped to see one of owners walk and wondered what it must be like to be seated in a home in Wavertree, waiting for fifteen years for your son to come home.

The unbridled joy and passion from the Section 8 supporters in Soldier Field last night matched the emotions of the Liverpool support as their side won the Champions League title last May. MLS in general and the Fire in particular did themselves proud against Milan, and the hopes must be that the same will happen this evening when DC United play Chelsea.

Spare a thought for young Michael Shields amid the glory of a fine night for American soccer.

What happened to him is not a pathetic plot for a tired, B-movie screenplay.

Michael Shields went to watch his team play.

He ended up in jail.

Michael Shields is innocent...

Although he might find the experience of receiving letters from American soccer supporters to be a strange one, I imagine that any sort of comfort and human contact in Michael’s present condition would be welcomed.

If the spirit moves you, please take a few moments to write him a letter, at his parents address.

Michael Shields Jr
11 Towerlands Street
Liverpool
L7 8TT

An online petition in support of Shields and with links to more information about him and the travesty of justice in Bulgaria can be found at the website Red and White Kop at this link: Michael Shields Innocent: Jailed for 15 years

Home Grown Players?

2005-06-21T05:45:00.000-04:00

The debate over importing new players from abroad or relying on players developed in lower divisions extends across the pond in the same way it rages among British supporters of Premier League clubs.

Wilson. John Wilson covers the rise of John Wilson, a player who has plied his trade for almost ten years in the USL, the American Championship-equivalent, and seized his chance after being signed to MLS Cup champion DC United. With the same tedious rumours about Beckham Coming To America after leaving Madrid making the rounds yet again, there are those, and I am one of them, beginning to question the league's insistence on the signing of "star players" from abroad as the ways and means to a bright future for the league...

Research Required for Racism Accusations...

2005-06-20T12:08:00.000-04:00

With racism a current hot topic, Steven Wells decided, on the back of non-existent research, to cast the racism stone in the direction of US Soccer.

Sadly, the article highlights more Wells banal, forced conclusion that racism inhibits the development of US Soccer than presents evidence of actual racial bias. That the American suburbs and inner cities are divided along racial lines is not under contention. But Wells point that the supposed absence of African-American players from soccer reflects racism on the part of suburban soccer leagues is a ridiculous one, written from the perspective of a British author where football is the top sport.

In the States, football is still a relatively small sport, and not unpopular among inner-city youths because of racism but rather because of culture. And the sport is growing in popularity among African-Americans, a point neatly glossed-over by Wells in his attempt to cry "racism!"

He cites as two primary examples of racism in American soccer the cities of Boston and Philadelphia, two American cities with a history of racial divide and difficulties, sort of like using the 2003 race riots in Oldham as an example representing all of Britain.

And Eddie Johnson, a young African-American player from a tough social background in Florida, is not mentioned at all, nor is the fact that six players on the World Cup 2002 roster were African-American. This team, which made the quarterfinals, with all six African-American players seeing significant playing time, surely shows that the sport is becoming more popular among African-Americans, not less. There is still a long way to go, and the sport itself is organized very much along suburban, white middle-class lines, but Wells conclusion that:

"In the 19th century America's white suburban cricketers strove mightily to avoid any contact with Negroes, Germans and (shudder) the Irish. As a result the sport all but died and baseball inherited the earth.

Amazingly, in the first decade of the 21st century, US soccer might be making the exact same mistake." is a stupendously inaccurate reflection of the reality in American soccer; if anything, the sport is among the most integrated of athletic competitions on the American landscape, with significant participation from the burgeoning Latino population, never mentioned by Wells because it apparently did not suit his conclusion.

There is much work to be done in furthering the integration of American soccer, for African-Americans, Latinos, and other immigrant populations on the American soccer landscape. But concluding that the sport is doomed because the youth soccer community actively works against the participation of African-Americans is shameful, controversy-mongering pap better left for tabloid newspapers rather than ostensible quality papers...

Too Late to Fear Ownership Conflicts...

2005-06-18T11:33:00.000-04:00

Perhaps as a method for covering Lennart Johansson's attempt to seize the Sexist Bigot Throne from Sepp Blatter, UEFA have come out with a series of statements of concern over owners of clubs having stakes in clubs in different countries.

Do you think?

Why should UEFA be concerned that Roman Abramovich has a stake in CSKA Moscow as well as Chelsea? Other than the purchase of Jiri Jarosik? And the funneling of players to CSKA as a sort of stop-over on their way to Stamford Bridge?

No idea at all...

The behavioural naughty-naughty laws are hilarious also.

Players and club officials have such a huge exposure. We will ask the coaches to to help us make their colleagues and players behave better.

Never mind the head honcho going international and making comments like: Companies could make use of a sweaty, lovely-looking girl playing on the ground. It would sell.

That's all right, then.

A Good Book...

2005-06-18T08:36:00.000-04:00

Golden Past Red Future, written by Paul Tomkins and Jon Swain, chronicles the past season for Liverpool culminating in the surreal Champions League Final win in Istanbul. The book is a mixture of examination of the immediate past under Gerard Houllier and how the new manager Rafael Benitez faces challenges determined in part by the club's glorious history under past managerial giants. Lively writing, a perspective based on reason and analysis rather than blind faith and passion, Tomkins and Swain use sharp writing and a willingness to question as the basis for penning an entertaining and interesting read.

Wrote a review for Squarefootball, I recommend it both for Liverpool supporters and for those who like to read good writing about good football. The book is available online from Amazon.co.uk, sales have been halted from the author's personal website for a brief period because Paul and Jon are unable to keep up with the demand. Consider that another recommendation...

Criticism of Mourinho's Tactics, please...

2005-05-04T07:57:00.000-04:00

In the aftermath of Liverpool's defeat of Chelsea in the Champion's League, post-match reporting has focused on the usual suspects: incompetent officiating vis-a-vis Garcia's goal crossing the line or not, Liverpool's negative tactics, the "best team" doesn't always win, etc.

Wrote an article for Squarefootball dealing with some of these topics, but am still waiting, not in any anticipation of actually seeing much, for some of the broadsheet or tabloid papers to actually criticise Mourinho for his tactics and man-management, rather than his petuant behaviour after the match, which was entirely and tiresomely predictable.

Quite simply, no goals in 180 minutes of football isn't a ringing endorsement of Mourinho's tactical approach, which consisted mainly of lumping the ball forward for Didier Drogba, or defender Robert Huth.

And John Terry and Frank Lampard were clearly out of gas and ideas in the second half. Both players needed to be on the pitch, but with Chelsea so far in front in the Premier League, could not a bit of rest been found for both players? Surely there were sufficient funds available for transfers?

Mourinho's pompous posturing about not using squad rotation has been exploded, his players did not have their legs under them in what was Chelsea's most important match of the year. Rather than blaming the referee's assistant, perhaps Jose should look in the mirror for answers, and take a razor blade with him while he's at it...

De-Valued UEFA Cup...

2005-04-29T11:14:00.000-04:00

Now, this Parma's reserves raise questions about UEFA Cup was an interesting, and for the most part, fair perspective on the decline of a tradition-laden competition.

The only thing Mr. Evans could have done better would have been to underline the primary reason why the UEFA Cup has become "de-valued," and the key is in that particular word itself.

The Champions League represents the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, while the UEFA Cup is the change jar on the kitchen counter...

Peter Wilt Fired by the Fire...

2005-04-12T10:38:00.000-04:00

This is what happened

As far as can be determined by wading through the piles of corporate misspeak and spin-doctoring, Peter Wilt, Chicago Fire general manager, was fired to make way for John Guppy, brother of Steve Guppy, to take control of the Fire as it moves into its new stadium.

These are some of the opinions of a very aggrieved set of Chicago Fire supporters

Apparently, a protest with Fire supporters clad in black is planned for this Saturday's game against San Jose...

Yet another example of a sports franchise disregaring the interests of its customers in the quest for mythical piles of corporate money...

Come on, Wrexham...

2005-04-08T19:12:00.000-04:00

A sad story, deserving of as much publicity as possible, Demise of Welsh Soccer Team... the story of Wrexham FC, taken to the cleaners by yet another money-grabbing businessman.

Nothing against Southend, but after reading Pete Davies's 22 Foreigners in Funny Shorts, and reading this article, I know whom I'll be supporting in the LDV Vans Final...

Ronaldo, Don't Forget Your Shinpads?

2005-03-29T13:17:00.000-05:00

With Jose Mourinho and Chelsea being raked over UEFA coals for all the shenanigans in their ties against Barcelona in the Champions League, this challenge issued by the Uruguayans to Ronaldo before the World Cup qualifying tie in Montevideo must surely warrant some sort of response from FIFA.

How can implying that there was a conversation with a match official and possible cheating be any worse an example of bringing the game into disrepute than an entire team, through an interview by their coach, Jorge Fossati, that they intend to give a player a kicking?

Far be it from me to spring to Jose's defense, but uniform standards of judging exactly what constitutes disrepute are in order here...

United Call for Euro revamp to avoid having to win matches

2005-03-22T13:54:00.000-05:00

Here's the call...

Never mind that you would not have this sort of problem if you had actually won against Milan...

Until the "big clubs," or the G-14, or the self-obsessed profit-mongering monstrosities that compose the so-called european elite accept that, eventually, no matter what maneuvers and deceptions they practice, the matches are won on the pitch and not in the boardroom, we will be forced to endure massive stupidities like this one perpetrated by David Gill.

Perhaps it was all a distraction to remove attention from his colossally stupid, Ferguson is "sackable" comment on Radio 5 Live...

David Gill, the Sultan of Solecism...

Soccernet Goes Tabloid...

2005-03-18T14:34:00.000-05:00

Here's the Title...

Now take a close reading of the article in its entirety. Nowhere within does Rafa use the word "overcome," the closest he gets is: "This is the Champions League and over two legs anything is possible. It is a tough draw but I'm confident we can do well in the tie." Soccernet, in the first sentence, feels at liberty to state that Benitez predicts that Liverpool will win.

Of course, this twisting interviews around in article titles is a time-honoured tradition for the tabloid media, but looks like everyone is getting on the over-hyped bandwagon.

The only positive is that the Soccernet title left out any references to Heysel; we'll be getting more than our share of those in the coming weeks...

It's not really much to be happy about, though, when the positive bit is that the title blatantly misrepresents the interview's contents...

Mourinho Fallout Continues...

2005-03-15T07:49:00.000-05:00

The memorable football from the Barcelona/Chelsea Champions League encounter vanishes completeyl fomr the public eye, hidden benath the fog of accusation and counter-claim by Jose Mourinho and UEFA.

In a barbed personal attack, Volker Roth, UEFA Referee Chairman, branded Mourinho an "enemy of football," in reference to the Chelsea manager's attacks on referee Anders Frisk's actions during the first-leg at the Nou Camp.

Frankly, it's a much more defensible accusation to accuse Mourinho's tactics, system of play, and encouragement of diving, barging, and fouling among the Chelsea players as being detrimental to football, but one wouldn't expect differently from a referee chairman.

Another, bigger UEFA pooh-bah weighed in with a typically bureaucratic, watered-down follow-up statement, which made clear reference to intimidation of match officials, without mentioning anyone by name.

Well, that's an effective deterrent...

Of course, "the Special One," constitutionally incapable of leaving well enough alone, has threatened legal action against Roth for his "enemy of football" attack.

International football is in very real danger of going the way of professional wrestling if this sort of silliness is continually played out in the media before and after matches. The impetus to prevent this sort of behaviour exists, but one questions whether UEFA or FIFA, let alone the FA, has the will to proffer an effective deterrent. The solution is a simple one: no more shilly-shallying around with media campaigns, if a manager makes comments such as those made by Mourinho after Chelsea's first-leg loss, the unproven accusations of cheating, remove the team from the competition, and award the other side the place in the next round.

The problem would vanish overnight, rest assured...

Barcelona/Chelsea: Match with Everything, Except Sensible Media Coverage...

2005-03-09T13:09:00.000-05:00

In the same fashion as the post-match hysteria concerning the tunnel fracas between Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira before the United/Arsenal Premier League match earlier this season at Highbury, the tussels and accusations after the completion of the thrilling Champions League tie between Barcelona and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge are overshadowing events on the pitch. And while there is plenty of blame to be apportioned to players and managerial staffs on both teams, once again, it is the British media that is responsible for gleefully trumpeting the postmatch confrontations as if they were more important than the game itself.

Quite simply, Chelsea ruthlessly tore Barcelona apart in the first twenty minutes, punishing glaring mistakes by Barcelona to take a surreal 3-0 advantage. For a match which everyone expected would be a tight affair, three goals in the first twenty minutes, all for Chelsea, was an incredible start. And Barcelona played their part too, clawing their way back into the game by keeping the ball, and a couple of moments of brilliance from Ronaldinho turned the tie completely on its head. His second goal, cheekiness personified, is one which I doubt I will ever see the equivalent to; no one else would dare try it.

And yet, Chelsea dragged themselves back, riding the amazing form of Petr Cech, who denied Barcelona the game-killing third away goal repeatedly, and won with one of their chief weapons this season, the well-rehearsed set piece, in the corner to Terry variation.

An absolutely amazing, pulsating ninety minutes of football, with lead changes, brilliant skill, vicious finishing, plenty of hard tackling and direct running, in short, everything that makes a football match worth watching.

And what we're given as "coverage" is:

1) A confrontation for Ronaldinho
2) Eto'o claiming he was racially abused by a Chelsea steward
3) Long quotes from Jose Mourinho about how he regarded the game

Maybe the press aren't interested in the football any longer. Maybe the football is a mere backdrop to the Reality TV nonsense masquerading as sports coverage peddled by the papers, internet sites, and television channels...

UEFA to Jose: Shut Up and Play...

2005-03-08T07:29:00.000-05:00

Finally...

Mind games and taking the pressure off one's team onto oneself can only be taken so far before it steps over the edge into absurdity...

Is anyone at the FA taking notes on the proper methods for confronting Mourinho?

March Round Not Oval

2005-03-07T11:50:00.000-05:00

The March Round Not Oval is out, published by the USSoccerplayers.com website.

The article by Andrew Monfried about DC United and the Washington Nationals sharing RFK stadium is a must-read, I'm having trouble typing this because I'm still laughing...

RNO bills itself as an online magazine that looks at the game from a perspective different than the standard, match-report based one so popular world-wide; give it a look

Corinthians, Argentines, and MSI...

2005-03-07T08:42:00.000-05:00

Tim Vickery's column, A View From South America, easily the most interesting, well-written, and relatively bias-free material on the BBC Football website, this week deals with the strange goings on at Brazilian giants Corinthians.

The club have come into a good deal of money through a partnership with the mysterious London company MSI, rumoured to be tied to Roman and his roubles in mysterious ways. The signing of Carlos Tevez for $20 million, an unheard of amount to bring a player into Brazil, from Argentina, a country which almost never exports players to Brazil, and the recent hiring of Daniel Passarella as coach are the latest in a string of weird events surrounding the club and its London cash source.

Vickery gives a good evaluation of the cultural problems that Argentine players, and coaches, face in Brazil, and does a good job at a thumb-nail sketch of the implications of MSI's involvement.

The only point that might be added is that Passarella's version of football is likely to be markedly different from what the Corinthians supporters expect, and also that Tevez, the Argentine player for whose benefit it is assumed the Argentine Passarella was hired, played for Boca Juniors, whereas Passarella was a die-hard River Plate player.

It's certainly an arguable case that River/Boca is the world's bitterest derby, and Passarella and Tevez, both quite stubborn and strong-willed, getting on at Corinthians is by no means a certainty.

Strange Administrative Days...

2005-03-04T12:50:00.000-05:00

A trio of strange decisions from three different football associations in recent days...

Chelsea have been charged for their toys-from-the-pram behavior in the Nou Camp. Is it really such a big deal that the club did not turn up at the post-match press conference? Other than them's the rules, I mean?

Surely that's less important than Mourinho's antics at the Millenium Stadium, when the "shushing" gesture raised the possibility of a crowd disturbance. The British FA's decision to do nothing smacks of a fear of vested Premiership interest on the FA Board.

And before I am accused of anti-Chelsea bias, look to the first point again. As far as I am concerned, Mourinho didn't do much wrong at Barcelona; he was true to his character when losing, maybe, but I have no problem with him skipping the post-match press conference.

Roman can probably stump up whatever fine is levied...

Lastly, and most shamefully, The Spanish FA, more craven than even the British FA, fined Spanish National Coach Luis Aragones for making racist comments.

£2,060.

Pathetic. That certainly sent a message about making ignorant, racial comment in Spanish Football: no intelligence, no worries, the Spanish FA will Lightly touch your wrist if necessary...

Let's see, a Regional association, surely the world's most powerful, charges a team for skipping a press conference...

The British FA cowers in its collective Soho Square Den instead of charging the same team's coach with grossly petulant behaviour during a Cup Final...

The Spanish FA levies a pittance of a fine on its national coach for racist comment, a persistent problem in Spanish football, as anyone who attends Primera matches can attest...

Are world football associations no longer capable of governing the game?

How Much for One Youri?

2005-03-02T16:32:00.000-05:00

Published an article on USSoccerplayers.com whose basic theme was that the league made a mistake in signing Youri Djorkaeff to play for the Metros.

One of the reasons that I thought it was a mistake was that I imagined the player would be paid a relatively high contract figure for MLS, and that this was a waste of moeny which could have been used for younger players.

The buzz on the BigSoccer forum was that Djorkaeff would be making "far less than $180,000", but it turns out that, at least on an article by Ridge Mahoney of Soccer America, Djorkaeff is in fact on a contract for $180,000, plus bonuses.

For a 37 year-old player?

Wasted money...

A Bad Investment

2005-03-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

The heady days of floating as plc's long gone, most football clubs are priced much cheaper than their initial offering prices, and some have de-listed after becoming penny stocks.

A central issue in preventing companies and investors from buying shares in football clubs seems to be a lack of transparency.

You don't say...

Supporters have been saying this for years.

My favorite quote: "Soccer clubs offer less participation than normal firms for shareholders and often have a lower management quality."

Lower management quality indeed, and dear Rupert Lowe is one of those runninng the show for the Premier League?

"Doomberg" Gets it Very Wrong...

2005-02-25T13:32:00.000-05:00

Pathetic attempt to stir up a little bit of trouble from the obviously-knowledgeable-about-football boys at Bloomberg...

Stick to financial matters, Bloomies, this article is a horrid jumble of carefully-selected quotes used in a desperate attempt to buttress a premise that is widely off-base.

Liverpool do not have to sell Steven Gerrard, unless he wants to move on, full stop.

The article presents the case differently, by implying that the club may have to sell him even if he wants to stay, to raise the money for the new stadium.

Bunk and balderdash, Gerrard may move on, but it will be his choice, and the money from that transfer will go toward bringing in new players, not paying for the new stadium.

Tabloid financial journalism, classic...

Sue Mott Hasn't a Clue...

2005-02-22T12:42:00.000-05:00

Let's continue with where we last left off, in a bashing of the so-clueless British media. Today's prize contestant, Sue Mott, who writes for the Telegraph. In an insipidly stupid attempt at attacking a so-called yobbish element which in her eyes is hijacking the game, all Ms. Mott did was show how clearly out of touch she is with what is happening in British Football.

A quote: "No wonder the average audience at football matches are getting older. Younger children have got more sense, or their parents are getting it on their behalf."

Right, Sue, the price of a match ticket sky-rocketing out of the range of young children, and teenagers, has nothing to do with the lack of a young presence at Premiership matches. You have not got a clue.

Why don't you try coming down from your ivory tower and going to watch a side that Doesn't play in the rarefied Premiership atmosphere? You'll see young men and children a-plenty at Championship and League 1 and 2 matches, because the ticket prices are something other than usurious.

Oh, then you would be mixing with the masses, wouldn't you, Sue? Can't have any of that now, can we?

Mourinho's Media Massage...

2005-02-20T21:17:00.000-05:00

When Rafa Benitez "disrespected" the FA Cup by not fielding his entire first eleven against Burnley, setting aside the fact that he had many injured players, he was given a torrid time in the British media, with "naive" being perhaps the most charitable criticism directed his way. Jose Mourinho, the tabloid and broadsheet favourite, and Sky Sports darling, both because he manages a London side and because Chelsea had swept everything before them to date: a) made a ridiculous triple substitution at half-time, leaving himself no room to maneuver if the "unthinkable" happened b) did not start the match with any of Gudjohnsen, Duff, Cech or Lampard on the pitch c) did not bother shaving before the match, perhaps because the weather was a bit chilly in the North

Gudjohnsen, Duff, Cech, Lampard, four absolute fixtures in Chelsea's successes this season, none of them on at the start of the match. This was exactly what Rafa was pilloried for doing, leaving out first-team players in the "Most (Self)-Important Cup Competition in the World." And the three substitutions? Not such a good idea when Bridge breaks his ankle, Duff and Gallas pull up lame, and Cudicini gets sent off, leaving Glen Johnson in goal and Duff and Gallas virtual passengers.

Oh, right, and Chelsea lost the match also, 1-0.

No four titles in a season for the Man Whose Ego Ran Away With His Mouth, which also deprives the media of the opportunity to write story after story about a Quadruple Title campaign.

The reaction of the media to this will be instructive in one of two ways: either they will round on Mourinho for depriving him of the chance to milk the public with stories about Chelsea's mythical season, or excuses will be made, and their own savaging of Benitez conveniently forgotten.

"Rich League" Silliness...

2005-02-17T09:59:00.000-05:00

Deloitte has released it's much-touted "rich league" table, enabling a fresh round of Premier League hype in general, and Manchester United table top-boasting in specific. But a slightly more than cursory glance at the table itself shows that there is quite a bit of deception and misinformation at work in the whole concept.

Start with Soccernet's Huge Headline over the article. "Premier League for cash." No, not cash, income. The "rich league" table makes no measures of cash flow, primarily because so many professional clubs have none to speak of.

Look towards the bottom of the table, Man City, at #16, or Villa at #20. We are supposed to be cowed by how rich these clubs are, but City's debt is out of control, the club are under very real danger of having to sell off players like Shaun Wright-Phillips to make ends meet, yet we are supposed to be believe that they are #16 in the list of world's richest clubs.

Or Aston Villa. #20? With Deadly Doug at the pence-pinching helm? I don't think so.

The table is a complete misnomer and deception, a measurement of income only tells no true story about actual profitability, yet that is how Deloitte clearly presents it to the public, of course with the club's tacit approval.

How about Newcastle United at #11, having "slipped down" two places from a previous #9 position. What have Newcastle actually won on the pitch recently? #9 in the world, or #11, has not translated into success on the pitch, has it? Inter are an even more clear example of this phenomenon that we are encouraged to accept without examination, the 8th "richest" club in the world, and when was their last Scudetto?

One can't help but see that the whole exercise is being used by Deloitte and the big clubs themselves as "evidence" for dreaming up further methods to generate income from football supporters world-wide. Don't examine actual profits, please, just look at this table of really big numbers, then give us larger ticket prices and pay-TV subscriptions without a murmur, there's a good supporter...

Silliness indeed...

Referee Confronts Spanish Football Racism...

2005-02-16T08:18:00.000-05:00

Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez, I salute you. You've probably done your career as a match official more harm than good, because the Spanish FA has clearly demonstrated its desire to sweep the racist chanting at Primera matches under the table, but taking a stand in the absence of positive, tangible effort from the Spanish FA is laudable and praiseworthy.

Senor Gonzalez states that, if black players racially abused in Spain simply walk off the pitch, he will do so along with them. Interestingly, every time this is brought up within the confines of British football, pitch walk-offs are dismissed as "ineffective" or "provocative." As if in some way, the players leaving will provoke a huge riot in the stands or something.

Shades of this attitude in the England players boycott of the media during World Cup qualifying. From a group given to cliche-laden post-match comments, simply walking off would make a powerful statement, indeed...

Kieron Dyer: At it Again

2005-02-14T14:05:00.000-05:00

Whatever would the tabloid papers do without Kieron Dyer?

Two hands up, I've taken more than my share of shots at the Talented Mr. Dire in Squarefootball columns, including an entire missive entitled Dyer:Beaten With the Stupid Stick.

But it's nice to see that despite the passage of time, a change of manager, and an apparent change of attitude, Kieron remains true to his principles, such as they are.

Late night out with Patrick Kluivert and Titus Bramble, a little argy-bargy, and yes, everything is back to normal with our Hero, Kieron the Zero.

What is perhaps saddest about this latest in a string of unsavoury incidents is the certainty that it will have no effect on Dyer's behaviour. But the hard question that the Professional Footballer's Association, the Football Association, and the Premier League should be asking themselves is whether Kieron Dyer is an isolated case, or a symbol of a much larger malaise within the modern game.

It's too easy to write off Dyer as an isolated case; one suspects that his actions are repeated by footballers across Premiership clubs, and that the player's betsetting fault is that he either does not care if he is revealed as a Bling King, or that he simply does not understand that what he is doing is unprofessional and detrimental to his performance and career.

But then, with Freddie Sheppard in charge at Newcastle, one imagines that if Dyer issues another half-hearted apology, all will be well with the world.

Newcastle United, a case study in Premiership Misanthropy...

Liverpool: Bring on the Excuses...

2005-02-12T13:17:00.000-05:00

No links here, but in the aftermath of a jaded and listless performance against Birmingham, I thought I would spend a little time producing a list of excuses and targets of blame, because that is what one is expected to do in circumstances like these:

Read with a healthy dose of sarcasm, please...

1) Rafa's fault- players didn't perform because they weren't properly motivated (I refer you to Episdoe 4 Season 1 of The Office, and Rowan talking about the importance of motivation)

2) Steven Gerrard's fault- Great players are supposed to be able to lift their teams in important matches like this one, his head has been turned by all the money and trophies supposedly on offer at Chelsea, etc. etc. (The Match-Winning Player, one of football's most-cherished myths. Doesn't matter who it is or was, Maradona, Pele, Di Stefano, football is a team game, eleven players together, if all eleven are playing poorly, which was pretty much the case today at St. Andrews, one suddenly finding his form won't make a bit of difference.)

3) Wrong system of play, Rafa should have played 4-4-2 instead of 4-5-1, Baros out of position on the right side of midfield, Biscan and Hamann twin donkeys in the centre of the park, blah, blah, blah (Rick Parry will be very interested in hearing from all you tactical geniuses, make sure your c.v.'s are in the next post.

4) Every player except Gerrard was at fault- Well, he was chosen as Man of the Match again for the millionth time this season, right?

5) Gerard Houllier's fault- Saw this one on Red and White Kop, and it's my favourite. Houllier is to blame because he demanded long passes from the back, which meant we just hoofed it long and did not string any passes together, things will never improve until Rafa gets rid of Houllier's players. So, who's left Carson and the Bandidos?

Thus far, these are the "best" excuses I've seen. I'll make additions as others appear...

Eddie Johnson: USA's Next European Field Player...

2005-02-11T16:54:00.000-05:00

I've been touting Eddie Johnson as sure to move abroad soon, for a striker; he has the lot: good skill with both feet, lethal finish, strong in the air, powerful build, and blistering pace. Six goals in four qualifiers, with at least one in all four matches, is impressive, CONCACAF region or not.

Ives Galarcep, writing for Soccernet, makes a good point about the bind that MLS is in when considering Eddie taking his show across the pond...

Gary Neville and Nike...

2005-02-10T10:15:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe that I find myself in agreement with Gary Neville about anything, but I must say that his comments about Nike's involvement in the anti-racism campaigns in England are spot-on.

"The FA and the England team have always campaigned against racism very well, we have just got to be aware that it is not cheapened slightly by companies like Nike getting a lot of PR out of it for nothing." said Gary in what surely must rank as the only intelligent comment ever from the United defender.

"Holland wore the shirts last night because they are one of the Nike-sponsored federations [emphasis very much the author's own] that are keen to make a stand against racism. This is not a commercial campaign for Nike. The 'Stand Up, Speak Up' campaign aims to raise money that will go directly to groups helping to tackle the problem." said Charlie Brooks, Nike Spokesman in Charge of Repeating the Company Name Whenever Possible.

The point seems to be that the fact that Holland is sponsored by Nike makes their stance against racism a just one. Or even perhaps that the only reason that Holland is taking ant-racist tsances is because of Nike. Ludicrous.

Shouldn’t the point be that racism, regardless of what kit one is wearing, is worth combatting?

Will Nike only assist countries in the fight against racism if they wear Nike product? Did Charlie Brooks really think this up on his own? Brain-washing in Beaverton, perhaps?

Off to the shower, after agreeing with Gary, feeling a little unclean...

Souness Out

2005-02-09T13:37:00.000-05:00

Title says it all, really, I love the simple approach...

Worn out your welcome then, Graeme?

Training Camps instead of friendlies...

2005-02-08T08:29:00.000-05:00

Now, this was an interesting angle that I had not considered. Alex Wolstenholme, a colleague of mine at Squarefootball.net, advocates that instead of another meaningless friendly against Holland, what Sven should push for is simply a training camp for a couple of days, to work on tactics and team-building.

Of course, Fox Soccer Channel would be gutted, since the England friendlies are one of their few new programmes since the format change from Fox Sports World...

UEFA "Homegrown" Plan Sure to Cause Conflict

2005-02-04T14:49:00.000-05:00

UEFA released a plan to require clubs competing in the Champions League to have on their roster a minimum of four "homegrown" players by the 2006 competition, six by 2007, and a total of eight by 2008.

1) I can’t see the "big" clubs in England, Spain and Italy standing for this. The free market, buy-anything-we-want ethic has hardened with the influx of television money. The clubs won’t want UEFA telling them what to do on principle.

2) This move by UEFA surely must be regarded as a shot across the bows of the G-14 clubs. If the legal challenge does not materialize or is rejected, you can be certain that the G-14 clubs will immediately start making noises about setting up their own Super League, with the intent of forcing UEFA to back down to protect the Champions League.

3) There are already many sad cases of young players brought to Europe from Africa or South America who are abandoned by the clubs if they do not turn into top-flight players. If this policy of UEFA is implemented, there is every chance of a bad situation getting worse, with clubs "raiding" other countries forever-younger talent, and subsequent social problems as the players are released by the clubs.

4) A mere four players runs the risk of being regarded as a cosmetic change, rather than a serious attempt at real reform. If the aim is to promote the development of ties between clubs and their local fan bases, then the numbers will have to be increased. The proposal to increase the "home -grown" numbers from four to eight gradually, with four "home country" players, seems to be a bare minimum, rather than a stopping point, if UEFA are truly committed to legislating more local development.

5) I always get a bit of a laugh at Premiership administrators and chairmen who pompously invoke collective interest to support their not so well hidden individual agendas. David Dein: "We've got the best league in the world and you tamper with it at your peril."
Now, there wouldn’t be any concern that yours is one of two British sides that would not meet the proposed criteria for the Champions League Moneyball Party, would there, David?

David?

The Mystery Toon "Senior Player..."

2005-02-03T06:12:00.000-05:00

Just who is the mystery "senior player" for whom Craig Bellamy left a nasty phone message, referred to by new assistant manager Terry McDermott, in his Bellamy was Hated statement issued this morning?

In the aftermath of what by all accounts was an entertaining skillful, passionate match of football between the Newcastle and City, featuring famous goal-scoring players, Shearer and Fowler, and two managers, Keegan and Souness, who can excite an opinion or two themselves, the media focus still centered on the whole sordid Bellamy saga.

Surely, it wasn't Shearer. Can't imagine him being pleased with the whole affair coming to light if it was...

Rafael Benitez and Alan Curbishley Show How It's Done...

2005-02-02T09:42:00.000-05:00

A sampling of post-match comment after last night’s Liverpool/Charlton match:

Alan Curbishley:

"I did not think we looked too sharp,' he said. 'But that might have been more to do with the way Liverpool played."

Here is a Premiership manager who does not appear obsessed with finding others to blame when things go wrong for his side. Rather, a gracious comment that Liverpool playing well was a factor in Charlton’s dull performance. Although, I suppose that is sort of blaming the Reds, isn’t it? Nit-pickers...

"I have got no complaints about the result, but am disappointed that with 10 minutes to go, we could not hold out. But on that performance they(Liverpool) looked a class outfit, which is what we expect."

Read the first eight words again. Have you ever heard either Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger use those eight words in that particular order? And don’t trot out the, "they’re winners" bollocks, please.

Alan ‘Class’bishley, end of.

Rafael Benitez:

"I do not have a crystal ball to say what will be in the future. We want to win the next game, and then after we will see."

No, no, no, Rafa, you’re supposed to be playing "mind-games" with the opposition, making provocative predictions about the table that can be milked for weeks worth of blazing, over-hyped "news" stories. This calm, measured approach will have to go, Senor Benitez...

"I am delighted with the team, the result and how we play - it is perhaps the best performance of the team away in the last 40 years..."

Ooh, sarccy. I stand corrected, perhaps you are a true Master of the Media, El Jefe...

What Actually Will Be Discussed in the Media After Man U/Arsenal

2005-02-01T17:15:00.000-05:00

1) Arsenal, A Dynasty in Decline!!!

2) Henry never shows up for big games (never mind laying on both Vieira and Bergkamp’s goals)

3) Silvestre’s red card inspiring United to a Battling Defensive Masterclass (ugh, I hate even typing that sort of tabloid silliness, see point 5 below)

4) United can challenge Chelsea for the Premiership title, Arsenal eliminated. (Arsenal are two points behind United with 13 matches to play. You do the math)

5) Something about an exchange between Sir Alex and Arsene. (Sky Sports has so much invested in the feud between the two, they’ll beat it to death) [edit: substitute Vieira/Keane for Ferguson/Wenger. The post-match interviews on Sky spent about three times as long discussing the ruck in the tunnel before the game than the actual match itself.]

What Might Be Discussed in the Media After Man U/Arsenal

2005-02-01T17:14:00.000-05:00

1) Christiano Ronaldo, reviled as too soft by some of his fellow players and Man U supporters, played very skillfully and with fabulous pace, a true man-of-the-match performance. A player who comes good in big matches is always valuable...

2) Dennis Bergkamp continues to defy his age; he looked 26 rather than 36, at the centre of all Arsenal’s attacking play.

3) Kolo Toure was missed in Arsenal’s back four; the understanding between Cygan and Campbell was not there, and an indecisive Manuel Almunia did not help matters.

4) Man U have got 4-5-1 down better than any other British team; when Giggs and Ronaldo cut in from the wings, rather than playing as wide men only, they create confusion in opposing defenses. And United pressure the ball with two or more players better than anyone else, a function of having five players in midfield.

5) When Arsenal were playing against United’s ten men, they kept trying to force the ball down the centre of the pitch, where United were packed in rows. Trying to work the ball wide to pull players out of the middle would have created more chances.

Arsenal/Manchester United- Why bother with a ball?

2005-02-01T13:25:00.000-05:00

5 Predictions about Man U/Arsenal- Part II

1) Long stretches of the game where neither team is particularly concerned with the ball; endless stretches of handbags dispute, pursuing the match official in vituperative packs, and remaining on the pitch for days after the slightest of tippy-tappy contact by opposition players.

2) An "incident" of some sort, aided and abetted into ridiculously out-of-proportion dimensions by players, both managers, and Sly Sports, a dive, a "mis-timed tackle," perhaps, or a surreptitious handball.

3) In the 89th minute, whichever team is losing, or Arsenal if the scores are level, will manufacture a massive pushy-pushy on or near the touchline. This has become standard procedure between the two teams, perhaps a show for the supporters? Just like on the play-ground, more like, and not a bit more intellectual, either...

4) The ball itself will spend most of the match in midfield, hopping about relatively close to the players’ boots like drops of water tossed on a hot pan.

5) Both managers, and a few carefully-selected players willing to make insinuative comments about the opposition, will be paraded in front of Sky cameras post-match, asked banal, provocative, blame-fixing questions which ignore completely whatever tiny bit of football actually occurred during the match, with the end result a splash of outraged banner headlines in tomorrow’s papers, tabloid and broadsheet both.

Perhaps they could simply flip a coin, and thus skip the actual 90 minutes entirely. The end result of media-induced frenzy would still be present, and have similar value and merit...

Spurs Transfers: Shaken and Stirred...

2005-01-31T16:08:00.000-05:00

Are there any players Martin Jol doesn’t like?

Spurs completed a rousing month of January transfer window activity by agreeing an 8 mil fee combined for two Nottingham Forest players, Andy Reid and Michael Dawson. The two players sped to London to take medicals and agree terms, which must be completed by midnight tonight.

That adds the two ex-Forest players to a list already including Radek Czerny and David Limbersky, two Czech players signed on loans, and Mido, about whose transfer I am deeply skeptical, Mounir El Hamdaoui and Emil Hallfredsson signing full Spurs contracts.

Let’s see, that gives Spurs a new goalkeeper, to replace Kasey Keller, two new strikers to add to an incredible existing log-jam at that position, three new midfielders (does it really take three players to replace Jamie Redknapp), and a central defender, presumably to replace Calum Davenport, out on loan at Southampton until season’s end.

Does Martin Jol know there is a transfer window in England? It appears as though he and Arnesen have tried the scatter-shot approach to the transfer market; buy anything that moves and sort it out later.

More than any other Premiership club, Spurs have taken a massive gamble in the January transfer window. The general approach among Premiership clubs has been to try to augment an existing squad by adding a player or two.

Jol and Arnesen appear to have come up with a different philosophy; pour the whole squad, including new signings, into a bottle and shake hard. Repeatedly.

The rest of the season at White Hart Lane will be interesting watching, indeed...

Media Lawsuits, Anyone?

2005-01-30T13:59:00.000-05:00

Slow weekend in the papers? Is this the way the British tabs contribute to the supposed loss of prestige of the FA Cup, by dredging up two fearfully doubtful stories of supposed 'tapping up' of players during an FA Cup weekend? Did they play any football this weekend, then?

Arsenal's Andy Cole was supposed to have been tapped up by Chelsea, with the player supposedly having met over the past weekend with Peter Kenyon and uber-slimy agent Pini Zahavi in a London hotel.

Furthermore, the Mail on Sunday reported that Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry met with Kenyon last week to agree to a "deal in principle" to sell Steven Gerrard to Chelsea at the end of the season.

Hmmm, Chelsea's official report of what will surely be staggering financial losses due out tomorrow, Cole and Gerrard linked to Chelsea in nefarious, hotel-room cabals, anyone else think the tabs are really struggling to sell papers, or at least concoct believable plots, these days? Is it any accident that all-conquering Chelsea, who have rocked everyone's conception of what is right by playing around with Roman's roubles, is cast as the villain in these fantasies/stories?

Media bias, and telling people what they want to hear, run amuck...

There appears to be some meat behind the Cole story, with Vice Chairman David Dein reportedly "very upset" (you don't say...) about the supposed meeting and there are claims of an eye-witness affadavit describing the gathering having been obtained.

Liverpool, on the other hand, are contemplating legal action against the Wail...

Nice to see the focus on events on the pitch during an FA Cup weekend.

We now return you to normal Premier League weirdness...

Ticket Pricing- NFL/Premiership comparisons

2005-01-29T13:46:00.000-05:00

I’ve been looking at differences in ticketing prices in the US and Britain, intrigued by a reading of David Conn’s excellent book, The Beautiful Game, which makes a very convincing case for the financial difficulties the Premiership clubs are bringing upon themselves by pricing out entire generations of supporters. Conn’s argument goes something like this: the ticket prices at PL matches have been raised to such high levels that, for supporters who were in their teens during the 70's and 80's, and are now adults, by scrounging and scraping most are still able to afford the price of a match ticket. But these very same supporters formed their passionate attachments to the clubs while they were teenagers, and the newer generations of British teenagers are simply unable to afford the price of a match day ticket. Thus, the clubs are eroding their fan bases by exorbitant ticket pricing in a chase for quick, short-term cash, but not creating a new generation of supporters to replace the existing supporters as they grow older.

Hmmm, Premier League clubs as money machines, not an entirely original argument, but as Conn and so many others point out, the clubs seem to be ignoring the continued efforts of the supporters to voice their concern and discontent over ticket price increases. Given that Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, is rumored to be part of a mysterious group of investors known only as L4 who are purportedly considering investing in Liverpool, I thought I would look at ticket prices in the NFL in comparison to ticket prices in the Premier League, and see if anything interesting popped up.

A few notes:

According to the TMR Fan Cost Index, the average ticket price for a New England Patriots ticket is the highest of all the NFL teams at $75.33. Not good news for Liverpool supporters if Kraft indeed is part of an attempt to buy a controlling stake in the club; the Patriots ticket prices are the highest in the NFL because they have the cost of a new stadium to pay off. Stanley Park, anyone?

And how does $75.33 translate into pounds sterling? Exchange rates fluctuate, but at the time of this writing, $75.33 would convert into £39.90, round it off to £40. Are ticket prices in the Premier League comparable?

In some cases, they are worse. And one has to remember that Patriots fans pay for eight home matches, rather than the 19 that Premier League supporters pay to see. Liverpool fans were outraged recently when they learned that tickets to the match at Birmingham were rumored to be priced at £45 for away supporters. In other words, Birmingham were planning to charge £10 more for an away supporter than a local Birmingham supporter would pay for the same ticket, a practice which is supposed to be against the rules, although whether that’s an FA ruling or a Premiership one is unclear.

And the motivation behind this outrageous ticketing is the same as the high prices for a Patriots ticket; Birmingham have undertaken planning and have asked for licensing for a new 50,000 seat stadium to be built in the city, and thus need every pence they can bilk from visiting supporters.

The same sort of thing is under discussion between the Arsenal Independent Supporters Association and the managing director at Arsenal, Keith Edelman. The AISA were told that ticket price increases were to be kept in line with inflation, but also that a new policy, the dubiously monikered “price branding,” was being brought into practice. The simple explanation of this policy is that seven games each season, against top teams, are identified as Premium matches, and the price for a ticket to one of these matches will be the standard price +15%. The 12 other matches, non-Premium, I suppose, will be priced at the standard price -10%.

Of course, since the club can set whatever price it wants as the “standard” price, this policy is nothing more than an excuse to gouge Arsenal supporters out of more money to pay for the new stadium at Ashburton Grove. Under this pricing plan, a ticket to a match against a team like United would cost £40.25 if a standard ticket price was £35, and as we saw from the Birmingham example above, that’s a good baseline for a standard price in the Premiership. The AISA are agitating for a significant block of the seats in their new stadium to have prices locked in at under £30, but one has to assume that this will not be granted to the Arsenal supporters, given the short-sighted history of Premier League clubs constantly charging the highest ticket prices the market will bear. At present, this is the curse of the modern Premiership supporter; someone else can always afford to pay for the ticket, so refusing to attend does not make anyone at the club stand up and take notice.

Ticket pricing is perhaps one case where free market forces will not result in the most efficient, for lack of a better expression, allocation of resources, as far as the club’s future fan base in concerned. The clubs will be making money hand-over-fist from exorbitant ticket prices in the short-term, but when the 30 and 40-year old fans in the stands grow a little older and a bit less keen to see every match, the aggregate of the new generation of supporters will be a skimpy one indeed, quite simply because they were not able to see matches during the crucial formative teenage years. £35 is too much to ask a teenager to come up with every fortnight, full stop. The Premiership clubs ignore this simple fact of life at their future peril.

It’s not the brand of a team that keeps the bums in the seats, whatever the money-hounds in the executive boxes at Premiership stadiums want to believe. It’s the passionate attachment to a club, a group of supporters with a communal experience that is shared once a fortnight, a collective cultural phenomenon being priced out of existence in the Premier League by the frantic chase for every spare quid in a supporter’s pocket...

Bella for Brum, Brum for Bella

2005-01-28T13:30:00.000-05:00

£6m for Craig Bellamy?

I've made my thoughts clear on Craig Bellamy in a number of articles for Squarefootball.net:

Graeme and Craig: What Took So Long?

Graeme Souness and the Battle for Control at St. James Park

Souness and Newcastle: An Accident Waiting to Happen

but quite frankly, I did not think any other manager would be so foolish as to willingly pay £6m to secure his services, such as they are.

Steve Bruce has had success at keeping Birmingham in the Premier League, but that success has not been based on splashing the cash on talented hot-heads that bring hosts of personal problems along with them. Bellamy's main attribute is his speed, which must be regarded as a depreciating asset, due to increasing age and the player's history of injuries.

The move for Matthew Upson, that's a Steve Bruce-type transfer, bringing in a player to solidify the back four and keep the team competitive in every match. The move for Bellamy smacks of a club looking for "bigger and better," but I'm afraid that Birmingham may be taking the first few steps down the Path of Elland Road with a move for Bellamy.

The plans to move out of venerable St. Andrews stadium, home to the club since 1096, into a proposed new 50,000 seat stadium, smacks of a club over-reaching the boundaries of it's constituent base, and ignoring the interests of its loyal supporters, who will undoubtedly be subjected to a ridiculous ticket price increase to "help" pay for the new digs, should the proper licensing be approved.

Signing Craig Bellamy would thus cement Birmingham as a "big club," at least in the eyes of Steve Bruce, Karren Brady, chief executive, and David Sullivan, porn baron, etc.

But the two, and anyone else involved in the transfer, fail to note that personal problems and dressing room difficulties follow Bellamy like the plague. This is a transfer, that should it go through, may well end up costing Birmingham well more than £6m. Having just jettisoned Robbie Savage to Blackburn after a protracted and ugly dispute, it seems as though Birmingham feel compelled to have a quota of media-hound glory-players in their dressing room fulfilled...

A Close Look at Liverpool's Injuries

2005-01-27T17:00:00.000-05:00

Let’s take that Close Look:

1)Djibril Cisse- broken leg
2)Steven Gerrard- broken foot
3)Xabi Alonso- broken ankle
4)Milan Baros- hamstring
5)Luis Garcia- hamstring
6)Steve Finnan- hamstring
7)Josemi- knee
8)Antonio Nunez- knee
9)Vladimir Smicer- knee
10) Florent Sinama Pongolle- knee
11)Djimi Traore- knee
12)Harry Kewell- groin
13)Sami Hyypia- hip (don’t, the joke's not really that funny)
14)Chris Kirkland- back
15)Igor Biscan- face,( from running into the hoardings at White Hart Lane)

Sobering reading, fifteen players, all of whom have seen significant first-team action this season. And of that list, clearly eight of the players, Cisse, Gerrard, Alonso, Baros, Finnan, Kewell, Hyypia and Kirkland would be in Rafa's first eleven, if fit and on-form.

Given the on the pitch struggles that Liverpool have endured during January, the cruel, comprehensive nature of such a horrible injured list has many supporters in a frenzy of Inquisition about the reasons for so many hurt players. I think the purported causes have been narrowed down to: 1)state of the pitches at Anfield and Melwood 2)poor training and warm-up routines 3)modern players are softies, Tommy Smith would have played with two broken legs, etc. 4)failure to complete complicated, dark, superstitious rituals to remove the apparent curse under which the team currently labours

sad to say, option 4 is probably the most intelligent of the responses...

By its very nature, football support is an emotional, passionate undertaking. When horrible plagues of injuries strike, and the one under which Liverpool are struggling is one of the absolute worst ever, even United supporters will admit that between all the giggles, the supporters cast about desperately for ways to "fix" the problem. Thus, the internet forums become deluged with posts filled with crack-pot solutions and accusations, when the most likely and logical conclusion is also the most intensely dissatisfying...

Liverpool have had a terrible run of bad luck with injuries.

Nothing more complicated than that.

Of course, with the club maneuvering to snatch the coveted fourth place in the Premier League table and coveted qualification for the Champions League, having almost an entire first eleven hors de combat doesn't help much, does it?

And with the cynical, provocative British press, tabloid and broadsheet paper both, conducting concerted campaigns to push the club Talisman Steven Gerrard away from Anfield, preferably to Chelsea, thus guaranteeing easier access and a whole host of Abramovich asset-stripping stories, the pressure is well and truly on Rafa, in most unfair fashion.

With several of the players on The List due to return to action in February, Kewell and Smicer among them, and a week off due to the horrible collapse at Turf Moor in the FA Cup, Rafa has a little time to hit the training pitch and see if there are any solutions to be found.

Fifteen players missing at least three matches. And the press would have you believe that blaming injuries is an excuse.

It's quite a legitimate one...