So Sepp Blatter proposes an anti corruption unit? You would think that would sound reasonable in most circumstances. Problem is that they already had the Ethics Committee. The very committee that investigated the dodgy goings on during the World Cup voting process. It would seem that Blatter is trying to act and make it look like they are doing something to clean up the game. The new committee will be independent and made up of between 7-9 individuals from various backgrounds. Will be interesting to see how independent it would be if some really jaw dropping allegations came out. Of course this could just be the thing to take away the shambles of World Cup finals winning bids. Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 still seem to be causing some issue although mostly with the fact that come the middle of summer, it's going to be extremely hot in Qatar. Talk being that it will be moved to the winter when it will be cooler.
Sorry Fifa. you made the bed now you simply just have to lay in it. If Qatar was to punish England, then it's backfired tremendously. You chose to give it to a country with scorching temperatures that surely no human would think about running about in. Hopefully in the time (11 years) someone will come up with a competent idea.. That being said this is Fifa who despite wanting less league games played they introduce more pointless competitions. The World Club Championships or whatever they call it now. In the old days the South American champions played the European Champions and that was that. Now we have all number of crap clubs wasting our time and whenever an English team wins it, causing a fixture congestion or injury risk. This is the competition you will remember that Man United withdrew from the English FA Cup from to play in. Thankfully I cannot see anything happening like that again.
Heading to domestic league issues, it's certainly hotting up. Arsene Wenger may regret the 8 changes against Wigan which ultimately cost his team joint top spot. Man United seem to have ridden their luck yet again having been denied three points against Birmingham, Gary 'Crazy Legs' Neville brought down a West Brom player from behind, clear goal scoring opportunity. Bobby Moore classic tackle this was not and the former England man breathed a sigh of relief as he allowed his team to remain with 11 men on the pitch and eventual victory.
Not having the full compliment wasn't any hinderance to Tottenham during the Christmas campaign. Two games two red cards, one a harsh decision the other not so. Harry's men seem to be on the outside like the trailing jockey in the Grand National biding it's time to whip into action. Will it be the smooth outside run to the straight for Redknapp's boys or will there be one fence too many and they fall away.
At City with the will he wont he saga finally dusted, the light blue half of Manchester seems to be hanging in there. They may have played a couple more games than United but they have a defence tighter than Martin Broughton's legal team in October and I feel extra games played won't do any harm, especially if they keep winning and their City rivals are opting for the point away from home. A big game against title rivals Arsenal looms and it will be interesting to see how this one fairs. United and Chelsea fans will no doubt be praying for a draw whilst they hope to get points from their games.
One wonders how long before a certain Roman Abramovich decides he made a complete howler of a decision to let Ray Wilkins go. Since that fateful day they've looked far from convincing and you just wonder how they will have any chance of winning the title if they don't return to winning ways. Chelsea find themselves fifth and six points behind Man United and Man City. They really need to get back into gear if they want Champions League football. The notable bonus that the blues have over their London rivals Tottenham, is their goal difference. They may very well be strong at the lane but away from home they have shipped more than their title rivals.
Troubles continue for Liverpool fans. Roy Hodgson's bewildering comments during his tenure together with decisions likely to puzzle the most eager of football fans seem to lead to his Anfield demise. Was this the parting shot from Hicks and Gillett who knew their time was up and so thought they'd throw a spanner in the works. Having regularly finished in the top four to then finish 7th and hope that bouncebackability was the order of the day was a bit optimistic, but did anyone really expect things to be this bad? Signing players when there were surely better alternatives. We had money to spend on Van Der Vaart, so what does Hodgson do? he signs Raul Meireles and Christian Poulsen. The latter who seems to have disappeared. Paul Konchesky now it was like Hodgson had started pulling the Christmas crackers and reading the jokes in August. Liverpool were crying out for a striker. Well to be honest we did already have one or two in the forms of Kuyt and Babel, but someone thinks that they are best played as wingers. I do so hope the next manager of Liverpool actually knows that strikers play up front, wingers on the wing etc.
Blackpool under the leadership of the mighty Ian Holloway look certain to maintain their Premiership stay despite a run of home game postponements. They look far from the team that was hammered by Chelsea and Arsenal at the start of the season, although the game at Arsenal did see them down to ten men after 31 minutes. I do so enjoy hearing the musings of Holloway, telling it like it is, not that it would stop him should they ever go back down, but his opportunities to exposure would indeed be restricted.
Finally a word going out to Andy Hessenthaler and Gillingham FC. For a while it looked like the only battle that the Medway team would be facing was Football League survival, a run of a few wins together with burying that dismal away record and the mighty Gills are now in the running for the play off promotion chase. The only issue is that it could be a false dawn. Promotion gained this season relegation next. It happened before. I try not to be too cynical but I'll be glad if Hezza and the Gills prove me wrong.
Sorry Fifa. you made the bed now you simply just have to lay in it. If Qatar was to punish England, then it's backfired tremendously. You chose to give it to a country with scorching temperatures that surely no human would think about running about in. Hopefully in the time (11 years) someone will come up with a competent idea.. That being said this is Fifa who despite wanting less league games played they introduce more pointless competitions. The World Club Championships or whatever they call it now. In the old days the South American champions played the European Champions and that was that. Now we have all number of crap clubs wasting our time and whenever an English team wins it, causing a fixture congestion or injury risk. This is the competition you will remember that Man United withdrew from the English FA Cup from to play in. Thankfully I cannot see anything happening like that again.
Heading to domestic league issues, it's certainly hotting up. Arsene Wenger may regret the 8 changes against Wigan which ultimately cost his team joint top spot. Man United seem to have ridden their luck yet again having been denied three points against Birmingham, Gary 'Crazy Legs' Neville brought down a West Brom player from behind, clear goal scoring opportunity. Bobby Moore classic tackle this was not and the former England man breathed a sigh of relief as he allowed his team to remain with 11 men on the pitch and eventual victory.
Not having the full compliment wasn't any hinderance to Tottenham during the Christmas campaign. Two games two red cards, one a harsh decision the other not so. Harry's men seem to be on the outside like the trailing jockey in the Grand National biding it's time to whip into action. Will it be the smooth outside run to the straight for Redknapp's boys or will there be one fence too many and they fall away.
At City with the will he wont he saga finally dusted, the light blue half of Manchester seems to be hanging in there. They may have played a couple more games than United but they have a defence tighter than Martin Broughton's legal team in October and I feel extra games played won't do any harm, especially if they keep winning and their City rivals are opting for the point away from home. A big game against title rivals Arsenal looms and it will be interesting to see how this one fairs. United and Chelsea fans will no doubt be praying for a draw whilst they hope to get points from their games.
One wonders how long before a certain Roman Abramovich decides he made a complete howler of a decision to let Ray Wilkins go. Since that fateful day they've looked far from convincing and you just wonder how they will have any chance of winning the title if they don't return to winning ways. Chelsea find themselves fifth and six points behind Man United and Man City. They really need to get back into gear if they want Champions League football. The notable bonus that the blues have over their London rivals Tottenham, is their goal difference. They may very well be strong at the lane but away from home they have shipped more than their title rivals.
Troubles continue for Liverpool fans. Roy Hodgson's bewildering comments during his tenure together with decisions likely to puzzle the most eager of football fans seem to lead to his Anfield demise. Was this the parting shot from Hicks and Gillett who knew their time was up and so thought they'd throw a spanner in the works. Having regularly finished in the top four to then finish 7th and hope that bouncebackability was the order of the day was a bit optimistic, but did anyone really expect things to be this bad? Signing players when there were surely better alternatives. We had money to spend on Van Der Vaart, so what does Hodgson do? he signs Raul Meireles and Christian Poulsen. The latter who seems to have disappeared. Paul Konchesky now it was like Hodgson had started pulling the Christmas crackers and reading the jokes in August. Liverpool were crying out for a striker. Well to be honest we did already have one or two in the forms of Kuyt and Babel, but someone thinks that they are best played as wingers. I do so hope the next manager of Liverpool actually knows that strikers play up front, wingers on the wing etc.
Blackpool under the leadership of the mighty Ian Holloway look certain to maintain their Premiership stay despite a run of home game postponements. They look far from the team that was hammered by Chelsea and Arsenal at the start of the season, although the game at Arsenal did see them down to ten men after 31 minutes. I do so enjoy hearing the musings of Holloway, telling it like it is, not that it would stop him should they ever go back down, but his opportunities to exposure would indeed be restricted.
Finally a word going out to Andy Hessenthaler and Gillingham FC. For a while it looked like the only battle that the Medway team would be facing was Football League survival, a run of a few wins together with burying that dismal away record and the mighty Gills are now in the running for the play off promotion chase. The only issue is that it could be a false dawn. Promotion gained this season relegation next. It happened before. I try not to be too cynical but I'll be glad if Hezza and the Gills prove me wrong.
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