Team England 2012?

So, England are likely to field a GB soccer team in the 2012 Olympics. About time too.

But what on earth has been going on behind the scenes and can Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales really justify their decision not to be part of the venture?

Isn’t everyone supposed to be proud to be British? And when it comes to the Olympic Games, shouldn’t standing under the banner of the Union Jack be enough to unite us all?

Obviously not. At least Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have raised no objections to England putting in a team and let’s hope this becomes a reality.

All sorts of sports are now included on the Olympic agenda and England participating in the football tournament would substantially raise the game of soccer. Star players like John Terry, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard have already been touted as the senior players likely to make the squad, with the stage given over to the younger emerging talent. It would be a difficult decision for any footballer to opt out of the chance to win a coveted Olympic medal and England would stand every chance of going for gold. A player could win every trophy under the sun, whether an FA Cup medal or the Champions League, but the honour of owning an Olympic gold, silver or bronze must surely be the highest possible accolade.

FIFA has yet to decide the way ahead and there will be big questions to ask about how the team will actually be selected and what nationality they should be. Will it simply be players born in England who can play for Team GB or could stars who have one English parent and another from Scotland or Wales or Northern Ireland also be eligible?

The other big question is would we want them to be included? If there countries make the choice not to participate, then surely that sets the rules? It seems a great shame that in these days of so-called equality, huge divides still exist between England and our neighbours. There continues to be antagonism and the days of one country’s fans cheering on another, despite all coming under the umbrella of Great Britain, are a long way off.

It would be nice to think that a GB soccer team would be just that – a team representing the whole of Great Britain. But it won’t and the only fans cheering them on to victory will be predominantly English. If they win, then everyone behind the venture would be well justified for celebrating an English victory, not one for GB as a whole.
Just one final thought. The man who could make all this a possibility? Would you bet against David Beckham having a major involvement? And after England, sorry Team GB, win the gold at the 2012 Olympics, will it eventually be Arise, Sir David?

English dominance will continue.

English dominance in the Champions League will not end after Manchester United’s bitter final defeat last night. Although it was a Spanish club that eventually won the competition it was still England that produced the most clubs who reached the final stages.

Not one of the other English sides who played in this season’s competition would have got even close to Barcelona last night but the point is that it is English football that creates the opportunities and clearly something is going right in the Premier League.

This final was the fifth year in a row that an English side had made it to the final. It was also about the umpteenth time that Chelsea and Liverpool met each other in European competition and there are no signs why all of the English sides won’t carry on dominating Europe’s biggest prize.

All of the English teams play high quality and good standard football. The difference between them and the Spanish league is that Barcelona are clearly much better than anyone else they currently play against. They beat everyone they play off the park but the English sides are always much closer.

This is why when the Champions League starts each year the English sides fly through the early stages and into the final stages with little more than a trip along the way. Domestically there is little to choose between them and they can all get one over on each other every time they meet. Not many people bear in mind that even though United won the Premier League, they had one of the worst records in recent years for playing the other big teams.

The standard of quality over an extended period of time is so much better. The Premier League is a lot more physical and entertaining and although the Spanish style of play is a lot prettier to watch, we do kind of enjoy seeing teams kick each other up in the air in this country.

If Mr. Platini has his way then English dominance will end and it will be a crying shame that the best sides in Europe on a consistent basis are restricted from playing each other and reaching the later stages just because they have proved they play better football more often than any other country in Europe.

There is nothing quite like a European night when two English sides go up against each other for the prize of going onto play other great teams like Barcelona. If this magic is dispelled then the Champions League will lose a lot of its appeal and glamour and the window for the best league in Europe will be shut because of one man.

English dominance of the Champions League will continue because the Premier League is the highest standard of league in Europe. All of the teams are closer and test each other on a weekly basis, which means that when it is time for mid-week Champions League games they would have already played against a high quality team just days before.

Hull boss promised the funds to consolidate.

Hull City manager, Phil Brown, has been promised funds to make sure his side consolidate and stay in the Premier League. Hull managed to scrape through the last day drama at the expense of Newcastle United who will be playing Championship football next season.

To ensure that the club do not find themselves in the same position next season, Hull’s chairman, Paul Duffen, has promised there will be money available to buy bigger named players when the transfer window opens this summer.

He said: “What we lacked in outright quality we had to make up for in blood, guts and commitment and I'm immensely proud that they got across the line. We go into next year with the squad we've got today and then we can improve on that. That's a huge difference to having to assemble an entire Premier League squad from scratch.”

“We're based on a very good work ethic and you need to add a bit of quality to that. It was difficult. I could give you all the platitudes like 'it's the points you get after 38 games' and 'we got a point more than Newcastle and we deserved to be there', but obviously it was heart-in-mouth stuff.”

“We limped across the line rather than burst though the tape. But we did it and now we've got the chance to learn from our first Premier League campaign, strengthen in the summer, and go forward next year a lot wiser.”

It was a very strange season for Hull who stunned everyone early on when they were beating the likes of Arsenal and Spurs with little trouble at their own grounds. However, a dip in this form saw them win only one match out of their last 22 games and there is no doubt that if they continue this abysmal form next season then they will drop out of the Premier League.

They will fancy their chances of a good mid-table finish though as the calibre of clubs coming up, bar Birmingham City, is not massive. There will be tremendous pressure on Burnley as well as one or two other clubs, which could provide Hull with an opportunity to improve and consolidate. They will surely be delighted with any finish that has them nowhere near the relegation scrap they have just gone through.

Hull now know the specific areas that they are weakest in and have the chance to improve. They are backed by a manager who clearly open minded and has a lot of ambition. Other chairmen could well have said you are not getting a penny and will have to improve this club with the players that got us into the mess this season in the first place.

For now the club should enjoy the feeling of staying up and lap up the partying over the next week or so. However, the time for hard graft will rapidly come round again and no one at Hull will want to go through what they have just experienced ever again.

Relegation day

Tears and cheers

You would have needed a very thick skin not to have been moved by the tears at St James Park as Newcastle lost their Premiership relegation battle.

One point was all the Geordies needed to survive but, once again, fate stepped in to change their history.Seeing the anguish on the faces of supporters as the final whistle blew tugged at the heart-strings. Chaps like these probably never even cry at their child’s school play or at their daughter’s wedding but then football is a very different kettle of fish.

Caretaker manager Alan Shearer remains a hero, of course, and there were immediate calls for him to stay on, take the team by the scruff of its neck and head the Championship table next season.

Let’s face it, it’s going to take an awful lot of work. There was so much talk on relegation day about why such a great team like Newcastle have under-achieved and why they were unable to stay up. Shearer summed it up simply. They were just not good enough.

Shearer’s sensible talk is one of the reasons why he has endeared himself to the nation. No back-sniping. No whinges. No bitching.Shearer always had faith that Alex Ferguson would put out a Manchester United squad which could beat Hull. He did and they did. But that defeat was no good unless Newcastle achieved at least a point against Aston Villa.

How cruel is fate. Damian Duff could have put Newcastle ahead and in the driving seat within the first ten minutes. Instead, as Villa took a strike on goal, the ball took a cruel deflection off Duff whose name went down on the own goal list.

Every script-writer in the land was praying for Michael Owen to come on and score the winner in injury time. It was not to be. Owen hardly had a touch of the ball and looked a pale shadow of his former self. There was only one person who could have come on and saved the game and that would have been Shearer himself. As a player, he never ever gave up, always leading from the front, always going for every ball and never giving up until that last whistle blew.

Of course, it was probably an impossible task for Shearer to save Newcastle, having been brought in with just eight games to go. The damage had already been done with a succession of managers and a team which just didn’t know which way it was going.

Sadly, that direction is down but at least Newcastle can make their mark on the Championship and surely must be promotion contenders even at this stage.Sunderland meanwhile were celebrating staying in the Premiership to the cost of their biggest rivals. But how unsavoury was the reaction of some of their fans?

Before the game, Alan Shearer had the guts to wish them luck, although not too much, he had added with a wry smile.How did the Sunderland supporters respond? With placards asking everyone to laugh at Newcastle’s plight. Ha ha ha.

Come on Sunderland. That’s not just British. Better to follow the example of some of your colleagues who chose humour instead. Who is going to be your next saviour, they asked? Ant or Dec? Hopefully, the answer will be Alan Shearer himself.

England injury list gets longer

Fabio Capello’s injury headache seems to be getting worse by the day with Shaun Wright-Phillips the latest high calibre player to join the injury list. Capello already faces a dilemma in the goalkeeper and defensive positions for England’s big summer qualifiers for the World Cup next year.

The big first choice players all look like they will take part without any problems but the worry is that without much back up then if a Gerrard or Lampard gets injured, there is very little to come in and replace them. It is a thorn in the side for the Italian because he will be hoping that England can secure qualification with six points from their next two qualifying matches.

The depth of the problem is highlighted by the fact that Capello has handed a call-up to veteran right back, Gary Neville of Manchester United. He may also be joined by Nedum Onuoha of Manchester City and the manager of the latter, Mark Hughes, says Onuoha would be the better pick: “''He has really come on this season. He has always been viewed as a kid with huge potential. As an athlete he had the tools to be a top-rate player.”

“If he did get in the full England squad it wouldn't faze him. He is a very level-headed guy.”

England should not have any problems with this current qualifying campaign. They look a lot stronger and tougher than the days of failure to qualify for Euro 2008. The injury news could be pounced upon by a number of players wanting to make an impression. This could well end up lifting the spirit of the side and turn out to be quite refreshing for all concerned.

Opportunities are starting to arise that would otherwise have not been available and whoever gets given the nod by Capello will want to prove to him and all England fans that they are good enough to be able to warrant a regular place in the side. These players will want to make sure that we are all crammed into pubs by midday next summer hoping to cheer success in our thousands.

There is still the massive Champions League final to be played on Wednesday night and no doubt Capello will have one eye on proceedings hoping that no more of his high profile stars goes off with a little niggling injury that keeps them out of any international plans.

However, England should not be down at the injury problems they are facing. It was not too long ago that we took a side over to Germany that was heavily unfavoured by everyone before promptly beating the old enemy with a brilliant display of guts and determination.

This could be the opening of a door for a lot of players, a massive chance to be seized upon and the opportunity for individuals to never look back. It is unlikely that this could happen in any position other than with one of the goalkeepers, but there are a lot of hungry English players and they won’t care who the opposition is if they are given a start.

Ticket prices

Cuts are just the ticket

At last! Premiership football clubs are finally getting the message that ticket prices are just too high. Top outfits like Blackburn Rovers and Bolton are leading the way where others now need to follow.

Clubs in lesser divisions have known it for years. You can’t expect full stadiums if you charge the earth to get in. Even the most die-hard fans are having to take a look at their hard-pressed finances during this prolonged economic recession and it’s not just the cost of the ticket. You have to take into account everything from travelling to the game, whether by car or on public transport, food and drink and, in some cases, overnight accommodation too.

Top clubs who continue to charge vast amounts for tickets need to come down a peg or two. No-one can afford to be conceited any more and think their star players or a great performance on the pitch is enough to secure the fans.

In any event, reduced ticket prices are a way of repaying the loyalty of supporters and breeding new fans amongst the young. There’s nothing so disheartening as seeing a half-full stadium and, conversely, nothing so cheering as a full one.

Of course, sceptics say clubs like Bolton are only reducing their prices because they can’t fill their seats because of their performance. If or when they became highly successful, ticket prices would soon soar.

This is, however, the fourth straight season that Wanderers have either frozen or reduced their prices. For the 2009/2010 campaign, the cost of an adult season ticket goes down by eleven per cent. Tickets for supporters under the age of 21 will be slashed by 39 per cent and those over 65 benefit from a reduction of 22 per cent.

Chairman Phil Gartside says the reductions are a direct result of consultation with fans and a way of saying thank you for their support, as well as encouraging families in these challenging times. Let’s take that as gospel. If the truth is they can’t fill their stadiums, there is no reason not to admit it, regardless of whether it’s because of the recession or the appeal of the club.

Financial incentives like this are vital to keep the game alive. Take my home side, Swindon Town FC for example. Last summer, one of their initiatives was to invite early applications for season tickets. If enough materialised – and the target in this case was 4,000 – then supporters would benefit from a substantial saving. All you had to do was pay half up front which also helped the club’s cash flow.

Unfortunately, the target fell short but it was a great idea which will probably work better the second time round. Everywhere you go at the moment, there are special offers in the shops and stores. Buy one, get one free. Huge discounts. Money back offers. Buy now, pay later.

Football clubs might also like to invest in some good marketing companies to come up with new ideas. That would be money well worth spent and produce a benefit to all.

Trying selling tickets for a good home game at ten pounds, for instance, and let’s see how the stands fill up. If they don’t, at least it won’t be through lack of effort.

Surprise star voted best player.

Manchester City midfielder, Stephen Ireland, has been named the club’s player of the year beating a whole host of bigger names to the club’s highest accolade. Ireland has developed tremendously as a player this season and the award is just what he deserves for having the ability to break through a growing squad filled with bigger names than himself.

City are improving as a club all the time and the financial power the club holds is now public knowledge. The point is that taking this all into account makes what Ireland has done even more impressive. Robinho arrived at the club for big money and Ireland, a youth product, has been deemed as a better player over this season.

However, the good news also brings with it a heavy element of bad news. Ireland’s representatives have so far been unable to strike a deal with the club over a new contract for their best player. The terms of what can’t be agreed on are not known but this is a player that the club need to get to commit if they are going to develop further.

Ireland’s demands are apparently relatively modest considering the wealth of the club and if his requested wages is the main issue then the club need to stop stalling and offer a ‘whatever you like’ type agreement or risk losing a player that has held together a side that has been consistently uncertain of itself this year.

Ireland has the same character as Steven Gerrard of Liverpool. He can drop off and link up with the defence, play off the front man and create space for other players or play out wide and cause headaches to opposition left backs. He also runs his socks off for entire games and never complains when something negative is written about him or when the manager unduly subs him off of the pitch.

The fact that the players in second and third place for player of the yea are both defenders shows that City need much more of an attacking emphasis next season. No doubt this will be reflected in the way they act in the transfer market, but goals, goals and more goals are the only way City will progress and start winning things.

It is also a valid point to make that until they do actually start winning things, they will not actually be able to attract the high calibre players they would like. Although Robinho joined for lucrative wages, the club have failed in a bid to sign Kaka from AC Milan and Barcelona wouldn’t even talk about Lionel Messi, they probably thought it was an insult.

So praise where praise is due, well done to Ireland for a successful season in which he has shown what he can do. City need to bear in mind that sometimes they will have to look a lot closer to home in order to find the players that are going to make a real impact. It is refreshing to see someone who hasn’t been bought for millions or swayed to the club by cash as the person who is getting their biggest award of the year.