Lucas 3:16: Association Football

Showing posts with label Association Football. Show all posts

Tuesday, 24 February 2009

Dean Glover. Port Vale: Clueless?

(Kevin Gall, pictured)

Sporting Life have announced Kevin Gall, a striker has signed from Carlisle on loan for Port Vale.

Dean Glover, manager of Port Vale is quoted as saying "After our defeat against Lincoln on Friday night I felt we had to make phone calls...."

I'll stop right there.

At Lincoln, he subbed a striker for a defender on the 60th minute when Vale were 1-0 down, only to bring a striker on later in the game with ten minutes left. Port Vale already have:
Lawrie,
Dodds,
Richards,
Thompson,
Perry,
Glover.

on the books.

So why is he bringing in another striker when our clear problem appears to be ball retention and defence? And why bring in this striker for a month, with a goal ratio of 1 in 6 games? He probably isn't going to score while he's here for a month. Not to mention there is only a limited amount of loans Port Vale can bring in during the season - so if Glover wants to bring in strikers and play 3-2-5 formation, then this is perfect. With the long, high ball strategy too, this lad is no Peter Crouch who can head the ball - he's 5 foot 9!

The Vale fans were only too right when they chanted: "You Don't Know What You're Doing!" - He clearly doesn't. And he seemingly insists on playing his son all the time when there are better options in the squad.

Glover won't last long, but will Vale get rid of him before its too late? With Glover at the helm, I really fear for Port Vale's football league status. He already seemed to have accepted defeat. Time to end this 'old boys-legends' appointments of managerial positions at Vale and get someone in who can get the job done.

Tuesday, 17 February 2009

History in the making - Female Manager in a man's game

It would appear, yet again that Football Manager has predicted the future.

The 2009 edition of the long running Sports Interactive series includes the ability to play from the start as a female manager, albeit female managers do not "get jobs" in the game, if I remember correctly.

Still, nevertheless, Donna Powell (pictured) has become the first female manager in the English Conference - taking charge of Fisher Athletic for their game tomorrow. (see article)

It is a great advert for football. Notably some of the games best managers arguably have next to none in terms of real football, top level playing experience. Consider Sven-Goran Eriksson, Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger to name a few.

While foreign imports have seemed to 'take' over the English game - it is quite an achievement, ground-breaking for a woman to be given the man's job. Still there is an aura that you have to have played in order to manage - look at Roy Keane and Gareth Southgate as two notable examples of ex-international players given the jobs on reputation, that as if playing makes them somehow more qualified.

I would like to point out to the games most successful managers that I have already mentioned - playing the game at a high level is not a pre-requisite. It was only recent this season as well that the first "black English" manager was appointed to the Premier League (Paul Ince of Blackburn). Perhaps most journalists out there have forgotten Jean Tigana of Fulham a few years back?

Race and sex should not be used as discrimination factors when it comes to the Beautiful Game that we so love. Gradually the boundaries are being broken down, but there is still an racism and homophobia prevalent in today's game aimed at players by fans. It is just 11 years ago that Justin Fashanu, the game's first openly gay player, committed suicide because his sexual orientation plagued his career, and a sexual allegation in the US led him to beleive he was presumed guilty, not innocent. I believe it was an ex-manager of his (Brian Clough) who said "I'm not having any poofters in my team" - shocking, considering.

Though it is a great advert for football, let's not be fooled. The game of association football has many fallacies and is far from the "gentlemen's game" which is used to be known as. The RESPECT Campaign, the 'Kick Racism out of Football' Campaign are indicative of this.

Let's hope the press covering Donna's adventure as Fisher Athletic manager treat her for her merits, not any differently because of her gender. Something tells me though, it might not be all that straightforward if results do not go her way.

Wednesday, 4 February 2009

By Gosling!: Transfer roundup and FA Cup

My namesake, Lucas saw himself sent off in tonight's derby game between Liverpool and Everton tonight as Liverpool lost 1-0 deep into extra time thanks to a Dan Gosling goal in the 118th minute. It wasn't the red card, I feel that changed the course of the match, as it was a scrappy, typical tackles go flying game. Rather, the substitution of Steven Gerrard 10 minutes into the first half due to a hamstring problem drew a standing ovation of the Evertonians and undoubtedly a lift to Everton to hold their own against an impotent Liverpool team. This was what characterized the game and ultimately befell Liverpool's exit. Not an indication of Liverpool as a one or two-trick pony (counting Torres), but rather an awesome display of Everton's teamwork ethic that consistently draws results - a kind of Moyesian punching above their weight.

In the end, neither side really deserved to win or lose and it was some great skill from ex Plymouth Argyle youngster (defender-cum-midfielder) Dan Gosling that danced around two Liverpool players with the ball at his feet at the 6 yard box to slot it past Pepe Reina. Brilliant goal and the lad is English. Are you watching Fabio Capello?

Liverpool failed to win because they failed to open up avenues too early enough - the introduction of Babel - so effective as a substitute as against Arsenal (one example) - did not come until late in extra-time - and in place of Torres. Surely oh surely Torres should have stayed on, Babel could have done most of the legwork for him? That is where I feel Liverpool fell short tonight.

But at the end of the day it is a great advertisement for the FA Cup and English football - one of the big four out - and who would bet against the winners of the 5th Round tie Everton vs. Aston Villa winning the cup? That is who my money is on, and that is the game of the round to watch for sure.

And perhaps now, Liverpool have one less competition to worry about, they can now give the League full focus and go for the title at full-pelt.

A short transfer roundup, after the window closed on Monday. The biggest ones on deadline day included Robbie Keane back to Tottenham after 6 months. Have the Premier League decided to ignore the one-year transfer rule on players? I wonder...

And Andrei Arshavin, the comrade who destroyed the Dutch at Euro 2008 signed for Arsenal.

The interesting thing, I've noted is something I've touched on in pub conservations about Stoke City. A Typical Stoke criticism goes to the throw-ins, but also the large quantity of tall, strong, mainly, black players. A criticism on the basis that it is not representative of Stoke City at all.

In fact, with the signing of Henri Camara (Wolves Wanderers flop, signed from Wigan), is now the 6th Senegalese player playing for Stoke City:

Amdy Faye,
Abdoulaye Faye,
Mamade Sidibe,
Ibrahim Sonko,
Salif Diao,
Henri Camara.

Add that to two Jamaican players in the squad (Fuller & Demar Phillips in midfield) and two Nigerians - Seyi Olofinjana and Olufemi Oluyi (midfield).

In Stoke's defence, most of their players are either English or Irish rather than an African/black contingent that seems to be levelled at them. But with just a few more Senegalese players they could in theory be fielding the Senegalese national XI in the Premier League. They nearly added another Senegalese striker from RC Lens over Christmas, and I'm sure if Diouf wasn't such a prima-donna he'd have come to the Britannia.

Nothing really to say, not criticising it, it just amazes me that most of their players, though on first glance you might say were African - are actually more or less from the same country.

Other than that, it's been reported that Stephen Kelly from Birmingham City (right back) has been signed on loan until the end of the season.

A lot of Stoke fans seem to think that Andy Griffin is too slow - could this be the end of Griff's Premier League career? It seems a far cry from the days when I used to know him personally in his days as a Stoke youth - alongside Dean Crowe and Iain Nicolson, back in the days of "League One" Stoke!

How times change...

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

Aston Vanilla: Title chasers?

A football blog, for once. Thanks to Aston Villa beating Portsmouth 1-0 in their Premier League yesterday, (of which, I predicted & expected) - they now move up into 3rd in the Premier League table:

Barclays Premier League Table 27 January 2009

		P	GD	PTS
1	Man Utd	22	29	50
2	Liverpool	22	22	47
3	Aston Villa	23	14	47
4	Chelsea	22	29	45

5	Arsenal	22	13	41

6	Everton	22	4	36
7	Wigan	22	2	31
8	West Ham	22	-2	29
9	Hull	22	-13	27
10	Fulham	21	1	26
11	Sunderland	23	-8	26
12	Man City	21	9	25
13	Tottenham	23	-4	24
14	Portsmouth	22	-13	24
15	Bolton	22	-8	23
16	Newcastle	22	-9	23
17	Blackburn	21	-11	21

18	Middlesbrough	22	-15	21
19	Stoke	23	-18	21
20	West Brom	23	-22	21

Arsenal are due to play Everton midweek, so its fairly possible that with a draw Aston Villa could be looking for a lucrative UEFA Champions League spot. Coming up in February are some winnable games for 'Vanilla', until they meet Chelsea on the back end of the month.

Unthinkable, maybe, but if Arsenal fail to beat Everton and Aston Villa begin to keep winning, could a win over Chelsea transform the title race into an unexpected 3-legged horse race between Manchester United, Villa and Liverpool?

It is perhaps no suprise for some that Manchester United lead the Premier League table but Liverpool are in touching distance despite a recent slip in form. Villa could yet gatecrash the party and they face a dauting task that will ultimately decide their Premier League fate this season with Liverpool and United back-to-back away games in March/April. It's a little too early to specuilate maybe which is why no journalists seem to be giving any ideas that Villa could make a surge for the title.

I would not be too suprised if they did - I personally felt they would finish 5th this season ahead of Everton, despite Manchester City's riches (and look where they are!...). What is more probable though is that Villa could ultimately twist the title race or decide it - Especially as their game comes straight after the supposed "title decider" at Old Trafford between United and Liverpool. I don't think that will indeed be the title decider - United have Manchester City, Arsenal, Villa, and Everton to get through who could all trouble United.

I would hope that people start to sit up and take notice at the great work Martin O'Neill has done at Villa Park - even when my local side Stoke managed to beat them early on in the season. Football is indeed a funny game.

As for Stoke, there are just 4 games of the remaining 15 games that arguably they can expect to lose: the games against Villa, Manchester City (given their talent), Arsenal and Everton. Every other game Stoke could conceivably nick a point, and if they are lucky maybe 2 points out of these 4 as well. A point per game would leave Stoke with a finish of 38 points - below the 40-point benchmark of recent seasons to stay up. Given 8 of these are home games, and Stoke have won over half of their home games this season, Stoke could win 4 of these games but it still leaves them short. Even winning all of their remaining home games would probably only just see Stoke stay up. Out of 12 away games, Stoke are the only team other than Fulham yet to win away, and Stoke have a poorer record: just 3 points out of a possible 36 in away games so far.

Given Stoke's record over the season, we can expect them to get close to the 40 point mark but they are going to need to pick up points away. I, along with many saw Stoke as whipping boys this season but they've outshone the god-awful Billy Davies/Paul Jewell's Derby side and the Sunderland sides (twice!) of recent times.

Whatever Stoke's outcome, they can be proud of themselves.Like with Villa it is too early to really know what their outcome will be. Crucially, if Stoke can win a couple of away games then they are right in the thick of it and it's game on.

It's the best football season I can remember.

Saturday, 17 January 2009

Port Vale v Shrewsbury

Piling on the pressure in the first 15 minutes!

1-0 to Vale, Steve Thompson!

1-1! They already one fan escorted from the ground!

Second half, two players sent off, one per side. Kyle Perry for Vale and subsitute Marc Pugh for Shrewsbury.

Exciting game, but Vale stopped playing the good football after 20 minutes and Shrewsbury looked deadly on the counter and on the right wing. Still Vale never looked like losing. Steve Thompson was MOM for a cracking 20 yard goal into top right hand corner. A deserved point.

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