Falling in love with football again

Sometimes these days I find football a hard game to love. The attitude of the players, the way the clubs treat their fans, the attitude of the modern fan, and of course the fetid, stinking mess that is the game's governing body - so much of it leaves a sour taste, and it seems to be getting worse.

All of this was put in stark contrast when I recently watched Next Goal Wins, the inspiring documentary about the world's worst football team, American Samoa, who were famously beaten at the hands of Australia by a world-record 31-0 scoreline in 2002.

This tale of misfits and no-hopers playing the game they love is a complete antidote to the cynical, serious, soulless phenomenon that world football sometimes appears to me to be. For those feeling jaded about the game, questioning why they ever loved it and if they ever will again, I wholeheartedly recommend you give it a watch.


The documentary is available to purchase on DVD from Amazon, here.

Have you seen it? Leave your review below, and let us know how it made you feel about the beautiful game!

Will Manchester United fans vote with their wallets?

The Times suggests that almost two-thirds of fans who hold Manchester United season tickets are considering not renewing next season. This is perhaps the biggest quantifiable indication yet of the disillusionment at the Glazer's ownership and mishandling of the club, and a warning sign that fan power could have a significant impact on the future of this grand old club. The question is though, when it comes to the crunch, will the fans have the balls to act?

This survey makes for intriguing reading, and mirrors the noises coming from the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) who are spearheading the campaign to oust the Glazers. The green and gold movement has already shown in highly visible terms that the numbers of fans advocating the removal of the Glazers is growing by the day, and there must be concern in the power base of the club that this will start to hit home in real terms (namely financial ones) soon.

MUST today played down suggestions of a ten-minute boycott at the start of tonight's Champions League game against AC Milan, where it had been suggested that fans would be encouraged to miss the first ten minutes of the game in protest at the Glazers, but even if those fans did stage such a visual protest, they have still bought tickets for the match.

The only way that the Glazers will take the protests seriously is if revenues are hit substantially. This may prove the hardest step of all for United fans - they will have to make a very hard decision - continue to attend games and support the team they love, or boycott in order to save the club. In my humble view, the future of the club is the overarching issue, and while support for the team shouldn't be neglected, drastic axction needs to be taken.

I'll be surprised however, if attendances fall or if season ticket sales dwindle. Whatever happens, peope will always want to watch Manchester United play, and die-hard fans might find it just a little too hard to give up watching their beloved team week-in, week-out. It will be interesting to see how this saga develops, starting tonight, at the famous old stadium, against famous old European rivals, and welcoming a famous son back to his spiritual home. Will the fans have the nerve to stage their boycott? Once they smell the grass and they catch a glimpse of those two teams walking out to the Champions League music, I can be fairly sure there'll be bums on seats en masse. Perhaps the boycott can wait for another week.

Blatter and his Fifa colleagues are not fit to run football

This article will be short and unfortunately not so sweet as I only have one point to make, and I plan to make it as abruptly as possible.

Sepp Blatter and his cronies at the top of football's international heirarchy are no longer fit to represent the game and are damaging the credibility, integrity and long-term future of world football. For too long they have stood in the way of the reasonable evolution of the game and by dismissing the possiblity of any form of technology being used to assist referees in the future, they have once again shown us they are not fit to govern.

As Patrick Barclay points out in his ever-eloquent column in The Times, the level of debate on the matter appears to have been "staggeringly low". So low in fact, that there can be little doubt they were ever seriously considering the options.

The argument of football purists about the ebb and flow of the game, and the potential problems an appeals system could introduce could be overcome by limiting the use of any technology to an assistant with a monitor. With no influence from either team, and a simple responsiblity to inform the referee discreetly and promptly of any mis-directed officiating, the introduction of video refereeing could be an almost invisible addition and enhancement to the game. No fanfare required, no major overhaul of the way we play the game, just one guy with a montior and a radio-linkup to the man in the middle.

Personally I lost faith with the world governing body and it's suitability to run the game a long time ago - just about the time Sepp Blatter came to power in fact. Nothing has happened since to make me change my mind, and in fact my opinion of Fifa has only deteriorated over time. If there is someone within the ranks who can make a difference, they need to start making a stand now, before it really is too late. I genuinely fear for the future of this most beloved of sports while it is in the hands of Blatter and co., and I only hope that they aren't allowed to sabotage our game for much longer.

Pressure building on tighter financial control from football authorities

The Guardian today carries a piece emphasising the Government's plans to exert greater pressure on the footballing authorities regarding financial regulation of clubs.

This issue has become an increasingly hot topic in recent years, with questions of debt overshadowing clubs great and small. If Portsmouth are allowed to slip into administration, surely the debate will only intensify. Before long the authorities will be forced into action, and they will surely realise that they have left it too late. There has been talk but no action on this issue for years, with the football beauracracy suffering from muscular atrophy due to years of passive bystanding.

Click on the this link to read what The Guardian have to say on the matter. Join the debate by leaving a comment below. What can the footballing authorities do to tackle the issue of debt before it becomes too late?

Would a Champions League playoff do more harm than good for Premier League clubs?

The Premier League has drawn up proposals for an end of season playoff to determine the fourth English Champions League spot, which could potentially come into force as early as next season.

UEFA has given their backing to the proposal, which initially received strong support from all but the "big four" Champions League stalwart clubs of the Premier League. Of course a change of format such as this could blow the race for the Champions League wide open and it makes sense that clubs such as Tottenham, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Everton would be keen to see the proposals pushed through.

However, there are also risks attached, and some have argued that the idea has not been properly thought through. For too long now, fourth place in the Premier League has been talked about almost more than winning the title, with a series of clubs pushing hard to finish in this illustrious spot. A playoff for this position would only increase the clamour surrounding the last Champions League and hype would go into overdrive. If you're going to make such a big thing about finishing fourth, why not extend the playoff to third place as well and run a mini-league, with the top two qualifying for the Champions League? Third is after all, just as arbitrary a position as fourth to reward with such high prestige and acclaim.

The obvious question of fixture conmgestion also comes into play here. Unless the Premier League is to be cut by at least two (and perhaps four) teams, I see no way that these proposals could possibly work. The English fixture list is already the most packed in European football, and time and again we've seen our best players burnt out by the time a summer tournament comes round. Surely this format would only increase the problem?

Finally, problems have been cited regarding the possible financial pressure it might put on the game at a time when just the opposite is required. With the carrot of Champions League football dangling ever closer for an increasign number of clubs, would the playoff format force more clubs to spend beyond their means in the hope of crashing the Champions League party? Could it lead to more Portsmouth situations with clubs sensing that one hard financial push could propel them into the big time forever?

The Premier League is trying to inject a greater element of competition into the Premier League, and a commend them for this approach. However, any restructuring of the league may have to be more comprehensive and perhaps more radical to address the fundamental problems facing the English game right now. I hope they think long and hard before pushing these proposals any further.

To read a Guardian article on the potential pitfalls of the proposals, click here.

How do you define "good" football?

Gabriele Marcotti writes a very thought-provoking piece in his blog for The Times about the argument between Wenger and O'Niell over whether Aston Villa play "good football", and the wider debate in the game of football:

Click here to read the article.

The question of what makes good football is almost as old as the game itself. Ever since some semblance of tactics emerged in the game there have been opposing camps as to how the game "should be played" and many have tried to quantify the best way to play the game.


So how do we define "good" football? If you have any ideas, leave a comment below!

Are Liverpool the most disappointing team in the country?

Following Liverpool's woeful FA Cup exit in midweek against a struggling Reading side, i found myself dismayed once again over the fortunes of one of the grandest clubs in the game. It led me to ask the question, are Liverpool the most disappointing team in the Premier League?

I am consistently underwhelmed by the performances they put in on the pitch, while off it the club seems to be in complete turmoil as a name that has been synonymous with all that is great about English football becomes just another headline in the soap opera world of Premier League ownership. For a club that sets such high standards for itself, and with such an outstanding and dedicated fan base, i feel that Liverpool and its supporters deserve more.

Liverpool's lack of strength in depth has been well documented, and without Gerrard and Torres they are without a doubt significantly worse off. This in itself is not too much to worry about, as any team would miss their influence. However, on Wednesday against Reading, the total inability of any of their players to make an incisive move, to break down the Reading defences, was a huge disappointment.

The likes of Benayoun and Kuyt are good players, but seem incapable of leading a team to success alone, while the likes of Babel and Ngog continue to show nothing to suggest that they deserve to wear the Liver Bird crest on their chest. I'm actually a little embarassed every time i see Ngog lead the line for Liverpool - it's not his fault, but he's just woefully inadequate for the role and responsibility bestowed upon him.

Of course it is easy to jump on the bandwagon and criticise Liverpool during this season when they are clearly below par. However, even last season when they were in contention for the league for so much of the year, they contrived to throw away so many chances that were gifted to them, drawing games that on paper appeared to be 3-points in the bank. The occasional stirring victory or talismanic performance for Gerrard or Torres fails to outweigh the weight of disappointment for me.

This week will inevitably raise more questions about the leadership of the club, both in terms of its owners and its manager. Tom Hicks has promised that the club will have money to spend in the summer, but will it be too late by then? Without Champions League football (which they are in danger of losing), will players such as Torres be looking for another club? Will they be able to attract the calibre of players they undoubtedly need? Is Rafa Benitez still the right man for the job? Surely he can't have many supporters left after he failed to offer any relevant explanation for his sides inexplicable performance on Wednesday. The question is though, would a replacement fair any better under the current conditions at the club, and if so who is that man?

Some may argue that the likes of constant under-achievers such as Spurs or, up until now, Manchester City, must be more disappointing than Liverpool, but at least both clubs provide value for money in the drama stakes, and their supporters would arguably suggest they are amongst the best clubs to follow for these reasons. Teams like Bolton, Stoke or Wolves might play unattractive football, but it has seen them overachieve in recent years and for that their supporters must be grateful.

What do Liverpool supporters feel? Is their club a constant disappointment to them? Given the remarkably high standards the club sets itself and the oustanding dedication of its supporters, my feeling is that the team all to often fails to produce what the club and its supporters deserve. I hope to see a day when Liverpool stand triumphant and united at the very top of the game again, but unfortunately i fail to see it happening any time soon.

Join the debate by leaving a comment below!