- Great footballers don’t always make great managers September 30th, 2009
Three famous football names have came under intense speculation in the last few weeks and months. Ipswich boss Roy Keane, Argentina coach Diego Maradona and Tranmere boss John Barnes were all undoubtedly great footballers but all three are struggling with very different managerial challenges.
Different challenges but same struggle
They may be worlds apart in their current positions but in the 1980’s John Barnes and Diego Maradona were footballing superstars. Maradona is also considered as one of the greatest footballers to have ever graced a football field. Barnes was considered one of best footballers of his generation, despite his form for England not being as consistent as his form for Liverpool. Roy Keane was key to Manchester United’s rise to the top English football in the nineties. Yet despite these achievements the three former greats find themselves in exactly the same position. That position is struggling to do their respective jobs.
Barnes struggles after summer of mass exodus
John Barnes has the most difficult job out of the three working on a shoestring budget. His cause wasn’t helped by the fact that he lost lots of key players during the summer. Those players leaving included veteran goalkeeper Danny Coyne who had previously assured the former England boss that he would sign a new contract. Instead he joined Championship side Middlesbrough on a free transfer at the end of his contract.
Things have improved for the enigmatic former Liverpool star in the last two games with his side claiming a 0-0 draw at the weekend and beating fellow strugglers Wycombe 1-0 last night. Even with these results Barnes is still under pressure.
He will have to prove to the fans that he has got what it takes to turned things around. However most Tranmere fans are still sceptical about his ability to manage a football club. There is also the opinion that he only got the job because he is a big name and his presence at the club will attract fans. Unfortunately for the Whites its did the opposite as the team have struggled all season.
Lots of ambition but no substance so far at Ipswich
Roy Keane was Alex Ferguson’s midfield general at Manchester United. The driving force behind some of United’s greatest triumphs during the nineties. It always looked likely that with his superb leadership skills and will to win that he would be a manager after he retired from playing. He did a good job in his first job as a boss with Sunderland, well for the first season anyway. He took the Mackems from the bottom end of the Championship to promotion to the Premier League.
The following season he spent a large amount of money to try and compete in the top flight. By early December his side were 18th in the Premier League and he was heavily criticised. He decided he had enough and resigned on the 4th December. It was reported that his decision was made because of differences with club chairman Niall Quinn and shareholder Ellis Short.
Keane wasn’t out of football for long though as he took over at Ipswich Town on 23rd April 2009. The season was nearly over and Keane started to get to know his players. He hasn’t got the same resources that he had at Sunderland but he is still expected to lead the club to promotion.
He shown great ambition by saying he wants his side to challenge for promotion this season. Unfortunately for the Tractor Boys they are currently bottom of the table and Keane has received the dreaded vote of confidence from Ipswich chief executive Simon Clegg.
The board are completely behind the former United ace but for how long for if they continue to struggle at the bottom end of the league. In my humble opinion Keane will make a good manager in the future and all these situations can only make him stronger as a manager.
The legend who can’t be criticised
Diego Armando Maradona is an Argentinian football legend. In some places he is almost a god to his people. Criticising the former Napoli hero is almost blasphemy in his home country and in Naples. However since taking over as Argentina head coach there has been murmurings of discontent over his performance and ability to manage one of the worlds best footballing nations.
He may have a passion for his country that is hard to match but it seems he lacks the necessary motivational skills to manage his country. His country are struggling in their World Cup qualifying group and could miss the finals next June. He has however reminded journalists that in 1985 they nearly failed to make the tournament and a year later in Mexico they became World Champions. For Argentina and their fans its a difficult situation as the Argentinian FA are unlikely to sack the legend and his pride will not allow him to quit.
If Argentina do qualify and make a big impact at South Africa 2010 then Maradona will be a even bigger figure back in his homeland, if that’s possible of course. If the unlikely happens and they don’t qualify for the World Cup next season then Diego could very well be edged towards the exit door.
These three are cautionary tales that big name players cant just be thrown in to a job just because of their reputations or who they are. In the case of Maradona its a matter of heart ruling the head at the Argentina FA and maybe now some of those officials may regret appointing the little man.
- FIFA have gone totally mad
September 30th, 2009
It is officially true, FIFA have gone totally mad. The FIFA medical chief, Michael D’Hooghe, has said Referees should show more red cards to help curb violent play.
Riches
He also went on to make a link between violent play and the financial riches on offer to players. He produced a DVD of some of football’s worst tackles in recent years to show the delegates at the FIFA medical congress.
“We see more violent fouls over the whole world, as games gain in financial importance. Some of the fouls send shivers down your spine. We see more violent fouls over the whole world. The referees have the key. They are the only ones who can impose an immediate sanction. They do not do it often enough and there is a lack of uniformity.”
He also criticised the actions of managers and coaches, who he believes may be ’hyping’ the players up too much.
“The stakes are so high I question the role of some coaches. In what frame of mind do they send out their players?”
The type of cases that D’Hooghe is talking about are thankfully fairly rare. In the 2002 World Cup twelve players received facial injuries as a result of use of the elbow. FIFA instructed referees to clamp down on it and they did. If a player deliberately uses his elbow, he is sent-off.
Injuries
It is within the domestic leagues that the most high-profile injuries occur due to foul play. In August, Standard Liege’s Axel Witsel broke both bones in the right leg of Polish international defender Marcin Wasilewski in a match against Anderlecht in Belgium.
Wasilewski has begun legal proceedings for damages, while Witsel was banned until late November.
If you have seen that tackle, you will know what an absolute horror show it was. However, the player had been banned for a lengthy spell and legal proceedings are going on, so the matter has been dealt with.
Notorious
In England, the most notorious case was in February 2008, when Birmingham’s Martin Taylor fouled Arsenal’s Eduardo causing a broken leg and ankle dislocation. Taylor was red carded and banned for three games. The matter was dealt with.
D’Hooghe has written to Fifa’s referees committee chief, Angel Villar, to express his concerns.
Of course D’Hooghe is right to condemn violent play but he is surely over-reacting to what is anly a minor problem. Anyone who is old enough to remember football from the 1970s will know that the game is a million times less violent now than it was then. There is simply no comparison.
Tackles
In those days there were fist fights on and off the ball, head butts, and some truly dreadful career threatening tackles, particularly from behind. All of those things were rarely punished by more than a telling off from the referee. It was a different game and to suggest that the modern day game is too violent is to ignore the history of the game and the excellent progress that has been made.
As long as referees continue to award red cards for violent play and the authorities back the referee with appropriate bans, then I see absolutely no problem within our game.
Thank you for your observations Mr D’Hooghe but you have exaggerated a problem that largely doesn’t exist. Not very helpful.
- Ronaldo says will be ready for Portuguese call
October 5th, 2009
Cristiano Ronaldo said Monday he was ready to answer the call for Portugal in Saturday’s crucial World Cup qualifier at home to Hungary after missing Real Madrid’s first Liga loss of the season at Seville with an ankle injury.
“I have recovered well. We’ll see how things go but I think I’ll be fine come Saturday,” Ronaldo said on arriving at Obidos, where the squad are preparing for a match which will go some way to deciding if they can snatch a playoff place after a poor showing in Group One.
The Portuguese currently stand third – five points behind leaders Denmark and two adrift of Sweden, while Hungary are level on points with Carlos Queiroz’s side, rendering a win imperative ahead of an expected three easy points in their final game against Malta.
The Swedes have a tough encounter away to the Danes on Saturday.
“These are decisive matches which we must win,” observed Ronaldo, who said that team spirit was “fantastic” despite his country’s irregular showing to date.
But he warned: “If we don’t believe we can do it (qualify) then it’s not worth showing up for the national side.”
Ronaldo insisted that the Hungarians were there for the taking.
“They are a physically strong team, but if Portugal play normally they will – and must – win.”
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