Manchester United have had a poor start to the season. They have lost to some Hungarian minnows in qualifying match for Champions League (won comfortably at home to progress), and just recently they lost two league match on the row without even scoring a goal against Bolton and Leeds.
In my opinion it is no coincidence. Things are not like they used to be at Old Trafford. They have made some blunders. What few have pointed the finger on is that they have never found the right person to take over as assistant from Brian Kidd and Steve McLaren. Kidd was swiftly replaced with McLaren, but United were a bit confused when McLaren left at the same time as Alex Ferguson announced his retirement. No one should come as no 2 until a new manager was installed. The new manager should pick his men.
Things dragged out and when Alex Ferguson signed a new 3 year contract it took them until this summer to get Portuguese Queiroz in as their no 2. I will not judge him on his results. It is far too early, but it was a massive mistake by Man Utd not appointing anyone before. They lost one year!
During this period Manchester United lost three quality strikers in Teddy Sheringham, Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke was not considered for the team until he finally left this Summer. The only one coming in was Diego Forlan (Forlorn?) yet to score a goal! They have no youngster coming through either. In this period Alex Ferguson played one of Britains midfielders, Paul Scholes, out of position as a second attacker. A big mistake. You don't take one of the best into an unsuitable role! That is basic knowledge whatever you do in life.
They also had the saga with their best defender, Jaap Stam, suddenly being sold due to some comments in his biography. He was replaced with an ageing slow player in Laurent Blanc whom Ferguson even convinced to play for one more year.
On top of that he bought Juan Sebastian Veron who without doubt is one of World's best footballers on his day but he has never settled in. Such things you can not guarantee against upfront, but why buy a player for GBP 28 million for the position you are strongest? Alex Ferguson would have got two very, very good defenders for the same price, and his squad would have been much more balanced and better.
All this is small details of mistakes, but all in all they are reasons why Manchester United were left empty handed last season. Small things put the standard down, you lose some of the killer instinct and instead of believing you score the winner you hit the post! That is a big difference!
If all Premiership teams play their best 11, Manchester United will probably still be the best team, but only just, but both Arsenal, Liverpool and Leeds have much better squads for rotating, injuries and suspensions during a long and hard season. Arsenal are still playing without two of their absolute best from last season (Ljungberg & Pires) but they are still delivering the goods.
NB! For us scum haters is it just jolly good though watching Alex Ferguson making stupid excuses after they have thrown away some points out of the window! Let them struggle and hopefully throw some more money out of the window on players not fitting into their team.
Like mentioned before have I sometimes become a bit tired of football but the smile on my face came back thanks to some surprising result in the Premiership this week-end. Bolton beating their arch enemies Manchester United, West Bromwich beating West Ham at Upton Park and Birmingham with two late goals from Clinton Morrison grabbing a point at Liverpool. Surprises are still a part of the football world, and its good to see its not only money that counts. Hard work still gives points in the bag!
A well deserved draw against Denmark in the week-end for Euro 2004 qualifier, and better play on the pitch than it has been for years has finally put some belief back in the national side again after a couple of really bad years. They seemed to achieve and were finally playing in a pattern and not only "kick and run" to try as good as you can. The equalizer in the dying seconds of the match made me jump of joy as I was watching the match with 9 friends from Denmark! They were rather sarcastic before that but went quiet. It is finally not only left to Rosenborg's heroics in the Champions League the last 8 years, and this year as well, to make us Norwegians proud of football again.
No need to repeat his latest acts, but overpaid players behaving like that makes you lose interest in the brilliant game which football is. As simple as that! No more comments necessary.
Many managers have lately complained that British players are too expensive, not good enough ,and so on. I think many of the managers should review and look to the "grand old man" in Newcastle, Bobby Robson. He has wisely bought many British players with little or no Premiership experience at all from the Nationwide and turned them into quality players. When you look at the combined fee he has paid for Kieron Dyer, Craig Bellamy, Jermaine Jenas, Lomano LuaLua, Titus Bramble & Andy O'Brien its less than a "Veron" or a "Rio". It shows it is possible to build a good side and possible Championship contenders without spending too much money with many British born players in the team.
Arsene Wenger has made a few cheap scoops from abroad, like Freddie Ljungberg, Patrick Vieira & Nicolas Anelka, and funnily enough it was by using a mix of these strategies Alex Ferguson built his Championship winning side in the nineties. Loads of own talent mixed with smart buys like Dennis Irwin, Eric Cantona, Peter Schmeichel & Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for a fraction of the money he has spent lately created a winning formula.
I have seen so much of the Nationwide that there are many players given a bit of patience at higher level, would have proved more successful than many of the imported players being a big burden for many clubs with high wages. This would also provided the Nationwide with some much needed cash as well to help them survive during the financial crisis football is going through at the moment.
I am sorry for not having updated this popular part of my website, but I have been unable to do so because of holiday and a lot of other things to do. A lot has happened in the football world since that, but due to the financial problems many clubs are facing, the transfer market has nearly dried out.
Disgraced Roy Keane is on the verge "revealing all" in his new book, and he has publicly confessed he was out for revenge against Alfie Haaland with an awful kick on his leg. Everyone knew he did it deliberately when it happened except the English FA who didn't punish him at the time. When Paolo di Canio got 13 matches suspension slightly pushing a referee, it is completely ridiculous Roy Keane escaped without nothing except a red card and normal suspension. di Canio had probably been sent out of the English league if he had done anything similar to Keane. The difference is that Keane is a member of Man Utd and so he escapes, just like Alan Shearer (because he is Alan Shearer) escaped when he once deliberately kicked a player outside the pitch. Treat players and teams in the same way!
Let's rather enjoy Man Utd and Roy Keane being humiliated after another Neville error in the last minute in Champions League qualifying match against the famous team Zalaegerszeg from Hungary yesterday. Unfortunately will they probably run out comfortable winners in the return leg, but let's enjoy as long as we can! The season would have been saved though if they were humiliated once more!
It is not only Roy Keane releasing a new book. Legendary manager Brian Clough is also about to release a book with some sharp and witty comments. The best manager ever in British football gives his views on different topics from laughing of Alex Ferguson not being able to win Champions League with all his financial resources more than once, and blaming FA for stupid decisions, like appointing a foreign manager (he is not blaming Sven Goran Eriksson as a bad coach) when there were candidates around like Martin O'Neill (which he really rates) and Terry Venables. Glenn Hoddle was their largest failure, nearly as bad as not appointing himself when Brian Clough had tremendous success in the 70's and 80's!
World Cup is finally over, and Ronaldo is for most people the king of the World Cup thanks to his two goals in the finale, just like Zidane four years ago. That is a big thing, but even if Oliver Kahn made a mistake on the first goal, he is the man of the World Cup. He kept Germany in it all the time, and I felt sorry for him losing a goal like that. He was man enough to bear it and will bounce back.
Best man on the pitch in the finale? Referee Pierluigi Collina. He always leads the games how you like a referee to do it. Players respect him, and they know they won't get away with dirty tricks with the bald Italian around. I do hope FIFA soon get rid of the second best referees for big events like this, and let the best qualified be in charge of the matches. Of course can all referees make mistakes, but there will be a lot fewer with the best referees in charge. We could all witness that in the semi-finales and the finale itself when the best were in charge.
Following Brazil's win was I also able to take part in the celebrations at Trafalgar Square in London. Loads of Brazilians, joined with some Germans, filled the street singing and dancing turning the place all yellow with their famous samba rhythms. I nice remembrance after the World Cup!
What started like a promising World Cup in the group stages with many goals and surprises have really faded away in the knock-out stages. Hardly any goals and teams scraping through on 1-0 victories as a rule. Compared to 4 years ago with drama and goals have these knock-out stages been boring for all neutral supporters. If it had not been for sensation South Korea and their passionate supporters, would I hardly have bothered at all. Now it is more important to avoid a loss than playing football! For the sake of the football is it important that offensive orientated Brazil wins the finale instead of defensive Germany.
Who is this World Cup's best player? Most people will decide after the finale as the three likely candidates will play there; Oliver Kahn, Rivaldo and Ronaldo. In my opinion is there no doubt. Oliver Kahn has nearly single handedly managed to get the Germans all the way to the finale. Not since Diego Maradona in 1986 has one player had such an impact for a team in the World Cup, and his world class displays between the sticks deserves to be credited with the award.
Penalty shoot-out drama is also part of the Norwegian cup. Bryne won to my delight a shoot-out against Raufoss last night to be in the hat for last 16 of Norwegian cup!
No doubt for any of us that South Korea has been a big surprise in this World Cup. They are now 90 minutes away from the ultimate finale (could be 120 min + penalties though). They have not reached that far without controversy. In 3 games (Portugal, Italy and Spain) controversy has been high following sending offs, disallowed goals and how South Korean goalkeeper saved decisive penalty in the penalty shoot-out against Spain.
Let's forget that for a while and concentrate on the positive side. Their crowd has been fantastic. They have filled the stadiums in all red, and turned up in huge numbers in city centres to watch their heroes on big screens. No violence around, but just pure joy of cheering their team on.
Their players have been exceptional. When have you seen them faking penalties, dive, roll around on the pitch faking injuries? Never. They get up straight away and do not complain to the referee during the match. It is just lovely to watch. They love their football, are the most fit team in the World Cup and passion and joy are finally brought back to the game again. We have had enough of players like for instance Rivaldo (and many more) faking injuries and dives.
What has happened is a reward for their sportsmanship and hopefully will it roll on to the finale in Yokohama.
I was wondering here the other day why England just have let in 1 goal in 4 games in the World Cup. The answer is very simple; there are no Neville's in the team giving the ball away, making stupid fouls ending in penalties just before time runs out etc. What a blessing in disguise for Svennis that he rated one of them not good enough for the squad, and the other one got injured before the World Cup started! England have avoided the usual embarrassments!
This was a week-end of sloppy goals. In the dramatic "battle of Jaeren" in Norwegian Tippeliga Saturday finishing 3-3 between Bryne and Viking did Bryne give away two real sloppy goals according to reports. Bryne got a tremendous start and went 2 up with goals from Lemsalu and Olofsson. Viking managed to pull one back before half-time on an own goal, and equalized early in the second half after very sloppy defending. Midway through though Erik Fuglestad put Viking 3-2 up on a screamer of a shot in top corner from 30 yards. That was it I thought, but two minutes from time Bryne scored their third goal following a corner where Ole Hjelmhaug deservedly side footed the ball in the back of the net and a total humiliation was avoided. At least we gained one point and avoided loss against the arch rivals.
Germany and England progressed through to the last eight of the World Cup, and if Bryne had lost as well, it would have gone into history as "black Saturday". Germany went through after a 1-0 victory against Paraguay with a goal after 88 minutes. Typical German machinery! England were handed victory on a plate from a nervous Danish defense allowing England 3 goals in the first half effectively killing the game. The first one after 5 minutes was a real goalkeeper's blunder after a corner.
The smile was back on my face Sunday morning. Senegal and Sweden played a very entertaining match, and when the Africans scored 2-1 on a "golden goal" goal did I nearly jump through the roof in joy. Most enjoyable goal for me in the World Cup since 1998 when Flo and Rekdal scored for Norway against Brazil!!!!
Later on Sunday I really felt for Ireland and their fantastic fans. They were trailing most of the match 1-0 to Spain, missed a penalty midway through the 2nd half, and were awarded another one in the 90th minute. Robbie Keane scored and the match went into extra time. Ireland were pushing for the decisive golden goal, but Spain prevented them, and the match went into a nervous penalty shoot-out. The Spaniards kept their nerve and won 3-2. A sad farewell with the Irish heroes and their manager Mick McCarthy.
World Cup groups finally finished and we are ready for the knock-out stages. The big match for me will be Denmark against England. It is time to find a pub in London and cheer on my Scandinavian neighbours.
An even bigger match is to be played at Bryne Stadion on Saturday where Bryne entertain the Stavanger slummers Viking in a real local derby in the Norwegian Tippeliga. Viking have beaten us 4 times on the row in the league, and in the Norwegian cup final last year, so now is the time for revenge. If we lose yet again my heart will be broken for another week, but this time I think we will send them back to Stavanger empty handed!
I am still shocked and disappointed of Argentina not managing to send the swedes home from the World Cup. Norway and Sweden always have a go at each other when it comes to sports, and for the sake of football is it sad that probably the best side in the world is eliminated that early. That is also something that makes a tournament exciting. The talented Dutch side did not even manage to qualify!
One light in the tunnel was my local team back home in Norway, Bryne, gave a debut to Argentinean youngster Diego de la Vega in a cup match against 3rd division side Vedavaag Karmøy. Bryne won easily with 7-0 and de la Vega showed good skills with neat passing and gave the team a new dimension. Hopefully will he be a valuable asset in the team for the future.
Nothing has pleased me more in this World Cup than seeing Mick McCarthy's brave men finishing 2nd in their group and advance to the knock-out stages. It was even better than watching Denmark eliminate France in their group.
Just before the World Cup, their so called superstar Roy Keane was sent home in disgrace after publicly abusing Mick McCarthy. This happened just days after he had his first verbal outrage in how the Irish Football Federation had organized the preparation for the World Cup, and he left on his own decision. He was on his way home, but he made a u-turn and teamed up with his fellow countrymen again. It did not last long though until he was shown the door by his manager, and this time for good. Roy Keane even got a chance to apologize, but he was too big for that.
His comments and behavior is another sign of the times of how overpaid footballers have distanced themselves from the real world, and not sticking to the task as group as a whole. Most people would have given it all representing their own country in the biggest sporting event of the earth. Even if they had to practice on gravel most of the other Irish players had carried on, but Keane thought he was above all that. Always complaining, being in the wrong place for the preparations, hotels not good enough, training ground not good enough and so on. Let us remember him as a coward leaving in shame with the tail between his legs!
Let Niall Quinn be a symbol of the Irish pride. Playing through the pain barrier with his back, and in added time against Germany he won a duel, headed the ball onto Robbie Keane who burst through and equalized sending a whole nation into delirium!
