Only in Newcastle could this happen. The Premier League's version of Eastenders never fails to dish up plot twists and sensational storylines that entertain us and keep our eyes glued to the screen, something that Eastenders often fails to do. Following the departure of "Big Sam", the supposed messiah of Newcastle United has taken his place. "King Kev" who has given us some of the Premier League's most dramatic and defining moments is back at St James' Park. While there is no doubt that the fans are excited by this appointment, the question lingering over Keegan is can he reproduce the attacking football that propelled them to a whisker of the Premier League title in 1995/96?
Keegan went on record last year as saying that it would be unlikely that he would ever manage again. The man who wore his heart on his sleeve had seemingly fallen out of love with the game. Relative success with Newcastle was followed by a promotion with Fulham and an average performance with England. Promotion from the old Division One with Man City in 2002 was followed by the club re-establishing themselves in the top flight. However success was difficult to sustain and he left in 2005. Football has changed a lot since Keegan left Newcastle, heck football has changed a lot since Keegan left Man City! Keegan will not be able to recruit the likes of Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand, Faustino Asprilla, as players of those calibre will inevitably be infatuated with the big four and the promise of Champions League football. Keegan has two weeks of the transfer window remaining to improve the squad that has appeared to have stagnated. The defence is the most obvious area that needs strengthening and perhaps a combative midfielder to challenge the ageing Nicky Butt, the erratic Emre and the jail-prone Joey Barton. Up front, Newcastle are well catered for on paper with Mark Viduka, Alan Smith, Obafemi Martins, Shola Ameobi and Michael Owen, with the latter's future called into doubt by the tabloids over accusations made in Owen's autobiography. Surely though, the hatchet will be buried as Owen is the quality of player that Newcastle can ill-afford to lose.
The team that Keegan inherits has some decent players, but the style of play is what the fans want improving. Keegan was famed for his expansive, attacking football and the supporters will be keen for it to return on his second stint on Tyneside. Allardyce should not have been sacked, but the reality is that he was and now Keegan must pick up the pieces. A side in 11th place does not immediately suggest one that is in crisis, but it is well below par in terms of what the fans expect. Which is of course the problem, but the expectations of Newcastle fans being out of proportion has been well documented already. Keegan, unlike his predecessors, will be given time, that there is no doubt. Only Sir Bobby Robson has delivered any success at St. James' Park since Keegans departure, and should the current side get anywhere near what Robson achieved, Keegan will have done his job.
Premier League titles are out of the question this time round, unless of course, Ashley provides sufficient funds, and Champions League football could be a pipe dream, but in terms af managerial appointments, there are far worse ones that could have been made if these were the goals of the Newcastle board. If nothing else is achieved, this will have been one of the greatest footballing stories of the last few years, and one that has the neutral intrigued. The fans call him the "Messiah", but whether the second coming of King Kev results in a miracle will depend on the patience of the fans and how Keegan reacts to the changes in the footballing world since his last post.
Thursday, 17 January 2008
Sunday, 13 January 2008
It's Grim Up North
The favoured euphemism of football bigwigs was again employed to describe the sacking of Sam Allardyce. Newcastle, the perennial "underachievers "had dispensed with yet another manager by "Mutual Consent" after Eight Months in charge. I gave the board some credit, I thought the sacking wouldn't happen, but despite a change in ownership, the lunatics are still in charge of the asylum.
Mike Ashley, the billionaire owner of Newcastle United has gone on record saying that he is going to have a more hands-on approach at Newcastle following the parting of company with Allardyce and that he should have sacked him at the beginning of his tenure. "Big Sam" is a manager with a proven track record and turned Bolton from a Championship side to an established Premiership side, and the performance of his former club so far this season is testament to his achievements. Allardyce said he had a 5 year plan for Newcastle United, and this would mean stability for a club that has not achieved much since the days of Kevin Keegan, who is ironically being linked with a return to St James' Park. Ashley has been trying to court the Newcastle faithful since day one and this has ultimately meant that Newcastle have not progressed in that time. The fans who are still dellusioned, wanted Sam out and Ashley duly obliged.
The club have not won a major trophy since the 1969 Fairs cup and yet the fans still believe that they are a huge club. How can a club that has not won a league title since 1927 consider themselves such a big club? Newcastle is a one-club city and have fantastic support as a result. However having huge support does not make a team a major club. Clubs have to have on-field success in addition to huge gates to qualify as big a club as the fans seem to thing they are. Allardyce did not deliver instant success and while many fans did defend him, the enduring image of Allardyce's reign will perhaps be the fans shouting "You don't know what you're doing" at him. Ignored were the pledges of a five year plan when the fans called for Allardyce's head when the club sat at 11th, which was deemed unacceptable after the club finished 13th in 2007.
The fans expect too much and yet another manager has left the club, with Newcastle no nearer to achieving the dizzying heights that they reached in 1969. A dismal 6-0 thrashing at the hands on Man Utd yesterday summed up the situation perfectly. The previous board treated a legend and true gentlemen of the game, Sir Bobby Robson appaulingly and there were hopes that a combination of a new manager and regime would turn the tide for the Toon Army. However before they can do anything, the fans should lower their expectations. But if there is one positive to take from Allardyce's sacking, it is that Ashley has promised to put his replica shirt away.
Mike Ashley, the billionaire owner of Newcastle United has gone on record saying that he is going to have a more hands-on approach at Newcastle following the parting of company with Allardyce and that he should have sacked him at the beginning of his tenure. "Big Sam" is a manager with a proven track record and turned Bolton from a Championship side to an established Premiership side, and the performance of his former club so far this season is testament to his achievements. Allardyce said he had a 5 year plan for Newcastle United, and this would mean stability for a club that has not achieved much since the days of Kevin Keegan, who is ironically being linked with a return to St James' Park. Ashley has been trying to court the Newcastle faithful since day one and this has ultimately meant that Newcastle have not progressed in that time. The fans who are still dellusioned, wanted Sam out and Ashley duly obliged.
The club have not won a major trophy since the 1969 Fairs cup and yet the fans still believe that they are a huge club. How can a club that has not won a league title since 1927 consider themselves such a big club? Newcastle is a one-club city and have fantastic support as a result. However having huge support does not make a team a major club. Clubs have to have on-field success in addition to huge gates to qualify as big a club as the fans seem to thing they are. Allardyce did not deliver instant success and while many fans did defend him, the enduring image of Allardyce's reign will perhaps be the fans shouting "You don't know what you're doing" at him. Ignored were the pledges of a five year plan when the fans called for Allardyce's head when the club sat at 11th, which was deemed unacceptable after the club finished 13th in 2007.
The fans expect too much and yet another manager has left the club, with Newcastle no nearer to achieving the dizzying heights that they reached in 1969. A dismal 6-0 thrashing at the hands on Man Utd yesterday summed up the situation perfectly. The previous board treated a legend and true gentlemen of the game, Sir Bobby Robson appaulingly and there were hopes that a combination of a new manager and regime would turn the tide for the Toon Army. However before they can do anything, the fans should lower their expectations. But if there is one positive to take from Allardyce's sacking, it is that Ashley has promised to put his replica shirt away.
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
New Stadia: A Tale Of Two Very Ordinary Towns.
At the weekend, the injury hit Maidstone United lost 2-1 at "home" to AFC Wimbledon in the Ryman Premier Division. The inverted commas surrounding the word home are necessary punctiation. This is because although this was a home fixture for The Stones, it was played in Sittingbourne. Maidstone United, have been without a home in the county town of Kent since the original club sold their ground in 1987 to MFI. The club assumed that they would have council support to build their new ground and purchased land on which the proposed groun was to be built, however the planning permission never materialised and the club went bankrupt in 1992.
The club reformed at the bottom of the football pyramid in time for the 1993/94 season and since then have managed to haul themselves to the Ryman Premier Division, one division below the Blue Square South. However their home games have not been in Maidstone since the new club was created. There have been plans, and there has been a long, drawn out process to bring the Stones back home, yet progress has been lacking.
Planning permission for the ground was first given in 2004, and ground has been broken at the site at James Whatman Way, but funds have been the main issue, with £1.5m being the reported total cost of building the new stadium. The latest news is that investors have been in talks with Maidstone's chairman, who would be willing to invest in the club, but have the council done everything they can to bring the Stones back home?
Surely, the council could be assisting the club in their efforts. The match against AFC Wimbledon was a record attendance for Maidstone si
nce the club reformed, although this could be partly to do with the attractive nature of the fixture. Maidstone however, have been consistently well supported throughout their tenure in the lower leagues and the demand for sport in the town is certainly there, as the Maidstone cricket festival showed, when it was still a regular fixture and the 2007 Tour de France was well attended. The money involved is a lot, but the town lacks a major sports team. The Stones need the money to ensure the long-term survival of the club and it looks as though the funds for the ground will come from private pockets.
nce the club reformed, although this could be partly to do with the attractive nature of the fixture. Maidstone however, have been consistently well supported throughout their tenure in the lower leagues and the demand for sport in the town is certainly there, as the Maidstone cricket festival showed, when it was still a regular fixture and the 2007 Tour de France was well attended. The money involved is a lot, but the town lacks a major sports team. The Stones need the money to ensure the long-term survival of the club and it looks as though the funds for the ground will come from private pockets.
The new proposed Eisstadion
This is contrast to another example. Zug, Switzerland is the home of EV Zug, an ice hockey side. It is a much larger club but the town of Zug is smaller than Maidstone. While The Stones' greatest moment came when they got to the Division Four Play-offs in 1989, EV Zug won their only league title in 1998. EVZ average about 4,000 - 5,000 fans every match and play in the Eishalle Herti. The Herti isn't exactly the most glamourous of sports arenas to say the least, but the plans are there to build a new stadium which can't fail to be an improvement on the current one. Zug, is one of the most wealthy towns in the world, with it's tax regulations appealing to rich companies and individuals, so funds are not the issue. While Maidstone have had to compete with the Maidstone borough council, Kent County Council and various environmental groups, Zug have had a relatively smooth passage for their new ground, even though Swiss regulations cause building projects to drag on for a bit. Of course Zug do have the advantage of having an existing stadium in the town they represent.
While the stadium at James Whatman way was pencilled in for completion at the beginning of the 2006/07 season, this has obviously not happened. Zug's stadium may take a while, but at least they will probably get it.
Sunday, 23 December 2007
HD and Darts
We have just had Sky HD installed at home, and as I am at home for the festive period, I've been catching up on a lot of sport. While the live football is good quality, I've been watching other sports such as the PDC World Darts Championship, which has been a good event, and although I am delighted that Christmas is almost upon us, I am devastated that the darts is taking a break until Boxing Day.
Darts was always an enigma to me until the beginning of this year. I could not see the excitement in it. I knew how good Phil Taylor was and that he was World Champion, yet I did not know of nor understand the great schism of the darting world; the existence of two world championships, the BDO and the PDC editions. I read about Taylor's loss to van Barneveld yet could not figure out why such superlatives were being applied to something that was barely a sport. How wrong i was.
I was sitting in a bar back in Switzerland, the type that has Eurosport permanently tuned on the TV to the extent where the Eurosport logo has caused serious screen burn on the TV set, where I was watching a re-run of the BDO World Championship semi-final. I did not know the result, so I was enthralled by the spectacle and in awe of the skill. I watched the final the next day live and thought it all terribly exciting. I do not consider myself a darts expert, far from it, but I'm really beginning to see what all the fuss is about, and not only that, I cannot drag myself away from the TV and the PDC World Championship.
The Grand Slam of Darts was excellent entertainment, although I really wish they would play Planet Funk's "Chase The Sun" than The Fratelli's "Chelsea Dagger" like they do at the World Championships. Even Darts make the adverts fun, watching 3,000 people singing along to a piece of music during the breaks just adds to the entertainment. Darts seems a uniquely British phenomenon. How can people get so excited about this and how can theycreate a tournament with high standards of professionalism involving a pub game? While the Dutch are now not only the pretenders to the crown, but a major darting superpower, the whole thing feels British.
Darts is a sport, and a very skillful one at that. It has a legion of loyal fans, and is certainly far more entertaining than some other events. It should not be looked down upon by snobs who would rather watch the Boat Race or Dressage, but embraced as a sporting and cultural event. Now that I've added Darts to my sporting portfolio, perhaps the time is right to try and understand another sport that has also remained boring to me: Snooker. Although it would help if they put it in HD.
Darts was always an enigma to me until the beginning of this year. I could not see the excitement in it. I knew how good Phil Taylor was and that he was World Champion, yet I did not know of nor understand the great schism of the darting world; the existence of two world championships, the BDO and the PDC editions. I read about Taylor's loss to van Barneveld yet could not figure out why such superlatives were being applied to something that was barely a sport. How wrong i was.
I was sitting in a bar back in Switzerland, the type that has Eurosport permanently tuned on the TV to the extent where the Eurosport logo has caused serious screen burn on the TV set, where I was watching a re-run of the BDO World Championship semi-final. I did not know the result, so I was enthralled by the spectacle and in awe of the skill. I watched the final the next day live and thought it all terribly exciting. I do not consider myself a darts expert, far from it, but I'm really beginning to see what all the fuss is about, and not only that, I cannot drag myself away from the TV and the PDC World Championship.
The Grand Slam of Darts was excellent entertainment, although I really wish they would play Planet Funk's "Chase The Sun" than The Fratelli's "Chelsea Dagger" like they do at the World Championships. Even Darts make the adverts fun, watching 3,000 people singing along to a piece of music during the breaks just adds to the entertainment. Darts seems a uniquely British phenomenon. How can people get so excited about this and how can theycreate a tournament with high standards of professionalism involving a pub game? While the Dutch are now not only the pretenders to the crown, but a major darting superpower, the whole thing feels British.
Darts is a sport, and a very skillful one at that. It has a legion of loyal fans, and is certainly far more entertaining than some other events. It should not be looked down upon by snobs who would rather watch the Boat Race or Dressage, but embraced as a sporting and cultural event. Now that I've added Darts to my sporting portfolio, perhaps the time is right to try and understand another sport that has also remained boring to me: Snooker. Although it would help if they put it in HD.
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
2007 Varsity Match: Oxford 16 - 22 Cambridge
On the 6th December, I went to Twickenham for the first time to watch the 2007 Varsity Match. I'm not going to lie or be patronising, but I couldn't care less who won. To me this was just an archaic knees-up for old boys of our country's two great universities. The match was a good one, filled with drama and excitement, and as I was there at the invitation of a Cambridge friend, I was cheering on the light blues.
Cambridge won 22-16, and to be honest were the best team on the day. Now a lot of fuss is made about the Boat Race, but to be honest I will only watch rowing if it's Great Britain rowing, not these two universities. But this, was something everyone can watch and enjoy. Yes it's another privilege and an ego boost that these two universities enjoy, but at the end of the day it's good fun and it's a chance for these players to play at the home of English rugby.
Twickenham on the other hand, was not as good as I had imagined it. The train station was cramped and busy, which is to be expected as this is basically a small town with a huge 80,000 capacity stadium in it. I was sitting in the North Stand, which was not very modern and glamourous, but functional. To be honest, I never got the same feeling I did the first time ~I visited Old Trafford or the old Wembley. It was probably because the match was not a full capacity game, but it seemed to lack atmosphere, and the rain didn't help either. I will probably have to come back for an England game in the sunshine to see what the magic is all about.
It was a good day though, despite the weather and transport arrangements consipiring to ruin it. There are photos on the SvenSport Flickr site, however my camera decided to stop working before I got into the ground, so there are some that are of poor quality.
Varsity Match Photos
Cambridge won 22-16, and to be honest were the best team on the day. Now a lot of fuss is made about the Boat Race, but to be honest I will only watch rowing if it's Great Britain rowing, not these two universities. But this, was something everyone can watch and enjoy. Yes it's another privilege and an ego boost that these two universities enjoy, but at the end of the day it's good fun and it's a chance for these players to play at the home of English rugby.
Twickenham on the other hand, was not as good as I had imagined it. The train station was cramped and busy, which is to be expected as this is basically a small town with a huge 80,000 capacity stadium in it. I was sitting in the North Stand, which was not very modern and glamourous, but functional. To be honest, I never got the same feeling I did the first time ~I visited Old Trafford or the old Wembley. It was probably because the match was not a full capacity game, but it seemed to lack atmosphere, and the rain didn't help either. I will probably have to come back for an England game in the sunshine to see what the magic is all about.
It was a good day though, despite the weather and transport arrangements consipiring to ruin it. There are photos on the SvenSport Flickr site, however my camera decided to stop working before I got into the ground, so there are some that are of poor quality.
Varsity Match Photos
Sunday, 2 December 2007
Euro 2008: The Failure
The last time I posted, I spoke of the possbility of a British sporting renaissance. Since I uttered those famous last words, I will never dare of making such a suggestion for a very long time. In the time that has passed between entries, England bravely lost the Rugby World Cup final, Lewis Hamilton failed to win the Formula One World Championship by a single point, Scotland and Northern Ireland valiantly punched above their own weight to narrowly miss out on Euro 2008 qualification. These are achievements, but England's failure to reach Euro 2008 is just that, a failure.
A nation blessed with the richest league in the world and the home of the sport's heritage has failed to qualify for a major tournament for the first time since USA '94. True Steve McClaren had horrendous luck with injuries, but to use this as an excuse would simply be a facade. England got their "get out of jail free" card when Israel beat Russia, but they failed to qualify. McClaren's poor decisions continued to the last stand. He wanted to be popular and dropped Beckham, who along with Peter Crouch was England's best player against Croatia in that ill-fated qualifier. McClaren executed a poor piece of man-management when he dropped Paul Robinson for Scott Carson, who succumbed to the pressure in his first competitive start for England in their biggest match since the 2006 World Cup Quarter-Final. But McClaren's failure is history and he will go down as England's worst manager in England's.
The search for his successor has begun and former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is the fan's, and SvenSport's favourite. He has a proven track record and would be able to overhaul the national side that is a serious state of disarray. Italian coach Fabio Capello has great pedigree and is the only big name to throw his hat into the ring so far, but he does not speak English, which could be a hinderance. Harry Redknapp is the "outstanding" English candiate, but he feels his chances have been ruined by his arrest as part of the corruption in football investigation. England have a talented pool of players, but that pool is decreasing and the current group don't seem to able to gel. Whether the manager is Mourinho, Capello, Redknapp or someone else, they have a task on their hands. They have to take England to South Africa 2010 and restore some pride to English football.
A nation blessed with the richest league in the world and the home of the sport's heritage has failed to qualify for a major tournament for the first time since USA '94. True Steve McClaren had horrendous luck with injuries, but to use this as an excuse would simply be a facade. England got their "get out of jail free" card when Israel beat Russia, but they failed to qualify. McClaren's poor decisions continued to the last stand. He wanted to be popular and dropped Beckham, who along with Peter Crouch was England's best player against Croatia in that ill-fated qualifier. McClaren executed a poor piece of man-management when he dropped Paul Robinson for Scott Carson, who succumbed to the pressure in his first competitive start for England in their biggest match since the 2006 World Cup Quarter-Final. But McClaren's failure is history and he will go down as England's worst manager in England's.
The search for his successor has begun and former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is the fan's, and SvenSport's favourite. He has a proven track record and would be able to overhaul the national side that is a serious state of disarray. Italian coach Fabio Capello has great pedigree and is the only big name to throw his hat into the ring so far, but he does not speak English, which could be a hinderance. Harry Redknapp is the "outstanding" English candiate, but he feels his chances have been ruined by his arrest as part of the corruption in football investigation. England have a talented pool of players, but that pool is decreasing and the current group don't seem to able to gel. Whether the manager is Mourinho, Capello, Redknapp or someone else, they have a task on their hands. They have to take England to South Africa 2010 and restore some pride to English football.
Sunday, 14 October 2007
A British Sporting Renaissance?
Last year the sheer mediocrity of British sport was highlighted by the BBC Sport Personality of the Year programme. What should usually be a celebration and reflection of the year's sporting achievements was an unwelcome reminder of the lack of achievement in 2006. But one year on, we are on the eve of perhaps the greatest British sporting year for some time.
Indeed, perhaps it was apt that Zara Phillips won the accolade and follow in the footsteps of her mother to win the award. 2006 had been a relatively good year for certain sports; Beth Tweddle's world title springs to mind as well as Nicole Cooke's achievements in cycling. But with no disrespect to any of the other nominees, in a year in which the World Cup was held, to have a cricketer who had played a handful of games for England in a relatively unsuccesful side and a Formula One driver, who's talent is undoubted, who won his first race in his seventh F1 campaign as nominees for the award spoke volumes about the poor year for British sport.
Ten months on from the ceremony, England are on the brink of winning a second consecutive Rugby World Cup and Lewis Hamilton is on the verge of becoming the first rookie ever to win the Formula One world championship. This is in addition to Scotland beating some of the finest sides in Europe en route to qualification to the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland next summer. England's qualification campaign is back on track and Northern Ireland were stunning some of the bigger nations in European football in theirs.
Is Britain experiencing a sporting renaissance or is this just typical British exaggeration? It is a bit of both to be honest. Next weekend will determine whether or not it has been a successful year. The Brazillain Grand Prix on Sunday and the World Cup final on Saturday will determine the final destinations of both the F1 Drivers World Campionship and the Rugby World Cup respectively. If both are achieved it will have been a vintage year, if one is achieved it will have been successful and if none, it was still better than 2006. Indeed, the British isles could also have two representives at a major football championship since 2002 if Scotland manage to negotiate the "Group of Death" after beating France home and away as well as World Cup quarter-finalists Ukraine, although one could argue that they are in a better position than England at the moment.
However one must remember that England were seen as no-hopers before their sensational victory over Australia last Saturday and Hamilton the supposed understudy to double World Champion in the McLaren this season. While England's triumph is to be celebrated, Wales and Ireland failed to get past the group stage of the Rugby World Cup and the Republic of Ireland and Wales never got their qualifying campaigns going for Euro 2008. We must remember that nothing has been achieved yet and that next weekend will be an unbelievable double-header of world class sport. One thing's for sure, whether Lewis Hamilton, Jonny Wilkinson or James McFadden (The scottish choice probably) win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2007, it will have been deserved
Indeed, perhaps it was apt that Zara Phillips won the accolade and follow in the footsteps of her mother to win the award. 2006 had been a relatively good year for certain sports; Beth Tweddle's world title springs to mind as well as Nicole Cooke's achievements in cycling. But with no disrespect to any of the other nominees, in a year in which the World Cup was held, to have a cricketer who had played a handful of games for England in a relatively unsuccesful side and a Formula One driver, who's talent is undoubted, who won his first race in his seventh F1 campaign as nominees for the award spoke volumes about the poor year for British sport.
Ten months on from the ceremony, England are on the brink of winning a second consecutive Rugby World Cup and Lewis Hamilton is on the verge of becoming the first rookie ever to win the Formula One world championship. This is in addition to Scotland beating some of the finest sides in Europe en route to qualification to the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland next summer. England's qualification campaign is back on track and Northern Ireland were stunning some of the bigger nations in European football in theirs.
Is Britain experiencing a sporting renaissance or is this just typical British exaggeration? It is a bit of both to be honest. Next weekend will determine whether or not it has been a successful year. The Brazillain Grand Prix on Sunday and the World Cup final on Saturday will determine the final destinations of both the F1 Drivers World Campionship and the Rugby World Cup respectively. If both are achieved it will have been a vintage year, if one is achieved it will have been successful and if none, it was still better than 2006. Indeed, the British isles could also have two representives at a major football championship since 2002 if Scotland manage to negotiate the "Group of Death" after beating France home and away as well as World Cup quarter-finalists Ukraine, although one could argue that they are in a better position than England at the moment.
However one must remember that England were seen as no-hopers before their sensational victory over Australia last Saturday and Hamilton the supposed understudy to double World Champion in the McLaren this season. While England's triumph is to be celebrated, Wales and Ireland failed to get past the group stage of the Rugby World Cup and the Republic of Ireland and Wales never got their qualifying campaigns going for Euro 2008. We must remember that nothing has been achieved yet and that next weekend will be an unbelievable double-header of world class sport. One thing's for sure, whether Lewis Hamilton, Jonny Wilkinson or James McFadden (The scottish choice probably) win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2007, it will have been deserved
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