Brave New England

England 2 - 1 Switzerland

This was the first game in Fabio Capello's reign as England manager and it was capped by a victory. The big stories leading up to the match were the exclusion of potential England centurion and the reports of Capello's strict discipline. Gone were the players phones and Playstations and the players were expected to sometimes train twice a day. Wednesday night was going to be an indication of what England fans can expect for the next couple of years, so what did the friendly show?

The morning's papers had predicted a team that would include Ashley Young and Owen Hargreaves, but Capello fooled them all by including Gareth Barry and Jermaine Jenas, the latter of whom justified their selection by scoring the first goal. The formation was 4-5-1 with Gerrard the No.10, as there was no place for the Michael Owen. It represented a change in system for the England side with the team so used to variations of 4-4-2. Capello's change from the system represents a different direction for the team and in the first half, the players seemed unable to adapt to the new formation. Things were better in the second half, Rooney, Gerrard, Cole and Jenas thriving . The performance wasn't great, but a winning start is always welcome. Upson occasionally looked out of place at times and Ashley Cole's mind seemed elswhere at times. With the exception of the Switzerland goal and a few nervous moments at the back, England looked solid.

With Beckham out of the squad, David Bentley was given his chance on the right-hand side of midfield, and produced a competent performance. As one of the suitors for that position, he may have earned himself another crack at securing his place in the team. Beckham is believed to still be in Capello's plans, but found himself stuck on 99 caps. Capello has made it known that sentiment will not play a part in his selection process, so Beckham will have to earn his 100th cap. There was also no place for Michael Owen, who may become the first victim to England's new style. However, his goal record at international level is unrivalled by any other England player, so surely he must remain in and around the squad.

England's performance wasn't spectacular, but it was solid and something for the new manager to build on. Hopefully the players will become used to the way England play and the team will be able to put the misery of the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign behind them.

You can see SvenSport's photos from the game on the right hand side.

Superbowl XLII: A Giant Upset

New York Giants 17 - 14 New England Patriots

After each side contested their 19th game of the season, it was the end. For the New England, their "Pursuit of Perfection" had reaped no reward. They were not to leave Glendale, Arizona with the Vince Lombardi trophy. Their record, a commendable 18-1 meant nothing after the end of the Superbowl on Sunday night. The New York Giants had caused an almighty upset. The Giants became the first NFC Wildcard to win a Superbowl, and in doing so ended the Patriots dream of emulating the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who went 16-0, and the season unbeaten. The heartbreak of the Patriots and the jubilation of the Giants highlighted both the pros and the cons of the system in which American Football teams compete.

The action was intense, and the 7-3 scoreline in favour of the Patriots at half-time only told half the story. The Giants were getting a lot of the ball and were rattling New England. Suddenly, the league's most lethal combination of QB Tom Brady and Wide-Receiver Randy Moss, did not look so lethal. The Giants' defence was holding out and keeping the dream alive. New England looked to have won it when that lethal combination previously mentioned, managed to score a touchdown. Each team's entire season went down to five minutes of football. The Patriots stifled the Giants' Offense before Eli Manning produced a piece of magic that will be shown in Superbowl showreels for years to come. It looked like the Giants Quarter-Back had been sacked (something the Giants managed to do Manning's New England counterpart, Tom Brady five times), but somehow managed to squirm free before throwing the ball to David Tyree, who managed to catch the ball by holding it against his helmet. Manning then found Plaxico Burress to make it 17-14 New York. The Giants held on and managed to win their third championship.

While the Giants celebrated an improbable victory, the Patriots had to accept their first defeat of the season. They had saved their worst performance for the last game, the one that mattered most, and this is the fatal flaw in the league structure of NFL. As the author of this article has been brought up on a diet of Premier League football, a league in which the best team undoubtedly wins by having the best record over the course of the season. On Sunday night, the best team in the 2007 NFL Season did not win the championship. A plucky outsider managed to force their way through the post season and triumph. This is also one of the joys of the structure and makes the Superbowl such a spectacle and a joy to watch. The Giants deserve their victory, but there was no doubt in who was the best team in the NFL this season.

Superbowl XLII: Super Sunday

It's one of the biggest sporting events in the world, and it's on today. The unbeaten Patriots look to secure their place in history by defeating the New York Giants, who have surprised everyone on their way to tonight's season finale. British interest in the spectacle has been revived this season following the game at Wembley and hopefully when events get underway in Arizona, it won't disappoint.

The New England Patriots are currently 18-0, the first team ever to achieve this record, and can become only the second team, after the Miami Dolphins, to go an entire season unbeaten in the history of the NFL. The Patriot's ship has been steered by Tom Brady, who will be looking to win his fourth Superbowl, and stake his claim to being the league's all-time top quarter-back. Randy Moss has also made history, after receiving 23 Touchdowns in the 2007 season. While those two hogging the headlines, the other areas of the New England team have been overlooked, but there is quality in every area of the side. With New England favourites and seemingly unstoppable, is there any way that they can be stopped?

The Giants surprised many en-route to the Superbowl, especially with their overtime victory over the Green Bay Packers at a freezing Lambeau field a fortnight ago. With Eli Manning looking to follow in the footsteps of his brother, Peyton, who won the Superbowl with the Colts last season, this should be an intriguing contest. The Giants pushed the Patriots all the way at the end of last season as New England laboured to a victory that ensured their perfect season. The Giants can take heart from that performance, but are under no illusions that this will be anything but a difficult task. The key to stifling New England, is to neutralize Tom Brady. Some teams have tried to take Randy Moss out of the game, while ignoring Brady. The Patriots have too many offensive weapons to counter such a one-dimensional defensive strategy. There is no doubt about it, sometimes New England are just unplayable.

The Giants will have to play the game of their lives to defeat the New England juggernaut, intent on what the media have dubbed, "The Pursuit of Perfection". Eli Manning will want to ensure that the Manning family secure a second consecutive Superbowl victory, while the Patriots will want their place in history. With American Football in the British spotlight a little bit more than usual this season, the showpiece of the sport will have to live up to expectations.

Euro 2008: Plenty Of Football, No Patriotism

Since I started watching football over ten years ago, I greeted major tournaments with enthusiasm and while my head said England could never win it, my heart would say it was possible. Occasionally the two would overlap and I would be convinced England had a chance. Not this summer. With the England players enjoying their summer holidays and Steve McClaren wondering "what if", Euro 2008 will take place without the Three Lions. While most England fans are disappointed at the national team's absence, it gives us all a chance to appreciate the football on offer at a major tournament, rather than watching wall-to-wall news coverage about an England player's metatarsal.

Firstly, the pre-game programmes and half-time analysis will not focus on the issues surrounding the England camp. Nor will we have to put up with Garth Crooks and Gabriel Clarke reporting aboutthe contents of Wayne Rooney's lunch during half-time. During the last World Cup, I was unable to focus on the other stories of the tournament due to my obsession with England. Indeed, it took me a week to recover from the trauma that was England's defeat against Portugal and I only took a passing interest in the semi-finals before recovering to watch the 3rd/4th play-off and the final itself. This time, however, like much of the football appreciating section of the nation, I will be watching the football on offer. The European Championship has often been a more exciting competition than the World Cup, due to the fact that the majority of the 16 teams competing are of a higher standard than some of those contesting the World Cup. This means, without England we can watch the football on offer, and be enthralled by the drama of the tournament, rather than England's campaign.

Of course the main attractions will be the giants of European football; France, Italy, Holland, Germany, but there will be other teams competing. Since I will be in Switzerland for the tournament, I will be supporting them. It would mean that the atmosphere in the joint-host nation would be sustained for longer, and since I have links to the country, perhaps it will finally bring out the hidden patriot in me.

The fact is, the quality of football in majour tournaments, and the coverage and devotion to it, is often sacrificed in favour of England, since the broadcasters and the fans are too busy with the latter to care about the former. With the absence of England, perhaps we can pay more attention to a great tournament this time round.

The England Fashion Show

England will wear their new away shirt for the first time against Switzerland on the 6th February at Wembley. Pictures of the new shirt have been leaked and it will probably be the worst-selling England shirt in years due to the failure of England to qualify for Euro 2008. The design is an interesting metaphor for the England side; a promise of change, but ends up being a re-hash of the previous effort.

From Football Shirts.co.uk

The red shirt, like the England side, isn't a poor one or in the case of the shirt, a fashion disaster. Initially it looks different, with the flags on the shoulders and the England crest moved into the centre. But after a while of looking at it, you realise. It's basically the same shirt. Nothing has really changed.

Steve McClaren promised a New England. He brought with him a new ethos, he wanted to make the national team like a club side. The press praised Mac after he had beaten the heavyweights of world football, Greece, Andorra and Macedonia, while praising "Club England". Of course, the media relationship turned sour after disappointing results cost England their place at Euro 2008. By the end of McClaren's tenure, the only way in which New England was successful, was the Patriots maintaining their unbeaten record in the NFL.

The new shirt, like England, will not be at Euro 2008 and is therefore likely to be a failure in terms of sales. Svensport loves new kits, but the current shirt looks like a training shirt. In all fairness, it doesn't look terrible, but doesn't exactly inspire a sense of change nor does it break from the past. Fabio Capello must ensure that England cannot be compared to the designs of their shirt.

The British Concept Of Failure

After Andy Murray's first round defeat to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga last Monday, certain sections of the media were once again calling him an underachiever, and dubbing him the "New Tim Henman". It was widely acknowledged that Tsonga was one of the toughest opponents that Murray could have faced in the first round, although no-one expected him to reach the final, after his stunning victory over Rafael Nadal on Thursday. So if the media knew this would be such a difficult match, why question Murray's ability as a tennis player? The answer is that in Britain we see success as absolute victory, rather than progress. Some people should realise that Murray is still young, and has plenty of time to put in a challenge for a Grand Slam.

The case of overreaction to a defeat has been enhanced further following Federer's exit from the Australian Open at the hands of Novak Djokovic this morning. Articles such as this have started to appear on the BBC's 606 messageboard. While it is not a particularly damming article, it does jump to a lot of conclusions after one result. No-one expected Tsonga's rise this tournament, but he has gone from being a player that Andy Murray in the first round on Day One to a player that John Lloyd declared on the BBC's coverage of the Australian Open that could win many Grand Slams, further evidence of the sometimes fickle nature of the media. Tsonga has received support from the French tennis bodies, despite being a bit older than some of the other top tennis players such as Gael Montflis and Richard Gasquet. The media has not criticised him for his lack of success and with the absence of pressure has managed to reach the summit of a Grand Slam. Andy Murray has had to contend with negative press and accusations since the moment he broke onto the scene in 2005 and if this is the way we treat our elite sports personalities, perhaps we don't deserve any at all. Sport is a competition which means there will inevitably be winners and losers and no nation can be the best in all.

This article on MSN by Tom Reed appeared on the 11th December, shortly after the 2007 Sports Personality of the year. This absurdly written article uses ludicrous examples and is a perfect example of the sporting culture of Britain and it's cynical nature. He uses the examples of the 2007 England Rugby World Cup side, who exceeded all expectations to reach the final, Lewis Hamilton who was a whisker away from the Formula 1 title and Ricky Hatton, who took on the best pound-for-pound boxer in the sport. He calls them all losers, and says he does not understand how the British public celebrate their achievements. All three examples he used made progress, and managed to compete with the best of the world, but ultimately lost. France did not reach the final, Alonso did not come as close to the Formula 1 title as Hamilton and Hatton lost to the best in the business. He says that France would not have sympathised or celebrated their football team for losing to Scotland and the Australians would not "wax lyrical" about their 2005 Ashes winning side. Of course they wouldn't. Scotland and England were the underdogs in both examples and it is a genuine failure to lose. Both France and Australia were among the best teams in their respective sports and to lose to Scotland and England is a sign of going backwards, not that of progress. This is in stark contract to the England rugby team, who were not expected to get anywhere near the final, and Lewis Hamilton who was in his rookie season. If these achievements, not failures as the article would have you believe, cannot be celebrated, then Britain does not deserve to have any sporting stars.

This attitude is what some blame for the failure of grass-roots football to produce English players, as parents and coaches think that ten year olds should be convinced that victory is the only goal rather than developing their skills. Of course it is not wrong to have a winning mentality, but unless ambition is relative to skill, further disappointments will inevitably occur. The media failed to recognise Tim Henman's achievements, anyone who reaches No.4 in the world, six Grand Slam semi-finals, two of which were on surfaces that were not his preferred grass and two of which were to one of the greatest players the game has seen. Despite this, Henman is still referred to as "the nearly-man". We must hope that Murray does not suffer the same treatment.

An NFL Odyssey

It was 3 a.m., I was tired, sick and in serious need of sleep. Yet I continued to watch as the NFC Championship game headed to overtime after the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants could not be separated in normal time. The game had been exciting, but tense, as the team I had picked last August had battled over four quarters to secure their place in the Superbowl. Then, my hopes of seeing the Packers in the Superbowl evaporated as Lawrence Tynes scored the points that secured the Giants the NFC title. It was disappointing, but the season had proved to me that American Football was as entertaining a sport as any other.

I had always disregarded the NFL, seeing it as an imposter, posing as rugby. I criticised the stop-start nature of the sport and saw it lacking the "fluidity" that Rugby Union and football have. However, these claims are unfounded and are just typical responses that British sport fans give when asked about American football. The first time I watched American football was last year's Superbowl. For some reason I was still awake when the match started and watched the first ten minutes. I could see why so many people found the sport entertaining, but never saw myself as being a follower of it. This summer, I decided that perhaps I should find out a little bit more about an American sport, considering I had absolutely no knowledge of baseball, basketball, ice hockey or indeed NFL. Picking a team was surprisingly easy. I had thought about picking the New England patriots, simply because they had England in name, but once I had researched the history and philosophy of the Green Bay Packers, there was no turning back.

At first I simply followed the results of the Packers, but my interest fell at the wayside for a while. However, it was restored after the game at Wembley. The match between Miami and the Giants was a dour affair, the contest ruining the hallowed turf at Wembley, yet I watched the match and was beginning to understand the sport a little bit better. I immediately started following Green Bay, with gamecasts on the Internet, and on TV whenever I could. Since Green Bay are from such a small city, they are rarely televised on national American television. Five broadcast Sunday and Monday night football, so I could watch some matches when I was suffering from temporary insomnia. I was hooked, and was eagerly anticipating the play-offs.

The Packers managed to defeat the Seahawks in the Divisional Play-offs, before last night's epic encounter with the Giants. The winner knew that they would face the New England Patriots in Arizona and the Giants seized their chance with that last minute field goal. The drama was there, as was the tension. This was big. The Superbowl is one of the most viewed events in the world. Not bad for a sport that is supposedly restricted to North America.

American football is an exciting, intriguing sport and deserves to be accepted as such. The match at Wembley showed the interest from fans in Britain and Europe and the NFL will return to the UK next season after the success of the Dolphins - Giants game. Television viewing figures increased 40% following the match and the NFL will look to capitalize on the rise. NFL is perhaps well poised to capture UK audiences. The matches on Sky Sports generally start at around 6 p.m., perfect for catching the football fan who will have just watched Super Sunday. While Five broadcast games, they are generally at ungodly hours, although I have caught a fair few this season. Surely the NFL, when the rights contracts are up for renewal, should offer a free-to-air highlights package that isn't on at 1.00am. This would ensure that the sport could regain some of the popularity it achieved in the 1980's.

The skeptics will still be out in force, calling the sport "American Rugby" and ignore the sport. I, for one, genuinely can't wait for the Superbowl, even though the Packers have not reached it. It will be broadcast on Sky Sports (and on HD) as well as live on BBC Two on the 3rd Februrary.The fact is, NFL is a superb sport, capable of capturing the imagination of sports fans everywhere. It's also the perfect way to spend a Sunday or Monday night when one can't sleep.