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JUNIOR
BLUES
SAY
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JUNIOR
BLUES
SAY
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20th
March 2001
Well what a week its been for us
poor Tottenham fans! Many in N17 will be glad that George Graham has
been sacked for "leaking " news that Tottenham don't have
a lot of money to spend. Hardly news was it, but it was enough (of
an excuse) for George to lose his job. Personally, I'm saddened by
the club's decision, because I thought that George was the man for
Tottenham, despite his former association with Arsenal.
When Ginola (remember him?) scored
against Manchester Utd in the Worthington Cup Quarter Final the other
year, George jumped up higher than I did in celebration. I knew then
that he was now a Tottenham man. However, he has been hounded by many
at Tottenham, and sadly it seems to me, the board have taken note
more of the moaning George Graham hate brigade, than of the improvements
being made on the pitch. Slow improvements I agree, but nonetheless,
things were getting better. Could they have got much worse?
David Pleat is now the caretaker
manager (yet again) and I was interested to note his lack of support
for George in the press in recent weeks. You don't think that he wanted
George to go, do you?
More encouraging was the support
for George from the players. They all seemed to have faith in George,
and all those whose interviews I have read, had good things to say
about him.
As reported earlier on this page,
George was on the brink of becoming the most successful manager at
Tottenham for 17 years (not hard to do, granted), and he gets sacked!
As for his replacement, I would not
be sorry to see Glen Hoddle in charge, but it could be a huge wrench
for him to leave Southampton. He's done well there, and despite the
lure of his old club, he may just decide to stay. There is so much
talk of him being "the man" for Tottenham that perhaps too
much would be expected of him.
There is so much clamour for Hoddle
to be made the new manager, that perhaps alternatives are not being
explored. Personally, I think another Ex Tottenham boy should be poached
from his current job, and that's Peter Taylor of Leicester.
I noticed today, that Marcello Lippi
has said that he's not interested in the job, because he doesn't speak
English, and there are too many British players at White Hart Lane!!
Honestly, I ask you!!!!
Stay in touch,
Chanzine.
7th
March 2001
Now then what's been in the news
this week? Ah! I know, Manchester United's bully boy tactics again,
and their getting "favourable" decisions. Mind you that's
not news, we've known this for years.
Incidentally, how Barthez escaped
a sending off, I'll never know - apart from who he plays for, I can't
think of any other reason.
After referee Graham Barber had the
audacity to award the other side a penalty, he was promptly surrounded
by irate Manchester United players. I thought that this wouldn't be
allowed to happen again, after the Andy D'Urso incident, funnily enough
also involving Manchester United.
Perhaps the FA should decide to make
an issue of this kind of thing - NEXT TIME.
Finally, for those of us who eventually
find some football to read about in the newspapers that isn't about
you know who, have you spotted that Jim Magilton is up before the
FA for verbally abusing a linesman (I'm sorry, I still think of them
as that). Well Jim, if you are reading this column as I'm sure that
you do, I've got a surefire way to get you off the charges. It doesn't
matter if you clock a referee in Belgium, or verbally ( and virtually
physically) abuse him/her in this country, all you have to do is sign
for Manchester United, and you'll be as free as OJ Simpson.
I rest my case.
Stay in touch,
Chanzine.
19th
Febraury 2001
Anyboby fail to spot Babayaro tread
on Lundberg? No I thought not, but I wouldn't be surprised if The
FA misses it!! Oh as if!!!!!!!!!!!
Stay in touch,
Chanzine.
19th
February 2001
A word for all the Tottenham fans
out there - which unless my son reads this, will just be me!
George Graham is doing a good job
at Tottenham, so get off his back! We might not be the best team around
(lets face it, it has been nearly 40 years since they were, so we
should be used to it!!), but at least they now seems to be some sort
of stability at White Hart Lane. Before George, we were even worse
(!) and possible candidates for relegation.
If by some miracle we win the FA
cup this year, then George Graham will have led Tottenham to TWO trophies
in a couple of years. You have to go back a long time since a Tottenham
manager led his team to two trophies - about 17 years in fact, so
come on lads, give the man a break.
It's going to get better, I can feel
it in my bones!!!
Stay in touch,
Chanzine.
18th
February 2001
Now then, I've a feeling that the
deeply buried cynic inside of me might come out, but have you noticed
some iffy penalty decisions recently? Nothing new there I suppose,
but in the last eight days, there have been some awful decisions.
Firstly, there was one when Stam
crudely brought down Zola. The only surprise there was that Mark Lawrenson
didn't think it was a penalty, much to Gary Lineker's,( and mine,)
disbelief. On the same weekend, "unfashionable" Coventry
were denied an equally blatant penalty (or at the very least a free
kick on the edge of the box), yet nothing was given.
Then today Liverpool were a dubious
penalty (after it seemed to me) Smicer clearly dived. So what's my
grouse? Only that there seems to be more than a little favouritism
towards some clubs - WHY? Are refs told to be lenient towards some
teams, or are they just incompetent?
Stay in touch,
Chanzine.
28th
January 2001
What a cracking result from Old Trafford,
today. You probably won't be able to read about it in the papers tomorrow,
because West Ham won 1-0! But what I really have to say, concerns
the after match analysis. Des Lynam asked "Where did Manchester
United go wrong?" What he should have said was "Didn't West
Ham play well!" More than a subtle difference I would have said.
Stay in touch,
Chanzine.
23rd
January 2001
Really, this moan should be read
AFTER the next one, and not before it. I have just watched some of
the Charlton and West Ham match, and towards the end, West Ham were
awarded a free kick. For some inexplicable reason, referee Dermot
Gallagher delayed the taking of the kick, whilst he sorted out the
West Ham players!! WHY?
Not only did this go to their disadvantage,
but also he allowed Scott Parker ( I apologise if I've got the wrong
name) to organise the Charlton wall from about one metre BEHIND the
ball, thus further impeding the taking of the kick. Scott Parker,
then quite deliberately walked over the ball and went (slowly) towards
his goals - again stopping the kick being taken. The West Ham players
had to then wait for Parker to get out of the way. When the kick was
eventually taken, there was no way that Parker was 10 yards from the
ball - even Trevor Francis noticed this. BUT THE REFEREE DID NOTHING!!
WHY NOT? - surely he spotted Parker's red shirt amongst the dark blue
of the Hammers? Or are refs not just blind, as we've known for years,
but they're also colour blind!
Stay in touch,
Chanzine.
1st
January 2001
Happy New Year Everyone
Having acted with such alacrity over the 10 yard
rule (shouldn't this be metric now?), the FA should now be thinking
about this next problem in football, and perhaps they may act upon
it before the year 2025!
I know it's nothing major, but it really bugs
me when I see players doing it. What it is, is this: - when a free
kick has been awarded, and the players are messing about trying to
make a "wall", another player, usually a forward, runs over
the ball or stands in front of it in order to delay the kick until
the wall is ready. Nothing is ever done to this player - why not?
Should the 10 yard rule not be used and/or the player concerned booked?
Come on FA, do something!
Stay in touch,
Chanzine.
10th November
2000
Apologies for such a long absence from this column,
but I have had a well earned break. With so much happening, I'll have
to be brief in my comments, until I catch up.
Well I suppose the biggest upset of recent months
has been the resignation of Kevin Keegan as England manager. This
is a job that leads to a hiding to nothing. With only one competition
every two years, there's not a lot of silverware to go round, and
certainly not in England's direction!
England's recent record in the last 30 years in
these competitions has not been very special, and even though one
or two of you may say that but for people missing vital penalties,
things could have been different. Now lets not kid each other, English
football is not particularly good, and hasn't been for many years.
In fact apart from giving the Dutch a good going over, I can't remember
the last time England came up with the goods.
Kevin Keegan took on the job that "the people"
wanted him to do, even though he knew that he didn't have the players
to work with. It's not like being a club manager, where you can buy
replacement players, no matter what their nationality - with the National
team what you see is what you get.
Now, when England played Germany in October, this
was probably the strongest England team which could be put out. Yet
they were outplayed, out-thought, and out-fought. The players were
awful! If players who earn more in a week than I do in a year, cannot
play with pride and passion when playing for their country, then they
should retire from the game. However, as a result of their ineptitude
and apathy, Keegan himself resigned, and I don't blame him one bit!!
Had he not done so, the press would have been calling for him to go
anyway.
The papers next day were all about Keegan selling
England down the river. There was barely a mention of how bad the
players were. Are players nowadays not allowed to be criticised? They
should all hang their heads in shame. They let down 50m people, Keegan
didn't.
A few days later under Howard (let's sack Peter
Taylor as U21 manager because he's doing so well) Wilkinson, took
over the reins for a colossal match against Finland! The players had
an immediate chance to show what they were made of, and this they
duly did. They held mighty Finland to a 0-0 draw!! I suppose this
was Kevin Keegan's fault, too!
So what do the FA do next? I know, they'll appoint
Peter Taylor, who they sacked 18 months previous, and then appoint
a foreigner as England Manager. And as you know, this is just what
they did!
Peter Taylor's re-appointment, I'll go a long
with, but to appoint Sven Goran Ericksson speaks volumes for the state
of English football. And here's me thinking that it was just the players
that were bad. Obviously, the English managers are a poor lot, too!
For years, (before this website), I wanted to
see more foreigners playing in England, but apart from one or two,
this never happened. Tiwh the exception of the two Argentinians at
Tottenham, and the two Dutchmen at Ipswich, I've got a job recalling
any decent foreigners playing in England until the early nineties.
Then the floodgates opened, and every over-the-hill foreigner seemed
to turn up on our shores looking for, and getting a game. It got to
such a state that most Premiership sides could field an entire side
ineligible toplay for England, and occasionally, this actually happened.
OK, so my wish to see foreigners playing over
here came true, but rarely the quality players I would like to see.
We are now in the situation where any second rate foreigner can get
a game, thus shutting the door for the young British players - because
Scotland have suffered as well, but at least the Scottish National
team plays with a pride and passion lacking from England's games.
If our league were really the best in the world,
as we've been led to believe for years, then why have we had so few
current International players from Brazil, Holland (apart from Bergkamp),
Italy (Zola excluded, possibly), Spain, Germany, France (until very
recentlt)Argentina etc etc. Why aren't the Cruyffs (I don't mean Jordy!!!),
Maradonnas, Beckenbauers, Eusebios, Peles etc etc of today, playing
over here during the PEAK of their career?
The simple answer is that we don't have a good
enough league to attract them. Perhaps it is the number of games we
play, I don't know, but it's certainly not down to money, because
these foreign has-beens seem to be paid rather well!
So it seems that the number of foreigner players
has got to be restricted, and come to that why not foreign managers
too, or coaches as they are now called. Then perhaps England may be
able to have an English manager once again. At least Scotland have
a Jock in charge!!
So much for being brief!!
Stay in touch,
Chanzine.
1st June 2000
Tottenham have just bought striker
Sergei Rebrov from Dynamo Kiev for £11m. David Pleat, Tottenham's
Director of Football said yesterday that he hopes that fans do not
expect too much from him, in so far as scoring goals is concerned.
If that is the case, it prompts me to ask JUST WHY DID THEY BUY HIM
THEN?
On the same day, Man Utd bought Fabien Barthez,
yet another goalkeeper.(Incidentally, they got Mark Bosnich from Villa
on a "free" Bosman transfer, so would it be ethical for
them to sell him now for £x million and Villa not get any of
it?) So I suppose we'll be hearing Alex Ferguson saying not to worry
if he lets in six goals a game. As much as I would like it to , I
can't see it happening!!
Stay in Touch,
Chanzine.
1st June 2000
On the same day as
above, it was reported in the Daily Express that David Beckham admitted
that Alex Ferguson encouraged his players to harrass referees in order
to influence decisions.
Now that we know this, I suppose
that it makes it OK? I bet a lesser team wouldn't get away with such
an admission.
Interesting!!
Stay in Touch,
Chanzine
21st May 2000
Cheating or
a Miracle?
Funny how this seems to crop up
more and more in football, nowadays. What this particular one is about,
is players feigning injury. We've all see it - players rolling over
52 times, then lying prostrate on the turf, dead! Well not quite dead,
but 99% of the way to being dead.
The game is stopped whilst the trainer performs
yet another miracle (at the risk of being blasphemous, the trainer
of ANY football team, performs more miracles than Jesus ever did)
and reluctantly the near cadaver is led away, off the pitch.
It is within those vital seconds of being escorted
off the field of play that the miracle takes effect, and there is
an instant recovery by the player, who is then waved back on to the
pitch by the ref (bless him), and he continues manfully, despite having
broken his leg less than a minute previous.
Now call me an old cynic, but I don't think that
these players are really injured.
So what can we do to stop this happening?
It's quite simple really. Whenever a player has
to go off the field of play whilst the miracle takes effect, he should
not be allowed to return for 10 minutes. That would cut out the play-acters.
Simple or what?
Stay in Touch,
Chanzine.
29th March 2000
Just a very brief
chunder today, because I've not said much recently. I just thought
that I would inform you that David Beckham has had his head shaved.
I'm sure that this will be momentous news to you. Remember, you heard
it first here! Well perhaps not in this case!!
Stay in touch,
Chanzine.
3rd March 2000
There have been many recent incidents
of players elbowing fellow players. Unfortunately this is now a part
of the modern game, but it shouldn't be!
Jim Smith has stated publically, that players
should receive a six match ban. I believe that Mr Smith is being too
lenient. Players should receive a much longer ban than that. The now
infamous use of the elbow by Gazza on George Boateng, is the most
recent incident.
The FA have really hit Gazza hard for his use
of the elbow! He has been banned for three games (starting now, I
presume) and fine him £5,000.Bearing in mind that the player
is allegedly rather rich, I don't think that the fine will hurt too
much, and bearing in mind that he is now out with a broken arm, a
ban won't hurt much either!
I really believe that the FA have been too soft
on Gazza, and the others involved in similar incidents (- I'm not
meaning to pick on Gazza). In this particular instance, I think that
The Almighty meted out a punishment that really hurt - a broken arm!!
The final point to raise here, is the alleged,
amazing, comment from the Middlesboro assistant manager, Viv Anderson.
He thinks that Gazza's punishment is too harsh.
Words fail me, for once!!!
Stay in touch,
Chanzine.
22nd February
2000
In case you've been out of the country for a year
or two, I'll fill you in on the sport's news . It can be done in two
words, or four if you count his club, - David Beckham! The latest
thing now, is that he missed training on Saturday. It is now Tuesday,
and in one tabloid I looked at today, it took up SIX PAGES.
Can't the press give the bloke a break ( and the
rest of us, too), it wasn't such a big deal, was it? The best thing
Beckham can do, is to go to Barcelona for the £22m that is being
bandied about in the press. His boss would be happy with £22m
to spend, his team mates would be happy to get more press coverage,
the fans would be happy to read about somone else, his wife would
be happy, the player himself would be happy. In fact everyone would
be happy, wouldn't they?
Well not quite everybody. The press would have
to find another target to hound. Perhaps this new target wouldn't
be so easy for them, and they'd have to work harder for their living!
Stay in touch,
Chanzine.
19th February
2000
I've just come back from watching LTFC get a hammering,
at the hands of Blyth Spartans. Now that I can take (I'm used to seeing
a hammering or two), but what caught my attention in this game, was
what lead to their first goal.
As you are well aware, the offside law has been
changed to accommodate "not interfering with play". What
happened with Blyth's first goal (and before you say it, it 's not
sour grapes, because they deserved to be at least two up at the time)
was that a Blyth player was beyond doubt, in an offside position.
The defence (a rather static defence, it must be said) stood their
ground and appealed for an offside, which was not given, since the
player was not "interfering". Needless to say, but I'll
say it anyway, another player raced on and scored. Fair enough, I've
no problem with that.
However, this raises two issues, which represent
opposite view points. I'm not exactly sure which side I lean to yet.
I'll tell you at the end! Oh! the suspense of it all!
Firstly, the rule is there, and all players (should)
know of its existence. If the referee and/or his or her assistant
had deemed it to be offside, they would have given it. Standing on
the half way line (or wherever) with your arm up in the air (a la
Arsenal) is pointless, and doesn't half make you look stupid when
it isn't given, and someone else goes on to score. Surely you've got
to carry on chasing the ball (or whatever!), and only stop when you
hear the whistle?
Secondly, and paradoxically, if someone is in
an offside position, then he (or she) should be given offside - just
like in the good old days! Then there is no argument - well there
shouldn't be! As Shanks once said " if someone's not interfering
with play, what's he doing on the pitch?".
Now, which way would my vote go? The second viewpoint
I think. If you're offside, then you're offside! And it might just
save LTFC from conceding some more goals!
Stay in touch,
Chanzine.
10th February
2000
A quick return to the keyboard, since it's only
two days since the last effort.The subject
today is ground sharing.
Why oh why cannot more of our clubs share a ground?
Nowadays, money rules footie, and with one or two exceptions, there
very few many clubs who could be deemed as being well off.
Many of our clubs are in the process of rebuilding
their stadia, or as is the case with some, they have moved to a new
ground altogether - I've got mixed feelings on that one. Whether it
is refurbishment or removal, it costs an awful lot of money. The vast
majority of these clubs cannot afford these expenses, and let's face
it, at the end of the day, they are passed on to the fans.
The answer is quite simple - ground sharing!
Why don't Tottenham and Arsenal build a super
new stadium and share it? Ah! but the fans won't like it, I hear you
say.
Since when have we mattered?
And don't we want to be able to watch our team
live? With some ground capacities below
40,000, this isn't possible for a lot of fans.
If a new stadium accommodating say 75,000 spectators
were built, thus allowing fans to go to watch when they can (afford!),
wouldn't that be more important than grousing about with whom the
stadium is shared? The two Milan teams share a ground, and you don't
get much more rivalry than in Milan, and they seem to manage. So why
can't the two North London teams, the two Sheffield teams, the two
Manchester teams, the two Liverpool teams, the two Stoke teams, and
even the two Bristol teams etc. etc.?
Surely it makes economic sense. If one end of
a ground was blue, and the other end was red, I'm sure most fans could
live with that. I know I could.
Stay in touch.
Chanzine.
8th February
2000
I don't want to say
I told you so , or anything like that, but loyal readers of my Editorial,
will know that on 17/1/00 I urged the football authorities to get
tough on player abuse of referees. Then what happens? Over two weeks
later, following on from Manchester United's disgraceful "attack"
on referee Andy D'Urso in the Boro' game, the FA have decided to clamp
down on player abuse on refs! (Man Utd fans don't worry, they'll get
away with it as usual, especially since your boys "behaved"
in their next game against Wednesday, so what happened in the Boro'
game is now forgotten!).
Following on from this, I suggested
in the very same article ( below), that it may just be a good idea
to introduce the "10 yard rule" which has been so successful
in rugby. Lo and behold, what happened next? Yes! Well spotted! The
FA are going to introduce the 10 yard rule. Three weeks AFTER my original
suggestion! OH WELL DONE DOWN IN LANCASTER GATE!!!!!!
In fact, Charlie Tostevin, the Jersey
FA senior vice-president, has been campaigning for the introduction
of this for 15 YEARS. Even before me!
I fully realise that the "10
yard rule" has been on trial recently, but why? All good sports
fans, of which I like to think includes yours truly, even if it is
from the comfort of an armchair, know that the "10 yard rule"
has been brilliant for rugby, so why have we had to have trials in
football (soccer, for my American readers!) in some minor leagues
or tournaments (apologies to the sponsors for calling their tournaments
"minor", but you know what I mean)?
In the mean time, what else can I
say, but - I TOLD YOU SO!
Stay in touch,
Chanzine.
17th January 2000
Soapbox time again, I'm afraid!
This time the subject is the incessant moaning of our senior players.
Why, Oh Why do today's footballers
have to dispute EVERY decision? Every time I force myself to watch
footie, I get more and more wound up watching grown "men"
argue with virtually every decision that the referee makes. Now
we all know that the refs are there to be slagged off, but let's
be fair, how can they do their job properly, when all around them,
the players are cheating? - that's the only word for it. By pressurising
the refs, they hope to get future decisions in their favour, and
we all know that at certain grounds and with certain teams, this
works!
How often do you see players surround
the ref when he awards a free kick or books someone, or even awards
a throw in? There is no need for it, and it's time it was kicked
out of football once and for all. Apart from trying to influence
the ref, they are also stopping the other side get on with the game.
The ball isn't in play much as it is - but that's another story!
It's been talked about before,
often, but isn't it time to introduce the 10 metre rule that has
been so successful in rugby? If any player disputes a decision,
the free kick (or whatever) is advanced by 10 metres, until ultimately
a penalty would be given - that would set them off moaning again
so you then send them off!! Problem solved.
Let's stop this moaning NOW, before
it rears its ugly head in junior football.
Stay in touch.
Chanzine.
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