London, May 19 (Ians) The Premier League prepares for another huge weekend of matches which could see the title decided with two matches left to play.
The races to qualify for the UEFA Champions League and to avoid relegation are just as close as ever in what promises to be 48 hours of tension and drama.
If Manchester City win at home over Chelsea on Sunday afternoon, they will be confirmed as this season’s Premier League champions. Pep Guardiola’s side have a four-point lead over Arsenal, who have just two games left to play, reports Xinhua.
City will have their morale sky-high after a magnificent 4-0 win at home to Real Madrid on Wednesday night which ensured their place in the Champions League final, and Guardiola has the option to bring in fresh players such as Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez against Chelsea.
Chelsea’s disastrous season continued...
The races to qualify for the UEFA Champions League and to avoid relegation are just as close as ever in what promises to be 48 hours of tension and drama.
If Manchester City win at home over Chelsea on Sunday afternoon, they will be confirmed as this season’s Premier League champions. Pep Guardiola’s side have a four-point lead over Arsenal, who have just two games left to play, reports Xinhua.
City will have their morale sky-high after a magnificent 4-0 win at home to Real Madrid on Wednesday night which ensured their place in the Champions League final, and Guardiola has the option to bring in fresh players such as Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez against Chelsea.
Chelsea’s disastrous season continued...
- 5/19/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
London, May 12 (Ians) It promises to be another dramatic weekend in the Premier League with virtually everything still to play for; from the title down to the battle to avoid relegation.
League leaders Manchester City don’t play until Sunday afternoon, which is surprising given they have the second leg of their Champions League semifinal at home to Real Madrid on Wednesday night, and Pep Guardiola’s side needs as much recovery time as possible.
Guardiola didn’t make any substitutions during Tuesday night’s Champions League first leg and the players who were on the bench in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, such as Phil Foden, Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez can all be expected to start on Sunday, a Xinhua report said.
Everton produced their performance of the season on Monday to win 5-1 away to Brighton and climb out of the bottom three, and looking at...
League leaders Manchester City don’t play until Sunday afternoon, which is surprising given they have the second leg of their Champions League semifinal at home to Real Madrid on Wednesday night, and Pep Guardiola’s side needs as much recovery time as possible.
Guardiola didn’t make any substitutions during Tuesday night’s Champions League first leg and the players who were on the bench in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, such as Phil Foden, Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez can all be expected to start on Sunday, a Xinhua report said.
Everton produced their performance of the season on Monday to win 5-1 away to Brighton and climb out of the bottom three, and looking at...
- 5/12/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
London, May 7 (Ians) Manchester City piled on the pressure at the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 win at home to Leeds United on Saturday that leaves them four points clear of Arsenal, who have a difficult visit to third place Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.
Kevin de Bruyne started for City after injury, while Erling Haaland was also in the starting line-up, although Pep Guardiola rested Jack Grealish, John Stones, Bernardo Silva, Rodri and Ruben Dias ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League semi final first leg away to Real Madrid.
Leeds had new coach Sam Allardyce in the dugout, but the veteran could only watch as City dominated the first half, with Ilkay Gundogan scoring two drilled shots from the edge of the Leeds area after two assists from Riyad Mahrez, a Xinhua report said.
Haaland hit the woodwork twice in the second half and Gundogan missed...
Kevin de Bruyne started for City after injury, while Erling Haaland was also in the starting line-up, although Pep Guardiola rested Jack Grealish, John Stones, Bernardo Silva, Rodri and Ruben Dias ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League semi final first leg away to Real Madrid.
Leeds had new coach Sam Allardyce in the dugout, but the veteran could only watch as City dominated the first half, with Ilkay Gundogan scoring two drilled shots from the edge of the Leeds area after two assists from Riyad Mahrez, a Xinhua report said.
Haaland hit the woodwork twice in the second half and Gundogan missed...
- 5/7/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
London, May 5 (Ians) Manchester City have the chance to move four points clear at the top of the Premier League this weekend in what could be a decisive round of matches at both the top and bottom of the table.
Pep Guardiola’s side host Leeds United, who this week brought in Sam Allardyce to replace Javi Gracia as head coach, following a disastrous April which saw them lose five out of seven matches and concede 23 goals.
Allardyce’s first job is to stop the flood of goals, but that won’t be easy against a rival boasting Erling Haaland in attack. The only good news for Leeds is that City will have to keep one eye on next Tuesday’s Champions League visit to Real Madrid and Guardiola will be keen to keep his key players as sharp as possible.
Kevin de Bruyne is a doubt after missing City...
Pep Guardiola’s side host Leeds United, who this week brought in Sam Allardyce to replace Javi Gracia as head coach, following a disastrous April which saw them lose five out of seven matches and concede 23 goals.
Allardyce’s first job is to stop the flood of goals, but that won’t be easy against a rival boasting Erling Haaland in attack. The only good news for Leeds is that City will have to keep one eye on next Tuesday’s Champions League visit to Real Madrid and Guardiola will be keen to keep his key players as sharp as possible.
Kevin de Bruyne is a doubt after missing City...
- 5/5/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Leeds (England), May 3 (Ians) Leeds United Fc sacked manager Javi Gracia after 12 games in charge and appointed former England boss Sam Allardyce as manager, the Premier League club confirmed on Wednesday.
Gracia, who was appointed in February as Jesse Marsch’s successor on a flexible contract, has been sacked after less than three months. His final match in charge was Sunday’s 4-1 defeat at Bournemouth.
This was the record-extending 15th managerial departure in the Premier League this season.
“Leeds United can confirm Javi Gracia will leave the club after 12 games in charge. Zigor Aranalde, Mikel Antia and Juan Solla, who joined alongside Gracia, will also leave the club. The remaining four games of the season will be overseen by experienced head coach Sam Allardyce,” the club statement read.
Allardyce’s first game in charge of Leeds’ will be Saturday’s Premier League away trip at Manchester City.
He will...
Gracia, who was appointed in February as Jesse Marsch’s successor on a flexible contract, has been sacked after less than three months. His final match in charge was Sunday’s 4-1 defeat at Bournemouth.
This was the record-extending 15th managerial departure in the Premier League this season.
“Leeds United can confirm Javi Gracia will leave the club after 12 games in charge. Zigor Aranalde, Mikel Antia and Juan Solla, who joined alongside Gracia, will also leave the club. The remaining four games of the season will be overseen by experienced head coach Sam Allardyce,” the club statement read.
Allardyce’s first game in charge of Leeds’ will be Saturday’s Premier League away trip at Manchester City.
He will...
- 5/3/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Leeds (England), May 2 (Ians) Premier League club Leeds United have removed the director of football Victor Orta following Sunday’s 4-1 defeat to Bournemouth.
Orta joined the Whites in the summer of 2017 and helped oversee changes at the club that led to Leeds United being promoted back to the Premier League in 2020.
“I am deeply saddened by the way this chapter closes as Victor has been responsible for some of the best moments of my time as owner of Leeds United and I thank him and his people for all they have done in the past six years,” club owner Andrea Radrizzani said in a statement.
“However, it is clear that it is time to change direction and therefore we have agreed that Victor will leave the club.
“I understand supporters are hurt and upset, but now is a time for unity. We have four cup finals left to play this season and working together,...
Orta joined the Whites in the summer of 2017 and helped oversee changes at the club that led to Leeds United being promoted back to the Premier League in 2020.
“I am deeply saddened by the way this chapter closes as Victor has been responsible for some of the best moments of my time as owner of Leeds United and I thank him and his people for all they have done in the past six years,” club owner Andrea Radrizzani said in a statement.
“However, it is clear that it is time to change direction and therefore we have agreed that Victor will leave the club.
“I understand supporters are hurt and upset, but now is a time for unity. We have four cup finals left to play this season and working together,...
- 5/2/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Soccer Aid for Unicef 2020 has, thanks to the generosity of ITV viewers, raised a record £11,552,577 – the most the match has ever raised in the history of the show, which was broadcast exclusively live on ITV and Stv.
For the first time in the match’s history, donations were matched by both the UK government and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, meaning every £1 donated becomes £3 – up to £3 million – until Tuesday 6th October 2020.
This year’s teams of celebrities and former professional footballers played for ‘Generation Covid’, and the money raised will help Unicef stop the spread of coronavirus and limit the impact on children’s lives around the world.
The match, which was played behind-closed-doors at Manchester United Fc’s Old Trafford, ended 1-1 and so went to penalties. The game marked a return to the North West following last year’s game at Chelsea Fc’s Stamford Bridge.
It was another enthralling contest between England,...
For the first time in the match’s history, donations were matched by both the UK government and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, meaning every £1 donated becomes £3 – up to £3 million – until Tuesday 6th October 2020.
This year’s teams of celebrities and former professional footballers played for ‘Generation Covid’, and the money raised will help Unicef stop the spread of coronavirus and limit the impact on children’s lives around the world.
The match, which was played behind-closed-doors at Manchester United Fc’s Old Trafford, ended 1-1 and so went to penalties. The game marked a return to the North West following last year’s game at Chelsea Fc’s Stamford Bridge.
It was another enthralling contest between England,...
- 9/7/2020
- Look to the Stars
Soccer Aid for Unicef 2019, broadcast live and exclusively on ITV and Stv this week, has raised a record-breaking £6,774,764 so far – over £1m more than last year’s on the night total – for Unicef’s vital work keeping children around the world happy, healthy and safe to play.
This amount was raised thanks to the generous support of the UK public, ITV and Stv viewers, and the UK government who have matched all donations so far, doubling the difference made to children’s lives. This figure has smashed all previous records for money raised on the night.
The eagerly anticipated match took place in London for the first time in over a decade, packing out Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge Stadium with a whopping 39,836 in attendance. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, leading to a nail-biting penalty shoot-out for the second year in a row, with the Soccer Aid World XI...
This amount was raised thanks to the generous support of the UK public, ITV and Stv viewers, and the UK government who have matched all donations so far, doubling the difference made to children’s lives. This figure has smashed all previous records for money raised on the night.
The eagerly anticipated match took place in London for the first time in over a decade, packing out Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge Stadium with a whopping 39,836 in attendance. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, leading to a nail-biting penalty shoot-out for the second year in a row, with the Soccer Aid World XI...
- 6/18/2019
- Look to the Stars
Soccer Aid for Unicef players including Usain Bolt, Niall Horan, Jamie Redknapp and Sir Mo Farah joined more than 250 guests for a star-studded gala tonight at the Science Museum in South Kensington, raising a staggering £425,000 to support Unicef’s vital work protecting children in danger around the world.
The superstars and footballing legends descended on London’s Science Museum for the first ever Soccer Aid for Unicef Gala, hosted by Mark Wright. The evening featured an interactive football themed reception, complete with a real grass ‘green carpet’ and walkthrough player tunnel. Guests were also treated to exclusive performances from Robbie Williams and world freestyle football sensation, Ben Nuttall.
As part of his performance, Robbie Williams announced live on stage Sir Mo Farah will be this year’s captain of the England team, much to the surprise of Sir Mo himself, who was delighted to accept the captain’s armband.
Actor...
The superstars and footballing legends descended on London’s Science Museum for the first ever Soccer Aid for Unicef Gala, hosted by Mark Wright. The evening featured an interactive football themed reception, complete with a real grass ‘green carpet’ and walkthrough player tunnel. Guests were also treated to exclusive performances from Robbie Williams and world freestyle football sensation, Ben Nuttall.
As part of his performance, Robbie Williams announced live on stage Sir Mo Farah will be this year’s captain of the England team, much to the surprise of Sir Mo himself, who was delighted to accept the captain’s armband.
Actor...
- 6/14/2019
- Look to the Stars
This week, actor David Harewood met members of parliament at a Soccer Aid for Unicef event at the Houses of Parliament to support the Great Big Kickabout.
MPs attended the afternoon reception, which was hosted by Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon Jon Bercow, in the State Rooms. David Harewood told MPs about his recent trip to Sierra Leone, where he saw first-hand how Unicef programmes are improving child health, early childhood development and education in vulnerable communities.
David Harewood said: "I recently travelled to Sierra Leone with Unicef saw with my own eyes some of the incredible work done to help children around the world.
“I visited a baby care unit where there were babies no bigger than my hand, fighting for breath and fighting for life. The lifesaving work doctors and staff were doing there reminded me of why I play for Soccer Aid for Unicef.
MPs attended the afternoon reception, which was hosted by Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon Jon Bercow, in the State Rooms. David Harewood told MPs about his recent trip to Sierra Leone, where he saw first-hand how Unicef programmes are improving child health, early childhood development and education in vulnerable communities.
David Harewood said: "I recently travelled to Sierra Leone with Unicef saw with my own eyes some of the incredible work done to help children around the world.
“I visited a baby care unit where there were babies no bigger than my hand, fighting for breath and fighting for life. The lifesaving work doctors and staff were doing there reminded me of why I play for Soccer Aid for Unicef.
- 5/22/2019
- Look to the Stars
Critically Acclaimed singer-songwriter, fashion designer, actress and TV star Rita Ora will perform an exclusive live half time set at Soccer Aid for Unicef 2019 at Chelsea Fc’s Stamford Bridge Stadium in London on Sunday 16th June, broadcast exclusively on ITV and Stv.
The global superstar has also been named a Unicef UK Ambassador, it was announced today. Having supported Unicef UK since 2013, when she featured in the charity’s ‘No Place Like Home’ video to help raise awareness of the refugee crisis in Syria, Rita has supported numerous campaigns and performed at celebrated Unicef events including the Halloween Ball, Match for Children and the Unicef Summer Gala in Italy.
Rita also recently travelled to her native Kosovo earlier this year in support of the Soccer Aid for Unicef campaign to see how Unicef programmes are improving child health, childhood development and education in marginalised communities.
Rita made the surprise...
The global superstar has also been named a Unicef UK Ambassador, it was announced today. Having supported Unicef UK since 2013, when she featured in the charity’s ‘No Place Like Home’ video to help raise awareness of the refugee crisis in Syria, Rita has supported numerous campaigns and performed at celebrated Unicef events including the Halloween Ball, Match for Children and the Unicef Summer Gala in Italy.
Rita also recently travelled to her native Kosovo earlier this year in support of the Soccer Aid for Unicef campaign to see how Unicef programmes are improving child health, childhood development and education in marginalised communities.
Rita made the surprise...
- 5/14/2019
- Look to the Stars
Soccer Aid for Unicef is breaking new ground in football by including top female ex-professionals alongside their male counterparts – for the first time – in the world’s biggest and most successful charity football match.
Working in partnership with the Football Association, match organisers have agreed that two top tier female players will feature on each team for the full 90 minutes alongside a mix of male ex-football legends and celebrities.
The game at Chelsea Fc’s Stamford Bridge will be monitored by Brunel University researchers who are conducting an ongoing study for the Fa into mixed adult participation in recreational football.
Ex-England internationals Rachel Yankey OBE and Katie Chapman will be the first female players to feature for the Soccer Aid for Unicef England team co-managed by Sam Allardyce and Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid.
Yankey is one of England’s most-capped players of all time with 129 caps to her name.
Working in partnership with the Football Association, match organisers have agreed that two top tier female players will feature on each team for the full 90 minutes alongside a mix of male ex-football legends and celebrities.
The game at Chelsea Fc’s Stamford Bridge will be monitored by Brunel University researchers who are conducting an ongoing study for the Fa into mixed adult participation in recreational football.
Ex-England internationals Rachel Yankey OBE and Katie Chapman will be the first female players to feature for the Soccer Aid for Unicef England team co-managed by Sam Allardyce and Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid.
Yankey is one of England’s most-capped players of all time with 129 caps to her name.
- 5/1/2019
- Look to the Stars
In the mid 90s foreign players flocked to the English Premier League like Brits to sunny Benidorm. With them they brought style, skill, flair, character, and extravagant simulation; aka diving.
In the first Premier League season (1992/93) there were only 11 foreign players named in the starting line-ups for the first set of fixtures. Since then over 2,000 foreign players have graced the Premier League. So it’s no coincidence that the amount of simulation has increased as the years have gone on. I mean Jurgen Klinsmann would openly celebrate by showing the world he was a cheater when he scored a goal. It’s sadly now just become part of the beautiful game. You could even go as far as saying that the creators of Football Manager 2018 should put ‘diving ability’ as an attribute on player’s profiles.
I know that it’s not only foreign imports who try to con the referee with their acrobatics, of course some British players fall into that category too. But watching back matches from the 70s and 80s, such as the Chelsea vs Leeds Fa Cup final in 1970 and the Liverpool vs Everton matches in the 80s, its clear that diving wasn’t a problem within the game. In fact most challenges in those era’s would now warrant an 8 match ban. Back then the game was known as a contact sport, so when tackles flew in, players accepted that it was part of the game. Players gave as good as they got. It was as important to have a player in your team who didn’t mind getting stuck in, as much as a goal scorer. Maybe that’s part of the problem. As the years have rolled by football has slowly become a non-contact sport. So as soon as players feel contact, however little, they will go down. To the point that certain players go down when their not even touched. You can’t get more non contact than that.
So next season the Fa have decided to clamp down on diving once and for all. The good old Fa. If I know the Fa like I think I do, then I’m sure they’ll make this aspect of the game even more of a problem. Which in the end will just highlight the fact it’s impossible to stamp diving out of the game. The fact they said and I quote, ‘we are trying to prevent “Robert Snodgrass situations”’, proves my point. Do they understand that “a Robert Snodgrass situation” already has a term, it’s called ‘simulation’. Are we meant to use that term now? Are pundit’s supposed to say, “oh he’ s done a Robert Snodgrass.” The Fa are apparently “formulating a process” that they hope will reverse the trend of more simulation in the English game. Oh great. I can’t wait to see what mess they make of this.
I have to agree with Sam Allardyce, the idea of a retrospective ban is ‘utter rubbish’. He goes on to make a valid point about what happens if the referees make a wrong decision, and how are the Fa supposed to reverse those mistakes. It’s impossible to fix by just saying that they will be handing out a two game retrospective ban for those who try to cheat their way to a positive result. The problem is that 99% of football players will try to win at all costs, even if it involves trying to con the referee into making the wrong decision.
Jurgen Klinsmann played up to his reputation as a diver when celebrating a goal.
It happens at all levels, be it in the Premier League or on a Saturday playing for Chalfont St Peter against Uxbridge in the Evo-stik League Southern Division One Central. Let’s take Victor Moses in the Fa Cup final. If the referee had been tricked into thinking he had been fouled, and Chelsea went on to score the penalty to win the game, do you think Antonio Conte would have cared if his player had cheated his way to victory? I mean I’m glad the referee wasn’t conned by Moses’ attempts to win a penalty as I don’t think it’s right. But that’s not to say I don’t think it’s wrong to try and attempt to do it. He was sent off, and that was the price he had to pay to attempt to win his team a penalty.
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino described Dele Alli as “a little bit naughty” after winning a penalty against Swansea. But he doesn’t care. His team won, and the three points are all that matters. I guarantee managers prefer 3 points in whatever manner. The prospect of losing a player for two games with this new banning system out weighs playing fairly, and drawing the game.
The retrospective ban will not stamp out diving in football. There’s too much at stake during those 90 minutes. You’re telling me you wouldn’t want your player to dive to win a penalty if it meant you would win the league, or finish in the top four, or even avoid relegation? Some of these dives would make the club tens of millions of pounds. And I’ll tell you something that you probably already know, but if a player had the opportunity to go down to win a penalty and decided not to as it was deemed as simulation, the manager and players would definitely voice their opinion on the matter after the game. They would not be giving that player a pat on the back, and saying well done for playing fairly. I’ve been in changing rooms after football matches where managers have lost it at players who chose to stay on their feet, when actually they could have gone down and won a penalty. Players are somewhat told to cheat, in order to win the game at all costs.
But here’s the main problem with the new retrospective diving bans . ‘Only incidents that result in a player winning a penalty or lead to an opponent being sent off – through either a direct red card or two yellow cards – will be punished.’ Are you kidding me? So unless the dive results in a penalty or a red card, there will be no retrospective action? So let me throw out a couple of scenarios that mean it’s deemed acceptable to cheat and get away with it.
1. A player dives just outside the box, the referee deems it to be a foul and awards a free kick in the 92nd minute. That teams set piece taker then executes a perfect free kick and scores. The team then win the game from the resulting free kick they won through cheating.
The Fa will not be handing out a retrospective ban.
2. A player dives, the referee deems it to be a foul, and books the opposing defender. In the second half the player on a booking has to make an important tackle that he times wrong, and is shown another yellow card resulting in the team having to play with ten men.
The Fa will not be handing out a retrospective ban for the player who dived for the first yellow card incident.
Already its a mess! Sadly there is only one way to try and stop simulation. It seems Allardyce must have read my last article. I know he’s a big fan. He says, “bring technology in, let us look at it on the day and then bring a sin bin in so we can put him in that for 10 minutes and then put him back on.” He’s right. The retrospective ban will be confusing and hard to implement, as the smallest touch can prove they haven’t dived but it still wasn’t enough contact to go down. It’s impossible to call most simulation attempts 100% correctly. The only retrospective bans they can give is if there is no contact at all, but that is still tough to clamp down on because of the speed of the game. If a player believes a challenge is coming they may try to prevent the foul and possible injury by jumping out of the tackle. In the act of avoiding the tackle they may lose their balance, but it doesn’t mean they have attempted to dive. It’s clear when a player dives, and referees are there to spot these moments.
Victor Moses was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for diving in the 2017 Fa Cup Final.
Ultimately bringing in retrospective banning won’t mean it will stamp diving out of the game. Because this new law won’t actually effect the game in real time. A team that loses because of an opposing player diving don’t care if that player is then banned for the next two games as it doesn’t change the most important thing. The result. And what if that team are then playing their rivals in the next game and are unable to play there best player? That means the team who lost the game through an opposing player diving gets punished again. Not only that. If a player gets sent off due to an opposing player diving, that team still has to play a Premier League game with ten men for a period of the match. They are then punished for an opposing player cheating. After the final whistle is blown that team won’t care about retrospective action. The game has finished and the result stands.
The retrospective ban will not work fairly, and that’s the whole point of trying to solve diving within the game. Like me and Big Sam said, the only way is to find a solution is by using video technology during the actual game. That would definitely make players think twice about attempting to fool the referee into making a wrong decision. The idea of a sin bin could also work, like in Rugby. If a player is shown to have dived without any contact, the referee would place that player into a 10 minute sin bin. Players and fans will soon become fed up of playing with 10 men for long periods of the game. Chelsea fans quickly grew tired of Didier Drogba‘s embarrassing attempts to throw himself to the ground, and began to boo him when he kept trying to win cheap free kicks through simulation. It wasn’t long that he realised his own fans were against him. Of course he still went down far too easily at some points but at least the fans tried their best to change his ways. Maybe it’s up to certain players own fans to make them aware of their unacceptable antics.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche believes diving will be eradicated in six months if the bans are introduced, but I really can’t see that happening. It’s like how the Fa tried to cut out the verbal abuse referees receive from players, and look how that turned out. But what I can’t seem to get my head around is why haven’t the Fa been giving retrospective bans in the first place. I thought retrospective bans were given when referees had missed something off the ball, or had got something wrong. Then they would look back at the incident and decisions were corrected. So players diving surely falls under that category. They’ve been doing it for off the ball incidents so why have they not tried to implement this sooner. At the end of the day diving is cheating. so why let it go on for so long?
I do believe players should be punished for diving and trying to influence the result through cheating, but unfortunately it won’t stop players attempting it. Without doubt, clubs would take 3 points over a two game ban all day long. Isn’t that the reason why top Premier League clubs have such big expensive squads?...
In the first Premier League season (1992/93) there were only 11 foreign players named in the starting line-ups for the first set of fixtures. Since then over 2,000 foreign players have graced the Premier League. So it’s no coincidence that the amount of simulation has increased as the years have gone on. I mean Jurgen Klinsmann would openly celebrate by showing the world he was a cheater when he scored a goal. It’s sadly now just become part of the beautiful game. You could even go as far as saying that the creators of Football Manager 2018 should put ‘diving ability’ as an attribute on player’s profiles.
I know that it’s not only foreign imports who try to con the referee with their acrobatics, of course some British players fall into that category too. But watching back matches from the 70s and 80s, such as the Chelsea vs Leeds Fa Cup final in 1970 and the Liverpool vs Everton matches in the 80s, its clear that diving wasn’t a problem within the game. In fact most challenges in those era’s would now warrant an 8 match ban. Back then the game was known as a contact sport, so when tackles flew in, players accepted that it was part of the game. Players gave as good as they got. It was as important to have a player in your team who didn’t mind getting stuck in, as much as a goal scorer. Maybe that’s part of the problem. As the years have rolled by football has slowly become a non-contact sport. So as soon as players feel contact, however little, they will go down. To the point that certain players go down when their not even touched. You can’t get more non contact than that.
So next season the Fa have decided to clamp down on diving once and for all. The good old Fa. If I know the Fa like I think I do, then I’m sure they’ll make this aspect of the game even more of a problem. Which in the end will just highlight the fact it’s impossible to stamp diving out of the game. The fact they said and I quote, ‘we are trying to prevent “Robert Snodgrass situations”’, proves my point. Do they understand that “a Robert Snodgrass situation” already has a term, it’s called ‘simulation’. Are we meant to use that term now? Are pundit’s supposed to say, “oh he’ s done a Robert Snodgrass.” The Fa are apparently “formulating a process” that they hope will reverse the trend of more simulation in the English game. Oh great. I can’t wait to see what mess they make of this.
I have to agree with Sam Allardyce, the idea of a retrospective ban is ‘utter rubbish’. He goes on to make a valid point about what happens if the referees make a wrong decision, and how are the Fa supposed to reverse those mistakes. It’s impossible to fix by just saying that they will be handing out a two game retrospective ban for those who try to cheat their way to a positive result. The problem is that 99% of football players will try to win at all costs, even if it involves trying to con the referee into making the wrong decision.
Jurgen Klinsmann played up to his reputation as a diver when celebrating a goal.
It happens at all levels, be it in the Premier League or on a Saturday playing for Chalfont St Peter against Uxbridge in the Evo-stik League Southern Division One Central. Let’s take Victor Moses in the Fa Cup final. If the referee had been tricked into thinking he had been fouled, and Chelsea went on to score the penalty to win the game, do you think Antonio Conte would have cared if his player had cheated his way to victory? I mean I’m glad the referee wasn’t conned by Moses’ attempts to win a penalty as I don’t think it’s right. But that’s not to say I don’t think it’s wrong to try and attempt to do it. He was sent off, and that was the price he had to pay to attempt to win his team a penalty.
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino described Dele Alli as “a little bit naughty” after winning a penalty against Swansea. But he doesn’t care. His team won, and the three points are all that matters. I guarantee managers prefer 3 points in whatever manner. The prospect of losing a player for two games with this new banning system out weighs playing fairly, and drawing the game.
The retrospective ban will not stamp out diving in football. There’s too much at stake during those 90 minutes. You’re telling me you wouldn’t want your player to dive to win a penalty if it meant you would win the league, or finish in the top four, or even avoid relegation? Some of these dives would make the club tens of millions of pounds. And I’ll tell you something that you probably already know, but if a player had the opportunity to go down to win a penalty and decided not to as it was deemed as simulation, the manager and players would definitely voice their opinion on the matter after the game. They would not be giving that player a pat on the back, and saying well done for playing fairly. I’ve been in changing rooms after football matches where managers have lost it at players who chose to stay on their feet, when actually they could have gone down and won a penalty. Players are somewhat told to cheat, in order to win the game at all costs.
But here’s the main problem with the new retrospective diving bans . ‘Only incidents that result in a player winning a penalty or lead to an opponent being sent off – through either a direct red card or two yellow cards – will be punished.’ Are you kidding me? So unless the dive results in a penalty or a red card, there will be no retrospective action? So let me throw out a couple of scenarios that mean it’s deemed acceptable to cheat and get away with it.
1. A player dives just outside the box, the referee deems it to be a foul and awards a free kick in the 92nd minute. That teams set piece taker then executes a perfect free kick and scores. The team then win the game from the resulting free kick they won through cheating.
The Fa will not be handing out a retrospective ban.
2. A player dives, the referee deems it to be a foul, and books the opposing defender. In the second half the player on a booking has to make an important tackle that he times wrong, and is shown another yellow card resulting in the team having to play with ten men.
The Fa will not be handing out a retrospective ban for the player who dived for the first yellow card incident.
Already its a mess! Sadly there is only one way to try and stop simulation. It seems Allardyce must have read my last article. I know he’s a big fan. He says, “bring technology in, let us look at it on the day and then bring a sin bin in so we can put him in that for 10 minutes and then put him back on.” He’s right. The retrospective ban will be confusing and hard to implement, as the smallest touch can prove they haven’t dived but it still wasn’t enough contact to go down. It’s impossible to call most simulation attempts 100% correctly. The only retrospective bans they can give is if there is no contact at all, but that is still tough to clamp down on because of the speed of the game. If a player believes a challenge is coming they may try to prevent the foul and possible injury by jumping out of the tackle. In the act of avoiding the tackle they may lose their balance, but it doesn’t mean they have attempted to dive. It’s clear when a player dives, and referees are there to spot these moments.
Victor Moses was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for diving in the 2017 Fa Cup Final.
Ultimately bringing in retrospective banning won’t mean it will stamp diving out of the game. Because this new law won’t actually effect the game in real time. A team that loses because of an opposing player diving don’t care if that player is then banned for the next two games as it doesn’t change the most important thing. The result. And what if that team are then playing their rivals in the next game and are unable to play there best player? That means the team who lost the game through an opposing player diving gets punished again. Not only that. If a player gets sent off due to an opposing player diving, that team still has to play a Premier League game with ten men for a period of the match. They are then punished for an opposing player cheating. After the final whistle is blown that team won’t care about retrospective action. The game has finished and the result stands.
The retrospective ban will not work fairly, and that’s the whole point of trying to solve diving within the game. Like me and Big Sam said, the only way is to find a solution is by using video technology during the actual game. That would definitely make players think twice about attempting to fool the referee into making a wrong decision. The idea of a sin bin could also work, like in Rugby. If a player is shown to have dived without any contact, the referee would place that player into a 10 minute sin bin. Players and fans will soon become fed up of playing with 10 men for long periods of the game. Chelsea fans quickly grew tired of Didier Drogba‘s embarrassing attempts to throw himself to the ground, and began to boo him when he kept trying to win cheap free kicks through simulation. It wasn’t long that he realised his own fans were against him. Of course he still went down far too easily at some points but at least the fans tried their best to change his ways. Maybe it’s up to certain players own fans to make them aware of their unacceptable antics.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche believes diving will be eradicated in six months if the bans are introduced, but I really can’t see that happening. It’s like how the Fa tried to cut out the verbal abuse referees receive from players, and look how that turned out. But what I can’t seem to get my head around is why haven’t the Fa been giving retrospective bans in the first place. I thought retrospective bans were given when referees had missed something off the ball, or had got something wrong. Then they would look back at the incident and decisions were corrected. So players diving surely falls under that category. They’ve been doing it for off the ball incidents so why have they not tried to implement this sooner. At the end of the day diving is cheating. so why let it go on for so long?
I do believe players should be punished for diving and trying to influence the result through cheating, but unfortunately it won’t stop players attempting it. Without doubt, clubs would take 3 points over a two game ban all day long. Isn’t that the reason why top Premier League clubs have such big expensive squads?...
- 6/16/2017
- by kieranedwards
- The Cultural Post
Scott Heppell/AP
As seems to be the case every single year, Sunderland head into the final stretch of the season with both their Premier League fate in the balance.
Master clingers-on Sunderland have a reputation for starting Premier League seasons slowly and bailing themselves out late on. If they’re to survive in 2016, this campaign will have been no different. Manager Sam Allardyce has a monumental task at hand but the Black Cats look like they have a fighting chance to survive once again.
In spite of their inability to come out the blocks flying, Sunderland have a weird, uncanny knack of springing a surprise on the world of football. There have been numerous times over the years where no one has given the Wearsiders a hoping hell, and they’ve gone and won the game.
Here’s 10 times Sunderland defied all footballing logic, featuring the end of a 77-game unbeaten record,...
As seems to be the case every single year, Sunderland head into the final stretch of the season with both their Premier League fate in the balance.
Master clingers-on Sunderland have a reputation for starting Premier League seasons slowly and bailing themselves out late on. If they’re to survive in 2016, this campaign will have been no different. Manager Sam Allardyce has a monumental task at hand but the Black Cats look like they have a fighting chance to survive once again.
In spite of their inability to come out the blocks flying, Sunderland have a weird, uncanny knack of springing a surprise on the world of football. There have been numerous times over the years where no one has given the Wearsiders a hoping hell, and they’ve gone and won the game.
Here’s 10 times Sunderland defied all footballing logic, featuring the end of a 77-game unbeaten record,...
- 3/23/2016
- by Ryan Elliott
- Obsessed with Film
© Alan Martin/ActionPlus/Corbis
It’s been a bizarre transfer window for Sunderland, but then again, when is it ever simple? Sam Allardyce has brought in five new additions to his relegation-threatened squad as they battle against the drop. Will deadline day present any new deals to the Black Cats?
German centre back Jan Kirchhoff signed from Bayern Munich for under £1m, while Lorient defender Lamine Kone was snapped up in a £5m deal to reinforce the shaky backline. Veteran ‘keeper Steve Harper joined on a free, with striker Dame N’Doye signing on loan, while attacking midfielder Wahbi Khazri represents Sunderland’s most expensive – and most exciting – transfer business of the window, with a fee of £9m.
There has also been a raft of outgoings in order for Allardyce to free up wages. Steven Fletcher and Jordi Gomez are the two most likely exits from the Stadium of Light today,...
It’s been a bizarre transfer window for Sunderland, but then again, when is it ever simple? Sam Allardyce has brought in five new additions to his relegation-threatened squad as they battle against the drop. Will deadline day present any new deals to the Black Cats?
German centre back Jan Kirchhoff signed from Bayern Munich for under £1m, while Lorient defender Lamine Kone was snapped up in a £5m deal to reinforce the shaky backline. Veteran ‘keeper Steve Harper joined on a free, with striker Dame N’Doye signing on loan, while attacking midfielder Wahbi Khazri represents Sunderland’s most expensive – and most exciting – transfer business of the window, with a fee of £9m.
There has also been a raft of outgoings in order for Allardyce to free up wages. Steven Fletcher and Jordi Gomez are the two most likely exits from the Stadium of Light today,...
- 2/1/2016
- by Michael Potts
- Obsessed with Film
Matthew Ashton/Ama/Corbis
It’s January. It’s the transfer window. It’s yet another painful slog at the halfway mark for Sunderland Afc. Some things will never change, the sooner you accept this, the easier it will become.
Sunderland fans have every right to be cynical as they watch Bournemouth and Newcastle splash enormous money on signings that will surely boost their odds of survival, but at the same time, there’s a slight air of calm around the club. This is not a new situation, and with Villa rooted to the bottom of the league and safety within touching distance, this isn’t the most perilous position the Black Cats have found themselves in.
Jan Kirchhoff and Damal N’Doye (subject to a medical) are Sam Allardyce’s first two signings of the window, but you’d expect more incoming and outgoing transfers between now and the end of the window.
It’s January. It’s the transfer window. It’s yet another painful slog at the halfway mark for Sunderland Afc. Some things will never change, the sooner you accept this, the easier it will become.
Sunderland fans have every right to be cynical as they watch Bournemouth and Newcastle splash enormous money on signings that will surely boost their odds of survival, but at the same time, there’s a slight air of calm around the club. This is not a new situation, and with Villa rooted to the bottom of the league and safety within touching distance, this isn’t the most perilous position the Black Cats have found themselves in.
Jan Kirchhoff and Damal N’Doye (subject to a medical) are Sam Allardyce’s first two signings of the window, but you’d expect more incoming and outgoing transfers between now and the end of the window.
- 1/12/2016
- by Michael Potts
- Obsessed with Film
Owen Humphreys/Pa Wire
Same story, different January. Essentially since the dawn of time, Sunderland have needed to spend big in the winter transfer window to avoid the drop. 2016 is no different. There’s a strange serenity around Wearside following their 3-1 triumph over Aston Villa, but there’s a long way to go before Sunderland can declare themselves anywhere near ‘safe’.
Hopes are high with Sam Allardyce at the helm, but he requires a big January to stand any chance of survival in arguably the most competitive Premier League season of the century. Watford, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, and other sides who have struggled – or were expected to struggle – have all enjoyed successful starts to the campaign and are busy adding some serious quality to their ranks.
Top of the shopping list for Allardyce must be a centre back (or ten), closely followed by a targetman, a left back, and a creative midfielder.
Same story, different January. Essentially since the dawn of time, Sunderland have needed to spend big in the winter transfer window to avoid the drop. 2016 is no different. There’s a strange serenity around Wearside following their 3-1 triumph over Aston Villa, but there’s a long way to go before Sunderland can declare themselves anywhere near ‘safe’.
Hopes are high with Sam Allardyce at the helm, but he requires a big January to stand any chance of survival in arguably the most competitive Premier League season of the century. Watford, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, and other sides who have struggled – or were expected to struggle – have all enjoyed successful starts to the campaign and are busy adding some serious quality to their ranks.
Top of the shopping list for Allardyce must be a centre back (or ten), closely followed by a targetman, a left back, and a creative midfielder.
- 1/6/2016
- by Michael Potts
- Obsessed with Film
Stephen Pond/Empics Sport
West Ham striker Andy Carroll is a target for both Sunderland and former club Newcastle – and the Hammers would be willing to sell the hulking forward for £18million, according to reports from Shoot.co.uk.
Despite struggling with injuries, Carroll has recently returned to fitness and looks to be in good form, notching a goal in each of his last two league appearances (including an opportunistic headed winner against Southampton).
Both Newcastle and Sunderland are struggling through a difficult Premier League campaign, currently sitting in 18th and 19th place respectively. Of the two teams, the Magpies have struggled to find the net most, with strikers Aleksander Mitrovic, Ayoze Perez, and (now-injured) Papiss Cisse struggling to find the net on a regular basis.
Sunderland are a slightly different kettle of fish, and have benefitted immensely from the goalscoring instincts of veteran frontman Jermain Defoe. However, a successful...
West Ham striker Andy Carroll is a target for both Sunderland and former club Newcastle – and the Hammers would be willing to sell the hulking forward for £18million, according to reports from Shoot.co.uk.
Despite struggling with injuries, Carroll has recently returned to fitness and looks to be in good form, notching a goal in each of his last two league appearances (including an opportunistic headed winner against Southampton).
Both Newcastle and Sunderland are struggling through a difficult Premier League campaign, currently sitting in 18th and 19th place respectively. Of the two teams, the Magpies have struggled to find the net most, with strikers Aleksander Mitrovic, Ayoze Perez, and (now-injured) Papiss Cisse struggling to find the net on a regular basis.
Sunderland are a slightly different kettle of fish, and have benefitted immensely from the goalscoring instincts of veteran frontman Jermain Defoe. However, a successful...
- 1/5/2016
- by Jack G King
- Obsessed with Film
© Shaun Boggust/Colorsport/Corbis
With talk in the media this weekend being about how decisions Newcastle United will make in the January transfer window ultimately being the key in deciding whether The Magpies stay up and avoid relegation this season… is an actual bigger decision for owner Mike Ashley than what players he should sign, being overshadowed?
Is in fact his biggest decision being whether Steve McClaren is the right man to steer his club to safety?
Ashley was unusually loyal to McClaren’s predecessor Alan Pardew. No matter how bad results got, no matter how loud the fan backlash was, no matter how close United looked on verge of oblivion with another relegation – he stood by his manager until that man eventually jumped ship for pastures new. Previous to that, Ashley wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger if things weren’t going well… Sam Allardyce famously lasting less...
With talk in the media this weekend being about how decisions Newcastle United will make in the January transfer window ultimately being the key in deciding whether The Magpies stay up and avoid relegation this season… is an actual bigger decision for owner Mike Ashley than what players he should sign, being overshadowed?
Is in fact his biggest decision being whether Steve McClaren is the right man to steer his club to safety?
Ashley was unusually loyal to McClaren’s predecessor Alan Pardew. No matter how bad results got, no matter how loud the fan backlash was, no matter how close United looked on verge of oblivion with another relegation – he stood by his manager until that man eventually jumped ship for pastures new. Previous to that, Ashley wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger if things weren’t going well… Sam Allardyce famously lasting less...
- 12/29/2015
- by Matt Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
Sang Tan/AP
When ‘losing’ is the only specialist trait of your football club, any other formula is a welcome change. Sam Allardyce is all set to become the new Sunderland manager according to the Daily Mirror, taking his infamous brand of direct football to the Stadium of Light. That may not provide too many moments of silky smooth football, but it’ll surely haul some hard-fought points on the board.
The 60-year-old has a reputation of being the ‘solid’ option, a manager who won’t watch his team get relegated from the top flight, even if it means selling the part of your soul that enjoys flowing, gorgeous football.
Allardyce is also famed for his wheeling and dealing, picking up some tremendous players for low prices and unearthing foreign gems who went on to become beloved Premier League talents. Jay Jay Okocha (so good they named him twice) was...
When ‘losing’ is the only specialist trait of your football club, any other formula is a welcome change. Sam Allardyce is all set to become the new Sunderland manager according to the Daily Mirror, taking his infamous brand of direct football to the Stadium of Light. That may not provide too many moments of silky smooth football, but it’ll surely haul some hard-fought points on the board.
The 60-year-old has a reputation of being the ‘solid’ option, a manager who won’t watch his team get relegated from the top flight, even if it means selling the part of your soul that enjoys flowing, gorgeous football.
Allardyce is also famed for his wheeling and dealing, picking up some tremendous players for low prices and unearthing foreign gems who went on to become beloved Premier League talents. Jay Jay Okocha (so good they named him twice) was...
- 10/9/2015
- by Michael Potts
- Obsessed with Film
Adam Davy/Pa Archive
Newcastle fans are a bit like bumble bees. Most go about their business relatively quietly, work hard and won’t bother you unless you do something to annoy them. Magpies’ fans greet their beloved Newcastle United players with open arms and give them an unrivalled loyalty throughout their stay on Tyneside but once they decide they want to earn their (normally tripled) wages from a different honeypot then be prepared to feel their Geordie sting.
Once you exit St James’ Park (unless you have excelled to the level of Sir Leslie Ferdinand) you better not be expecting a heroes welcome upon your return. Without this turning into a passage on Noah’s Ark, Newcastle fans have a lot in common with elephants (No, not Sam Allardyce) when it comes to their steel-trap memories. Therefore if you have committed a footballing offence deemed unacceptable by 52,000 Geordies then...
Newcastle fans are a bit like bumble bees. Most go about their business relatively quietly, work hard and won’t bother you unless you do something to annoy them. Magpies’ fans greet their beloved Newcastle United players with open arms and give them an unrivalled loyalty throughout their stay on Tyneside but once they decide they want to earn their (normally tripled) wages from a different honeypot then be prepared to feel their Geordie sting.
Once you exit St James’ Park (unless you have excelled to the level of Sir Leslie Ferdinand) you better not be expecting a heroes welcome upon your return. Without this turning into a passage on Noah’s Ark, Newcastle fans have a lot in common with elephants (No, not Sam Allardyce) when it comes to their steel-trap memories. Therefore if you have committed a footballing offence deemed unacceptable by 52,000 Geordies then...
- 9/9/2015
- by Matt Smith
- Obsessed with Film
Matt Dunham/AP/Press Association Images
The managerial merry-go-round has truly got going recently, with Sunderland convincing Dick Advocaat to return for another season and Newcastle sacking hapless first team coach John Carver, but the most ambitious move of all is perhaps West Ham’s signing of former Croatia and Besiktas manager Slaven Bilic.
The Croatian spent a year and a half at Upton Park during his playing career, establishing himself as a terrace favourite thanks to his dogged defensive displays and international quality. He certainly seems a stylistic improvement from the oft-criticised Sam Allardyce, a younger, internationally experienced manager to match West Ham’s lofty ambitions – but only time will tell whether he has the substance to go with it.
Despite a fantastic start to the 2014/15 campaign, fans of the East London side were left with a familiarly sour taste in their mouths following a dramatic slump in the second half of the season,...
The managerial merry-go-round has truly got going recently, with Sunderland convincing Dick Advocaat to return for another season and Newcastle sacking hapless first team coach John Carver, but the most ambitious move of all is perhaps West Ham’s signing of former Croatia and Besiktas manager Slaven Bilic.
The Croatian spent a year and a half at Upton Park during his playing career, establishing himself as a terrace favourite thanks to his dogged defensive displays and international quality. He certainly seems a stylistic improvement from the oft-criticised Sam Allardyce, a younger, internationally experienced manager to match West Ham’s lofty ambitions – but only time will tell whether he has the substance to go with it.
Despite a fantastic start to the 2014/15 campaign, fans of the East London side were left with a familiarly sour taste in their mouths following a dramatic slump in the second half of the season,...
- 6/10/2015
- by Jack G King
- Obsessed with Film
John Walton/Pa Archive
On May 24th 2015 West Ham United announced that they would not be renewing the contract of their manager, Sam Allardyce.
Allardyce himself has stated he felt it was probably the right time for him to go – for both him and the club.
He had four fairly successful seasons at Upton Park, guiding them to promotion from the Championship in his first season and securing strong mid-table finishes in the next three, finishing 10th, 13th and 12th respectively. However, his time at the club has been plagued by criticism over his style of football, with suggestions that the owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, wanted the team to play in a more entertaining, attacking style.
West Ham are also due to move into the Olympic Stadium in August 2016, and it is thought that the owners want a new manager to oversee the club as they move to...
On May 24th 2015 West Ham United announced that they would not be renewing the contract of their manager, Sam Allardyce.
Allardyce himself has stated he felt it was probably the right time for him to go – for both him and the club.
He had four fairly successful seasons at Upton Park, guiding them to promotion from the Championship in his first season and securing strong mid-table finishes in the next three, finishing 10th, 13th and 12th respectively. However, his time at the club has been plagued by criticism over his style of football, with suggestions that the owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, wanted the team to play in a more entertaining, attacking style.
West Ham are also due to move into the Olympic Stadium in August 2016, and it is thought that the owners want a new manager to oversee the club as they move to...
- 5/26/2015
- by Adam Livermore
- Obsessed with Film
Scott Heppell/AP
Relief. That is the only emotion on Tyneside right now. Jonas Gutierrez delivered the sweetest of moments in his final appearance in a Magpies shirt as he secured Newcastle United’s 2-0 victory over West Ham United at St James’ Park.
Newcastle United will be in the Premier League next season, but only just – and it took until the very final ball of the 2014-15 campaign had been kicked before that was confirmed.
There will be a post-mortem examination, because pride in Newcastle United is something the Toon Army are still struggling to find in their club right now – but they backed their team to the very hilt against West Ham United. Newcastle have finally won a match for the first time since February 28th – and oh how crucial that victory was.
Owen Humphreys/Pa Wire
The noise when Moussa Sissoko rose highest to nod home the...
Relief. That is the only emotion on Tyneside right now. Jonas Gutierrez delivered the sweetest of moments in his final appearance in a Magpies shirt as he secured Newcastle United’s 2-0 victory over West Ham United at St James’ Park.
Newcastle United will be in the Premier League next season, but only just – and it took until the very final ball of the 2014-15 campaign had been kicked before that was confirmed.
There will be a post-mortem examination, because pride in Newcastle United is something the Toon Army are still struggling to find in their club right now – but they backed their team to the very hilt against West Ham United. Newcastle have finally won a match for the first time since February 28th – and oh how crucial that victory was.
Owen Humphreys/Pa Wire
The noise when Moussa Sissoko rose highest to nod home the...
- 5/24/2015
- by Chris Waugh
- Obsessed with Film
Richard Sellers/Pa Wire
Newcastle United have just one Premier League game to save themselves. For three-and-a-half months the Magpies have needed to claim just a solitary victory in order to cement their place in the English top-flight for another season, and they have failed in each of those 10 attempts – losing nine of them.
Their Premier League future now comes down to one game, against West Ham United on Sunday, May 24th (3pm kick-off). Win, and the Magpies will definitely be in the top flight next season – and either Hull City or bitter rivals Sunderland will be demoted. Draw or lose, however, and Newcastle could go down, with the Tigers and the Black Cats instead surviving.
What’s more, there is no doubt that former Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce would love nothing more than to get one over on his ex-employers and see them plummet down into the Championship.
Unfortunately for Newcastle,...
Newcastle United have just one Premier League game to save themselves. For three-and-a-half months the Magpies have needed to claim just a solitary victory in order to cement their place in the English top-flight for another season, and they have failed in each of those 10 attempts – losing nine of them.
Their Premier League future now comes down to one game, against West Ham United on Sunday, May 24th (3pm kick-off). Win, and the Magpies will definitely be in the top flight next season – and either Hull City or bitter rivals Sunderland will be demoted. Draw or lose, however, and Newcastle could go down, with the Tigers and the Black Cats instead surviving.
What’s more, there is no doubt that former Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce would love nothing more than to get one over on his ex-employers and see them plummet down into the Championship.
Unfortunately for Newcastle,...
- 5/18/2015
- by Chris Waugh
- Obsessed with Film
Dominic Lipinski/Pa Wire
Desperate. That word describes Newcastle United’s situation perfectly right now – because they look like a side who are hurtling down the precipice with no hope of escape. They may finally have ended their five-and-a-half-game away-goal drought but John Carver’s men have still not won a game since February 28th – with the Magpies succumbing to their ninth defeat in their last 10 matches.
Despite taking the lead against already-relegated Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road after 24 minutes thanks to Emmanuel Riviere’s first-ever Premier League goal, Newcastle’s ineptitude in defence meant that they were 2-1 down by the 61st minute – having been ahead at half-time.
A header from Matt Phillips that goalkeeper Tim Krul should have done better with and probably should have saved brought Qpr level, and then a 30-yard wonder strike from Leroy Fer condemned the Magpies to yet another defeat. Hull City may yet go down,...
Desperate. That word describes Newcastle United’s situation perfectly right now – because they look like a side who are hurtling down the precipice with no hope of escape. They may finally have ended their five-and-a-half-game away-goal drought but John Carver’s men have still not won a game since February 28th – with the Magpies succumbing to their ninth defeat in their last 10 matches.
Despite taking the lead against already-relegated Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road after 24 minutes thanks to Emmanuel Riviere’s first-ever Premier League goal, Newcastle’s ineptitude in defence meant that they were 2-1 down by the 61st minute – having been ahead at half-time.
A header from Matt Phillips that goalkeeper Tim Krul should have done better with and probably should have saved brought Qpr level, and then a 30-yard wonder strike from Leroy Fer condemned the Magpies to yet another defeat. Hull City may yet go down,...
- 5/16/2015
- by Chris Waugh
- Obsessed with Film
Adam Davy/Pa Wire
John Carver has been decimated this week in the press, on social media, and in the pubs across Tyneside after steering Newcastle United to their eighth-successive defeat and then declaring he believed he was still the “best coach in the Premier League”.
But none of that compares to the latest low blow the Newcastle interim head coach has recived. He has had the ultimate insult added to his injury – with Sam Allardyce trying to provide advice on how to mange Nufc.
West Ham United boss Allardyce’s tenure at St James’ Park ended in January 2008 after just nine months in charge and his playing style was widely disliked in the North East. When Mike Ashley took the decision to sack a manager he had not appointed in the first place, there was widespread approval across the Toon faithful.
Scott Heppell/AP
Yet, despite Allardyce’s time...
John Carver has been decimated this week in the press, on social media, and in the pubs across Tyneside after steering Newcastle United to their eighth-successive defeat and then declaring he believed he was still the “best coach in the Premier League”.
But none of that compares to the latest low blow the Newcastle interim head coach has recived. He has had the ultimate insult added to his injury – with Sam Allardyce trying to provide advice on how to mange Nufc.
West Ham United boss Allardyce’s tenure at St James’ Park ended in January 2008 after just nine months in charge and his playing style was widely disliked in the North East. When Mike Ashley took the decision to sack a manager he had not appointed in the first place, there was widespread approval across the Toon faithful.
Scott Heppell/AP
Yet, despite Allardyce’s time...
- 5/8/2015
- by Chris Waugh
- Obsessed with Film
Adam Davy/Pa Archive
Remy Cabella has given Newcastle United a much-needed boost as they battle to stay in the Premier League – by insisting he “hopes” to remain at the club, regardless of which division they find themselves in next season.
The Magpies sit just two points and three places above the relegation zone with three matches remaining having succumbed to their eighth-successive Premier League loss at the weekend – but midfielder Cabella has claimed he wants to remain on Tyneside.
Newcastle parted with £12 million to lure four-cap French international Cabella to Tyneside last summer, following much haggling with Montpellier president and owner Louis Nicollin.
And the 25-year-old Corsican-born playmaker has endured a difficult first season in the North East, scoring just once and contributing only three assists in 29 Premier League appearances as the Magpies have struggled for form and victories.
Scott Heppell/AP
To be fair on Cabella, he has...
Remy Cabella has given Newcastle United a much-needed boost as they battle to stay in the Premier League – by insisting he “hopes” to remain at the club, regardless of which division they find themselves in next season.
The Magpies sit just two points and three places above the relegation zone with three matches remaining having succumbed to their eighth-successive Premier League loss at the weekend – but midfielder Cabella has claimed he wants to remain on Tyneside.
Newcastle parted with £12 million to lure four-cap French international Cabella to Tyneside last summer, following much haggling with Montpellier president and owner Louis Nicollin.
And the 25-year-old Corsican-born playmaker has endured a difficult first season in the North East, scoring just once and contributing only three assists in 29 Premier League appearances as the Magpies have struggled for form and victories.
Scott Heppell/AP
To be fair on Cabella, he has...
- 5/5/2015
- by Chris Waugh
- Obsessed with Film
Nigel French/Pa Wire
Newcastle United seem to be Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher’s favourite weekly punching bag – but every single bit of criticism directed at the Magpies by the duo on Monday Night Football this week was thoroughly merited.
Neville described Newcastle as a club in “free-fall” right now following their club-record eighth-straight Premier League, while his fellow Sky Sports pundit Carragher blasted the Magpies as “shambles”.
John Carver’s side meekly surrendered 3-0 to Leicester City at the King Power Stadium – having two players dismissed for two bookings in the process – and the club then descended into a mini civil war as the interim head coach accused Mike Williamson of “deliberately” getting sent off, before club-captain Fabricio Coloccini and goalkeeper Tim Krul allegedly exchanged words on the coach after the game.
The Magpies sit just two points and three places above 18th-placed Sunderland, with Leicester City, Hull...
Newcastle United seem to be Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher’s favourite weekly punching bag – but every single bit of criticism directed at the Magpies by the duo on Monday Night Football this week was thoroughly merited.
Neville described Newcastle as a club in “free-fall” right now following their club-record eighth-straight Premier League, while his fellow Sky Sports pundit Carragher blasted the Magpies as “shambles”.
John Carver’s side meekly surrendered 3-0 to Leicester City at the King Power Stadium – having two players dismissed for two bookings in the process – and the club then descended into a mini civil war as the interim head coach accused Mike Williamson of “deliberately” getting sent off, before club-captain Fabricio Coloccini and goalkeeper Tim Krul allegedly exchanged words on the coach after the game.
The Magpies sit just two points and three places above 18th-placed Sunderland, with Leicester City, Hull...
- 5/5/2015
- by Chris Waugh
- Obsessed with Film
Nigel French/Pa Wire
If talk of Newcastle United being relegated was merely a pessimistic possibility before the weekend then following this implosion at the King Power Stadium then it has become an all-too real prospect. The Magpies look so inept right now that not only do they appear incapable of getting another win before the season is out, they appear incapable of picking up a single point.
A double from Leonardo Ulloa, including one from the penalty spot, and a Wes Morgan goal condemned Newcastle to their eighth consecutive defeat – their worst ever Premier League run – as the Magpies finished the game with nine men once more with Mike Williamson dismissed after picking up two yellow cards, as Daryl Janmaat was in injury time. They have now conceded 60 goals in the Premier League – that is the most in the entire division – following this 3-0 reversal.
During four months in charge,...
If talk of Newcastle United being relegated was merely a pessimistic possibility before the weekend then following this implosion at the King Power Stadium then it has become an all-too real prospect. The Magpies look so inept right now that not only do they appear incapable of getting another win before the season is out, they appear incapable of picking up a single point.
A double from Leonardo Ulloa, including one from the penalty spot, and a Wes Morgan goal condemned Newcastle to their eighth consecutive defeat – their worst ever Premier League run – as the Magpies finished the game with nine men once more with Mike Williamson dismissed after picking up two yellow cards, as Daryl Janmaat was in injury time. They have now conceded 60 goals in the Premier League – that is the most in the entire division – following this 3-0 reversal.
During four months in charge,...
- 5/2/2015
- by Chris Waugh
- Obsessed with Film
Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
Despite the fact that the deal for Emmanuel Adebayor to West Ham supposedly collapsed earlier in the eveningt thanks to Daniel Levy’s reluctance to pay his wages at a rival club (a positive endorsement of West Ham’s profile this season), it now looks like the deal could be back on.
With Carlton Cole moving on, Sam Allardyce was in the market to sign another striker, even with Mauro Zarate returning from a short-term loan deal at Qpr, and it seems that he didn’t want to look beyond Adebayor.
The striker hasn’t exactly been at the top of his game recently with his first team opportunities at Spurs limited, but he could be exactly the kind of experienced impact player who could supplement what the Hammers already have well. Whether he will be happy to be considered in that manner remains to be seen,...
Despite the fact that the deal for Emmanuel Adebayor to West Ham supposedly collapsed earlier in the eveningt thanks to Daniel Levy’s reluctance to pay his wages at a rival club (a positive endorsement of West Ham’s profile this season), it now looks like the deal could be back on.
With Carlton Cole moving on, Sam Allardyce was in the market to sign another striker, even with Mauro Zarate returning from a short-term loan deal at Qpr, and it seems that he didn’t want to look beyond Adebayor.
The striker hasn’t exactly been at the top of his game recently with his first team opportunities at Spurs limited, but he could be exactly the kind of experienced impact player who could supplement what the Hammers already have well. Whether he will be happy to be considered in that manner remains to be seen,...
- 2/2/2015
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Nigel French/Empics Sport
Having seen his attempt to sign Bafetimbi Gomis from Swansea City thwarted by the player’s assertion that he’s going nowhere, Sam Allardyce is being forced to look elsewhere if he wants to bring in attacking reinforcements.
The manager faces the possibility of a late sale of Enner Valencia to Chelsea according to newspaper reports – which are given some weight by the fact that they’ve cleared out two spaces in their squad and signed only one player – and Andy Carroll is injured again (though not badly), so new options are necessary.
Sky Bet have now moved the Hammers to 5/1 favourites to sign Emmanuel Adebayor from Tottenham where he is apparently available on loan, suggesting that it is Allardyce and not Harry Redknapp who will sign the player on a short term deal. That would be a good move for West Ham, though whether he...
Having seen his attempt to sign Bafetimbi Gomis from Swansea City thwarted by the player’s assertion that he’s going nowhere, Sam Allardyce is being forced to look elsewhere if he wants to bring in attacking reinforcements.
The manager faces the possibility of a late sale of Enner Valencia to Chelsea according to newspaper reports – which are given some weight by the fact that they’ve cleared out two spaces in their squad and signed only one player – and Andy Carroll is injured again (though not badly), so new options are necessary.
Sky Bet have now moved the Hammers to 5/1 favourites to sign Emmanuel Adebayor from Tottenham where he is apparently available on loan, suggesting that it is Allardyce and not Harry Redknapp who will sign the player on a short term deal. That would be a good move for West Ham, though whether he...
- 2/2/2015
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Nick Potts/Pa Wire
Bad news for Sam Allardyce, who had been looking to extend his attacking options – particularly with the latest injury to Andy Carroll – and was looking to tempt Frenchman Bafetimbi Gomis away from Swansea.
He had been widely reported as unhappy with the situation at Swansea where his first team opportunities had been limited by the form of Wilfried Bony, but now that the Ivorian has joined Man City in a big money move, the way is open for Gomis to claim the starting spot. With that in mind, he has taken to Twitter to confirm that he isn’t going anywhere this window.
I have decided to stay With Swansea. I wanted to share this With you before the end of the transferts Windows. It's the best choice for me.
— Bafétimbi Gomis (@BafGomis) February 2, 2015
Sky Sports are reporting that Gomis has been convinced to stay with...
Bad news for Sam Allardyce, who had been looking to extend his attacking options – particularly with the latest injury to Andy Carroll – and was looking to tempt Frenchman Bafetimbi Gomis away from Swansea.
He had been widely reported as unhappy with the situation at Swansea where his first team opportunities had been limited by the form of Wilfried Bony, but now that the Ivorian has joined Man City in a big money move, the way is open for Gomis to claim the starting spot. With that in mind, he has taken to Twitter to confirm that he isn’t going anywhere this window.
I have decided to stay With Swansea. I wanted to share this With you before the end of the transferts Windows. It's the best choice for me.
— Bafétimbi Gomis (@BafGomis) February 2, 2015
Sky Sports are reporting that Gomis has been convinced to stay with...
- 2/2/2015
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Richard Sellers/Empics Sport
West Ham United striker Mauro Zarate is in talks over a loan move to fellow Premier League side Queens Park Rangers.
The 27-year-old, who also has an offer from Spaniards Deportivo La Coruna on the table, only joined West Ham in the summer from Argentine club Velez Sarsfield. However, he has struggled to hold down a first-team place due to the form of fellow forwards Diafra Sakho, Andy Carroll and Enner Valencia.
The Hammers’ manager Sam Allardyce revealed Zarate will undergo a medical with Rangers on Tuesday.
Zarate, who has scored just two goals in eight West Ham appearances so far this season, should complete his move to Loftus Road before Rangers’ Fa Cup tie against Sheffield United this weekend.
After starting his career with Velez Sarsfield, Zarate made his name during a loan spell with Birmingham City in 2008. Four goals in 14 Premier League appearances earned...
West Ham United striker Mauro Zarate is in talks over a loan move to fellow Premier League side Queens Park Rangers.
The 27-year-old, who also has an offer from Spaniards Deportivo La Coruna on the table, only joined West Ham in the summer from Argentine club Velez Sarsfield. However, he has struggled to hold down a first-team place due to the form of fellow forwards Diafra Sakho, Andy Carroll and Enner Valencia.
The Hammers’ manager Sam Allardyce revealed Zarate will undergo a medical with Rangers on Tuesday.
Zarate, who has scored just two goals in eight West Ham appearances so far this season, should complete his move to Loftus Road before Rangers’ Fa Cup tie against Sheffield United this weekend.
After starting his career with Velez Sarsfield, Zarate made his name during a loan spell with Birmingham City in 2008. Four goals in 14 Premier League appearances earned...
- 12/30/2014
- by Ross Tweddell
- Obsessed with Film
Owen Humphreys/Pa Wire
Although Newcastle fans may have got their dream present this Christmas with Alan Pardew’s impending exit from St. James’ Park, a troubling anxiety over what happens next has crept in. “Sack Pardew” may have been the cry for months but few would have been able to tell you who should be in charge instead. The focus was so aggressive on Pardew out that nobody even thought about what the follow-up would be if it actually happened.
Even the bookies don’t quite know what the future holds. The “odds on favourite” has changed frequently and randomly. Frank de Boer, the early favourite, was quickly dismissed as a non-starter when representatives said he wouldn’t leave Ajax this season. Next favourite, Tony Pulis, looks now to be West Brom bound… any chance of Newcastle hiring the former Palace manager ending when Ashley stalled on him (likely...
Although Newcastle fans may have got their dream present this Christmas with Alan Pardew’s impending exit from St. James’ Park, a troubling anxiety over what happens next has crept in. “Sack Pardew” may have been the cry for months but few would have been able to tell you who should be in charge instead. The focus was so aggressive on Pardew out that nobody even thought about what the follow-up would be if it actually happened.
Even the bookies don’t quite know what the future holds. The “odds on favourite” has changed frequently and randomly. Frank de Boer, the early favourite, was quickly dismissed as a non-starter when representatives said he wouldn’t leave Ajax this season. Next favourite, Tony Pulis, looks now to be West Brom bound… any chance of Newcastle hiring the former Palace manager ending when Ashley stalled on him (likely...
- 12/30/2014
- by Matt Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
Peter Byrne/Pa Archive
Just a few years ago, Bolton Wanderers were earning a point at European heavyweight Bayern Munich in a UEFA Cup tie at the Allianz Arena. The Germans, while not the Guardiola-lite powerhouse of today, still boasted the likes of Oliver Kahn, Franck Ribery, Toni Kroos and Bastian Schweinsteiger, so when Kevin Davies netted a late equaliser to salvage a 2-2 draw, the Trotters were in dreamland.
Of course, Bolton were used to such scalps over the big boys. Sam Allardyce had departed for the north-east in the summer, but under him he had developed the plucky First Division side into a tough-tackling, hardened Premier League unit who consistently overthrew those who dared to escape the Reebok Stadium with all three points.
In the last ten years, the Trotters have not only enjoyed two European adventures, but they have appeared in a Carling Cup final, finished in...
Just a few years ago, Bolton Wanderers were earning a point at European heavyweight Bayern Munich in a UEFA Cup tie at the Allianz Arena. The Germans, while not the Guardiola-lite powerhouse of today, still boasted the likes of Oliver Kahn, Franck Ribery, Toni Kroos and Bastian Schweinsteiger, so when Kevin Davies netted a late equaliser to salvage a 2-2 draw, the Trotters were in dreamland.
Of course, Bolton were used to such scalps over the big boys. Sam Allardyce had departed for the north-east in the summer, but under him he had developed the plucky First Division side into a tough-tackling, hardened Premier League unit who consistently overthrew those who dared to escape the Reebok Stadium with all three points.
In the last ten years, the Trotters have not only enjoyed two European adventures, but they have appeared in a Carling Cup final, finished in...
- 12/8/2014
- by Michael Ramsay
- Obsessed with Film
Martin Rickett/Pa Archive
If West Ham keep up their terrific form, Sam Allardyce will almost certainly be in the running for the Premier League Manager of the Year Award, and perhaps the quiet whispers linking him the England job might gain a bit of vocal confidence. It would prove to be quite a turnaround for a man who was the bookies’ favourite for the chop just a few months ago, with West Ham’s Premier League beginning to look perilous at the start of the year and having been utterly embarrassed in the cup competitions by Manchester City and Nottingham Forest.
This season, he has added to his depleted strike force, drafting in the likes of Diafra Sakho, Enner Valencia and Mauro Zarate, whilst securing the coup of Alex Song on a season-long loan deal from Barcelona. Former Ipswich Town defender Aaron Cresswell also looks a fine purchase and...
If West Ham keep up their terrific form, Sam Allardyce will almost certainly be in the running for the Premier League Manager of the Year Award, and perhaps the quiet whispers linking him the England job might gain a bit of vocal confidence. It would prove to be quite a turnaround for a man who was the bookies’ favourite for the chop just a few months ago, with West Ham’s Premier League beginning to look perilous at the start of the year and having been utterly embarrassed in the cup competitions by Manchester City and Nottingham Forest.
This season, he has added to his depleted strike force, drafting in the likes of Diafra Sakho, Enner Valencia and Mauro Zarate, whilst securing the coup of Alex Song on a season-long loan deal from Barcelona. Former Ipswich Town defender Aaron Cresswell also looks a fine purchase and...
- 12/1/2014
- by Michael Ramsay
- Obsessed with Film
Alan Pardew comes out with some corkers. The man who flip-flops on pretty much everything he says about Newcastle United, welcoming contradiction into his life like an old friend has given everyone something to talk about this morning after the revelation that he has said that his side are inspired by – and even built on the same principles as – Bayern Munich.
Fair play to him for the self-confidence, but you have to wonder on the sense behind such comments when they are so easily picked apart. The manager, who has seen his side win the last four in the league on the trot, as well as ousting League Cup holders Man City to set up a Quarter Final with Spurs, has ignored pretty much everything that makes Bayern Bayern, and reduced them down to one aspect alone:
“Our strengths are we have incredible discipline in the team from our offensive players.
Fair play to him for the self-confidence, but you have to wonder on the sense behind such comments when they are so easily picked apart. The manager, who has seen his side win the last four in the league on the trot, as well as ousting League Cup holders Man City to set up a Quarter Final with Spurs, has ignored pretty much everything that makes Bayern Bayern, and reduced them down to one aspect alone:
“Our strengths are we have incredible discipline in the team from our offensive players.
- 11/20/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
David Davies/Pa Archive
All aboard the loony train to Silly Town.
Alan Pardew has come out with what might be his best ever quote, suggesting that Newcastle are inspired by Bayern Munich, because they work hard. Which is a bit like being inspired by the Sistine Chapel because of the brand of paint used.
He says he sees the same in Newcastle’s style of play as can be seen in the streamroller of German football, despite the fact that it’s looking suspiciously like he’s never actually watched them play. So in honour of his assessment, here are 5 other things – mostly related to Newcastle – that definitely weren’t inspired by Bayern Munich…
5. 35.6% Of Possession
Michael Probst/AP
Overall, Bayern have managed 61% possession over their 11 games so far this season, Newcastle have managed 47%, which is not as terrible as it could be (thanks to some early stoic performances...
All aboard the loony train to Silly Town.
Alan Pardew has come out with what might be his best ever quote, suggesting that Newcastle are inspired by Bayern Munich, because they work hard. Which is a bit like being inspired by the Sistine Chapel because of the brand of paint used.
He says he sees the same in Newcastle’s style of play as can be seen in the streamroller of German football, despite the fact that it’s looking suspiciously like he’s never actually watched them play. So in honour of his assessment, here are 5 other things – mostly related to Newcastle – that definitely weren’t inspired by Bayern Munich…
5. 35.6% Of Possession
Michael Probst/AP
Overall, Bayern have managed 61% possession over their 11 games so far this season, Newcastle have managed 47%, which is not as terrible as it could be (thanks to some early stoic performances...
- 11/20/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Owen Humphreys/Pa Archive
The contenders for the October manager of the month award for the Premier League have been announced and somewhat unsurprisingly, Alan Pardew has got a nod for his side’s impressive form in winning 7 points and a League Cup victory over holders Man City.
The other contenders are Jose Mourinho (offered an Nufc job under Sir Bobby Robson, former Magpies boss and self-promotionalist Sam Allardyce, and Geordie and wannabe Nufc manager Steve Bruce. So lots of Newcastle links in there, and obviously a moral victory for us no matter what the outcome is.
Allardyce’s resurgent West Ham picked up 9 points in October, while Pardew and Mourinho each picked up 7, and Bruce took 5, though 2 of them came against Arsenal and Liverpool. The number of points won might not be the final decider anyway, but Pardew is surely in with a chance.
Sam Allardyce wouldn’t agree,...
The contenders for the October manager of the month award for the Premier League have been announced and somewhat unsurprisingly, Alan Pardew has got a nod for his side’s impressive form in winning 7 points and a League Cup victory over holders Man City.
The other contenders are Jose Mourinho (offered an Nufc job under Sir Bobby Robson, former Magpies boss and self-promotionalist Sam Allardyce, and Geordie and wannabe Nufc manager Steve Bruce. So lots of Newcastle links in there, and obviously a moral victory for us no matter what the outcome is.
Allardyce’s resurgent West Ham picked up 9 points in October, while Pardew and Mourinho each picked up 7, and Bruce took 5, though 2 of them came against Arsenal and Liverpool. The number of points won might not be the final decider anyway, but Pardew is surely in with a chance.
Sam Allardyce wouldn’t agree,...
- 11/6/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Tony Marshall/Empics Sport
Newcastle‘s manager doesn’t really do under-statement when things are going his way: fair play to him, his last two results have been won on the back of belligerent rigid structure and patience (as well as thanks to some costly mistakes by the opposition). But surely he wasn’t suggesting that he was just like Sir Bobby Robson in the wake of his latest victory against Liverpool?
Perhaps his allusion to Robson having some dark days on Tyneside was just an indication that it can happen to anyone, and that life up here is “not all gin and tonics and aperitifs” (no, me neither). Perhaps he wasn’t trying to say that he is to be judged alongside the Geordie knight, but it’s hard to resist that when he’s also claiming he sort of foresaw victories coming, a little bit (but don’t...
Newcastle‘s manager doesn’t really do under-statement when things are going his way: fair play to him, his last two results have been won on the back of belligerent rigid structure and patience (as well as thanks to some costly mistakes by the opposition). But surely he wasn’t suggesting that he was just like Sir Bobby Robson in the wake of his latest victory against Liverpool?
Perhaps his allusion to Robson having some dark days on Tyneside was just an indication that it can happen to anyone, and that life up here is “not all gin and tonics and aperitifs” (no, me neither). Perhaps he wasn’t trying to say that he is to be judged alongside the Geordie knight, but it’s hard to resist that when he’s also claiming he sort of foresaw victories coming, a little bit (but don’t...
- 11/2/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Owen Humphreys/Pa Archive
A storm might be brewing over Andy Carroll’s move to Liverpool from Newcastle – or it will be if former agent Peter Harrison has anything to do with it.
Harrison was forced to declare bankruptcy in the wake of the deal – which he maintains he was unfairly cut out of after Carroll stated that he did not use an agent – after he missed out on a cut of the £35m deal.
He was left without the commission payment after an Fa arbitration hearing, despite his claims that rival agent Mark Curtis “tapped up” Carroll, which he understandably denied. The Fa found in favour of Curtis, much to Harrison’s dismay and outrage.
But Harrison isn’t allowing that decision stand without questions after he found that the five year deal that his former client signed in 2010 – revealed publicly on October 8th, and signed, according to him...
A storm might be brewing over Andy Carroll’s move to Liverpool from Newcastle – or it will be if former agent Peter Harrison has anything to do with it.
Harrison was forced to declare bankruptcy in the wake of the deal – which he maintains he was unfairly cut out of after Carroll stated that he did not use an agent – after he missed out on a cut of the £35m deal.
He was left without the commission payment after an Fa arbitration hearing, despite his claims that rival agent Mark Curtis “tapped up” Carroll, which he understandably denied. The Fa found in favour of Curtis, much to Harrison’s dismay and outrage.
But Harrison isn’t allowing that decision stand without questions after he found that the five year deal that his former client signed in 2010 – revealed publicly on October 8th, and signed, according to him...
- 10/21/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Joe Giddens/Empics Sport
There are few constants in football: players will always want to follow the money, managers will blame everything but themselves and club owners will penny pinch no matter where they are – taxes aren’t even reliable now. But one thing you can always count on is the “wisdom” of Sam Allardyce: as soon as there’s any big topic to talk about, you can pretty much guarantee that the West Ham boss will be there offering his “expert” thoughts.
And that usually counts doubly for Newcastle United because the manager seems to think that he was badly done to at the club. He still thinks he would have been able to turn the club into the European power Mike Ashley initially said he wanted, and no matter how many stats or terrible signings you put in front of him, there would be no telling him.
There are few constants in football: players will always want to follow the money, managers will blame everything but themselves and club owners will penny pinch no matter where they are – taxes aren’t even reliable now. But one thing you can always count on is the “wisdom” of Sam Allardyce: as soon as there’s any big topic to talk about, you can pretty much guarantee that the West Ham boss will be there offering his “expert” thoughts.
And that usually counts doubly for Newcastle United because the manager seems to think that he was badly done to at the club. He still thinks he would have been able to turn the club into the European power Mike Ashley initially said he wanted, and no matter how many stats or terrible signings you put in front of him, there would be no telling him.
- 10/16/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Adam Davy/Empics Sport
You can always tell when someone really wants to sell a story by the language they use to market it: Exclusive, Sensational, Amazing! the headlines scream. You Won’T Believe What Happened Next!!! As if everyone is constantly walking around spitting coffee out comically at the sight of a dog rolling over and pulling a daft face or something: but that’s sort of how readers work now, and you have to be competitive.
That’s probably why The Chronicle have just published a story purporting – from its headline at least – to suggest that Andy Carroll has flat out refused to play under Alan Pardew at Newcastle. Not just that he doesn’t want to return becuase he’s happy in London, but that the specific issue he has is with the current boss. “Andy Carroll not interested in playing for Alan Pardew at Newcastle United” the title shouted,...
You can always tell when someone really wants to sell a story by the language they use to market it: Exclusive, Sensational, Amazing! the headlines scream. You Won’T Believe What Happened Next!!! As if everyone is constantly walking around spitting coffee out comically at the sight of a dog rolling over and pulling a daft face or something: but that’s sort of how readers work now, and you have to be competitive.
That’s probably why The Chronicle have just published a story purporting – from its headline at least – to suggest that Andy Carroll has flat out refused to play under Alan Pardew at Newcastle. Not just that he doesn’t want to return becuase he’s happy in London, but that the specific issue he has is with the current boss. “Andy Carroll not interested in playing for Alan Pardew at Newcastle United” the title shouted,...
- 10/13/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Darko Vojinovic/AP
Whenever any former Newcastle player moves to pastures new and fails to make quite as big an impact as they might have wanted, the fans are united in their hope and expectation that said player will “come home” like a war-beaten hero, into the welcoming arms of those who always loved him.
When Demba Ba’s Chelsea experiment failed, Newcastle fans called for him to return. He went to Besiktas and European football. When Andy Carroll was deemed an over-priced nag by Liverpool, Newcastle fans called the long-haired lover home from Merseyside. He went to West Ham for a contract that is probably making Sam Allardyce sweat currently. And now Yohan Cabaye is struggling at Psg – what a surprise – and Newcastle fans have put deux and deux together and got a glorious homecoming.
The latest in the Cabaye story is that le10Sport’s French journalist Daniel...
Whenever any former Newcastle player moves to pastures new and fails to make quite as big an impact as they might have wanted, the fans are united in their hope and expectation that said player will “come home” like a war-beaten hero, into the welcoming arms of those who always loved him.
When Demba Ba’s Chelsea experiment failed, Newcastle fans called for him to return. He went to Besiktas and European football. When Andy Carroll was deemed an over-priced nag by Liverpool, Newcastle fans called the long-haired lover home from Merseyside. He went to West Ham for a contract that is probably making Sam Allardyce sweat currently. And now Yohan Cabaye is struggling at Psg – what a surprise – and Newcastle fans have put deux and deux together and got a glorious homecoming.
The latest in the Cabaye story is that le10Sport’s French journalist Daniel...
- 10/9/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Bolton Wanderers currently lie 43rd in the English Football League pyramid. It has been a sad descent for a club who Sam Allardyce had punching above their weight at the top end of the Premier League for most of the 00s, even enjoying a couple of European nights at the Reebok Stadium, and tasting a day out at a Carling Cup final in 2004.
An admiral aspect of Bolton Wanderers under Allardyce was that they never wilted or backed down under a challenge. This backbone and grit that the former Limerick City boss had instilled within the side ran right through the club, from their on-pitch showings against the Premier League’s elite, to their dealings in the transfer market, where they tried to acquire the best players possible.
It didn’t matter how big their profile was, or how many medals they had acquired throughout their career – Bolton felt no...
An admiral aspect of Bolton Wanderers under Allardyce was that they never wilted or backed down under a challenge. This backbone and grit that the former Limerick City boss had instilled within the side ran right through the club, from their on-pitch showings against the Premier League’s elite, to their dealings in the transfer market, where they tried to acquire the best players possible.
It didn’t matter how big their profile was, or how many medals they had acquired throughout their career – Bolton felt no...
- 10/4/2014
- by Michael Ramsay
- Obsessed with Film
Whufc.com
Sam Allardyce is obviously paying attention to West Ham owner David Gold’s assertion that his side had to play better football this season, as the Hammers have raced into a two goal lead against Crystal Palace as Selhurst Park.
The first was scored by new signing Mauro Zarate just moments after he missed a glorious chance, but he more than made amends with an impressive twenty yard volley.
https://vine.co/v/MLthOetUgPZ
In truth, Palace should have dealt with the ball better, but full credit to Zarate for the goal.
The second goal came just minutes later as sometimes England man Stewart Downing cut inside from the touchline, ran at Palace’s retreating defence and fired a tidy shot into the far corner from just inside the box.
https://vine.co/v/MLtMjPvDIBO
Great play from Downing, and all in all an impressive start for West Ham,...
Sam Allardyce is obviously paying attention to West Ham owner David Gold’s assertion that his side had to play better football this season, as the Hammers have raced into a two goal lead against Crystal Palace as Selhurst Park.
The first was scored by new signing Mauro Zarate just moments after he missed a glorious chance, but he more than made amends with an impressive twenty yard volley.
https://vine.co/v/MLthOetUgPZ
In truth, Palace should have dealt with the ball better, but full credit to Zarate for the goal.
The second goal came just minutes later as sometimes England man Stewart Downing cut inside from the touchline, ran at Palace’s retreating defence and fired a tidy shot into the far corner from just inside the box.
https://vine.co/v/MLtMjPvDIBO
Great play from Downing, and all in all an impressive start for West Ham,...
- 8/23/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Owen Humphreys/Pa Wire/Press Association Images
Just days after Gus Poyet backed Steven Fletcher and Connor Wickham to form the perfect partnership in the absence of a resolution for Liverpool striker Fabio Borini, West Ham have emerged as suitors for the English striker.
The Black Cats might have to finally accept defeat in their hunt for Borini, but if Sam Allardyce is successful, Wickham won’t be able to build on his late-season heroics that helped Sunderland beat the drop.
It seems unlikely that Poyet would be happy to see Wickham leave without a replacement considering what he has said of the player’s development:
“Connor showed us last year what he can do. I think he’s feeling better with Fletch next to him so it’s an option. These games have given me information to make decisions about how we’re going to play in the next few weeks.
Just days after Gus Poyet backed Steven Fletcher and Connor Wickham to form the perfect partnership in the absence of a resolution for Liverpool striker Fabio Borini, West Ham have emerged as suitors for the English striker.
The Black Cats might have to finally accept defeat in their hunt for Borini, but if Sam Allardyce is successful, Wickham won’t be able to build on his late-season heroics that helped Sunderland beat the drop.
It seems unlikely that Poyet would be happy to see Wickham leave without a replacement considering what he has said of the player’s development:
“Connor showed us last year what he can do. I think he’s feeling better with Fletch next to him so it’s an option. These games have given me information to make decisions about how we’re going to play in the next few weeks.
- 8/11/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Luca Bruno/AP/Press Association Images
As we close in on two decades since Blackburn Rovers’ solitary Premier League title success, the Lancashire-based club are running through their final preparations before the start of another arduous and testing Championship season.
After spending the best part of the previous 20 years in England’s top flight, there is certainly room for hindsight as Ewood Park continues play host to second-tier football, and though the players who have used Brockhall for training in recent years haven’t necessarily been world-beaters, there were definitely old irons in the fire which could have resulted in some eyebrow-raising transfer deals for Rovers.
Under Kenny Dalglish, Sam Allardyce and even Steve Kean there were numerous cases of potentially history-changing players just wriggling from Rovers’ grasp, with it rarely being a case of the club’s owners fearing to stump up the money required to land their targets.
As we close in on two decades since Blackburn Rovers’ solitary Premier League title success, the Lancashire-based club are running through their final preparations before the start of another arduous and testing Championship season.
After spending the best part of the previous 20 years in England’s top flight, there is certainly room for hindsight as Ewood Park continues play host to second-tier football, and though the players who have used Brockhall for training in recent years haven’t necessarily been world-beaters, there were definitely old irons in the fire which could have resulted in some eyebrow-raising transfer deals for Rovers.
Under Kenny Dalglish, Sam Allardyce and even Steve Kean there were numerous cases of potentially history-changing players just wriggling from Rovers’ grasp, with it rarely being a case of the club’s owners fearing to stump up the money required to land their targets.
- 8/6/2014
- by Simon Harrison
- Obsessed with Film
Bogdan Maran/AP/Press Association Images
Fresh from seeing his entire team sold to Southampterpool – sorry Liverpool – Ronald Koeman has set his sights on bringing two young Gunners to the south coast to join fellow new signings Dusan Tadic and Graziano Pelle in what must be the quietest dressing room in the Premier League.
As Jay Rodriguez and Morgan Schneiderlin presumably stand by the door with their suitcases packed ready for moves to either Liverpool (of course) or Tottenham, it looks like Carl Jenkinson and highly-rated German Serge Gnabry might be heading into the club to fill up some of the first-team spaces vacated by Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw, Dejan Lovren, Callum Chambers and the six unluckiest released players on the not-retained list in the club’s history.
Flush with unimaginable wealth after selling almost all of their prized assets, Koeman will no doubt be hoping to add...
Fresh from seeing his entire team sold to Southampterpool – sorry Liverpool – Ronald Koeman has set his sights on bringing two young Gunners to the south coast to join fellow new signings Dusan Tadic and Graziano Pelle in what must be the quietest dressing room in the Premier League.
As Jay Rodriguez and Morgan Schneiderlin presumably stand by the door with their suitcases packed ready for moves to either Liverpool (of course) or Tottenham, it looks like Carl Jenkinson and highly-rated German Serge Gnabry might be heading into the club to fill up some of the first-team spaces vacated by Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw, Dejan Lovren, Callum Chambers and the six unluckiest released players on the not-retained list in the club’s history.
Flush with unimaginable wealth after selling almost all of their prized assets, Koeman will no doubt be hoping to add...
- 7/29/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
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