Same old England

Sat at my computer until half time last night, I was slating England's performance left right and centre. From what I saw, every time I glanced at my television was a moment that made me want to sigh in disbelief. How we managed to go in at half time at 2-0 was a miracle.

There was no motivation in the each team member's face, no commitment to the cause. We have another team of individuals, like we had under Sven, some of the best in the world at club level, but in national competition we don't blend enough to get beyond the quarter finals, and although this isn't the world cup, and we have another ten months to prepare, I don't feel like we have a realistic chance of winning the competition, like I did in 2006.

It's only the naivest of supporters that continually play up our chances on the verge of the competition. I consider myself an optimist, yes, but not naive. I see the semi-finals as a realistic target, I just hope that too much hype which has turned into expectation over the years, hasn't cost us a tournament triumph.

At the moment it doesn't look like it will. In fact based on the first half of last night's performance if anything the people in the media will play down there chances. Yes, Holland are probably Quarter-Final quality, but they were far from their total footballing best and we should have capitalised, not thrown two goals away like we did.

I was always of the belief we had the best centre back pairing in international football. But Terry, or Ferdinand, looked comfortable in their own ability. Ashley Young and Gareth Barry spent the first half being unnoticeable, and Frank Lampard had another below par, performance for his national side. Emile Heskey may have presence in the England front two, but what his strengths are, Peter Crouch has but better. Heskey has done nothing at Aston Villa since his arrival in January, and should not have started based on a prior England result.

The second half brought about change. The team-talk was clearly impressive and the substitutions were inspired. Defoe came on, and within 3 minutes made an impact. He scored twice, leaving the fans in joy, perhaps Michael Owen isn't the best natural finisher we have?

The second half, in that respect showed plenty of promise. Based on the second half performance, I would say that if we draw the Dutch we can feel confident in ourselves that we can beat them. But the annoying factor for me is, before kick-off Capello said he wanted a '90 minutes' team, he got a 45 minutes team and we've taken several steps back.

Cup Competitions - A Flamable Dream (Part I)

Usually stable, perhaps unnoticeable at times, but runs in the cup can be so easily ignited that it could spark you imminent success. But of course you have to be on your guard, it could so easily be put out, this beautiful, magnificent spectacle.

Picture the scene. It is December 2005. The crowd full of pre-Christmas cheer and joy. More passionate that usual, not just because of the the Christmas spirit, but because this is the cup and a miracle could be about to conclude in front of your very eyes.

Re-enforced with extras, a capacity crowd Belle Vue, expected, prior to kick-off, that they would be premièring yet another smash hit, Carling Cup blockbuster. It was to be the third instalment, and in the Quarter-Finals you could potentially have two great pieces of Spielberg-type cinema clashes on viewing in the future. But that's not for tonight, tonight is about Part III.

If Spielberg had used Doncaster's 05-06 Carling Cup run as an incentive for a film then it wouldn't disappoint. It was scripted to perfection, particularly for a fan.

The clock slowly ticked away on your watch on your freezing right hand. Your side leads 2-1 and you have a beaming smile on your face. There is just one minute to go and your striker, Paul Heffernan, has the ball. It is within your grasp. Surely it can't be thrown away now?

You stare eagily to your right, looking at Heffs, your fingers in your mouth inpersonating the referee's whistle like the rest of the home supporters. Your side, average in the third tier, was destined for the back pages again. Arsenal surely couldn't equalise now? There was the problem. You weren't just playing anyone, you were facing Arsenal, a side who later that season were participating in the Champions League final.

Paul Heffernan's spell on the ball seemed to last an eternity, close to the corner flag between the Rossington End and the Popular Terrace. I don't think even the Irish goal-machine knew quite what to do with it. You saw the corner of his eye glance at the goal - almost like Geoff Hurst did to scoring England's forth in the 1966 World Cup final - then down at the ball it went.

That was his mistake, he took too long considering his decision, and like a flash he had lost the ball. Following the second he lost the ball, it wasn't as if the time was slowed and simply had been resumed that moment, it was almost like someone 'up there' had pressed fast-forward. On reflection it was it was probably one of the best counter-attacks I have ever witnessed. Won by the left back, the ball was played down the left, to the winger, who centred a low cross into the penalty area. There was only one result at that point when the ball was struck into the back of Jan Budtz's net... penalties. Again.

The home fans were left deflated. And, looking back, we were never going to win that shoot out. 10,000 dreams had been shattered, but of course, tragically, so had the eleven players. Arsenal won, not because they were the better team over 120 minutes, but because they had better penalty takers, a better shot-stopping goal-keeper, and were a lot more confident and motivated. Within a few moments, Doncaster had gone from the verge of the last four, to out of the competition. The Gunners were through.

You could see the confidence disappear in each performance, and it didn't come back before it was too late. The result, single-handedly cost the Yorkshire outfit promotion that season, but not only that but lead to the departure of the ambitious Michael McIndoe, and indirectly, to September's resignation of Dave Penney.

Of course, I didn't know that then, but I remember saying bemused and bewildered, as words of comfort to the long walk up Bennethorpe (a road from Belle Vue to the centre of town), that 'there is always next year'...

Now, approaching 2010, I am still waiting...

Three Weeks of Concern

I remember wondering half way through my warm holiday in the Algarve, what to do my next blog on. The day after Sir Bobby Robson tragically passed away so I thought I'd be sat here dwelling on that and the poor state of English football managers, following the conclusion of Stuart Peace's book. Instead I am here writing about another great loss. This person hasn't ascended upon the stairway to heaved, but has descended - not to hell - but to Reading; his name Matthew Mills.

The Football League season is upon us. A tasty prospect during the previous week for the majority of supporters but not particularly for me. As a supporter of championship side Doncaster Rovers, I have witnessed, four poor quality incomes, and have seen the loss of, in my opinion, our two best players.

When Richie Wellens left the South Yorkshire outfit last month, I paid tribute to a player of the 'class above'. A man signed on a free transfer, sold for £1.2million just about tells it's own story. I thought that deal was too low but conceded that now there is obviously nothing we can do about it. I was very disappointed that we accepted the first incoming offer, as a club showing fear that they wouldn't get any more for their ageing playmaker.

Mills doesn't fit into that category. We declined bid, after bid, after bid, for quite simply one of the best players I have ever seen (on his day), certainly appearing in the red and white of the Rovers he definitely charts in the top three and is potentially at number one. Agile on the ball, a 'right place at the right time', Bobby Moore-type centre back, we broke our transfer record for Mills last summer. I was away in Cornwall for a crucial week last summer and I remember looking at Teletext every day, when I was in, to see if he had signed. It was a long, drawn-out signature, with new Manchester City boss Mark Hughes, wanting to have a look at him before he was sold. But the deal then was always imminent, as perhaps the same could be said for his sale this week. Being this close to the season we believed we could hold on to our star defender but it clearly wasn't to be.

For the last 18 months (he came on loan before his full time deal) I would have compared Mills to the former Rovers defender David Wheater, who is now seen playing regularly for Middlesbrough and the England Under-21 side. Perhaps that's an ambitious statement, but I have seen both play and based on the amount of errors both make, and their general defensive qualities, I'd go as far as saying Mills is the more talented of the duo!

It came of no surprise when promotion-wanting Birmingham City, hotly tipped for the Championship crown, came knocking in January. They were told the £1.5m bid wasn't enough on deadline day, and never came back, despite continued newspaper speculation. Then came Nottingham Forest, the former European Champions, still living on memories of the Clough era, with two bids one of £1.75m, the second of "in the region of £2m". Both were rejected. This created a feud between sets of the supporters of Rovers and Forest, originating on 606 when Forest fans claimed the deal was 'done', obviously they have been proved wrong.

Reading's interest, to my knowledge, was out-of-the-blue. I was reading the Daily Mirror on Tuesday when I noticed a piece on the 'football spy' page. I thought little of it. To me it was a club on the lookout for a defender, and a talked about Championship player of that position. Surely it was just the media doing the sum 2+2 and equalling 5? Obviously it wasn't.

On the face of it both probably have a good deal. In my opinion we need to sweep the markets looking for a quality defender, because we only have a maximum of three centre halves 'up to the standard', but we have enough money to compete with clubs at the top end of the division, particularly with Newcastle in a stalement with no manager and the club up for sale. Having said that we also need a new midfielder to replace Wellens. Reading have got, I believe, the best centre back in the division.

Is everyone happy with that? I will be when we see what the squad looks like in early September.

The Devious Director Of Football

It's been a stressful season for the title of Director of Football, with various undermining believed to have taken place in the Premier League, resulting in two resignations. Yesterday, the vacancy was thrown into disrepute again, as Sven-Goran Eriksson, the former England manager, was appointed in the role at League Two side Notts County. Perhaps it shows just how the mighty can fall although, the Swede, clearly saw enough ambition at the club that could re-propel his reputation as one of the best 'managers' in the world, because if you get a minnow to the top division it certainly deserves some praise.

Of course, he's not a 'manager' any more though. Or that's what his new title suggests. He is a director of football. A cunning term which throws the currently employed 'manager' off guard and can disrupt a football club.

There's no doubt you will recognise the term 'director of football' before for that reason. If it wasn't for Dennis Wise giving that position at Newcastle United, the club would probably still be flying high in the Premier League. But then-manager, Kevin Keegan believed he wasn't signing the players or selecting the team, which is what as 'manager' his contract states he was brought in to do, 'King Kev' resigned, and Newcastle, quite clearly, never fully recovered. Wise did insist that "I'm here to help Kevin, bringing young players through and also recommend certain players to him,", in an interview with BBC Sport, shortly after his appointment. "He'll say yes and no, he has the final word, no-one else. Everything that happens will be run past him." This was clearly not for-filled, and both had left the Magpies prior to their relegation. Wise, who's actual title was 'executive director', had previous managerial experience, at Millwall, Swindon and Leeds United, and was evens to be handed the Newcastle hotseat for the week after Keegan's departure. The date, 4th September 2008.

September 2008 was the month that the discussion really began to hit the headlines. Just a day before Keegan was 'pushed', Alan Curbishley left West Ham United. His statement read: "However, the club continued to make significant player decisions without involving me. In the end such a breach of trust and confidence meant that I had no option but to leave. Nevertheless, I wish the club and the players every success in the future.". Gianluca Nani appears to be the culprit in this case. His title was technical director. Despite these alternative terms, they all mean roughly the same thing. They try to control where someone else is in charge. Curbishley was linked with the England managerial position on both occasions it has become available in recent years, which suggests he is the best manager in the country. He did a magnificent job at Charlton Atheletic, where he built his reputation, and was deservingly offered the Hammers position.

No manager should be undermined. They do what's asked of them. They train the players and select the XI mostly likely to win the match based on the past week's work. Someone without any daily experience should take charge of the situation. If they do they will make a selection based on reputation, and funnily enough, during his time as England manager, that is what Sven did. Based on these facts is it a problem waiting to explode?

I don't know what to think about County. On the one hand they show plenty of ambition capable of something big, but on the other hand it's a recipe for disaster. Which way will it go? Something's going to happen that will grip the football world but will it be a good thing or something that the public will view as negative?

Richie Wellens

There was a mixed reaction when midfielder Richie Wellens joined us in 2007 on a free transfer from Oldham Altheletic. The playmaker had a bit of an ego, a reputation, with fans of his previous clubs - Oldham and Blackpool.

For a then-27-year-old, it was an astonishing feat that Wellens had never been 'sold'. No money had ever, in his entire career, been payed between two different clubs for his signature.

There's a simple reason why. Richie Wellens, at Manchester United and his other two clubs whom I have already mentioned, he had 'run down' his contract. He refused to enter negotiations with the clubs because he always believed he could get payed more elsewhere. By doing this he gave no commitement to his parent club, and therefore caused a feud with their supporters.

It should never be taken away that Wellens was a remarkable player, even the doubters knew that. He had, when he arrived at Donny, just been named in the League One Team Of The Year, and was quite possibly the best player in the division. He was bought by Sean O'Driscoll because he was looked upon as the ideal candidate to form a partnership with Brian Stock which would be the foundations for a new Rovers team.

This idea worked a threat as by the following May, Rovers gained promotion at Wembley by beating Leeds United in the play-off final. Wellens was then part of the 'great escape' Rovers side that survived the drop from the Championship at the first attempt, despite sitting bottom of the table at Christmas.

In July 2009, following weeks (not months) of speculation, Wellens signed for Leicester City. It was the highest fee that the keepmoat-outfit had ever recieved, quadrupiling the fee of the sale of Darren Moore in the 90's.

This time Wellens broke his own personal duck. He left because a club met his asking price. The comments he made after the move showed he did not want to leave, and he showed a passion and commitement for the cause that he had never shown in his entire career. He left in a way that he had become an extra-ordinary player. Now, you can't become a legend in two years, but Richie Wellens' consistant performances in two different divisions and without leaving in a negative way, Richie Wellens came unbelievably close.

Rising and Falling, or should that be falling and rising?

"Whatever goes up must come down", is a famous quote in the English language, and it's right in many senses. Physically, according to gravity if you throw something up in the air, within a few seconds it will hit the ground.

But it's not it's physical aspects that have given the statement it's noticeable reputation. For the last few decades, possibly longer, the saying has been associated with the magical sport - football.

Football is an extraoridinary game. That's obvious. You don't get the crowds that football manages to attract on a weekly basis if your rubbish. That's why football's a lot more popular for spectators than another sport such as tennis, which is also high up on the list of most watched sports in the country.

Why do I hold football in such high regard, is a question I get asked by non-football fans all the time. To the non-football enthusiast, its just two teams trying to use their feet to kick a sphere-shaped object between two posts. I also got told by a friend, who has no interest in the game whatsoever, that people only play football for the money. At this suggestion I remember being outraged.

Football, is the best sport in the world. That is my opinion and it is shared by millions of people worldwide. Why is this the case? Because anything can happen. The new season is just around the corner, and I know in twelve months time when it starts again I could be watching football in any of three divisions, the heights of the Premier League or the dark ditch of League One. I got shot down in flames by my friend. He said, and I remember this quote "But if I'm not mistaken, the top five have been unchanged - the same teams; Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Everton - for a number of years". I can't defend this argument because many people, unfortunately seem to think their is one division in English football, similarly to the uneducated thinking their are only four people in tennis, because the top appears unbreakable.

My way out, was to tell him to look down the football pyramid as it is today, then look through the top five divisions, from the Premier League to the Blue Square Premier/Conference, then compare it to the tables of 6 or 7 years ago. He did this and he was amazed. He couldn't believe how teams could get from the top to the bottom in such a short space of time, and vice-versa. The demise of certain teams is unrealistic. How can someone fall so quick.

The examples of who have been well publicised before. Leeds United are the most obvious example. In 2001, under David O'Leary, they were in the semi-finals of the European Cup (Champions League). However, after stealing the tag of 'too good to go down' from West Ham United, the Yorkshiremen lost 3-0 in the play-off final to Watford, and failed to return at the first attempt. The next season, with Dennis Wise replacing Kevin Blackwell at Elland Road they were relegated to the third tier, where they are now spending their third consecutive year in.

Leicester City are another example. Under Martin O'Neill they were in the Premier League and also reached the League Cup final two years running. In 2003-04 they were relegated, by 2008 they were playing in League One.

If you think that's one hell of a drop, then your jaw will drop in awe at the downfall of Charlton, Southampton and Norwich.

The latter two were relegated on the same day from the Premier League, and within just a few years both went down in consecutive weeks from the Championship in 2008-09. Just four years later.

Charlton were challenging for UEFA Cup football under Alan Curbishley, but two relegations since they went down as recently as 2007, means that they too will be in League One next term. Bradford are now in the bottom division, whereas they were in the Premiership ten years ago.

I said unpredictable earlier, because that's what football is. It's not always negative, as I will go to explain but when you reach the top the only way is down. Perhaps you could use this is as a reason not to be a 'glory hunter'. It's happened to Leeds, Leicester, Southampton, Norwich and Charlton in terms of top clubs dropping like stones. But Premier League relegation now seems inevitable. This season Newcastle United, North-East giants with the fifth biggest stadium in the country found themselves swept from the top flight, along with Middlesbrough, who reached the UEFA Cup final in 2006, in the Championship. The 'Big Four' will have to stay on their toes, it could possibly just happen to them.

Now the positives. The term 'punching above their weight' is another overused phrase in football. Used by fans of the big clubs, probably those that I have recently mentioned, are used for overachievers in football, and there are just as many of these as there are underachievers.

The overachievers chart was published last year. This explained who a Sunday paper believed to be doing better than they should the most. Doncaster Rovers topped this table. Rovers, were in the Conference in 2003 and have achieved since, 3 promotions, won the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and reached the quarter finals of the Carling Cup, losing only to Arsenal on penalties. It's one hell of a rise up the league's ladder.

While they were under-taking these three promotions, they won Division Three (Now League Two), ahead of Hull City. City can now be seen playing in the Premier League after promotions under Peter Taylor and Phil Brown.

Burnley were, according to the bookies, going down prior to 08-09. After a day out at Wembley, however, the Clarets will be seen at Old Trafford and Anfield next season, of course this won't be too unique for them as they did well in various cup competitions last season and even won on 'Big Four' turf.

Portsmouth, Wigan and Reading can all be seen in the top five, after they all have had at least two seasons in the top flight which just a few years previous looked a remarkable feat.

What is my purpose of writing this? It's to give the lower teams hope. The Leagues are turning into long drawn-out cups where anyone can beat anyone else. It's used to be a 'one-off' but now teams are doing it regularly. Get behind your team because you can easily achieve successive promotions and dreams, look increasingly likely to become reality.

For the big clubs. You need to keep supporting your clubs but you could well be doomed. All you can do is cross your fingers and hope, just hope, that it won't happen to you.

The Summer 2009 Managerial Merrigoround - Thank god it hasn't affected us

This years managerial merrigoround has affected teams who during this season have overachieved but thankfully Doncaster Rovers managed to stay with the same boss, Sean O'Driscoll (right), as they did last season.

It all started on the last day of last season in both the English Premier League and Scottish Premier League, when Ricky Sbragia at Sunderland, and Celtic's Gordon Strachan left their posts at the high profile clubs.

Firstly Sunderland, who had a buyout of the club shortly after the vacancy came, by Irishman Ellis Short. This was widely to be to do with Sbragia's resignation but the managers linked with the press, such as Steve Bruce, Gordon Strachan and Slaven Bilic continued to be linked. A press conference confirmed that Niall Quinn would remain in charge of the selection of the new manager and he approached Wigan, who after days of discussions eventually allowed Bruce to leave. Wigan had finished just outside of European qualification in the league whereas a lot richer Sunderland had starved off relegation on the last day.

Former Southampton boss Gordon Strachan also quit Celtic on the last day, which had been reported in the media that it was for the set-to-be vacant Sunderland job. Strachan disputed these claims despite Sbragia's quitting, and was eventually proved right. Strachan had finished second in the Scottish Premier League which wasn't good enough for the Hoops faithful. It was believed to be a two hourse race for the Celtic job between two managers in the English football league. Owen Coyle had taken Burnley to the Premier League via the play-offs, despite minimal resources and they were the pre-season fifth favourites for relegation, with only Blackpool, Barnsley, Plymouth and Doncaster believed to have a weaker squad. Also Tony Mowbray (left) in just three seasons at West Brom had taken them to the play-off final, where they eventually lost to Derby, the semi-finals of the FA Cup and were Championship title winners in 2007-08 but had been relegated on the penultimate game of the season. Despite Ipswich boss Roy Keane, Motherwell boss Mark McGhee and Croatia boss Slaven Bilic labelled as dark hourses, the Glasgow side eventually plumped for Mowbray.

The next vacany became available at Reading. Steve Coppell's resignation became confirmed after uncertainty in the build up to the club's play-off semi final, after the defeat denied them of an immediate return to the English top flight. Coppell is regarded as one of the best English managers after leading the Londoners to the verge of European football in just their first season in the top division. Watford's Brendan Rodgers eventually took the Majeski hotseat after a strong spell at Watford, who he took to midtable after looking miserably towards the drop when he took charge. He had previously been Chelsea's reserve team manager.

Back at the JJB Stadium in Lancashire, Lactic's chairman Dave Whelan had his sights on one man. Former Wigan midfielder Roberto Matinez had just lead Swansea to the verge of the Championship play-offs in their first season in the second tier. In 2007-08 season he had also left the Welsh side to the league title in style, with his sexy, flair football. After many days of discussing compensation over which members of the backroom staff would follow the Spaniard to the Manchester suburb side, ex-Rover Graeme Jones and Swansea's chief scout eventually agreed a deal after a stalling.

Watford acted quickly after Brendan Rodgers' departure. Coach Malkay Mackay has been handed the reigns.

Swansea have approached former QPR manager Paulo Sousa to be the clubs new head coach and West Brom have drawn up a six man shortlist with St Johnstone's Derek McInnes, believed to top it.

So all in all, a good summer as Rover continue with one of the widely regarded dozen best managers outside the top flight.