The King is back, but he can’t work miracles

A couple of blogs ago, I argued the case for the appointment of Kenny Dalglish as caretaker manager for Liverpool FC.  Much to my delight (and the delight of millions of other fans) King Kenny took the position after Roy Hodgson left by mutual consent; just in time for the FA Cup tie against Manchester United.  Despite a dubious defeat, spirits were still high, and that mood has prevailed around Anfield despite yet another defeat to Blackpool and a draw with Everton.

The fans would like the team to notch up a win to build some confidence because it is obvious that most of the players are desperately short of it.  However as Kenny says, he hasn’t got a magic wand.  Steven Gerrard has said this week that he would prefer Dalglish as permanent manager but isn’t it too early in his tenure to make such a judgement?

There is already a visible improvement in the way the team plays; the ball is on the floor considerably more than it was under Hodgson, and there seems to be more passion and determination from the players.  The major worry for Dalglish at the moment is the alarmingly generous defence.  More quality is needed in most areas and some other players need to be shipped out.  This is a rebuilding project to rival Houllier’s first full season, but what is needed the most is for the players to become a unit again and believe in each other.  There is an excellent spine to the team and some decent players surrounding them, but for one reason or another (injury, managerial changes, loss of form, dressing room problems?) it just hasn’t happened.

Kenny undoubtedly has the ability to turn the team around and start getting some results, and it is only on this basis will the owners consider him a long-term solution.  A trophy and a top-half finish might convince them to stick with Kenny, and the fans won’t complain.  He has already ingrained himself into the everyday workings of the club; this story about taking two youth players to train with the senior squad is an example of his passion and application.  It is exactly what the fans want to hear and see and that optimism and belief should, in theory, seep onto the pitch at some point.

It is definitely the honeymoon period at the moment for the fans and for Kenny, whether it will end in divorce rests on the team.

Man City trapped in a vicious circle of their own making

Image by Billy Liar

So Manchester City have grabbed the headlines again after yet another training ground fracas, this time between former Arsenal team mates Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure.  The club have tried to brush the incident off again but for City supporters, a worrying pattern is starting to emerge.

Of course, put between 20 and 30 men on a training ground and there are bound to be some disagreements.  A misplaced tackle, a snide comment and a sly kick are part and parcel.  Not everyone in a club can get along all of the time.

For City, their players seem to be coming to blows more often than any other team.  Bear in mind that photographers, fans and journalists are usually present at Premier league training sessions so there is no argument for City’s inability to keep it behind closed doors.  If the same happened at the other clubs, then that too would be reported.

A quick summary of known incidents:

Adebayor v Toure (training ground fight)  - Jan 2011

Balotelli v Boateng (training ground fight) – Dec 2010

Toure v Milner (on-pitch exchange) – Oct 2010

Adebayor v Kompany (on-pitch exchange) – Oct 2010

Adebayor v Mancini and Tevez v Mancini (dressing room bust ups)

Bellamy v Mancini – Feb 2010

When Man City became the nouveau riche, various commentators stated that you can’t just throw together a bunch of superstars and expect silverware to magically appear.  But that’s exactly what City did and despite performing strongly for most of this season, there is a risk that the team could self-destruct.

A successful team obviously needs to have skilful and highly-rated players.  But not all eleven players need to be bought at £50m plus.  There needs to be the right blend of skill and guile, flair and industry, otherwise it does not work on the pitch or off the pitch.

Why off the pitch? Well if you have a bunch of over-inflated egos at the club there are bound to be clashes.  The likes of Adebayor, Toure, Balotelli and Milner were bought for ridiculous amounts of money and are paid astronomical wages. Of course they’re going to think they’re great.  The Man City dressing room is so over-crammed with egos I’m surprised Roberto Mancini can even get in through the door.

I must admire Mancini, he has done well to contain it all, but the frequency of incidents is increasing and there is a fear that he is beginning to lose control of his players.  Off the field disputes can easily be covered up for a while, but sooner or later it will seep into performances as team spirit is eroded.  The blame can only be pointed at City’s poor transfer policy (that being, throwing money at any player that makes a headline).  If more thought was put into which players are bought and how much they are paid, there wouldn’t be the ego overdose, and there would be fewer bust ups.  That said, the bar has been set for City now and fans would be disappointed if the club didn’t continue to bring in the superstars.  And there, ladies and gentlemen, is the vicious circle that I speak of in the title of this post.

To get out of it, a reality check does need to be made.  More care should be taken with transfers and more should be done in terms of discipline.  The most explosive characters should be fined, banned or sold.  Something needs to be done, otherwise the City ‘dream machine’ will crumble apart quicker than you can say ‘billionaire’.

The Liverpool FC managerial conundrum

The short tenure of Roy Hodgson as Liverpool manager has been riddled with poor results and poor performances. All that I can count during his reign is approximately 60 minutes of football that was worth watching- 45 minutes against Chelsea and 15 against Manchester United. The rest has been utterly forgettable.

Unlike with the previous manager, Rafa Benitez, the opinion amongst fans is more or less shared. Roy Hodgson is not a suitable manager for Liverpool FC and needs to go. He is a wrong fit for the club in too many ways. The things he has said conflict the ideals of the fans. No previous Liverpool manager would ever admit concern for the star striker to be poached by Manchester United, no previous manager would ever attack the fans for lack of support, and no previous manager would be seen having a cosy little exchange with Alex Ferguson at the Wigan vs Newcastle game. It is not The Liverpool Way.

Many will argue that the fans berating the manager is not The Liverpool Way either, but this is an exceptional case. Bill Shankly once said that it is the people that matter, and if the people aren’t happy then something is going wrong. Roy Hodgson refuses to take responsibility for his part in Liverpool’s atrocious season and his attitude, arrogance, outdated tactics and lack of commitment to acknowledging the mindset and attitude of the fans have made him the number one culprit.

Many ‘experts’ and Roy himself have blamed the previous manager for leaving behind poor playing staff.  The majority of those players finished 2nd in the table in 2008/2009 and demolished Real Madrid. The majority of those players are fully fledged internationals, two of them are World Cup winners.  The only major omissions from the scinitillating side of two years ago are Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso.  Rafa Benitez did not buy Paul Konchesky and Christian Poulsen who are the two poorest players to pull on the Liverpool shirt since El Hadji Diouf and Rigobert Song.  Roy had better players and a better infrastructure (now) to work with than at Fulham and most managers would thrive at the opportunity rather than transfer the same outdated philosophy and refuse to take responsibility when the going got tough. His conduct has been despicable. The players may publicly back him but I doubt more than two or three actually believe in what Roy is doing.

So it seems inevitable, thankfully, that Roy Hodgson will not be Liverpool manager for much longer (barring a miracle and given that the next three fixtures are away to Blackburn, Manchester United and Everton, don’t count on it). And now the search has begun for his successor. The owners have a very difficult decision to make and their next move will be crucial to the future of the club.

Stick with Roy until the end of the season and irreparable damage could be done, and the backing of the fans will be lost (again, barring a miracle). Hire Kenny Dalglish and the fans will be elated and the players most likely galvanised, but if Kenny doesn’t do the job then his reputation will be tarnished. Hire Rafael Benitez and the fanbase will be split, the players who didn’t like him will be disillusioned and the media slaughter of him will continue. Hire Ralf Rangnick or a similar manager unfamiliar with the English game and it could be a stroke of genius or a catastrophe. Hire a manager like Owen Coyle or Sam Allardyce and expect attendances to dip even lower than Saturday’s 35,400.

For me, hiring Kenny Dalglish as a short to mid-term solution would be the best option, and see which managers are available in the summer.  Kenny is a club legend and the fans adore him.  The players respect him and he has won the Premier League. Granted that was in 1995 and it is clear that Liverpool don’t have a chance in hell of winning the title this season, but he has a better record than Hodgson.  I doubt he has lost his managerial abilities despite a lengthy break and he has been involved in the club for quite a while now.  Giving Kenny a chance to steady the ship and turn this abomination of a season into something respectable is not beyond his ability.  Despite what Roy may say there is a decent squad to work with, there are no more politics at the top (that we know of) and so Kenny and Damien Comolli could work to make some useful additions in the January transfer window.  He is the tonic that the fans and players so desperately need.  He understands the club and most importantly he understands the fans.

If there’s one thing i’ve noticed is that this current group of players respond to the atmosphere around the club. If there is disdain and dissent (as with the tenure of Hicks and Gillett and now the management of Roy) their performance will suffer no matter how hard they try.  If there is positivity and inspiration, they can achieve anything.  The winning run when Hicks and Gillett were ousted as owners, and the improbable win over Spurs last January after the fans gathered outside the stadium in a display of solidarity towards the manager are two glaring examples.  The appointment of Kenny Dalglish, I feel, would have this effect.

World Cup 2018 result: why are people surprised?

On Thursday the announcement that World Cup 2018 was to be held in Russia and not England was greeted with disbelief, outrage and a great deal of animosity by most English people who cared.  I, on the other hand, wasn’t really that bothered or surprised.  Maybe it’s because for a while now my contempt for top-flight football is growing – England’s poor showing in the World Cup, the downward spiral of my club Liverpool FC, the growing influence of billionaire sugar daddies,  or players that are as admirable as Pete Doherty in the role model stakes. The night before the announcement Aston Villa and Birmingham City fans indulged in their ritual handbags (I was almost caught up in such a fracas in last month’s derby) so is it really a surprise?

Beckham - the most interesting thing about the 2018 announcement

It’s no use berating the Russians and comparing their stadiums and infrastructure to ours; because to be honest Russia could do with the World Cup, it will do the country good.  And why are people so angry about it? Has everyone forgotten that we have the Olympics coming here in eighteen months’ time? For me, that is a bigger deal.

In my opinion, England doesn’t deserve to host the World Cup in 2018.  English football is swallowing itself up and I can only hope that something like losing the bid will be the kick up the backside it needs, because the game isn’t in the best state at the moment.  Let me lay it all out on the table – you’ll find it’s as ugly as the pig brain and fish eye buffet on I’m a Celebrity.

In league terms, the money that commercialised top-flight football and reinvigorated the sport is now turning into a poison infiltrating every club.  At one end of the scale you have the teams that don’t have much money and are unable to compete, whilst at the other end Manchester City and Chelsea throw millions around to buy success, which has inflated the market to new heights of ridiculousness. Even Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has to search the bargain basement for gems as opposed to splashing out.

Speaking of Manchester United, they are in an awful lot of trouble off the field at the moment.  The performance of the team seems to be papering over the cracks successfully for now, but one can’t help but think that United will ‘do a Liverpool’ and end up in a club-threatening ownership struggle.  Then what will the Premier League do when its most successful and commercially popular club is in the gutter?

I snooped around a few Liverpool FC message boards at the time of their ownership battle/joke/saga and the majority of posts were about legalities, finance, injunctions, administration, high court battles and ownership. The fans were so embroiled in the future of their club’s very existence that they forgot about the happenings on the pitch.  That’s not what football is supposed to be about.  Fans are supposed to turn up to the game and support their team without having to worry about whether their club will exist the next day.

Manchester City - the epitome of class

At the other end of the scale are Chelsea and Manchester City, who are as rich as the day is long.  Man City in particular are shameless in their pursuit for the cream of the footballing crop, yet somehow they end up paying through the nose for second-rate players.  I wonder why that is? Manchester United fans will happily point to the fifty-odd years that City have gone without a trophy to answer that question.

There is no such thing as ‘unlimited’ money however and the time will come when either spending is restricted severely or these owners will choose to draw their purse strings.  When that happens, it will be the fans that pay the biggest price for the actions of those at the top.  Ask the supporters of Leeds and Portsmouth.

Mismanagement, irresponsible spending and an inflated market have in turn forced clubs to hike ticket prices in to generate more revenue and have any chance of buying half decent players to compete. Those fans that have been forced to worry about the financial state of their club are also being priced out of attending matches.  It is not acceptable, and it is appalling that the people who run the English game have not stepped in.

Back onto the football, and there is another worrying side effect to the popularity of the Premier League – the lack of English talent coming through club academies.  I remember about ten years ago when the major topic of discussion was the amount of foreign players in the league and the possibility of them blocking the development of home-grown players, and now we’re seeing those fears manifest.

There’s no denying that the league has been better for its ability to attract the best players in the world, but at the same time the flow of talent coming from youth academies is now a trickle and it is harder for youngsters to break through into the first team of a top club. Arsenal and Aston Villa are exceptions, with some exciting players coming through from both clubs. A handful of clubs producing talent is not enough however and with this happening, where are the future stars of the England team going to come from, and will they be good enough?

Speaking of England, various players have been feasted upon by the gossip-hungry English media for all the wrong reasons.  I don’t know which was the bigger disappointment, the irresponsible behaviour of the players off the pitch, or their incompetence on it.

Rooney in particular has been a great source of headlines, especially with his recent contract dispute with Manchester United.  It is baffling that Sir Alex Ferguson allowed it to happen, but players now have more power than they deserve.  Money, not passion, is what drives them.  You only have to look at the new-found pulling power of Manchester City (a club that hasn’t won a trophy for decades) to realise that.

The Premier League is still regularly championed as the best in the world, with the most enthralling football, the best players and the most unpredictable matches.  To some extent, that is still true. It’s great when a newly promoted team such as Blackpool pulls off some shock results.  In addition, there are still exciting players in the league such as Cesc Fabregas and Didier Drogba.

That does not make the Premier League the best in the world, and despite the star names and hype, doesn’t give England the right to host 2018 World Cup.

At the moment, the bad clearly outweighs the good with top flight English football and something will have to give.  Will it be the collapse of Manchester United? (Who is able to buy out their £800m debt?) A mass exodus of top players? Fan boycotts? An England team that fails to qualify for tournament after tournament? Those seem to be the worst-case scenarios, and as each season passes and more trials and tribulations are publicised, those scenarios are becoming more real.

Some effort has been put in to try and stop the downward spiral.  Bans from European competition have been threatened for clubs that report huge losses, which should curb the reckless spending.  UEFA and the Premier League have introduced ‘home-grown’ player rules to make sure squads contain enough players from youth academies.  However, the fruits of all these efforts are yet to be seen.

And how to dampen the oversized (and mostly unjustified) egos of the players? Wage caps should be introduced to take away players’ negotiation power (see Wayne Rooney).  Clubs that charge ridiculous ticket and merchandise prices also need to be addressed.  The Premier League is extremely competitive financially, but it is the fans that hold it all together and over charging them will take its toll.

So football won’t ‘be coming home’ for a while at least, and until English football decides to get up off its arse and clean up its act, the wait may be a very long one.

Premier League: Are the Top Teams Getting Better, or Are Their Opponents Getting Worse?

photo by toksuede, Creative Commons

Chelsea 6-0 West Brom, Wigan 0-6 Chelsea, Arsenal 6-0 Blackpool.

Three games, 18 goals.  It is astonishing really.  For a league that is often championed as ‘the best in the world’ you would think contests would be a little less one-sided.

The Premier League still throws up the odd delicious surprise every now and then, look at Blackpool last week beating Wigan 4-0. A week later however and the newly promoted Tangerines disappointingly capitulate to Arsenal.  Chelsea have managed to score twelve goals in two games without reply.  It begs the question: are the top teams getting better, or are their opponents just getting worse?

Finance has obviously played a part in this – the billions of Chelsea will obviously attract more quality players whilst the Wigans of this world try to get a jewel from the bargain basement.  The English Premier League is all about money now and that’s just the way it is.

However, what English football has always been famous for is fighting spirit.  The FA Cup is testament to that.  It warms the cockles when a non-league side ends up in the 3rd round of the competition, and you can see parks filled to capacity with fans and the players fight tooth and nail in the biggest game of their lives.

From what i’ve seen, that spirit is diminishing in the Premier League.  When teams face the Chelseas and Manchester Uniteds of this world, eighty percent of the time they are almost resigned to defeat as they let their more affluent opponents make mince meat of them.  At best, they’ll have a rally at the beginning of each half but ultimately they run out of steam.

This is not always the case of course, there will always be shocks and that’s what keeps the league interesting. Take Burnley’s 1-0 win over Manchester United last season.

Despite that, the regularity of these comprehensive wins worries me. It proves that the gap between the top and the bottom is getting wider.  People say that Manchester City’s new money is refreshing and makes the league less predictable. For me, it is more predictable than ever.

The True Extent of Liverpool FC’s Debt

Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr, owners of Liverpool FC arrived in a whirlwind of optimism, their first words uttered to reporters were peppered with big promises, comfort, and security.

They ‘promised’ to help Rafa buy the players that would put Liverpool back where they are supposed to be.  They comforted the supporters by saying they wouldn’t “do a Glazers” and plunge the club into debt.

The fans could not help but gobble up the piffle, believe the lies, and rejoice at the prospect of a new stadium and star players to skyrocket Liverpool FC to the summit of English and European football.

Two years later, and the outlook is nowhere near as rosy.

Now Hicks and Gillett are two of the most hated men amongst Liverpool supporters. Their names, if they dare be mentioned, are spat out through the gritted teeth of most fans.  The state they have plunged the club in, the lies they have sprouted, and the impossible position they have put Rafa Benitez in is unforgivable.

They recently had to refinance the loan they took out to buy the club in the first place, and now the club are paying £1 million interest every nine days.  That’s right, £1million interest every nine days.  They promised they wouldn’t “do a Glazers” but that’s exactly what they’ve done, and worse.

They have claimed nearly £2million in expenses in the past two years. What for? To fly back and forth to the USA and “legal and third party consulting.” Aren’t new owners supposed to put money into a club, not take it out?

They promised a new stadium two years ago, a state of the art venue with a capacity of 70,000. It would give Liverpool a stadium to be proud of, a stadium as good as, if not better than, Old Trafford.  Instead the land on Stanley Park—where the stadium is planned to be built—remains untouched, but for a spade put in the ground by a fan; a symbol of frustration and anger at this false dawn.

They promised Rafa money to buy the players to enable him to compete with the best, yet every summer Rafa and the fans are left frustrated as another transfer window passes by without significant investment.

Last summer Rafa wanted Gareth Barry, not Robbie Keane.  But Rick Parry was reluctant to let the Barry transfer go ahead, and instead Rafa had to go for Keane, a striker that simply did not fit into his system.  One thinks that was probably the final straw for Rafa, who was thankfully given full control of transfers earlier this year.

Having full control is fine and dandy, but Rafa couldn’t buy Gareth Barry with buttons, which is why one year later the Aston Villa midfielder went to Man City.  Alonso wanted to leave, no one can argue with that.  Barry would have been the ideal replacement but instead Rafa had to settle for the injured Alberto Aquilani, the Italian who is expected to fill the gap and bolster Liverpool’s title challenge when he returns in October.

Glen Johnson, in all fairness, is looking like the buy of the summer.  But fans were still expecting someone else to give the squad an extra boost, that cutting edge to bring title No. 19 home. But the likes of David Silva and David Villa never came.

At the moment, Liverpool are stumbling on the pitch and many are writing them off.  Many are tipping Rafa to go, some so-called ‘fans’ are even calling for Rafa’s head.  This is because they don’t understand what a dire state the club is in. Now they do know, and hopefully they will understand.

The club will not be back where it wants to be unless Hicks and Gillett sell up.  Us fans can only hope, but we will not be holding our breath.

Rafa Benitez and his attempt to bring back ‘total football’

The new football season is edging ever closer, and my appetite for the game is growing ever stronger as that elusive kick off approaches at 12.30pm this Saturday (Chelsea v Hull, if you’re wondering).  I’m not a fan of Hull or Chelsea, but it’s that satisfaction of seeing the underdogs try and overturn the prima donnas of the Premiership that will make me heave that huge sigh of relief.  This is not another season preview blog though; if you want one of those there are millions on the web.  My concern is with my own team, Liverpool FC, and the education I’ve received about them during these football-starved months.

During this agonising summer I have tried to alleviate my football withdrawal symptoms by reading up about my favourite club.  On a forum, notably Red and White Kop, an educated member posted a lengthy three part thread about the philosophy of Rinus Michels, advocator of the much lauded Total Football strategy that the famous Dutch World Cup team of 1974 used to excellent effect, only to be thwarted by those bloody Germans in the final.

 

The user on Red and White Kop described in detail the ideals and methods behind total football, and how Rafa Benitez is implementing it at Liverpool FC.  I feel all Liverpool fans should read it because it will make you understand some of Rafa’s more questionable decisions, and give you hope and confidence that a new era of dominance is almost upon us with Rafa at the helm.

 The three parts are below, which make excellent reading:

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=225700.0 (Part 1)

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=225701.0 (Part 2)

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=225239.0 (Part 3)

And here is his discussion on whether there is a possibility for ‘Level 4 football’

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=234701.0

I can never top this fan’s interpretation of Rinus Michel’s framework and how he has related it to Rafa Benitez, but I can summarise Michel’s key points because I feel all football fans should be aware of it (and coaches).

The framework emphasises the need to cultivate youth talent; bringing home grown players through a club’s academy lays strong foundations for the implementation of the framework – this is because the right mentality is required for squads to play in the style of total football from the first team right down to the academy.

There are three levels of growth for a total football squad:

• Level 1 is ‘backs to the wall football’ (think relegation strugglers, teams that ‘park the bus’ so to speak).
• Level 2 is more of a counter attack style and a deep defensive line (think Liverpool between 2002 and 2007/8).
•  Level 3 is the pinnacle; domination football, characterised by a high defensive line, high intensity pressing of the ball, exceptional possession football and quick, incisive passing in small areas (think Liverpool near the end of the 2008/09 season, notably the convincing wins against Real Madrid, Aston Villa and Blackburn).

An important element of Level 3 football is having quality players who make the right decisions when under pressure.  Players like Javier Mascherano, Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Dirk Kuyt, Yossi Benayoun (and Xabi Alonso before he left) all have this ability.  Another characteristic of a ‘dominant’ footballing side at Level 3 is full-backs that support the attack at any given opportunity (Insua, Johnson, Aurelio) and centre backs that also like to join the attack (Daniel Agger).  Players who are exceptional at keeping the ball are crucial with this much defensive sacrifice.

But, Liverpool fans, do you now see where Rafa is heading with this team? Do you see how and why we obliterated teams so convincingly near the end of last season? It is proof that Rafa’s plans are starting to come to fruition, and with a more consistent implementation of Level 3 football (this is why Torres and Gerrard, and now Lucas and Aquilani, are so important) we can really start to bear the fruits of Rafa’s careful and intelligent approach.

This is not a comprehensive education on ‘total football’, I wanted to outline the key points and trends that resonate with Rafa Benitez’s current squad.  I have missed a lot out and I strongly recommend fans read the links I gave above.  Not only will you get an education in football, you will also get renewed hope for the season to come.

Q and A with Linden Dovey

Linden Dovey (below right) is a striker for Stourbridge FC.  This interview was originally featured in the magazine Midlands Non League Monthly, which you can view at http://www.mnlm.co.uk.

1. Which position do you play?

 Striker.

 2. Which team do you support?

 Wolves.

Copyright James Marsh www.jamesmarshphotography.com

 3. Describe the best goal you have scored?

 It would be when i was playing for Shifnal Town against rivals Bridgnorth Town. I scored a 35 yard strike to equalise which would then help us to a 5-2 victory.

 4. Best game you’ve played in? (and why)

 My final at bescott stadium last year for Shifnal town against Coalsville. I scored a penalty in the 2nd half to win the game for us and also received man of the match.

 5. Best player you have played with?

 When I was at Aston Villa as a schoolboy I played with Luke Moore who’s currently at WBA and Gary Cahill who’s now playing for Bolton Wanderers.

 6. Best player you have played against?

 I played against Jody Craddock and Matt Jarvis in the Birmingham senior cup this season for Stourbridge Town.

  7. Best game you have ever watched?

 That would have to be Wolves getting promoted with a 3-0 victory over Sheffield United in the 2003 play-off final.

 8. Favourite all-time player (and why)

 Paul Gascoigne.

 9. Which team do you hate the most? (and why)

 Obviously West Bromwich Albion.

 10. What is your earliest memory of football?

 Michael Owen’s wonder goal against Argentina in the 98 world cup.

 11. Favourite boots?

 Nike Vapors.

 12. Who do you think is the best player in the world right now?

 Cristiano Ronaldo in my opinion is the best player in the world at the moment, closely followed by Messi and Kaka.

 13. Best away ground you have played in?

 Walsall’s Bescott Stadium, Burton Albion’s Pirelli stadium and of course Wolves Molineux.

 14. Best ground you have visited? (as a fan or player)

 I visited old Trafford many years ago.

 15. Finally…the best dressing room prank you have seen (or done?)

 At Shifnal Town a couple of players took everyone’s shoes while we were all on the pitch, then tied them altogether and hid them.

Worcestershire FA: Bringing the Beautiful Game to Everyone

This article is originally from Karen’s online magazine Midlands Non League Monthly, which can be viewed at http://www.mnlm.co.uk.

There is more to the Football Association than disciplining clubs and players, regulating football and running cup competitions and leagues.  The emphasis it places on development is rarely publicised and one of its pioneers is Worcestershire County FA, just one of the many county branches of the governing body.

Copyright Worcestershire FA

Matt Jones, Football Development Officer at Worcestershire, considers football development a key aspect of the FA’s work: “Its ensuring that everyone has access to the beautiful game regardless of age, gender, disability or ethnicity. Furthermore, it’s supporting people to access the beautiful game in the way they would like too whether it be as a player, a coach, a manager, a referee or a young leader, or indeed the unsung hero of grassroots football, an administrator.”

The Worcestershire FA carry out development work in may areas of the game. ”In relation to player development we work on not only the physical and technical aspects of young players, but also their psychological and social development.  This is called the ‘four corner’ model and it helps youngsters to grow as people, not just footballers.

“We support the Tesco skills programme for five to eleven year olds, there are Player Development Centres for more talented youngsters aged 11 and over, and we also support Kidderminster Harriers FITC to deliver their Girls Centre of Excellence programme.  Even if young players apply to these centres and don’t make it past the assessments, we have Player Workshops for any age and skill level.  At the moment we are also piloting the FA Youth Award, we’re the only county to do it so it’s really put Worcestershire on the map.”

A lot of emphasis is placed on youngsters, but Matt insists his work stretches much further than that: “football is a tool that can be used to bring people together, and we do this by prioritising areas in the county that are particularly deprived, and placing emphasis on equality. Furthermore, the environment in which we all enjoy grassroots football is managed through the promotion of both the FA Charter Standard Scheme and the RESPECT Programme, both of which are national initiatives”.

The FA also holds courses for coaching and refereeing, runs mentoring schemes for women and girls football and holds small-sided football (‘Futsal’) leagues for men and women.  All of these schemes are part of a new FA campaign, called ‘Get Into Football’.  Matt is just one of the 270 Football Development Officers in the country responsible for providing as many opportunities as possible for them to get involved in sport.

“My job is so rewarding” Matt said.  “It’s inspiring to work with volunteers and players who share my passion for football. 

“I’m involved in football because I want to make a difference. I want to get the best out of players and create an environment which allows them to express themselves through the beautiful game.”

Evesham manager Paul West: “I can’t praise my players enough”

This article is originally from the online magazine Midlands Non League Monthly, which you can view at http://www.mnlm.co.uk.

Two years ago, Evesham United won their first trophy in 13 years – the Worcestershire Senior Invitation Cup.  This year they are in the final again but they are truly the underdogs; they are up against Conference side Kidderminster Harriers.

Copyright Karen Patel

Manager Paul West has engineered a magnificent first season in the Southern League Premier for The Robins after they were promoted last year.  As well as the cup final, they reached the first round of the FA Cup and they were also close to being promoted again, only to miss out narrowly on the playoffs. 

Paul puts the success of this season down to the togetherness at the club.  He said: “It was always difficult because we don’t have our own ground and we don’t have any extra income.  Our gates are probably the worst in this league, so from the football club’s point of view it’s really tough.

 “Despite that we’ve stuck together and in terms of atmosphere its absolutely fantastic simply because we have come in with one of the lowest playing budgets in this league.  Other clubs have players that don’t turn up for pocket money, and that’s what we’re up against so I can’t praise my players enough for what they have achieved.”

Kidderminster Harriers are currently chasing promotion into the Football League so the cup final will not be their highest priority, however Paul still believes his side have a tough game ahead of them.

“I’m sure if Kiddy [Kidderminster] put out their reserve team, they’ll still have some good quality players.  I’m really quite fortunate though compared to other managers, I haven’t had to worry about relegation this year so this cup final gives us something to look forward to.  It would be nice to have something to show for our season’s efforts.”

Since this interview, the Worcestershire FA Senior Inviation Cup Final has been put back to August 1st.