Relegated and Watch it all over again!

Imagine the scenario; your team is rooted solely to the bottom of the Championship with hells chance of escaping relegation. Would you part with a substantial amount of money for a DVD that highlighted that very season?

I’m probably thinking you wouldn’t.
Charlton Athletic are asking fans whether they would like a deluxe extended DVD packed of highlights of their worst season in many years.

I’m sure not many diehards will be screaming for a copy as they should be trying to put this season firmly behind them. Relegation DVD’s are not, surprisingly, the best sellers.

They didn’t release one last season, the first time since 1987, and many fans were left disappointed but Charlton had realistic hopes of playoffs and playing some good football. This season is quite the opposite.

The six wins this term may have to be the constant highlight through the DVD or the sacking of Alan Pardew that made many fans pleased. Perhaps the supposed buyout for this foreign consortium that never was. The first win under Phil Parkinson – it took a while.

It has been a poor season for the Addicks and their loyal fans, and they won’t be flooding to the clubs shop for a copy.

It’s a shame that a good club like Charlton has fallen like this, many good players have come and gone and they probably have to hope for a really good youth set up to sustain themselves.

No doubt in League One they would have a much more exciting DVD release at the end of next season.

Cort of Injury

The man can’t get a break, well apart from a break in his body that is.

Carl Cort has been through it all. Can you believe he is actually 31 years old?
He currently plays, well sort off, for Norwich City after coming back from a brief spell playing in Spain.

Now he has been ruled out for the rest of the season after having an operation on his foot. And ‘being ruled out for the season’ is far too common phrase for Cort as his, once, promising career has never shot off in the manner it should have.

Sir Bobby Robson saw enough to splash £7 million pound on the man, a ruthless streak in the England U21’s did not evolve too much. His record of 8 goals in 12 games didn’t do enough to get the nod into the senior set up as his career nosedived from then.

It’s remarkable that a player that promised so much never materialised to his potential especially after all the money that was spent on him. Cort is a very tall striker that could hold the ball up and finish when called upon; Glenn Roeder noticed these traits and obviously thought he could have been some use for his struggling side.

Now Roeder has gone, and so has faith for Cort.

Norwich City’s league position don’t lie and a single goal from Cort has not really made the impact everyone was hoping. Norwich are struggling and signing a player of the calibre of Cort was certainly bold and interesting but it ultimately failed.

Cort is once again out of contract in the summer and he will be looking to improve his fitness and try to stay off the treatment table for at least a week.

But this may have been his last serious shot for Championship football as not many teams have the funds to finance an injury prone player that will only play an handful of games.

de la Cruz - Your not that far?

The love affair with football is often one that can be unpredictable at times. Imagine being born out in a village in the middle of nowhere and having the ability to be a pretty decent footballer. What would be the chance that you will be scouted, or even be able to play in a proper game.
In an era where most footballers come from richly enhanced surroundings, Ulises de la Cruz is very different and it is welcomed that his love story with the game continues.
He does not go out spending his top-pound wages on fast cars and big house, but on rebuilding an entire community where he grew up.
He is back in English football after his release from Reading, playing for Birmingham City and is on a mission to raise funds for his personal charity Fundecruz.
He is a cult figure back in his native Ecuador where his charity helps the village he was grew up in. He has kindly donate around 15 per cent of each wage packet he received, for it to be sent home to fund several projects in one of the country’s poorest regions where many ramshackle homes are obvious.
But his primary quest is education. He has supplied the village school with books, a playground and a brand new roof. And each day the 100 primary children receive breakfast and lunch courtesy of de la Cruz.
He is building a sports centre to get more children to have the opportunities that he didn’t have, however disappointingly the footballers that come through the ranks are seen as assets by the governments, so their careers may not have the chance to flourish.
Now he is urging the Birmingham fans alike to help his cause.
At Reading, they agreed a day worth of collecting for the charity and a few thousand pounds was raised.
He may be known at an International player that has played in almost 100 games for his country but to the people of Ecuador, he is so much more than that.

Is Alexander that Marathon Man?

Would you believe it if I tell that, the man that has played the most amount of games this season is a 37 year old Scotsman.
Burnley’s Graham Alexander has played no fewer than 51 games and has played in every single minute of those games. In this run, the right back has also played in an unprecedented three lots of extra time as well. This is equivalent to 4,680 minutes and countless amounts of injury time for the promotion chasers.
He has been coined the marathon man as he shows no signs of slowing down. As Manchester United are the next team on the list with 49 games, it shows how good Burnley have done this season. Nemanja Vidic has made the most appearances for the Red Devils this season and that is only 40 games(three as substitute), compared to Alexander’s 51.
To make Alexander’s record even more astonishing is that he has managed to squeeze in four games for his native Scotland as well. The marathon man indeed.
The former Scunthorpe United, Luton Town and Preston North End player is still loving every minute and has enjoyed cup ties against some of the country’s best. Ties against Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham, Chelsea, Arsenal and West Brom have added to Burnley’s hectic schedule and the list of Alexander’s conquests.
If Burnley were to reach the playoff final there is a prospect of another 10 games before their season is possibly over making Alexander’s games pass the 60 mark.
Burnley have got a good chance to take their chance in the playoffs and if they were promoted, it would be the first time in the Premier League since relegation at the end of the 1975-76 campaign.
If Burnley’s manager Owen Coyle got anything to do by Alexander still could be playing professional football well into his 40s. and good luck to him.

To Refer or Not to Refer?

To refer or not to refer? That is one question that is causing much debating in the Cricket circuit and on recent evidence there do not seem a point.

When you throw your mind back, umpires used to the best judges and the standard of umpiring has been diminishing since the inclusion of TV replays and this referral nonsense.

Before TV replays umpires had to make the difficult choice, their own eyes and initiative where there only point of protocol and on a whole, decisions were better assessed if though may have not been the correct one. Players respected the decision and there was not point in disputing the decision.

The decision was solely on them, they had to make the hard decision, as there was no other way. It was down to them, now with the influx of technology they don’t have to make that difficult decision. Technology should be embraced nevertheless but it needs a clear and defined system in place that works and that can be implemented in all forms of professional cricket.

The inclusion of TV replays has certainly helped to make more right decisions, even though it causes minor disruptions and delays. The third umpire is only there just to make sure that the decision was fully correct or if the umpire missed a close decision.

But this referral fiasco has hindered the flow of cricket and has caused more talking points than anything.

The referral system works particularly well in Tennis, as there is a key indication that the ball is either in or out, there is no two ways about it. Cricket has too many factors for it to be as clear as that.

On reflexion on the West Indies test it is something that the game really could do without. Fortunately for all cricket lovers, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is to assess the controversial new system in May but who knows what that will bring.

Big names in cricket including South African Captain Graeme Smith and Australia Captain Ricky Pointing have both declared their dismay for the system as both would like to see the idea of eradicating really bad decisions but the current system in place leaves a lot to be desired.

The current system of two challenges per innings are allowed as the TV official can use pictures and some of the available Hawkeye Technology.

There was a half-hearted attempt to use the referral system in the Friends Provident Trophy and it was frankly embarrassing. In the end, the captains agreed not to make referrals, and the umpires alike shook hands to protect their fraternity.

No doubt it will be back in county cricket sooner or later, and as much as the cricket purists wishes the system will not be going away.

International Test cricket is pinnacle of cricket and the exposure of the system should have not been highlighted in such an awkward way. It should have went through extensive tests in county cricket before it was inflicted on the main arena but the eagerness of the ICC to make cricket more fashionable prevented common sense as teething problems will always be apparent.

This evidently will be a vital part of the future in cricket but at the moment the future looks a little hazy.

McIlroy's some talent

Teenage sensation Rory McIlroy has certainly taken a lot praise and plaudits in recent months and who could seemingly blame them.
The sheer fact that the Northern Ireland youngster is already ranked 16 in the world and recently won his first title at the Dubai Desert Classic symbolises the essence of the next big thing in golf.
Tiger Woods has even added himself to that list of plaudits as he claims the McIlroy “has all the components to be the best player in the world.”
This praise is no mean feat indeed, Woods tends to be anything par jealous. Its rather disappointment that when McIlroy heads towards his prime, Tiger will be looking at retirement. It would be an intriguing clash that would elude many golf addicts.
Expectation can be a cruel and tainted subject, so McIlroy will need time to become a better all round player. He hits the ball well and his putting is up there with the best and if he can work tirelessly on the other attributes he will soon become one of the world’s best.
Colin Montgomerie must be excited to have him at his disposal for the next round of Ryder Cup action.
The modest and determination of the youngster is evident as he even declined an offer that most golfers would jump at. When Tiger gives you a personal invite participate in his Target World Challenge, few would decline. McIlroy did. He wanted to work on his card and the European Open, in his eyes, was too crucial to miss.
The future looks bright for this young man.

Blades need to focus on Job in hand

The debacle of the West Ham/ Sheffield United situation has been going on for far too long. After the Blades agreed a very generous settlement with the Hammers, former manager Neil Warnock has stuck his oar in again demanding compensation for himself.
Come on, the better team obviously stayed up, even though it was the illegal signature of Carlos Tevez to do so. But West Ham has been punished enough and surely, the Premier League should take more responsibility regarding the whole prolonged fiasco.
Warnock is currently considering legal advice to see any possible solutions and outcomes regarding West Ham and he says he is not alone.
His time would be better spent concentrating on Crystal Palace’s fortunes and as he still claims, “I should still be a Premier League Manager.” Palace currently sit 10 points off the playoffs and surely, he should have all focus on all that to become a Premier League once again. Simon Jordan must be pleased with these distractions.
Well in all honesty, Sheffield United would not have lasted much longer even if they had stayed up in the place of West Ham, as the tables do not lie.
Its more sour grapes as Sheffield United failed to beat Wigan Athletic and it is for that reason they were relegated. West Ham ended up finishing the season 15th in a tightly contested relegation battle. A win for United would have sent Wigan down and would they have sued, I would like to think they would have gone down with some dignity.
It is also known that players from the Sheffield United team are to pursue their own compensation claim, they didn’t play good enough and that is why they went down.
Tevez, on paper, gained six points for West Ham as his striker against Manchester United gaining two points, one for a draw and three for a win. He first the first in a 2-1 win over Blackburn which was a penalty gained another two points and a brace against Bolton in a 3-1. Bobby Zamora in fact earned more points that season.
Sheffield United sit in a healthy spot in the Championship, they are banging firmly on the door of the top three. Automatic promotion is still in sight and if they do go up I am certainly looking forward to a) Tevez playing at Sheffield United and b) the grudge match against West Ham.
Therefore, this fiasco is going to continue for a while yet.

No Bright spot in Norfolk

While their bitter rivals Ipswich Town can boast that they have an ex-Barcelona player in their ranks in a surge for playoffs, Norwich can seemingly boast that there third win from four games have taken them out of the relegation zone.
The Old Farm pairing rivalry is intense and in recent years they have matched each other in most areas, both spent forgettable spells in the Premier League, well Ipswich’s quest in European Football was something unordinary, and have been many managers come and go.
Nowadays, both clubs have fallen quicker than Delia Smith’s popularity as they are stuck in melancholy of the Championship and it looks unlikely that there will be a return to the top flight in the near future.
Ipswich are vying better of the two at the moment as their latest win over promotion chasing Reading shows a lot of character as there is living proof that they have the foundations of a decent team. Many fans were calling for the head of manager Jim Magilton earlier in the season but he has resurrected the dying team and are back in a late dash for the playoffs.
Having the audacity to bring Samba star Giovanni Dos Santos was something remarkable and he can certainly add flair and creativity to the Town’s attack. He may need a few games to settle but he would clearly be player too good for the division.
If players like Jon Stead, Tommy Miller, and David Norris can adapt to Dos Santos’s quick feet they can be a force to be reckoned with but this move may have been a few months to late to make a real impression on the playoff mix up.
Two wins on the bounce against Cardiff City and Plymouth Argyle have given the Canaries a huge boost heading into the pinnacle part of the season. They have moved up to the dizzy height of 20th as these wins have gave them a real chance of staying up.
Seeing that the armband was rebranded and given back to its rightful owner Gary Doherty was a smart step. And It came as no surprise that this reappointment coincides with Norwich’s recent good form after previous captain Mark Fotheringham was ruthlessly stripped of the title.
They have no ‘Dos Santos’ to speak off but they have their very own on loan gem to speak off - the arrival of Reading striker David Mooney. Since joining, he has looked a real threat up front, as two goals in as many games have rekindled Norwich’s fortunes.
Both will stay in this division as Ipswich will end up missing out of the playoff and Norwich will have enough to stay up. In all, nothing much to drink too in Norfolk or Suffolk.

The End for Trundle

He had the essence to be the star footballer, he had the skill, the looks, even the luxury of a decent looking WAG but he has failed to live up to any of his promise. It was meant to be the move that defined him, make him the better player but striker Lee Trundle left the homely feel of Swansea City and he has not ventured on to much more.
He seemingly moved across the river to Bristol City for a bemusing £1 million pound and failed to find any form, as the goals dried up quickly. He initially joined in 2007 has only 7 goals to his name in the red of City and the fact he could not master the step up from League One remains disappointing to say the least for him and his huge following.
He was certainly flamboyant and a joy to watch when playing for Swansea, scoring 78 goals in 146 games in quite an amicable record as Swansea fans will remember him in high regard. Trundle was a player full of skill and style, so much so that he was a known regular on TV show Soccer AM broadcast his host of tricks and flicks, it was this confidence and cockiness that drove him on to be the player he wanted to be.
He was very much the big fish in a small pond in the lower leagues, and as soon as he took the step up, he was swallowed completely. The Championship is not for the light hearted, Trundle simply just got out done and a better class of defender took no nonsense as there was no time for his tricks. This is an omen for any lower league player out there; don’t follow greed and money as it may look like Trundle will have to take two steps back before he can enhance his career once again.
He went out on loan to Leeds United where he was pretty much mediocre and unless he gets a good pre-season under his belt he will fall without a trace. He’ll maybe stuck watching reruns of his Soccer AM exploits more fondly than he possibly anticipated.

Duo Return

The return of favourites Glen Little and Dave Kitson may give Reading that last extra boost to clinch promotion in stunning fashion.
The pair have been ruthlessly pulled as Reading form has stumbled recently. Manager Steve Coppell never really want to get rid of the pair in the first place as they both ventured for extended Premier League adventures. Their return is not a massive surprise as leaving Reading doesn’t mean your career is necessarily going to prosper (Ask Nicky Shorey or Ibrahima Sonko about that), the return of the duo symbolises that it was at Reading they played their best football.
After he joined Potsmouth, Little found himself drifting in and out the team endlessly and even an impressive 45 minutes against Italian giants AC Milan couldn’t make him a regular under Paul Hart or Tony Adams.
He left Reading last summer after his contract ran out, even though the club offered him a new one he rejected the terms to join Pompey, obviously the lure of the FA Cup and European football was too difficult to turn down and rightly so. But as Portsmouth fight for pretty much nothing in every department, Little was eager to get some football and there would be no one better than joining the club he already knows and if he does well there maybe another Premier League for him.
Kitson on the other hand couldn’t score a goal to save his life at Stoke City as his 10 starts haven’t warranted too much. The ex-shelf packer was sensational at Reading where his scored a very respectable 54 goals in 104 games and manager Steve Coppell would hope he could repeat feat that for the rest of the season. Since the arrival of James Beattie, Kitson has been overlooked on many occasions and it feels like Tony Pulis has lost of faith in him.
These two can only be to Reading’s benefit, Little and Kitson can be those players to fire Reading to promotion again. These last ten games are the most difficult part to the rest of the season and Reading have got two quality signings. They were two of the vital members of their famous 2005 record-breaking season where Reading went up as champions and they have no reason why they can’t do it again this season.

Fire Burnley-ed out?

Burnley may have played just a few games too many as their season could be dwindling in front of their very own devious eyes.
Being only seventh spot is not a massive concern but if the tenuous extra rounds of Carling Cup and FA Cup football weren’t played, Burnley may have cemented there place in the anxious play offs a lot sooner. Games against a string of the best clubs in the country would be pleasing on any eager fan’s eyes – Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea, and Fulham have all played and been outwitted by The Clarets at some stage and that’s a true testament to manager Owen Coyle’s desire to the cause that they not only matched their opponents but beat them conveniently. Nevertheless, it would take noticeable bearing on Burnley’s rather small, depleted squad. The lack of players will mean that some will play up to or surpassing 60 games, and for any professional footballer that would be painstakingly difficult.
In hindsight, the success in the Carling Cup and FA Cup could be all in vain if the club were not to reach the play offs.
The most recent highlighted game against Arsenal finished in a 3-0 reserve to the Premier League side as Burnley were knocked out of the FA Cup and now it is smash, bang back to reality of the doldrums of Championship football. Just Championship football.
Burnley haven’t always been able to adjust to the football that is played in England’s second division after playing such prestigious teams. The stunning 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur (Even though it prevented them from a Carling Cup Final) was followed by an impressive FA Cup tie draw against fellow Premier League side West Brom before a crushing defeat lowly Watford in the bread and butter of the Championship.
As we enter the pinnacle moment of a lasting season, freshness is often the deciding factor between many tight encounters. Clubs around Burnley have much bigger squads to choose and that may be the difference.
Burnley have 10 games to make this season a cert to remember. Not every team have the luxury beating so many Premier League teams in one season but evidently it could be all for sweet FA.
Coyle and his staff have their work cut out to find a decent training regime to keep Burnley’s small squad fresh and be ready for the next vital games. The Play-off picture looks a firm possibility and we will have to wait in anticipation whether the player’s legs can hold the last few steps and extend their season to a few more games.

Ngog for All!

Oh my Ngog? Liverpool may not be in a worse off position than they were last season after all.
If Fernando Torres was injured the Reds could always turn to Peter Crouch to play up front, now he leads the line at Portsmouth so they slashed big in the summer on a world-class striker. They brought in exuberant striker Robbie Keane to enhance their title credentials and we all know what happened next.
The premature departure of Robbie Keane back to Tottenham Hotspur in January was baffling to say the least and Liverpool were looking in worse state than their forth-placed finish last term.
David Ngog first Premier League goal maybe give the belief that Rafael Benitez is not a barmy as first expected and the sale of Keane may not have been as bad as first expected.
Before the Sunderland game he looked nothing more than a hopeless Ryan Babel, and Babel is quite hopeless. However, his starting berth gave the young striker a fantastic showcase to show his worth and he duly delivered.
He was majestic and played light years ahead of his own age to supply Liverpool with a real option up front.
He conjured up some superb flicks and brought many of the midfielders into play. Even Javier Mascherano looked an attacking threat from his unfavoured right back position, as he was able to make use of Ngog’s ability to create space to blast a few shots wide (Well you weren’t expecting much else).
Ngog’s side-footed goal lifted a great deal of expectation and anxiety off Liverpool’s batted shoulders and they were in fear of falling away from this title race without a trace. More importantly, it gave breathing room between them and party smashers Aston Villa to make sue they secure those desperate Champions League places.
Ngog has always been prolific in youth football and has taken the first steps of becoming a real star on Merseyside.
Keane’s departure may look less ridiculous now. Benitez might have known what he was doing all along? I still doubt that very much.