Saints have Fallen in Need

There are some appeals grab you, realising how good and caring a community can be.

I went Press to St. Marys to see the last home game of the season for Southampton who were playing playoff-chasing Burnley.

The score in the end was 2-2 and it was a pulsating match, although disappointment reigned that the Saints have fallen into League 1, even without the 10 point deduction that the Football League have imposed on them.

Manager Mark Wotte spoke how this game was a ’16 pointer’ and the players should do all they can to ensure that Southampton do not start on minus 10 next season.

The sheer fact that Saints are now relegation is possibly the time they can rebuild from the League 1 upwards.

A sense and prevailing concept of community is popular in the South Coast as one particular Chip Shop owner is doing his bit. He’s donating a day’s worth of sales to help the financially stricken club comes to terms with their finances.

A particular heart warming moment of the day was when ex-manager Lawrie McMenamy came on to pitch to highlight Southampton’s worries and begging for help. His spoke about how fans and players alike need to stick together and he’s sure that they can get out of this - there is rumoured to be two potential takeover – but he was realistic as he knows if a buyer is not found there may be a possibility that Southampton won’t be kicking off at all next season.

This club is in some trouble but most, if not all, would be pleased that the devil, Rupert Lowe, has left, even though he has left a hellish mess behind.

A group of ex-players have put their oar in to try to raise funds as good old’
Lawrie presented those players before the start to show how many people are committed to the cause.

Mark Wotte spoke in the press conference after saying that ‘the league is punishing fans and it was the work of the people, who has left the club that destroyed the club.’

He continued in saying that ‘I would find it interesting to hear what is spoken about behind the scenes at Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich.’ As Wotte presumes, their owners had a substantial say in the clubs fall from grace.

Nevertheless, the club is relegated and they deserve to be on footballing grounds.
The 10 point deduction or not, they are 23rd in the league and the league don’t lie.

Southampton are a good club with a good following, despite the fans who foolishly ran on to the pitch after the final whistle went.

It’s a rather idiotic thing to do in the first place but the fact it’s for nothing they can celebrate is beyond me.

Wotte wanted to show his thanks to the fans that have served him well all season in the most difficult of circumstances. The players, well the ones who cared, would have showed their thanks with a lap of honour.

Especially when the players like David McGoldrick, Andrew Surman and Player of the season Kelvin Davies are all unlikely to be there next season. Who knows who will still be there?

The Saints excellent academy will serve them well next season and hopefully we will see a return in the near future.

(Champ Corner, Football FanCast, 2009)

Ipswich Keane on Next Season

It can only be a good thing that Roy Keane is back in football.

Ipswich Town has made a shrewd appointment and Keane joins the new current management team that looks to carry Ipswich forward.

Jim Magliton didn’t do as well as anticipated and unfortunately paid the price, a playoff place was always in sight but never reachable and new Keane insists that promotion is a very realistic ambition.

He was appointed almost instantly, as the board knew whom they wanted in charge.

Club owner Marcus Evans plans matches Keane’s as they look to get back to the top flight.

Both have bold ambitions and fans must be hugely excited at the prospect of what next season may bring.

The owner has chosen Simon Clegg to transmit his vision and his vast experience with Team GB will help Ipswich to expand as a business.

Clegg’s appointment could be just as crucial as Keane’s, Evans must feel that Clegg is a man who has the experience with dealing with the media, big egos and has a long glowing list of sporting success.

The only problem is Clegg has never been much of a football man, while Keane lives and dies for the game.

Sir Clive Woodward’s appointment at Southampton wasn’t exactly a gleaming success.

The partnership between Keane and Clegg will determine how good Ipswich will fend next season. Keane must be under the understanding that he is solely in charge of football matters, and Clegg is there to deal with the business aspects.

Ipswich has football’s most colourful and controversial figure at the helm; it could be absolute carnage in Suffolk.

Evans, unlike Niall Quinn at Sunderland, is publicity shy and rarely speaks out against anything and for sure, Keane will have some highly controversial moments that would probably need explaining.

For all its boldness, it’s a rather risky appointment too.

Keane’s mood varies uncontrollably. Throughout his playing days, he had always been a winner, a trait that he has dragged into management and it was his primary downfall in the Premier League.

He struggled at Sunderland when they were at the wrong end of the Premier League. He wasn’t necessarily used to scrapping it out at the bottom, winning is what he knows.

He always seemed to be a sore loser.

A fine example of his winning mentality was how easily he took Sunderland from bottom to top of the Championship in a matter of months.

Keane poured his mentality and drive into the players and all of them wanted to play in the Premier League, he will be doing this again at Ipswich.

In the top flight, he spent big and was out of his comfort zone. Now he’s back to what he knows and will do well.

Now he has the rest of the season to access his squad and see what players have the heart and desire to push for promotion next term. He will bring players in the summer that will be winners.

Don’t be surprised if Suffolk will be celebrating promotion next May.

Journeyman Shoots off to US

We have seen the back off the one journeyman that cost in transfer funds is an equivalent to a small fortune.

Ade Akinbiyi has waved good bye to English football to embark on the land of opportunities. And to be fair it was time to go.

He’s completed his transfer to Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo in a venture that will see him reap huge financial rewards in the winter of his career. I just hope Houston isn’t looking for a succession of spectacular goals.

The Londoner leaves Burnley, having only appeared in 15 games this season, in a good position with real ambitions for Promotion and they’ve done it all pretty much without him.

His only goal this season came in the Carling Cup against Chelsea and with his advancing age, he was surplus for requirements at Turf Moor.

Akinbiyi has played for a string of clubs and has always been highly thought off.

His debut in football was against German Giants Bayern Munich for Norwich City before being shipped out on loan to Hereford United and Brighton.

First came of his big money moves as he moved to Gillingham, where he had the most prolific spell of his career before moving on to Bristol City for £1.2 million.

Wolves paid 3.5 million pounds for his services before leaving a mere 10 months later to join Leicester City in £5.5 million pound move. He moved to Crystal Palace with high expectations to come and cost a cool £2.2 million.

Then it was on to Stoke City, then Sheffield United before settling down with Burnley. An astonishing 11 clubs and transfer fees totalling passed £16 million.

Akinbiyi has moved on to his US adventure and leaves the Championship. His name is fondly remembered, if it was how bad he was or that his name was mentioned just too many times in transfer deadline day.

But I will always remember Leicester fans labelling him ‘Ade Akinbadbuyi’ or the Sun coining him ‘The League’s Worst Striker’.

(Champ Corner, Football FanCast, 2009)

Hampshire Optimistic for Domestic Season

The pre-season lunch was a compelling success as corporate staff were treated to drinks, fine cuisine and a question and answer session with Team Manager Giles White, bowler Billy Taylor and Director of Cricket Tim Tremlett.

White commented on various issues including the advice and guidance given to him by Duncan Fletcher in the recent preseason tour to South Africa. He said, “Fletcher’s appointment is fantastic, he adds a lot to the table. He has spoken about many things; one of them was the use of reverse swing and how to use it effectively.

“Duncan also spoke how Nic (Pothas) and I should interact with each other as he says that the relationship between the coach and captain is vital especially with Nic being our captain until (Dimi) Mascarenhas returns from international duty later on in the season. Fletcher will also be back in July to help us out for the last part of the season.”

Questioned whether his team have enough quality to be successful in all forms of the game, White replied, “We have a strong squad that can be successful in all formats. I want to win something this year and we are very capable of doing that in any of the formats. We have a slight advantage in the LVCC County Championship as Imran Tahir will be able to bowl as many overs as he possibly can rather than being restricted in the Pro40 and Twenty20 competitions.”

White also singled out Nottinghamshire and Durham as two counties that will really challenge Hampshire. He said, “Notts and Durham are two strong teams this year but I feel injuries and international call-ups will play a huge part this season’s outcome.”

But Hampshire will be in the thick of the action as White is adamant that his side can continue the good form that served them well at the end of last season. He said, “There is a buzz in the place and everyone is extremely excited for the season to begin. We have a good squad and we will do well, especially if we can continue our form from the second half of last season.”

Like White, Tim Tremlett was in optimistic mood for the upcoming season as he is convinced this will be a good one for Hampshire Cricket. He said, “We have a realistic chance of winning something this year. We have a few players back that were absent last year, John Crawley missed the last part of the season due to injury and he will be back to do well. The major downfall would be that Dimi (Mascarenhas) will be missing as he will on duty for England for the forthcoming Twenty20 and One Day Internationals.”

He is also happy with how the preseason has gone, “We have had good preparation for the season, we went unbeaten in South Africa, and we have won one and lost one against Glamorgan in the friendlies.”

Billy Taylor also reiterated what his coach had said, “We want to win something this year. The team is in good spirit and we are in a very good shape physically. We are all ultra competitive going into the new season.”

One Season Down and Non the Wiser

Sometimes after watching a strenuous Kevin Costner film, you suddenly think to yourself - ‘What a waste of three hours!’

Well Queens Park Rangers must be thinking similar circles, as they must be thinking - ‘What a waste of a season!’

Looking back at the beginning of the season, QPR promised so much. As the season progressed they never kicked on, Premier League football in the next two seasons was the promise.

Now they are one season down and none the wiser.

Iain Dowie has been and gone, Paulo Sousa only lasted 26 games. Now Gareth Ainsworth will see out the season. Not quite preparations for next season’s onslaught as they head bosses had have hoped.

Continuity is always important and the mega rich owners have patience as thin as Kate Moss. They demand instant success.

Success needs to be a product worked on and the players added to the current QPR squad are good enough to push promotion but they need more time adjust and play with each other to make them a very competitive team.

They have every foundation and credentials to make it but now their next managerial appointment needs to know he has some time to turn outsiders for the playoffs into promotion contenders.

Peterborough’s Darren Ferguson is touted as the next man to accept the post but this may not be the best way to go.

No doubt, he is an upcoming manager that is destined for great things but working at Peterborough for another season or so will help him develop and become a better manager. The Posh’s run may be a flash in a pan but if he can have three somewhat successful seasons he would be in a better position to do well.

Paul Ince’s decline showed a man who was not ready in an environment that was unknown to him, especially with so little experience. Gareth Southgate, for example, knows Middlesbrough and that is why he has done well.

They may be better to go for someone who has a ‘been there and done it’ T-shirt. The chairman and co-owner Flavio Briatore has now had four managers and two caretakers in a year-and-a-half, hardly ideal preparations to mount a promotion charge.

QPR now have one season to fulfil their Premier League promise but it would take one special managerial appointment, a skill obviously lacking from the Formula 1 maestro.

(Champ Corner, Football Fancast, 2009)

Heavens not looking kindly on Saints

One of the most loved clubs in the south is about to go bust and what a crime for football it will be if they do.

Southampton Football Club have been placed in administration to see whether the bankers can save their existence. The future looks rather bleak at present.

It happened when Southampton’s parent company was placed in administration that dragged the club down with them.

Trading in Southampton’s Leisure Holding plc’s shares was suspended on Wednesday after the company admitted they needed extra money to have a future, affecting its major asset the club.

The holding company had huge debts of £27.5 million to fight with, and that had a paralysing knock on effects.

However, with the parent company going to administration instead of the club, it may prevent the possibility of a 10-point deduction. So, the relegation dogfight is still on, hope is there.

One positive they can take from this is that Rupert Lowe has resigned after months of protesting from the fans. The manner of his resignation was not what the fans ideally expected though.

The Saints faithful were expecting major financial to an extent, this season has seen all the clubs assets and big earners loaned or sold. Players who would have secured the clubs safety were fished out, players like Stern John and Marek Saganowski who would have guaranteed goals. But it was not to be.

The club solely relied the youth set up and it promised some reasonable results despite the position the Saints find themselves in. The finance simply was not there but the team have done the fans proud.

I do hope they stay up and earn another season in the Championship.