Has Africa Got What it Deserved?

And so, the Confederations Cup has come to an end, with Brazil running out as the victors. The United States were worthy opponents on the day, but a superb Brazil fightback led Dunga's side to victory.
Spain started the tournament looking bright and full of energy, but they ended the competition looking lethargic and in need of a summer's rest after losing their unbeaten run.
South Africa, the hosts, finished in fourth place, having given Spain an almighty scare in the 3rd place play off.

But, who is the real winner here?

Without a doubt, South Africa and the South African authorities are the real winners after this tournament as they have shown that the country can handle the pressures of hosting a world tournament.

Yes, there were problems, but the world will not remember the problems. The world will not remember the untrained staff who did not know how to deal with the influx of visitors. The world will not remember the poor transfer routes. The world will not remember the faults.
The world will remember the football...and that is all that the authorities could have ever hoped for.

South Africa will host the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

But, I'm not happy.

South Africa will host the 2010 World Cup.

That sentence...it still doesn't quite make sense to me. I wonder...do they deserve it?

Sepp Blatter has always said that he would give Africa a World Cup. He promised it. He has delivered it. But why? Is the country ready? No chance.

The transport links are appalling. The roads (and there aren't many) are in poor condition and work that is to be carried out to make new roads and new transport links is still going on. Will it be ready? I'm not sure. Will it be rushed? I hope not. I really do. The football grounds are nowhere near ready for a World Cup. Yes, there has been some progress made, but that is not enough. The stadia are currently nowhere near the required level, and the plans made for stadia are still that...plans.

£2 billion is being pent on the country for the tournament, but if there was that money available, why was it not spent on improving policing, health services or education? Yes, this event has given the country a new lease of life, but it may lead to many more lives being ended. If fans stray away from recommended areas, then they will be in real danger. Yes, the crime rate has dropped recently in South Africa, but it has barely dropped when you look at the figures in detail. It has dropped from a very high number, to a high number. Either way, innocent people are dying. Last year, 18,500 people were murdered, and 36,000 raped. And those were the cases that were reported...there could easily have been many more...And you want to hold a World Cup there?

Countries are rewarded, when they are awarded the Finals. However, I would like to know, how has South Africa deserved this tournament?

The argument that we should help these countries now, so that they can grow in stature is a compelling one...until you realise this.
This is the WORLD CUP. This is the BIGGEST football competition in the world...bar none. This is not the testing ground for Fifa. This is not time for an experiment.


What should we do?
If I'm honest, I'm not sure exactly. Maybe the Confederations Cup could simply be held in a developing country whilst the World Cup is held in the actual host country.

However, if the country is not ready, it should not be given the Finals. It's not fair. The biggest tournament in world football deserves to go to a country who is ready. A country who is raring to go.

Sadly, South Africa is not that country. Not yet.

Ways to Survive the Summer!

http://www.joysandsorrows.co.uk/2009/06/penny-for-your-thoughts-16/


Enjoy!

Get the Diary

And so, in the space of 5 minutes one morning, your diary goes from being completely empty every weekend from August 2009 to May 2010 to being jam packed full of trips to Anfield or the Emirates or the Keepmoat (just for you Newcastle fans).

You have to love the day when the fixtures are released. The days before fill your head of images of one giant super computer that magically selects all of your team's fixtures for the forthcoming campaign. The reality, is quite different, but then again, who cares about reality?

The release of the fixtures brings a sharp intake of breath from fans, players and management. This is the time when it hits home that your side will be playing in the Premier League next season. This is the time when you plan every game, months and months before the game.

Immediately after the release, fans frantically run from friend to friend, exchanging stories about your forthcoming trip to Blackpool on a Tuesday night, or your dream start to the season, away at Old Trafford. Wait, did I say dream...or nightmare?

Well, in any case, my very own Birmingham City have been given that 'pleasure' next season. We get to travel to the home of the champions.

In some respects, that could be the best thing for us. Not only will you be brought down to earth (with a resounding thud), you also get out the way one of the hardest fixtures of the season. Below are the opening day fixtures for the Premier League:

Aston Villa v Wigan
Blackburn v Manchester City
Bolton v Sunderland
Chelsea v Hull
Everton v Arsenal
Manchester Utd v Birmingham
Portsmouth v Fulham
Stoke v Burnley
Tottenham v Liverpool
Wolves v West Ham

It will be interesting to see how Aston Villa fare, especially if the likes of Ashley Young move on in the summer after a certain amount of discontent coming from the Villa fans over O'Neill's transfer policy.

It will also be interesting to see how Everton match up against Arsenal, as David Moyes once again sets out his game plan - break in to the top 4.

Robbie Keane will be grateful (or not) to the fixture computer as he will face his former side in the first game of the season after facing them in the last game of last season.

When the fixture list is released, excitement for the new season can start to build up. This is it. A new start. A new beginning. A chance to make a mark.

Old Trafford, Portman Road, Elland Road, the Fraser Eagle Stadium. Wherever your side start the new season, enjoy it. This is what it's all about.

New Article - Birmingham City Transfer News!

Attention all Blues fans!


Below is an article looking at our activity in the transfer market, and also looking at our possible transfer targets in the next couple of months.


http://brum.blogsfc.com/birmingham-city-transfer-news.html

New Article - Penny for Your Thoughts?

Enjoy!

http://www.joysandsorrows.co.uk/2009/06/penny-for-your-thoughts-14/

Ronaldo's on the Move

When Perez, the Madrid President, said that he wanted to bring back the era of the 'Galacticos', many people dismissed him and his ideas as dreams. Well, he and Madrid are well and truly living the dream today as they have had a world record £80 million pound bid for Cristiano Ronaldo accepted by Manchester United.

It has been an astonishing week for Real Madrid and perhaps even more astonishing that Sir Alex Ferguson has decided to cash in on the best player in the world. There were rumours throughout the past 12-18 months that Ronaldo was on his way to Madrid, and even though a bid never materialised, Ronaldo continued to suggest that a move would come...eventually.

Relations between the two clubs broke down completely with Sir Alex's statement that he would not sell Madrid a "virus", after the way that they approached United through the papers, regarding Ronaldo.

Why did Fergie sell? The media have painted a picture that there has been a bust up between Fergie and Ronaldo over the player's attitude towards others. However, I'm not too sure. Personally, I think that Fergie looked at the situation, and just decided that it wasn't worth the hassle of all the rumours surrounding Ronaldo.
This way, United get £80 million to refresh the side, even if they have lost their star marksman.

Was it a good move? Well, it depends on who replaces Ronaldo. The problem is, that both Chelsea and Madrid seem to be cornering the market when it comes to top class players, and so United have to try and make inroads into the transfer market, proving that there is room alongside the two superheavyweights when it comes to funds for transfers.

I would like to see Fergie look for the next David Beckham. Obviously that won't be easy, but maybe it's time that Fergie reverted to the old style of wingers. Giggs will retire soon and Nani and co. have not proved to be adequate replacements for the United legends of days gone by. However, if Fergie did this, he would still need to go after a poacher. A real striker. A Van Nistelrooy. A Hughes. A David Villa? Maybe, but Fergie will need to be quick, as Madrid look set to sign the striker in the next couple of weeks.

For Madrid, this is a top signing. This is the one that they really wanted. This saga has suggested that players see Madrid as bigger than United, and that is a major bonus for Perez in his bid to bring back the Galacticos.

Kaka on Monday, Ronaldo on Thursday...I can't wait to see what Perez has planned for the weekend.

Silly Season is Well and Truly Underway

The Summer.
It's the time when a club on the up build on the successes of the previous season. It's the time when clubs desperately try to rebuild a ship that has sunk under the weight of its own incompetence. It's the time when clubs go crazy. Quite literally, in some cases.

Let's start from the top. The premier example. The number one case study. Newcastle United Football Club, or Newcastle United (football) if your name is Mike Ashley.
Ashley recently said that he would be "willing" to sell the club for £100 million...i.e., he is desperate. But, let's face it. If you had a spare £100 million, would you really waste it on Newcastle? Ashely spent over £110m buying the club and he then spent a further £110 million trying to pay off some of the debts that the club had...and look where that got him.
He initially offered the club to prospective buyers at an absolutely astronomical price. Obviously, that failed.
Now, Ashley has set an asking price of £100 million. Overpriced, yet again.
'Experts' say that the club's true value is about £80 million. At least Ashley was close this time.

It has been reported that Singapore-based group could be in the running to take over the club. Why? Cause no-one else is deluded enough to even enter negotiations with Ashley.

Is anyone a winner in this situation?
Well, they can't offer the Shearer the job because the club could be about to change hands. They can't offer the likes of Owen a new contract because the new owners may not like the deals offered. Players such as Steven Taylor will be torn apart mentally between his love for his club, but the yearning to play Premier League football at a crucial stage in his career. And Ashley...Ashley is hated by just about everyone residing in Newcastle (and that's probably an understatement.)

Going from the ludicrous to the extreme, it appears that Tottenham are on the verge of signing Ruud Van Nistelrooy from Real Madrid for a meagre £1.5 million.
The 32 year old striker looks set to return to the Premier League as Harry Redknapp looks for short term solutions to fire Spurs towards European football.
When he was in England previously, Van Nistelrooy was absolutely sensational for Manchester United, and his move to Real Madrid came as a shock to many who felt that the striker still had a few years left at the top of his game.
However, whether he still has the ability to readjust to the Premier League at this stage in his career is doubtful.
My personal opinion is that Van Nistelrooy is the right player for Spurs, but at the wrong time.
He was a top striker, but whether he is still the main man is doubtful. He missed much of the last season through injury and it remains to be seen whether he can regain top form.


Across the city, Chelsea have shown their ambitions, with a supposed £45 million pound bid for Sergio Aguero, the Athletico Madrid forward. There are also rumours abound that Chelsea are chasing the AC Milan striker Alexander Pato. Milan always said that they would be reluctant to sell either Kaka or Pato, and it was hoped that due to the subsequent departure of Kaka, Milan would be able to keep Pato at the club for the forseeable future.
However, there are reports circulating that Chelsea are after Pato, and personally, that would make sense to me as I was mystified that they were not fighting Madrid tooth and nail for the services of the Brazilian. Maybe they held the ace up their sleeve with the bid to sign Pato? You never know.
Could Chelsea be about to challegne Real Madrid in the long term in the battle to create the team of Galacticos?




Finally, on a personal note, it has been a very interesting couple of hours for myself and others connected to Birmingham City Football Club. A local radio station reported that the Blues are set to sign 3 defensive players in the next 24 hours, with one player set to sign in a £4 million deal.
The news will excite Blues fans, especially after the recent record signing in the form of Christian Benitez.
Fans will already know about the impending arrival of Giovanny Espinoza, and the possible arrival of Manchester City keeper Joe Hart. Fans have been trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle, with many unsure of who the 4 million signing could be. In the past week, we have read stories that Blues have had a £5 million bid for Cardiff's Roger Johnson rejected, and there were rumours of a bid for Coventry City's Scott Dann.


These are exciting times for fans everywhere...just not in the North East.

Trading at Recession Busting Prices

Here is an article looking at whether football could be the thing to lead the world out of the great recession. Don't believe me? Take a look:


http://www.birmingham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=156715

Spain away at Azerbaijan!

Here's a match preview for the Spain friendly away against Azerbaijan.

This is their chance to have a warm up before the Confederations Cup.

Enjoyy!

http://spain.blogsfc.com/azerbaijan-vs-spain-preview.html

Setanta on the Ropes

They came. They came to challenge Sky Sports.
They came to add another dimension to the viewing pleasures of football fans everywhere.
They came to offer more games, at a better price.
They failed.

Setanta took the Sky Sports model, copied it, and then sent it back out as their own idea, hoping to attract millions of subscribers. However, they soon realised that Sky's stranglehold over the footballing game, and the public, was something that could not be broken. In desperation, Setanta did everything possible to buy the rights to England games, FA Cup games, Scottish games, and more Premier League games than ever before.

However, their aim to beat Sky overshadowed common sense, and Setanta took it too far. They paid £125m for 4 seasons of exclusive coverage of the Scottish Premier League..something that Sky would never do. Why? Because, let's be honest, how many English football fans enjoy watching SPL games? Let's be honest, SPL games just aren't very popular.

Setanta also broke the bank to buy the rights to certain England games...what a mistake. What a shambles. The FA should never ever ever have allowed England games to move on to pay-per-view TV. Even Sky never did it. They realised its importance to the public and they wanted the games to be on BBC/ITV, free-to-air to the British public. In an angry response, fans turned their back on Setanta, many going to the pub to watch the England games instead of subscribing to Setanta.

Now?
Now the are in massive trouble. They can't find the money to pay the final installment (a meagre £3m) to the SPL board for the coverage this season. There are rumours going around that the England game on Setanta tomorrow will be the last England game that Setanta broadcast, because they just don't have the money.

This was the big chance for someone to challenge the authority and power that is Sky. Setanta failed. End of story.

Well, What a Day!

It's been an enthralling day in the footballing world, both at home and abroad, as the end of season merry-go-round has gotten into full swing.
First off, there have been a few managerial appointments that have been confirmed today as clubs look towards the summer and the chance to rebuild their team.

QPR appointed a new manager (again), as Jim Magilton, the ex-Ipswich manager was given the chance to work under owners who have been quick to chop and change in the past. Personally, I feel that Magilton is a top manager, who gets his team to play good, honest attacking football. However, I feel that in the past, Magilton has not been given the funds that he has needed to improve the squad, and therefore, I feel that this move to Rangers could provide him with the perfect opportunity. He has a half-decent squad at present, and with room to manoeuvre in terms of his transfer budget, he can look foward to starting next season with a team that can aspire to gain a place in the Play-Offs, at the very least.

And then, there was good ol' Brucie, who left another club in the lurch to jump at the chance to join the revolution at Sunderland. Wigan got their compensation, and Sunderland got a Newcastle United fan. In his press-conference, Bruce said that he had waited 9 years to manage club the "size" of Sunderland, but I'm a bit lots. When he was at Blues, he was offered the chance to go to Newcastle, and he was in the chase for the job before Joe Kinnear was hired, but both times, he came out and turned down the job. For Sunderland, they have hit the jackpot - even though their fans may not agree with me. Bruce is an adequate manager, who has the ability to motivate a team to go out and play for the fans, and I think he could do well at the club. However, the Sunderland fans will still be mulling over the fact that their new manager in charge is a massive Geordie by the time that next season kicks off. Some will love him, and some will hate him but then again, Bruce has never had it easy.

While all this was happening, Wigan owner Dave Whealen appeared on Sky Sports News, and appeared to be wishing Steve Bruce all the best in his new job. Well done Mr Whealen, very kind and admirable of you...Oh...what's that? You're still talking?...Ahh, and there is the reason that Whealen appeared on Sky Sports News. Tapping up Roberto Martinez. Whealen constantly referred to the fact that he allowed Sunderland permission to speak to Bruce "immediately" because he feels that people ahve the right to talk to who they want to. Whealen then put an immense amount of pressure on the Swansea hierachy, by constantly linking Bruce's situation to the storm clouds gathering above the Liberty Stadium. Along with Wigan, Celtic are seriously considering Martinez for their managerial position, and this means that Swansea Chairman Huw Jenkins will have a massive fight on his hands if he is going to keep the manager who has performed admirably since joining the Welsh club.

...And that was just the managerial news!

The summer is traditionally the time of year when the big money transfers take place, and this summer, even in its infancy, has been no different.

On the home front, my very own side, Birmingham City, have smashed their own record transfer fee to sign 23 year old striker Christian Benitez from Mexican side Santos Laguna for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £6.5 with another £3 million pounds in add-ons. The striker has a good scoring rate for his club and country. He has scored 14 goals in 18 games for his club side this term, along with 10 goals in his past 17 appearances for Ecuador.
Benitez is a 5 foot 6 bundle of energy who is built like the hulk according to all reports. It is said that he is one of the hottest talents in South America, and a top 6 Premier League side, along with a few European sides were after his signature, and therefore it is a major coup for the Blues that Alex McLeish has got him to sign on!

Across the city, Gareth Barry has had an eventful few days, as he went from potential Liverpool target, to Manchester City's new signing. Barry moved for £12 million but his move has caused outrage amongst Villa fans who believe that he has let down the club. Barry said that he wanted to leave (last summer) because he wanted to go and play Champions League football, and so fans find it ridiculous that he has moved to Manchester City, who are nowhere near getting into Europe, forget the Champions League.

In the aftermath of his transfer, with the desire to clear his conscience clear for many to see, Barry wrote an open letter to Aston Villa fans through the local paper, where he tried to justify his move. He praised those who have helped him in the past and he would have hoped that this letter would put him back in the good books of Villa fans. The first reaction that I received from a friend and Villa fan? "He's still a tosser." Oh well Gareth, better luck next time.


Over in London, it has been yet another busy day at Chelsea FC, where Ricardo Carvalho expressed his desire to leave the club this summer. He reflected on his "wonderful" spell at the club but he felt that it was about time to move on to a new challenge. Carvalho cited reasons such as his frustration at not having played enough games this season, but at the end of the day, that is because he was injured more often than not.
Methinks that Carvalho is dreaming of a move to Inter Milan where he would once again be reunited with ex-manager Jose Mourinho. Mourinho managed Carvalho at Porto and then brought him to Chelsea and Carvalho has always proclaimed his great respect for Mourinho and the job he has done. Nevertheless, Chelsea will be hit hard by Carvalho's remarks, as when alongside Terry, Chelsea are a much improved side. However, this is the perfect chance for Michael Mancienne to come in and try and leave their mark the team, along with Alex, the defender who has profited the most this season from Carvalho's injuries.

And now we come, to the biggest transfer story since, well, January. Kaka to Real Madrid...Or was that Chelsea? It appeared yesterday that Kaka was all set to sign for Real Madrid before reports which stated that Kaka's father demanded that Kaka talked to Chelsea before making his final decision.
Then, it was mid-afternoon today when startling reports emerged. These reports said that Chelsea had made a massive £73.5 million bid for the star, with a contract offer that would leave the Brazilian with £10 million a year, after tax.

If that wasn't good enough for you, there was yet more developments a few hours ago when Chelsea categorically denied making a bid for the star. So the plot thickens...


Well, what a day it has been! The breaking news just kept coming, and I'm sure that we haven't heard the last of a few of the issues mentioned above.
Rumours. Don't you just love them?!

New Article- Penny For Your Thoughts

I've got a new article on Joys & Sorrows, where I discuss the farce that is Real Madrid, the decision by the Welsh FA to give their supporters free tickets, the upcoming trials of 5 referees in a game and I give my team of the season.

If any of that takes your fancy, then please follow the link below:

http://www.joysandsorrows.co.uk/2009/06/penny-for-your-thoughts-13/

Is Ancelotti The Man?

Finally, the worst kept secret in football was revealed with the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti as the new manager of Chelsea, as he was awarded the task of trying to replace Guus Hiddink.

Is he the man for the job?

Well, his greatest problem is clear - the language barrier. However, news of his problems have been widely exaggerated by the media. He gave his first interview in complete english for Chelsea TV after signing up to the Russian Revolution and while his English was far from perfect, it was of a good enough standard to survive at half-time when you need to tell Drogba to keep his mouth shut and his head in the game.

However, is that it? Is that the end of his problems? I'm not too sure.

Ancelotti is a good manager, but one Serie A title in his whole stay at AC Milan does not say much for the man. Yes, he won two Champions League Titles, but he lost another.
One thing that you can be sure of, is that he had, and still has, many friends at AC. It is said that many players were in tears when he announced that he was leaving the club, including hard man Gennaro Gattuso.

What is my gut instinct?
I think that Abramovic will get what he wants - a Champions League trophy.
However, I feel that this appointment will be doomed to failure on the domestic front. I can't see Ancelotti leading the side to success in the Premier League, but the Champions League? That is a completely different prospect.
For Chelsea, the Champions League has always been their Holy Grail, just like Liverpool and the Premier League title...the trophy that they want so desperately that always avoids them.
Their side is good enough to get to the semi-final - they have proved that enough times in the past, but I feel that Ancelotti's know-how of the European game will enable them to pass the final hurdle.


That is, if Abramovic doesn't get bored and wield the sword before Ancelotti gets that far.
Anything is possible...after all, this is Chelsea.