Villa's top four mission

Fans and critics alike of the English Premiership often bemoan the lack of competition; ‘big four’ syndrome strikes top divisions all over Europe but none more so, it seems, that the top flight of the home of football. The gulf in class and success between the top four teams in England (namely Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal) and the rest of the league is plain for all to see and no team has breached this elite group for some time now.


Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa, however, seem well placed to do so this season. They go into the halfway point of the season sitting in fourth place, above Arsenal, and only just behind Man Utd in third. Talk of a title charge is premature and unrealistic but the whispers around Villa Park of Champions League qualification appear to be much more forthcoming. O’Neill’s side have been quite superb this season, their nucleus of young English players forming a strong team atmosphere that has seen them propel themselves to such heights to which they now find themselves.



How long can it last? O’Neill is thought of by many as a seriously classy manager and he’ll know not to get ahead of himself. He’ll know that the team he has been building over the last three or so years is probably at it’s peak and this will please him no end. Still, a season is not made on where you are in December. Villa have plenty more to prove to themselves and to the rest of the division if they are serious about breaking the elite this year.



Nevertheless, they have been extremely easy on the eye this season. The 2-2 draw on Boxing Day with Arsenal perfectly illustrated their never say die attitude and belief they've had so far this year. They comprehensively outplayed their illustrious opponents in the first half, striking the woodwork on no less than three occasions. Naturally (apologies for the cynicism), Arsenal then took a two goal lead. Most teams would see that as the crippling blow; Dominate the game and then go two down - can anything be more disheartening in this fair game? Apparently, no-one informed Villa of the usual script as they fought back through a Gareth Barry penalty and then, in the dying moments, grabbed a dramatic late equaliser through defender Zat Knight.

A thrilling performance that encapsulated Villa's undoubted technical ability, even if they couldn't get the win they deserved. Nonetheless, Villa had been proverbially throwing down their credentials nearly all season. A draw with Liverpool, a win away at Tottenham, a point with Manchester United and a fantastic victory at Everton, where they conceded an equaliser in the last thirty seconds of play before shocking everyone and scoring almost immediately from kick off with the last kick of the match. Their players are good, very good, and encouragingly, the majority of them are English. Driven from the middle by Gareth Barry, their attacking might revolves around the pace and genius of Ashley Young, the skill and craft of James Milner and the raw goal-scoring talent of Gabriel Agbonlahor. Surely these four players should be England squad regulars by the time the 2010 World Cup arrives?

For fans up and down, the land it is refreshing to see Villa’s challenge upset the big four. Such an occasion is seldom, probably last seen by Martin Jol’s Tottenham in 2006. They occupied the fourth place most of the season before a final day defeat saw them give up that prized space to fierce rivals Arsenal. Tottenham failed to kick on and achieve subsequently and their challenge has since died out. Now it is Villa’s turn and fans all over the country must be hoping for claret and blue success.


It is hard to dislike Villa at present moment (Birmingham fans aside). They’re easy on the eye with their slick football, they have promising, young English players and they pose a genuine threat to the annoying supremacy of the top four. For fans who have long loathed all the preferential treatment from referee’s, the protection from the FA on disciplinary matters and the general boredom of having only four authentic title contenders, Villa’s challenge is a sharp relief and should be supported by neutrals and all fans across the land.



As for Martin O’Neill, next time the FA are looking for an England manager, surely it must be him.

Swann to ease burden on Panesar?

With England’s test series in India finally due to begin in Chennai, England have named their side in advance. The big news being that the selectors have given a Test debut to spinner Graeme Swann, a regular in the one day squad. Swann, a right arm off-spinner comes in for the injured Stuart Broad and gives England their first all out spin pairing since the last time they visited these shores in 2006, when Panesar himself and Shaun Udal bowled England to victory in Mumbai.

Swann is also a capable batsman, having even opened for his county Nottinghamshire in the past. He therefore fills the number eight void left by Broad but his fans will be hoping he can impress more with the red cherry in hand. His inclusion in the side will be seen as a positive thing as it means that Panesar is not the lone spinning option for captain Kevin Pietersen.

Panesar has been criticised for his lack of progress in the recent year, having made such a impression in the early stages of his career. Shane Warne gave a frank assessment of Panesar saying that he had not played thirty three test matches, rather he had played the same test match thirty three times. One can assume that this was a reference to Panesar’s lack of variation and his samey style of bowling.

He relies greatly on the left arm spinner’s stock ball: curve it in towards the right hander, pitch it on middle or leg stump and spin it away. It can work to devastating effect, as shown by his demolition of New Zealand at Manchester last summer (he took 6-37). However, when the pitch offers little and the batsman are set, he tends to struggle.

Also, he appears to have lost some of his childlike love of the game. Even after pastings at the hands of Australia’s rampant batsman, he still seemed to be enthusiastic about the possibility of a wicket. One can point to tough times at the hands of India, Sri Lanka and South Africa and Monty appears to be less happy with the way his game goes.

Swann could make Monty’s life a whole lot easier. They compliment each other excellently, with the right arm/left arm combination making life difficult for the batsman and forcing him to readjust his thinking. Also, the presence of another spinner will ease the mental burden on Panesar. If your running in, over after over, with two Indian batsman hitting you all over the park, the thought that you’re the only one that can make the ball spin could be an intimidating one.

Swann has shown previous success on Asian conditions, although only in the one day format. His breakthrough in the England side came after a hugely impressive performance in Sri Lanka last year and he impressed to a degree during England’s thrashing by India in the prematurely aborted one day series recently. He has the ability to really spin the ball, possibly more than Panesar does. He’s not going to win the series for England by himself; but his presence in the team will help Panesar and Panesar could be a match winner.

England finally appear to have picked the right balance in their side. Two different styles of spinner and three pace men in Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison and James Anderson. It gives the captain options and that is exactly what England will need if they are to achieve anything from this challenging Test series.

(allvoices.com, 2008)

Being put back into place

Whilst perusing through the mailbox on football365.com this fine evening, I found an interesting little post from a disgruntled Southampton fan. It seems an Arsenal fan had written a post the previous day claiming that no other club were in a worse position than his beloved Gooners. Please, have a look:


Is Any Club In A Worse Position?

Okay, just to give an update on a team no-one cares about (apart from me and Mort Snort that is), which is Southampton. We're currently lying 19th in the Championship, four points above the relegation zone. In our yearly results up to July this year we have lost £4.6m. Our overdraft has risen to ridiculous levels, and our turnover has decreased from £21m to £13m. Attendances have dropped from an average of 22,00 to 15,000 due to splits in the fanbase, lack of home wins and most of all, utter laziness and inability to be proper football fans and back the club with money.

On top of this we have an unproven Dutch manager who has got a team with an average age of just under 21 years of age playing lovely flowing football, but with no end product. This has led to several of our players being potentially whipped away in January by the Premiership big boys, with Lallana off to Spurs (If he could shoot he'd be a world beater), Andrew Surman off to Stoke to join the Saints old boys, and Morgan Schneiderlin off to Arsenal (this boy is something special) where we will have to try and unearth the next superstar from our academy, who'll probably be like eight years old. Add to this the fact that allegedly Rupert Lowe is picking our team week in week out, the fact we need to get rid of Rudi Skacel, Stern John, Grzegorz Rasiak and Jason Euell off the books to give ourselves a chance of staving off administration, and you'll realise what a hole our club is in.

Is there anyone else whose clubs are in a worse position. From the sounds of things there is a team in London who are 4th in the Premiership with a few injuries, whose 60,000 paying fans are booing one of their players. Gosh. I wouldn't want to be them...

Simon Goddard, SFC


Perspective can be a right slap in the face sometimes.

Mumbai attacks mean cricket is immaterial

Wednesday’s attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai have left over a hundred people dead and at least three hundred injured. The attackers targeted several sites across the city, notably the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, where a large number of Westerners were staying. The location is significant for the fact that the current touring England cricket team were due to stay there in the coming weeks, as were the Middlesex team, participating in the inaugaral Champions League.


Cricket is used to being on the back pages and although it is hardly the centre focus in this story, there is only one option that can be taken - send them home. As much as sport is a healing power in this world, where eastern and western cultures can combine to play a competitive game, there comes a time when safety is premium.


The second a touring party feels there is any danger to their personnel then it is time to send them home. Yes, the contest would be ruined and the sporting attraction would be over but when it comes to human life, there can be no excuses. This event is particularly close to home in that the team were due to stay at the very hotel that was attacked. Have we reached the stage where we send our sportsmen overseas like we send our soldiers to war, praying for their safe return?

This incident is not the first one of cricketing safety. The recent Champions Trophy was postponed as the security climate in the host country Pakistan was deemed unfit by nearly all countries. Australia and West Indies recently declined to tour Pakistan because of the same reason. It seems most countries will see sense and pull out of touring should there be any kind of risk to players.


The England situation is different in that the team is halfway through playing a series. However, there is no sense in risking their lives for a game. Leicestershire wicket keeper Paul Nixon, who is currently in India playing in the ICL, says England should pack up and head home immediately and it is hard to disagree with him. The financial and commercial costs may indeed suffer but safety comes first.

It is not often sport and terrorism are mixed. And that is exactly how it should be. If England extend their stay in India to encompass the scheduled Tests then there is something dramatically wrong with the organisers in the England camp. Do them and their families a favour - bring them home. They’re sportsmen, not soldiers.

Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Blackburn Rovers - Match Report

Tottenham and Blackburn began the afternoon in the bottom three but it was Spurs who came storming out of it by full time as they edged out their opponents on a chilly afternoon at White Hart Lane. Phase one of Harry Redknapp’s plan, to get out of the bottom three, appears completed and the Messiah’s fantastic start as boss continued.

Former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson returned to White Hart Lane for the first time since his departure as the teams took the field with no real surprises in the selection. Ledley King returned to captain the Tottenham side and Darren Bent and Roman Pavlyuchenko started a game together for the first time, after former boss Juande Ramos had deemed the pair unfit to play together.

It was Spurs who had the first scare however as the ever worrying Heurelho Gomes contrived to spill a Morten Gamst Pedersen corner, causing mayhem. Tottenham however survived the scare in the best way possible as Aaron Lennon robbed Aaron Mokoena and skipped down the pitch into the Blackburn area to pull back for Pavlyuchenko, who calmly fired into the back of the net. Pavlyuchenko was unlucky not to have a second soon after as his header from David Bentley’s free kick hit the post.

Blackburn responded quite well and could have been level when Brett Emerton looped the ball over the advancing Gomes, only for a desperate headed clearance from Jonathan Woodgate. Minutes later, Benni McCarthy contrived to put a good chance over the bar from six yards out after getting on the end of a Martin Olsson cross.

Spurs continued to look lively, none more so than Lennon who went on several darting runs through the Blackburn half, one of which resulted in a left footed strike which just went past the post. He caused Blackburn more damage when again he sprinted away from Martin Olsson, only to be cynically brought down by Olsson who received his second yellow card and was forced to take an early bath. From the resulting free kick, the ball came to Lennon on the outside of area who’s powerful strike was blocked on the line.

Just before the half time interval came a moment of controversy as Bentley went down on the edge of the box. Tottenham fans and players alike all anticipated an attacking free kick only for referee Howard Webb to give a free kick the other way and show Bentley a yellow card for diving. He may have gone down a touch theatrically but to say he was diving was harsh and the challenge definitely merited a free kick. Nevertheless, Spurs were good value for their half time lead.

Blackburn looked dangerous in the opening exchanges after the break but Spurs continued to create chances, with Tom Huddlestone having a vicious drive deflected over the bar and then another, even better shot from the resulting corner, which curled a touch wide of the post. Spurs continued to press, yet couldn’t find the elusive second goal as Jermaine Jenas and Bentley played an intricate short corner which dropped invitingly for Woodgate, who couldn’t get a clean strike on it.

Tottenham were dominating possession and Blackburn introduced Matt Derbyshire to give a more attacking edge. Spurs brought on Frazier Campbell, who has impressed in recent weeks, for Pavlyuchenko as they looked to close out the game with another goal that their pressure and performance had deserved. The anxiety was growing all around the ground, however, as Blackburn slowly began to get more of the ball, although they hadn’t really threatened Gomes’ goal.

With ten minutes remaining Campbell broke down the left, evading a few tackles and fired the ball across the face of goal only to see Darren Bent’s outstretched foot just fail to make contact. Minutes later, Lennon darted into the box, made room and had a powerful shot saved by Robinson. Then, the best chance of the second half fell to Campbell. Bentley and Lennon worked a short corner, Bentley whipped in an excellent cross and found Campbell in a bit of space, who header was off target.

Spurs replaced Bentley soon after with Jamie O’Hara, a move surely to shore up the midfield and protect the lead. An ugly fracas broke out in the closing minutes between Jenas and Keith Andrews when the Spurs man lashed out after being fouled and then held onto by his opponent. Although the players swarmed the scene, referee Webb had the situation in control and showed yellow cards to both players.

The final whistle came as a massive relief to Tottenham, although in truth Blackburn hardly threatened during the whole game. The man of the match performance from Aaron Lennon will be the most pleasing aspect to Spurs fans, as the winger tormented the Blackburn defence for pretty much the whole game, looking like the player he was when he first burst onto the scene three years ago. The win takes Spurs to the lofty heights of 14th place and with the close proximity of all teams from around 7th place downwards, Tottenham will be hoping to kick on from here and not fall back into the worrying depths of the bottom three.

(fansonline.net/tottenhamhotspur, 2008)

A note of caution

Hyperbole is a often overused thing in sport and it appears as if the media are falling into the trap again. With the apparent decline of the Australian cricket side, many observers have been touting an England win in next summer’s Ashes series. Cricketing luminaries have been weighing in with their assorted two cents - Sir Ian Botham has gone so far as to publicly predict an easy win for England. Such enthusiasm for the contest is to be welcomed, but there’s comes a point where the noises and opinions become plain daft. This is one of those times.

How anyone can confidently predict a comfortable England series win is utterly foolish. Australia’s current ‘demise’ saw them lose their first test series since the fabled ‘05 Ashes as they went down, albeit fighting, 2-0 in India. Bearing in mind the fact that India is probably one of the hardest places to tour in the world, those who say that the Aussie defeat bodes well for England are getting confused. It is England themselves who play a test series in India next month and one can hardly assume they will fare any better than Australia did.

Admittedly, Australia have been feeling the effects of losing three of their greatest players ever in Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist. Behind the stumps, Brad Haddin has failed to convince. His performance in India both with the gloves and with the bat left much to be desired. Warne’s absence was always going to be felt the strongest and Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson have struggled to replicate the accuracy and consistency of McGrath, although they have impressed.

A possible sign of how much in decline Australia are is their batting performance in the current home test series with New Zealand. The Indian defeat came with legitimate excuses but to crumble twice on a home ground against a mediocre New Zealand attack is a possible indication of how things are on the wane. However, to assume that this slump is permanent is a mistake. Australia are the masters of proving people wrong and one could easily see them coming back between now and next summer and becoming something like the team they were.

One must also take into account England at the moment. Their test form is currently inconsistent, notably the batting. Shackled by the likes of New Zealand and South Africa recently, one has to assume they will struggle against Australia’s pacers. Kevin Pietersen aside, England’s batsman seem to be going through a transitional period and it is hard to feel confident of a good score from them. Talented they may be but if they can’t beat South Africa at home, then why is everyone assuming they will beat Australia?

The other factor to bear in mind is the fact that it is the Ashes. These contests are rarely walkovers (ignore events last time out, please) and especially not in England’s favour. Even in 2005, when England thoroughly outplayed the Australians, the score was only 2-1 and not a single England fan or player had many nails left by the end of August. Bottom line - England may possibly be good and Australia may possibly be bad but ignore the spectacle of the Ashes at your peril.

Australia have plenty of time to improve. And for that matter, so do England. What is evident is that both teams have a lot to prove, both to the cricketing world and to themselves. Australia seem torn between clinging on to the past and wiping the slate clean with their new team. England appear to be… just torn. But one things for sure, England will unlikely be thinking that they will walk this series and fans and pundits shouldn’t be either.

It’s not just about current form, people. There’s a whole year to wait.

Benitez fashions Gerrard's England sick note

Another England game, another club versus country debate. But whilst the Rafael Benitez’s and Alex Ferguson’s of this world may sit in their offices with their Fabio Capello voodoo dolls at the ready, many fans are simply disappointed to see England have to put out a skeleton side in a game against one of the world’s best. And did anyone take the time to ask Mr Gerrard how he feels about being not playing? One suspects not.

The issue of club managers becoming possessive of their players has reared its ugly head before and will continue to do so unless an England boss or F.A executive has the cojones to stop it. This latest example is another act of sheer single mindedness from a Premier League team and, notably, a top four team. Steven Gerrard, the sometime cog of the England midfield, the man who played a scoring role in a league game against Bolton at the weekend, had previously been prevented from joining the England squad after suffering "a tear in the adductor magnus muscle in his right leg", as the Liverpool website so helpfully put it.

The announcement smacked of a conspiracy. Benitez was clearly not going to have his best player representing his country where a nasty thing like an injury could happen. Not by a long shot. The fact that Gerrard had played ninety minutes at the weekend was clearly immaterial - Steven was injured, end of story. Capello then showed some of the fight necessary to beat the greedy club managers. He called Gerrard in for an England medical check up. They would be the ones to judge if he was available or not.

As it turns out, Gerrard was ruled out. It has to be said, along with others - Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Ashley Cole, Wes Brown, Emile Heskey, Joe Hart and now, wonderfully, Theo Walcott are all closer to the injury table than they are to the pitch. Admittedly, the majority of those are genuine injuries or injury concerns that have legitimately ruled the player out. But the Gerrard saga shouldn’t sit right with England fans. England players have a responsibility to represent their country. It is, or should be, the pinnacle of a player’s career.

It is hard to blame Gerrard in this. One gets the feeling that he would want to play and that he is being advised, or rather held back, by the Scouse powers that be. But Benitez has no right to do it. Yes, the game is a friendly but it’s Germany away in Berlin. Try telling me that any member of the squad, either initially named or called as backup, would not want to play in this game? Capello and, indeed, the England fans deserve more respect from managers like Benitez and others who have played the ‘sudden injury’ game before. That’s you, Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.

A similar situation occurred in the dying embers of Steve McClaren’s reign. Michael Owen, coming back from injury, was called up into the England squad to play Estonia and Russia at Wembley. Then Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce protested furiously at this, saying that England were rushing his precious asset back. The truth is England and McClaren needed and wanted him. Why shouldn’t they have him if he wanted to play? Owen duly played both games, scored three goals and played a blinder against Russia. He returned to St James Park happy and in good form. Can’t players going away with their countries be a good thing?

One can understand the concern of managers that they do not want their star players being injured in meaningless friendly games. But a different perspective and attitude must be taken. Good players will play for their country - it’s a fact. They may pick up an occasional knock but that is just bad luck. Sometimes, there will be a positive effect and players can come back better and happier. It is their international manager’s choice, not their club boss.

Heaven knows, it is not up to Rafael Benitez to pick the England squad.

Critically assess to what extent mass communications has been central to the establishment of American power in the global context

Americanisation is a term derived to describe the influence of the United States on the rest of the world. It refers to the process in which the American culture is spreading around the world having an effect on other cultures and influencing them. There are many possible vehicles of Americanization - the process of mass communication is certainly one of these methods.

Mass communication takes on many forms. The spread of American media such as TV, films, radio and news around the world is a heavy influence on the spread of Americanization. American news is broadcast all around the world with stations such as Fox News, CNN and CNBC being found in many parts of the globe. The establishment of American power around the world is intrinsically linked with mass communications - how powerful would the US be if their media wasn’t thrust upon the rest of world?

Certainly, the technological revolution has greatly benefited the idea of American power spreading through the world. The fateful events of September 11th were covered in great detail in the media with American newscasters being seen all around the world. Several US newscasters were shown in different countries around the world covering their perspective of the event - generally an American perspective of the event.

Most of the world was shown the horrific events through the eyes of the American media and the American people. The generally sympathetic and concerned nature of the news coverage was spread across the world, leading many to feel the same. Whilst it can be said that people should have been feeling this anyway, there is an argument that the spread of media around the world has contributed to the global opinion of the 9/11 attacks.

There is a feeling that the 9/11 incident contributed to the Middle East/West divide and that that divide has been reinforced by media coverage of both 9/11 and the subsequent Iraq war. US news broadcasters were criticised for their overly patriotic nature of news coverage. Respected journalist Dan Rather told the BBC in 2001 that American journalist were scared of asking the real questions and risking showing the US in a bad light. The divide in opinion between the West and the Middle East has possibly been perpetuated by the media and their coverage, which has undoubtedly shaped the opinions of not only the American people but others in the Western world as well.

A website article claims that Western journalists should feel a burden of guilt for much that has happened in the Middle East as they are, in part, responsible for selling a ‘fictitious version of events’. Of course, Of course, if there was one and only one news broadcaster for the whole world, providing a neutral and impartial version of accounts, then a lot of the worlds conflict or divides wouldn’t be as bad.

The idea of ‘new media’ encompasses the development of burgeoning media technologies. It goes without saying that as new media continues to grow, the flow of news around the globe is made easier and better. Therefore, new media has helped to shape and influence the process of globalization - the world getting smaller and more in touch with itself.

Has the greater flow of media and technology perpetuated the growth of American hegemony? Arguably yes, as American media is everywhere - American news channels are seen all over the world, American websites are frequently among the most visited on the Internet and American TV shows are broadcast all around the globe.

It is not just news channels that spread the American view. American TV shows are shown all around the world and it is possible that they could be spreading American values and power. English channel E4 is a hotbed for US dramas and comedies with many shows such as Lost, Scrubs and One Tree Hill all being shown at peak times for English viewers. American values are core to these programmes and the spreading of these shows around the world can only be beneficial to the flow of American power around the world.

However, an from the New York Times in 2003 would suggest that the power of American TV is on the decline. The article suggests that American shows that would be shown in primetime viewing slots are now being shunted into late night times as the demand for them in foreign countries has lessened. The assumption is that as the actions taken by America around the time of the second Gulf war led to many people taking a negative view of the country. Thereby, the force of American culture on television declined as people no longer held the superpower in that much esteem.

Is globalization simply another form of Americanization? Globalization can be described as the process of the people in the world unifying into a single society or culture. As the spread of Americanization continues then surely this ‘single society’ is just the remnants of an American one? The notion of the world becoming a giant America is a slightly disconcerting one but one needs to ascertain just how accurate it is. Indeed, talk of the six billion people around the world all becoming one is unrealistic. New media has projected a more unified culture around the world and it is no coincidence that much of this new media, such as the Internet, has a large American backing. It is not just the internet. American exports and products are strong in the world market - one needs only look at the term ‘cocacolanization’.

However, if you look at globalization on a larger scale then there is a strong argument that it is not just America that is spreading itself around the world. You may see McDonalds restaurants in countries all around the world but you will also see food from around the world dominating the US cuisine landscape. China are the biggest users of the internet in the world, beating the likes of the US and the UK. It is not just America that is projecting itself onto the world, other countries are trying it out as well.

There is a problem with Americanization being linked with globalization. It has caused people from around the world to have negative views of America and to stereotype them. Americanization has not only created hatred towards America but has allowed people who carry this hatred to use it - through new technologies. The man behind the first World Trade Centre bombing kept all his plans for the attack on his laptop computer. Osama bin Laden ran, for a time, at least, a multinational online Jihad. Technology has allowed people to give an action to their hatred.

There is an idea that Americanization threatens the cultures and beliefs of other nations - thus leading to this dislike of the US. There are those who claim that Americanization must be stopped or dramatically lowered in order to bring a halt to the burgeoning dislike that grows with every new Starbucks built around the world.

The way the American media portrayed their involvement in the first Gulf War was a key moment in the development of American power around the world. This war was the first to be covered in such high detail. From reporters travelling with soldiers to live pictures of Baghdad being bombed, this was the first instance in the history of global conflict of a war being so graphically detailed.

This war saw a period of US journalism in which many reporters abandoned their neutrality for a sense of patriotism. Reporters were criticised for their lack of professionalism and how they were more in favour of raising public morale for the war effort. The sight of CBS’s Dan Rather shaking hands with a general after a interview at the end of the war and saying the words ‘Congratulations on a job wonderfully done!’ symbolised the cheerleading style of the American media throughout this time.

What most people had come to expect from the US press was an impartiality and a sense of not being on either side. The press were there to report what was happening in the war honestly and with no obvious sense of patriotism. Many were let down by what they felt was a disappointing viewpoint taken by their reporters. It was as if the government were spoon feeding their media outlets with what to say to the American people to keep the war going well for both the soldiers out there and the people back home, worrying.

If people around the world were to follow American news, as many did, then they too would be forced to accept what they were being told and to accept the sort of cheerleading, pro-American way of reporting. It seems that the process of Americanization lead the world into believing what America were saying. While they weren’t lying about what was happening, it was not the neutral news casting that one would hope for if there was a global audience.

Perhaps this has perpetuated the negative American view that some people across the world now hold? The legacy of the way that war was reported still lives on today. The way that subsequent conflicts are reported is tainted by the way that the media coverage of the first Gulf War was plagued with censorship and unwarranted ’flag waving’. Certainly, the second Gulf War was portrayed just as patriotically.

If people around the world with little or no information on the way a war is going, then they are likely to believe what they are told. The spread of American news broadcasters means that this is possible. America is a superpower in the world order and their economic, military and business power is of the highest order. It is only logical that their media will follow suit and try to establish itself amongst the worlds elite.

The media certainly helps this process. The growth of the internet and other new technologies can only have helped spread the American culture. American newspapers, websites, TV stations and radio channels are influential in spreading the American opinion around the globe and there can be no doubting that the growth of mass communication heavily helps the growth of American power on a global scale.

The key issue remains; what is it separates Globalization and Americanization?

There is a key difference between Globalization and Americanization. Whereas Americanization focuses more on the way that one country’s values and culture is becoming spread around,
Globalization revolves more around the world’s values all becoming homogenised into a more singular values. The idea that the cultures and ideas of the different societies in the world are slowly becoming merged together, not so much that they disappear but more so that they become more aligned with each other. Globalization is the spread of all ideas through out the world and Americanization is the effort of one country to spread its ideas, whether they be good or bad.

Longing for the days of nervous Robbo

Our columnist Mark Tilley on why error prone Gomes makes him miss Paul Robinson

When Tottenham shelled out around £7 million for Brazilian keeper Heurelho Gomes, it appeared to be an, albeit calculated, gamble. Gomes, 27, had played magnificently in helping his former team PSV Eindhoven defeat Tottenham in the UEFA Cup last year, saving two penalties into the bargain. Tall, agile and brave, fans hoped Gomes would be the keeper they had craved ever since Paul Robinson's nerves got the better of him.

How things changed. Gomes has become almost a replica version of Robinson. Yes, he makes excellent saves. Yes, you can't fault his commitment. But his propensity to make calamitous errors? It is obvious to all. Tottenham appear to have replaced an error strewn goalkeeper with a - more expensive, error strewn goalkeeper.

It all looked rosy at the start. Gomes delivered a fine performance in the 1-1 draw at Chelsea, excellently tipping over a Frank Lampard chip and claiming every high ball that went near him. From there, it went wrong. Gomes allowed a tame shot to squeeze past him against Aston Villa, a goal that pretty much gave Villa the game. Against Udinese in the UEFA Cup, Gomes suffered a rush of blood to the head and failed to clear a back pass, resulting in a yellow card, a penalty and a 1-0 deficit.

In Harry Redknapp's first game as boss, Gomes made a series of awful attempts to punch the ball clear, often colliding with his own players instead. Spurs escaped that game with a 2-0 win but the Brazilian was back at it at the Emirates as he let in four goals, missed a clearance for their first goal and generally gave his defenders a heart attack every time to ball approached him. Then on Saturday night, Gomes went from the sublime to the ridiculous, maginificently tipping Steven Gerrard's deflected shot on to a post and then a few minutes later playing a hospital pass to Ledley King which resulted in Gerrard lofting the ball on to the crossbar.

Robinson was much the same in his final season at Tottenham. He had been an outstanding keeper in his time at White Hart Lane, pulling off amazing stops, becoming a fans favourite and getting the England number one spot. However, a few minor errors got to him, mentally. The unfortunate 'back pass' incident in Croatia led to howls of derision in the press. The media and opposition fans unfairly got on his back and he never recovered. His performances were afflicted with nerves.

Gone was the confident, reliable shot stopper we had come to love. Robinson was a wreck and cost many a goal in his final season. As much as the fans loved him, it really was time for him to move on. At Blackburn, his new club, he hasn't made a noticeable error.

Gomes is now suffering from the same problem. A combination of nerves and the fear of making another error. He is without question a very capable goal keeper and the problem must be a mental one. Every goalkeeper makes errors occasionally, but the good ones make sure they don't make a habit of it.

What hope can Gomes have under Harry and for the rest of season? Redknapp has been surprisingly complimentary of his Brazilian number one, describing him as 'brave' and saying that himself and Pat Jennings, the goalkeeping coach, feel that he can be 'a big goalkeeper in this league'. One cannot avoid the rumour pages, however, and reports of a loan move for Manchester United's Ben Foster are rampant. Foster is young and talented and his possible arrival would surely force Gomes out the door.

Speculation is, however, speculation. It is likely that Redknapp will give Gomes more time to prove himself, not just to the coach and the fans, but to himself. To be a successful keeper, you cannot have the self-doubt and the nerves that Robbo had. If Gomes believes he's an excellent keeper then he can be.

However, Harry's patience cannot be everlasting and a permanent decision must be made by the New Year. Do Tottenham stick or do they twist?

(tottenhamhotspur-mad.co.uk, 2008)

No surprises at Old Trafford but UEFA cup proves more difficult for English sides

Celtics hopes of Champions League progress are hanging by a thread after a crushing defeat at the hands of Manchester United at Old Trafford. The English champions delivered a convincing display to show the gulf in class between the two sides although there were legitimate offside doubts for United first two goals. However, one could hardly complain at the result and it leaves Celtic with just one point from their first three games, six points behind both United and Villarreal.

The Bhoys were under strength and it clearly showed as both teams took the field at Old Trafford. Celtic were nursing a dismal away record in the Champions League and they never looked like improving it. That being said, the men in green and white can point to some debatable decisions for United first two goals, both netted by Dimitar Berbatov.

The first came after half an hour. Nani’s corner was flicked on by John O’Shea, into the path of Berbatov, who coolly stuck out a leg and in the ball went. However, the masses of Celtic fans were left nursing a sense of injustice, as it appeared Berbatov was heavily offside. Just after half time, there was more controversy as United doubled their lead, again through the expensive Bulgarian.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s vicious free kick was palmed away by Artur Boruc and Berbatov pounced – again from an offside position. By the time Wayne Rooney had added a fine third, Celtic were way adrift. Unlucky maybe, given the nature of the first two goals, but Celtic rarely threatened and could hardly argue at the result. They did have one or two moments to pipe up – Aiden McGeady forcing Edwin van der Sar into an early stop but this was as good as it got for the away side.

Gordon Strachan was in a generous mood afterwards, describing Man Utd as ‘the best team in Europe they have played’. He also refused to blame the officials, noting that his side were second best anyway. The travelling Celtic fans will have reflected his views. The Bhoys couldn’t have been faulted for their effort and determination but it was easy to tell which side were European champions. Sometimes, even a team’s best just isn’t good enough.

So, what now for Scotland’s sole European representative? Well, if the UEFA Cup wasn’t a priority before Tuesday night, it will most definitely be now. Celtic appear to be a in a direct battle with Aalborg for third place in the group, with both sides on a solitary point. They host Man Utd and Villarreal at Celtic Park in the next two games before a crunch match away at their direct rivals Aalborg. Celtic appear capable of securing that third place spot but they have failed to score in the group stages so far and will have to improve vastly in order to extend their European adventure this season.

Elsewhere in Europe, the English teams performed admirably. Arsenal showed great attacking strength in blasting aside Fenerbache 5-2 away in Turkey. The Gunners young guns showed great promise in a fine display and Arsenal appear set up to coast through their group. The same can be said of Chelsea, who dominated their 1-0 home win over Italian side Roma. John Terry headed home the winner in a lacklustre game in which the home side were rarely threatened. Liverpool travelled away to Athletico Madrid in arguably their toughest game and came away with a point. Robbie Keane had put the Reds in front only for Simao to equalise for Athletico late on.

The UEFA Cup didn’t represent as much success for English teams however. Tottenham suffered a disappointing 2-0 reverse at Italian side Udinese. Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes suffered a rush of blood to the head in giving away a penalty to the home side. Jamie O’Hara was sent off for Tottenham and as the visitors pushed forward, Udinese scored on the break. Tottenham’s calamitous season continues. Things were worse for Portsmouth in Portugal as they went down 3-0 to Braga. They could hardly be blamed for the first goal – Braga’s Luis Aguiar cracking a fantastic free kick past David James but Pompey didn’t really look like getting into the game and will have to improve drastically for their next game: the massive home tie with AC Milan.

There was one ray of success for English teams as Aston Villa defeated Ajax of Holland at Villa Park. Villa were ahead through skipper Martin Laursen only to be pegged back by Thomas Vermaelen’s header. However, Gareth Barry slotted home the winner from Ashley Young’s corner to give Villa a great start to their group.

With the way things are going, Celtic could very well be joining their British counterparts in the UEFA Cup later on this season. One thing is for sure, they will need to step up, at least, a few gears.

(scotzine.com, 2008)

Who Doesn't Love a False Dawn?

So the inevitable finally happened, and Senor Ramos was given the boot. Hardly surprising, given the teams diabolical start to the league season. Ramos is obviously a talented coach but he never really sparked in England, that Carling Cup win aside. For various reasons, Ramos was unable to get the best out of his players and you always got the unnerving feeling that he was often using players he had not chosen. In summary, it was like Ramos never had full control over what he was doing.

Into the Spaniard’s place, steps Harry Redknapp. Spurs have apparently given Portsmouth £5 million in compensation and have this time avoided the shambles that took place in trying to secure Ramos’ signature, this time last year. Redknapp brings with him a great deal of experience. Often known as a ‘wheeler-dealer’ type manager, Redknapp does have a knack for plucking obscure players out of nowhere and turning them into greats.

Redknapp’s only black mark on his career was when he left Portsmouth to join bitter rivals Southampton, only for them to be relegated. He promptly returned to Pompey and has transformed them into a tough, challenging Premier League side, culminating in their FA Cup success last season.

Perhaps, what is more satisfying for Spurs fans, however, is the fact that much maligned Sporting Director Damien Comolli has also left the club – and will not be replaced. In a frank and forthright open letter to the Tottenham fans on the club website, chairman Daniel Levy spoke about this and how Tottenham have reverted to the traditional English system of management. For years, Spurs have employed a sporting director and it never seemed to pay any rich dividends. One could argue that it cost Juande Ramos his job.

Comolli’s shoddy handling of the Berbatov affair left Ramos short of strikers, a plight which eventually lead to his downfall at Tottenham. Redknapp will now be the man responsible for signing players and it is a system which makes more sense than the previous one – the manager signs the players HE wants.

Levy is an often criticised chairman. Spurs fans generally don’t like him for the businessman like way in which it appears he runs the club. But his honest views given on the Spurs website today paint the portrait of a man who may simply just want the best for his team. He may have made mistakes, but find me a chairman who hasn’t? Levy has brought Tottenham back to the way they believe the club should be run and until that policy backfires, he should be given something of a break from the barracking Tottenham hordes.

He should also be praised for his choice of managerial appointment. Redknapp has never managed a club the size of Tottenham, but he is adept at getting results for teams that desperately need it. And make no mistake, Tottenham are in severe need of points to lift themselves from the mess they find themselves in.

Should Tottenham expect the world from Redknapp? Probably no, not right away, at least. Patience is, indeed, a virtue and one that the most suffered of Spurs fans should dig deep to find. Redknapp’s priorities should be to stabilise and then to build this club back to its former glories. It may take time but Redknapp is likely more equipped than most others to do it.

It’s the start of yet another new dawn at White Hart Lane. One can only hope, for the sake of their fan's sanity, that this one provides at least a modicum of success.

Celtic ploughing a lone furrow for Scottish teams in Europe

With the awful European campaign attempted by Rangers this year and the usual failure in the UEFA Cup of Scotland’s ’second best’ sides, the sole representation is Celtic FC. And even their participation in Europe’s premier competition looks to be coming to an end at the first hurdle after a poor start to the group. A goalless draw at home to unfancied Aalborg was followed by a defeat away to Villarreal and it doesn’t get any easier for the Bhoys - they travel to Old Trafford this week to take on the English champions Manchester United.

Should Celtic fans be giving up all hope? Judging by the last time these teams played, then the answer is a resounding no. Needing a win to progress from group stage of this very tournament two years ago, Celtic took the spoils by one Shunsuke Nakamura goal and a penalty miss from Louis Saha. Given, this time out there will be no passionate Glasgow crowd to urge them on.

However, the corresponding fixture at Old Trafford still brought a modicum of Scottish success. After taking the lead, Celtic were pegged back by two Louis Saha goals only for Nakamura to bring it back at two-two with a wonderful free kick. Celtic matched their opponents for most of the game that night and were stunned by a late United winner from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The writing may be on the wall already for Gordon Strachan’s men. Strachan has already conceded that Celtic have ‘a mountain to climb’ to reach the last sixteen and that preparation for the UEFA Cup may be a more realistic ambition. However, that may be easier said than done. Aalborg were a team Celtic expected to comfortably beat and they struggled. It is difficult to see the Bhoys gaining any points out of the two clashes with Man Utd. Therefore, Celtic may be faced with the task of winning their last two games in order to stay in Europe.

United surely look the classier outfit going into Tuesday’s game. Fired by the golden strike force of Carlos Tevez, Dimitar Berbatov, Cristiano Ronaldo and the in-form Wayne Rooney, United appear capable of scoring at will. Their defence has rapidly improved since that cold night in Glasgow two years ago and Celtic will have to work tirelessly to break them down.

The game has also been marred by events from last season’s UEFA Cup final, in which Rangers were defeated by Zenit St Petersburg. Over 100,000 Rangers fans made their way south of the border to Manchester and the ensuing trouble on the streets after the game made for ugly reading. Now, ticketless Celtic fans are being told to stay at home in an effort to prevent the possibility of scenes witnessed last May.

With the form Utd are in however, there shouldn’t be that much motivation for Celtic’s fans to stream southwards.

Where Scotland have just the one team involved in Europe this year, England have plenty. Arsenal will hope to build on their good result against Porto but may find it tricky away in Turkey to Fenerbache. Liverpool face a hard evening when they travel to the Spanish capital to play Athletico Madrid. Fernando Torres will miss the game with his old team due to injury and Liverpool will face their toughest European challenge yet this season. Chelsea face Roma at home and will need a victory after the poor draw away to Cluj.

Three English team will play in the UEFA Cup this week with Aston Villa hosting Ajax as the showpiece game. Ajax are no longer the force they once were but Villa will be taking nothing for granted and will be going all out to secure the three points. Tottenham travel to Italy to face Udinese, in arguably their toughest match of the group. Spurs are in poor form and will hope to use the UEFA Cup as a springboard to kickstart their season. Portsmouth face Braga away in Portgual, having narrowly beaten Braga’s compatriots Guimaraes in qualifying.

All in all, it appears to be a decisive week for British teams in Europe.

The above article was written by our new Champions League/UEFA Cup Blogger Mark Tilley

(article for www.scotzine.com)

Europe a haven from domestic turmoil?

Columnist Mark Tilley on his hopes for the crunch tie in Krakow

If there's one thing that can console the most suffering of all Tottenham fans, it's a European night. Throughout the stuttering starts of the last few seasons, the early UEFA Cup games generally are a great release for fans and players alike. So, as Juande Ramos takes his battle hardened troops to Poland for the second leg against Wisla Krakow with a slim advantage, should Spurs fans be expecting triumph? And what could and should befall Ramos if the worst happens?

Recent rumblings in the media point to Ramos being on the edge of the managerial comfort zone, or at least dangerously close to it. The disenchanted cries from Tottenham fans at Portsmouth (they chanted 'you don't know what you're doing' towards the Spurs bench) on Sunday do indicate a growing lack of faith in the Spaniard. The main concerns are his apparent inability to settle on a best eleven. His insistence on playing just the one striker continues to baffle as it is crystal clear that neither Darren Bent or Roman Pavyluchenko are capable of playing in such an isolated role.

Both strikers also appear to be suffering from a lack of confidence - one assumes that this will subside with a goal or two but time isn't on their side. Also, Ramos appears to have little or no faith in Frazier Campbell, the last minute makeweight in the Berbatov transfer fiasco. Campbell came on to good effect in the first leg and set up Darren Bent's winner but has been sparsely used by Ramos. Surely two of these three strikers should be played in unison?

With consistency being something of a buzz word in sport these days, one could point an accusatory finger at Ramos. Much like fellow Spanish boss Rafael Benitez, Ramos has chopped and changed his team all season to the point where no team selection has played more than one game consecutively. Ledley King's ongoing injury concerns do allow for some leniency but the continuous rotation of the full backs is a mystery. One game it could be Benoit Assou Ekotto on the left, the next it could be Gareth Bale. One game Vedran Corluka could line up on the right, only to have Chris Gunter playing the next match.

Another large concern with fans is the apparent prioritisation of the UEFA Cup by Ramos and the Tottenham coaching staff. Key players have been rested for important Premier League games with the full intention of playing them in Europe. Ledley King was not played at Portsmouth yet is likely to lead the team out in Krakow on Thursday. Whilst trying to win a continental competition is very admirable - Spurs appear the best qualified to do it out of England's other UEFA Cup representatives - nine out of ten fans would prefer progress in the league.

Surely the financial gains and the appeal of confirming our status as the fifth best team in England are more motivating? Given the choice, most fans would probably want to avoid the ignominy of seeing Tottenham neatly sandwiched in the middle of the table alongside the likes of West Ham and Middlesbrough. If Ramos really wants to win the UEFA Cup, as he did twice with Sevilla, then fine. But neglecting the Premiership to appease this plan would be a fatal mistake.

For the time being Ramos is under the spotlight. Tottenham should beat Wisla Krakow - they hold a two one advantage and Wisla's away goal shouldn't really pose a problem as Tottenham should be able to outplay them. But taking their eye off the ball and messing it up could mean disaster for these beleaguered players. Not to mention their coach.

(article for www.tottenhamhotspur-mad.co.uk)

Typically Tottenham

It’s a classic Spurs story - the promise and momentum of that battling point at Chelsea quickly turned to the rubble of a mediocre home defeat to Aston Villa. Any hope had by fans before the season started, be it unrealistic aspirations of the top four or simple dreams of a strong start to the campaign, have now evaporated into misery at the plight of this famous old club.

Its not as if the two-one reverse last night was even a decent performance. Only Darren Bent’s late scrambled goal gave Spurs the undeserved privilege of having a notch on their scorecard. Tottenham were limp, unimaginative and disappointing. The players didn’t seem to have any idea of what they were aiming at. They appear to be a team in need of unification - in need of a real leader to take charge and kick some proverbial behinds.

Before anyone crows that that man should be Robbie Keane, remember the awful start last season first. The man they need back the most is Ledley King. His injury troubles over the past year are ridiculously well documented but his appearances against both Sunderland and Chelsea gave hope that he was on his way to a consistent fitness. He may still be but his absence last night was strongly felt. Michael Dawson, King’s replacement, has gone terribly backwards as a footballer and isn’t really capable of doing the same job as the erstwhile Tottenham captain.

If King can’t be there to motivate them in every game, then manager Ramos should be. The English barrier provides a bigger problem then many at White Hart Lane want to admit. Previous boss Martin Jol was never short of a word or two in the players ear and, while there is no doubting Ramos’ pedigree as a coach, one has to concede that things would be better if he could provide a smattering of English in the media here and there. Presumably he does behind closed doors but obviously there are words lost in translation - step up please , Gus Poyet.

Ramos did at least play Darren Bent up front with a partner, something fans have been crying out for all season. Roman Pavyluchenko did okay but, in his first game, was unable to provide the X factor so badly missing by the team. The midfield looked confused. Jermaine Jenas, the vice captain, wasn’t even played which was confusing after his great display for England in Zagreb. As it happened, he came on after twenty odd minutes for the injured Luka Modric, who again looked slightly off the pace. Fans must be desperate that the talented Croatian will pick it up sooner rather than later.

Didier Zokora and Tom Huddlestone in the middle looked to be too much the same player and the midfield became overly congested as a result. The one tiny, flashing positive was Aaron Lennon’s slightly better performance than what we had come to expect from the diminutive winger - although this is severely clutching at straws. And, although Heurelho Gomes made some exceptional saves, he made the key mistake of the night in letting Ashley Young’s tame shot squeak past him. Without wishing to curse the Brazilian, thoughts inevitably drift to Paul Robinson’s error strewn performances of last year.

What next? At the moment, I would not rule out relegation. It sounds extreme but until they get the wins under their belt they cannot be sure of anything. A top six position is still in reach but not without one hell of a turnaround. Ramos must instil some realism into his players - they need to be aware of what could happen if this carries on. The bottom of the barrel hasn’t been found yet but we’re not far away.

Spurs fans are not alien to this type of crisis. We’ve seen false dawn after false dawn, glimmers of hope replaced by piercing bullets of failure. The talent is so obviously there and this appears to be a psychological problem rather than an ability based one. Spurs are badly needing a leader and a sense of togetherness. They would do well to look at their opponents from last night and take a lesson or two. Whereas teams like Newcastle and West Ham are complete jokes off the pitch, Tottenham are quickly becoming a joke on it.

Bridge Over Troubled Water?

New columnist Mark Tilley on the what the future holds after the Chelsea draw

Bare facts always tell a story - Tottenham are 19th in the table with just one point from three games. They are currently ranked below the likes of Hull, Wigan and Stoke and are way behind the established pack looking for European places.

But that single, solitary point tells another tale. Spurs, with two terrible defeats to mediocre teams, went across London to Stamford Bridge and to Chelsea, where they would surely find another defeat. Instead, they showed courage and resilience and gained a creditable 1-1 draw. It may just be the result that kick starts their season. Or it may be yet another false dawn, another tantalising sign of what we are capable of when we really, really want it.

Although they were on the back foot for most of the game, Tottenham played well. Refusing yet again to play want-away forward Dimitar Berbatov, manager Juande Ramos stubbornly stuck with the lone striker idea, employing Darren Bent up front by himself. However, Chelsea struck first, as they always seem to against us. Darren Bent, defending a corner, failed to clear and the ball struck Juliano Belletti before going in, rather fortuitously. Given their pressure, you could argue it was no less than Chelsea deserved.

Tottenham then showed a side of themselves that had been vacant in the first two games - they showed courage and endeavour. They seemed to put aside the fact that their star striker was left out of the squad with a huge question mark over his future. They gelled, new players and old, and it brought a reward, just before the break. Luka Modric's pass was inadvertently deflected into Bent's path by Chelsea's Frank Lampard and Bent remained cool to slot the ball home, in front of the long suffering Spurs fans.

If it was a lucky goal, then Tottenham deserved it, for the way they refused to bow down to the clearly superior strength of Chelsea. Half time must have been a godsend for Ramos. And what he told his players must have broken the translation barrier because, although Chelsea flooded the Spurs defence, the men in white refused to buckle and comfortably repelled anything Chelsea had to offer. In particular, Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King were excellent.

When the final whistle went, Tottenham fans tried to put the result into context. Normally, a draw away to a big four side should be applauded. But given the awful start to the season, the feeling was that Tottenham still need to do a lot to impress their faithful. And they should be capable of it in the coming games.

The defence, so shaky and under prepared at Middlesbrough, was compact and solid at the Bridge. The return of King cannot be understated, while his partnership with Woodgate continues to flourish. It suggests Spurs have a defence of substance at last after the shambles of last season, where game plans at times revolved around simply scoring more than the opposition scored against us, no matter how many.

The midfield looked promising although players struggled to get forward enough. Modric is clearly a talented playmaker but he needs to get into the final third a bit more and use his undoubted talents. The same can be said of David Bentley but it is painfully obvious that Spurs need two strikers up front. Bent looked far too isolated by himself and hopefully the arrival of Roman Pavyluchenko and Frazier Campbell will change Ramos' line of thinking.

In all, it was a good Spurs display but the players and the fans will know that much, much more is needed to convince this season. They can start against Aston Villa next Monday night.

(contributing article for www.tottenhamhotspur-mad.co.uk)

We've Been Here Before

England’s 4-1 win in Croatia was a fantastic victory and one which will have significant bearings on England’s qualification and Fabio Capello’s reign as England manager. Provided the squad and young Theo Walcott in particular keep their feet on the ground then the result could prove to be a foundation for greater success. Capello surely knows that Wednesday’s win was but a stepping stone on the path to glory.

Not every aspect of the win was as attractive as England’s passing however. Football was once again dragged into the racism row with striker Emile Heskey being subjected to monkey chants by the home fans after he was yellow carded for a foul on Niko Kovac. Heskey, no stranger to the trials of away day racism, took it on the chin, saying "You have to let the people above deal with that and I will carry on playing my game."

As much as Heskey plays down the incident, its an ugly, thorny issue that has and will rear its head time and time again unless something is done. Go back six years to 2002 and Heskey was on England duty as they played out a scrappy 2-1 win in Slovakia, another eastern European country. Heskey, along with defender Ashley Cole, was subjected to racial abuse and monkey chants throughout the whole game. The Slovak FA tried to pour cold water on the issue but the abuse was described as "the worst I have ever encountered" by Heskey.

England players suffered a year earlier in Albania during a routine 3-1 win but it was in 2006 and Madrid, where perhaps the biggest case of racism occurred. A dull friendly match saw England lose 1-0 but the real story was the shocking and disgusting abuse aimed at Ashley Cole and Shaun Wright Phillips every time they touched the ball. The chanting emanated from around the whole stadium and pictures showed fans all around the ground swearing and hurling furious vitriol at England’s black players.

Whereas before the incidents took place in less profile countries and could be quietly swept away by UEFA - this time there was no hiding. The FA made all the right noises and FIFA investigated alongside the Spanish FA. There was talk of banning Spain from tournaments and making them play games behind closed doors. However harsh the punishments that were muted are, the world couldn’t help but notice what was happening.

The abuse of Heskey in Croatia was sickening and detrimental to the state of the game. When the Madrid incident happened, Sepp Blatter opined that football had the potential to be a powerful anti racism tool and that respected players should speak out against the dangers and moral issues of racism. Efforts have certainly been made in England with initiatives such as Kick Racism Out Of Football.

The concern remains that in the rest of Europe there is nothing being done. The Spanish FA were fined £44,750 for the scenes witnessed on that ugly night in Madrid. A pathetic fee, for sure, and Rio Ferdinand later spoke at the ’joke’ nature of the punishment. If FIFA and UEFA are serious about this problem then it is painstakingly clear that more needs to be done.

The FA have asked FIFA to investigate the actions of the Croatian fans in Zagreb but it is all well and good when our country is making noises - the rest of Europe needs to cotton on for changes to be made. Racism has absolutely no place in football and is a pathetic way of trying to bring a player down. Some of the world’s best players are black and have extremely successful careers - they should be seen as role models.

FIFA needs to get serious with these countries and start imposing some serious punishments. It may seem harsh to ban teams from tournaments or to force teams to play with no crowd but serious actions are needed to enforce serious changes. FIFA must get tough or scenes such as the hideous ones seen in Zagreb will continue to be a black mark on the potential healing power that is competitive football.

Southampton Student Guide

With two large universities, Southampton is full of students. So it is fair to assume that most markets are tendered for the student lifestyle, namely shopping, eating and drinking.

The city has three shopping centres, the biggest and most popular being West Quay (8-10 Portland Terrace, SO14 7EG). This multi-storey complex has a massive range of high street shops and eateries. Student discounts can be acquired in most places and it is always easy to bag a bargain or two. You’ll find mainstream fashion everywhere in West Quay from popular men’s retailers such as Burtons and Republic to women’s outlets such as H&M and Monsoon.

If you’re looking for something less high profile then check out Bargate (City Centre, SO14 1HF). Set for maybe a slightly younger crowd then the bustling West Quay, Bargate features several alternative shops and is definitely seeking out if your looking for something different from the mainstream. The Mall (Civic Centre Road, SO14) is not far away from West Quay and is on a smaller scale but still has it’s appeal with useful shops specialising in clothes and several birthday/gift shops.

When it comes to eating then Southampton has choice aplenty. The two main areas are the high class Oxford Street, located close to Ocean Village and the student-filled Bedford Place. Bedford Place features the usual student style late night curry houses and chip shops, which are easy on the wallet. If you’re looking for somewhere quieter then have a look at the Pride of India restaurant, which has an excellent quality of food and is reasonably priced.

Also if you in the mood for typical pub fare then be sure to stop in at Varsity and Avondales, two very cheaply priced student pubs with surprisingly good food. Oxford Street is a little more pricey but well worth it - Pizza Express is a must for all Italian food lovers and The Pilgrim House is also worth a look if you in the mood for Chinese.The city has a wide array of pubs and bars, particularly in the city centre where you can find The Slug and Lettuce, Walkabout, Que Pasa and two Wetherspoons pubs. Most of the cities bar are quite cheap and a great deal features drinks discounts when in possession of their cards - i.e. Walkabout’s Survival Card.

Southampton has plenty of areas to relax in, that is if the weather meets your liking. Hoglands Park is located right between Solent University and the halls of residence and is a popular haunt, during the summer time at least, for students who just want lie in the sun, have a small barbeque or play some football. If all that sounds too chaotic then there are several, more low key, parks further north, near to Solent University. Filled with walkways, fountains and statues, they are very picturesque and relaxing to either walk through or just sit down in. If all this sounds to quiet then head to Leisureworld (West QuayRoad, SO15), a massive entertainment complex featuring a cinema, bowling alley, arcade and several bars and clubs.

With loads to see and do, Southampton truly is one of the best cities to be in if you’re a student. So take advantage!

Mark Tilley, MyVillage, 10th September

(article for www.myvillage.com/southampton)

Top Five: Student Nights

In a city packed with top nights out Mark Tilley guides you through the unmissable places you just have to try...

Kaos
Monday Nights

Lets start with Kaos, of course - the best in student entertainment. Monday Nights are very popular with students and this is obvious by the massive, snaking queues outside. There’s a compromise between getting in early and waiting for it to liven up or risking going later and finding the queue to be too long. But with the cheap drinks, varying music and electric atmosphere, it is definitely worth the wait. You’ll meet familiar people and by the end of the night you’ll feel part of the Kaos family.

Rhino
Tuesday Nights

Tuesdays at Rhino are the famous Let’s Kill Disco nights, showcasing the finest in indie, electronica and funk music. With some of the finest DJs on the South Coast, the music never gets old and the night becomes a heavy dance floor experience. With entry reduced to just £3, you’ll also find the beverages are served cheap. Tuesdays at Rhino features some of the best drink deals in the city so be sure to take advantage and have a great night for an even better price.

Kaos
Wednesday Nights

Back to Kaos again; most students have trouble staying away. Wednesday nights are similar to Mondays in terms of popularity but the difference is the sports clubs from Solent University have their Kaos socials on this night. So the atmosphere is even more intense and the queues can be even longer. But this night is definitely worth checking out. The drinks are staggeringly cheap and the entry fee is reduced to just nothing if you have a Kaos card and get in before 10pm. This student heaven keeps on delivering and Wednesday nights are no different.

Ocean & Collins
Thursday Nights

The OC plays host to The Big Cheese on a Thursday, which focuses on, you’ve guessed it, good, old-fashioned cheese music. The drinks are very cost efficient and it’s possible to have a good night for very little money. For those lucky enough to be Facebook friends with The OC, a special password is given before Thursdays - repeating this word at the door will gain you free entry. This night is aimed heavily at students, from the prices to the music - they rely heavily on requests so if you want something weird or wonderful played, you can bet you will get it.

Junk
Sunday Nights

You wouldn’t normally associate Sundays with clubbing, but at Junk this is one of their best nights. Named Vodka City, this night focuses on R’n’B and party music and has a great feel to it. It’s not difficult to get in yet, when your inside, the place seems filled to the brim and it all combines to serve up an excellent atmosphere. Although Junk is normally associated with high price drinks, it is the opposite tonight with beverages at an affordable price for all and a good time is ensured. Junk is already one of the more popular clubs in the city - this night trumps the lot so be sure to check it out.

Mark Tilley, MyVillage, 10th September

(article for www.myvillage.com/southampton)

Top Five: Cheap Drinks

You’ve spent your day trekking from lecture to lecture, writing dissertations and generally being studious. You need a good voddy and coke to settle the nerves but turns out that student loan that looked so spendy is now a little depleted...worry not, our Southampton student expert Mark Tilley has the answer...

Bedford’s Bar
Bedford’s Bar is a small pub located in the buzzing Bedford Place area and is extremely popular with students. With pool tables and big screens showing live sports, the bar has a modern feel and offers very cheap drinks. A popular device is the Tribus card which entitles its user to 20% off all drinks and food. This means that if your stopping in for a quick drink or on the first leg of a heavy night out, then your wallet remains in healthy shape. Bedford’s Bar draws a large student crowd due to the proximity to student housing and with the prices, it’s hard to disagree with their choice.

Kaos
Kaos is unofficially the cheapest night out in Southampton. With drinks going as low as 90p for vodka mixers, it remains the essential in low cost drinking. You can get all standard drinks such as lagers, mixers and spirits but where Kaos excel is their cocktail range. With prices on different drinks varying from night to night, students have chances to get their favourites for low prices. Popular drinks include Kryptonite, Turbo Shandy and Cheeky Vimto and all of these can be acquired for a matter of a few pounds.

Avondale’s
Another hugely popular student bar, Avondale’s is situated at the north of the Polygon area and is very close by to other bars and clubs. The main highlight of Avondale’s is the excellent and money saving £1 pints on a Tuesday night. This intimate pub is jam packed on this most student of all student nights but you can hardly argue with the prices. The perfect place to go before a big night out in the surrounding area.

Walkabout
Popular all around the UK, the Southampton edition of Walkabout is no different. An Australian themed bar, Walkabout features a deal on exported Aussie beers and offers them up for no more than £1.50 on Mondays. They also do deals on lager pitchers and serve up double spirits and mixers for a great deal less than some other places. Students are also aided by the now common Survival Card, which gives discounts on drinks and food. An extremely friendly atmosphere too makes Walkabout a prime destination for any drinking occasion.

Varsity
Varsity can be found right next to previously mentioned Avondale’s and is a very nice bar. Students are advised to take advantage of the V Card initiative, which gives a whopping 25% discount on drinks. Varsity is very student friendly, offering free Wi-Fi and plenty of live sport. Tuesday nights features the Varsity Pound Party, where most if not all drinks can be brought for the low price of, you guessed it, £1. Cocktails are also on the cheap at Varsity, as on a Wednesday, you can get two for just £5.

Mark Tilley, MyVillage, 10th September

(article for www.myvillage.com/southampton)

KP's Brave New World

Alas, the English cricketing summer is over. Well, at least, the internationals are over - the county season and the Pro40 Leagues are still to be fought over. Attention in the minds of Peter Moores and Kevin Pietersen now turns to the Stanford Twenty20 games, tours of India and the West Indies and, most significantly, the Ashes. In exactly twelve months time, the Australians will be dancing around the Oval, parading the little urn that they have deservedly won back yet again. Or will KP be lifted high upon the shoulders of his team mates having just guided England to revenge for that 5-0 whitewash Down Under a few years back?



KP’s bright new era as England captain has given fans a tentative hope of victory over the Aussies next summer. The 4-0 drubbing of South Africa in the one day series and the prior Test victory at the end of that series has shown Pietersen to have an inspirational style of captaincy and he looks to be able to get the best out of his players. But, which players exactly will be taking the field at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff next year for the First Test? How close will that team be to Pietersen's last Tes side?



Let’s start at the top and the openers. It is hard to see Alastair Cook being replaced between now and a years time, barring a monumental loss of form. Cook hasn’t scored a Test hundred since his 119 in Sri Lanka in December, however, he struck a fifty in each game against South Africa. His critics point to his lack of ability in converting good starts but Cook surely just needs one three figure score to reclaim his reputation and his mental steel. The same cannot be said of Andrew Strauss. Since his recall to the side, Strauss’ runs have come against only the poor New Zealand attack and he was woeful versus the South Africans.


Consideration may be given to Michael Vaughan being recalled and moved up to open with Cook, with Strauss dropping out. Certainly the left/right handed combination has some appeal and they have shown success with hundred partnerships in Sri Lanka and strong starts in New Zealand. However, Vaughan may be better in the middle order due to his lack of footwork early on in his innings and against the new ball, this could prove fatal. Strauss has shown signs of regaining his world beating form but the technical deficiencies still haunt him and he will need millions of runs on both England tours to convince the selectors.


There is also the Kent pair of Rob Key and Joe Denly, who continue to threaten to get into the side. Key has played for England before without ever fully convincing - that said, he has a Test double hundred to his name, albeit against a mediocre West Indies side. Denly looks a great prospect, but next summer may be too soon for him and he looks to be destined to begin his international career in the one day arena first.


Into the middle order and Ian Bell should bat number three, providing Cook bats with Vaughan or Strauss at the top of the order. Captain Pietersen will come in at number four regardless so the real issue is who bats at three and at five. If Vaughan is recalled, he could play at either. One suspects he would be more at home at number three leaving Bell to go back to five, where he played this summer. Alternatively, Bell could retain his first drop batting position and Vaughan could provide security down at number five. Middlesex’s Owais Shah could be included given his impressive batting both for his county and in one day cricket. Shah would likely bat at five leaving Vaughan and Bell to fight it out for that number three spot. Shah’s batting has won him praise from all quarters and if he is selected this winter then the weight of runs could mean his inclusion against the Aussies.


Number six is a contentious issue. Ideally Andrew Flintoff would bat here and also be part of a five man attack. It really does depend on how many bowlers England are planning to play as Flintoff could possibly bat lower down and be part of a weaker attack. If this is the case then Ravi Bopara or Paul Collingwood could play. Both offer a medium pace bowling option and have strong claims to be in the side. Collingwood is seen as a great team man whereas Bopara has undoubted batting talent. Both men could even play at one spot higher should Vaughan and Shah be left out altogether.



All this being said, it should and hopefully will be Flintoff. His batting against South Africa suggested he was back somewhere close to his imperious best and although it will take more runs this winter to convince the selectors, he should be able to make the number six position his own as it is clear that Pietersen wants him there as part of a five man attack. The balance of the side looks so much better with a fit and firing Fred and Pietersen knows it.


On to the wicket keeper position and who can really make a confident prediction on that? Loads have been tried (namely Jones, Read, Prior, Ambrose) and they have all failed to fully convince. However good or bad they are, though, the next man in has to be given a suitable run int he side to establish himself. Ambrose seems unlikely to get his spot back and Prior’s form in the one day series looks to have secured him a second chance. Essex’s James Foster is also being tipped to get a chance and the two of them will slug it out to impress the most this winter. Again, there is a question of balance - Prior is the better batsman and Foster is the better keeper. You decide. The selectors look likely to go with Prior and if he can do the right thing for long enough then he can make sure he is there for that first test match in July. Others who may be considered are Phil Mustard of Durham and Stephen Davies of Worcestershire.


Finally the bowling attack and we’ll start with the spinner. It should be Monty Panesar but I wouldn't blame the selectors for maybe looking elsewhere for a little bit. Shane Warne recently opined that Panesar ‘has not played 33 Test matches, he has played the same match 33 times’, meaning he has absolutely no variation. And he’s right. Panesar, although talented, seems to be going through a transitional period where he is unable to take wickets in clusters and gets hit around too much. He seems to have lost his pizzazz, his X factor. He will provide a threat but he should be looking over his shoulder at who is threatening his position.


Adil Rashid is that rarest of birds - an English leg spinner who bats like a dream. He is too young for now and probably too young for next summer but if he is selected to tour India and plays for some reason, then he could really impress and he would offer a more all round package than Monty, with his athletic fielding and high quality batting. The same can be said of Graeme Swann and Samit Patel. These three are still however not as good as Monty when it comes to bowling but he might just want to think about his game a little bit.



The seamers provide more of a selection headache. Realistically, Pietersen looks to be able to choose from Steve Harmison, James Anderson, Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Broad, Chris Tremlett, Simon Jones, Matthew Hoggard and anyone from left field such as Durham’s Graham Onions.



Pietersen was instrumental in getting Steve Harmison back into the team and should he perform enough during the winter, he will definitely be in the side for the simple reason that Pietersen wants the Aussies to face a fired up Harmison propelling 90mph rockets at them. His showing at the Oval vs. South Africa promised much but England will want to thread lightly with him, given his past record.



So with Harmison, Flintoff and Panesar seemingly sure of three of the five bowling places, who fills the other two. To start, they will want someone to open the bowling with Harmison and I believe they are choosing from James Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom. Matthew Hoggard looks to have no way back for England now so it will be down to these swing masters. Sidebottom is arguably the more reliable of the two and his left arm swing adds crucial variation. However, his 2008 summer was disappointing and he showed a lack of fitness. Anderson, when on fire, is lethal. He bowls fast, skidding out swing and given the Aussie’s vulnerability against the swinging English ball, Anderson could get the nod. He’s never been one for consistency in his career but this summer, Anderson looked to have found this component and he ended the summer as England's most reliable bowler, in the Tests at least.




To be honest, the decision depends on fitness. Whoever is in the best shape and form will probably get the spot. My gut tells me Anderson but Sidebottom is no bad option to have waiting in the wings and he could be brought in to the side should the conditions heavily favour swing bowling. The last bowling spot should go to Stuart Broad. He is still young and learning but he has so much promise and he adds crucial depth to the batting with his number eight abilities. Broad’s bowling was criticised this summer but he did well in bursts and should develop enough this winter to be enough of a handful to the masterful Australian batting order next summer.


Should he not improve sufficiently to give Pietersen peace of mind then the last spot could go to Simon Jones, should he regain full fitness. He bowled fantastically well this summer in domestic cricket when he was fit and almost made it back into the England side but injury again let him down. He is a great option to have with his dynamic reverse swing and pace but there are career long doubts over his long term fitness. Chris Tremlett offers good speed and bounce but is maybe too similar to Harmison and shouldn’t be able to force his way into contention, barring a miracle or devastating injury crisis.


So, having picked my way through the whole team, I am left with an eleven of:



Alistair Cook
Andrew Strauss
Ian Bell
Kevin Petersen [c]
Michael Vaughan
Andrew Flintoff
Matt Prior [wk]
Stuart Broad
Steve Harmison
James Anderson
Monty Panesar



It is clear Pietersen likes to do thing his way and getting HIS players out onto the pitch. If he can get the best from the likes of Harmison and Anderson then England could have a dangerous bowling attack. If Ian Bell can finally win over his doubters he will make a stable number three. Vaughan provides experience in the middle order along side the explosiveness of Pietersen, Flintoff and Prior. The only concerns are with the opening partnership and Strauss should be performing out of his skin to get there or I’d expect Rob Key to be recalled to open, giving the right/left balance that England like at the top of the order.

It’s a year away, but the excitement is tangible. KP talks a fantastic game; now can he get his team to deliver one against the very best?

Winners, Losers and Nasty Sir Alex

With the end of one of the most climactic transfer deadline days ever, the footballing world now sits back and assesses the damage. And what a world of damage it is. Without a doubt, the upheaval of fortunes at Manchester City which saw them trump Chelsea and sign Robinho, has to be the most amazing story of them all. Could any right minded person have predicted that ‘the next Pele’ would be plying his trade with the blue half of Manchester? He may not be that good, but, make no mistake, Robinho is one of the world’s best or, at least, most promising. Will he fit in the Premier League? Maybe not. But big name signings make headline and City have stolen all of them this morning.

Yet, who else came out of yesterday’s soap opera better or worse off? A more interesting story was the painfully, protracted transfer of Dimitar Berbatov to Manchester United from Spurs. This story had been running all summer, like a an endless courtship, and finally reached a head at the very last minute last night. But the ramifications are still high profile. Firstly, lets look at Man Utd and, in particular, their manager.

Sir Alex had been pursuing Berbatov all summer, relentlessly harassing Spurs and barking at reporters when asked about his progress. Tottenham, in no position to sell, rightly said no every time, claiming that Utd weren’t offering the right money. When Man City made their audacious bid yesterday, Tottenham accepted it, as it was the correct valuation and the player wanted to leave - maybe not to City but that was beside the point. Sir Alex must have been fuming. You could imagine the contortions on his face when being informed that Spurs had said yes to City.

So, in typical, disgraceful fashion, Sir Alex brought Berbatov to Old Trafford and began sorting out a deal, without the permission of Spurs. The way he saw it, the player wanted to be at Utd so he’d get him there and then sort out his current club after. Ferguson has divine right, you see. If he wants a player, he should get the player, regardless of who he plays for and what that team wants. Should Berbatov go, Spurs would be short of a striker so Ferguson threw in Frazier Campbell to the equation to sweeten the deal. Spurs got their 30 million pounds but they didn’t get it in time to get a good enough replacement. This may have been their fault, yes, but it is in the interests of Man Utd haters to blame them.

Sir Alex also ensured that Tottenham agreed to drop their charges against Man Utd for their pursuit of Berbatov. He really did get his own way, 100%. Like he always does, Ferguson proverbially bullied enough people to get the right result for him. One can only hope that the FA has the balls to investigate Utd’s approach of Berbatov further. Nothing was said in public but you can bet Ferguson and other Man Utd personnel were calling, texting, e-mailing and convincing Berbatov all summer long. All the time without the permission of Tottenham. It is sad to say but Spurs have been forced and bullied into selling Berbatov to Utd and there’s nothing to stop it happening again in the future.

The bare facts of the saga are as follows: Spurs will get £31 million for Berbatov plus Frazier Campbell on a season long loan deal. Berbatov has a four year contract at Man Utd. Spurs didn’t have enough time to sign the replacements talked about so have a slightly weakened strike force of Darren Bent, Fraizer Campbell and Roman Pavlyuchenko. Utd sealed the deal with ten minutes to go before the deadline. Ten minutes between Sir Alex getting what he wanted and not.

One can only hope Man Utd lose out this season now, purely from a vengeful point of view. It is nothing against Berbatov. Yes he was a bit moody but most Spurs fans understood his need to play for a better team and to win trophies. The desire for Utd to fail is aimed wholeheartedly at their manager. Their manager, who illegally and immorally, pursued another teams player and signed him against all interests of fair play and decency.

I really, really loathe him.