Monday, 1 October 2012

Firstly, a huge well done to Europe for not only retaining the Ryder Cup last night, but actually winning it, and coming from behind to do so!! Seve will be proud of you all.
And well done to Tottenham too, who ended their 23-year wait for a win at Old Trafford after beating United 3-2. And to Brendan Rodgers for his first League win as Liverpool boss.

However, before the weekend came 2 resignations after their positions were made 'untenable'.
1) John Terry retired from International Football the day before an FA verdict was announced that the Chelsea captain was GUILTY of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand last October, when he was earlier cleared by the Magistrates court.
Terry's statement said that due to the FA proceedings, his position in the national side had become "untenable", therefore he had no choice but to retire - a great loss for England. On the plus side, it allows Roy Hodgson to build a new partnership, with Gary Cahill and Joeleon Lescott looking like favourites, with Phil Jagielka and Ryan Shawcross (hopefully) as deputies. Forget Rio.
Going back to the FA, they fined Terry £220,000 and gave him a 4-match ban. But hold on, didn't Luis Suarez get an 8-match ban when he was found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra? Ok, he was fined £80,000 not £220,000, but surely these punishments should be consistent, and I think the FA have let themselves down, and I think Liverpool - Suarez especially - have a right to be annoyed.
Furthermore though, the FA have made a fool of themselves by charging Terry, failing to understand that there was no intent behind the remarks - hence he was 'Not Guilty'. When a slur is intentionally made, like in the Suarez case, it is fair enough, but in the heat of a London Derby in a sports match where the atmosphere is hostile, and the player has been aggravated, I think Terry can be forgiven.

2) Steve Kean - Blackburn. Relegated from the Premier League in 2011/12 season. Currently sitting 4th in The Championship with 15 points from 8 games. Manager now sacked.
It's been a difficult road for Steve Kean; he was given the job after the new owners took a stupid decision to sack "Big" Sam Allardyce - always guaranteed to keep a team in the Premier League. From that moment, fans were against the board, and against the man they installed, so his tenure was never going to be successful, and Venkys have taken another stupid option by sacking Kean.
A manager needs time to install new ideas into a club, and get it functioning in unison. I wasn't even born when Fergie took over Man United, but I know that it took him a couple of seasons to take control of United  - 20-odd years later he's still there, and the club have won just about everything under him.
But managers in this day and age don't seem to have time, as foreign owners come in and expect short-term success, as opposed to building a club. It's worked with Man City, okay, but that's because they have mega mega money resources to get the best players. Blackburn don't.
Not being bias, and I think most footballing experts will agree, but for Blackburn, Stoke would be a good role-model. No debt, established Premier League club, a good manager-chairman relationship, and all without spending more than £30million in a Transfer Window. Not forgetting the new Category 1 Academy, or the fantastic support. But the point is, as a club it is proof that for the achievement of playing weekly in the best league in the world, and having the potential to win domestic cups, not as much money needs spending, and it takes patience to build. Okay the only major honour Stoke have is the 1972 League Cup, but looking ahead, they've put the foundations in the ground, and are now laying the first bricks of what will hopefully be a desirable country mansion.














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