UEFA, FIFA, The FA and football's proposed new world order ... evolutionary steps or slipping backwards?

Here is the latest article by regular viewer and contributor, Colin Wilkes. Many thanks to him, a very apt post for tonight.

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I have just heard David Gill of Manure say FIFA should pay the players’ wages on international duty …

Throughout the rollercoaster of life, irregardless of what aspect it be, work the family, politics, leisure, health etc etc we are all subjected to changes that are by nature evolutionary. There is no sudden overthrow of the system no negation of the negation where we all move on up to a new and higher level and so it is and has been for football. With one notable exception, the abolition of the maximum wage. The collective power of the players and their trade union the PFA in the early 60s brought the football establishment to its knees and capitulation. The players had rightly and justifiably broken the shackles of their serfdom.

Since the first organised football league was established, predominantly by clubs in the north west of England the tinkerers of the game known as ADMINISTRATORS have made their evolutionary changes throughout the game. Most have been to the betterment of the game the odd few from the annals of the Beano. There are however unintended consequences to most legislation. The Tim Cahill saga included.

Now we have the doyen of football administrators, Bett Slapper, seeking to change yet again the size of the national leagues. The reasoning for this Slapper made us aware of immediately post Euro 2004(1) and has since reiterated(2)

Slapper extols his concern for the failure of the star players eg Figo, Zidane, Beckham and Henry to perform to their highest standards. The reason for this is burn out. These players are playing to many games and not cup games but league games

In one of their kite flying exercises FIFA are proclaiming the way forward is to dilute the number of teams in each football league down so the number of games played at a domestic level will enhance the performances of those playing in international games. Really.

I have to state here before progressing I get my football fix from Everton FC and not from any National FC. I do admit to having watched most of Euro 2004 and did watch the England games whilst one of our own at that time was playing. But all in all I couldn't give a flying fig for international football.

[Agreed, I surprised even myself today, by only choosing to watch around 10 mins. of the England game! - Chancellor]

In response to Slapper I contend that;

(a) some of these prima donnas are well past their sell by date (Zidane) and others are still trying to recover from injury (Beckham)

(b) he should give some credit to the skills and endeavours of the defenders in these games and also to the coaches who plot how each game is played. Opposition teams and players are not going to sit back and let the likes of these prima donnas run riot. That is not what the game is about Slapper.

(c) in part the fault lies with ‘EUFA’ for changing European Cup and ‘Eufa’ cup games to those of a league status. Get these competitions back to knock cups and the players will be playing far less games in these competitions

(d) again in part FIFA & ‘EUFA’ are responsible why do we have such large qualifying groups for the World and Euro Cups? Why not use a system of qualifying for the smaller teams to play out their groups and then put the top 2 into the final groupings? The minor national teams in Europe eg Cyprus, Faroe Islands, San Marino etc etc all contribute to a hopeless cause and congest the fixtures and increase the number of games to be played.

(e) what sort of respite have these prima donnas received in Europe having just completed Euro 2004 they are now less than 3 months later having to perform and compete in world cup qualifying games for 2006?

Points ‘a’ and ’b’ are about how you view the game

Points ‘c,’ ‘d’ and ‘e’ are cash-related directly to the fortunes of ‘EUFA’ & FIFA and therefore would be inconceivable to change. The greed grows and grows.

I have here made a few suggestions of an evolutionary nature which I am convinced would fall upon deaf ears. So here comes the revolutionary suggestion to Slapper and his ilk. But first a word of warning. As in every business the customer is always right and sales are God. Lose your customers and you lose your business.

If Slapper and the world governing bodies are so concerned about the wellbeing of the game played at international level and the performances of the prima donnas on the international stage then they should take a leaf out of the world of cricket and how that is now structured at an international level regarding the players.

Let the national football associations take over the contracts of the players they regard as being a part of their respective teams. Put those players under a national contract and then compensate the clubs from whom they have been borrowed. This will give the individual FA the opportunity to have as much time with squad members as they choose. And ensure a good clean bill of health. No fatigue. They can all blossom under the national umbrella.

Meanwhile we can all carry on supporting our own teams and paying for the privilege, or not.

Footnotes
(1) BBC TV interview after the final of Euro 2004-09-25
(2) link to be confirmed

Fixture change, Far Eastern School of Science, ins, outs and tapping.

Adult-only content in this post. Under 18s please close this page NOW or inform a responsible adult of this message immediately and prior to reading any further.

Ch...ch...ch...changes.

Portsmouth [h] game has been re-arranged and is NOT due to be shown on TV. The new date is Tue. 4th Jan, Portsmouth at 20.00

Fixtures [yet to be updated for Pompey].

BBC Everton page.

Life on Death Row.

Weir has explained his current situation and feelings.

Feeling bluesy.

Frustrations are being expressed. After Pisto's 'performance' [or not] v Spurs, surely Nace's return is imminent?

Barstewards.

England's dressing room is a truly horrible place to send your loved ones tapping up appears rife.

Academy

We're following some other forward-thinking clubs and filling our boots in emerging markets.

Wilson would cost more than a million.

Now that the whole world knows that we are 'in the money,' the Scottish player will not be allowed to come on the cheap.

No doubt 'ditto' for Baines...and ditto for Parker.

Carling Cup.

Preston tie information.

Ballbreakers [full article]

Murray made it clear that English full-back Michael Ball, who made his latest return from injury in a closed-door fixture against Kilmarnock yesterday, is unlikely to become a first-team regular again.

Signed by Dick Advocaat for £6million three years ago, Rangers are due a further payment to Everton of £500,000 if Ball plays six more matches for them. "When we bought Michael Ball, it was part of a long-term strategy," said Murray. "He was a young player who was picked in Sven Goran Eriksson’s first ever England team and was rated one of the best in England. We gave him a five-year contract as a result.

"We have discussed this at board level and had to decide whether we should take the risk of paying this money when the player could become injured again. From this point of view, we have advised Alex accordingly. If we believed he would be a regular, then we should pay the money [to Everton]."

Rangers recent run of five consecutive wins without conceding a goal helped douse much of the potential friction predicted for yesterday’s agm and Murray recognised the difficult financial circumstances McLeish has been working under. "We are asking our manager to manage at a very difficult time," he said. "We all bought into the dream and I have accepted my responsibility [for it]. I spoke to Alex recently and told him that as long as he gets the best out of the players he puts on the park, there is nothing more he can do."

Finally, and most importantly.

The terrorist, fanatical scum are rumoured to have murdered Kenneth Bigley.

Let's hope the reports are all wrong...

Stories of the Blues and Alehouse talk [stories featuring Carlisle, Derby, Manchester Utd and Liverpool].

'Alehouse talk' - a Q&A session. From 'C. Graham' [by e-mail].

Halton Castle.

Q: I can recall transfers taking place between Manchester Utd and just about every top side in England - except Liverpool. Have the two clubs ever concluded a transfer deal? If so, when and involving whom? (And if not, why not?)

A: As you might expect, the fierce rivalry between the clubs has limited the amount of transfer activity between them. However there has been the odd moment in history (albeit from a long time ago) where this mutual antipathy has briefly dissipated At the end of the second world war, for instance, Matt Busby retired as a player from Liverpool to become manager at Old Trafford. But the last player to move between the clubs was Phil Chisnall back in April 1964 The inside-right played 35 games for United before his transfer to Liverpool for a then-substantial sum of £25,000. But Chisnall never established himself at Anfield, although he did play in Liverpool's first European match (against Reykjavik in August 1964) and in the first-ever Match of the Day game (a 3-2 win over Arsenal). But after being dropped after a defeat at Leeds in the next match, he never re-established himself in the first team, and his record for Liverpool makes sorry reading. In three seasons at the club he played just eight times (scoring two goals) before he was transferred to Southend in 1967.

Jolly Miller.

Q: Who [if anybody] have Everton never beaten in top-division football?

A: The answer is, surprisingly, Carlisle United, who in their solitary season in the top flight in 1974/5 proved to be a particular nuisance to the title-chasing Blues despite finishing the season bottom of the league.

Everton had gone top of the First Division in mid-December with an away win at eventual champions Derby County. They returned home to play struggling Carlisle - on December 21st 1974 - and quickly strolled to a 2-0 lead. However, with the late England cricket international Chris Balderstone having a blinder in midfield, Carlisle hit back to record an unlikely 3-2 win.

Then on March 29 1975, Everton travelled to Brunton Park. A win would have gone a long way to ensuring the title went to Goodison. Carlisle, meanwhile, were apparently doomed. So the result was obvious. A 3-0 win for Carlisle.

Derby won the title with a pathetic 53 points, Everton went on to lose at another team on their way down, Luton, and finished on 50 points.

Hare & Hounds.

Q: Is Wayne Rooney the first Scouser to play for Manchester United?

A: No. Wayne is the eighth Scouser to have pulled on the red shirt of Manchester United. The most illustrious predecessor was Crocky-born Steve Coppell, who played almost four hundred games for United between 1975 and 1983, and forty two for England.

Before him, Liverpudlians Willie Anderson and Albert Kinsey played ten times and once respectively in the sixties and Ted Connor played fifteen matches between 1909 and 1911, with Arthur Marshall notching up six in 1902-03.

Neither is Rooney the first Scouser to sign from Everton.

Alf Schofield joined Newton Heath (as United were then called) from Everton in 1900 and played 179 games until retiring in 1907. More recently, John Gidman racked up 115 games in United red after signing from the Toffees in 1981.

Peter Davenport, who scored 26 goals for United between 1986 and 1988, may also be added to the list, though it depends whether you consider his birthplace Birkenhead to be a 'Scouse area.'

Much of the above was, quite literally, news to me. Thanks CG.

Stories of the blues: 18th November, 1993 - The night when Nirvana finally came of age.

How good is Nirvana's 'MTV Unplugged in New York' album by the way?! Impossible to take it out of the PC at the moment. If you haven't got it and are a fan of twang-gang music, acquire it immediately and consider yourself told off for the omission and oversight. Recorded just before Cobain's death, it tantalisingly showed that Nirvana had taken a sharp turn in the direction of a mellower, [vastly superior, more mature in my opinion] sound. Oh, to have been amongst the audience, on the magical night that the album was recorded. Sadly, shortly afterwards, with the death of Cobain, the world was cruelly robbed of Nirvana's essence. Consequently, the evolution of Nirvana, from a mere, passing rock-sensation, to without any doubt, the globally-agreed stuff of legend, was tragically stopped its tracks.

You may read more about it and listen to samples here.

Cheap Villa tickets, Samuelson et al to take us back to the top? Parker from Chelsea ? and Preston in the Carling Cup.

Peddling the Blues.

Half price Villa tickets have been on sale at Goodison this week. Simply take one Season ticket voucher [#63], per ticket that you wish to purchase. Only 2,000 were available so you'll need to 'phone first. When I was there at 09.15 on Monday, there were less than three people in the queue. By opening [09.30] there was no more than 12...

The only way is up.

Samuelson and FSF are claiming that we shall henceforth be operating at the top end of the market. They're talking of helping us to be great again.

The proof of the pudding will very much be in the eating [shortly after Christmas] when we are likely to go all out to get Scott Parker.

"No doubt he will pursue his case with the added bitterness of an old friend." Oscar Wilde

A very interesting Carling tie looms in the form of an ebullient Preston. The PNE manager, Billy Davies, is looking forward to meeting Everton in the third round, following the 3:2 victory over Leicester. I am reminded of the scene at the end of Spartacus, when Kirk Douglas looks down at Tony Curtis sprinting towards him and says words to the effect of,
"Look how he runs to his death!"

Top 'Dog.'

After several faultless performances, Martyn is the player of the month for September.


Kopites are gobshites.

In spite of being on the receiving end of a very bad one, Cahill has sustained no serious damage.

An e-mailer to the site informs me that Redknapp was slowly pumping his clenched fist in front of the Park End after the final whistle, causing much neck bulging and frothing amongst our Blue brethren. Hand-pumping being an appropriate gesture, after such a tosser of a tackle.

Huth-instuff?

Huth.

We're being linked, by only a few sources at the mo' with this fella, by all accounts an absolutely superb player. Isn't it great to be one of the richest clubs in the league again!?

The 'People's Judean Front' are all w@nkers you know.

Mickey Blue Eyes [the Chief Sportswriter of the 'People's Front of Judea' [remember the antagonism between the virtually identical [PFJ and PJF] groups in the 'Life of Brian?']] has published his latest article here. Like the Polyphemus [of the trio of statuary], in La Fontaine Medicis [Jardin Du Luxembourg, Paris], he plays the part of sitting in judgement above his subjects, forever glaring downward, eternally ready to pounce. This latest fusion of socialism and misanthropy may upset you if you have, of late, called into question Bill Kenwright's abilty at the helm/poker table. Ah, Poker? So that's where the money's going. If you ever cross MBE [i.e. have the bone-headed ignorance and/or a sufficiently wide whingeing streak to hold a differing opinion to him], you're ipso facto an inadequate fuck-witted, balloon-head, with a brain like a shaved bollock; indeed you are henceforth a veritable, dicksplat. It'd be just great having him as a work-mate/ an in-law, wouldn't it? He often makes Quantity Surveyors appear reasonable and tolerant. Overall though, it has to be concluded that he does much more good than harm, in that the bulk of his [pantomime-toned, largely tongue-in-cheek, surely?] outpourings are erudite and funny enough to remain essential reading. At his best [remember the Casting the Roons Wayne Rooney article?], bluster aside, he is still supreme.

If anybody wants to go halves on a Christmas present [of a book] for him, I suggest one about Voltaire [containing reference to his defending people's rights to an opinion], you can count me in.

Click here to read him, you vacuous balloon-heads, then '... go get f***ed, four times.'

Liverpool 'Capital of Blame Culture 2000&L8' - Victor Meldrew's Sunday Roasting.

Liverpool 'Capital of Blame Culture 2000&L8'



Victor Meldrew's Sunday Roasting.

The city ambles onwards towards 2008 and the projects fall and wobble on the way, all appears to be in accordance with an aim to provide a huge number of high-yield, 'world class car parking facilities that will leave visitors with a sense of shock and awe' and little more, by the time 2008 arrives. 'Kopites are Gobshites' is one of my favourite songs/sayings you know. It's nearly always true and says so much in so very few words, rolling off the tongue deliciously. Well my Blue brethren, my fellow malcontents, I have a suspicion that the Capital of Culture bid is being [mis]led by the very same. The latest atrocity is the imperiling of the Tram project.

Read these excerpts, telling of the latest episodes of the story of 08-Liverpool: telling of trouble at the top and the current plays in the blame game. Don't miss how CABE have slated the revised King's Dock mini arena. Yet another option for that site now being in danger! Not content with following a path that will possibly see the King's Dock become a world class, extremely expensive, tarmac-covered vehicle storage facility, the people guiding the preparations over the Capital of Culture preparations continue to trip from crisis to crisis.

Click on each letter of my special summary phrase to read more about the heartbreaking mismanagement:

M Y - A R S E

I am extremely fed up with constant trickle of bad news stories following the victorious culture bid. I thought the biggest and baddest would be the change of plan for the 4th [Dis]Grace site - from vison to high cost car parking and associated building site, all ready for '08, complete with hoardings, in two easy steps. But there's more. Incredibly, the Council recently demanded, indeed at the 11th hour and 59 minute of the pre-contract process, for one of the proposed Tram lines [from J.L. Airport into town] to be re-phased, all but killing the scheme! Marvel at how Grosvenor are gravely concerned at the effect of a delayed Tram project on their Culture of Capitalism big-name-only, private shopping complex, sorry, their Paradise Street development proposals. I thought about the Tram imbroglio long and hard. I've come to the following conclusion and surprise surprise, it involves car parking! Admittedly my conclusion relies upon the assumption that the rumour that Henshaw is not a supporter of the Tram plan, as being factual. If the Tram plan was to collapse, with the Council seeking to blame the obstinacy of the bidders, one of the main results would be that revenues would be maximised over the coming years. What revenues? Yes, you guessed it, car parking revenues. Car parking revenues and money-making parking fines would be seriously hit by a Tram service, the Council relies extremely heavily upon the driver-cash-cow and I'd like to know how planned revenues from the Trams measure up against those anticipated from a city centre full of car parks and double yellows.

This shower from the Council have got to bite the bullet over the Tram issue, accept that they have shown incompetence in not asking for this JLA link re-phasing earlier and press on as originally agreed. They have much more than the future of their [political] careers in their sole custody. Here's me thinking that all traces of the bad old Hatton days had gone...

They couldn't run a bath.

I'm going for some retail therapy in Homebase and then it's off for tea and biscuits in Ikea. If you see me there, keep out of my way.

Kopites are Gobshites and in particular, Redknapp is a beaut.

COYB.

Yours,
Victor.

Match reviews and John&Wayne

Looking back in anger.

Despite us battering them, Spurs well and truly rolled us over; their football was awful to watch.

We should have had a penalty. My fellow spectator said of it,
"If that [tackle] would have been at Anfield, the ref. would have given them three penalties for it!"

Redknapp tried to maim Cahill and we hit the woodwork twice. The main three positives are: [a] We're still 3rd, [b] most of the other teams drew and [c]I don't have to watch the woeful Spurs every week.

Here are a few reviews: E, F, C

Here is the latest League table.

John Rooney is still a Blue.

This e-mail was sent to Everton during the week, a copy being issued to us:
Has John Rooney switched academies (to Man U)?

The Everton response, again copied to us, is here:
Wayne has 2 brothers, Graham who is 16 years and is not with any League club and John who is 14 years and is registered with our Academy ... don't believe everything that appears in the media.

Rooney loon.

'You can take the boy out of Crocky, but you can't take Crocky out of the boy'
aka
'Once a scally from Crocky, always a scally from Crocky.'
The lad feels he's invincible on and off the pitch! As the vast majority of Scousers are worth ten wools, the odds are he'll be OK with this type of carry-on.