The power of Soccer Aid

Watching Soccer Aid last night with a hangover might have been a mistake. I was already feeling delicate. The first appeal from Unicef had me close to tears and by the third I was a mess.

Soccer Aid is a great idea. It’s hosted at Old Trafford, Manchester, rather than Wembley, London – meaning those who are usually forced to travel south to attend the match are saved time and money. Then there is the celebrity endorsement. They do something for charity and their names and reputations resonate with football fans and the wider television audience.

Then splice documentary-style short films into the match build-up, to guarantee the charity more prime-time exposure than it gets in the entire remainder of the year. Unicef has built a huge presence in sport and it’s a wonderful partnership. The children’s charity is not short of celebrity supporters, from David Beckham to Angelina Jolie. Their faces and voices are familiar to viewers, their is a sense of  trust (deserved or not) in their words, which resonate more with the audience as a result.

Last night’s installment of the annual fixture (which began in 2006), featured a range of appeals for Unicef. From the disaster in the Philippines that left thousands dead or homeless, to the war orphans of Syria. The level of injustice was choking.

Everyone relates to these appeals differently, as we do to any emotive media – be it film, book or poem, fact or fiction. You bring your own experience to the table. For me, that meant considering how different the lives of my own children might have been, if they were born into less fortunate circumstances. One of my daughters is two-and-a-half, the other is 11 months. I witness daily the joys of childhood, the wonder in their eyes as they learn new things. Their laughter. Which makes it almost unbearable to watch children in poverty, malnourished, who haven’t even the energy to smile.

Campaigns such as Soccer Aid are great publicity shots for the cause. But we must do more, as a society, as individuals, as voters, to address the bigger issues – the government policies, hostilities and injustices that increase the disparity between rich and poor, and plague our world. After all, what is more innocent and precious than the smile and laughter of a child? If not that, then what is worth fighting for?

You can learn more about Unicef and how to support the children of our world here: http://socceraid.unicef.org.uk

Is this farewell Chelsea for Luiz, Lampard, Cole, Hazard and Cech?

Goodbye Luiz, Lampard, Cole, Cech, Hazard? Hello Costa, Courtois, Tiago, Luis? It looks set to be a summer of change at Stamford Bridge. Looking at the list of names who are potentially on the outgoing list, it’s fair to say that Chelsea fans could be waving goodbye to some of the most popular players of the last decade, indeed, in the club’s history, before the new season kicks off.

We’ve been preparing for the departure of the old guard for a while now though, making it slightly easier to accept the curtain falling on the Chelsea careers of Cole, Lampard, and next season probably Terry too. But the imminent departure of Luiz, mixed with the uncertainty over Hazard and Cech, is harder to take.

A friend (and Liverpool fan, I should add) commented this week that Luiz is the only exciting player in our team. While that’s not quite true, he is the most unpredictable. It’s not often you find a defender who has you sitting on the edge of your seat in the same way that the attacking flair players do. Of course, ‘the Hansen’ argument is that your defenders should be the exact opposite – solid, dependable, predictable. But I’d argue that quite often it’s beneficial to have a centre back who does break forward, confusing opposition markers and opening space for others.

His character is the other thing we’ll miss. Whether you think he’s a foolish clown or just a positive young Brazilian, his attitude was a breath of fresh air at Chelsea. Today, the distance between players and fans is all too visible – at Chelsea, open training sessions are a thing of the past, and fans are warned away from the players on match days. Part of this is Mourinho’s fault – his own strict policies. But Luiz didn’t obey those, and the fans loved him for it. At every home game, he posed with fans for photos, signed autographs and joked and talked as if he were sitting in the stands too. We’re losing more than a great player.

The other, more damaging, of the outgoings would be Cech and Hazard. Cech is unlikely to leave altogether, but if the club do decide to bring back the flavour of the season, Courtois, then Cech is set for a long spell on the sidelines at an age many would argue is his prime. Personally, I’d be inclined to ignore the hype (mainly from the press, who will always favour ‘new’ over tried-and-tested). I’d keep Cech as number one for at least another season, allowing Courtois to enjoy one more year with the Spanish champions before bringing him back. Cech is the underrated part of the Chelsea spine. Goalkeepers often struggle to receive the recognition they deserve and the goal savers are never as popular as the goal scorers.

There is no risk in leaving Courtois at Atletico for one more year. He has age on his side and we will still see his best years. Cech is more than capable of helping to deliver another championship at Chelsea.

Hazard is a different case entirely. He’s often over-hyped. His performances towards the end of the season did drop. Regardless, he still has an unquestionable talent and potential to be one the best. The decision for him is whether to reach it in the Premier League, at a club run by an unforgiving manager, or whether to join the latest ‘galactico’ club, PSG, in a far less competitive league. If he goes, he’s made the wrong decision and his motivations are not what Chelsea fans would want. If he stays, he shows far greater maturity and integrity. Many won’t be holding their breath on that last one. There is always Thorgan, his younger brother, who is also on the Chelsea books and already picking up awards on loan abroad.

As for Costa, Tiago and the endless list of transfer targets we’re hearing about, whichever ‘superstars’ come in will have a challenge to meet the standards of the old guard.

Celebrating home-grown managers

The finger will be pointed at the press, the clubs, the system. Who is to blame for the lack of quality home-grown managers in the Premier League today? The interim appointment of Ryan Giggs at Manchester United was overhyped in some quarters and this response was quickly picked apart by more cynical commentators. Of course Giggs isn’t the saviour they said, he just looks good in a suit. Actually, both sides of this argument are rather sad. On one hand the fickle fans and tabloid press overhype every new appointment, on the other, the cynics proclaim themselves as the patient guardians of the truth – but often overcompensate at the expense of any recognition for the appointee whatsoever.

A few months ago I planned a blog about the lack of high-class English candidates for the England job. Looking abroad, it’s always easy to think the grass is greener.

Why, in a league with great managers, English and foreign, isn’t there a school of disciples eager and ready to take over when they retire from playing under those great leaders? I think you have to blame British players – they should be demanding better coaching, driving the agenda forward, desperate to become the next Alex Ferguson or Jose Mourinho. There are some who choose the ‘glamour’ of TV punditry over the coaching badges. That’s another sad indictment of the aspirations of this generation.

There are some great British managers who do not receive the recognition they deserve. Paul Lambert, an excellent player-turned-coach. Mark Hughes, who has worked wonders at Stoke this season. Tony Pulis, at Crystal Palace. But the question I’m asking is, why aren’t the next generation pushing the boundaries more? You cannot deride Hughes for the style of play he develops at the clubs he manages – he was a footballer of the 90s, and his talent was strength and discipline. But what of Giggs, Neville, Dixon et al? They played under great managers in Ferguson and Wenger, consistently drilled in a distinctive style of play. On the continent, managers like Guardiola and Simeone make their mark by continuing the legacy and ethos which brought them success as players – so why don’t British players aspire to do the same?

It’s hard to name a handful of English managers who have stuck to their principles. Against my better judgement, the one name that keeps coming back to me is Hoddle. Hoddle was not a major success in terms of silverware at either club or international level, but perhaps this was down to other ingredients (man management/motivation) rather than his tactics and coaching. Despite being mocked as a managerial choice for vacancies this summer, Hoddle was successful at creating a brand of football that should give him greater kudos. He took his pride in a good passing game from his playing experience to his time as manager – at Chelsea, he introduced one-touch passing in 1994 and it was a joy to watch. He tried to do the same with England, but I don’t think you can judge an England manager who only trains his team a few times a year. My point is, English teams have enjoyed huge success over the last two decades – so when will we see the next generation step up and become the next great managers?

 

Meeting Messi – video and photos

When I ‘met’ Lionel Messi it was a brief, heated, exchange. As he prepares to take on Manchester City tomorrow night in the knock-out round of the Champions League, I’m reminded of a night almost eight years ago to the day, when he played in this stage of the competition for the first time.

It was 22 February 2006, Messi was only 18, and not yet the household name he is today. I was 22 and sitting in the front row of the East Stand at Stamford Bridge, drooling at the prospect of watching Chelsea take on the likes of Ronaldinho – the best player in the world at the time – Deco and Eto’o. However, it was Messi who would make the biggest impact.

The diminutive Argentinian looked quite different back then – his shoulder-length hair was a mess and his shirt was far too big for him. He looked like the boy who always forgot his PE kit at school and had to borrow whatever the teacher could find in the lost property cupboard. But his style on the ball was unmistakable, right from the outset.

Within the first 10 minutes he’d won possession on the right wing and dashed past the villain of the day, Spanish left-back Asier Del Horno. His talent was glaringly obvious. He was different. I’d never seen a player so young with such a bustling, swashbuckling approach. He was so lively on the ball, knocking it past Del Horno or Arjen Robben, then scampering after it with incredible speed, strength and, most of all, determination.

Then Del Horno raked Messi down the leg, badly. Messi looked at his knee, rubbed it, and got up again. It was a terrible tackle, worthy of a red card. Looking back at the footage today, it’s clear that Del Horno was under instruction from Mourinho to go in hard on Messi. It was not pretty. The soundtrack on the video link is apt – Guns N Roses’ ‘Welcome to the Jungle’.

The second tackle was late, and high, but Messi was guilty of melodramatics it has to be said. After skipping past a two-footed lunge by Robben (spot the pattern here?), Messi wisely leapt into the air to meet the onrushing Del Horno shoulder-to-shoulder. They collided in a violent crash and both men fell to the ground. Messi looked up at the referee briefly, then rolled, not once, but four times, to the side of the pitch. It was unnecessary, but he knew he was going to get hurt seriously if he didn’t exaggerate this particular incident.

The atmosphere in the stadium was electric and being in the front row was a privilege. At the sight of Messi’s theatrics and the resulting red card for Del Horno, I jumped out of my seat to give Messi an earful! It’s embarrassing to admit now, but I was caught in the moment and I always enjoyed the heckling between fans and players.

As Messi hobbled up the touchline, the Barca physio actually turned to acknowledge me (pictured below), spun Messi in my direction, and promptly pulled up the leg of his shorts to reveal the horrific cut that had been left by Del Horno’s studs in the first challenge.

The injury was pictured in his next game for Barcelona, below.

It was clear that Messi was in the right and Del Horno deserved to receive his marching orders. The physio was shouting at me and I was shouting back – Messi’s eyes said it all: “Are you kidding?” Despite my inadvisable protestations about Messi’s play-acting, I was relieved to see him return to the pitch.

That night, Messi arrived on the world stage. As he continued the game, linking up play seamlessly between Ronaldinho and the other stars, he never looked out of place, despite his age. He had the tricks and touch of Ronaldinho, but the dribbling style of Maradona.

For me, Messi is unquestionably the best player ever to grace the game. I’m always excited to see him on television, and I’ve seen him at Chelsea since, but I still hope that one day I’ll have the privilege of watching him up-close again.

Watch the video here: Messi v Chelsea, 2006

Watch this hilarious video of Chelsea masseur Billy McCulloch

After Chelsea beat Manchester City last night Jose Mourinho revealed that the pre-match team talk was actually delivered by the Chelsea masseur, Billy ‘Blood’ McCulloch. It reminded me of seeing this compilation of jokes by the pint-sized clown on YouTube. Billy has a reputation as one of the biggest practical jokers at the team’s training ground. Watch the video and  you should have some idea of what his team talk would have been like. My personal favourite is his joke about goalkeeper Petr Cech (at 3 mins 20 secs).