Editors Corner

Football is about having opinions - and sharing them. In this section our editors give their views on different issues concerning the world of football. It’s a subjective statement from them, but as always you are more than welcome to comment. Be part of the game and tell us your opinion.

Welcome to the new PartoftheGame.tv

By Jonas Schwartz & Thomas Gravgaard This is the new PartoftheGame.tv, re-structured and re-designed to optimize your experience. Our main purpose behind the changes is to provide you with a better overview of our web-tv channel and make it easier for you to find and watch our football videos. On top of a new design we also introduce a dynamic search engine, so you can dig out from our archive exactly what you are interested in. For various months we have been working hard on these improvements. And we hope you will also see it exactly as that: improvements. In our own modest opinion PartoftheGame.tv is now much more user-friendly. One of our new features is this blog. On this spot members of the editorial staff will be writing blogs on a regular basis, along with guest bloggers from the world of football. Football is about passion and luckily this sport, the greatest of them all, generates many different points of view on many different subjects. Our philosophy is quite simply that everybody is right and everybody is wrong. And nothing is too small or too indifferent not to be debated. Therefore, don’t hesitate to shout our your opinion and comments when we put out a new blog. Each voice is important, as long as it is used in a respectful manner. We - and the rest of the football mad people out there - are looking forward to your point of view. Enjoy football's new home!
Thomas Gravgaard tg 4/1/2009 12:00:00 AM Welcome to the new PartoftheGame.tv
Status quo in the Premier League

By Jonas Schwartz The Premier League has been on a break because of World Cup qualifiers, but this weekend it's back to business for Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea. I mention the three of them, because I don't see any other candidates to the title. I know that Arsenal, Aston Villa and even Everton still have mathematical chances, but they are not realistic. So how will it all proceed? United are still number one, one point ahead of Liverpool and with a game in hand. Chelsea are four points behind United and have also played one more match than the Red Devils. Looking on form Liverpool seems like the strongest team. They demolished Real Madrid, United and Villa, scoring 13 goals in three games, so they definitely look sharp. Is Steven Gerrard the best player in the world right now? I think so. United and Chelsea on the other hand are going through hard times. Especially United look hurt. The defeat against Liverpool was a really hard blow. That was evident in their match against Fulham - a side they had recently beaten 4-0 in the FA Cup. And what about the discipline? Two sending offs, that's not a good sign. You better get that hairdryer ready for action, Fergie! Chelsea have been flying since Guus Hiddink's arrival, but Spurs got them back on their feet and showed that all honeymoons have an end. And their topscorer – and Premier League's topscorer - Nicolas Anelka will be out for three weeks. Not good news for the Blues. United will take on Aston Villa, Liverpool go to London and Fulham, while Chelsea travel north to match up with Newcastle. Where will the title contenders stand on Monday? I say it will be status quo. What do you say?
Thomas Gravgaard tg 4/3/2009 12:00:00 AM Status quo in the Premier League
Hillsborough and then what?

By Thomas Gravgaard This week we run the last part of our documentary about the tragedy at Hillsborough on 15th of April 1989 where 96 Liverpool supporters were crushed to death. This was truly the most important moment in modern football. It provoked the allseater revolution that unfortunately did not limit itself to the construction of marvellous new stadiums but also hysterically to strict regulations on fans’ behaviour. It supposedly overnight became dangerous to stand up, jump, scream or swear inside a football ground. And it still is, although especially German football has seen a beautiful revival of the old fashion terraces behind the goal. Looking back at the 20 years gone since that horrible day in Sheffield, I wonder why all consequences connected to the Hillsborough aftermath were targeted at the very victims of the disaster: the supporters. The main reason for the disaster was, unlike Heysel, NOT a worn out stadium or aggressive behaviour on part of the crowd, but the police match commander who opened the doors to an already overcrowded stand and subsequently didn’t hesitate to blame fans for having knocked down the doors. The reason he got away without as much as being sacked is that football fans were easy targets. In many ways they still are.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 4/13/2009 12:00:00 AM Hillsborough and then what?
The downfall of Ronaldinho

By Jonas Schwartz In the last round of the Italian Serie A Ronaldinho came on as a sub and got the last 25 minutes when AC Milan visited SSC Napoli. It wasn’t the first time he came on from the bench this season and it probably won’t be the last time the Brazilian ball wizard will experience that during this term with the Italian giant. But how did it come to this? How come that a player who just three seasons ago for the second time in a row was voted best player on the planet now can’t even make it to starting lineup in his club? Where did it go wrong for Ronaldinho? Was it a mistake to leave FC Barcelona – the club where he lived his best football years? Is he misplaced in Italian football? Is the problem that he is overweight? Does he still have the hunger for titles? Will he find his former self? What do you say? What do you think is the reason behind the fall of one of the greatest players of the last 25 years? Have your say here on this blog.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 4/5/2009 12:00:00 AM The downfall of Ronaldinho
Boring boring Champions League

By Thomas Gravgaard Liverpool face Chelsea in the Champions League. Again. For the fourth time in five years. Call it “the battle of the giants”, “the match of hatred”, whatever you may like. To me it is boring. Plain and simple. And I am not (just) talking about the entertainment level in the majorities of their recent European encounters. What makes me shrug my shoulders over this meeting is that it encapsulates the biggest danger to football: predictability. Liverpool and Chelsea meet each other in the Champions League. Pretty predictable, right? Personally I can’t wait till UEFA’s new qualification system for the Champions League has effect. I am sick and tired of watching the same clubs play each other year after year in what is supposed to be the greatest club tournament on Earth. How great is it to watch football while holding down the repeat-button? I might watch Liverpool-Chelsea for the atmosphere. But the result doesn’t matter to me. We all know that whoever makes it to last four, it was pretty much predictable.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 4/8/2009 12:00:00 AM Boring boring Champions League
New money

By Thomas Gravgaard Wolfsburg are heading for the Bundesliga title in much the same way that Hoffenheim were before New Year and the terrible injuries they sustained. As refreshing as it would be to see the title go to the team from "Volkswagen" Town instead of the usual suspects aka Bayern Munich, there is something that irritates me slightly about clubs like Wolfsburg, Hoffenheim and Villarreal for that matter. I know it is completely unfair to state, but they shouldn't be there. These are all clubs without tradition, without any following worth of mentioning (though Wolfsburg seem to be getting one). Had it just been down to merit that they had made their way to the top it would have been hard to argue against it. But the fact is that it is money that have taken these clubs there. Not the support of long suffering fans, not the persistence of youth work and upbringing of own talent. The success of these clubs are what was to be expected after Chelsea paved the way for "new money" to rule football. Let's hope there won't be many more clubs who will be able to rise without much tradition and many lifetime supporters.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 4/20/2009 12:00:00 AM New money
Easy road to Wembley

By Thomas Gravgaard As if early FA Cup farewells to Man United, Liverpool and Arsenal have not made Chelsea’s road to reclaiming the title at Wembley little more than a walk in a very relaxing park, the draw for the quarter finals – once again – makes sure that the blue stars can ease past opponents without having to go on the road, even if it brings some much needed Premier League opposition to Stamford Bridge. As was the case last season and in 2006-2007 when Chelsea also won the competition, Stamford Bridge is where they play their scheduled home matches as well as the FA Cup. In 16 rounds over their three title winning campaigns Chelsea have played outside their own ground on nine occasions. Four of these were semifinals and finals, another two were replays after drawing at home. In fact, in these three FA Cup runs Chelsea have only had to leave Greater London twice – Preston this year, Coventry last season – and they haven’t faced Premier League opposition away one single time. Obviously, you can’t blame Chelsea for being lucky. But it is fair to say that they are well on their way to a third FA Cup triumph in four years without really being stretched to their limit. Mind you, as strong as they are they would probably have won the cup anyway. However, the world’s oldest tournament finds it relevance not in big teams securing more – to them pretty irrelevant – silverware but in the possibility of upsets. This possibility is practically non-existent when Stamford Bridge is the venue, the only exception being Southend’s marvellous draw in last season’s competition before they were blitzed in the replay. So, apart from lamenting, what is my point? My point is that the FA might wish to consider introducing what various other European countries have done when it comes to cup competitions: a drawing system that in some or all rounds automatically gives the home advantage to the lowest ranked team. I know this will rob the likes of Macclesfield of the chance to visit the famous Premiership arenas but let’s be honest: did their fans really enjoy being battered 6-1 in 2007 that much? What is imperative – and more so now than ever, with the Premiership long ago reduced to a three club title swap – is that cup competitions present a real challenge to all of the giants instead of being just a free ride to yet another title.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 2/15/2010 12:00:00 AM Easy road to Wembley
The man you once hated

By Thomas Gravgaard What did you do 12 years ago? Well, if you are English you probably hated David Beckham. His immature response to Diego Simeone’s provocation in that quarter final in Saint-Etienne doomed him not only to a red card – which might, might not have ended England’s World Cup prospects in France – but also to months, if not years, as a pariah. Everywhere, except Old Trafford, they were on his back. Now, not only a nation weeps for Beckham but Planet Football itself. We all know that this exceptional player, this sympathetic person, this icon who enjoyed the celebrity spotlight without ever losing himself to the hysteric extravagance that players of a far lesser status have done – we all know that he deserved to finish in style. He has always been loyal to his club and country (if not his wife but let's face it, this guy is exposed to temptations that I for one can't even imagine). For years he has aimed to wrap it up in style in South Africa 2010. Now he will never play in the World Cup again. And we will never enjoy him doing so. This dramatic change in public approach to Beckham serves to point out just how much he has achieved as a footballer and public person since 1998. That May evening in Barcelona 1999, that free kick against Greece, numerous titles with his beloved Manchester United and Real Madrid. A few Galaxy-supporters might disagree but all the way his behaviour and performances have been no less than impressive (deep down they probably know that he was always too big for their “soccer” club). David Beckham is now history in more than one way. It might be over but he will never be forgotten. And if it is any comfort to him this unluckiest of exits is far more worthy than that in 1998.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 3/17/2010 12:00:00 AM The man you once hated
Why Messi will never be bigger than Maradona

By Thomas Gravgaard He is a genius. Without a doubt the best player in the world at the moment. And perhaps the best player in the world ever. But Lionel Messi will never be as big as Diego Maradona, let alone equal him, though he might be more skilled. What made Maradona a true legend and practically impossible to beat in comparison, is that he achieved his titles at national and club level while playing in ordinary teams. In FC Barcelona and when playing for his country Lionel Messi is surrounded by other star players. Winning the Champions League or perhaps even the World Cup could never be attributed to him the same way the World Cup 1986 or the Serie A 1987 was to Maradona. You can’t compare Maradona to Messi without comparing these names: Brown, Cuciuffo, Enrique, Burrachaga, Valdano vs. Higuaín, Tevez, Agüero, Mascherano, Verón. Renica, Bagni, Di Napoli, Crippa, Giordano vs. Puyol, Iniesta, Xavi, Ibrahimovic, Henry. Messi might be the brightest star at the moment. But unlike Maradona he finds himself in a densely populated galaxy. He will not be able to take – or receive – credit the same way. Add to this that Messi is arguably better protected by referees than Maradona was in the eighties. That said, I am enjoying every single moment I watch Messi play. He is the best football has had to offer in decades, a beacon of attacking in hope in an age of widespread tactical fundamentalism. He might not be remembered as a God and in his home country they might not blame the tree should he crash in to one on the highroad, as in Maradona’s case. Less will do: “Maradona was the biggest ever, Messi was the best”.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 4/8/2010 12:00:00 AM Why Messi will never be bigger than Maradona
The right Champions League final

By Thomas Gravgaard It’s noon Thursday and so far I have been on a bus, a train, a plane and a taxi. And all around me I have heard people more or less heartbrokenly complain about the Champions League final 2010. And it hasn’t even been played yet. The thing is, FC Barcelona was knocked out Wednesday night. And earlier in the tournament Manchester United had to go as well. And it would seem that any encounter deprived of either of these two teams is pretty much an assault on football as such. Inter vs. Bayern Munich – can it get any less sympathetic and promising? Let’s face it: although Bayern Munich have a long history of scraping through – and arguably did against Fiorentina and Manchester United due to dubious injury time goals – their overall performance over two legs against Lyon was one of the most convincing in the history of Champions League semifinals and on its own enough to make them worthy of a spot in the final. With regards to Inter vs. Barcelona this is what tends to be the agenda: Barcelona is the best football team in the world. Therefore they can only lose unjustifiably. As I see it, any team that manages to beat the best football team in the world deserves so. To do it over two legs is impressing. To do it with 10 players for more than an hour away is pure class. A final that confronts Inter and Bayern Munich is an absolutely fair outcome of this season’s football masterclass. Whether it will be a cracker of a match is a completely different issue.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 4/29/2010 12:00:00 AM The right Champions League final
Good & bad news

By Thomas Gravgaard We might pretend otherwise but journalists also have opinions, even sport journalists. Supporting specific clubs and disliking others as a reporter, editor or anchor is not unprofessional. Letting your preferences affect your article or report is. That’s why those of us who do have opinions like blogging. It lets us have our say instead of always holding a microphone so that others can. With the risk of upsetting a few supporters around we at PartOfTheGAME.tv chose to come clean on our favourite clubs and the ones we don’t favour already nine months ago, the result of which could be seen in our season previews (watch example above). We’d rather have you knowing that apart from being journalists we are also football supporters like you than having you hypocritically believe the opposite. And now it is time for me to wrap up the season and how I feet about it. If this offends you rest assured that as a football supporter I know exactly how you feel. What made me happy: · Newcastle are back in the Premiership (mind you, they should never have gone down). · Atlético Madrid secured a European title that even their fiercest rivals would grant them. · Marseille are once again kings of French football after an all too long wait (and Saint-Etienne didn’t get relegated). · Twente held on to win their first ever title in Holland. Truly encouraging to all “minor” clubs, as was Bursaspor winning in Turkey. · The big four are not longer the same as usual in England. · Leeds are on their way back to the top. · Real Madrid’s spending spree didn’t pay of. Without doubt they will raise the stakes again this summer until some much needed UEFA legislation puts an end to their ridiculous behaviour. What made me sad: · Celtic surrendering the SPL title halfway through the season to the worst Rangers outfit in decades (if they are sh*te what does that make us...?). · Chelsea again relying on home draws to win the FA Cup. · AS Roma slipping and letting go of what would have been a refreshing “scudetto” in Italy after half a decade of Inter dominance. · Bayern Munich once again installing themselves as the dominant force in Germany. Will Schalke ever get that illusive championship? · My Danish team AGF being relegated after having been 5 points clear at the top 6 months ago. And F.C.K. getting another title under the belt in what is – with regards to the championship - one of the most predictable leagues in the world. · Bayern vs Inter in the Champions League final. Not too much fun there (but then again, has anyone ever said that football should be funny…?). · Cardiff City painfully missing out on the Premiership. As if Wigan’s presence wasn’t bad enough, now we have to put up with another blind passenger in the shape of Blackpool. · Red Bull Salzburg. Feel free to have a go at me – or just let us know how your season was. Anyhow, enjoy the World Cup (I support Denmark and Argentina and would love an early exit for the cheating French and the worst winners in the world, Germany).
Thomas Gravgaard tg 5/25/2010 12:00:00 AM Good & bad news
France’s footballers – a symptom of our time

By Thomas Gravgaard Good riddance. France are leaving the World Cup finals the same way they entered: in complete disgrace. On the pitch the very super stars that benefited from both a sudden change of qualification rules by FIFA and Thierry Henry’s hand to qualify only managed one single point in three group matches. Off the pitch they managed to become the laughing stock of Planet Football and enraging the entire population back home as they went on training strike after Anelka’s dismissal. All the way through a tournament that for years has been anticipated eagerly in every corner of the world this bunch of normally extraordinary athletes has in every aspect in actions if not words expressed that they didn’t want to be there. They probably didn’t like the cold on the southern hemisphere. What else could explain such a (lack of) attitude? One guess could be that they are a bunch of spoiled kids that are not used to playing football without getting paid a ridiculous amount of money. This would also explain why they perform so well in their clubs while seemingly being slightly annoyed when their nation calls upon them. In that case the clubs should take it upon them to teach the youngsters some decency and humility, if not their parents. It is symptomatic for this age of football that it is getting increasingly difficult for ordinary followers of the game to identify and thus sympathize with the stars. France’s example in 2010 could very well extend to players from other national teams like England, Italy and Spain in the upcoming decade: a lack of basic respect for their own profession, its history and their own incredibly privileged status as heroes – and well paid ones. With the rest of society buried in recession, who would have the slightest understanding when they go on strike during the biggest tournament on Earth? And even more disturbing – who would want to be like them and start playing football? Let’s hope France just had a bad day out. And that their players deep inside know that the Irish would have died to be in South Africa. Although they would probably also have been freezing.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 6/23/2010 12:00:00 AM France’s footballers – a symptom of our time
We confess...

Instead of hiding in objectivity we - the editors at PartoftheGame.tv - have decided to come clean on our opinions about the big leagues and the clubs we support or loathe. In seven episodes we let you know exactly what we think about the clubs in Germany, England, Scotland, Italy, France, Spain and Argentina. Have a look. And have your say!
Thomas Gravgaard tg 8/21/2009 12:00:00 AM We confess...
Premier League's leading the way

By Marc Thevis The big European leagues are underway and the new season is beginning to take form. In that respect it's always funny to look a bit on statistics. The last few years there's been a consensus about the English and Spanish leagues being the strongest and most entertaining and the Italian league being more defensive and less exciting to watch. And in that respect a quite interesting trend is showing. We have looked at the average number of goals and the number of draws in the leagues and here’s the result; Premier League: 4 draws in 66 games played - 6% 2.97 goal per match Primera Division: 10 draws in 50 games played - 20% 2.86 goals per match Serie A: 18 draws in 60 games played - 30% 2.38 goals per match As you see there seems to be a clear link between the number of goals scored and the number of drawn matches. The more goals the fewer draws. The fewer goals the more draws. Plain and simple. And one thing is certain; With only 6(!!!)% of the games drawing the English teams are leading the way going for the win regardless. Now the BIG question stands; Does this statistic summarize the objective truth or does it just prove that statistics can be used as a tool to show just about anything???
Thomas Gravgaard tg 9/30/2009 12:00:00 AM Premier League's leading the way
Show some courtesy

FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION SHOULD GIVE UP LAWSUIT AGAINST FAN As I write this, a very embarrassed and probably slightly tired man is sitting in the Copenhagen City Court. It’s been more than two years since he ran on to the pitch in Parken, punched – or tried to punch – the German referee and subsequently provoked the cancellation of the Euro 2008 qualifier between Denmark and Sweden. A Danish 0-3 defeat followed. On top the national team had to play their following two home matches in the competition away from their normal home ground. Since then the offender has spent 20 days in jail as a result of the pathetic assault. He has been publically named “the football idiot” by the national media, his name and address (in Sweden, of all places) have been published and again and again he’s had to say that he was very drunk when it happened and twice as sorry that it did. Some would argue that he has served his sentence in more ways than any other stupid young man would ever end up doing after a late night punch up in the street. But now he is back in court. Faced with a claim for compensation from the Danish Football Association (DBU) of 1,9 million kroner (250.000 pounds). While the owners of the venue Parken have cancelled their claim of 7 million kroner, the tenant – already one of the wealthiest sports associations around – refuses to let this one pass. One person that has never gone to jail or been faced with an economic demand that he is not able to answer is the Danish player Christian Poulsen, who started it all by punching an opponent player in the stomach (a punch that actually hit its target as opposed to the “football idiot”'s indiscriminate cartwheels turning). It serves as a proof of the status of fans versus players that more than two years on it is still the drunken fool from the stands who stands accused while Poulsen is being branded as a World Cup hero. No steward refused him entry to the stadium because he was too drunk. No steward tried to hold him back when he stumbled across the fence and a row of advertising holdings – according to Jim Stjerne Hansen, general secretary of DBU, the stewards are not supposed to do so because they are not “fit” enough. It would only be fair if DBU accepted their economic loss as a fine for the violent behaviour of one of their players and for a foolish policy of using “unfit” security staff. On top of that it would give “the football idiot” a last chance to get on with his life before he loses even more than he has already lost: all that he owns. By Thomas Gravgaard
Thomas Gravgaard tg 10/22/2009 12:00:00 AM Show some courtesy
When fans have enough

By Thomas Gravgaard In a time when players and managers - except Diego Maradona - do their utmost not to say anything that could in any way offend anybody, it is usually among supporters that real passion and honesty can be found. To point out that this game indeed matters a lot to many people I will pass the virtual microphone to a furious Grimsby-fan who in the wake of his team's recent defeat against Bath City aired his feelings this way on thefishy.co.uk: "Dear Players of Grimsby Town FC I am writing with regard to my absolute astonishment and disbelief as to the sheer magnitude of your complete lack of talent and failure to carry out the job for which you are paid to do. I am not aware of any swear word or other derogatory phrase in my current vocabulary which comes close to a description of your ‘performance’ (and I use that term loosely) this afternoon, but let me just say that you have collectively reached a level of inadequacy and ineptitude that neither I nor modern science had previously considered possible. In fact I recall a time, in my youth, when I decided to call in sick at work and instead spent the entire day in my one bedroom flat wearing nothing but my underpants, eating toast and wánking furiously over second-rate Scandinavian porn. Yet somehow, I still managed to contribute more to my employer in that one Andrex-filled day than you complete bunch of toss-baskets have contributed to this club in your entire time here. I would genuinely like to know how you pathetic little pissflaps sleep at night, knowing full well that you have taken my money and that of several thousand others and delivered precisely fuck all in return. I run a business myself, and I believe I could take any 4,000 of my customers at random; burn down their houses, impregnate their wives and then dismember their children before systematically sending them back in the post, limb-by-limb, and still ensure a level of customer satisfaction which exceeds that which I have experienced at Blundell Park at any time so far this season. You are a total disgrace, not only to your profession, not only to the human race, but to nature itself. This may sound like an exaggeration, but believe me when I say that I have passed kidney stones which have brought me a greater level of pleasure and entertainment than watching each of you worthless excuses for professional footballers attempt to play a game you are clearly incapable of playing, week-in, week-out. I considered, for a second, that I was perhaps being a little too harsh. But then I recalled that I have blindly given you all the benefit of the doubt for too long now. Yes, for too long you have failed to earn the air you’ve been breathing by offering any kind of tangible quality either as footballers or as people in general. As such, I feel it’s only fair that your supply runs out forthwith. I trust, at this precise moment in time, that Mr Fenty is in his office tapping away on the Easyjet web site booking you all one-way flights to Zurich, complete with an overnight stay with our cheese eating friends at Dignitas. Don’t bother packing your toothbrush – you won’t need it. In the event that our beloved chairman can’t afford the expense (understandable given that he’s soon going to have to assemble a new squad from scratch), then I am prepared to sell my family (including my unborn child) to a dubious consortium of Middle Eastern businessmen in order to pay for the flights. Christ, I’ll drive you there myself, one-by one, without sleep, if I have to. Failing that, understanding that most dubious Middle Eastern businessmen are tied-up purchasing Premier League football clubs, I ask you to please take matters into your hands. Use your imagination, guys – strangle yourselves or cover yourself in tinfoil and take a fork to a nearby plug socket, or something. Just put yourselves and us fans out of our collective misery. So, in summary, you pack of repugnant, sputum-filled, invertebrate bastards; leave this club now and don’t you fucking dare look back. You’ve consistently demonstrated less passion and desire than can commonly be found within the contents of a sloth’s scrotum, so frankly you can just all fuck off – don’t pass go, don’t collect your wages, don’t ever come back to this town again. I look forward to you serving me at my local McDonald’s drive-thru in the near future. Yours sincerely A very disillusioned Mariner" If this supporter's choice of words offends you, then you might have an idea of how he felt watching his team lose that match. Might I add, this letter was carefully posted to the club and every player at the club. Since then Grimsby have actually managed a league draw against Northampton...
Thomas Gravgaard tg 11/17/2009 12:00:00 AM When fans have enough
Henrygate - football's epitaph?

By Thomas Gravgaard As any decent football fan – including the French – I was furious Wednesday night. Having watched the famous hand of Henry cowardly decide a World Cup play off match Ireland should have won I left the pub in Dublin’s Temple Bar district and went straight to bed. Mind you, you don’t do such a thing before 11 PM unless you’re absolutely gutted or struck by swine flu. Now some days have passed and I am not fuming anymore. I am concerned. I have had a lifelong love affair with football but something has changed after what happened in Paris. I honestly thought the game had moved on since 1986 when another cheat decided a World Cup match. It clearly hasn’t. Partly – or mainly? – because the authorities cling on to outdated rules that they could easily change if they wanted to. Meanwhile the world has moved on. Football players cheat more than ever. In certain cultures it seems almost imperative while the rest, like the Irish, will be asking themselves why they don’t start cheating as well. In this video clip you will hear an Irish father tell how he struggled to explain his six year old son why Thierry Henry did such a thing and why he was allowed to do it. He couldn’t find any answer and who can blame the boy if he turns his attention to rugby or gaelic football (he lives in the west of Ireland). Two sports that compared to football's code of conduct are white as snow. In recent years UEFA has shown some guts by banning for instance Milan-keeper Dida for playacting. It is now time for FIFA to react. They cry out for fairplay on a regular basis but that won’t help the Irish father or youth coaches all over the world when kids ask them why a great football nation like France scraped through by breaking the rules. Now football’s governing bodies have a chance to do something: the introduction of video help and severe bans against cheats starting up with Henry who shouldn’t be allowed to take part in a World Cup already branded as a fairplay festival. This is what football need. It is time for action, not from the grassroots but from the top. There has been enough talking and obviously this hasn't made any difference at all.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 11/20/2009 12:00:00 AM Henrygate - football's epitaph?
My wishes for the new year

By Thomas Gravgaard · that TV-footage is introduced as a means to settle disputes at defining moments in matches · that the times of overspending and overpaying in football are over and the game once again will be an even contest between healthy clubs · that the World Cup 2010 will be better than the 2006 edition · that stadium bans will be reserved for troublemakers and not for overexcited fans who jump on their seats and give the V-sign to the other teams’ supporters · that entrance prices – especially in the UK - become reasonable · that the dominance of the big four in England is thwarted · that the Champions League sees some serious upsets, like CSKA making it to the final or something · that Thierry Henry is banned from France’s first three World Cup matches (or even better that France surrender their spot to Ireland)
Thomas Gravgaard tg 12/31/2009 12:00:00 AM My wishes for the new year
Punished for being happy

By Thomas Gravgaard Manchester United are involved in a hectic and (I imagine) stressful finish to the Premier League and things haven't gone totally according to plan recently. So who could blame wonderboy Cristiano Ronaldo when he got fairly excited after having turned the home match against Spurs on its head with the 3-2 goal? Well, the FA could. Ronaldo took, or rather tore, off his shirt in celebration for which the referee handed him a yellow card. Which is exactly what FIFA, UEFA and FA regulations instruct him to do - even in cases where a, I have been told, pretty nice torso is involved. Of course there is no obvious reason why players should strip when they have scored. But is there any obvious reason why they should be punished for doing it? I could understand if Ronaldo had dived into the Spurs-crowd and rubbed his bare chest against the face of a 12 year old crying girl (although in this case it might be tears of joy more than sorrow or fear...). This ridiculous idea of equalling a jubilant player's not always completely rational expression of happiness to a violent tackle has been thriving for decades among football's governing powers. It also used to involve automatically booking players who shared their joy with their own crowd, but luckily UEFA and many national football association - FA not being one of them - have turned their back on this. However, exchanging the sight of a naked torso with a yellow card is still very much a big thing. And so, in the year of 2009 the good ship Mayflower continues to carry the big men in charge of the beautiful, puritanist game.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 4/26/2009 12:00:00 AM Punished for being happy
The team who cried wolf

By Thomas Gravgaard I am not a big fan of Chelsea and I was quite pleased to see Iniesta hammer that one in. However, I have sometimes found it difficult to point out exactly what I don't like about the Westend Blues. Was it the Abramovich philosophy that you can buy anything you want? (Except a dinosaur, according to Homer Simpson...). Was it the cynical football favoured by Mourinho? Or was it just jealousy because I support a team that is as far from titles as you can get without sharing league with Luton? Now I know. It is Didier Drogba. He personifies a pattern of behaviour where you hysterically cry out for penalties everytime someone does something somewhere on the pitch. He is the typical spoiled multi millionaire that has never come to terms with the fact that sometimes the referee awards a freekick or worse to the opposition and therefore dramatically approaches him – more often than not in the company of his playmates Michael Ballack and John Terry – to demand an explanation, an apology and the world history to be re-written. The Chelsea-stars have behaved like this for a long time. And Wednesday was the first time that they might have had a point. The problem is that we have seen them act like this so many times before - though Drogba, the physical masterpiece who in mysterious ways always falls over in agonising pain whenever touched by an opponent, seemed just slightly more agitated than usual after the match against Barcelona. Thus, their cries for justice and accusations against the referee stay hollow. Dear Chelsea, dear Drogba. Welcome to a world where the referee does not always get intimidated by the pressure you strategically put on him. And, as if last years final didn't spell it out, welcome to a world where you can't always get what you want just because you're rich.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 5/7/2009 12:00:00 AM The team who cried wolf
Nothing else matters

By Thomas Gravgaard Wednesday night in Istanbul the last winner of the UEFA Cup will be found in a match that for logical reasons has already drowned in the waves of attention directed to the Champions League final in a weeks time. Werder Bremen or Shakhtar Donetsk? Manchester United or FC Barcelona? Never before has it been more obvious that UEFA’s two main club competitions are indeed an A-league and a B-league. So why even have a B-league with its own winner? What fun is it to win a competition knowing that you only did so because the best teams are not there? Why not simply make the UEFA Cup into a race for promotion to, let’s say, the knock out stage of next year’s Champions League. We all know that this is what everyone is really after. Because titles luckily still matter, not just profit. Show me one supporter who would honestly rate taking part in (and losing) even a Champions League semifinal over winning the UEFA Cup. Or their own domestic cup, for that matter. Titles are what we are all after. Would Bayern Munich-fans have a go at their Werder Bremen rivals this season for not making it to the Champions League knock out stage? No matter how huge a success the Champions League has been and the prestige attached to having a good run there, there will always be a need for the rest of the clubs to compete for international glory, even if it’s only the next best of its kind. Bear in mind, too, that even the neutral supporter might be tempted to once in a while watch some other teams play than the usual “Big 16”. That’s why it makes perfectly sense to me that UEFA re-brand their B-league and relaunch it for what it is: a competition with something at stake.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 5/19/2009 12:00:00 AM Nothing else matters
My D'OH's and WOOHOO's

By Thomas Gravgaard Inspired by the mighty Homer Simpson, here’s my WOOHOO and D’OH-lists of the club football season 2008/2009 and its consequences, in no particular order. WOOHOO: • FC Barcelona won three titles playing exactly the kind of football that makes the beautiful game beautiful. • Gordon Strachan is history at Celtic and we might see quality attacking football return to Parkhead. • Burnley, 1. FC Nürnberg and Fortuna Düsseldorf all got promoted from their respective leagues. We need these well-supported traditional clubs up there. Cardiff next, please! • Olympique Lyon’s dominance in France is over. And Saint-Etienne wasn’t relegated. • SV Austria Salzburg continued their climb up through the ranks. Milton Keynes Dons didn’t. • Standard Liége reclaimed the title in Belgium (a personal fetish…). • AGF Aarhus claimed their highest position in Denmark since 1997 (no 6). • Wolfsburg won the Bundesliga convincingly, always going for another goal instead of settling for one. • Atlético climbed above Villarreal for that Champions League qualification spot. D’OH: • Newcastle was relegated after years of neglect on behalf of owners, leaders and overpaid indifferent players. • Two clubs qualified to the UEFA Cup final that couldn’t sell out their ticket allocation. • Serie A was once again all too predictive. And Torino going down. • Betis going down along with their thousands of passionate supporters instead of Getafe and their hundred. • Club football back to a predictable state in Denmark with F.C. Copenhagen not really needing to score more than one goal to secure their titles. • The big four in England are still the same. • Leeds still stuck in the third tier. We need this club back up! • Pepé (Real Madrid) is still allowed to play football. Feel free to comment or make your own lists. We would love to read some more.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 6/3/2009 12:00:00 AM My D'OH's and WOOHOO's
Madness in Madrid

By Thomas Gravgaard First Kaka. Then Ronaldo. Or rather, first Figo, then Zidane, then Beckham. And now this. Florentino Perez surely knows how to spend money. And the memory of his ill-fated "galácticos" obviously does not prevent him from liking it too. If I were a Real Madrid fan I would be quite proud of the fact that my club is able to attract all the biggest stars of the football sky (though deep down I'd know that it probably also had a lot to do with the ludicrous amount of money that mysteriously continues to be available for a club once so debt ridden). But even if I had voted for Perez I would also fear that it will be “galácticos” all over again: all stars, no titles. And I would pray that my president also had defending players in mind during his spending spree. As it is, I am anything but a fan of Real Madrid. I find it intolerable that a club that only thrives economically because of its loyal allies in the Madrid city council does whatever it fancies on the transfer market. It borders on the obscene but since this doesn’t really bother Perez I have a few more shopping suggestions to him: Ibrahimovic and Drogba (big ego’s need a big club). Messi (now, that would be a laugh). Gerrard. Lampard. Torres, Forlán and Agüero (just to piss off your neighbours). Not until then would it be fair to say that your club has a decent attacking force.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 6/11/2009 12:00:00 AM Madness in Madrid
Galactics tactics

By Thomas Gravgaard As some of you might have noticed I take a special pride in letting myself be provoced by Real Madrid. I find an almost masochistic satisfaction in the transfer behaviour of this club which despite its huge debts doesn't seem to be affected economically nor morally by the global recession. I have tried to put word on this before in this section. But sometimes you simply have to admit that someone else does it better than yourself. In this case the brilliant English magazine When Saturday Comes which in its August issue presents Florentino Perez’s guide to the new Real Madrid: Goalkeepers: Boring, but apparently we need to have one. They say he is quite good. Yawn. Defenders: Big clodhoppy types. I try not to pay them much money at all. They stop goals. Therefore they stop beauty. Midfielders: They are small and they run around all over the place, trying too hard. Striker 1 Kaka: I love Kaka. Everything about him says “money, diamonds, swimming pools.” Striker 2 Ronaldo: He is superman. He is me. So handsome. So haughty. So disloyal. I love him. Striker 3 David Villa: A little bit at the cheap end and has a funny haircut. Still not sure about him. Striker 4 Johan Cruyff: So he is a Barcelona man – but that didn’t stop Figo. Striker 5 Diego Maradona: I love him. He could do the business for us, as long as he costs a lot of money. Striker 6 Pelé: He is a bit old, but I’m sure he would ask for a lot of money. The fans would love him and, thus, love me. Striker 7 George Best: Saw him on YouTube chipping the keeper. My advisers say he is dead, but that will not stop Florentino Perez from getting this man. For more visit www.wsc.co.uk.
Thomas Gravgaard tg 7/13/2009 12:00:00 AM Galactics tactics
The Guus effect

By Jonas Schwartz He came, he saw and he won. But will he stay? No doubt about it. The reason behind Chelsea´s impressive rising is Guus Hiddink. The chubby Dutchman was called in when Chelsea was in a terrible state and Gene Hackman, sorry, Luiz Felipe Scolari was fired. Hiddink has in a few months turned a lame side into a winning side. A team that just recently was full of internal problems now stands tall as an united side. All thanks to Hiddink. So no surprise to see that captain John Terry now says that he and the rest of the pack would love the gaffer to stay. We all know his deal with the Russian football association, but with Roman Abramovich and all his contacts in mind I can´t see it as a problem for him to release Guus from his Russian contract. The big question is now: Does Guus want that? Last summer Hiddink put the Russian national team back on the map. Before that he did the same with national sides of South Korea and Australia. The last two he took far in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and his ambition has been to do the same with Russia in South Africa next summer. But then a guy named Roman, a lot of money and Chelsea derailed that idea. So where do we have Guus? Will he keep his word and go back to Moscow or will he change his mind and sign a permanent contract with the Blues in London? What ever he decides to do one part will be very happy - the other very sorry. I think he will keep his word and rejoin the Russian national team as soon as this season´s over. Well, all least that´s what I hope. I´m not a Chelsea fan and the fact is that with him on the bench Chelsea looks like a side that has too much confidence. So please leave, Guus! The sooner the better.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 4/14/2009 12:00:00 AM The Guus effect
Justice for the 96

By Jonas Schwartz 96 people died that Saturday afternoon on April 15th 1989 in Sheffield. 96 all Liverpool-supporters who were at Hillsborough to follow their beloved team in a FA Cup Semi-final against Nottingham Forest. This Wednesday was the 20th anniversary of the tragic day and in Liverpool 30,000 people showed up at Anfield Road to pay their respect to the families and commemorate the victims. 20 years has passed on and grief and sorrow is still present in so many people in Liverpool. And it always will be. This is something that never will or shall be forgotten. But apart from carrying the unbearable pain of having lost loved ones the people of Liverpool still haven´t got the most important answer: Who is responsible for the disaster? Now 20 years on and no one or nobody has been held responsible for what happened that afternoon in Sheffield. And that is a disgrace. I am absolutely sure that if 96 people had died at Wimbledon, Ascot, the famous racehorse track, or a cricket match the investigations would have been numerous and you would have seen different attitude from the authorities. It is a lack of respect towards the families and the people of Liverpool that we still this day today haven´t got crucial answers. These answers can´t bring back the supporters who died, but they will provide a form of closure to the families and survivors who sit back with open wounds. We want justice for the 96.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 4/19/2009 12:00:00 AM Justice for the 96
Pepe's punishment

By Jonas Schwartz Last Tuesday night the spectators at Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid and millions of viewers around the planet witnessed one of the most horrific actions made by a player in recent years. Real Madrid's Portuguese defender Pepe completely lost his head and on two occasions kick out after Getafe player Javi Casquero who was lying on the pitch. By the way, photos taken during the match also show Pepe punching Albín in the face. But that wasn't all. When he was shown the red card after his assault on Casquero, Pepe continued his way down the wrong path and called the referee Delgado Ferreiro “hijo de puta”, which in Spanish means son of a whore. This weekend the Spanish sports discipline committee decided what punishment they should give Pepe and the outcome is that the tall centre back has been given a 10-match ban. And that is not one match too many. Actually, I think that Pepe got away relatively lightly. The size of his action is almost of an unforgivable character. Just imagine what could have happened had he for example kicked the helpless and unaware Casquero in the head. On the other hand - having in mind that we are talking about a Real Madrid player - you could have feared that the often pro-Real Madrid Spanish football authorities would have acted as they have a weakness of doing and handed a soft sanction to a player from the “los blancos”.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 4/27/2009 12:00:00 AM Pepe's punishment
Champions League final repetition

By Jonas Schwartz Last year Moscow, this year Rome. May 2008: Manchester United and Chelsea meet in the Champions League final in the Russian capital. May 2009: Manchester United and Chelsea meet in the Champions League final in the Italian capital. I know we still need to get over the return legs, but it´s very likely that we´ll see a repetition of last year´s final. So what´s the story before next weeks nail biters? Barcelona failed to score on their numerous chances and Chelsea could fly home to London with a goalless draw. In Manchester the guests from London were outplayed and left Old Trafford with a lucky 0-1 result. Back to Barcelona. Here the expectations were high. Too high it turned out. In the build-up the media and amongst others Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink couldn´t underline too many times that we were about to see a match rich on goals and chances. We got the chances, but fortunately for the Dutchman Barcelona´s players lacked sharpness. I think Chelsea in London with their superior physical strength will out battle the smaller and more fragile guests. It won´t be pretty and that´s exactly what Hiddink wants. He knows that Chelsea can´t beat Barca on finesse, so he has to find other weapons and his most powerful weapon is physique. At Old Trafford Manchester United should have scored at least four goals, but it was only John O´Shea who found the net and even though Arsenal lost Arsene Wenger has to be more than pleased with the result. He knows his team played under their normal standard and at Emirates we all know what Arsenal are capable of. On the other hand it´s difficult to see United not scoring a goal and then Arsenal will need to net three times. Well, I have no doubts about what fixture we will see in the final. It will be Manchester United against Chelsea in the Italian capital. What do you think?
Jonas Schwartz jonas 4/30/2009 12:00:00 AM Champions League final repetition
The best is back

By Jonas Schwartz Ronaldo is back. Tuesday night The Portuguese wizard showed in London that he is back at his best. Last year he ran away with all the big and prestigious individual awards, but 2009 hasn´t been his year. Well, that was until the second leg semi-final in Champions League at Emirates stadium against Arsenal. The immaculate winger showed what great players do. They play big games in big matches. They rise to the occasion and deliver the goods when they are needed the most. Two goals - and we´re talking about two outstanding goals - talk their own language. Ronaldo is without a doubt sometimes a pain in the butt with all his antics and rolling around, but no-one can take away from the boy that he´s got something the fewest got. He´s got speed, technique and more importantly mental strength. Wednesday night we´ll see if Lionel Messi can step up and imitate Ronaldo´s performance. The Argentine is maybe better than Ronaldo when we talk finesse and technique, but he´s is not even close to Ronaldo when we talk about leading a team and taking responsibility. And that is why Ronaldo is better than Messi. Ronaldo leads his team to trophies. Messi doesn´t.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 5/6/2009 12:00:00 AM The best is back
Common sense, please!

By Jonas Schwartz Poor man! Darren Fletcher is going to pay the ultimate prize for a referee´s mistake. The red card he was shown against Arsenal by the Italian ref Roberto Rosetti will keep him out of Manchester United´s Champions League final later this month. In English football you can appeal a red card and try to set a side the decision if images show that the referee was wrong, but that´s not the case with UEFA. And that´s a joke. Give me one reason why UEFA shouldn´t implement the same system? To hear UEFA´s own argument for not changing its procedures are plain and simple stupid. This is what a UEFA source has to say on the matter. "It opens Pandora's box if you can challenge every decision. And if you rule that it is not a red card, then you are also saying it is not a penalty, and therefore not a goal, and what do you do then - start changing the results of matches afterwards?" That is nonsense in its purest form. We are not talking about changing every decision, the result, taking back goals or penalties. We are talking about letting a player participate in a match he´s entitled to play. We are talking about changing a wrong decision and let justice rule. The English system works. Here the result always stands and they never take back goals or anything like that. No, they just remove red cards that should never have been given. Quite simply. Actually they just use common sense.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 5/6/2009 12:00:00 AM Common sense, please!
Ban cheating players

By Jonas Schwartz Arsenal had no problem qualifying for the Champions League group stage. They rolled over Celtic and got a comfortable 5-1 aggregate win. However, the story from the return leg at Emirates Stadium is not how superior Arsenal was. It has to do with the impressive dive made by Eduardo. The Brazilian born Croat made a hilarious dive in the first half and the poor referee from Spain fell for it and awarded The Gunners a penalty that should never have been given. Now, what is really important here is how the aftermath will be. Should UEFA ban a player who obviously cheated? What should Arsenal do? Well, I have an idea of how the London club can come out of this embarrassing mess with some if its pride intact. First of all: yes, of course Eduardo should be banned. He has clearly brought discredit on this beautiful game and having the crystal clear television images in mind I see no reason for UEFA not to suspend him for at least two matches. The signal value is important and punishing players who cheat have to be on top of the list at the European football leading body. One thing is what UEFA decide to do, another thing is how Arsenal will react. If Arsenal have a bit of class they will put out a statement saying that they as a football club disapprove of Eduardo's manners stressing that such behaviour is not acceptable. Secondly they should also emphasize that they will not appeal a possible suspension given by UEFA to Eduardo.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 8/27/2009 12:00:00 AM Ban cheating players
Rosario will boil

By Jonas Schwartz For a couple of hours on Saturday Estadio Gigante de Arroyito in Rosario will be the centre of the world when we are talking about football. Argentina´s third largest city provides the scene when Argentina and Brazil meet in a crucial World Cup qualifier. For Argentina the match has enormous importance. While Brazil are on solid ground in the South American qualifying group Diego Maradona and his underachieving players find themselves in a precarious situation. La Albiceleste have only collected 22 points in 14 matches and more worrying Ecuador and Uruguay are just two and four points behind respectively with both chasing the fourth place that gives automatic qualification to South Africa. In other words: Argentina simply have to win against their archrivals. But it won´t be easy. Brazil have had the upper hand in the latest meetings between the two. Verde-amarela won the Copa América finals in 2004 and 2007, the latter 3-0, the final in Confederations Cup in 2005 by 4-1 and also nailed a convincing 3-0 victory in friendly in 2006, so it is not too much to say that the Argentines have build up a Brazil complex. Will they be able to get out of that on Saturday? Well, time will tell. One thing is absolutely certain: Rosario and the rest of Argentina will stand still Saturday evening and close to midnight local time we will know whether the streets will be crammed with celebrating Argentines or they will be boiling over with furious supporters who once again have seen their beloved “Selección” being humiliated by the Brazilians.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 9/2/2009 12:00:00 AM Rosario will boil
Show some respect, Adebayor!

By Jonas Schwartz There is not doubt about Emmanuel Adebayor's abilities as a striker. At Arsenal and now at Manchester City he has shown over and over again that he is one of the best center-forwards in the game. Saturday he once again gave displays of his high level in City's 4-2 win over Arsenal. The Togolese striker scored a wonderful goal and throughout the match he gave his former team-mates a hard time. However, Adebayor might be one of the best strikers around, but he isn't the most intelligent one. The match against Arsenal had of course a special taste for Adebayor but the way he celebrated his goal was the definition of disrespectful manners. After scoring the very decisive third goal Adebayor raced the full length of the field to celebrate the goal right in front of the Arsenal supporters. The act had one purpose only and that was to wind up the Arsenal fans and Adebayor indeed succeeded in doing just that. The stewards at the City of Manchester Stadium had a tough time holding back Arsenal supporters who wanted to tell Adebayor a thing or two. You have to ask yourself how intelligent it is to call on commotion, because that was exactly was Adebayor was doing. Hopefully City boss Mark Hughes, who is just as well-educated and level headed as a manager as he was as a player, can teach Adebayor something about showing respect towards the people who are the soul of the game.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 9/13/2009 12:00:00 AM Show some respect, Adebayor!
Chelsea deserve the title

By Jonas Schwartz With a 0-0 draw last Sunday against Blackburn Manchester United all but served the Premier League Championship trophy on a plate for Chelsea. The Londoners quickly capitalized with a win against Bolton and are now four points ahead. It really can't go wrong now for the Blues, can it? With the league going into its final stage it's crystal clear that it will be Chelsea, Manchester United or Arsenal who will claim the title. Actually this has been evident for months now, but the results of the last two weekends show us that for the first time this season the trio looks to have a clear favourite - and that is Chelsea. And even as a United fan I must say that Chelsea deserve the title. Why is that? Simply because Chelsea have won all their four meetings this season against United and Arsenal. This alone is enough for me to say that they are the best team in England. Honestly, would call yourself a proud champion and fully enjoy the title knowing that right below you in the table you have a team that beat you on both occasions in the season? Should Chelsea slip - which I can't see happen - United are the team that deserve the glory. They might have lost twice to Chelsea, but at least we, eh sorry, they, beat Arsenal home and away this season. What really would be a disgrace is if Arsenal should come from behind and win the title. You just can't have a champion that have lost all four meetings against their closest rivals. True champions beat their nearest pursuers and Arsenal haven't been able to do that on one single occasion, therefore they will never be considered a worthy winner should they - heaven forbid it - be crowned champions on May 9. I think it will be Chelsea lifting the trophy come May, but hey, hopefully I am wrong.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 4/12/2010 12:00:00 AM Chelsea deserve the title
The annoying 11

By Jonas Schwartz I love football. Without a shadow of a doubt it's my biggest passion. I enjoy playing and I love watching it on the tele or even better from the terraces. It's quite funny thinking that there is something out there that you know you will never get tired of despite having absolutely no control of. Seriously, what else exists in your life where you can say the same thing? Your family and a cold beer perhaps... When big feelings are involved, big contrasts emerge. As much as I love my football there are also players I absolutely hate with an undying passion. The latest addition to my hate team of active players was recruited Tuesday night when Inter took on FC Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals. His name is Mario Balotelli and to be honest the Inter forward has been campaigning heavily for a spot in my team for a while. Tuesday night's performance convinced me that he is ready for a place up front. His "I-play-my-own-game" attitude and his lack of team spirit proved to me that he is worthy and fully derserving of a place in my starting lineup. In general, all it takes for me to hate a player enough to pick him is an irritating attitude. I really don't care about abilities because, as the team sheat below will reveal, several of my chosen 11 are absolute top-class players who have shown that they belong in the top of the world football hierarchy. But that doesn’t change the fact that they are breathtakingly mindbogglingly annoying. Take at look at the team and make your own. It actually helps you getting rid of all those tensions one carries around when hooked on football. This has been pure therapy for me and here it is, the team I love to hate. Ben Foster, Manchester United - doesn't look bothered at all after making another blooper. Remember the first league derby with City this season? Enough said. Sergio Ramos, Real Madrid - Those goal celebrations and that eternal urge to check his hairdo. Lucio, Inter - Despite weighing 90 kilos he falls easier than Filippo Inzaghi. John Terry, Chelsea - Two words. Wayne Bridge. John Arne Riise, AS Roma - He is from Norway. Marc van Bommel, Bayern Munich - Despite his size and talent he feels it's necessary to cheat. Craig Bellamy, Manchester City - The player with the most irritating antics in modern football. Mauro Camoranesi, Juventus - You will have difficulties finding a more unfair player. Dimitar Berbatov, Manchester United - Does he care about anything? The worst transfer in Manchester United's history. Didier Drogba, Chelsea - Like Balotelli, just worse. See below. Mario Balotelli, Inter - According to himself the greatest gift to world football. To us, ignorant, selfish and without any trace of respect for club and fans. Mind you, these 11 would probably win the Champions League if playing together...
Jonas Schwartz jonas 4/21/2010 12:00:00 AM The annoying 11
Losing on purpose?

By Jonas Schwartz In Italy Lazio lose 0-2 at home to Inter and thus “avoid” helping their archrivals AS Roma in their bitter fight against Inter to win Il Scudetto, the championship. In England Liverpool put on a poor performance against Chelsea who get an easy 2-0 win at Anfield Road. Thereby Liverpool “avoid” helping Manchester United in their title race to catch up with Chelsea at the top of the Premiership. In Holland Feyenoord doesn’t really bother playing and they lose 0-2 away to Twente. The easy win for Twente means that they keep distance at the top of the Eresdivisie to Ajax who happen to be Feyenoord’s archrivals. The last couple of weeks have seen three top level football matches with one of the teams on the pitch showing very little, if any, interest in winning. On top, these matches respectively saw supporters of Lazio, Liverpool and Feyenoord applauding the opponent's goals and their subsequent defeats. Common for Lazio, Liverpool and Feyenoord is that they all put on performances where they showed a fraction of what we all know they are capable of. And as mentioned above they all lost matches where they helped - for any better word - opponents who were fighting their archrivals. Did they all lose on purpose? If so, what do you think about it? Is it a part of the game these days? Is it something that should be addressed by the football governing bodies? Or is it understandable that the teams mentioned didn’t want to play as a form of respect to their fans, who would rather get relegated than seeing their rival win silverware? Personally I really have my doubts, since I see it from two points. As a fan I can’t blame the players since I as a fan would be p***** off if I saw my team helping my archrival to secure a title. But from an ethical point of view it’s obviously wrong not to put on a one hundred percent performance. The players are paid huge sums to do something many would do for free, so from that perspective it’s a disgrace not to give all they've got. One thing is for sure. In the future we will witness other matches like the ones we have seen lately involving Lazio, Liverpool and Feyenoord. And those who are complaining now could easily be demanding their team to lose on purpose in a year's time.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 5/6/2010 12:00:00 AM Losing on purpose?
Sir Alex and friends

By Jonas Schwartz Sir Alex Ferguson is within touching distance of winning his 11th English championship with Manchester United and on May 27 in Rome he can retain the Champions League title, so it´s not too much to say that he is the greatest active manager in world. Another thing he does great is keeping good relationships to the other managers in the Premiership. And that has an importance that shouldn´t be underestimated. Just look at the present situation. In his more than 22-year long reign at United Ferguson has seen hundreds of players coming through the dressing room and quiet logically some of these players now work as managers. As for example Mark Hughes (Manchester City) and Steve Bruce (Wigan), who both were important parts in the beginning of the 90s. And it´s here the benefits of having good relationships come to its right. Manchester United played Hughes´ City on Sunday and won 2-0 without sweating and Wednesday United are up against Wigan - a team that has nothing to play for. So will Steve Bruce´s team be motivated? Difficult to say, but maybe the history between the two managers will play a role. All I say is that I didn´t see Hughes running up the sideline encouraging his players to keep on fighting when they were down at Old Trafford. I´m not saying that Manchester City or Wigan lose on purpose, but on the other hand I think that both Hughes and Bruce would rather see the man who has given them so much (Ferguson) win the title instead of a guy who they have absolutely no relation with (Rafael Benitez). One thing is certain: an apathetic managerial approach can have huge impact on players who in the first place have a hard time finding the motivation.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 5/12/2009 12:00:00 AM Sir Alex and friends
We love and need surprises

By Jonas Schwartz Another European club football year is over and around the old continent championship hangovers are being cured. I think it's been a great football year. Most of all because we saw some surprising winners in various European leagues. Of course we had the usual suspects taking titles: Manchester United in England, Rangers FC in Scotland, FC Barcelona in Spain, Inter in Italy, Olympiacos in Greece and FC Porto in Portugal, but we also saw some quite unexpected winners. Take for example Wolfsburg in Germany. I don't think many people had seen that coming. Or what about AZ Alkmaar taking the title in Holland. Huge surprise there as well. Under the category “Surprising winners” I believe we must include Besiktas from Turkey and French Girondins Bordeaux. I know the two aren't exactly small clubs with no trophy history, but I don´t think many football fans before the season saw them as clubs that could win their respective championships. But they did and that's great. Football will only survive if we have unexpected things happening from time to time and this season gave us exactly what is not only entertaining and rewarding but also crucial to the future of football.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 6/2/2009 12:00:00 AM We love and need surprises
Time is running out for Maradona

By Jonas Schwartz Wednesday Argentina was once again humiliated in a World Cup qualifying match. Back in April they lost 1-6 against humble Bolivia and this time it was Ecuador, who can´t exactly be regarded as a top international side, who send the two times World champions home with a 0-2 defeat. The background for the awful results is quiet simple. Diego Maradona´s Argentina is playing like crap and with four games left to play in the South American qualification group the Argentines really have to be nervous about qualifying to South Africa - a scenario that is surreal, because who would have thought that Argentina would have problems qualifying to a World Cup? In 14 matches Argentina have only managed to collect 22 points and at this moment they are placed on fourth place which means automatic qualification. However, Ecuador is just two points behind them and Uruguay, who still have a lot to play for and who would love to get to their first World Cup since 2002, is only four points away. Argentina is maybe playing its worst football since they failed big time in 2002 in Japan and Korea. As always they are not lacking fantastic players, but as a team it is a disaster. Messi, Tevez, Agüero, Mascherano, Gago, Maxi Rodríguez, Diego Milito and the rest of the superstars are all running around with no clue about what to do - or where to run. If you want to see a team without direction go watch Argentina. This collection of stars are being trained by the greatest football player of all time: Diego Armando Maradona. But as a manager Maradona doesn´t have the goods. He is simply not able to train and direct these fellows, who are all used to top managers in Europe. Nobody can question Maradona´s dedication to the national team. He is absolutely in love with the shirt, the flag and his players, but he is not able to transform that passion into something concrete and tactical. In the 90s Maradona had short and very unfortunate spells in two Argentine clubs. Back then it quickly became evident to all that Maradona didn´t have the manager DNA and now it is still very clear that he lacks the tools to be a man who can manage a big team like the Argentine national team. The question is therefore: How long will Maradona sit in the position? He is after all the most famous and loved Argentine of all time, but in a football mad country like Argentina nobody is protected. Not even Maradona, but he will get two more chances. In September Argentina has two crucial matches against Brazil and Paraguay and if albiceleste don´t get minimum four points there Maradona´s time will almost definitely be over. Even God can be fired.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 6/11/2009 12:00:00 AM Time is running out for Maradona
Welcome to Silly Season

By Jonas Schwartz Maybe the leagues are over and the champions have been crowned, but the world of football is never on a break. Oh no, because we´ve entered the Silly Season and for the next month or so we´ll see numerous players moving around. So far we´ve already witnessed some spectacular moves; Cristiano Ronaldo is now a Real Madrid-player and so is Kakà. But there are still some pretty fantastic transfers waiting for us out there, but who will headline them? Franck Ribéry, Karim Benzema, Zlatan Ibrahimovich, David Villa and dozens of other superstars are all being mentioned as possible transfer objects, but so far - and we are writing June 17th - none of them have signed with a new club. Will they move on or will they stay where they are? All us football fanatics love making our own transfer speculations, so feel free and tell us how you see - and wish - the Silly Season will continue. Who will go where?
Jonas Schwartz jonas 6/17/2009 12:00:00 AM Welcome to Silly Season
Doesn´t it make you sick?

By Jonas Schwartz On Saturday, July 18th, Manchester City closed another multi-million deal for a player. The catch was none other than Emmanuel Adebayor, who was found in Arsenal. The poor man was a little sad down in London, because he wasn´t earning 150.000 pounds a week, so City came to his rescue. I guess the City supporters also have been a little irritated lately, because it has been a whole five days since they have seen their executives spend a fortune on a player. But on Sunday they finally got their fix. As with Tevez, who was shipped in on Tuesday, Adebayor cost 25 million pounds. Bargains. Two strikers for only 50 million! “Take that, Real Madrid. And you call yourselves big-spenders. Hah. Just wait and see. We got more coming, you cheap bastards.” Yes, City are on a shopping spree. Big-time. So far they´ve spent 67,5 million this summer, because let´s not forget that they also brought the Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz. They were also really short of strikers. Oh, there was also Gareth Barry, who cost 12 million. Ups, now it´s 79,5 million. Have I forgot anyone? Isn´t it just great with these clubs where you really can smell the money just being spend, spend, spend? Hey, hang on. Because I must not forget the players City brought in during last season and all the cheap money they spent on those fellows. Let´s see. In came Shay Given, (7 million pounds) Shaun Wright-Phillips (8,5m), De Jong (17,5m), Zabaleta (6,5m), Kompany (6m), Bellamy (14m) and of course the offer of the season, Robinho, who only cost 32,5 million. Only 91,5 million!! Hello, now that´s what I call good business. So, in a year Manchester City have squandered 171 million pounds on new players - and there is definitely more to come. Financial crisis? Recession? Bah, don´t believe the hype. Excuse me, I´m going to throw up.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 7/19/2009 12:00:00 AM Doesn´t it make you sick?
Nearly there

By Jonas Schwartz We are almost there. Just two days more and we are there. Finally. On Saturday the English Premier League is rolling again and thanks for that. Two months without Premiership football is way too long, so when Chelsea and Hull kick off the season at Stamford Bridge it is much more than just a football match that is taking off. It will be the beginning of nine months with nail biting dramas, nerve-racking matches, hopeless ref calls, beautiful skills and of course a lot of banter. But who will take the title? This season looks to be a very open one and there really is not a clear favorite. Can Manchester United make it four in a row? Will Liverpool finally get their hands on the trophy after 20 years of waiting? Will Carlo Ancelotti give Chelsea the last push towards glory? Can Arsene Wenger do magic at The Emirates? Or will money buy Manchester City the title? Maybe you see other candidates? Well, we have to wait and see what happens. I can only say that I will follow every single step very closely because I don´t want to miss one bit of a season that really can´t be anything but spectacular.
Jonas Schwartz jonas 8/13/2009 12:00:00 AM Nearly there

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Time is running out for Maradona

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Doesn´t it make you sick?

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