Posts Tagged ‘Kenny Dalglish’

We lost. Again! Now who can I blame…

Posted: April 12, 2012 by onefootinthegame in Awards, Players, Rant
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As we get to the business end of the season, the whinging about referees has started to  increase in volume and frequency.

Kenny Dalglish as a menager during pre-season ...

Kenny Dalglish as a menager during pre-season friendly Vålerenga v. Liverpool on 1st August 2011 at Ullevål. Result: 3-3. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One can hear the petulant shriek (it’s just not FAIR!) of managers across the land, be it the whining of those facing relegation such as Mark Hughes, the perennial moaning of the title favourite Alex Ferguson or the excuse-making and swivel-eyed conspiracy theories of a manager under pressure such as Kenny Dalglish. We all love to have a scapegoat, someone to deflect the blame onto in order to mask our own deficiencies and for football managers the referee is just that.

But the truth is that refereeing standards are pretty decent. Yes, there are mistakes made, but then referees are, to use a worn cliché, only human and where humanity exists then mistakes and imperfection exist. Players and managers themselves are not perfect. A striker will not score with every chance, a player will not complete every pass (unless he’s Xavi) and a goalkeeper will not save every shot. Referees cannot be expected to get every call exactly spot on given the pace of the game and the interpretive nature of many of the rules.

Over the last decade there has been a lot of talk about using video technology.  It’s been successfully brought in with other sports such as rugby and cricket and has generally been effective in producing better decisions. However it has made referees more cautious and more reliant on it to make the tough decisions. Video tech can also ruin those pure moments of joy when a wicket is taken or a try scored, as everyone waits for confirmation. In the end you get two celebrations, both muted, which does not make for a better spectacle or for more enjoyable games. Due to football’s more fluid nature when compared to the more stop/start way that cricket and rugby works you do wonder whether integrating video technology would work. Plus, the football authorities and to a certain extent many major media outlets just haven’t had an open and constructive debate about how it would work in practical terms.

If a manager is so concerned or incensed about poor refereeing then why are they not putting some of the formidable resource of their football clubs to bear on the matter? Players are trained and drilled to the nth degree ahead of matches so the opposition is known. Why do managers not have an informed view on whether the referee is likely to be inconsistent or susceptible to the roar of the home crowd. What are the areas of weaknesses in the way he applies the rules. If a ref is particularly fastidious about diving, for example, then managers should know and pass this on to the players as part of their match preparation. If it’s that important then it seems it would be worthwhile to employ a referee scout to stockpile dossiers on them.

But simply put, there is no grand conspiracy against any particular club by referees. Refs are easy targets who aren’t allowed to talk to the press about their decisions, so can’t talk back and defend themselves. And can’t offer criticisms of the way that managers and players act during the game, though I’m sure referees would have a lot to say about some of the diva-style behaviour if given a chance.

Anyway you look at it, a manager who whinges about the referee but hasn’t done anything to plan and mitigate around an inconsistent referee and the resulting impact is, frankly, a chump.

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Cardiff City V Liverpool Carling Cup final Preview/rant…

Posted: February 24, 2012 by onefootinthegame in Cardiff City, Carling Cup, Liverpool
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Peter Whittingham of Cardiff City F.C. 05/12/0...

Image via Wikipedia

There’ll be more an edge to the League Cup final on Sunday than you’d initially think for two teams that have little link or rivalry. A lot of this may come as a surprise to Liverpool supporters.

One reason is that there are a lot of Liverpool fans that live in South Wales. And I mean a LOT. The jokes were that the two best supported teams in South Wales had got to the final and they weren’t far off the mark.

The high level of support owes more to Liverpool’s past glories than being any reflection on their current abilities, and the unbelievable crapness of Cardiff during the 80s and 90s contributed a lot to the attractiveness of supporting Liverpool. Many City fans will have grown up with the majority of their mates supporting Liverpool and giving them stick for going to the City.

Now the gap between the teams has narrowed and it’s heartening to see as many City shirts being worn by kids in South Wales as Liverpool or Manchester United ones. But for the older generation the chance to put one over on Liverpool is a huge motivation, even if it is simply so they can walk into work on Monday and brag to the Liverpool supporters.

Another thing that’ll be confusing for Liverpool fans is that the majority of the country will be behind Cardiff (a novelty for Cardiff fans too) and not simply in an ‘oh-the-British-love-an-underdog’ fashion.

Liverpool have always been the media darlings of football. Ex-players have gone to work in high-profile TV and radio jobs (just look at the regular MOTD sofa) and Liverpool have always had a smooth ride. Everyone cheered them on in Istanbul, the same can’t be said for Manchester United in Barcelona. Liverpool built up a reputation and a stack of goodwill from the football community in general, but their reputation is in tatters after the Suarez incident and the way the club handled it. Every football team has a ‘no-one likes us’ attitude among it’s support but at Liverpool it’s been slightly delusional and coupled with a bit of a victim complex. However now the ‘no-one likes us’ view may be justified. It’ll be interesting to see how Liverpool players and fans react to that on the day. Perhaps a spell as a genuine underdog would help soften attitudes towards to Liverpool.

It’ll also be an interesting game for Craig Bellamy, who was at Cardiff last season and is a Cardiff boy through and through (just listen to him talk, pure Cardiff from the accent to the mannerisms to the attitude). Like many South Walians he grew up a Liverpool fan, but if he does manage to score (and many Cardiff fans are resigned to the fact that it would be bloody typical if he did) then the chances that he’ll celebrate it are slim.

On the pitch, Liverpool shouldn’t underestimate Cardiff, who are a decent side pushing for promotion in a strong division. Though their form hasn’t been great lately they have genuine ambitions to be in the Premier League in the near future will be looking at the League Cup as a way to show that they’re serious about that. Of course on paper Liverpool are stronger than Cardiff, but Cardiff have a solid defence and an industrious midfield, sprinkled with the inspiration of Peter Whittingham, whose link up play for the ever alert Kenny Miller will cause problems for Liverpool if they’re caught napping. Most people will be expecting a Liverpool win and anything less would be a disaster for Kenny Dalglish.

Cardiff won’t be looking to merely ‘put up a decent fight’ and for their fans to have a jolly day out. They will be going there to win. And Liverpool fans would be minded to recall that Cardiff have played at the new Wembley more times than Liverpool have.

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The King Of Comedy

Posted: January 25, 2011 by onefootinthegame in England, Liverpool, Premier League
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Given the events of the last week, the messianic return of Kenny Dalglish should be celebrated. Not for the 3-0 win that his team recorded over Wolves. Nor for any belief that the return of the ‘King’ is a panacea for Liverpool’s ills – such beliefs are misguided. No, his return should be celebrated for his handling of the press and media, and it should be celebrated by all fans.

Daglish’s caustic wit was at its finest this week when he mocked a Sky Sports News reporter, questioning whether it was ok to have a woman present, and then noting the absence of any questions relating to female officials. Though they were the two most amusing moments of his press conference, the most satisfying was his reaction to being asked why he thought there were six managers from Glasgow in the Premier League. “Is that your last question? And you want me to answer your questions?” was accompanied by a look of disbelief, followed by a shrug of the shoulders and a weary response that he had no idea why there were six Glaswegians in the Premier League but at least he had someone to talk to.

His reaction should be applauded and long may such treatment of anodyne and facile journalism continue. Football reporters, journalists, pundits and presenters seem to be on a never ending decline into tedium, asking the most questions lacking in any insight (let’s not even get started on how Andy Townsend is the lead pundit for the Champions League). We’re now used to a reporter thrusting his microphone under the nose of a triumphant manager, to ask “You’ve just won six-nil, Alan. Does it feel good?”. Or “The referee gave that crucial penalty against you for a foul that was two yards outside the box. Are you unhappy with the decision?” What next? “I’ve just slept with your wife, Steve. Do you mind?”

Dalglish is a throwback to a time when managers wouldn’t suffer fools gladly. They didn’t have intensive media training in his day, they simply answered good football questions with good football responses, and woe betide anyone who deviated from that simple brief. In those days, managers like Clough, Atkinson and Graham spoke their minds. In those heady days, it wasn’t uncommon to see such managers as members of the panel for live games, before things got so litigious and carefully scrutinised by the FA.

Ferguson too, was once a master of insight and cutting sarcasm but, alas, has long since turned his media events into a hand selected crowd of fawning journos feeding bland and toady questions, lest they be banned for asking anything remotely tricky. Perhaps, just maybe, Fergie will get that fire in the belly of his press conferences again with the return of his old sparring partner down the M62. Let’s hope it rubs off on a few more managers too because, frankly, things have been a bit dull.

Liverpool United?

Posted: January 4, 2011 by onefootinthegame in Liverpool, Premier League
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Am I the only person who is starting to think that Liverpool are slowly becoming a poor imitation of Newcastle United?

Hear me out:

  • A club overly-romantic about past glory.
  • Fanatical supporters who believe they’re entitled to success.
  • A succession of beleaguered managers that have failed to win the title.
  • Fandom overriding rational logic.
  • Disgruntled players who see their future elsewhere.
  • A belief that a messiah in the form of an ex-player/manager will come and save the day.

You see, not such a far-fetched comparison is it? Some similarities are uncanny. The only thing missing is a fat, meddling, buffoon from London! Hold on, isn’t Roy Hodgson from Croydon? (ok, that was a little harsh).

As a Liverpool fan I’ve been perturbed and a little surprised about all the column inches Liverpool FC have been consuming over the last few days. There seems to be genuine hysteria emanating from the club.

It was embarrassing to hear cries of “Hodgson for England” and “Dalglish” from the fans during the recent home defeat to Wolves. Alright yes, Roy Hodgson hasn’t done a good job as Liverpool manager. Actually in truth, he hasn’t even done an average one but the level of hostility towards the man is becoming unacceptable.

Every interview he has conducted has been brutally assassinated and taken out of context. Even something as banal as Hodgson rubbing his face is now up for discussion on the LFC internet forums. Ex-players who in the summer were praising his appointment have now trickled out of the woodwork to publicly damn him.

Hodgson isn’t the only one to have fallen foul of the Liverpool fans of late. Paul Konchesky, a limited but willing player has become a target of the boo boys in the last few weeks. It would appear that a few disparaging remarks made by Konchesky’s mum about the city of Liverpool and its fans on Facebook (I know…. Facebook???) has done a lot of damage. Didn’t she have anything better to do, like change her profile picture or send a friend request???

Liverpool fans are supposed to be the most knowledge football fans around (truly a self-proclaimed notion). Therefore, can they not see that the club as a whole is going through a rebuilding process and need some patience? A magic wand will not be waved and everything will be rosy again. No plaster or band-aid can cover over the mistakes made in the last 18 months.

The new owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG or formerly known as NESV) will need time to evaluate the structure and long-term planning of the club. Changes will be made, I’m certain. These changes however, need to be the correct ones for the club. No quick-fixes here please! Whilst I admire and greatly respect Kenny Dalglish (affectionately known as ‘the King’ by many). He is a man who has not managed a football club for 11 years!

I watch with baited breath to see how Liverpool football club conducts itself over the next two transfer windows. Most importantly the current one, which is already four days old. New players are a priority and prudence as well as conscientiousness will have to be exhausted. The question is, will the board back Hodgson and give him the money he desperately needs?

It will seem inevitable that there will a parting of the ways between the club and manager at some point in the near future. My only wish is that it’s done at the end of the season in an amicable way. That will allow Hodgson to leave with some dignity instead of with his tail tucked between his legs.

The words “You’ll Never Walk Alone” are paramount to the club. Enough of the witch-hunts and agenda’s.  It’s time to be united.