Living the dream..

They just never learn, do they?

After a summer of overspending and overambition, the recent news coming from Rushden and Diamonds doesnt come as too much of a shock.

We all knew it was promotion or bust, and we all knew it would go wrong at some point. But to see it all go wrong so quickly is concerning to say the least.

8 players have been made available for transfer, and judging by the quality of players on offer, this isn't for footballing reasons. It seems the bubble has burst.

Then again, it was always destined to fail. The budget was unmaintainable for a club of Rushden's size, but that didnt stop them. It never does. Because to chase success, some will stop at nothing, and it doesnt matter about the casualties along the way.
Of course, Rushden have been here before.

In 1992, Rushden and Diamonds were created by Max Griggs, the owner of the Dr Martens shoe empire, as two small non-league clubs Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds were merged together. And almost immediately, the money was poured in as Griggs aimed his sights at the Football League.

Nene Park was built, an attractive modern stadium that cost £30million pounds to construct, and then boss Brian Talbot was given all of the funds he required to get Rushden to the promised land.

And for a short time, it worked. Rushden made it to the old second division, and the dream had become a reality. Or so they thought. Because like so many clubs before them, Rushden were living beyond their means.

Griggs eventually left, and took his substancial financial backing with him. And without a sugar daddy behind them, Rushden simply couldnt sustain themselves.

Consecutive relegations to the Conference followed, with the club now in the hands of the supporters trust. Briggs still helped financially when he could, but the most important thing was security. Rushden couldn't afford to take anymore gambles with their future. The most important thing for Rushden and their fans was having a club to support.

Unfortunately, that looks to have been the case. Keith Cousins took the reigns as Chairman, and backed his manager Garry Hill in spending big in the summer on the likes of Daryl Clare and Lee Phillips, amongst others. Clearly another push at the Football League was on the agenda, as Cousins and Hill looked to relieve the glory days.

For a team of Rushden's size, it was a big risk.

And it seemingly hasnt paid off, with Rushden languishing in mid-table and players being sold off to balance the books.

Living the dream? The dream hasn't even begun.

And as usual, it's the fans that will suffer. The same fans who have suffered before. Who would have thought lightning would strike twice?

No doubt the main culprits will walk straight into another club and get away with it, just like Peter Risdale did.

But the fans? The real victims in this piece? Let's just hope they have a club to support at the end of all this.

Harry takes biggest gamble yet..

It's always been known Harry Redknapp likes a gamble. Be it his forrays in the transfer market, or the 12:40 at Kempton, he's always been one to take a risk. And usually, they pay off.

However, by taking the Tottenham Hotspur job, has Harry went one gamble too far? Looking at Spurs and the current predicament they find themselves in, it's hard to see the logic in Redknapp's decision.

Spurs are a team in decline, with no confidence and seemingly no hope - on and off the field. The team simply cannot buy a win at the moment, and their tally of two points from eight games has seen Spurs slump deep into a relegation battle. Too good to go down? On recent evidence, far from it.

Furthermore, Redknapp had a job for life at Pompey. It was a job with little pressure, where expectations weren't too high, and where he was adored by the fans. At Spurs, things will be different. The supporters and board demand success - and unrealistically so in my eyes. It will be a far cry from the low-pressure job he had at Pompey, that's for sure. Just ask Martin Jol, who was scandalously sacked from his post as Spurs manager only a year ago. Does Daniel Levy believe in karma? He certainly should. Jol can afford a wry smile at latest developments at White Hart Lane, you would have to think.

But maybe that's just it. The challenge. Maybe Harry got too comfortable at Portsmouth? Maybe he thought he's taken them as far as they can go. The challenge of rejuvinating this Spurs team may have been too much to turn down. This is Redknapp's last chance to prove he can mix it with the big boys before he retires, and who can deny him that?

In any line of work, you want to test yourself. And managing Spurs will certainly test Redknapp. The team looks desperately short of confidence right now, and Harry needs to address that. Big players are going missing for Spurs, when leaders are required. And in Redknapp, Spurs have one of the best man-managers in the game. Players enjoy working for him. He gets the best out of people. He might be just the man Spurs need.

Should Harry get it right at Spurs, he enhances his reputation further. Get it wrong and it's a small blotch on an otherwise fine management career, in a job where it could be argued no-one could bring success. Maybe it's not such a gamble afterall?

As for Pompey, I think they'll be fine. The £5m in compensation will soften the blow somewhat, and in Tony Adams they have an astute young coach ready to step up to the plate. And what's more, Redknapp has left the club in a rather comfortable position indeed, with Pompey comfortably sat in mid-table and in European competition. Things could certainly be worse.

So Harry, the pressure is well and truly on. Welcome to the circus at White Hart Lane. Don't get too comfortable, will you?

NFL takes first step in making sport global..

Football attempted it with the infamous 39th game, but failed miserably as the idea was met with derision and dismay from many. So it's been left up to the Americans to take the first tentative step in making sport global, by taking the NFL out of it's American comfort zone.

On Sunday, 5,000 diehard NFL fans will travel from their homes in San Diego and New Orleans to London, or Wembley Stadium to be exact. It's the first regular season match ever to be held in London, and the sport's second big step into the unknown, after last year's exhibition match between the Miama Dolphins and the New York Giants.

If all goes well, there could be more games to be staged in the UK, with talks ongoing to extend the NFL season from 16 games to 18. Afterall, behind the US, the UK is deemed to be the most lucrative market for the NFL.

But is it really? Will we as a nation suddenly embrace American Football as a long lost brother, tossing aside the likes of 'Soccer' and Cricket?

Sure, the 85,000 locals inside Wembley would suggest so. But, when it's all said and done, beside the fanatics inside Wembley, how many of us casual fans will be more interested in the latest Premier League scandal? The NFL will be nothing more than an afterthought.

For me, American Football is just one of those sports that will seemingly never translate outside of the US. You have Baseball in Japan, Ice Hockey in Eastern Europe, and Basketball across the world. What about American Football? NFL Europe was destined to fail from the start, and another foray into European territory will be met with much trepidation.

Furthermore, for the casual sports fan, NFL just doesn't appeal. Which is strange, considering it's the most watched sporting event in the world. There are too many stoppages, too many complicated rules, and it's too much to take in for some. Aside from the Superbowl, how many of us really keep tabs on matters in the NFL? The Superbowl is an event that sees many of us become American Football fans for an evening, before returning to the sports we know and love. I should know, I'm one of them. And I'd hazard a guess that you are too.

That's not to say there isnt a fair share of NFL fanatics in the UK, because there are. Sky's coverage is second to none in giving American Football fanatics the action they crave. And the 85,000 locals crammed into Wembley stadium will no doubt be back for more NFL action, given the chance.

But for the majority of us, it'll be forgotten about come Monday morning. American Football is a minority sport in this country, and you feel it always will be.

By pouring so much money into this experiment - $5 million dollars to just stage the game, the NFL are banking on success.

But for all the money in sport, you cant buy history and tradition. Which is why this experiment wont make great waves in the UK.

Dowie given the boot as Briatore loses patience..

Well, it’s finally happened. After 15 games and a mere 5 months in charge, Iain Dowie has been relieved of his duties at Queens Park Rangers. A decision that isn’t a huge shock to anyone really, no less Dowie, who must have felt like a dead man walking throughout his tenure. So much for Dowie’s comments through the week, then, where Dowie himself spoke to the media sure that his job was indeed safe, with the team still in the playoff mix and into the last 16 of the Carling Cup.

So, another premature sacking, or completely justified?

It has to be said anything less than challenging for promotion at this stage would be deemed as failure, such was the big expectations from the wealthy owners of the club. And that’s just what happened, with Rangers currently lying in 9th place and winning just one from their last six - against bottom club Nottingham Forest. Hardly promotion form, and not good enough for a club who dream of Premiership football - however deluded these dreams may be.

However, in days like this where managers are all too often given the boot, would it have been too much to ask to give Dowie more time? Titles arent won in October, and I’m sure Dowie would have had Rangers in the promotion mixer come May. He’s got teams promoted from worse positions than 9th, afterall. Remember Crystal Palace? Dowie took them from relegation candidates to the Premiership in a matter of months. And with a bit of money to spend in January, who’s to say he couldn’t have done it again?

The last straw for Dowie surely came at the Liberty Stadium on Tuesday night, where QPR and Swansea played out a goalless draw. Not a bad result on the face of things, but when you consider Swansea were without a specialist goalkeeper for the majority of the match, things become more alarming. Swansea were rarely troubled, with Dowie choosing not to go on the offensive, but to take the draw on offer. Not the sexy, thrilling football that Flavio Briatore would like to see, I’m sure. Suddenly his new toy didnt seem quite as exciting.

It’s clear that Dowie never really fitted in with the new glamourous image at QPR. He’s never been an attractive appointment - in more ways than one. And his direct footballing philosophy didn’t really fit in with the technically sound foreign players that were brought into the club. However, with the right personel, he does get results. He’s proven at this level. But in today’s money crazy football world, results sometimes aren’t enough.

Almost inevitably, big names will be linked with the job - from the likes of Gianluca Vialli to Roberto Mancini. You feel a big name manager will be on the agenda for Briatore and his board, and with the finances on offer, the job will look tempting to some.

Others might see the job as a poisoned chalice however, a job where the owners are expecting too much, too quickly. A job where the manager can never feel truly secure in his position, and will always be looking over his shoulder. Yes, the huge cash on offer is nice, but will the new manager truly have a say in who’s being brought in?

But that’s just the nature of the beast at the moment. Football’s no longer about long term goals, it’s all about instant success. And there’s only one way to achieve that, and it doesnt matter how many managers are given the boot on their way to doing so.

Rome wasn’t built in a day. You’d think with the new Italian influence at QPR, they’d have realised that. Yet apparantly, the penny hasn’t dropped.

A stay of execution?

Football. It's a funny old game, isnt it? One minute you're hanging on to your job and facing the fans calls to go, and the next minute you're the best thing since sliced bread.

Take Chesterfield, and their under fire manager Lee Richardson for example.

Booed off at Saltergate after being held 1-1 at home to Chester, and booed off again after going down to Lincoln, it seemed Richardson's days were truly numbered. The team was languishing in mid-table, with lacklustre performances to boot. The fans expected better from a side expected to be in the promotion hunt this season. Mid-table mediocrity isnt good enough.

Yet, with the pressure seemingly on for the manager and the players, Chesterfield produced one of their performances of the season, comprehensively defeating Aldershot by 5-1.

However, Chesterfield supporters can't afford to get carried away, and rightly so. Afterall, this is only their first win in their last 8 attempts. It's been a disappointing start to the season to say the least.

So, this begs the question that remains from last season. Why cant Chesterfield be more consistent?

Clearly they're a match for anyone in the division on their day, and the talent is no doubt there within the squad.

Jamie Ward was at the forefront of Chesterfield's 5 star performance with an impressive hat-trick, and you have to feel he surely wont be playing in this division regardless of Chesterfield's progress this season. He is too good for this level, with his blistering pace and clever movement too much for so many defenders at this level. Keeping hold of the young striker will be key to any progress Chesterfield make this season.

And alongside him you have former Nottingham Forest man Jack Lester - the striker who took the division by storm last season with 27 goals in all competitions. It was Lester's goals alone that kept Chesterfield in the playoff hunt last season, and if the Spirites will be hoping to get Lester firing again this time around.

At the back, Chesterfield can call upon the likes of Kevin Austin and Robert Page. Two vastly experienced professionals, and proven winners throughout their careers. Their presense in defence and around the training ground will no doubt be of great benefit to the younger players at Saltergate.

Having said all that, the loss of Peter Leven to MK Dons would no doubt have hurt the Spirites. His influence and work rate in the midfield will be sorely missed, and it could be argued that he is a player yet to be replaced in the heart of Chesterfield's midfield. And that boils down to the manager.

Maybe Richardson is the problem? With such a strong squad at his disposal last season, Chesterfield failed to even make the playoffs, eventually finishing in 8th place. A strong start was always required this time around to gain some early momentum and ease the pressure on himself, but that hasn't materialized. Is a change of manager required?

One thing's for sure, consistency is key for Chesterfield this season if they are to truly prosper. A run of wins is required if fans are to even entertain thoughts about promotion. Wednesday night's win will mean little if it's not followed up with another result against Notts County at Saltergate on Saturday.

It's a game Chesterfield should really win, but all too often seem to draw or lose. It's a habit they need to get out of - and quickly.

Buckle turns the corner..

And they say football fans are fickle?

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog believing Paul Buckle's time was up at Torquay United. I believed he'd lost the players, the fans, and the board alike. Results were poor, and performances were even worse. Many fans agreed with me. He had to go if Torquay United were to prosper as they should.

So, to see Paul Buckle turn it round in the manner he has is nothing short of remarkable. He's proved me and many other Torquay fans wrong, and deserves credit for doing so in what seemed like the biggest adversity.

While the Nortwhich debacle seemed like a new low at the time, , what it really represented was a turning point in the Gulls season.

Yes, we didnt play well, and yes, we rode our luck. But since then, Paul Buckle and his squad haven't looked back.

8 games without defeat have followed since that day, with 6 wins to choose from, including wins against Stevenage and Rushden and Diamonds. Performances are better. The football is more expansive, and less predictable. The team is now defending as a unit, and not as indivuduals, and the team looks more solid as a result.

But more importantly, the spirit is back within the camp.

Players are fighting and playing for each other, when before, heads went down far too easily. Take United's 2-1 win against Forest Green. Faced with the most uphill of tasks after losing goalkeeper Michael Poke early on, striker Tim Sills went between the sticks. And conceding a goal on the stroke of time didnt help matters. But Torquay didnt give up, dug in, and got the three points with a last gasp winner, despite coming from behind to do so.

It was a remarkable victory, but more importantly a real team effort. Every player played their part and worked their socks off.

And that's the most pleasing thing of all.

So credit to Paul Buckle for seemingly turning things around. It seemed so unlikely a matter of weeks ago, but he's well on his way now.

Of course, only promotion would truly heal the scars that still hurt from last season. Is he the man to deliver? We'll have to see.

Southampton set for season of struggle..

No matter who you are, be it Chelsea or Chipstead, you can always grab a goal from a set-piece. They give limited sides a chance to get the ball in the box and get the big men from the back forward, and with a good delivery, anything can happen. It constantly amazes me how teams take them for granted. Set pieces can win you football matches. But a lack of concentration from defending them can prove equally as costly.

Take Southampton for example. For all their total football they just didnt do the basics properly yesterday. Three first half set pieces, and three goals conceded. It's unacceptable at ANY level, let alone the Championship. It's basic bread and butter stuff, stuff you work at on the training ground throughout the week. Yet no-one was taking charge, there was no organization. This is hardly suprising really, considering the lack of experience in the Southampton backline. Oliver Lancashire and Jack Cork looked every bit the inexperienced pro's that they are. They needed an experienced head to guide them, but Chris Perry was inexpicably left on the bench. You have to wonder why.

And while Southampton's expansive style of play is indeed admirable, in the long run it wont get them anywhere. Far too often the final ball was lacking yesterday. For all the neat passing in the centre of the park, there was no urgency, no penetration. And in midfield, despite the man advantage they were out-ran and out fought by the experienced pairing of John Eustace and Lee Williamson. Notice a pattern emerging?

And in the final third, the difference was once again clear to see. Where McGoldrick lacked composure and nouce, Tomas Priskin was intelligent and clinical, and took his two goals well. But this wasnt down to experience, more down to service. Watford moved the ball forward to the frontline quickly, getting Priskin in behind at every available opportunity. And it worked.

The faith being put in Southampton's youngsters is a good thing, don't get me wrong. It's always good to see youngsters getting a chance in football, and home grown youngsters as well. But a healthy blend of experience and youth is required if Southampton are to prosper, especially throughout the spine of the team, where experience and know-how is just as important as flair and creatvity.

For me, Southampton look a side destined to struggle. Crowds are down lower than anyone other team in the Football League, the whole total football plan is destined to fail, there's no money, a poor manager with no experience and knowledge of football at this level, and a squad of kids with no real leadership. Relegation is an all too real possibility as things stand, and that's a shame for a club of Southampton's size. The fans deserve better than this.

Look at Watford. They were strong, organized, won their second balls, and got the ball forward and in around the box quickly. Which is where goals come from. It's not rocket science, but it's a concept Southampton have yet to have grasped.

They may not have been as easy on the eye as Southampton, but they were a lot more effective. And I know what I'd rather watch.

Pretty football doesnt win you games, organization and a bit of grit certainly does. And that's a lesson Southampton's young side will need to learn - and fast.

Triple whammy

Three football matches, one day. Brilliant, eh? Here's how I got through my footballing marathon.

The day started with Milton Keynes Dons taking on Carlisle United in a lunchtime kickoff, and this was a fantastic way to start proceedings.

Carlisle took an early lead through Danny Graham, and looked a good bet to get a result. However, this wasnt to be the case.

With the industrious Peter Leven driving the Dons on in midfield, it was only a matter of time before the Dons got themselves back in the game, and it was Leven himself who duly obliged with a strike on the edge of the area. A second followed through Miguel Angel Llera, heading in from the impressive Leven's cross, and it was that man again who made sure of an MK Dons victory, with Stirling clearly tripped in the penalty area, and Leven making no mistake from 12 yards out.

The game itself was a great advert for League One, with both teams competitive, playing attractive and entiprising football, and looking to win the game.

Carlisle look a side desperately low on confidence, and a fifth defeat on the bounce wont be helping their cause. A playoff hangover perhaps? With key players leaving and not being replaced and the lucky breaks just not going their way, it looks like John Ward has a big job on his hands. He's experienced enough to deal with such pressure however, and Carlisle have enough about them to turn it round in my opinion.

At MK Dons, things couldnt be more different. Against all the odds, Roberto Di Matteo has the Dons playing good football and winning matches. They certainly looked impressive yesterday, with the aforementioned Leven pulling the strings in midfield, and young Sam Baldock emerging from nowhere and banging in the goals. The momentum from last season has certainly continued for the Dons, and a playoff push isnt out of the question as things stand, with the Dons currently lying in 5th place. Paul who?

Second game of the day, and it was off to the Fitness First system to see Bournemouth take on Rotherham in League Two, two teams who were docked 17 points at the start of the season following spells in administration.

The drop in standard was unfortunately there to see however, as both teams laboured towards a 0-0 stalemate.

That's the thing with football though, it cant always be entertaining, and sometimes teams have to do what they can to get a result. Rotherham for their part were very well organized and defended well, as you should do away from home. You cant always go out on the attack, and sometimes a bit of perspective is required. Rotherham boss Mark Robins will certainly be happy with a point, a point which sees the Millers march on from their minus points total. It's been quite the rebirth for Rotherham this time around.

Bournemouth on the otherhand havent adapted to life on minus points quite as well as Rotherham, and find themselves on -7 points. Still, 10 points from 10 games is a fairly decent return for the Cherries, and they can feel optimistic about their chances of staying up.

Finally, it was back off to the pub to see England take on the unknown and unheard of Kazakstan. After all the euphoria that followed England's win against Croatia, could things continue in the same vain?

Well, in the first half it was more of the same old England. Labrorous and lacking in ideas in possession, it seemed that old habits really dont die hard. 0-0 at half-time, but no booing, which was good to see.

In the second half there was noticeable improvement, though it took set-pieces and an own goal to put England in a comfortable position. And Kazakstan even scored themselves, with Ashley Cole's error giving them the goal their performance richly deserved. Far too often do Countries pack men behind the ball and play for damage limitation, so it was refreshing to see a team come to Wembley and have a go. Fair play to them.

But 5-1 it ended, and it was job done for England. Though we still dont know if Gerrard and Lampard can play together. Nor do we really care, for that matter.

So there we have it, Three games of football, and my thoughts on all three. Though the entertainment and standard certainly varied, it was clear that you can never have enough football in one day.

Tigers continue to roar on..

Saturday, 21 February, 2004. A day that wont mean too much to many, but on this fateful day, Hull City faced Torquay United in a League Two encounter. Yes, you did read that right. I should know, I was there. And not only that, but Torquay won the match 1-0, with Martin Gritton's win sealing the victory.

Fast forward 4 years or so, and things couldnt be more different for both clubs. Torquay find themselves out of the Football League altogether, after years of mismanagement. On the other hand Hull find themselves in the Premier League, after a meteoric rise to the top. A true rags to riches story..or is it? I'd say more of a team finally fulfilling their potential.

You see, Football is full of supposed sleeping giants - teams who continuously flatter to decieve, season after season. But Hull really were punching below their weight, and crowds of 18,000 in their League Two days proved that fact. In fact, average crowds went up by a quarter in this time, thanks in no small part to Hull. And even in their troubled times at the turn of the century, Hull achieved big crowds when on the verge of relegation and possible extinction. The potential of Hull as a city has always been there to see.

In 2001, Hull were given a fresh start. After emerging from adminstration, with Adam Pearson stabilizing the club's finances, the council paid for a 25,000 seater stadium, now known as the KC Stadium. This was the start of a new beginning for Hull City, a chance for the club to really prosper and realise their undoubted potential.

Back to back promotions from League Two to the promised land of the Championship followed for the Tigers, under the management of the experienced Peter Taylor. The ambition was clear to see, with experienced campaigners like Nick Barmby brought to the KC Stadium to achieve their goal and establish themselves in the Championship. But even at this early stage, dreams of Premiership football seemed like little more than pipe dreams.

Enter Phil Brown. The man who assisted Sam Allardyce so well at Bolton, who would have thought he would be the man to take Hull to the promised land? Things didnt quite work out at Derby for Brown, with poor results and his direct style hardly appealing to the Derby County faithful. However, he got another chance in management after the departure of Phil Parkinson at Hull and took it with both hands.

The way his team approached the Arsenal game was a masterstroke, not deciding to sit back and soak up pressure, but to take the game to the Gunners with what was essentially a 3 man attack. It paid dividends, with a 2-1 victory at the Emirates, the first domestic away victory there in 40 attempts, and only the second ever defeat at the Emirates stadium. It's been called one of the greatest Premiership upsets of all time, and you cant argue with that.

And it's not only Arsenal that have felt Hull's wrath. Newcastle and Fulham have also been punished by the Tigers. Hull currently find themselves in 7th place, just one spot from the European places, and their no fear attitude is ever so refreshing to see in the Premiership. Write them off at your peril, as many have already found out.

One of the more remarkable stories of Hull's climb through the divisions is that the spine of the team remains the same, with Boaz Myhill, Michael Turner, and Ian Ashbee climbing all three divisions with the Tigers. Many players may have come and gone around them, but these players have been everywhere imaginable, from the Moss Rose to The Emirates Stadium. It's been a fantastic journey.

It's been a truly remarkable rise to the top for the Tigers, and there were some tough times.

Owners going to jail for fraud, fans being locked out by bayliffs, and at one point the threat of non-league football loomed large. Administration and extinction really was a possibility. But that was then. This is now. And the bad times will make all the recent success taste all the sweeter.