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The Football Blog

My two passions in life are music and football. At times the latter seems to rule my life and take up most of my time. I am chairman of Hethersett Athletic Football Club which runs 15 teams covering all age groups. I am also a Norwich City season ticket holder and on the Norwich City Supporters Consultative Group. In this area of my site I intend taking a fairly regular look at our national game and what it means to me, starting with England's failure to qualify for the European Championships in Austria in 2008.

2007

Wednesday 21st November

So it's goodnight Vienna as England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 thanks to a lack-lustre performance at Wembley against Croatia.

I made the trip with a Norfolk FA party - my second of the year, having previously seen them comfortably beat Russia 3-0. This time, however, there was to be no repeat of that kind of success. So where did it all go wrong?

Firstly we were fielding virtually a reserve side with no Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Gary Neville, Phil Neville. Secondly we were up against a very skilful Croatia team and thirdly the manager's tactics were horribly wrong.

Steve McLaren insisted on playing just one up front and jamming the midfield. It backfired horribly as Croatia scored twice early on. In the cold light of day the manager got most things wrong and there are a number of questions that need to be answered including

The above are just a few of the questions I was left pondering on the long journey home. They are the questions that will be asked over the coming days and weeks. Sadly there is still something wrong with our national game. A succession of managers have tried and failed to improve things. Excellent club players put on an England shirt and give a good impression at times of never having kicked a football. It happens time after time after time. New dawns become false days and I am fast becoming convinced that the answer lies in once again limiting the foreign imports into our game.

I enjoy watching the best players in the world playing in England as much as the next man, but our own talent is stifled, being forced to spend their lives in the reserves with an occasional outing in the Premiership or being forced to go out on loan to Championship or lower teams. The young players are not coming through or having the experience to set themselves up to play at international level.

Sadly Croatia gave us a lesson in football. They were light years ahead of an England team that still thinks the answer is to bring on a pedestrian David Beckham and expect him to work miracles. I know Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen were out and Peter Crouch played admirably, but if the best back up strikers we have are Darren Bent and Jermaine Defoe then we really are struggling.

I know that it is easy to be wise after the event but the England side sent out to play Croatia was badly equipped for the job in front of it. Croatia will do well in the finals, of that there is no doubt, but the stark facts for England are that in the end they needed just one point from their last two games and failed to achieve even that.

For what it's worth here are my comments on the England performances with marks out of 10.

Scott Carson 4 - Had a nightmare first half where he gifted Croatia the opening goal, having made the schoolboy error of not getting his body behind a lame shot. Looked nervous and hesitant throughout the first 45. Made a couple of good saves after the break but by then much of the damage had been done.

Micah Richards 5 - Looked a shadow of the imposing defender he has proved to be on a number of occasions. Still a young player with a big future.

Wayne Bridge 4 - Why Bridge was in the team was a mystery. He was caught out for pace and continually found balls being played inside him. This was a very poor display

Sol Campbell 5 - Well past his sell-by date and only in because of injuries to Terry and Ferdinand - and it showed.

Joleon Lescott 5 - Inexperienced and it showed as Croatia cut through the middle almost at will.

Joe Cole 5 - A shadow of the impish player that he can be. Ran out of ideas and was substituted at half-time

Shaun Wright-Phillips 5 - Proved to be a one trick pony despite having some reasonable runs. Again was sacrificed at half-time in an attempt to provide more punch up front.

Frank Lampard 6 - Named man of the match which was a decision that was difficult to understand. Largely ineffectual although he took his penalty well.

Steven Gerrard 5 - Where was the Liverpool player that we love. Had a poor game by his standards and failed to stamp his authority on the game.

Gareth Barry 5 - A decent England player but once again failed to produce his best when it was needed and was substituted.

Peter Crouch 7- The best England player by a mile. As always put everything into his game, but was all too often left to plough  a lonely furrow up front. Took his goal superbly well and couldn't be faulted for effort and endeavour.

Subs

Jermaine Defoe 4 - Totally irrelevant. Looked small and powder puff when he came on.

Darren Bent 6 - Added some solidity up front and went close with one shot and did look to be more of a handful than Defoe.

David Beckham 5 - Sent in a few teasing balls, but contributed little else.

Incidentally when we got to Wembley we had the usual talk about looking after our belongings and how things are different at Wembley to our usual place of football worship Carrow Road. We were told that we would have our tickets checked numerous times and the staff wouldn't be as friendly. Whilst agreeing that the staff at Carrow Road are excellent, I would also pay tribute to those at Wembley. Over two visits this year I have largely found them to be polite and helpful. So bang goes another myth.

*                          *                      *

I was greatly saddened this week to hear of the death of former Norwich and West Ham player Graham Paddon at the age of 57. Graham was an excellent player and certainly better than anything Norwich have in midfield at the present time. He had a wicked left foot and I will remember him vividly as a skilful and whole-hearted player with film star looks and long flowing blond hair. I for one will be remembering "the good old days" when we have a minute's appreciation on Saturday before the game against Coventry. Isn't it good to have a minute's celebration instead of the minute's silence. It's right that we celebrate Graham's contribution to the club in a noise and celebratory way rather than in dark, dank silence.

Thursday 22nd November

It comes as no surprise that after last night's England debacle Steve McLaren has been sacked.

At a press conference he answered questions with great dignity and in an honest manner - something I think that has run through his period as head coach. Sadly the man just wasn't up to the job. But then neither ultimately were the last handful of managers.

So here we are again awaiting a new coach, a new Messiah who can achieve what so many before haven't been able to do. They can't all be bad coaches, they can't all fail when they get the England job after succeeding as club coaches and managers. As they say something is rotten in the state of England. It will take more than a new coach to sort that out. McLaren was never the right appointment and all it has done is put the country back four years and slung us into the footballing wilderness.

They talk about another mythical root and branch look at the entire English game. All very well but isn't it time we got people involved in football at a national level who have a love of the sport as a sport rather than as a business?

Ironically those that treat it as a business aren't very good at it. Getting rid of McLaren has cost £2.5 million. No wonder the man told the press conference that resigning had never entered his head. No the reality is he just waited for the inevitable phone call and will now await the inevitable cheque that follows it.

He was quick to say that he wants to get back into football as soon as possible and isn't the kind of person to sit around on a beach and looks forward to his next challenge. There are many of us thinking it would be nice to be a failure if it means having vast amounts of money thrown at us and spending some time sitting on a sunny beach. What price failure? In the case of the England football team non qualification for Euro 2008 and £2.5 million!!!

*                            *                               *

I know anybody unfortunate enough to come across this column will question why I keep going on about Norwich City. Sadly we all support somebody and I happen to have been born here and have been supporting them for over 45 years. So that's my excuse.

For the first time for a long time I'm looking forward to going to see the team perform this Saturday. New manager Glenn Roeder has brought in a number of loan signings and that means we won't necessarily be the pushover we have been throughout the season so far. No longer will we be an automatic three points for the opposition.

Yes loan players are an intended quick fix, but anything that can get Norwich away from the foot of the Championship has to be applauded. God knows what will happen when all the loan signings return, however, and we are faced with having to actually sign players or worse still go back to playing the shambolic ragbag we already have at the club, most of whom were put together by the clueless Peter Grant who features high in the list of worst ever Norwich managers.

2008

December 9th

There are some ridiculous rules in professional football - it just seems to mirror life really. We seem to be living in a world where silly men and women in grey suits just make up ridiculous constricting rules and regulations designed to squeeze the fun out of life.

Spontaneity and charisma seem to get washed away in these stupid rules. And these people justify their existence by making these rules and then having to move on to make even more. This week I heard of an old people's home where cushions are no longer allowed on chairs. Presumably they could be a danger for the old people who might knock them onto the floor and trip over them. Perhaps they should do away with chairs as well as these quite obviously can be very dangerous. Then the carpets and tables could go and we could have the elderly sitting on the floor in a room without any furniture at all.

But back to football. Sunday saw us at the East Anglian derby game between Norwich and Ipswich. Now don't get me wrong, I'm an avid Norwich fan and like to see the Tractor boys beaten at every turn. But even I refused to applaud the Norwich gamesmanship that led to our second goal in the 2-0 win.

Basically what has become known as "The Old Farm" game is a pretty primeval match-up between two sets of fans who genuinely hate each other (or should I say the mindless majority hate each other). In reality it's just another league game between two teams from under 50 miles apart. Three points against Ipswich is simply that - three points. For many, however, it almost takes on life or death proportions and certainly at the end of the game there was a smile back on people's faces- and that's not something we have seen too many times this season.

Anyway Norwich were 1-0 up when they won a free kick on the left. At that point Norwich striker Leroy Lita pointed out to the referee that one of the Ipswich defenders had a cut face. Now the laws state that anyone with blood on their face must go off the pitch for treatment and to have it cleaned up. Of course Lita was pointing this out to the referee not out of concern for his fellow professional but as a piece of gamesmanship in order to get a very large defender out of the penalty area for the free kick.

Sure enough the referee followed the letter of the law and ordered the Ipswich defender to "get cleaned up". The ball was swung across and Norwich scored. Ipswich defender quite rightly went potty on the sidelines.

If this had happened to Norwich the crowd would have gone wild. It is a crassly stupid rule that makes a team lose a key defender, albeit temporarily, through no fault of their own. It ranks alongside those other two potty rules that see players booked if they 1/ take off their shirts during goal celebrations and 2/  celebrate with their own supporters - presumably the latter suggests that by so doing they might trigger a riot. Potty, potty, potty. Perhaps we should introduce some more health and safety to football. How about padded goalposts, taking away corner flags as they could be a danger, not allowing any physical contact or tackles or turning the whole pitch into a bouncy castle in case players hurt themselves when they hit the ground. Come to think of it those flags carried by the linesmen (or referee's assistants as they are now known) could be dangerous as well if used in the wrong way!

Ironically I was reading a book during the week about a soldier who survived the First World War trenches and returned to his native Australia and wrote it all down. I'm sure as he was standing knee deep in water in the trenches, having only had a few hours sleep over the past week when he stood up for 90 per cent of the time, he would be pleased to know that almost a century later we are banning cushions because they can be dangerous.

In the language used in this book he would probably say to his fellow soldiers something along the lines of "Don't worry about old Fritz or the gas, it's the cushions that can do us serious harm."

Of course some innovations have changed our lives. The internet not only allows me to post these ramblings every week but also to do most of my Christmas shopping in the comfort of my own home. It's a pretty close thing, however, between fighting your way through crowds of people having searched in vain for a car parking place and then having to queue up for half an hour to pay for goods because the tills in Boots have broken down (this actually happened this week and isn't made up) and sitting in my study with a cup of coffee by my side and a CD playing in the background. Yes it's a close run thing (not).

Recession has been kicking in for some time and I feel genuinely sorry for all those people who are losing their jobs - it always seems to happen in the run up to Christmas as if some naughty elf gets great pleasure in inflicting misery at a time of year when we are supposed to wander round with an inane grin on our faces. There are a few good things to the recession, however, like shops realising they cannot profiteer and charge over the top prices. So prices tumble and they all try to outdo each other. Sadly in the vicious circle of recession that means many  go to the wall and when these include Woolworths you just know we are in trouble. Of course the modern world moves at breakneck pace and it won't be long before we experience boom conditions again.

One of the good points has been the huge drop in petrol prices. A few months ago it was costing me over £50 to fill up my car with petrol around £1.07 a litre (that's litre as in measurement and not as in Norwich City striker). This week we had a 5p a litre off coupon for Tescos after shopping there. It meant I paid 83.9p a litre or 24p less than a few weeks ago. That's £1.20 less a gallon in old money. It also meant I filled up for £36.

Sorry to go on about football again - well this isn't really about football so much as about the weather. On Wednesday we went to see Norwich Youth play Wigan Youth in the FA Youth Cup. Norwich missed a ridiculous number of chances including six one on ones. They scraped through 1-0. Just 400 people braved the cold night - probably a reaction to having to pay £4 admission and £1 for the car park. By the end I was so cold I couldn't get my breath and that's something I have never experienced despite having years of practice at standing out on unprotected fields watching local football. Certainly not an experience I would want to repeat too often.

I have probably mentioned before that I never have a great deal of luck in raffles or competitions, but this changed on Thursday at a ball at Oulton Broad where we won a 19 inch television which now sits proudly in our bedroom. That in itself is a bad move as it gives my wife the chance to switch it on when she can't sleep, thus ensuring that I can't sleep either!

Sometimes (just sometimes) days go really well and Saturday was a prime example. In the morning we took the two little girls who live next door (one of whom is our God-daughter) to see Father Christmas in his grotty at a nearby large house (mansion or hall - not quite sure what the correct description is). It was really spooky as Father Christmas seemed to know myself and my wife and spoke to us by name. I wonder if his elves had tipped him off in advance. It's nice to be personally known by such an important and hard working person!

There was a piece of football giantkilling in the afternoon when Hethersett from the Crown Fire South and Central Norfolk Division Four beat Mulbarton Wanderers of the first division in the Ben Smith Memorial Cup (quite a mouthful that lot) 3-2 in an excellent match and then the evening was filled by a football club quiz which took a very unusual format which I will tell you about some time. It was a big weekend for youngest son who was making his 300th league and cup appearance for Hethersett (one of only three players to achieve this) and his 700th game overall (and yes I have a list of the result of every single game - how sad is that?)

2009

January 9th

This week I entered a competition in the  local newspaper for tickets to a coming Norwich City match and also to attend a champagne reception with the players from the 1959 Cup Run. Now if you mentioned a cup run in say Liverpool or Manchester the response would probably be "which one."

Here in deepest East Anglia you talk about Norwich's cup run and everyone of a certain age will immediately think of 1959. The competition wanted memories of any kind from that cup run - but there was a restriction of 150 words.

Now I could comfortably write 5,000 but to condense it into 150 words - well that was difficult. I did manage it and await to see if I was successful.

So I thought I would tell the real story here. I have to say I didn't mention part two in my story as I'm not altogether happy with my behaviour there. Anyway here goes:

Part One:

Don't remember the date or time (probably could look them up), but I know it was the semi final replay at Luton and I know we lost. I was in Curls department store (now Debenhams). They had on display some replica plastic FA cups which they were waiting to sell if Norwich won. Now that's a big word "if". Can you imagine them waiting today? They would have sold them anyway and before the match. I was promised one of these if they went on sale (isn't it funny how such irrelevant memories come back in later life?), The score came through - we had lost.

The cups got cleared away in boxes. I have no idea what happened to them they were probably horribly tacky anyway. Whatever happened I had already been scarred for life!!!!

Today in my study I have a "tacky shelf." On travels round the world I always spend a few pence on something really tacky - like models of the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty. That FA Cup would have looked great next to the Don Quixote statue and the two fighting granddads!

Part Two

It may have been shortly after, or even the same day, but I was on a train going to Yarmouth. Or maybe it was a train going to London the following week - no matter.

It must have been in the days of steam and long journeys and individual compartments that took about six to eight people. This dear lady opposite came from Luton. I can remember threatening her and bursting into tears - she was so obviously responsible for Luton winning that match. I have no idea who she was but if she is still around I can only apologise wholeheartedly and point out that although Norwich are struggling in the lower reaches of the Championship, Luton are more than struggling at the bottom of League Two (that's the fourth division in old money) with the threat of dropping out of the football league after starting the season on -30 points due to financial irregularities.

You see I put a curse on Luton Town Football Club that day. The same kind of curse I put on houses on the former Norwich speedway site. They still seem to be standing, however.

Ironically after the Norwich result the first we look for nowadays is Luton Town, primarily because they have at least four former Norwich players in their team, including Mickey Spillane who lived with us for a year. So no more hard feelings guys.

January 15th

Norwich City manager Glen Roeder was sacked yesterday and I have to say not before time. Last season the man did a fine job to keep us in the Championship, but this season his team selection and comments have become ever more erratic.

Just before I heard that he had been sacked (and he will probably be crying all the way to the bank thanks to his settlement) there was another ridiculous piece in the local paper which in itself was enough to turn you against the man. I quote:

"Most people haven't had to deal with things like that (referring to his brain tumour). Most people who have to deal with things like that then just slide away and do what they have to do for the rest of their life, but that's not me."

I'm sorry at having to swear here but that is a fucking insult to handicapped people. I will take it to show a friend of mine who had a similar condition, but much worse than Roeders. He survived numerous marathon operations and spent well over 18 months in hospital and when he came out he had to teach himself to eat, read, talk and walk again. He "slid away" so far that he's now walking without sticks and is back driving a car. So Mr Roeder just slip away somewhere else yourself.

Unfortunately throughout his time at Norwich Roeder showed himself to be a very arrogant man unwilling to listen to any criticism or views other than his own. It certainly didn't endear him to anyone. I remember attending a meeting between him and the club's supporters consultative group (of which I am a member) just after he was appointed. Even on that evening he made it quite clear that he wasn't interested in other people's opinions. The problem is he was rubbishing the opinions of long standing fans who had every right to comment on the team's performances. Many of us have watched hundreds more Norwich matches than Roeder was ever likely to. That alone gave us the right to comment. He would do well to remember that at his next club - although I doubt whether he will have learnt any lesson from his short time at Carrow Road.

January 18th

Well what a difference a week makes. Yesterday at Carrow Road it was just as if the sun had come out again. The same set of players threw themselves into the match against Barnsley and it looked like a different team. The passing was crisp, the running off the ball superb and it resulted in a 4-0 victory amid chants from the crowd of "are you watching Glen Roeder." I suspect Roeder in his arrogance will point to the fact that this was the team he built and he had been telling everyone how talented it was and this was just the day they proved it." It was good to see that in the starting line-up we had just two on-loan players.

I would put an entirely different spin on things. It was the day the players played to their full potential due to improved tactics and the fact they obviously wanted to win for stand in manager Bryan Gunn, To hear the fans chanting Gunn's name and singing throughout the game was like returning to the good times. One swallow doesn't make summer but it certainly contributes towards one.