Tag Futebol

After a delay of nearly two hours from the original unveiling time, the Cardiff City website coughed and spluttered back to life, bringing with it the full horror of the Bluebirds 2013/14 home kit.

It was immediately met with cries of derision by Bluebird fans from all sides of the rebranding – The KKB (Keep Kardiff Blue), The Reluctant Reds, The Cardiff City Traditionalists, The I couldn’t give a frig’s, Bluebirds Unite (who are newly formed and rapidly gaining followers) and The so called majority – The we’d rather be blue of course we would, but we have no say in it! Brigades and with good reason too!

The all red kit which was unveiled managed the truly awesome feat of clashing with itself. The shirt and shorts were two vastly different shades of red. The top, Liverpool red while the shorts are the shade of red of last seasons controversial and much derided home strip – it screamed one thing – it was designed by someone who is colourblind.

I suspect it was supposed to represent the fusion of the rebrand – The Welsh red and the Chinese red. However, like the reviled badge that remains from last season – which is also purported to represent the fusion of the two cultures; the kit just didn’t work, it clashed violently and jarred on the senses and the eyes.

Across the Social media platforms there was an explosion of disgust and anger, 99% of supporters concurring they hated the two tone red shirt and shorts, but a closer inspection revelled the kit was made up of at least five shades of red and the design is clumsy and ugly!

Baggy three-quarter length sleeves, and a faux v-neck that harks back to the hay day of Frank Butcher in Eastenders, while the Cardiff City logo and that of kit designers Puma both sat very high on the shoulders of the shirt rather than on the chest area as is traditional, close to the heart where they have always sat to symbolise that the players and supporters who wear the shirt, carry the badge (which is the physical symbol of the club and so the team itself) in their hearts.

The shirt also has two stripes which to quote the club are symbolic “The two Puma King stripes are a reflection of fans’ loyalty to the club!” Many quickly and pithily replied, it was a pity the club showed no loyalty to its history!

Then there are the shorts once you get past the dirty red colour which takes some doing when they are paired with a brighter almost wash faded red of the shirt and socks.

The shorts are cut oddly, old fashioned, over long and shapeless they have a thick and ugly elasticated waistband of the type usually seen on the trousers of old men of a certain girth

They also have the look of cropped jogging bottoms, the kind of shorts that someone’s mum had made and donated to the school, for the dreaded spare kit box, the very pair that lurked at the bottom greeting you if you forgot you sports kit, with their polyester shine, before inducing fits of giggles as you took to the field of play wearing them within sight of everyone else!

The kit taken as a whole looked like it belonged to a pub side clobbered together with the only bargain basement market stall rip-off parts there was enough of for the whole team , certainly not befitting of a side making their return to the top flight of English football for the first time in 51 years.

It’s a bizarre thought that anyone at any point looked at the clashing Cardiff City two toned red home kit in a typically poor design by Puma and thought they likes it, much less that it was perfect for The Blues to run out in, in their first home game – That it was fit to mark The Bluebirds re-entrance into the most successful league in the world after an absence of fifty odd years, in the knowledge that the world will be watching, with a smirk on its its face after the embarrassment of the rebranding which was universally criticised by everyone within the sport of football and beyond.

It is Incomprehensible that someone at a very early stage of the design’s life didn’t say “You’re not serious? That is hideous!” But it would seem if someone did (which is likely) they were shouted down and ignored.

The long suffering wife of One lifelong Bluebird supporter (who has bought every replica Cardiff City shirt for the last 25 years apart from last season’s red and the 2011/12 ‘Swansea home kit’ style away strip) was aghast when she logged into the City shop to view the kit saying – “At least last years shirt even although it was bloody red, it was stylish …. this one looks like it was made in a cheap sweatshop …”

Another fan emotionally said: “I struggled to come to terms with one shade of red, but two clashing shades of red is killing me.”

Supporters of other clubs quickly started to add their opinion into the mix a West Ham fan commented that he was unsure if it was possible to get any more different shades of red In the same kit.

A Newcastle united supporter said “I wouldn’t even wish that on Sunderland!”

Even Cardiff City’s players waded in; defender Andrew Taylor tweeted to one of Cardiff City FC’s media men to ask ” why are the shorts a weird colour??!! Has (the City kit man) designed this strip??

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Supporters outraged by Cardiff City’s attempts to red-dyed themselves for the Premier League started an online petition in the hope of bringing about a complete reversal of the rebrand. Several hours passed before anyone from Cardiff made any comment. Then it was an official, unofficial promise to look into things.

That evening Cardiff city club issued an apology

‘Cardiff City Football Club on Wednesday May 29th launched the first images of the 2013/14 home kit, which featured two shades of red, the darker of which was carried in the shorts. The decision had been made as a means to help visually distinguish the club in the Premier League, while continuing the theme of our successful 2012/13 Championship winning season.’

The resulting response carried across social media quickly indicated that a large number of supporters were unhappy with the choice of colour concerning the shorts. For that we apologise.

Along with the apology came the news that via email season ticket holders were to be balloted on a choice of replacement shorts.

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For any wannabe Wenger’s, Mourinho’s or Ferguson’s, Football Manager has been the place to cut their teeth. Over the years millions have sat in front of the computer screens, deciding on their matchday tactics and delving into the transfer market to make their team unbeatable.

Like the managerial greats, we have all made a few bad signings but we have also unearthed a number of gems. Whether we have been fortunate enough to bring them to our club or have seen somebody snatch them from under our noses, their importance has not been missed.

Here are those players that we love, together in a Football Manager XI that would bring guaranteed success in this free-flowing 4-3-3 formation.

Click on Febian Brandy to unveil the Football Manager XI

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If Southampton weren’t struggling enough, some tension within the team has not risen to the surface.

The coastal club are in serious danger of dropping into the Championship as they sit four points from safety with four Premier League games left to play.

This weekend, the Saints have a crucial fixture against Bournemouth at St Mary’s, and there is one man who will definitely not be involved.

Sofiane Boufal has been ordered to stay with the Under-23 squad after having a bust-up on the training ground.

Manager Mark Hughes, who was appointed as Mauricio Pellegrino’s successor in March, has not played the Morocco international since March 31.

While speaking to reporters in a press conference, the Southampton coach revealed that Boufal has “acknowledged” his mistake and will need to rebuild “trust” with his teammates before being reintegrated back into the team.

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Supporters have been giving their verdicts on the situation via Reddit.

Comment from discussion Hughes confirms Sofiane Boufal training with Southampton U23s after bust-up.Comment from discussion Hughes confirms Sofiane Boufal training with Southampton U23s after bust-up.Comment from discussion Hughes confirms Sofiane Boufal training with Southampton U23s after bust-up.Comment from discussion Hughes confirms Sofiane Boufal training with Southampton U23s after bust-up.Comment from discussion Hughes confirms Sofiane Boufal training with Southampton U23s after bust-up.Comment from discussion Hughes confirms Sofiane Boufal training with Southampton U23s after bust-up.Comment from discussion Hughes confirms Sofiane Boufal training with Southampton U23s after bust-up.

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Precisely one year and three days ago, Ashley Young’s Manchester United career looked dead in the water, watching helplessly from the bench as a 1-1 draw with Southampton affirmed the Red Devils’ worst campaign of Premier League era.

A third season of little accomplishment for the winger since his £18million move from Aston Villa in summer 2011, few expected him to survive Louis van Gaal’s inaugural cull, which included Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra, Tom Cleverley, Nani, Shinji Kagawa, Danny Welbeck and Wilfried Zaha amongst its more notable victims.

But fast forward twelve months (and three days) and the 29 year-old is enjoying arguably the most productive form of his Old Trafford career, bagging two goals, four assists and three Man of the Match awards in 21 Premier League starts – despite often featuring as United’s emergency left wing-back – including a scintillating display in April’s Manchester derby.

So with June’s international fixtures looming and habitual absences of crocked regulars widely expected following another tough Premier League campaign, the question must be asked; does Ashley Young deserve his first England call up since 2013?

The England national team is now very much a young man’s game. Roy Hodgson’s last squad, facing Lithuania and Italy in March, featured just two players aged 30 or over, only two with 50 caps or more and 14 under the age of 25. The Three Lions gaffer is picking his squads with Russia 2018 in mind, attempting to mesh together a new crop after the underwhelming decline of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard’s ‘golden generation’.

Young doesn’t particularly fit that image, despite his well-fitting surname. By the World Cup in Russia he’ll be 34 and although he’s played well this season, even Euro 2016 could be a bit of a push. After all, Manchester United have already completed the signing of Eredivisie prodigy Memphis Depay, albeit a winger-forward who tends to prefer the opposite flank, and rumours linking them with a summer bid for Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale have been relentless over the last few months. There may simply be no room for the former Watford man in United’s starting Xi by the time 2015/16 comes around – so why bring an ageing winger back into the England fold who could be lost to the realms of cameo by October or November?

But has there been a home-grown winger in better form than Young over the last few months? Raheem Sterling’s superlative displays of 2014 have tailed off since he became enthralled in an apparently self-imposed contract scandal, Danny Welbeck has scored less goals and made less appearances than his ultimate campaign at Manchester United since joining Arsenal last summer, and team-mate Theo Walcott has managed just half an hour of competitive football since England’s friendly against Italy in March.

Liverpool’s Adam Lallana continues to struggle under the weight of his ridiculous £25million price-tag, whilst James Milner, for all his fantastic qualities, has never been the most dynamic of wide-men. And then there’s Andros Townsend – an apparent law to himself, who features more regularly for the Three Lions than he does Tottenham Hotspur.

Of course, the England national team should never become a by proxy Premier League form guide. There are clearly some footballers made out for international football, and some who unfortunately are not. Likewise, Hodgson has his favourites, those who he sees as long-term fixtures in England’s plans – Welbeck and Sterling being firmly amongst them.

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But in my opinion, Young’s recent displays deserve some recognition, whilst his pedigree at international level is already proven. Seven goals in 30 appearances for the Three Lions is actually a better goals-to-game ratio than any of the aforementioned names, with the exclusion of Welbeck and three-in-seven supersub Townsend. Similarly, he’d offer experience to a squad firmly lacking it, and has spent the last four years playing alongside the first name on the England team-sheet – captain Wayne Rooney.

Perhaps most importantly of all, however, is Young’s more traditional style. Whilst Sterling and Welbeck are of the modern winger-forward mould, he’s a touch-line hugger, a relentless crosser, who uses his pace and skill to add width to the team. One could argue that to be a testament to how he belongs to a different age – but in terms of the squad itself, it’s currently an option Hodgson doesn’t have.

Whether that’s enough to convince the England boss remains to be seen. Since the failure of the 2014 World Cup, the prevailing mantra has been to look forward rather than backwards in the hope of better times ahead. Yet amid an era where the Three Lions are no longer privy to a plethora of talent in every position, in my opinion, any English footballer to prove themselves at the top end of the Premier League is worth Hodgson’s gamble. And upon the end of a real comeback campaign, there’s no question Young will enter June’s fixtures with his confidence at an all time high.

“We’ve always won games when we had too”, those were the words that rattled round by head as I got out the car and took a stroll, the regular two-week stroll to the Molineux. Saunders had a point you know, when we had to win at Millwall, we did, when we had to get something at Watford we did, and when we had to beat Bristol City, we did.

It was beginning to look extremely perilous for the boys in gold, with 5 games to go, the team had amassed 48 points and needed to win in order to push them selves up out of this septic precipice that was Championship relegation. Mind you, a win would only lift Wolves to 18th, which still would not guarantee them safety, in fact every team from about 11th could still be dragged into what is turning into an insanely unpredictable relegation battle.

The hulking figures of Matt Murray and George Elokobi on the touch line, pre kick off, had fans in good spirits before what was certainly going to be a season defining game. An unfortunate broken leg in the game against Birmingham ruled out our 15-goal striker, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. It forced Dean Saunders to slot in what was, on the face of it, quite a surprising addition in the face of Stephen Ward, a man who, to many Wolves fans, seemed extradited along with Berra and Foley. He fitted in at left midfield behind the ever present and astonishingly consistent Jack Robinson, an odd move, considering Peszko, Hammill and Dicko were available to play. So with the calm head, and rather perfect hair, of Dorus De Vries in goal, the back four was Doherty, Gorkss and Johnson in the middle, who seem to be Saunders’ preferred partnership, and the aforementioned Jack Robinson at left back. The under pressure Jamie O’Hara was paired alongside Karl Henry in the midfield, with two Stephens on the wing in Ward and Hunt. Gorgeous Bjorn and Kevin Doyle were the preferred pair up top for Dean Saunders’ team

Two changes from the last minute draw at home to Peterborough saw Steven Gerrard’s younger cousin, Anthony, come in for Murray Wallace, along with Adam Clayton, who displaced the Scot, Scott Arfield. Huddersfield lined up with a diamond in the midfield, Oliver Norwood, Oscar Gobern, Adam Clayton and Neil Danns were the four cogs in Mark Robins’ midfield. James Vaughan and the influential Sean Scannell made up the front two. The back four consisted of the young, up and coming Alex Smithies between the sticks with Gerrard and Clarke at the back, Paul Dixon and Callum Woods occupied the full back positions.

Fear, nervousness, anxiousness, jitters, call them what you wish, they were all allayed inside 4 minutes when Sigurdarson drove forward through the heart of the Huddersfield midfield, passing the clambering Oliver Norwood to slide an inch perfect pass to Kevin Doyle out onto the left hand side, who took a few touches and whipped a venomous, accurate cross to the overlapping Stephen Ward, who slotted home from 8 yards out, needless to say, Molineux erupted at the sight of this somewhat questionable introduction giving Wolves a deserved lead.

Now, if you are reading this and you are not a regular visitor to the Molineux, then you won’t understand why, at 1-0. The aforementioned jitters seem to seep there way back in through the very bricks of the golden bowl. At the start of play, Wolves dropped 19 points from winning positions at home this season. 19 points that would see them comfortably in the top 6 with 67 points, it is astonishing really. So as Huddersfield picked the ball out their own net, the celebrations were there, they were. But you couldn’t help but feel that there was a tinge of nervousness just brushing the crowd as the ball was placed on the centre spot once more.

We had 86 minutes to try to either defend a one goal lead or continue with our vicious, attack dog like intent and go and get number 2, 3 or, dare we even say it, number 4. Things were looking even better, when it took 20 minutes for The Terriers to create their first real opportunity, when Oliver Norwood floated a high ball in from 30 yards out to James Vaughan who busted the proverbial gut in order to get a toe to it. He did, but it was just a toe and the chance went just wide after some good containing from the chasing Roger Johnson.

Wolves’ opportunities on goal increased when Sigurdarson burst down the right hand side, cut in, Arjen Robben-esque and beat two of the Huddersfield defenders to slide a ball to an open Karl Henry, who fluffed the shot completely. The missed opportunities were piling up for the home side, as we continued to push on. After another 25 yard strike from Kevin Doyle went sailing over Alex Smithies goal. On about the half hour mark Huddersfield found themselves on the right hand side with Sean Scannell he brushed past a committed Matt Doherty who ran in, head first, under the sheer awe of Scannell’s spell-binding step-overs. With Doherty on his arse, Scannell continued forward, parallel to the goal line, the defence, expecting a cross, kept their line and waited for the ball in. The opposite happened, Scannell dropped his shoulder and slotted the ball into the bottom left hand corner from an impossibly acute angle. 30 minutes gone, the score was, predictably, 1-1, see what I mean about those ‘one goal up’ nerves, the worry always comes to fruition.

The pressure from The Terriers increased as Wolves’ shell was well and truly shocked, the impressive Adam Clayton jinked his way through a scrambling Gorkss and a desperate Johnson, it took the goal keeper, Dorus De Vries, probably the only player in the back 5 to be comfortable on the ball to stamp his authority and go right through Clayton and clear the ball away, dispelling some of the tension, for now. In fairness, the pressure from Huddersfield dispelled until Keith Stroud blew his whistle.

As the half time pies, tea and beer were being purchased the usual moans and groans rang around the ground, “Why did we not capitalise on that early goal?”, “Why did we let Huddersfield back into the game?” and “We really are our own worst enemy”.

The second half was under way and Wolves found that hunger and intent that rewarded them with a first half goal. Hunt’s ball in was punched away by a confident Alex Smithies. Bjorn Sigurdarson flick on to his partner Kevin Doyle was seen as a good chance until Peter Clarke forced the ball out. And when Stephen Ward drove at the opposition defenders and played a reverse ball to an impressive Matt Doherty who lofted a good ball in and Kevin Doyle found him self facing away from the goal, he chested it down and set up an oncoming Bjorn Sigurdarson who fired miles over. It seemed that all these wasted chances were piling up, sound familiar?

An hour had passed and Wolves were looking on top, chance after chance after chance had passed yet the score remained at 1-1. Both managers had kept their cards close to their chests, Mark Robins was the first to make a move, he brought on Keith Southern for the impressive Oscar Gobern, his second substitute was to be the game changer, Sean Scannell’s identical and less effective twin, Neil Danns, was brought off for the 29 year old journey man, Jermaine Beckford, the loanee striker from Leicester City.

To say he had an instant impact would be an understatement, once again it began by Sean Scannell running at our defenders, he had already by passed Sigurdarson and Matt Doherty was his next target, the young right back contained Scannell well and forced the ball out for a corner. The resulting corner was swung in, Gorkss and co were far too slow to react to the ball bouncing around the 6 yard box after De Vries had made an impressive point blank save from the head of James Vaughan. Unfortunately, Jermaine Beckford was there, sharp as a razor, to smash the ball into the roof of the net and subsequently dampen every single Wanderers fans sprit.

The defending was brittle and lazy, Beckford was quicker to react than any of our players. Things were about to get worse, O’Hara lost possession incredibly easily and for a third time, Sean Scannell was running at our back four, like a repetitive nightmare that Johnson and Gorkss could not awake from. Scannell saw the run of Beckford behind Johnson, who was completely unaware of the striker. The aforementioned forward received an inch perfect pass from Scannell, Beckford waited for Gorkss to go down and chipped a delicious ball over a flapping Dorus De Vries. Boos rang around Molineux as Beckford wheeled away to celebrate, the sense of disbelief in the ground was palpable. The anger was vitriolic towards everyone, 42 games’ of frustration that could ultimately lead in successive relegations for our beloved club was being aired. Can you blame them?

Wolves had only just picked the ball out the net and put it back on the centre spot when Jamie O’Hara did the foolish thing of raising his arms to an oncoming Keith Southern. Stroud had no choice but to go to his back pocket and dismiss O’Hara who was clearly angry and shaken by what happened. It was 5 seconds of madness, but it was 5 seconds that could define our season. “You’re not fit to wear the shirt” was the chant of choice as our combative midfielder trudged off for an early shower, like a child who had been told to go to his room.

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With 15 minutes to go, Wolves were two goals and a man down. Could it be done? Well no, it could not. Wolves, for the remaining 15 minutes, looked utterly deflated and devoid of any, sort of fight, desire or even Wolves fans favourite buzz word, passion. Huddersfield looked utterly content to let us have the ball. Without Blake, Wolves lacked a spearhead, we lacked our own Jermaine Beckford that was clear for all to see. The introduction of Hammill, Dicko and Doumbia in the space of 5 minutes did nothing to inject much needed zip and flair to the team.

Keith Stroud blew his whistle after a surprising addition of 6 minutes injury time. Wolves offered nothing of merit in the final 15 minutes, it was a limp and rather drab ending to the game. Glorious failure it was not. The jeers, boos and chants were louder than ever, for once they were directed towards the team and not to the men in the boardroom and rightly so. The 10 men of Wolves failed to take hold the initiative and press forward, they didn’t even try. That was the worst part about it.

Wolves’ lack of depth really was exposed, we have one goal scoring striker, just one. And he was sat at his home with his leg in a brace, McAlinden was on the bench but can he really be relied on to push Wolves away from the perilous, sometimes unreal, position we are in? There are 4 games to go, the visit of Hull on Tuesday night will be an extremely tough test, Steve Bruce has them playing some fantastic football, how much would Wolves fans swap Bruce for Saunders right now. He was so close to managing us but turned it down because he was offered Wolves’ remaining 13 Premier Leagues. Mind you, hindsight is a wonderful thing. Charlton are the team next to face Dean Saunders’ men at The Valley, winnable yes, but Chris Powell has got his men playing well and are in brilliant form, coming off the back of a staggering 6-0 win at Barnsley. The last home game is against Sean Dyche’s Burnley and then we travel to the south coast to promotion chasing Brighton on the 4th May. It could be all done and dusted by then, Wolves could be down or we could have performed a minor miracle and managed to avoid successive relegations.

If we are all honest with each other though, Jermaine Beckford introduction and his two instinctive strikes may have just sent Wolves plunging into the abyss.

Not much has been able to dampen Liverpool fans’ spirits due to the team’s impressive form, which has led them to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

However, at the weekend, the Reds’ following came down with a thud when a 2-0 lead against West Bromwich Albion was thrown away at The Hawthorns.

Danny Ings and Mohamed Salah put the visitors ahead inside 71 minutes, but the team slipped up in the final 10 minutes by conceding goals from Jake Livermore and Salomon Rondon.

Many felt that the Baggies should have been down to 10 men following an off-the-ball incident involving Ings and Ahmed Hegazi.

In the first half, following a tussle between the pair, TV cameras picked up footage of the West Brom defender appearing to punch Ings’s chest while the striker was on the ground.

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The referee did not see the incident at the time, and an FA three-person panel reviewed the footage but could not unanimously agree that it was worthy of a red card.

As a result, Hegazi escaped punishment, which has left Liverpool fans feeling furious.

James Tomkins – To most West Ham fans who have been frequenting Upton Park regularly in the past few seasons, the 26-year-old defender has simply been a rock at the back for his respective managers in the claret & blue.

Alongside the likes of Winston Reid and James Collins in West Ham’s current defensive set-up, Sam Allardyce has been able to rely upon Tomkins for his characteristic reliability at the back, as well as his impressive consistency on a week-to-week basis.

Away from the comfort of his own fans in the east end however, the Hammers academy graduate more often than not goes down as a somewhat indifferent prospect, and a player that has hardly managed to capture the widespread attention of the English footballing community so far in his career.

So then, whilst Roy Hodgson’s England squad currently plays host to perhaps the weakest set of centre-backs the country has ever paid witness to, does the West Ham no. 5 deserve to be included within the national team sooner rather than later, or is James Tomkins simply no more than an average English defender who will never likely offer his nation a great deal going into Euro 2016?

The answer seemingly arrives as a slightly complicated one…

When it comes to quality defending in the Premier League, the Basildon born centre-back has certainly staked a worthy claim for himself whilst representing the Hammers in recent years. The beginning of his West Ham career may have included an untimely relegation under the ill-fated reign of Avram Grant at Upton Park – but as a year away from the attention and pressure of top-flight football often does the world of good for young, up and coming players in the modern game – Tomkins has largely emerged from his team’s past struggles as a much better player.

In traditionally British style, the 26-year-old initially arrives as a no nonsense type defender. He is more than capable of bossing most aerial battles the Premier League has to offer, can pull out the odd match saving tackle in an exciting against all odds fashion – and whilst his concentration levels have somewhat let the West Ham man down on occasion this season – overall James Tomkins proves a more than worthy first team starter for Sam Allardyce.

The former England U21 international is also pretty handy with his feet when the time comes – as unlike most of the other centre-backs Allardyce has had the pleasure of working with throughout his long-term managerial career – Tomkins can actually operate as a well-rounded ‘footballer’ rather than just a brave, but technically limited ‘defender’.

Whilst James Tomkins has currently been side-lined with a recent shoulder injury in the past few weeks, it certainly remains curious as to why the English national team have never seen fit to at least try out his services before.

2013/14 saw the Hammers record one of the most impressive defensive records across the entire league campaign after-all, and although this season Tomkins and co. haven’t been quite as efficient at recording those all-important clean sheets for their manager, West Ham have still operated successfully with their overall defensive game.

Perhaps this is just another case of Roy Hodgson failing to pick players based on recent form, instead opting to fall-back on those who ultimately play for a more high profile outfit than the Hammers. Fair enough, Gary Cahill just about deserves a call-up to the national squad after his recent endeavours with Chelsea, but the prospect of facing the likes of Phil Jagielka, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling for other international teams must come as somewhat of a joke to certain strikers out there.

Their recent performances this season simply don’t warrant an almost guaranteed place in the England squad – yet as Hodgson has so far kept in line with the trend of prioritising players from big teams before the less commercially viable options lower down the table – perhaps nothing is likely to change for the likes of James Tomkins anytime soon.

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As the loyal Hammers centre-back has recently signed a new deal with his boyhood club however, England’s loss has seemingly become West Ham’s gain in all of this, as the east end club look to push onto to life at the Olympic Stadium in the not too distant future.

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Rio Ferdinand has been in the headlines this week after being recalled to the England squad, only to pull out citing a ‘pre-planned fitness programme’ at Manchester United.

The fact that he’s now off to Qatar to appear as a pundit for al-Jazeera has only fanned the flames as people question how good a seven hour flight will be for his bad back.

The animosity between Ferdinand and his country has been brewing for a while now after the defender first wouldn’t play with Chelsea’s John Terry and then Roy Hodgson was filmed telling members of the public that his international career was over.

This wasn’t always the case in the England camp however, and above, Ferdinand shares a few jokes with his Premier League rivals and international team mates John Terry and Steven Gerrard. The question is, just what are they laughing about?

Come up with a caption for this image and you can win a copy of  ‘Inside the Divide: One City, Two Teams… The Old Firm’ by Richard Wilson. Click here to enter

Since 1888, Rangers and Celtic football clubs have been locked into an intense and frequently explosive rivalry: Rangers the product of West Scotland’s Protestant establishment, Celtic the team founded to raise money for the Catholic underclass of Glasgow.

On 2 January 2010 the two teams met in the Old Firm’s New Year Derby, a fixture that had been banned for ten years because of the trouble it brought with it.

Richard Wilson puts that game at the centre of a book which delves into the history and widens out to the cultural resonance of the fixture within Scotland.

It is a potent mix of close-up observation and big-picture thinking, with insight, understanding and depth.

 

For the FootballFanCast.com Caption Competition Terms and Conditions click here

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Everton fans are applauding the form of veteran defender Phil Jagielka after the 35 year-old helped keep a clean sheet against Liverpool.

Jagielka has made over 300 league appearances for Everton since his move from Sheffield United back in 2007, and fans are delighted with his return to the team.

The England international missed some time with injury after Christmas, and since his return the Toffees have kept two clean sheets in four games and picked up seven points.

Of course, the veteran centre back’s return coincided with the returns of Seamus Coleman and Leighton Baines, so the improvement in the defensive displays isn’t just down to Jagielka, but his presence in the heart of defence has certainly helped.

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Most of all, his experience and composure seems to have made a positive impact on young defender Michael Keane, who has struggled at times this season.

Ashley Williams took plenty of flak from fans during his spell in the team, and it’s clear fans are much happier now “Jags” is back in the side.

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Fans have been discussing who is to thank for the improved defensive displays, and the overriding majority are opting for the former Sheffield United man.

Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…

Transfer deadline day. Traditionally chaos. In the fancy north London pub I was sitting in, it was no different.

A free bar is flowing as fans, journalists and ex-players collide in a maddening constant whirl of energy, chewing the fat over every last morsel of speculation and gossip.

It is a delight to pull myself away from this and get the chance too, in a quieter corner, talk to a man who has seen it all far too many times before. Someone who is too experienced to get too shocked, surprised or disappointed by it all.

Peter Reid. An England international midfielder and a man with 40 years of experience in football.

Two decades playing with over 500 first-team games, most notably winning the FA Cup with Everton in 1984. Two decades in management have followed including spells at Manchester City and Sunderland. Both longer than my entire lifespan. Not bad.

Now long established as prominent figure in British football, we got to know Peter at the Ladbrokes #ForTheFans Transfer Deadline Day party.

Ladbrokes invited Ian Wright, Chris Kamara, Peter Reid, Jason McAteer and 50 fans to a north London pub to take part in the Ladbrokes #ForTheFans Transfer Deadline Day party, fans were treated to free bets, the latest reaction to transfer moves and news by our panel of legends, a singing Kammy and a free bar to keep the night flowing.

Naturally, given that Peter’s playing and managerial careers have both individually been longer than my entire life, I ask which one are you more proud of?

PR: That’s always difficult because first and foremost playing is the best – you go into management when you can’t play. The brain’s still there but the legs go. Even though I had ups and downs in my playing career with injuries where I was out for longer periods of time, I would give a million pounds to go back and be fit enough to play 90 mins on a football pitch. Playing for me was the ultimate – I still try and knock about in 5 a side – it’s hard work!

FFC: Would Everton be the number 1 club you would want to go back to if you had the choice?

PR: I think when you have success, I started at Bolton Wanderers and played for some really big clubs like Man City but at Everton I had a lot of a success. That’s my team if you like yes.

FFC: People often seem to forget given the razzmatazz of the Premier League that there is life outside it. Do you think more needs to be done to protect clubs in the Football League and below financially?

PR: For me, yes. It’s the lifeblood, clubs like Plymouth, Bury, Oldham. When you look through the history of football, these clubs are the lifeblood, and the community. Besides the football part of it, it’s the community side of it.

I think there should be a further spread of the money down there, I know MK Dons are getting a few quid for selling a player now (Delle Ali) and that will keep them going for a while. Certainly I think the gap is always widening between the Premier League and the Football League.

FFC: Speaking of the lower Leagues as the lifeblood of football you must be pleased to see your old club Plymouth somewhat solid?

PR: Yes they are, it was a precarious time (when Reid was there), it looked like the club might go to the wall, which for a club like that… I played there for Bolton Wanderers I went there many a time and it was always a passionate club. It’s way down there (Reidy takes us on a geography lesson) I think it’s the A38 you get off the M5 that goes on for ages (cheers Reidy) and the Plymouth fans, I’ve got to say, are fantastic.

The away support they get with the amount they have to travel so, so long so many miles and I think they’re a credit to football. When you talk about a fairer share of the (TV) money I think Plymouth Argyle are a great example because it keeps football going down in Devon and Cornwall, in that area. Obviously Exeter and Torquay are down there too so I don’t wanna upset everyone so it’s just a great part of the country, and a great football part of the country.

FFC: On this topic do you feel enough of the Premier League TV deal goes to the grassroots, it is currently 5%, as I have seen you campaigning about this on twitter?

PR: I have yes. Patently it is not enough. I understand that football clubs are big business and the model of the Premier League works commercially but has the Bundesliga got it right where fans own 50% of clubs and it get passed down, that’s open for debate. One thing that isn’t is that we’ve got to get good facilities for our kids to play on week in and week out.

FFC: Going back to lower League clubs as an FA Cup winner did you enjoy seeing the recent spate of cup upsets?

PR: Well I was in India doing the Super League and my brother (Shaun), who is manager of Warrington Town, who beat Exeter. Nothing against Exeter but I thought that was the magic of the FA Cup. When you get results like (Middles)’borough going to Man City and getting a result and Chelsea getting beat at home by Bradford I think that’s what the FA Cup is about.

I know the Premier League clubs are strong and big clubs but I just think there’s a magic about the FA Cup and long may it continue. (Amen to that, we are disrupted by a fan behind me shouting, and it’s hard to disagree)

FFC: I suppose surprise results like this recently are important in reminding the younger generation of that magic of the FA Cup so it doesn’t get lost?

PR: Well yes, I was at the game when Wigan beat Manchester City in the final and it’s still that belief, that a team that’s not one of the big ones can go in and win a major final. Not matter what anyone says about the FA Cup and I know certain teams don’t put their best sides out it’s still an absolutely fantastic competition.

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FFC: Do you think when people say things like ‘oh well Wigan would much rather have stayed in the Premier League’ that’s a disrespect to the FA Cup?

PR: Yes without a doubt because whilst they failed to stay up at the end of the day they’ve won the FA Cup. I just think you take what you have – in football there are winners and losers. That day, I tell you now you go and ask Wigan Athletic fans what they think of that day and it will be the best days of their lives.

FFC: Finally you won the FA Cup with Everton and they are probably the club you are most closely associated with, what do you make of their season at the moment?

PR: I think they’ve had a couple of injuries to influential players – McCarthy has been a miss. I think Besic has been a good buy, looks a decent player. Lukaku – I still think he’ll get better. It hasn’t been a great season, whether it’s being in the Europa League some people will say, I’m not one of them. I think as many competitions as you want, get in there. Come on you Blues!

FFC: Kevin Mirallas – a man much discussed through the transfer speculation, what did you make of that infamous penalty incident?

PR: Well listen I was at the West Brom game when this (the penalty incident) happened, but if I was Leighton Baines I’d have said ‘give me it’. I don’t mind players having an argument about things like that, I think it’s good. I know there’s all this stuff written by journalists and on the TV about ‘oh no, he shouldn’t have done it’ – he took the ball, he was confident, he missed it, move on.

Cheers Peter, you have brought a voice of calm, reason and experience to a scene of bedlam.

Peter Reid speaking at the Ladbrokes #ForTheFans Transfer Deadline Day party.