Roy Hodgson sent out his side for their first competitve game of his tenure tonight. The red-half of Liverpool came back down to Earth with a bang, as they travelled to play FK Rabotnicki. You know, FK Rabotnicki, that Macedonian powerhouse of a side. No okay, I  hadn’t heard of them either, but none of that matters as Liverpool swept them aside thanks to two goals from forgotten front man David Ngog. The French youngster scored in both halves to give Liverpool a comfortable away win in the Europa League Qualifying match. A win that should see them set-up to finish the job at Anfield in the second-leg.

Hodgson has of course trodden this path before, managing Fulham to the Europa League final last season. But whilst managing Fulham to the final was a great success, anything but managing Liverpool to the final would be a failure. Although if going out of this competition would improve their Premiership chances then the fans would ditch this European glory in a second. The Europa League is not where the big boys want to be.

For his first meaningful match at the helm, Hodgson did not have Steven Gerrard or Fernando Torres in his squad. In fact the side he picked contained a lot of youngsters and that may be the way he continues to pursue the Europa League title. After all, a few of the players that have got Liverpool off to such a good start, may not make the manager’s final Premiership 25. Or maybe he was giving a run out to players who are on the verge of being included, such as Jay Spearing and Martin Kelly.

Apart from Ngog, the only other recognisable potential starters in the EPL were Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Lucas, Agger and Aquliani. The man in charge will be hoping that with plenty of game time under his belt, Aquilani will become a real Liverpool asset for the future. Particularly with Javier Mascherano looking to leave. Although Aqulani is not defensive in nature, and should Roy Hodgson want to emply a holding midfielder he may have to look outside his squad to obtain one.

So the Reds go marching on. How much emphasis the boss places on this competiton remains to be seen, but Hodgson will always field a well organised side, looking to win the game. The games tend to get more koudos attached to them and to engender more interest when the Champions League failed sides drop in to the tournament. After the first round of group games in the Champions League, the sides that get knocked out, get a second bite of the European cherry as they are entered in to the Europa League.

photo credit: Free-ers

After a season in the wilderness under Tony Mowbray, could Celtic be on their way back? And when I say on their way back, I don’t just mean in the SPL, I mean as a competitve force in Europe. Neil Lennon took over at the end of March and his side won all eight of their remaining league games to finish just six points off fierce rivals Rangers. Lennon clearly has something the players like, as they played out the season for him full of committment. Lennon was a hard nosed but fair player, who is remembered as a typically no nonsense British midfielder. Well maybe taking no nonsense is what has turned the Green half of Glasgow around, but then Mowbray was no Mr Nice Guy.

In the close season so far Lennon has added six new players to his squad. The latest being 22 year old  Gary Hooper who signed from Scunthorpe United this week. Hooper joins from English football along with Daryl Murphy (Sunderland) and Joe Ledley (Cardiff City). Ledley is a real coup for Lennon and he beat off a lot of competition in the English top flight to sign the talented young Welshman. The Celtic boss has also been out and bought Aberdeen’s Charlie Mulgrew and right-sided Korean Cha-Du-Ri.

Along with the rest of the squad that remain from last season, they all travel to Portugal this week to play Braga in the first leg of a European tie. The Hoops have a Champions League third qualifying round match to try to make it to the group stages. An away goal and a draw will be most welcome with the second-leg at Celtic Park on August 4. Lennon will be desperate to get his charges to the group stages and to show what his team can do on the biggest stage. Whatever happens in Europe, I expect the Irishman’s side to be a real threat to Rangers again this term. It will come down to the results against each other, as it has done in many a season in the SPL.

I fancy Lennon to bring home what could be the first of many league titles come May. Winning the Scottish league requires a good man manager, and somebody who can get the best out of a very mixed bunch of players. If Lennon can continue where he left off last term, he will be causing concerns down at Ibrox. Lennon’s one concern is whether with in Hooper, he can replace the hole left by Robbie Keane who doesn’t look to be returning to Glasgow for next season. Along with Hooper, Murphy is an attack minded player and Ledley has a great eye for a pass. There is another common denominator too. You wouldn’t want to come across any of them in a dark alley. Lennon may be creating his team in his own self image, but that may be no bad thing.

photo credit: og2t // ou gee tew tee

You may not have noticed, but the Uefa Champions League is already under way with the third qualifying round scheduled for the coming weeks. In the draw are some teams that have made a big splash in the European competitions of the past.

Celtic were the first ever British winners of the famous trophy. The team that brought the title home from Portugal are known as the Lisbon Lions. Defeated by Jock Stein’s Celtic in the Estadio Nacional that day were current champions Inter Milan. Every one of the starting line-up for the hoops in Lisbon was born on home soil, something that we will never see again. Celtic take on Braga in the third qualifying round this week.

Ajax of Amsterdam, four time winners of the European Cup also play in the qualifiers. The Dutch side play on 28 July at home to PAOK from Greece with the second-leg on 4 August. AFC Ajax’s most recent triumph in Europe was in 1973. In front of nearly 90, 000 fans in Belgrade, they edged the game 1-0 sending Juventus home as the losing side. On the field for Ajax that day were several Dutch masters who made it to World Cup finals with Holland, including Johan Neeskens and Johan Cruyff. In fact there was one solitary German in the victorious Ajaz team along side 10 men from Holland.

Young Boys who play in the Swiss Premier haven’t won the trophy, but reached the semi-finals in 1959. The club are steeped in history and tradition, and their unusual name always made them stand-out in European club football. The club have seen a down turn in success in recent years however, and they haven’t won a  domestic honour in nearly a quarter of a century. The Bern side play Fenerbahce in the third qualifying round, hoping to make it to the Group stages of the Champions League.

Anderlecht have drawn Welsh side TNS in the qualifying stages. TNS made it past Irish side Bohemians to set-up this big tie against the Belgian giants. Anderlecht won the European Cup Winners’ Cup twice in the seventies. They followed that up by winning the European Super Cup in both those seasons. They also tasted Uefa Cup glory in 1983 defeating a Benfica side managed by Sven-Goran Eriksson. They have yet to add the biggest competition in Europe to their honour role, and have a good chance of progressing to the group stages this time around.

Clubs are not only playing for the prestige, they are obviously competing for the right to a big payday. Playing in the group stages of the tournament is a welcome financial bonus for those that make it.

photo credit: FaceMePLS

Why do the media ask every player who is nearing retirement or has recently retired, if they are going to become a manager? Is it because they want another few years to have a pop at them and to make headlines from their failure? Or is it because they naively don’t undertstand what it takes to be a manager? In fact, if you look at the most successful managers in modern football, they are men who never had a prominent and lengthy playing career.

Brian Clough’s playing days ended at the young age of 29 through injury. The young Clough did finish with an excellent strike rate for both Hartlepool and Sunderland but didn’t set the footballing world alight. But Clough, who is to this day remembered as the greatest English manager never to have managed England, had an impeccable managerial record. Clough took a languishing Derby County up in to the top division in England and surprised the rest by leading his side to the Division One (now the Premier League) title. Clough went on to lead an unfashionable Nottingham Forest side to back to back European Cup successes.

The one manager still in a job today who can hold a candle to Clough, is Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson. Ferguson was a good striker in his day too, but for one reason or another ended up being a jorneyman player in the Scottish league. He appeared in major domestic finals, but ended up on the losing side. Contrast is playing days with his career in management. The Scot has won just about everything you can win in the game. Along with the Scottish First Division crown at St Mirren, he has won Scottish cup, Scottish Premier League, English cup and English Premier League titles. He also has six victories in Europe to his credit.

Arsene Wenger is another very successful manager who never had a glittering playing career. One thing these men also have in common though is time. they were all given the time they needed to learn their trade and to bring success to their clubs. One thing a player who decides to become a young manager today can be sure of, is that he won’t get much time. It takes a brave chairman to stand behind his choice with the pressure for success that comes from the board room and the terraces. Brian’s son Nigel Clough spent several years in the non-league as manager of Burton Albion learning his trade. The young Clough knew that if he went straight in to football league management he would have very little chance to succeed.

The reason a lot of players become managers is because they don’t know anything else. Starting on the back foot is no way to start a career with the big boys and will see many flounder. The only ones that do make it through need to find that rare breed that is a suportive and brave chairman. Roy Keane appears to be one of the lucky ones, with Marcus Evans backing him through good and bad. Or maybe the Ipswich supremo is is just too scared to sack him.

photo credit: Matt and Kim Rudge

Many new soccer fans are born during World Cup competitions. With hours and hours of soccer coverage on the television you begin to become partial to watching it at some level. The following seasons used to be a bit of a come down , but now domestic football around the world is played to an excellent standard. We have lots more top flight games with the best players involved in, to enjoy.

The MLS is already in full flow, and the teams have started battling it out, heading towards the MLS Cup final in November. The quality of the football is getting better and better in the league with many major stars now heading to America to play their soccer.  The big players who were at the World Cup though, mainly play in Europe. If you are new to soccer, you can watch the English Premier League and other big European leagues on network TV regularly now. One team you may enjoy following were last seasons best team in Europe, Inter Milan of Italy. Internazionale as they are also known, beat Germany’s Bayern Munich in the European Champions League final.

Many of the USA World Cup squad play in Europe. International stars Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey play in Spain and England respectively. USA players play in many other leagues too. And not just top flight leagues, with Jay DeMerit spending the last few seasons in the npower Championship in England.

As a new fan you have it all ahead of you. People are always saying things were greater in their day, so go look. It’s a lot of fun learning about the history of soccer. I am very jealous of the fun you will have learning all about it as new. Get your knowledge up to scratch on greatest ever goal scorers and most influential players, and you will be able to have hours of fun speculating about who were the best.

If you had fun watching the Spanish lift the trophy, their league season begins in late August. The two best domestic sides in Spain, are Barcelona and Real Madrid. They are both very famous clubs. Spain had seven Barcelona players in their World Cup winning side, with three from Real Madrid and one from Villarreal (left-back Capdevila).

So welcome soccer fan, you will soon find your feet. Be careful though, this game can be cruel. Us seasoned professionals keep coming back for more however, even when our teams don’t win anything season after season. But as you have found recently, you can’t help falling in love with this game. And because we love it, we forgive it time and time again.

photo credit: dheuer

Serie A fans who follow their team home and away will have three new grounds to visit this season, and three new cities. Brescia, Lecce and Cesena were all promoted from Serie B last time out to take their places in the top flight. Lecce were the champions of the Italian second division and finished just one point clear of Cesena. The team from the south have spent 26 seasons in the second-tier. Things at the top of the division last season were very tight all round in fact, with Cesena and Lecce only a win clear of third place Brescia. Deservedly, Brescia made it to the big time through the playoffs.

Lecce fans will be excited to welcome some of the biggest names in Italian football to the Stadio via del Mare this season. The ground holds just over 36,000 spectators, so is equipped for top flight football. Bari are their nearest rivals geographically in Serie A.

Cesena sits at the foot of the Apennines in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. If you are looking for an idyllic away day to make a weekend of, this could be the one. Bologna is their local derby now they have been promoted. One of Cesena’s most famous former players is Paulo Silas who played for Brazil 36 times between 1986 and 1992. Cesena most notably last season did the double over both Brescia and Champions Lecce.

Brescia Calcio have been here before. They spent five seasons in the top flight between 2000 and 2005. their highest finish during this time was eight in their first season. They have got closer and closer to promotion in recent years finishing 6th, 5th, 4th and then 3rd in successive seasons in the second division. Brescia have retired the number ten shirt in honour of their most famous son, one of the greatest Italian footballers, Roberto Baggio. As famous for his hairstyle as his football, the one time Fifa World Player of the year is known in his native Italy as The Divine Ponytail. Baggio played at the Stadio Mario Rigamonti for Brescia between 2000 and 2004, scoring 45 goals in 95 appearances for the club. Brescia is in the far North of Italy in the Lombardy region. Amongst its neighbours are the powerhouses of AC and Inter Milan.

Parma and Bari showed last season that you can be promoted from Serie B and hold your own. However, both these clubs have a history of playing in Serie A, and Parma are a big club in Italy. Livorno were promoted with Parma and Bari last season, and they finished rock bottom. The Italain minnow lost 23 out of 38 league games. All three of the promoted sides are going to find it tough, but Brescia may be able to draw on past experience. Their success depends on their ability to strengthen their squads in the coming weeks, before the season kicks-off.

photo credit: anne.oeldorfhirsch

Fulham has risen to a new level of success by reaching the Europa League final.  They’ll play Atletico Madrid today in Hamburg for the trophy and it seems that they may have carved a brand new direction for themselves under the leadership of Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson even has a role model–which is very helpful since so many coaches are SO egotistical:

“To follow a manager like Bobby Robson would be fantastic because as you know, we were friends for many years.  He was a great man, a great manager and it would be very nice to think I could follow him.”

“I was very proud to get to that final with Inter but I’m even prouder to be here with Fulham because we were much less fancied in the tournament than Inter were in 1997.”

“Secondly we’ve had a tougher passage to the final. When I think back to the teams Inter eliminated along the way, they weren’t the big names that we’ve beaten here. I’m hoping the bad memories of 1997 will be expunged by a good victory.”

I like that Hodgson has a little melancholy guiding him and that he doesn’t forget the past even though he doesn’t let it eat him up.  I think that’s a big distinction for people to understand.

Some guys live in the past and never come back.  Other guys just go back there when they need a little motivation. 

That motivation should take Fulham over the top.

Fulham-3   Atletico – 2

photo credit: nicksarebi

Steven Pienaar is just minding his own business at Everton, but it seems that Rafa Benitez is ready to raid Everton and get the upper hand in signing Pienaar this summer.

For me this indicates that Rafa is staying in Liverpool despite being offered the Juve job and probably others down the road.  Since he’s going to start buying players I guess it’s only fitting to ask why this guy and why put the news out there now.

It would seem that with Pienaar’s contract not up until next year that there wouldn’t be a whole lot Rafa could do.  Plus, he’s put the news out there so now Pienaar’s agent can put the pressure on Everton to pay up because Liverpool’s desire to sign him has produced leverage.

How does this translate for Liverpool? 

Fernando Torres has complained all year that the Reds don’t have enough good players.  So, signing Pienaar seems like a necessity and that would mean that Torres will be happy.

Not signing Pienaar means that Torres will be pissed again and we’ll be right back where we started.  And that brings me to my larger point.

If Fernando Torres is controlling the emotional climate in Liverpool then why is their slogan “You’ll Never Walk Alone”?  It seems to me that Torres is perfectly prepared to walk alone without his teammates because every second that he’s fuming over not having players he’s discounting the players that are already on his team.

So, that might make Torres a bad teammate, but does that completely kill the atmosphere in Liverpool?  It could.  It’s not a locker room “cancer” yet, but it could be.  Hating on your teammates and wanting “new guys” is bound to produce some discontent.

However, getting one guy and being happy would be nice for Torres.  He can shut up and the Reds can play on.

That’s all they need really.

photo credit: Jofus | JoeTheDough

Juventus has really gotten serious about Rafa Benitez.  They gave him a 10-day deadline to decide if he wants to come to Serie A and take over the powerhouse or stay at Liverpool.

Well, this means two things to me:

1.  They REALLY want you.

2.  Get the hell out of dodge!

There is no reason in the world to give someone a deadline unless you just REALLY want them to come and you’re afraid they’ll string you along because they know how badly you want them.  It’s an easy way to get abused–so the Italians gave Rafa a deadline.

Well, the EPL season isn’t exactly over and Rafa has some hard choices to make.  Stay with a mismanaged club or go somewhere where you’re really wanted?

Ummm, go where they want you!

I’ve talked in this space before about how badly managed Liverpool is and about they do not handle their business.  Well, if Rafa wants to redeem himself AND go somewhere where the management might have a clue–he needs to go to Juve.

Now, I’m not saying Juventus is perfect.  In fact, their management might be stupid too.  However, Rafa already knows what he’s got in Liverpool–and it ain’t good.

Would this seem like a betrayal because of Liverpool’s Europa League status and general “bad play” all year?  No.

If the management truly does suck and Rafa is much better than what we’ve seen then he needs to find greener pastures.  Liverpool can find a new manager–but Rafa cannot find a new career.  Every second he spends under poor management in Liverpool just makes him look bad.

Clearly, their slogan “You’ll Never Walk Alone” doesn’t apply to Rafa since he’s been on an island all season taking the blame for everything and it seems I’m the only person who called out their management too.

Rafa, go to Italy and get it over with.  You should take the second-chance Juve is giving you.

photo credit: Crystian Cruz

This Fergie is WAY more interesting.

Just a note–while I am in the “media” I don’t consider myself a serious journalist or a part of the “press”.  The “press” seems so much more serious than me and I’m just not “hardcore” like that.  So, I’m not taking this personally–I’m just saying.

Fergie says:

“It is hard to understand the press.  Someone told me that coming back from the Champions League final in Rome last year they were all delighted on the press bus that we lost. They were absolutely pleased that we lost; the English press.”

“The person who told me was disgusted. That is a fact. He had no reason to lie to me. Our performance on Wednesday was fantastic. At 3-0 it could have been 5-0. We were magnificent. Absolutely magnificent. But that gets lost just because people want a headline out of what I said about the Germans. That is disgusting because the players deserved some praise.”

Ok, some free advice for Sir Alex:

You don’t get to tell the press what they should and should not like.  You’re the Barry Bonds of Soccer.  Everyone loves to hate you because you’re such a bad-sport and a curmudgeon that NO ONE cares what you think or even really likes you.

The press has every right to RIDE you for the “typical Germans” comment because it was–essentially–racial in nature.  So, not only are you someone no one wants to be around, but you’re the guy who says whatever he wants and complains when the “disgusting press” reports it.

If you really think Germans are cheats and frauds then you need to come right out and say it.  Actually, you did.  The intent was there.  You were exposed as a bigot and now everyone sees you for who you are.  You don’t get to complain about that.  You were stupid enough to open your mouth.

By the way, because your very rich club has a curmudgeonly Manager–you–and lots of overpaid players you are BOUND to be targeted.  You’re the Yankees of Soccer.  That’s fine, but don’t complain about it.  Make smart, incisive remarks–but don’t complain.

It’s pitiful.  You sound like a child complaining like this.  Get yourself together man.

And you wonder why everyone was so sad that ball went over the crossbar last year…

Typical Fergie…

photo credit: nicogenin