WeeklySport
Showing posts with label football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label football. Show all posts
Monday, 29 December 2014
Friday, 7 November 2014
Luis Suarez - the definitive biography by the Weekly Sport's own Frank Worrall
He's the best striker in world football today – but also the most
controversial. Banned three times for biting opponents including the shameful episode with Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup in
Brazil, Luis Suarez has also been embroiled in a race row with Manchester United’s Patrice Evra and been public enemy number one at the 2010
World Cup after handballing on the line in Uruguay’s quarter-final against Ghana.
Yet on the field he has brought goals galore and glory to every team he has played for. He transformed Liverpool into a title-chasing team in 2013-14. Almost miraculously, he overcame an ankle injury operation to kill off England with two wonderful goals in the 2014 World Cup.
It was the prospect of such remarkable feats that encouraged Spanish giants Barcelona to offer a mind-boggling £75 million for his services in the summer of 2014 despite his four-month ban for biting Chiellini.
Yet what exactly makes this brilliant, but flawed, man tick? What demons
lie behind his cannibal acts, his cheating and his frequent bust-ups with fellow pros, and the clubs and managers who fall over themselves to employ him? Just why is Suarez incapable of steering clear of controversy?
In this first-ever biography of the Uruguayan superstar, renowned footballing biographer Frank Worrall reveals the good, the bad and the downright ugly traits that define Suarez the footballer and Suarez the man.
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Man United gaffer David Moyes is member of God squad
MOYES' FAITH IN CHRISTIANITY
However, in an autobiography Red Card Roy author, Roy McDonough, who played with Moyes in a struggling Cambridge United side in 1984-85 claims that didn't go down to well with him.
Moyes was one of a trio of active Christians at the club, the others being Alan Comfort and Graham Daniels and dubbed by McDonough as "Cambridge's Holy Trinity."
He writes: "The three of them sat in the changing room with a little black book, discussing their beliefs, when they should have been getting psyched up for a relegation scrap.
"I would cut out a lurid tabloid newspaper story and stick it on the noticeboard in front of them saying, 'see that pervert. That's what you will end up like. Vicars messing around with the choir boys.' But they just turned the other cheek."
McDonough admits he "completely lost the plot with the God Squad" after a 3-3 draw at Wigan in which snapping: "I was still in a bad temper after the game, sinking a couple of cans on the coach before launching into a fully blown persecution of the Christians.
"In my mind they were part of the problem. They were too nice on the pitch, not nasty enough to win games, so it was like turning up with eight men each week.
"I battered Moyes first demanding to know why a big ginger Jock from Glasgow Celtic could play with absolutely zero aggression, putting all of his energies into bleating on about Jesus instead.
"Alan Comfort had scored that day, so I gave him a wide berth. But there was no respite for Graham Daniels, who had recently become a father but was out of contract at the end of the season.
He writes: 'And you,' I spewed. 'I'm fighting the world for this team and you're doing nothing. Where is God when we are fighting for our lives and getting beaten every week?
"He's not giving us much help is he? You've no chance of getting an new contract here. Who's going to fend for your baby and put food on the plate?
"Daniels just looked up at the roof of the coach, smiled, and said three words: 'He will provide.' I could have baptized him with a can of beer there and then but I didn't want to waste it. After that I never bothered saying anything again and, and the three of them stuck to their beliefs."
Comfort, who later played for Orient and Middlesbrough, became a vicar. He works in Walthamstow and is Leyton Orient's club chaplain. Daniels is General Director of Christians in Sport.
COPYRIGHT (c) NEWS OF THE WORD
COPYRIGHT (c) NEWS OF THE WORD
Thursday, 9 May 2013
DAVID MOYES: WHY IT COULD WELL END IN TEARS - says Frank Worrall
 |
| Golden handshake from The Boss. |
I THINK it may well end in tears: that David Moyes will find the job too big for him and that he will leave with Fergie stepping back into the brink, just as Sir Matt did all those years ago when Wilf McGuinness failed at Man United.
In my not too humble opinion, there were only two men worthy of the Utd job - Guardiola and Mourinho. Inexplicably, Pep was allowed to join Bayern Munich when everyone in the game knows he hankered after Fergie's job. That leaves Mourinho: he should have been chosen over Moyes.
In my not too humble opinion, there were only two men worthy of the Utd job - Guardiola and Mourinho. Inexplicably, Pep was allowed to join Bayern Munich when everyone in the game knows he hankered after Fergie's job. That leaves Mourinho: he should have been chosen over Moyes.
Worrall's warning to Man U.
Some random points as they zip through my head:
1. Moyes is Utd's Roy Hodgson. Just like old Roy, Utd took him on because he is cheap and he won't upset the applecart. He will keep the majority of the current backroom staff while Jose would have wanted a clean sweep. The Glazers like Moyes because he arrives without having to pay any comp and he costs half what Mou would cost a year.
2. But just as Hodgson is finding the England job a tad too big for him, so Moyes is in for a big shock. I tire of hearing Roy moan about England's lack of players etc - and how he has so tried to convince us we should be grateful to simply qualify for tournaments nowadays. Hodgson is Mr Average: a good boss at West Brom and Fulham, but never big enough for England. Similarly Moyes. Already, I hear people saying he should be given time...that Fergie took three years to bed in. But ask yourself this: would Mourinho ask to be given time? Or would he expect to hit the ground running and win at least one trophy, and probably two, in his first season at Old Trafford? That is the difference: a difference of perception and expectation.
3. If you were a big star in South America, would you want to sign for Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho...or David Moyes? Or would you say, 'who' when Moyes was mentioned?
4. Moyes never won anything at Everton and has a total lack of Champions League experience. Not so Mourinho. We are constantly told Moyes did well at Everton - but he didn't win anything. Yet, on even more limited resources, Michael Laudrup won the League Cup in his first season at Swansea City. I'll admit it: I would rather have Laudrup in the Utd hotseat than Moyes,
5. Why was Bobby Charlton instrumental in choosing Moyes? My sources say it was Sir Bobby and Fergie who decided on Moyes. But Bobby has a renowned antipathy towards Mourinho because he is not the politest of chaps. Well, I am sure any Utd fan would rather have a rough and tumble guy - like Fergie, by the way - than someone who is well versed in the noble arts. And Sir Bobby, for all his talents as one of the greatest footballers ever, was one of the lousiest managers ever when he tried his hand at the tiller of the coal face. Just check out his managerial record. He is hardly qualified to judge managerial potential when he had none himself.
6. Moyes' teams at Everton have always been functional. Never entertaining and cavalier as United fans are used to, and indeed demand.
7. Mourinho was still available when Fergie and Charlton plumped for Moyes. It is a dereliction of duty that - as England did with Hodgson - they installed the wrong man in the hotseat.
As I say, it could well end in tears, with Fergie stepping back in temporarily as Utd try desperately to avoid another repeat of the Busby/McGuiness/O'Farrell farce that dogged the club in the 70s. There's a saying that doing the same thing time after time and expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity - have United indulged in insanity with their appointment of another O'Farrell so many years after the original blunder?
Some random points as they zip through my head:
1. Moyes is Utd's Roy Hodgson. Just like old Roy, Utd took him on because he is cheap and he won't upset the applecart. He will keep the majority of the current backroom staff while Jose would have wanted a clean sweep. The Glazers like Moyes because he arrives without having to pay any comp and he costs half what Mou would cost a year.
2. But just as Hodgson is finding the England job a tad too big for him, so Moyes is in for a big shock. I tire of hearing Roy moan about England's lack of players etc - and how he has so tried to convince us we should be grateful to simply qualify for tournaments nowadays. Hodgson is Mr Average: a good boss at West Brom and Fulham, but never big enough for England. Similarly Moyes. Already, I hear people saying he should be given time...that Fergie took three years to bed in. But ask yourself this: would Mourinho ask to be given time? Or would he expect to hit the ground running and win at least one trophy, and probably two, in his first season at Old Trafford? That is the difference: a difference of perception and expectation.
3. If you were a big star in South America, would you want to sign for Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho...or David Moyes? Or would you say, 'who' when Moyes was mentioned?
4. Moyes never won anything at Everton and has a total lack of Champions League experience. Not so Mourinho. We are constantly told Moyes did well at Everton - but he didn't win anything. Yet, on even more limited resources, Michael Laudrup won the League Cup in his first season at Swansea City. I'll admit it: I would rather have Laudrup in the Utd hotseat than Moyes,
5. Why was Bobby Charlton instrumental in choosing Moyes? My sources say it was Sir Bobby and Fergie who decided on Moyes. But Bobby has a renowned antipathy towards Mourinho because he is not the politest of chaps. Well, I am sure any Utd fan would rather have a rough and tumble guy - like Fergie, by the way - than someone who is well versed in the noble arts. And Sir Bobby, for all his talents as one of the greatest footballers ever, was one of the lousiest managers ever when he tried his hand at the tiller of the coal face. Just check out his managerial record. He is hardly qualified to judge managerial potential when he had none himself.
6. Moyes' teams at Everton have always been functional. Never entertaining and cavalier as United fans are used to, and indeed demand.
7. Mourinho was still available when Fergie and Charlton plumped for Moyes. It is a dereliction of duty that - as England did with Hodgson - they installed the wrong man in the hotseat.
As I say, it could well end in tears, with Fergie stepping back in temporarily as Utd try desperately to avoid another repeat of the Busby/McGuiness/O'Farrell farce that dogged the club in the 70s. There's a saying that doing the same thing time after time and expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity - have United indulged in insanity with their appointment of another O'Farrell so many years after the original blunder?
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
BAYERN SIGN LEWANDOWSKI - says Frank Worrall
HAVE just heard from my friends in Germany that Bayern have also signed Robert Lewandowski, the Dortmund No 9.
That is a double blow for volatile Dortmund boss Klopp just hours before the start of their most important game for a decade.
Surely Bayern aren't trying to nobble their German rivals' chances of success against Real Madrid? Not.
That is a double blow for volatile Dortmund boss Klopp just hours before the start of their most important game for a decade.
Surely Bayern aren't trying to nobble their German rivals' chances of success against Real Madrid? Not.
 |
| Germany Calling : Bayern buy up Lewandowski. |
Tuesday, 23 April 2013
KLOPP RECONSIDERS CHELSEA / MAN CITY MOVE - says Frank Worrall
I HEAR that Jurgen Klopp - the German answer to Mourinho - is suddenly more amenable to talking over a move to Chelsea.
He turned down a request for talks earlier this year as he believed he could take Borussia Dortmund as far as he would Chelsea.
But he has apparently changed his mind after Dortmund agreed to sell their best player - Gotze - to biggest German rivals Bayern Munich.
It makes him feel that others will follow and that he will never catch Bayern if his own club become a selling club.
I had been told that Mourinho was odds on to return to the Bridge - but this may now blow the whole thing apart.
He turned down a request for talks earlier this year as he believed he could take Borussia Dortmund as far as he would Chelsea.
But he has apparently changed his mind after Dortmund agreed to sell their best player - Gotze - to biggest German rivals Bayern Munich.
It makes him feel that others will follow and that he will never catch Bayern if his own club become a selling club.
I had been told that Mourinho was odds on to return to the Bridge - but this may now blow the whole thing apart.
Don't be surprised if the odds on Klopp ending up at Chelsea - or even Man City - drop dramatically over the next couple of days.
 |
| Is Jurgen Klopp about to make a hop..? |
Tuesday, 16 April 2013
VAN PERSIE HAS GONE GREY AT MAN UTD!! - says Frank Worrall
What a difference Robin Van Persie has made to Man United. His goals have helped secure a 20th title and he has been inspirational.
But what a difference Man United has made to Van P! I have never seen a footballer age so much in one season. The Dutchman has gone grey overnight!
Fergie will have to tell him to stop worrying - his first Prem title medal is in the bag and other medals will follow over the next couple of years.
And maybe it's time for a bit of the old Grecian 2000, Robin, old chap!
BAYERN WILL BEAT BARCA
The Champions League semi finals
brings together three of the best four teams in
Europe.
And the fourth - Dortmund - are probably the fifth best so it is quite a tasty prospect.
I believe that Barca are ageing in central midfield and that they are no longer the best team in Europe. Both Real and Bayern are better on their day as Barca look increasingly like a one-man team (Messi)
I take Bayern to beat them over two legs and to set up a tremendous final against Madrid at Wembley.
And the fourth - Dortmund - are probably the fifth best so it is quite a tasty prospect.
I believe that Barca are ageing in central midfield and that they are no longer the best team in Europe. Both Real and Bayern are better on their day as Barca look increasingly like a one-man team (Messi)
I take Bayern to beat them over two legs and to set up a tremendous final against Madrid at Wembley.
I HEAR that Newcastle boss Alan
Pardew is ready to bring prodigal son Andy Carroll back to St James'
Park.
He is likely to return this summer after his loan spell at West Ham expires.
The deal will involved one Newcastle player heading to Liverpool along with a fee of around £7million.
That means the one Toon player will be valued at £10million - so you don't need to be a rocket scientist to work out it is likely to be a top star at the club.
More than likely a midfielder who is French and whose surname is Ben Arfa.
He is likely to return this summer after his loan spell at West Ham expires.
The deal will involved one Newcastle player heading to Liverpool along with a fee of around £7million.
That means the one Toon player will be valued at £10million - so you don't need to be a rocket scientist to work out it is likely to be a top star at the club.
More than likely a midfielder who is French and whose surname is Ben Arfa.
STOKE 'LOOK TO BENITEZ'
LAST week I said that Rafa Benitez
was eyeing up the opportunity of taking over at Aston Villa in the
summer.
Well, things have moved on since then.
Apparently Villa are going to stick with Paul Lambert even if they go down. They like the way he is working with the club's promising youngsters and want to give him time to turn things around.
That has prompted a new slant on Benitez's hopes of employment after his interim role comes to a conclusion at Chelsea next month.
It seems Tony Pullis may be leaving Stoke - and that Benitez is one of the leading candidates to take his place.
That suits Stoke and the Spaniard. He gets a job where he can go home every night (his family are based near Liverpool) and they get a manager who can bring a different style of football to the Britannia - but still keep them in the Prem.
Well, things have moved on since then.
Apparently Villa are going to stick with Paul Lambert even if they go down. They like the way he is working with the club's promising youngsters and want to give him time to turn things around.
That has prompted a new slant on Benitez's hopes of employment after his interim role comes to a conclusion at Chelsea next month.
It seems Tony Pullis may be leaving Stoke - and that Benitez is one of the leading candidates to take his place.
That suits Stoke and the Spaniard. He gets a job where he can go home every night (his family are based near Liverpool) and they get a manager who can bring a different style of football to the Britannia - but still keep them in the Prem.
Monday, 8 April 2013
MANCINI 'OUT OF CITY THIS SUMMER' - says Frank Worrall
 |
| Roberto Mancini : On the move? |
Even before tonight's Manchester derby, it appears City have decided to dispense with Roberto Mancini this summer.
It seems the club's new Spanish No 1 and No 2 (both former Barca head boys) do not want to continue with the Italian.
They would have liked Guardiola to take over but now that he has gone to Bayern, they are seemingly keen on Manuel Pellegrini, the Malaga boss.
I think it is a mad move - Mancini has brought the club their first title and FA Cup for years and may even win the latter again this term.
But the Barca boys obviously disagree if the noises coming from the Etihad prove to be correct.
Thursday, 4 April 2013
BENITEZ IS EYEING VILLA JOB - says Frank Worrall
 |
| Rafa Benitez : About to jump ship? |
MY SPIES tell me that Rafa Benitez would like the Aston Villa job if Lambert is dismissed.
His confidence borders on arrogance sometimes but he is a competent manager, whatever people might say. His assessment of the squad he inherited at Chelsea certainly supports that view.
Having said that, I would not want him in charge of the club I support. And I believe Villa would be better served sticking with Lambert.
His confidence borders on arrogance sometimes but he is a competent manager, whatever people might say. His assessment of the squad he inherited at Chelsea certainly supports that view.
Having said that, I would not want him in charge of the club I support. And I believe Villa would be better served sticking with Lambert.
DI CANIO WILL KEEP SUNDERLAND UP
I DON'T particularly like Paolo Di Canio - and I certainly don't like his politics.
But I believe he will prove to be a good manager at Sunderland.
He is young, organised and enthusiastic - and determined to be a winner. He also has an exceptional take on tactics.
I reckon he will keep Sunderland up this season and do well next season - if the board keep faith with him.
But I believe he will prove to be a good manager at Sunderland.
He is young, organised and enthusiastic - and determined to be a winner. He also has an exceptional take on tactics.
I reckon he will keep Sunderland up this season and do well next season - if the board keep faith with him.
 |
| Paolo di Canio : He wants to focus on the football not politics. |
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
THE TRIUMPH AND BETRAYAL OF ROBERTO DI MATTEO, CHELSEA'S MOST SUCCESSFUL BOSS EVER
He lasted just 262 days – 262 days that transformed the fortunes of Chelsea Football Club and finally laid to rest Roman Abramovich’s holy grail. Yes, by winning the Champions League, Roberto Di Matteo made everything Roman had done – and all the millions he had invested worthwhile. But six months later the Russian owner of Chelsea rewarded him for his brilliance…with the sack.
Di Matteo was the manager who took the club to its greatest ever triumph – one which marked him out as the club's most successful manager ever - that balmy night in Munich which now seems an age ago.
Even then, as Roberto celebrated, you could clearly see from the body language that Roman didn't really want to acknowledge his part in the triumph. He never really rated him; he only saw him as a stop-gap and was really forced into giving him a full-time shot at the job until he could get his own full-time next man in (ie Guardiola).
But what Di Matteo achieved that night in Munich was extraordinary - almost miraculous, as he urged on his men to a triumph they really had no right to expect. They were playing the hosts and favourites and emerged with the cup with the big ears against all odds (including beating Barca on the way).
Fast forward six months (to now) and Di Matteo has tried to implement Roman's desire for Chelsea to play a la Barca - with three little guys in Mata, Oscar and Hazard - and passing from the back (which meant keeping David Luiz at centre-back instead of the more reliable Ivanovic).
He has had three months (from August and the start of the new season) to implement a brand new, revolutionary change in playing approach and, as the players inevitably needed time to gell and get used to each other and the new system, he found it difficult to achieve overnight. His reward was to bestabbed in the back. Betrayed for not beating or drawing with Juve away - and let's not forget this is the team who could well go on to win the Champions League. OK, there have also been a couple of dodgy results in the league too, but as Istress again, he was trying to overhaul a way of thinking; from the time of Drogba and Co, when brute force won the day, to a more sophisticated style of play. There were always going to be lean spells as the change took shape.
In essence, he was expected to work another miracle from August to November (changing the mentality and style of play) after already working one in Munich in May. His sacking was the end game – a shocking way to treat someone who had done so much for a football club close to his heart.
RDM deserved better – and Chelsea fans certainly deserve better than the interim, defensively minded joker who will surely now take their team back to the dark ages…even if it is only for six months.
Forget the dreams of being the new Barca for the next few months – Rafa Benitez will underpin his team with a dour defensive edge. Ironic that when Roman wanted to move forwards with entertaining football, he ended up with a man whose philosophy is to bring about the exact opposite.
I wouldn’t be surprised if RDM is laughing in his beer at that irony tonight and probably saying, ‘They deserve each other!’
FRANK WORRALL @weeklysport
 |
| Roberto Di Matteo : robbed of his job. |
Di Matteo was the manager who took the club to its greatest ever triumph – one which marked him out as the club's most successful manager ever - that balmy night in Munich which now seems an age ago.
Even then, as Roberto celebrated, you could clearly see from the body language that Roman didn't really want to acknowledge his part in the triumph. He never really rated him; he only saw him as a stop-gap and was really forced into giving him a full-time shot at the job until he could get his own full-time next man in (ie Guardiola).
But what Di Matteo achieved that night in Munich was extraordinary - almost miraculous, as he urged on his men to a triumph they really had no right to expect. They were playing the hosts and favourites and emerged with the cup with the big ears against all odds (including beating Barca on the way).
Fast forward six months (to now) and Di Matteo has tried to implement Roman's desire for Chelsea to play a la Barca - with three little guys in Mata, Oscar and Hazard - and passing from the back (which meant keeping David Luiz at centre-back instead of the more reliable Ivanovic).
He has had three months (from August and the start of the new season) to implement a brand new, revolutionary change in playing approach and, as the players inevitably needed time to gell and get used to each other and the new system, he found it difficult to achieve overnight. His reward was to bestabbed in the back. Betrayed for not beating or drawing with Juve away - and let's not forget this is the team who could well go on to win the Champions League. OK, there have also been a couple of dodgy results in the league too, but as Istress again, he was trying to overhaul a way of thinking; from the time of Drogba and Co, when brute force won the day, to a more sophisticated style of play. There were always going to be lean spells as the change took shape.
In essence, he was expected to work another miracle from August to November (changing the mentality and style of play) after already working one in Munich in May. His sacking was the end game – a shocking way to treat someone who had done so much for a football club close to his heart.
RDM deserved better – and Chelsea fans certainly deserve better than the interim, defensively minded joker who will surely now take their team back to the dark ages…even if it is only for six months.
Forget the dreams of being the new Barca for the next few months – Rafa Benitez will underpin his team with a dour defensive edge. Ironic that when Roman wanted to move forwards with entertaining football, he ended up with a man whose philosophy is to bring about the exact opposite.
I wouldn’t be surprised if RDM is laughing in his beer at that irony tonight and probably saying, ‘They deserve each other!’
FRANK WORRALL @weeklysport
Friday, 27 July 2012
Live Football Online
No sport attracts the attention and glamour more than football. We British are proud of our football, our club teams as well as our national teams and we can`t get enough of it. With Euro 2012 concluded we eagerly await the start of the new season where we can follow the highs and lows of our team, hoping we can achieve success.
The one stumbling block to football in recent years is the cost, with season tickets in the premier league costing four figures for some clubs, not to mention away games and cup games. With a reduced disposable income and increased costs, many fans are looking for an alternative cost effective means of watching their favourite team.
Online streaming has become increasingly popular, with the internet giving users access to a host of domestic and internationally based football matches from the comfort of their own home. With many services offering completely free streaming it`s easy to understand why online streaming is now so popular. In conjunction with the free online streaming service many websites offer a link to online betting, so you can watch the match and bet whilst it`s in play.
Before looking at where to watch live football online you should first check your internet connection to ensure that it is capable of supporting live streaming, as there is nothing worse than the stream buffering when your centre forward is one on one with the goalkeeper. Speak to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) who will be able to confirm your current internet speed.
It may be worth upgrading your broadband speed, if possible, to give you the optimum experience online. A faster broadband connection will allow you to surf faster and stream with ease, whether you are watching your local team or watching the latest blockbuster release. Download speeds will also increase dramatically so you can get the latest music from the internet to your mp3 player faster.
Once you have checked your internet speed it`s time to find the right website for your streaming needs. Typing `live football online` into a search engine lists a number of websites but it`s important to choose the right one. Explore each of the websites and find out what you need to do in order to watch a match; you`ll get a feel for the best website for your needs. It`s also important to find a website which streams the games you want to see.
Finally, if you don`t own a Smart TV, think about hooking your laptop up to your TV so you can watch live streaming on a bigger screen and can soak in the atmosphere at the game. With a host of livefootball.net matches available online, just click, stream and enjoy the beautiful game.
The one stumbling block to football in recent years is the cost, with season tickets in the premier league costing four figures for some clubs, not to mention away games and cup games. With a reduced disposable income and increased costs, many fans are looking for an alternative cost effective means of watching their favourite team.
Online streaming has become increasingly popular, with the internet giving users access to a host of domestic and internationally based football matches from the comfort of their own home. With many services offering completely free streaming it`s easy to understand why online streaming is now so popular. In conjunction with the free online streaming service many websites offer a link to online betting, so you can watch the match and bet whilst it`s in play.
Before looking at where to watch live football online you should first check your internet connection to ensure that it is capable of supporting live streaming, as there is nothing worse than the stream buffering when your centre forward is one on one with the goalkeeper. Speak to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) who will be able to confirm your current internet speed.
It may be worth upgrading your broadband speed, if possible, to give you the optimum experience online. A faster broadband connection will allow you to surf faster and stream with ease, whether you are watching your local team or watching the latest blockbuster release. Download speeds will also increase dramatically so you can get the latest music from the internet to your mp3 player faster.
Once you have checked your internet speed it`s time to find the right website for your streaming needs. Typing `live football online` into a search engine lists a number of websites but it`s important to choose the right one. Explore each of the websites and find out what you need to do in order to watch a match; you`ll get a feel for the best website for your needs. It`s also important to find a website which streams the games you want to see.
Finally, if you don`t own a Smart TV, think about hooking your laptop up to your TV so you can watch live streaming on a bigger screen and can soak in the atmosphere at the game. With a host of livefootball.net matches available online, just click, stream and enjoy the beautiful game.
In association with your WEEKLY SPORT (c) copyright 2012.
Thursday, 29 March 2012
Liverpool losing their leader...
IS KING KENNY’S REIGN IN JEOPARDY AT LIVERPOOL?
I HAVE heard from reliable sources at Anfield that Kenny Dalglish has got one more season to get Liverpool in the top four of the Premier League - or he will be moved upstairs.
Of course, Liverpool would NEVER sack a legend like Dalglish - but he has much to do if he is to avoid becoming an ambassador for the club, or maybe a director of football.
It may seem ridiculous that a man who has landed the club’s first trophy in six years is under threat - and who may yet also land the FA Cup this season, too.
But that is the cut-throat name of the game nowadays.
The truth is this: most chairmen would rather finish in the top four and accept the Champions League spot that comes with it rather than win the Carling Cup.
And that is where Kenny faces a problem. He has done well in the domestic cups but has flopped in the league.
I agree with him that fatigue has played a part - as have injuries.
And I also accept that he needs a stronger squad. Which, in turn, means he needs more financial backing.
But Kenny has also been his own worst enemy at times. I won’t bother going over his approach to the Luis Suarez controversy again, save to say he was misguided and did himself no favours.
Yet I do believe he has messed up with two of his big summer signings, and that this has left him vulnerable.
Firstly, Jordan Henderson is simply not a £16million player. For me, he is a journeyman with little guile and craft and whose only real assest is that he can cover a lot of ground.
Secondly, Andy Carroll - well, the problem for me here is that Kenny stuck his neck out to buy him but now appears to have lost faith. My feeling is that Andy is still a class act - he was brilliant for Newcastle and for England when he has had the chance.
But, like all big men, he needs regular games to maintain his fitness and get to a peak. And Kenny is just not giving him them. The fact is this: when Carroll plays, Liverpool usually win - so trust the boy, Kenny, and I am convinced he will repay you.
Also, Kenny must improve his act when it comes to PR. He is THE public face of Liverpool FC and how he comes over on the TV reflects on the club.
He needs to be less defensive, less ready to rise to any supposed slight and more jovial and likeable. He needs to get the Press onside rather than antagonising them. And if he needs any help, I’d be glad to show him how to do it.
So come on Kenny - stop acting like a bitter old man who seems out of touch with modern-day football. You can be a king again - but it’s all down to you now.
SNOOKER
JIMMY’S WHITE ON
- EVEN AT 50!
I LOVE nostalgia and so when I learned that Jimmy White is making a concerted attempt to reach this year’s World championships at The Crucible, I was one of the first to cheer him on.
SNOOKER
JIMMY’S WHITE ON
- EVEN AT 50!
I LOVE nostalgia and so when I learned that Jimmy White is making a concerted attempt to reach this year’s World championships at The Crucible, I was one of the first to cheer him on.
The man known as ‘the Whirlwind’ has not managed to qualify for the event for the last five years.
And that’s a real shame given his exploits and glory there in the 1980s and 1990s.
Jimmy will be 50 on May 2, and what a birthday prezzie it would be for him if he could celebrate it by starring at the Crucible in 2012!
Jimmy starred in six finals in Sheffield - but won none of them.
Now I know it’s pushing it a bit too far into the realms of fantasy to pray that maybe he also ends THAT jinx this year.
But wouldn’t it be a real fairytale ending - if the Whirlwind not only finally qualified again, but lifted the darned trophy!
It’s a dream - but then that is where sport often comes into its own. By making unbelieveable dreams come true.
Come on, Jimmy, you can do it - all your friends here at the Weekly Sport are backing you. As Clint Eastwood once famously said - ‘Make our day....!’
FRANKIE’S FLUTTERS
LAST WEEK I called it right again. Well, in terms of the result if not the score! Yes, I predicted that the big London derby between Chelsea and Spurs at the Bridge would end with honours even - which it did, in a 0-0 draw. I had predicted 1-1.
This week’s big footie match comes on Sunday when Newcastle entertain Liverpool in what looks a crunch encounter in the battle for sixth and seventh places in the Premier League.
The Toon have done better than anyone (me included) expected this season while Liverpool have gone off the boil of late due to injuries and fatigue. I am going to go against the grain - and predict that Liverpool will win. They are due a big result in the league and I can see former Toon idol Andy Carroll being well revved up for his return to St James’ Park. So it’s Newcastle 1 Liverpool 3 for me.
FRANK WORRALL
(For more information on Frank and his bestselling sports books, see www.frankworrall.com)
Weekly Sport readers can buy Frank’s insightful book on Sir Alex Ferguson for the special price of only £2.74 on Kindle (retail price £17.99 for the hardback)…go to http://www.amazon.co.uk/Walking-Fergie-Wonderland-Biography-ebook/dp/B00603XJB8/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1326291046&sr=1-7
FRANK WORRALL
(For more information on Frank and his bestselling sports books, see www.frankworrall.com)
Weekly Sport readers can buy Frank’s insightful book on Sir Alex Ferguson for the special price of only £2.74 on Kindle (retail price £17.99 for the hardback)…go to http://www.amazon.co.uk/Walking-Fergie-Wonderland-Biography-ebook/dp/B00603XJB8/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1326291046&sr=1-7
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
WHO'D YOU HAVE FOR SPURS BOSS? ...
+++FOOTBALL+++
MOYES OR MOURINHO - WHO’D
YOU HAVE AS SPURS BOSS IF
WILY OLD 'ARRY DOES
GETS THE ENGLAND JOB?
HARRY REDKNAPP couldn’t have made it any clearer that he DOES want the England manager’s job. The Tottenham boss has given interview after interview saying how he just wouldn’t be able to turn away the job if he was offered it - but that, baffli
ngly, the FA haven’t yet been in touch.
Clever old ‘Arry is obviously trying to manipulate the FA into getting in touch and asking him to take over from the now departed Fabio Capello. His interviews have been aimed at the general public who have demanded he be installed - and quickly. The idea is that they will soon be up in arms that he has not been approached and DEMAND en bloc for his appointment!
As I have argued since Capello went, I do not think Redknapp is up to the job. He is another Kevin Keegan - all heart and no tactical nous and I fear he will be found out at international level. But what if clever old ‘Arry does get the job he so craves?
Or, more precisely, what happens to Spurs?
My view is that there are only two candidates for the job - and either can continue the sterling work ‘Arry has done at club level (for at club level, ‘Arry is a master). Put David Moyes or Jose Mourinho in at White Hart Lane and the good times would continue to roll. Moyes has worked miracles at Everton and I have no doubt he could do even better given the bigger resources and potential at Spurs.
Ditto Jose - who has proved yet again that he is a genius as he takes Real Madrid to a La Liga triumph few would have imagined given the brilliance of Barca.
So who would you choose? Well, I would go for Moyes. Because he would see it as a long-term project while Jose would always have an eye open for Fergie stepping down at Man United. And I think Moyes truly deserves a break - and a chance to prove he can cut it at the top of the league. I believe he would be a winner - possibly even surpassing ‘Arry. Yes, David Moyes is that good.
+++RUGBY UNION+++
And I don’t just mean for England - no, Wales showed once again that they are not that far short of having a team that can be considered contenders to take on the Al Blacks and the Aussies - and have a chance of winning!
But while Wales are not far from the finished product, England are still a work in motion. Which means the fact the gap between England and their Welsh conquerors is not that wide is truly encouraging for stand-in coach Stuart Lancaster and his men. I was particularly impressed by young centre/fly-half Owen Farrell, who belied his years to give a performance that dictated the promising nature of some of England’s play.
And wasn’t it pleasant to watch England - even in defeat - just get through a match without any controversy! After the fiasco and disgraceful incidents that smeared the World Cup team last year, Lancaster and Co did brilliantly in projecting a new, more youthful, cleaner and more honest England.
So even if you don’t get the job full-time, Stuart - and my money’s on former South Africa head coach Nick Mallet - you certainly do have the gratitude of a nation for reigniting our love of the game, and giving England a new, honey image after that World Cup nightmare. Here’s hoping Mallet puts you in charge of the Saxons (again) if he does get the top job.
FRANKIE’S FLUTTERS
THE big match of the weekend is Sunday’s Premier League showdown between the teams currently second and third in the Premier League. Yes, third-placed Tottenham play host to Manchester United at White Hart Lane with much at stake. Victory for Spurs would take them a step closer to their big dream of a first Premier League title - closer to United and top-of-the-pile Manchester City. This Tottenham team are the best I have seen for many a year, well balanced and superb in attack. But it is also a team with defensive frailties - and that could let in United, who are masters of handling the pressure at this stage of the campaign.
All considered, I’m going for honours even - a 2-2 draw.
FRANK WORRALL
(For more information on Frank and his bestselling sports books, see www.frankworrall.com)
Weekly Sport readers can buy Frank’s insightful book on Sir Alex Ferguson for the special price of only £2.74 on Kindle (retail price £17.99 for the hardback)…go to http://www.amazon.co.uk/Walking-Fergie-Wonderland-Biography-ebook/dp/B00603XJB8/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1326291046&sr=1-7
MOYES OR MOURINHO - WHO’D
YOU HAVE AS SPURS BOSS IF
WILY OLD 'ARRY DOES
GETS THE ENGLAND JOB?
HARRY REDKNAPP couldn’t have made it any clearer that he DOES want the England manager’s job. The Tottenham boss has given interview after interview saying how he just wouldn’t be able to turn away the job if he was offered it - but that, baffli
ngly, the FA haven’t yet been in touch.
Clever old ‘Arry is obviously trying to manipulate the FA into getting in touch and asking him to take over from the now departed Fabio Capello. His interviews have been aimed at the general public who have demanded he be installed - and quickly. The idea is that they will soon be up in arms that he has not been approached and DEMAND en bloc for his appointment!
As I have argued since Capello went, I do not think Redknapp is up to the job. He is another Kevin Keegan - all heart and no tactical nous and I fear he will be found out at international level. But what if clever old ‘Arry does get the job he so craves?
Or, more precisely, what happens to Spurs?
My view is that there are only two candidates for the job - and either can continue the sterling work ‘Arry has done at club level (for at club level, ‘Arry is a master). Put David Moyes or Jose Mourinho in at White Hart Lane and the good times would continue to roll. Moyes has worked miracles at Everton and I have no doubt he could do even better given the bigger resources and potential at Spurs.
Ditto Jose - who has proved yet again that he is a genius as he takes Real Madrid to a La Liga triumph few would have imagined given the brilliance of Barca.
So who would you choose? Well, I would go for Moyes. Because he would see it as a long-term project while Jose would always have an eye open for Fergie stepping down at Man United. And I think Moyes truly deserves a break - and a chance to prove he can cut it at the top of the league. I believe he would be a winner - possibly even surpassing ‘Arry. Yes, David Moyes is that good.
+++RUGBY UNION+++
ST GEORGE BOWS TO THE DRAGON
AS a proud Englishman I was, of course, sad to see England lose at home to Wales last Saturday. But putting aside the controversy over ‘the try that never was’, the match left much optimism for the future in its wake.And I don’t just mean for England - no, Wales showed once again that they are not that far short of having a team that can be considered contenders to take on the Al Blacks and the Aussies - and have a chance of winning!
But while Wales are not far from the finished product, England are still a work in motion. Which means the fact the gap between England and their Welsh conquerors is not that wide is truly encouraging for stand-in coach Stuart Lancaster and his men. I was particularly impressed by young centre/fly-half Owen Farrell, who belied his years to give a performance that dictated the promising nature of some of England’s play.
And wasn’t it pleasant to watch England - even in defeat - just get through a match without any controversy! After the fiasco and disgraceful incidents that smeared the World Cup team last year, Lancaster and Co did brilliantly in projecting a new, more youthful, cleaner and more honest England.
So even if you don’t get the job full-time, Stuart - and my money’s on former South Africa head coach Nick Mallet - you certainly do have the gratitude of a nation for reigniting our love of the game, and giving England a new, honey image after that World Cup nightmare. Here’s hoping Mallet puts you in charge of the Saxons (again) if he does get the top job.
FRANKIE’S FLUTTERS
THE big match of the weekend is Sunday’s Premier League showdown between the teams currently second and third in the Premier League. Yes, third-placed Tottenham play host to Manchester United at White Hart Lane with much at stake. Victory for Spurs would take them a step closer to their big dream of a first Premier League title - closer to United and top-of-the-pile Manchester City. This Tottenham team are the best I have seen for many a year, well balanced and superb in attack. But it is also a team with defensive frailties - and that could let in United, who are masters of handling the pressure at this stage of the campaign.
All considered, I’m going for honours even - a 2-2 draw.
FRANK WORRALL
(For more information on Frank and his bestselling sports books, see www.frankworrall.com)
Weekly Sport readers can buy Frank’s insightful book on Sir Alex Ferguson for the special price of only £2.74 on Kindle (retail price £17.99 for the hardback)…go to http://www.amazon.co.uk/Walking-Fergie-Wonderland-Biography-ebook/dp/B00603XJB8/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1326291046&sr=1-7
Friday, 22 July 2011
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