The Twickenham experience

While I am partial to watching the odd rugby fixture, paying over £70 for a ticket to an international is not always top of my agenda. But thanks to my dad (and his wallet) I spent the weekend on a flying visit to the capital for only my second experience of Twickenham and my first to see the mighty All Blacks.

Although it is well documented that New Zealand haven’t won a World Cup in God knows how long, it was a chance to tick the box that I have seen the most famous team in world rugby ply their trade, and I was very excited. Watching New Zealand rugby is like being able to watch Australia at cricket, Brazil at football or USA’s Dream Team at Basketball, although they may not be world champions or the best at that time, they carry an aura of class about them that everyone wants to see at some point.

Our day began at 5am on the Saturday morning and five trains and a quick hello to my girlfriend in London later we arrived in Twickenham for the match. Keeping a close eye on the time, Dad and I searched for a pub in the area but to no avail so opted, like the thousands of others, for a quick tinny from the off-licence to quench our pre-match thirst. Then into the ground to take some keepsake photos, pick up a programme and find our seats.



Normally a visitor to football grounds where you can’t drink alcohol in your seat, I was determined to enjoy the rare treat and queued up to pay for four £4.10 lagers, which would do us for the game. We weren’t the only fans with that in mind and cut it fine to catch the national anthems and the haka, which in truth I had been looking forward to more than the match itself. Although I did get chatting to some Kiwis at the bar which allowed to me to put some of the rugby knowledge I had acquired reading the paper during the train journey to good use.

Rushing to our seats and squeezing past the people in our row, we were just in time for the national anthems and bellowed out God Save the Queen. Despite this I wasn’t feeling too patriotic and felt like a neutral, just determined to enjoy the occasion and not really worry about the result. That was why I was a bit saddened that the haka was drowned out by Swing Low Sweet Chariot, but I soon got over that as the match kicked off.



After 20 minutes it seemed a good job that I wasn’t worried about the result, as New Zealand scored two tries in front of us. Although video technology is full proof, it doesn’t always seem so from the stand and combined with not being entirely in touch with the rules, I had to wait until watching Sunday’s highlights before confirming in my own mind why the first try was given.

But after that nightmare start England improved and I was slowly becoming more patriotic and started to join in Swing Low . . . I went into half time busting for the toilet and thinking that England had half a chance at getting back into it.

The second half I was in full voice and instead of being overwhelmed by watching the All Blacks I was cheering on England and complaining at their silly errors that ultimately lost them the chance to make up ground on the match. I cheered at Hartley’s try and complained that Hape’s wasn’t given, although I didn’t know why until the next day.



I came out of the event very pleased that the day had exceeded all expectations, even if England did not.

My second taste of professional rugby (I went to England Argentina last year but it was widely regarded as a dull game) was fantastic and I would go again, although New Zealand set the bar very high.

Does anyone else find international weekend boring?

Does anyone else feel a bit bored when qualifier international weeks come along?

All week I look forward to the fixtures ahead, go and do my accumulator, check my fantasy football team and set the Sky Plus for Match of the Day. Saturday I settle down to the end of Soccer Saturday to watch the scores come in and on Sunday I have the boys round for the double header. Normally a great weekend.

But this weekend I have found myself with much more time to twiddle my thumbs, maybe that's a good thing because I am not sitting around a computer or a television watching football, although I have found my way to the computer again to write this blog!

The reason for this feeling of emptiness of course is because it is international weekend. And worse still a weekend when England aren't even playing.

Fixtures have been moved to Friday nights and Tuesday nights and I think the Friday nights is a bad move because we football fans are creatures of habit, and it has taken us out of the comfort zone of our Saturday routine. What's more the qualifying campaigns very rarely bring out the tasty fixtures that a weekly league programme do, so with NI v Italy aside, you can successfully predict half the scores and it takes the excitement away.

It never used to be quite so bad because at least we had an England performance to dissect and while we can look forward to that on Tuesday, it was missing from Saturday afternoon.

On the other hand, international weekend probably boosted the ratings for lower league football, and Leagues One and Two carried a lot more excitement than the international programme.

It comes along every now and again and when groups get tighter and the end gets nearer it will no doubt be more exciting. But for now I'm glad the international weekend is over and after Tuesday we can all get back into the routine.

A modern sporting hero has retired

This week heard how a hero of modern English sport has decided to retire.

Following an endless string of injuries since his heroic run out in last year’s Ashes, Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff has quit all forms of cricket.

I can only hope that he chooses to pursue a career in the media so he can keep entertaining English cricket fans with the character that appealed to Joe Public throughout his international career.

In 2005 I watched him lead England to a memorable victory against the Aussies from both the stand and the sofa and his part in the story that helped him win Sports Personality of the Year is something that sticks with many English cricket fans. Him picking up Brett Lee after the drama of the Edgbaston Test, where he terrified with bat and ball, is one of the greatest symbols of the greatest ever series.

In the international arena, Freddie was never far from centre stage, literally. Either smashing balls to the boundary, taking batsmen’s heads off, or saying “mind the windows Tino” from slip. In a game when other things, like an nPower girl or a round at the bar, can sometimes draw the crowd’s attention away, they watched and listened when Freddie was involved.

But it was not just his ability and desire that won him the hearts of fans. It was also the idea that he had an affinity to them. While so many other English cricketers were either born overseas or educated at top-end establishments, Freddie always gave the idea that he was a bit of lad. As good a player as Michael Atherton was, you would not see him do laps of the square with his shirt off.

And even when he hit the headlines for the wrong reasons, getting drunk and taking a pedalo out for a spin in the West Indies, it almost made people feel that you can be at the top of your game and still go out and enjoy yourself. It was not all about
healthy meals and endless training. Although that was a bit OTT.

Freddie epitomised English cricket in a generation where cricket went box office. He was the most expensive player in the IPL when he joined. But it was his Test performances that he was known for something that the powers that be should take a note from.

While it’s sad that injuries meant he couldn’t offer us more. It is fitting that the run out of Ponting, his old adversary, and the trademark arms in the air chewing gum celebration, is another of his lasting memories. And he can stay at centre stage, this time from the commentary box.

JT

Twenty20 cricket from an amateur's perspective

I watched most of the last Test between England and Pakistan absolutely enthralled, a feeling I have not had for a long time with professional Twenty20 cricket.

The test is still an event here in England and sad as it may sound I would set aside a day out to watch it! T20 cricket seems to be more of an event elsewhere, particularly in India, and it is a big money spinner. But we have had overkill here in England.

So much overkill that T20 cricket which as amateurs we have been playing for years and years has become less of a treat and a fun evening to what authorities see as serious cricket. But the players don't always take it seriously.

I recently filled in at a finals day for our 3rd XI in our T20 competition in Cornwall, the Andrew Cup - which is geared for junior standard cricketers. The competition prided itself on not being T20 but simply 20-over cricket, with no power plays, dug outs or music. Regardless of that, the batsmen have still changed the way they have played since seeing the likes of Trescothick smash 50 in 13 balls. I opened up with our team chasing 140 to win and progress to the final but couldn't get bat on ball and decided to sacrifice my wicket. Now I'm not the best batsmen and I'm not saying T20 cricket is to blame, but situations like that wont help me improve.

Our 1st and 2nd teams play in a second T20 competition, an addition to the traditional Vinter Cup. But it seems almost all clubs view it as a joke. I (4th team captain) was asked to play in the 1st team because they were that short of players and in one game against the 2nds, an opposition batsmen came in for the last ball at the non-strikers end not wearing any pads, all seems a bit of a joke.

As amateurs Saturday games are the pinnacle and people have work and families to think about, so, rightly so, the T20 falls by the wayside.

Let's hope if there is too much cricket in the professional game it is the T20 that falls by the wayside too. Yes I would still go and watch the odd T20, but if I had to choose between that and watching Test, there's no contest.

JT

The trials and tribulations of watching England Germany

Watching England and Germany yesterday was certainly an emotional affair. Not just because of the dismal result, but the practicalities of watching the game!

First came the decision of where to watch it and with the sunny skies above we opted for going in a friend's garden, a fridge full of beers and a TV under an umbrella to ease the glare from the sun.

We set up the Freeview box and everything looked ship shape and we were ready for the big encounter.

With five of us watching, there was the usual banter/debate about what the team should be, how we can win and whether we had a better side than the Germans.

Then the match started. The two German goals silenced our chatter and the only noises from the garden became the occasional expletive at England's performance.

About 25 minutes in we had our own drama. The signal on the television began to flicker and we were left with very little picture. Not what you want in such an important game when hours before kick off it looked trouble free.

We frantically moved the TV back into the living room, followed by the scart lead and tried to set it back up. In the midst of the chaos we heard a cheer from next door and thought we scored, so moved with more speed and less haste.

Finally we hooked it up and low and behold we had scored. 2-1. Game on. We were greeted by debate in the commentary about goal line technology and came to the conclusion that England's goal was contentious, but because of Blatter's decision not to have technology, we had got off scot-free. There were shouts around the living room of '66 all over again and we were making predictions of 4-2.

Then they showed the replay, and the short-lived praise of Blatter turned into the more familiar cries of "What a pr**k."

We went into half time having caught up with the rest of the world and the feeling of injustice, but also hope that England now had the bit between their teeth and could go on and win.

Unfortunately we couldn't have been more wrong and Germany seemingly cruised to the 4-1 win, with the only relief that I wouldn't have to think about rearranging my 4th team cricket match next Saturday afternoon. My friend Tom summed it up when he said that England would have given it more of a go in this World Cup with 11 Championship players playing.

While the raw emotion has gone from this World up from me now. There is still plenty more to enjoy and it started at 7.30pm watching Argentina and now, as I write, watching Brazil. The team I backed to win, Holland, are still in the tournament with a 100% record. Good times ahead, although nothing like what we hoped.

The World Cup so far

Now that we have seen every team play in this World Cup the most important thing we have learned is that England do not look that bad compared to the other hotly tipped teams.

Steven Gerrard was immense against USA and if he carries on playing like that and leading England from the front then there is no reason why he could not take us all the way. The hardest game in the group stage is out of the way and looking at Slovenia and Algeria we should walk it, even with Rob Green's freak accident.

Same goes for Spain. Even though they lost to Switzerland today they would still fancy themselves to beat Honduras and Chile (although Chile were one of the most impressive so far).

Brazil were not outstanding against North Korea, whose crying forward epitomised what the World Cup is about for these smaller nations, but got the job done. The tasty clash will be when they play Portugal, who have left that group looking interesting after the draw with Ivory Coast.

Italy only managed a draw and with their goalkeeper a doubt it looks ominous for them, although the competition in that group is poor so, like England they have the toughest group game out of the way with a point from it.

I didn't get to see Argentina but by all accounts they could have got six or seven against the Super Eagles. They obviously have one of the strongest teams, especially going forward, on paper so it will be interesting to see what happens to them, as nobody seems to trust their manager.

Germany looked class and by far the best of the big teams so far. They got lucky with the Cahill sending off and some have compared their performance to ours, with Australia possibly on a par with USA. However, USA have more European established players than Oz and got their goal with a stroke of luck. Plus you can see what the game meant to them against a kind of old enemy with the New York Post headline USA Wins 1-1. If Australia played us they would probably look more up for it with the Ashes rivalry and so on. That apart, Germany still brushed the Socceroos aside and looked very, very good. Klose and Podolski, who couldn't buy a goal last season, looked up for it on the biggest stage.

France were poor in a poor game and did not look like a team fighting to win the World Cup. It was fitting that Henry didn't get a handball decision (and it was the right one) but the France Uruguay game highlighted a worry that a lot of fans have after this first round of games, that there aren't enough goals.

That maybe true, but we have still had drama and enjoyment - especially from the fans blowing their vuvuzelas - and there is plenty more football to come. We all hope for more goals but some want an end to the vuvuzelas, which, it was decided this week, will not be banned for the World Cup. I understand why some don't like them, when you turn on the radio it sounds like a bad reception, but when is Africa going to get it's next World Cup? Let the fans have their fun.

South Africa is a breath of fresh air in a money-obsessed football world

The World Cup is almost upon us and we are all counting the seconds. And one of the great things is that for the first time in a long time, money isn't at the back of an English football fan's mind.

Supporting your team in the World Cup is all about national pride and while we may criticise the team on the field or the manager's decisions, what we don't have to worry about are wage bills, the owners and the threat of administration.

It may sound rich (excuse the pun) coming from a fan who supports a club where money is no object but by the end of the domestic season I was sick with every other sports news story being about finance, whether it was Portsmouth, Crystal Palace, Chester City or Manchester United and the Red Knights - and I bet fans of those clubs were even more sick. This season I spent more time hearing about financial turmoil than I did about what happened on the pitch, which is, and I think I speak for everyone (apart from Portsmouth fans getting the administrators' autograph), what I watch football for.

Footballers earn too much money. We all know that. In fact, if you heard the very latest figures from Deloittes, clubs spent 67% of their revenue on wages in the 2008/09 season. But it's the trend of sports news stories combined with the trend of high wages that we even know that.

That's why the World Cup is a breath of fresh air. There will be no talk of wages, no worries about administration and no campaigns against the owners or a mysterious consortium. There will just be football. At the highest level. But in its purest form.

And it's fitting that in a year when finance has dominated the football season that the World Cup will take place for the first time in the world's poorest continent. We see people on the television who are so poor that a football fan can't comprehend it let alone a Premier League player, but money doesn't matter to them because they are so excited about the World Cup coming to their home.

The money problem in football isn't going to go away overnight but at least for a month we have so much to enjoy and so much to talk about and wages and finance won't crop up once. Bring on the World Cup!!

JT

World Cup fever's kicking in

We now have less than a week to go until the greatest show on Earth gets started and we have already had plenty of drama in the build up.

First there was Theo's agony at being left out and then Ferdinand's injury, in the first session in the first day of training. I'm gutted for Ferdinand, as captain he would have dreamt of being hoisted up like Bobby Moore with the Jules Rimet trophy and you have got to be sad for him. But the face of Michael Dawson when he arrived in Rustenburg reminded me of the excitement that comes with a World Cup, not just for the players, but for the fans.

It's not just England's chances we have to look forward to. I will take every opportunity to watch football during the tournament and like all football fans (especially those who play football manager) will consider myself an international football expert by July.

I have already set up two fantasy football teams, read multiple World Cup guides (and help write one), placed bets on the eventual winners and top goalscorers (Holland at 11/1 and Milito and 35/1) and taken part in a sweepstake (Holland again). This is World Cup fever and I'm not looking for an antidote.

We hope there will be a surprise package, like South Korea in 2002 and Greece in Euro 2004, and will be watching closely to see who it will be. Maybe North Korea, who nobody knows anything about, or the hosts South Africa, or even Slovakia, in their first ever World Cup as an independent nation. Whoever it is, we will adopt a second favourite team during the tournament (or third depending on bets) but abandon any short-lived loyalty if they come up against our boys.

Equally, all England fans will have one eye on the old enemy. Even with their skipper out injured, we will all see what the Germans are up to in the likely event we will meet them (or Portugal) at some point, and if we don't, then great because (hopefully) that means they're out.

If fans have their club heads on, they will also have one eye on players that they may be watching every week next season. Remember when Senegal turned some heads in 2002, Papa Bouba Diop and El Hadji Diouf have been in England since. While it is the biggest stage in world football, the World Cup is also an audition for players to further their careers. As fans we all look forward to pass comment on them.

These are all great little sideshows. But the biggest symptom of World Cup fever is England, the results, the performances, the players, the manager. It all started last Tuesday with the squad announcement and Ferdinand's injury on Friday. It will only get bigger and bigger. It will really kick in on Saturday night, and let's hope it lasts a whole month.

The campaign to ban England flags is ridiculous

This week I wrote a story for the Packet about a Facebook campaign trying to get England flags banned in Cornwall and the whole time I was working on it I thought what a terrible idea.

The campaign carried photos of people burning English flags and had backing from the Kernow branch of the Celtic League (although I have to say they did not advocate burning the flags). Both camps kept saying that the reason behind trying to ban the St George's Cross because it was a foreign flag but there's a flaw in that argument .... it's not.

I'm a proud Cornishman but I'm English first and Cornish second and like it or not so are all Cornishmen because officially, despite what any archaic campaign will tell you, Cornwall is county in England. It may be a county with it's own identity and proud heritage, but it's still a county like Surrey, Lincolnshire or Yorkshire - all places where football fans will be supporting England trouble-free.

If we completely separated ourselves from the rest of the country then sport down here would die and that includes rugby - probably Cornwall's most serious sport - because almost every club at a decent level competes against sides north of the Tamar and if we were separate it would be harder to arrange fixtures and take away a healthy chunk of the competitive edge.

You don't hear about sportsmen who have made it to represent England getting slated for playing for the "enemy" and rightly so, because it would tarnish their greatest personal achievement. So why should it be different when football fans here in Cornwall want to support their national team?

There's also a vital flaw in the argument that a campaign not to support England in Cornwall is the same as in Ireland, Scotland or Wales. All of those countries have their own national football teams, it is natural not to support England if you have your own national side to support, but we in Cornwall don't, largely because we are part of England so our national team is, you guessed it, England.

When I worked on the story I was relieved to hear that most people branded the Facebook group as racist and that shops in Falmouth were going to be selling England flags, bibs, balloons and all sorts of other things. I'm looking forward to having World Cup fever and looking forward to supporting England despite what some deluded Cornish nationalists think.

Top five memorable moments of the Premier League season

On and off the field, we have certainly had a Premier League season to remember. From affairs, to beach balls, championship races that went right to the wire - this year's campaign has had everything with plenty of memorable moments. Here's my top five countdown.

#5
Arsene Wenger's biblical pose in the crowd
Although Arsene doesn't see much, we certainly saw this. Back in August the Arsenal manager was sent to the stand after kicking a water bottle in protest of a disallowed goal in his team's 3-1 defeat to Manchester United. He took Mike Dean's instructions quite literally and stood on the edge of the stand in front of screaming fans with his arms out asking, "Is this OK?" Arsene could so often be a mixed bag of the same old complaints but this took it to a whole new level and so early in the season it set us up for what we had in store.

#4
Emmanuel Adebayor's goal celebration v Arsenal
There's sparking reaction against your old club's fans and there's this. In a dramatic 4-2 win against the Gunners at Eastalnds in September, after a brilliant goal the Togolese sprinted literally the length of the pitch and slid on his knees causing the Arsenal faithful to have to be held back by stewards as they all tussled to get a piece of him. The celebration instantly became one of the most notorious in Premier League history and countless former players and pundits spoke out aginst it. But people are still talking about it now.

#3
Shake-gate. Wayne Bridge and John Terry
This single moment confirmed weeks and weeks of press speculation. All we had read about was how upset Wayne Bridge was at his former best mate for shagging his ex and then he announced his retirement from England. Everyone was relishing Chelsea and Man City and I went as one of my limited Stamford Bridge appearances. I was sat in the East stand opposite the drama but joined in a collective ooooooooh building up to the moment. Unfortunately no-one could really tell what happened and everyone was asking each other, "Did he shake it? Did he shake it?" And we didn't know and got on with backing John Terry and booing Wayne Bridge (wrongly) and watching the only home defeat of the season. When I watched the highlights and picked up the papers the next day I certainly knew he didn't shake it.

#2
Jimmy Bullard's celebration v Man City
This was a classic from one of English football's favourite characters. In the same fixture when Phil Brown berated his players on the pitch at half time in the 2008/2009 season, Hull's cheeky chappy scored a penalty and brought the players over for an inspired celebration. Afterwards he said it was not his idea but trust him to do it. The fact that it was Jimmy made it all the better. Hopefully he can find himself a Premier League club next season.

#1
Beach Ball at Sunderland v Liverpool
This was simply pure bad luck and a once in a lifetime incident that would happen to a goalkeeper. A shot from Darren Bent deflected in off a Liverpool souvenir beach ball and sent Jose Reina the wrong way, resulting in a 1-0 defeat for the Reds. No-one would have ever thought twice about at novelty items like balloons or beach balls being a factor in football matches before then but they certainly did afterwards, especially Man Utd fans. This also summed up Liverpool's dire season when nothing went their way.

Just missing out was that look from Steven Gerrard when his partner in crime Fernando Torres was substituted by Benitez against Birmingham in April. This also summed up Liverpool's season in terms of the frustration of fans and players alike with Benitez.
One game had a few memorable moments in it as well, Manchester Utd 4-3 Manchester City at Old Trafford in September. The twists and turns made us believe that Utd would drop points against their "noisy neighbours" for a while but in the end the all-to-familiar outcome that bothered all but Utd fans - a late goal - sealed it for the then champions.

So these are the moments that will stick with me about this Premier League campaign. Anything you would put in?

JT

My Wembley experience

This weekend I made a flying visit to Wembley to see my beloved Chelsea go for their first ever league and FA Cup double.

Nursing hangovers after a wedding the night before me and my mate Nootty woke at the crack of dawn to fly from Newquay airport to Gatwick before getting a train into central London and a tube to Wembley.
We arrived at the national stadium some five hours before kick off but it took two hours to find anywhere to settle before going in the ground. The infrastructure around Wembley is terrible. In one direction it was a choice between Wimpy or paying £5 to go in a dive pub. So we opted for the 20 minute walk for a swift pint before taking in the atmosphere. In hindsight we arrived too early and should have done what all the other fans on the tube did, which was get off at Baker Street where there was more to do.

Once 1pm came around the excitement was brewing so we took our seats, took some photos and took in the atmosphere. Faryl Smith was impressive with the national anthem and abide with me, but it proved that nobody knew the words to the FA Cup "anthem." Stomp also added some pre-match entertainment. I used to think Stomp were rubbish and I still do, but at least now I have a live performance to base it on.

Even from quite high up the pitch looked poor, with clear patches of mud. However there was far less slipping over than in the semi-final. In something like that though, you have to go with the players and Terry and Lampard were both very critical.

As kick off drew closer it became very clear we were in the Pompey end, surrounded by flags and shouts of "Play up Pompey." However there were a lot of Chelsea fans around and I sensed a party atmosphere so I thought it was safe to cheer once the Chelsea team was announced. That was a mistake. A bloke behind had words with me along the lines of "F**k off in the Chelsea end" and when the Portsmouth team was read out I was getting consistent wacks on the head by his mate. Nootty and I wondered what we were in for and for the first 20 minutes kept our heads down and watched the game, although to be honest I was not concentrating.

Halfway through the first half the bloke who had words with me left and I began to calm down and enjoy the football. I could not believe how much Chelsea hit the woodwork and thought what do we need to do to score? It was heart in mouth stuff when Cech's reaction save kept the Pompey effort out and my blue-tinted eyes were convinced Drogba's free kick was over the line.

Into the second half and by this time the scary blokes had both gone from behind me and thankfully did not return. When Portsmouth got their penalty I was worried that what my friends and my dad were telling me before the game, that Pompey were destined to win it, was actually going to happen. When the feeble penalty was saved my expectations changed and when we got the free kick on the edge of the box I said to Nootty, "This is it," and so it was. It kicked off a few rows away from us as the pockets of Chelsea fans cheered but we were fine. On the pitch it was far from plain sailing afterwards but even when Lampard missed his penalty I was thinking about how to celebrate.

We disagreed with Drogba's man of the match accolade and thought it should either have gone to Nicolas Anelka, how he was rated four in Sunday's Observer I have no idea he was lively and in the first half created everything, or David James, who had a blinder and staked a claim as England's number one, even if he was a little at fault for the goal because it was on his side.

When the final whistle went we Chelsea fans were drowned out by more cries of Play Up Pompey while Avram and co saluted the Fratton Park faithful. But my eyes were transfixed on how Chelsea were celebrating. We stayed long after the final whistle and as Portsmouth fans left it was clear who in our block were Blues. A woman in front heard me sing along to Blue is the Colour and showed me her Chelsea shirt, saying she was scared to take her jacket off before. The bloke next to me said: "I thought we were going to get our heads kicked in then." But by that point fears had gone and it was party time, especially when two guys in front were dancing along to One Step Beyond wearing t-shirts saying: "Steven Gerrard: Chelsea's 12th man."

I have never been in a better mood queuing for a train than on the way out of Wembley. In a sea of Chelsea fans we regularly burst into song with cries of "Championaays" and another jibe at Liverpool, "We won the double. We won the double. F**k your history. We won the double." We even jumped up and down while queuing for the train.

I kind of wanted to venture into Fulham Broadway to party but was a bit tired and would have spent a fortune if we did. So it was a fairly low key celebration with a gorgeous Wimbledon curry.

The only regret was booking an early train home having not given a thought to the victory parade when planning the trip back to Cornwall. It would have been great to be there and when we stopped at Fulham Broadway to show Nootty Stamford Bridge we could already sense the atmosphere.

It is widely said now that the FA Cup had lost its romance but there was no sign of that being the case at Wembley on Saturday. Maybe it was because either way the match went history would be made with a first Chelsea Double or a Pompey fairytale. Whatever the outcome it would have been worth every penny of the £65 price.
Altogether it was a weekend to remember. Although it was the closest I had ever been to trouble at a football match, I witnessed the team I have supported for 15 years make history with their first Double, enjoyed a proper sing-song and took in an electric Wembley atmosphere.

What we like to see in a stadium

Big football clubs are always looking to get more people to watch them. It's natural considering that at £40 to £50 a ticket it's a big money spinner. Some clubs like Liverpool are desperate to secure the funds for a new stadium, while others want to build on what they already have.

However it is supply and demand. It's no use having a massive stadium that doesn't fill up and fans may refrain from coming because they don't like the idea of being sat up in the Gods. I beleive that the main thing that makes a good stadium that people want to go to is atmosphere with size and location important factors that add to that.

When you think of the great stadiums of the world, one place often springs to mind. The Nou Camp. It's sheer size, housing almost 100,000 fans make it the second most important structure in Barcelona to the Sagrada Familia, but maybe equal in fame. A lot of its fame is due to the presence and history of the club who play there, but the stadium has its own presence. It even has its own church. Arsenal used to play at Highbury which was one of the few grounds that showed the size didn't matter, because the place was full of character, but they built The Emirates to increase capacity and the move has paid off, I believe that The Emirates is up there with the most impressive grounds in England and it has showed that with a club with a big following like Arsenal, size does matter.

Location of a stadium is important because although you may have an army of fans who will travel far and wide to watch their team, if you are hosting the big event or want more people buying tickets you want to make it as easy for them as possible. I've never been to White Hart Lane but friends who have say it is a nightmare because once you get off at the nearest tube station, you have a long walk or even a bus journey to get to the ground. This is not ideal for first-time match goers. The Millenium Stadium in Cardiff has the perfect location, because it is a stones throw away from the thriving city centre with bars and pubs that fans wil inevitably visit before a match. However, putting a stadium in a remote area is sometimes necessary for planning and strcutual issues, and it can also reveive the local economy. Bristol City's ground Ashton Gate is in a retail park and will no doubt bring more shoppers on Saturday afternoons, while Wembley can do nothing but good for local businesses in North West London.

But any fan who follows their team will tell of their favourite places to visit and while that can be down to location again, because of pubs nearby, it is more often than not because it provides a good occasion. Atmosphere can be releveant to the size of the stadium and the amount for fans it attracts. For example Wigan's DW Stadium is impressive but can have too many empty seats to create an atmosphere while Portsmouth's Fratton Park is bouncing with energy inside an old, derelict stadium. Grounds with character produce a good atmosphere like Highbury used to and Fulham's Craven Cottage - which is old but has an actual cottage in the corner and is situated along the river Thames. That place produces a good atmosphere even though the fans may not be particularly loud, although the big European occasions have got them going a bit more. The perfect atmosphere is at a club with a rich history on a big occasion, for example a Champions League semi-final second leg at Anfield or an El Classico at the Nou Camp.

Size and location are not things that compete with the atmosphere of a football stadium, but rather factors that contribute to it. However the main contributor is not something that architects can design, a fan's attitude towards their club and the big occasion.

Do we like loans?

The loan system seems to be used more and more in English football these days, with the majority of signings in the last transfer window being temporary ones. Players like Chris Smalling (Fulham to Man Utd to Fulham) are even being bought and then loaned back to the clubs who sold them. There must be something in loan deals to make them more popular but as football fans, do we like them and can we see why clubs are using them so often?

If you look at the club you support and the size of the squad, you may see promising young players, have tracked their progress and realise that they will never get a look in for the first team at the moment. That's when the loan system is a big positive, because young players do not spend their time sitting on the sidelines and cleaning boots but go down the divisions and gain valuable experience. Examples include David Beckham, who went out on loan at Preston and the move undoubtedly helped him to set Manchester United and later the whole world, alight. However because it is being used so regularly now more players are being loaned out and even if they are going from big sides they may not get a guaranteed spot in the starting 11 in a Championship or League 1 club. Lots of players who look to have promising futures seem to spend their lives on loan and their career fades away, Scott Sinclair and Michael Mancienne from Chelsea look like prime examples although time is still on their side. Also if young players are sold and then loaned back to the club that sells them, that could have a detrimental affect on the dressing room.

Another reason clubs use the loan system is to save money. But a loan is a short-term solution to what can be a long term problem because although the club pays no transfer fee, they still have to pay a proportion or all of its wages to a club that can have a much bigger wage bill, so the player's wages are higher. Also there may be clauses in the contract that can bite the club on the bum, just look at Dindane at Portsmouth where it took a hastily arranged deal for him to get to play in the FA Cup final. For the outgoing club loans can come back to haunt them, a classic example is Manchester City and Joe Hart, who could not have him back from Birmingham after Shay Given got injured.

City of course got Marton Fulop in on an emergency loan which seems like a bit of a farce because they already had a fit keeper in Gunnar Nielsen. A lot of thoughts have been voiced on the decision by the league to allow Fulop's loan, such as what would Sunderland do if Craig Gordon got injured in their last game at Wolves on Sunday, but the Black Cats must have agreed to it. Another suggestion was that Fulop's loan was allowed to stand but Nielsen should start if fit and ready because Taylor and the youth team keeper were injured, but this is Man City we're talking about, they could buy 10 back ups in every position and the loan them out.

While the emergency loan is quite rare, what has happened in recent seasons is that big clubs have got big players on short-term contracts to make a quick impact. For example Henrik Larsson going to Man Utd and this season Eidur Gudjohnsen at Spurs. Sometimes the gamble does not pay off though. What did Ricardo Quaresma do for Chelsea?

It looks like while small clubs struggle financially and big clubs spend big on foreign talent more and more players will be loaned out, some getting a game and others not.

JT

The best sporting days out

Part of the reason we all love professional sport is because it provides a good day out. If we didn't enjoy the experience of going to sport, we would all be confined to watching it on Sky Sports and the like rather than paying money to go ourselves. The long suffering League 2 fans who go and watch their teams on cold wet Tuesday nights in November, often on long away trips, should be commended but while their primary cause is to support their team, they must also get some enjoyment out of it.

Living in Cornwall it can be a logisitic nightmare to get to a lot of big sporting events and I respect my neighbours who go regularly, though they probably have bigger wallets than I do. But where I am means that when I do get to go to the big occasion it makes it all the more special.

If you have a limit on where you can go, in terms of money, time off work and other commitments, where would you go? Missing out trips abroad, because that's more than a day out, here's my top three.

#3
A European football night
As I said before away days do not count in this chart but still a top European night in the Champions League, preferably in the knock-out stages and preferably a second leg, is always worth waiting for. Whether it is at The Emirates, Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford or historically Anfield but next year either White Hart Lane or Eastlands, you are always guaranteed twists and turns, an exciting game and an atmosphere to match. Even the most boring of 0-0s can get your emotions going, because of what might have happened in the first leg. If your team is cruising to victory it creates a party atmosphere and if their going out then you know you're witnessing the end of a collective team effort in Europe's biggest competition - although at the time that could be little consolation.

#2
International rugby at the Millennium Stadium
I appreciate rugby and its sporting values (minus Bloodgate) but I am no big fan. However I would never ever pass up the opportunity to go and watch Wales play another major nation at their national stadium. The Millennium Stadium is at the very heart of one of the most vibrant cities in Britain, the Welsh side are always going to give it a bloody good go in front of their home fans but that is the main thing that provides the attraction, the fans. In the crowd you'll be submerged in a sea of daffodils, you won't be able to hear Katherine Jenkins sing Land of My Father because the crowd will drown her out and they will provide an amazing atmosphere for the entire 80 minutes.


#1 A day at the Test
This chart is about days out and a day at the test is a proper day out. You are queuing up at the ground from about 9am and, weather permitting, will be there until 6pm. You get you're own personal moments of suspense waiting to see if your hidden alcohol stash, which could included vodka injected into a watermelon, gets past the security staff. Once you are in, with or without booze, you are set for a day of the most traditional of sports in its most purest form. If you are at the Test you are seeing two of the world's top nations battling it out. At some points it will be gripping and you will not be able to take your eyes off it, like if a fast bowler is trying to topple his batting counterpart towards the end of the day, and there may be boring parts but the crowd respond and keep each other amused. I have heard stories of midgets being passed through the crowd and have heard the most hilarious and genius songs that would put the hardest football fan to shame.

There are of course one-offs each year like an FA Cup Final or even rarer like an Olympics or World Cup and those memorable days out that the game, the venue and of course the occasion can make it extra-special. But I believe that these three events, which you can catch several times a year, are always worth every penny.

JT

Do European competition formats work?

The Champions League is a holy grail for every team in Europe which is why Wednesday's match between Tottenham and Manchester City is so crucial, but European competition has been re-jigged a bit over the years, so just how competitive is it?

There is a lot of debate about whether it is a true "Champions" League because the top three/four from the biggest leagues take up the places and the winners in smaller countries have to go through qualifying rounds. But if you want to see the best against the best then this is the most effective method because everyone knows the fourth bet side in England is a world apart from the top side in Bulgaria. Even so the competition still doesn't get exciting until the knock-out stages unless you see a few upsets in the first round, like with Liverpool this season. That's why it was a great decision to get rid of two group stages. The best way to make it more exciting from day one is to do away with seedings and separating teams from the same countries and do the groups randomly, but then fans of the big teams (who bring in the money) may lose interest early on because their team has been knocked out, the knock-out stage my be less competitive if smaller teams qualify and one side may find themselves in an easier route into the final.

This of course is the first season of the revamped Europa League and it has gone down a storm in England, not because of it's rebranding but because of Fulham reaching the final. Given that they began in July at the start of a very complicated competition format shows that it is still a bit of a joke, mainly because too many teams are in it. I think they should do away with fair play places, because it's ludicrous that we could see relegated Burnley playing in Europe next season, and the sides that fell at the group stages of the Champions League should not be rewarded for failure with a chance to win an easier competition. France and England are the only countries that have a place as a prize for the league cup winners and I think it is important that stays the same, so that teams still want to win the league cup. However I don't know why they scrapped the Cup Winners Cup and UEFA should bring it back for the domestic cup winners. It was a prestigious competition where teams who have proved they are good in a knock-out format would face each other. The only danger is that it could be full of semi-finalists because the cup winners and runners up may have won Champions League places. That's why it would be no good offering a Champions League place for the FA Cup winners.

JT

Football telly coverage winners and losers

Where we watch our football on TV is dominated by money and rights but we do get a mix with matches, highlights and football discussion on five different channels, but what are the pros and cons of each.

BBC
We don't get too much on the Beeb these days but we do have their World Cup coverage to look forward to. Nobody dramatises sport and create imagery through montages, music soundtracks and storylines better than the BBC. Gary Lineker is a good presenter although I do wonder that maybe he should be answering questions from the likes of Mark Lawrenson rather than asking them because he is a bigger name. Match of the Day is a classic and is the winner over Sky's Football First while Football Focus and MOTD2 offer that fun element. The Football League Show with Manish is good although there is too much going on in that studio and I think it's on a bit late so it's a good move putting it on all day on the red button. Their live coverage of occasional Football League matches is OK but I hate listening to Mark Bright as a pundit. Score is a poor copy of Sky's Soccer Saturday and it misses the fun element of Jeff Stelling's show. But you know we will have some first class coverage of the World Cup this summer.

Sky
People moan that everything is on Sky but it is important to remember that without them the league would not attract the best players, although some clubs may have been a bit more careful with their money in that case. Nevertheless the coverage is good. 24-hour sports news may seem a little over the top but I always watch it, so I shouldn't really moan. They have given us the chance to watch the league unfold more and more every year and now give us the new element with 3D (http://jamestoseland87.blogspot.com/2010/04/3d-football-coverage-not-quite-green.html). I love Soccer Saturday particularly because of the fun element to it and I recommend Jeff Stelling's book, it's a good fun read. Sky balance the unprecedented Premier League coverage with lots of Football League games which is good because it is the core of English football. I quite like Jamie Redknapp and he will help pull in the female viewers and Martin Tyler is one of the best in the business. I don't like Richard Keys and Andy Gray, they don't seem to have a good rapport for a pair that have worked together for 20 years and Keys still doesn't seem to have learned anything about football. Gray just bangs on about how the league is the best in the world and plays around with his touch screens. I do think that he has a slight Manchester United and Liverpool bias as well which is strange since he played for Everton. Their Champions League coverage is good, although I think they should mix their pundits around a bit, but it's better than ITV. Their Spanish football programmes are good with insightful news about a great league and although they only really show Barcelona and Real Madrid, that's all anyone really wants to see. Soccer AM is not what it used to be but Max Rushden and Hells Bells are good together and it still is a winning formula. Football First is no good because people don't want to see extended highlights and it is up against Match of the Day which has the history. You often hear Phil Thompson and co on Soccer Saturday saying: "You'll see it on Match of the - sorry of Football First later."

ITV
When ITV lost the Premiership highlights and they went back to MOTD it was a blessing because it was one less thing to watch on ITV. On occasions their coverage is a joke, just think of when they cut to an advert when Dan Gosling scored the winner for Everton against Liverpool in the cup. They always bang on about the romance of the FA Cup and try and dramatise it but like I said before, no-one does that better than the BBC. They are fronted by a big name in Steve Ryder but Matt Smith is a poor substitute and I think he would be better placed in a entertainment show than sport, he doesn't seem to know much about the game. They rarely get big names in on their punditry and the likes of Robbie Earle, Andy Townsend and Jim Beglin do not command respect and it's hard to take their points as gospel like you do with Alan Hansen. The commentary is not great and although they have a seasoned pro in Clive Tyldesley all he and the other commentators seem to do is say stat after stat and a lot of them are rubbish. I'm just waiting for: "This is the first time Manchester United have been 1-0 down in the first 37 minutes against a Portuguese team with a T in their name when it's raining."

ESPN
ESPN is a breath of fresh air from Setanta and it's coverage is good. Stubbsy and King Kev have a better rapport than Keys and Gray and Keegan is a better pundit than I expected. I never liked Jon Champion before but watching more of him he actually comes out with memorable quotes and good points. Often you pick up a newspaper and one of his lines is quoted to set the scene of a big game. "Nobody's perfect but some are more imperfect than others" was a favourite before the Chelsea Burnley game the day the John Terry scandal broke. I'm not too sure about Joe Royle and Craig Burley as summarisers however, again they don't command respect. Their Talk of the Terrace programme is quite good but it's a bit of copy of Soccer AM. They also show the Bundesliga and Serie A which gives us the chance to watch two great leagues.


Five
I don't see too much on Five these days because I only got interested in the Europa League from the quarter final stage but Guardian Fiver readers will know that I love Colin Murray and I'm looking forward to him hosting MOTD2. I love the fact that he is a football fan and wants to know what the fans want to know. Pat Nevin makes good points but I'm not too sure about his analysis in what looks like Andy Townsend's tactics truck. Stan the Man is also a better pundit than I expected but he carries baggage around with him from his past that means people don't really respect him. It's far cry from their old Cup Winners Cup coverage with Jonathan Pearce going absolutely mental, but I used to quite enjoy that.

The BBC are number one for me but they could learn some lessons from Sky on their Score programme. The main thing is they have pundits like Hansen and Shearer who you respect and listen to what they say. Sky rely too much on Gray and I get fed up with him, while I'm warming to King Kev on ESPN but I have no time for ITV and only watch it if it's the only place to watch a game.

JT

Memories of England

As we've got as good a chance in this World Cup as we have had in years, hopefully England in South Africa will give us memories and moments that we will talk about for years to come. Given that I'm 23 I don't have "They think it's all over" and I only remember Gazza's Italia 90 tears from my dad's video. But England have still given me plenty to reminisce over down the years. Here's a select few of my favourites.

England v Scotland Euro 96 Gazza's dentist chair
I was 9. I remember watching this game on a Saturday afternoon at my Nanny's house with my Uncle who had come down to visit from London. We had conceded a late goal to draw with Switzerland and next up were the old enemy. Scotland put up a fight but one moment stole the whole game from the rest of my memory. A bleach-blonde Gazza came up against the bravehearted Colin Hendry, he gently lifted the ball over the big centre half and volleyed it straight into the back of the net. He lied down in a dentist chair pose to mock a drinking game he had been spotted playing before. His team mates ran over squirting water in his mouth, I still remember it was from a Lucozade bottle. Me and my uncle jumped feet and hugged each other. I expect every England fan can remember when they were when Gazza scored that goal, but they may need a reminder that David Seaman also saved a penalty in that game.

England v Brazil Japan/Korea 2002, Ronaldinho's lob
While Seaman was hero in 96 he was caught out to shatter our hopes against Brazil in 2002. It was an early kick off because of the time difference so me and my mates gathered at Falmouth Town FC to watch the game over breakfasts, some of us sneaking a few cheeky Smirnoff Ices and Bacardi Breezers in the process, despite only being 15. We went crazy when Owen scored early and were tense when it was forced into extra time. But when Ronaldinho took that early free kick to lob Seaman I think you could have heard a pin drop. We spent the rest of the day in school moping around, at the time it seemed the saddest moment in my life.

England v Argentina France 98
Prior to the Brazil loss this day seemed like the saddest moment in my life. I remember going to bed with tears streaming down my face after David Batty missed that penalty. But the emotions were flying that game. Jubilation after Owen's wonder goal. Rage at Beckham's stupid sending off. Nail's bitten off during penalties and then shock at coming so close and losing, before it sunk in and the tears poured out.

England v Portugal Euro 2004
Sol Campbell scored in the Argentina game, but it wasn't given. A similar thing happened in the game with Portugal, when they became established as one of England's arch enemies. I still remember the name of the ref, Urs Meier (I promise I did not use Wikipedia for that) and I still can't get my head round what was wrong with that goal. It could have been so different.

England v Sweden Germany 2006
What a volley from Joe Cole. There wasn't too much to scream about in this tournament. We limped our way to the quarter finals and lost on penalties again, but that volley from Cole was certainly a screamer and one that will live long in the memory.

As you can see my England memories are all a bit negative minus the Gazza moment, but even that ended with Southgate's penalty miss. So lets hope that 2010 will bring some moments we will cherish forever and not look back on with a hint of sadness.

What are your favourites?

JT

Favourite manager characteristics

When we watch Premier League matches on the TV, we are always shown interviews with the managers after the games. With the race fourth and the title race still to be settled, we'll be hearing a lot more from them. But are they good characters?

Chelsea
Carlo Ancelotti
Every Chelsea boss since Mourinho has lived in his shadow, because the league has never experienced anyone like him. Big Phil came close with a loveable personality with his broken English, but the results didn't match. Ancelotti got off to a flyer when he made a joke about Terry going to Man City in his first press conference, but since his limited English hasn't created a great character for the British fans to see. I think I speak for most of us when I say the biggest talking point about Ancelotti's character is his People's Eyebrow.

Manchester United
Sir Alex Ferguson
S'Alex is a mixed bag. We always talk about his one-dimensional moaning about referees and added on time, which is a real pain. But on occasion you are surprised with an honest assessment of a poor Utd performance, or something like "typical Germans." The BBC do miss out without his input because no-one cares what Mike Phelan says.

Arsenal
Arsene Wenger
"I didn't see it," is the general script for Arsene Wenger comments on contentious issues post-match. But when asked about other things in football, such as Arsenal's lack of activity in the transfer market or Fabregas' possible move to Spain, Arsene shows his true colours and is entertaining. "Why would any player with a competitive edge want to go to a league where the team in third is 37 points behind the top two," was a classic. When he was sent to the stands against Man Utd in August and held his hands out in front of the crowd was another example that Wenger is a good character.

Tottenham Hotspur
Harry Redknapp
Old cod face can be quite one-dimensional in interviews but it was his constant use of "triffic" that inspired me to write this post. Every other player was "triffic" when Spurs win but he can be honest when they lose. He never has too much to say about any new players, just that "they're good players." Maybe it's his cheeky cockney accent why people like him.

Aston Villa
Martin O'Neill
The most energetic and enthusiastic manager in the league. On the touchline he gives it everything and is good box office with his jumping up and down. He gets so close to the action that he was even taken out by Nicolas Anelka this season. Post-match comments can be a bit tedious, especially when he is still banging on about the Carling Cup Final.


Manchester City
Roberto Mancini
The big talking point on Mancini in his scarf. Whether he wears it in the spring sunshine to look cool or to look like a true fan is still the burning question in English football. He's very fair in his interviews but stirs the pot every now and then with the likes of his Torres quotes, but he does have the money to back it up.

Liverpool
Rafael Benitez
The most unpredictable manager to listen to in the league. Fact. Rafa can be a press dream when he goes on his rants, but he gives the impression that he can be a nightmare to interview because he has his own agenda. But great quotes like guaranteeing fourth place when they are 7th with two games to go will live long in the memory.

There are a few more greats in the Premier League such as straight talking Mick McCarthy, playing with pride Avram and Tony Pulis with his cap. Who's your favourite?

JT

3D Football coverage - not quite green and red glasses

High definition was given the big build up and now it's pretty much everywhere. So much so Sky now say, "It's live on Sky Sports 1 and also available in standard definition!" but HD can't be flavour of the month forever, the next thing is 3D, and I've found that far more impressive. However it would be a long time before I bought it.

So far I've seen two football matches in 3D, after the Mason's Arms in Falmouth brought it out. It's fair to say it's a far cry from green and red glasses.

I have to say I liked it, especially the second game I watched, which was the Manchester derby - although I did not like the result.
The reason that game looked better than the other was the setting, for some reason the City of Manchester stadium appealed to the 3D concept more than White Hart Lane (the other game was Tottenham vs Arsenal), with the blue confetti, green and gold scarves and something as simple as the layout of the stands.

Certain angles look really good, for example crowd shots and those when the manager is on the touchline spouting instructions. But to be honest, your general view above the halfway line does not make a real difference. In fact, the big winner for 3D in that view is the camera's position.
The coverage is completely different in 3D. They use different shots, have different commentators (Sky use the kind you would normally have in a League 1 match for the 3D while Tyler and Gray are stuck on "standard definition") but most of all the cameras are positioned much closer to the action which leaves the biggest sense that you are at the game above anything else.
In the Mason's Arms they have a smaller TV showing the game in "standard definition" and when comparing the two it does show the difference. The halfway line view in 3D does not have anything jumping out at you, but it makes the standard view look like it's shot from a Betfair blimp (other bookmaker's blimps are available).
Incidentally, without the 3D glasses on, the TV screen looks like how a short sighted person would see any screen without their glasses on - fuzzy.

Before the matches the pub showed clips of other sports shot in 3D and it proved that football is not the big winner in this new concept. Slow-playing sports like golf look particularly good, because they show off the obstacles in the player's way and bring the golfer in front of the crowd and out of the screen. Boxing looks good because there are only two people for the cameras to concentrate on. The big winner for me is tennis, I actually dodged out of the way when I thought a ball was coming towards me. I would love to see a bit of Wimbledon in 3D.

The landlord in the Mason's Arms told me that Sky are sending some of their 3D cameras to South Africa for the World Cup and they have done a deal with the BBC to broadcast a few games. He thought it was a good money spinner to bring people down for games that would not necessarily be affecting England. I think he's right and I'll report back via this blog to show just how many punters he gets in for the 3D matches.

TVs are starting to be sold for home use now. But it will be a long time before I would consider getting one. Firstly because of the price (about £2000 a pop), secondly because of the lack of 3D content available to make it worth it and finally because at the moment I like the novelty of wearing 3D glasses in the pub and looking at my mates after seeing a certain camera angle and simultaneously nodding in satisfaction.

Leave your comments on your 3D experiences, what do you think?

JT

Weekend review - what we know and what we don't

This weekend has officially confirmed a few things we already knew in the world of football. Burnley will be relegated, Rangers will lift the SPL trophy and Wayne Rooney has been the best player in the Premier League this year. But there are also many more scores to be settled before we wrap up this season and look forward to the World Cup.

Rooney was always going to win the PFA award and rightly so. I personally thought it was wrong that Florent Malouda wasn't nominated but then I realised that the other nominations were just to fill in space and it didn't matter who else was shortlisted because Rooney was always going to win. The Manchester United man has been fantastic and as an England fan I can only hope that his fitness gets better in time for the tournament and that he plays like he has been for Man Utd.
I found it strange that Milner won young player of the year, not because he didn't deserve it but because it feels like he'd been around for years!

Burnley's fate was sealed at home to Liverpool yesterday, but in reality it was a foregone conclusion, maybe from when Brian Laws was appointed manager, although chairman Barry Kilby admitted he was dealt a bad hand. And it all looked so rosy when they beat Man Utd 1-0 in August.

Hats off to Rangers for winning the SPL. Walter Smith's men ran away with it and showed once again that organisation can triumph over free flowing football, the kind that Mowbray brought to Celtic before he was sacked. We'll find out who will win the next Organisation vs Pretty Football showdown when Barcelona play Inter on Wednesday.

Congratulations must go to Norwich and Bournemouth after getting promoted from League 1 and League 2 respectively. Who would of thought it after Norwich's 7-1 defeat first game of the season and Bournemouth's financial ruins last campaign? But Paul Lambert and Eddie Howe have both done brilliant jobs and good luck to them next season.

What's not yet confirmed but is certain barring a miracle, is that Hull, who lost at home to Sunderland on Sunday, are relegated and taking a financial mess down with them. Iain Dowie didn't really stand a chance and I'm not sorry to see them go and I don't think most neutrals would be either. They lost all their box office when Phil Brown went, although there is still a chance that he could be back again. I'm pleased West Ham will stay up because they are a club with a rich history who deserve to be in the top flight, plus they have a footballing genius for a manager. Nice touch when Scott Parker led the players in a hug with Zola after his goal on Saturday. A nod must also go to straight-talking Mick McCarthy and Wolves as well, looks like fielding a poor side against Utd worked, I don't agree with today's calls that Wolves can push for silverwear now though.

What of course is not done and dusted is the title race and the race for fourth. Stoke did not have a Kalou at Chelsea, who weren't flattered by seven goals and Tottenham could not keep up their run at Old Trafford, leaving it all to play for on Sunday. Questions have been raised about whether Liverpool would lie down for Chelsea to stop Utd getting an unprecedented 19th league title and maybe Steve Bruce would do the same for his old manager, but let's be honest, it's a professional game and that won't happen. Look at Liverpool v Blackburn in 1995, they won 3-0 on the last day and Blackburn only won the league because Utd couldn't beat West Ham.
Liverpool have got their own prize to play for anyway, with fourth place very much open up. Tottenham are in the box seat but still have Man City to play while Villa, fresh from a stroke of luck that reignited some Old Firm flames yesterday, also have City in the run in. Liverpool would have wanted to quietly go about their business but that won't happen as Chelsea travel to Anfield Sunday lunchtime.

Its another big one next week, but there's some Champions League semi-finals first, where English football fans can sit back and relax and enjoy what will hopefully be some fantastic football.

JT

England Squad - will Fabio gamble?

The time for Capello to name his squad for the World Cup is drawing ever closer, while the Rooneys, Lampards, Gerrards and Ferdinands are deservedly nailed on, there are a couple of places up for grabs. I think Fabio can afford a gamble or two for the competition but the big questions are who will they be and will he make them? Let's have a look at the options for the squad.

Goalkeeper
There's been a lot of talk about Robert Green and whether he's good enough between the sticks in the World Cup. I think he's not. Green's not necessarily a bad keeper and he's had an OK season considering the players in front of him, but I don't think he's a commanding presence between the sticks.
David James is a big presence, he's been around and knows the game and the other players. He's been Portsmouth's best player this season but that's not saying too much. He had a blinder in the semi-final with Tottenham and if he carries that form on I would say he's the favourite for the no.1 shirt. But having a goalkeeper who has been relegated does not do much for England's reputation going into the tournament, however it would do wonders for James' reputation when he looks for a new club afterwards.
My gamble for goalkeeper is Joe Hart. He's had a brilliant season at Birmingham, he's a good shot stopper and confident with crosses, and he puts his two pennies in with the defenders when he needs to. Hart's form has linked him with a move to Arsenal which I would like to see for him to progress. Whether or not he'll play in South Africa is a big doubt. You don't put an untried and untested keeper on the big stage straight away. I would like to see Hart start in goal in the upcoming friendlies.

Defence
Ferdinand's obviously skipper so he's in, Cole's a top left back and provided he's fit he's in. Johnson looks favourite for right back even though I've not been overly-impressed with him, but what else is there? Surely not Gary Neville. Surely. A question for me is John Terry. Forget off the pitch. On it he's had far from an outstanding season even if he could still lift the Premier League trophy and other Englishmen have stood out this season, especially Michael Dawson. The Spurs man has been fantastic, he gets his head everywhere, positions well and makes very few mistakes. Dawson's another one I would like to see get a go in the friendlies, he should be ahead of Lescott - who's rubbish - and Jagielka because he's been injured all season. Dawson's colleague Ledley King has been consistently class, but I don't think he's got the stamina to play a potential seven games in a month with his ongoing knee problem, but word is Capello's watching his fitness and he knows better than I, so watch this space.

Midfield
Lampard and Gerrard have to play together. They are two arguably world class players and although they may not have had the best seasons by their high standards I back them to rise to the occasion. I think Gerrard is best on the left with Lampard playing through the middle and Barry sitting in and my gamble in midfield is Adam Johnson to play as an impact substitute, he's given City a new lease of life since joining. The headache for Fabio is on the right, but it's a good problem to have with Young, Walcott and Lennon all good options but there are question marks over all of them, especially with Lennon's recent injury. I don't know to be honest, but I'm not paid millions to make that decision so let's see the manager earn his money. Battling Scott Parker has staked a claim to be in after carrying West Ham to safety and Carrick picks perfect passes, but I don't agree with talk of playing Owen Hargreaves, he's not played in months.

Up front
Rooney's a given and for me Crouch should play up top with him in a 4-4-2. Crouch's height provides an element teams aren't used to, he can hold balls up for Rooney to run onto and most of all he provides his own goal threat - you can't argue with 20 goals in 37 appearances. My other two for the squad would be Jermain Defoe (although I wouldn't put him on penalties) and Bobby Zamora. Zamora's untested for England but he's in the running for most improved player this season, he works hard, scores goals and has got the aerial presence of a Crouch or Heskey. Heskey's in the running because Rooney likes playing with him but he gives so little else to the cause. I say take a punt on Zamora.

So the big gambles are Hart, Dawson, maybe King, Johnson, Parker and Zamora. Capello's got seven weeks to hedge his bets, let's see what happens.

JT