English Failure, English Pride

You do not have to be a genius to work out the fate of Steve McClaren. Either he falls on his sword or the blade gets plunged between his shoulder blades by Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick.

With the World Cup finals qualifying draw scheduled for Friday in South Africa, it is inconceivable that the disgraced England manager will be on a plane out of Heathrow to attend the function.

The buck will stop with McClaren and rightly so – although Barwick and FA chairman Geoff Thompson ought to avoid looking in mirrors for a few days because close self-introspection might not be wise for them in the current climate.

The ramifications will be acted out in the corridors of power at Soho Square, but there are far wider implications for English football. Perhaps the shocking debacle at Wembley Stadium against Croatia – a 3-2 loss that kept England out of next year's European Championship finals – will be the reality check that we have been in desperate need of for some time.

When Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Co. are on their sun beds this summer, instead of the pitch at Euro 2008, maybe they will have time to reflect on the fact that the much-vaunted Premier League is nowhere near as good as the English actually think it is.

Reputations have been damaged across the board by the Croats, who were smarter and technically superior and showed a far greater determination to win a game they did not need. There is some genuine doubt as to whether some of those reputations can be salvaged.

Because, quite simply, England was gifted a chance to qualify for next summer's European Championships on a plate by Israel last Saturday, and instead of its big-name players grasping the opportunity with a ruthless flourish, they froze with fear.

None more so than Gerrard, the England captain, who has so often carried his beloved Liverpool on his broad shoulders but was left floundering in the Wembley mud, unable to have any influence on a game of such magnitude.

Ditto with Lampard, who, apart from converting a fortunate penalty kick for England's first goal Wednesday, was incapable of rising to the occasion despite being given the formation that allows him such freedom with Chelsea.

Is this duo really one of the best midfield pairings you could wish for in European football? Or are they simply an overhyped combo that has made us lose all perspective on the real levels of quality in our domestic game.

David Beckham was made to wait until halftime to win his 99th cap and dramatically supplied the cross from which Peter Crouch gave the nation renewed hope. But, surely, that is the end of his England career – despite his claims last week that he still wants to carry on for the World Cup finals in more than two years' time.

Without Rooney, Ferdinand and John Terry, who cut wretched figures as they squirmed in the stands, England was shorn of the three players who conceivably could claim to be good enough to start for any other world team. Michael Owen, the fourth name on that list of absent world stars, also belongs in that category.

Their reputations won't be damaged too much, but the same cannot be said of Scott Carson. The unfortunate goalkeeper set the tone for the evening of disappointment with a dreadful error after only eight minutes to allow Croatia to take a 1-0 lead.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but McClaren never should have decided to blood the 22-year-old in such a tension-ridden fixture. The manager has to accept the blame on this one.

By all means, drop Paul Robinson. But David James should have been the choice in goal, not Carson. The vitriol that will be poured in the direction of the youngster could do irreparable damage for the remainder of his career.

Very few players, ironically apart from Peter Crouch, who so often has been the whipping boy, emerged with their reputations intact, and that is a damning evaluation in itself.

Flawed tactics, an arrogance beyond belief and a total lack of moral fiber were contributory factors in the shambles at the new stadium, and some even had the temerity to suggest the Oct. 28 NFL game did so much damage to the playing surface that it had an effect, too.

That type of blinkered attitude and refusal to accept any portion of the blame for errors made in the past has prevented England from adding to its one major tournament win 41 years ago, the 1966 World Cup.

Maybe now, at long last, it is time for that attitude to change and to realize there is something inherently wrong with our game, even though Sky TV insists ad nauseam that the Premiership is, by head and shoulders, the world's best football league.

Perhaps a summer of inactivity might just be the catalyst finally to end the rhetoric and actually see the FA and English football do something about it. Otherwise, we could be waiting another 41 years.

Foreign Quota in the English Premier League

It is quite amazing the way Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have come up with things they believe will make the beautiful game of football better. In its reality, the things they have come up would most likely be detrimental if implemented and agreed upon by the rest of the footballing world. First is blatter's idea on a foreign quota that allows atleast 5 home grown players on any starting line-up. As an adept follower of the English premier league, I would like to look at the effect of this on the league. The best players in the world(in terms of creativity and how much fun they are to watch) are from south america, AFRICA, southern europe. Of these three areas, only southern europe housing the likes of spain and portugal have likely capabilites as the English premier league. When fans turn to watch the beautiful game, they want to see football being played in a beautiful manner. Watching most english player based team in the premier league, you will die of boredom as they just quick the ball up high and hope to fondle the ball into the net-the likes of bolton, westham, chelsea and tottenham, derby and so on. Introducing foreign players to the league has made the league the most watched and investment drawing league in the world. For example, "Allow me to draw a comparison between two teams; Arsenal and Tottenham. Not more than eleven years ago these were two clubs of the same size (Tottenham perhaps bigger) with pretty much the same level of success and size of fanbases. One club decides it cannot and will not afford self-indulgent, overrated, playboyish and exuberantly over-priced English players who are so over-priced because they have one or two caps for a second tier footballing nation. Instead they chose to unearth some of the biggest talents in world football at a very low cost but high reward for the viewing public. This club, predominantly through its transfer policy, is now a hugely successful and financially stable entity with a brand new stadium- paid for with the board and the manager's shrewdness- and has billionaires falling over eachother to buy into it, which the club doesn't need. The other club however is languishing, being dragged down slowly by mediocre English players on staggering salaries and more often than not coming off the back of huge transfers (Bent, Jenas, Dawson, Lennon, Robinson, Defoe.)".
Secondly, is the issue of cup winners getting to the champions league, when slavia prague plays rosenborg, how many people turn up to watch this game compared to AC Milan playing Barcelona?My case is closed on this one.

The Emergence of Fluid Arsenal(Part 3)-Passing the litmus test

There has been much talk about how Arsenal has performed this season. Many though question how they will perform when they face stronger opposition like the "Big 4", believing they will crumble in the event of a loss. With this in mind, we head to the biggest week of the year where Arsenal face Liverpool and Manchester United and also face Sheffield united in the Carling cup in between these two games.
The Liverpool game came on Sunday midday and all the fiery power expected in the game was put to extinction when Liverpool showed up with a defensive formation with Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano. That Xabi and jAVIER have never played together in the same game because of their defensive likabilities, showed their intention to defend.
Even though all of us at the Emirates Stadium would have hoped this would be a feast of football with goals and thrilling play from the off, reality got into the way of fantasy in an opening half that failed to live up to expectations.As it turned out, the key man for Liverpool in the first half was Steven Gerrard as he did his best to chop down Arsenal's attacking intent at its heart, with Cesc Fabregas struggling to find the space he thrives in. Liverpool players went flying into tackles as there were about 9 sliding tackles in the 1st half of the game, this made chances few and far in between as arsenal were caged and Liverpool had little attacking ambition. At the end of the day, the game ended in a draw as arsenal grew in power in the second half as they were beginning to find more space as Liverpool grew tired. The goal to pull arsenal back was a well defined move, lovely placed on a platter by hleb for fabregas who had made a full field run to collect the well executed chip, that tore the Liverpool defence apart and poked past an hapless Reina. At the end, the result could have been said as fair but arsenal fans felt they could have gone home with the 3 full points. They left Anfield unscathed.
Next is a trip to Bramall Lane. Wenger is going to once again put his faith in a youthful side bearing the likes Denilson, Diarra, Fabianksi and giving debuts to lansbury,merida, gavin hoyte and Gibson. With the manager's confidence and their determination to impress and youthful desire, they tore Sheffield united apart scoring goals just when they are needed-As Sheffield was matching them in play. The first goal was a well taken scorcher to the top corner by Eduardo after good play by Eduardo. Seeing that goal reminded me that In Eduardo, we have a new breed of a striker who is a typical goal poacher, something we have not had in while. Ingenuity and a eye for a killer pass brought about the second. This goal just exemplified what Arsene was trying to teach at the club as ability to produce entertaining football was been thought at all age levels. The third was just a quick reminder that a new cesc was likely in the waiting, something the professor likes to do-creating a new player from an older generation. The game was a whole was satisfactory to the eye and gave lots of hope for the future.
Though, the real litmus test was not performed until early Saturday morning, the tension leading up to the game was quite impressive.

THE EMERGENCE OF FLUID ARSENAL (PART 2)- YOUTHFUL DEMOLITION

I left part 1 of this series hoping Mr Arsene's young talents would be in contention for trophy's come May, but I think I am a bit more confident now, confident to say we can atleast end the season with two trophys. The question though now is what is the reason for my new found confidence?The confidence I have was confirmed on tuesday night when arsenal faced slavia prague in the third game of the group stage of the champions league. In Slavia Prague, Arsenal had an opposition heads the Czech league summit with a 5 points lead including a 2-0 defeat of sparta; a team that beat Ajax and Zilina to qualify for group stages. Prior to this game, Arsenal after a long time managed to over come a doggy bolton defence with a 2-0 win. The star of this victory, Theo Walcott, a 60th minute substition. His performance from his last 2 cameo appearance had suggested that he would start upfront soon as Arsene thinks he is now ready to play in that role.

Arsenal demolished Slavia 7-0 at the emirates with theo and cesc grabbing 3 goals each. In its reality, slavia is not the hardest of opposition but to see arsenal score 7 without really nothing into top gear, and a striker just making his first CL start with only 2 prem start to his name. This striker, Theo was once again the star of the day. All of arsenal's goals(except the 2nd-own goal) was scored in the arsenal way- slick passing, great movement and at a very technical pace. Theo's and Cesc's seconds were just a perfect definition of what soccer should be like. Arsenal's game is so swift that some fixtures from last season cannot get into the team. To think last season that Eboue, Gilberto or even Clown Jehn would be on the bench this season would have been unthinkable. Everyone is playing so well and the dangerous thing for arsenal's opponents is that they can only get better. I fear for what the likes of cesc, theo, bendter, merida would become in the nearest future. I will tell you more in part 3

I JUST DEY YARN

As I surf the boulevard of unrealized dreams and dashed hopes,
I reminisce to a time when my candle of faith defied the winds which time blew in its face and stood strong ablaze...
that was the rising of the sun, the beginning of my days...beautiful and uncorrupted by the polluting influences of the grime on life's highway
The years have flown by irretrievably and I watch appalled at what I have done with it. I wish I could hold back the years and correct the mistake of yesterday but alas!
That is more complex than simple.
I was told once about the numbering of ones days...I wonder which number I got to before I discovered I was in a crisis state...
I have fought many battles and my body is battered from the bashing that living has dealt it. I ache for a time when I can rest from my worries.
I hear that is when I am dead and gone from this present tide called earth...
This world, I tell you has never given me any free meal without demanding for my whole kitchen in return
Someone once told me about this ferocious king of a tribe called Judah. I hear he fights battles which one may find too fierce to face... I was told that in spite of size of one's adversary, this Lion has never lost a war. I need to enlist his help on this journey of life.
Sometimes one feels defeated especially, when someone close dies reminding you of the briefness of this realm... We count of getting old before passage but believe me that it is too fast becoming a mirage...
Apprehensive, I count the greys in my hair wondering what wisdom the years has bestowed on my tired mind aside from the migraines I get from juggling career and fatherhood...
I used to think like one can only get better with age, I believed it until I saw a roach in an old wine bottle and then I realised the years, though kind also draws various kinds of vermin to help you mature.
Did I tell you about the fire- the refining fire that through the years reformed my form...
the fire which burns one into a form which cannot be replicated as it is unique to each soul in transit?
This morning, as I sipped my coffee within my busy schedule, I paused;thinking of the limelight of light and colours it will light to guide me on, the promises it still hides in its unfolding womb, I think again of the mercy of the potter who has allowed the years to make me better even amidst personalizing arguments to clutch bitterness to my nipples.
Na wa oh, I tell you...but fellow students and friends, pause and ponder so that the years are yet dreams BUT if pondering hurts too much, I beg you, no mind me oh, seun dollar just dey yarn................

THE EMERGENCE OF FLUID ARSENAL (PART 1)- THE LOVE OF ATTRATIVE FOOTBALL(SOCCER)

I would fail my love for the game if I do not talk about my much publicised love for arsenal and creative football. For a long time now, it is been hard for me to explain how one would play beautiful soccer and match it with a winning consistency. This has been arsenal's downfall since the "invincibles" of 2004. Many have questioned the reliance and trust Mr Wenger has in young stars, but it is quite knowledgeable to accept that the new slick dimensions he is about to introduce into the team cannot be thought to veterans as they already have their own unique individual styles. So, I guess "Arsene Knows" in that regards. To see the kind of football these arsenal youngsters play after the much talked about departure of their talisman, Thierry Henry "Mr Cool", is quite fascinating. Many have believed his exit, would means arsenal's fall out of the "Big Four", particularly not buying any big name to replace him.They have been proved long, at least for now. They are yet to face the most formidable of teams but can get a lot of courage knowing they placed most of the big boys last season in the absence of Henry. If my thoughts are right, I wont be wrong come May to see arsenal still in touch with atleast 3 chances of lifting a trophy. This is my 1st of 5 post series on "THE EMERGENCE OF FLUID ARSENAL"

http://www.footytube.com/2007/09/22/arsenal-vs-derby/

THE MELT DOWN

There are many days when you wake up to realise your world is crashing right in front of you and you are almost incapable of stopping the meltdown. You wonder how much time you have spent in reaching where you are at the moment, or the financial inputs or memory leakages you have gone through and then you think to yourself, do I really deserve this. One mistake leads to the next and then a chain of mistakes and you are totally taking off balance. Ways to get out of your present storm keeps running through your veins but there are hindrances to putting them to work. As you about to let whats about to happen go on, a gentle fall wind blows your curtain sideways, and a beam of the sunlight falls on your face and then for a moment, you think you still have hope. Hope to keep going, hope to get you out of your storm and put you right back where you think you belong. This has been my conundrum, my life is about to take the shape it deserves and my rewards are set to start hitting me-left, right, center and from everywhere.The question now remains that, is this new found belief in what my life will become going to stay strong to me or will I still wither in my sorrows. For every day we live, we live hoping to see the next day and the day after, but do we know what those unseen days have in stock for us? With a full knowledge that we have very little to live for, it is quite important that we live our lives in the best possible way we can think of, one we can sit back and smile, knowing we have caused some people to smile. This desire to accomplish this has made me set up the STAND AGAINST POVERTY CAMPAIGN, an organization under the STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY CAMPAIGN against world poverty and I will need you all to join me and lets make the world a better place and give the unprivileged a chance to smile and make of live what they want it to be. Please visit http://standagainstpoverty.org/node/13602 or send an email to dazedfaze2000@yahoo.com to make enquiries on how you can help.

STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY

After a couple of years looking for ways to make my impact on the world, I decided to contact the STANDUP SPEAKUP organization about some ways I could help and they have allowed me a chance to start a charity organization in Carleton University to raise awareness about poverty in the World and also find ways to mitigate poverty. I have then decided to come up with STAND AGAINST POVERTY. I know I am not left alone in this desire to want to help, so for as many of you that would like to join the cause, you can contact me at dazedfaze2000@yahoo.com or you can visit the organization's at http://www.standagainstpoverty.org/user/4260. Please copy and paste in your browser. Once again, thank you very much for being a part of this cause.

What you desire

We as individuals all have our heart desires.That one thing, or even a couple of things that we desire-that car, those soccer shoes, some financial target or even that pretty lady or handsome guy, but like I said earlier they just your desire-something you wish to have. For the most part, we work to get our desires fulfilled or we just hope on some miracles to happen. At times, you try a couple of things but they just do not seem to work and then you it all to a miracle to occur. The question now remains that what is the criteria that is used by the desire guarantoor to grant our desire-our impending wish for them, our neverending prayer for them, is the desire a need in our lives or does it even add anything to our being. This is something I wander about in my little corner. You have been invited to seun's little corner, the corner where he comes down to earth and sees the world at its lowest point. The real him if I might say. Do you accept my invititation to tinker about this issue of having your desire granted or even other issues you think we can discuss about. I cannot end this post if I do not congratulate all arsenal fans on the teams resurgence and stay at the top of the table. So people, post me your replies, thoughts, questions, criticism or praise. I want to hear from you....................