April 2008 Archives

"People form opinions, it's like art: one person likes a piece, another doesn't."

So says Daniel de Ridder.

Commenting on being out in the cold at St Andrew's, the winger has been fairly philosophical.

And there's something about Dutch players, isn't there? They are always very articulate and won't shy away from airing an opinion.

Yet there have been a few misconceptions about the interview de Ridder gave to the Birmingham Mail.

It wasn't an 'outburst', or a hatchet job on Alex McLeish. Neither was he trying to rock the boat at such a crucial stage of the season.

Primarily it was in response to what he feels is a misconception among some fans: that he is idling his time away on the treatment table.

He's fit, available, reckons he can contribute, but he's simply not to the manager's liking.

McLeish today outlined his reasons for choosing others ahead of him, and de Ridder is sure to be seen elsewhere next season.

McLeish has handled the situation sensibly and calmly.

Tickly bit, squeaky bum time . . . call it what you will, but I doubt if anyone can adequately sum up exactly what Blues are about to face.

A point at Fulham is a minimum requirement. If not, then Blues could be relegated, depending on other results.

Victory is really what's needed to keep the pressure on going into the final Sunday of the season.

It's a tall order, let's not shy away from the truth.

One win in 18 league and cup away matches, one in 12 away since Alex McLeish's arrival - his debut match, at Spurs - the statistics are pretty grim.

Still, funny things do happen at this time of year, and Fulham have just complete successive away victories for the first time since wisps of hair started to appear on Jimmy Hill's chinny chin chin (well, it must have seemed like that).

Blues will have to quickly get over letting a two-goal lead slip against Liverpool and concentrate on what's ahead.

McLeish is a huge believer in being positive, thinking optimistically about what the possibilities might be rather than dragging people down by fearing the worst.

And if Blues had been 2-0 adrift to the Reds and come back, then maybe the rest of us might not have such a sense or foreboding right now.

In many respects, it was not a surprise last Saturday. Blues have let Sunderland, Reading, Derby County and Newcastle United off the hook before at St Andrew's.

I don't think I've ever seen or heard so many Blues fans as crushed, shocked and angry - all rolled into one - than in the aftermath of the Villa Park humiliation.

Everyone you meet or talk to feels the same, and the emails fired off to the Birmingham Mail and comments posted on Internet message boards show clearly the strength of feeling.

The reasons for Blues tonking have been dissected at length elsewhere and, when the summer is here, that's the time for steps to be taken to ensure it never happens again.

And let's be honest here, those who have followed Blues regularly away from home will tell you that in some ways a pasting like Sunday's was inevitable.

Blues are a completely different team when they are not at St Andrew's. Meek, unassertive, shown up for pace and quality and easy to score against; on bad away days that's them in a nutshell. The Villa result could easily have been the Wigan result.

For now, though, the focus has to be on the remaining three games and showing professional pride and the strength of character to get the points needed.

Liverpool at home, Fulham away, Blackburn home; no matter who the opponents are, it's all about Blues and how they impose themselves and show a force of will and personality.

Sure, a splodge of luck here and there is probably going to be needed.

And you just hope, for everyone's sake, the referees do not become the talking point.

Here we go again.

Villa Park. April. Blues under threat of relegation.

At least Gary Cahill isn't around this time. Mind, he should have been, in a Blues shirt. But that's for another time.

Villa effectively tipped Blues over the edge in 2006 with that 3-1 win. It was Blues only defeat in a seven-game spell at the business end of the season.

Matthew Upson limped to the dressing room after rupturing his Achilles tendon in the warm-up, starting a sorry afternoon for Blues.

Even though Chris Sutton (remember him?) equalised for Blues, Cahill produced his amazing volley and Blues were done for.

On Sunday, Villa will be looking for the same sort of end result no doubt.

If Villa click, Blues could be in for a difficult time.

But two years ago, you sensed it was not quite right with Blues. They had talented individuals - when fit - but the collective will and leadership was lacking.

The present group may not be all singing and dancing, but they have heart and as long as they don't let Villa set the tone, they could well spring a surprise.

Olivier Kapo should be available and with Mauro Zarate capable of the unexpected, as well as James McFadden, Villa will have to respect Blues defensively.

I would start Cameron Jerome up front because his pace and power is unsettling and Blues need a player of his ilk for an outlet ball and to stretch the play.

Villa go into the derby as clear favourites but Blues revel in the underdogs tag and, with their Premier
League status on the line, won't give anything up easily, as they have shown all season.

It could be quite an affair - and it wouldn't be Villa-Blues if there wasn't some sort of twist, would it?

Had some interesting correspondence in the last couple of days with David Sullivan and Alex McLeish.

The Blues directors are at a loss to explain why only 5,000 supporters have renewed season tickets, despite a 10 per cent discount, before the deadline passed.

It became a talking point when Derby County claimed 19,000 were backing them in the Championship next season.

Sullivan asked for the thoughts of a handful of people, including myself and BRMB head of sport Tom Ross.

McLeish was copied in on the several emails that were exchanged and added his bit.

Those people imagining Karren Brady furtively slipping an agent a brown envelope stuffed with money at a Motorway service station somewhere on the M40 will be disappointed today.

Similarly, images of David Sullivan popping down to Stringfellows from his Essex mansion with a wad full of cash for a star player can be scrubbed.

The pair were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting.

They went to Bishopsgate Police Station, east London, by prior arrangement - there were no dawn raids on their homes - questioned for five-and-a-half hours and released on bail.

But the police investigations are not centred around illegal payments or 'bungs', whatever you want to call it.

It is, to quote Sullivan, 'a complicated tax matter'.

Further to the sensational developments at Blues, we bring you the detail and background in today's Birmingham Mail.

It makes fascinating reading too as this is not an issue about 'bungs', and the club directors are furious that they have been implicated.

It was sad to hear of Bob Matthews's death last week.

Bob worked at Blues for several years on the commercial and promotions side.

And he was the matchday MC as well. He would stride out onto the pitch and always begin 'good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to St Andrew's'.

Bob, whose funeral takes place on Wednesday, was a hard working, engaging man, who always had time for people.

You only have to check the various Blues Internet message boards to discover how genuine and caring he was.

Many supporters have posted examples of Bob going out of his way to help them.

Often when Blues had botched things up, Bob would take it upon himself to clear up the mess, whether it was organising a signed shirt or a trip to meet players.

He used to go down to Wast Hills on a Friday morning with balls and shirts to be signed and would lay them out on tables.

The players were quite mischievous and used to muck Bob about (some items would mysteriously go missing) but he took it all with good grace.

He used to greet me with a firm handshake and addressed me by the ironic nickname 'The Truth', being a journalist and all that.

The truth is that Bob was a great guy and will be sorely missed. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he always put others first.

Condolances to his family, and especially his two lovely daughters Alison and Helen, who used to help him on matchdays and at various club functions.

When he eventually retires from football, Mehdi Nafti can either start up a business as a translator or do a few stints at the Glee Club.

The midfielder had her Majesty's press corps in fits when he provided his customary expertise interpreting for Mauro Zarate.

Nafti put the questions to the Argentinian striker in Spanish and explained his answers - with plenty of dry asides too.

A deadpan quip following a question by the man from Qatar television, dispatched to Wast Hills to get the scoop on Zarate's future, started things rolling.

Question: "You have a strong left foot and a strong right foot, which leg do you prefer?"

Nafti: "The middle one".

Question: "If Manchester United come in, you wouldn't want to play for them instead of Birmingham?"

Nafti: "Who? Manchester United? I wouldn't think so."

Question: "Why did Mauro go to Qatar in the first place?"

Nafti: "For football of course, not the money . . . "

By now, Nafti was having fun, especially with our man from Qatar.

Question: "You are going to be a big star in the future - are you ready for that?"

Question: "The reaction here is that you are going to be a big star on the pitch?"

Nafti: "If you keep saying that, you will bring him bad luck, huh?"

John Curtis, of the Press Association agency, asked a rambling question.

Nafti: "Can someone translate that for me, please?"

Then it was onto Nafti's linguistic skills, and with it a nod to the manager who, it seems, even he finds difficult to comprehend.

Nafti: "I am helping Mauro learn English, his first step is with me. Then after English, we try Scottish!"

Blues face some serious hard bargaining when it comes to discussing the long-term future of Mauro Zarate.

When his loan deal from Al-Sadd was struck in January, the Qatar side made it clear the asking price for a permanent transfer was at least 25 million, rising to 28 million euros.

That's the equivalent of about £19 million - £22 million.

I was told this by a club director and it was confirmed by his agent.

When he moved from Velez Sarsfield in Argentina, it was for more than £10 million.

Al-Sadd know that Zarate wants to desert the desert, but they are determined to recoup double what they paid for him.

Zarate is keen to give Blues the first option for his signature, and his contribution in the win over Manchester City was stunning.

Trevor Francis, commentating for television, summed it up when, after Zarate's second goal, he said: "That's the reason he's in the team, because he finishes like that."

It was a strike TF himself would have been proud of.

With James McFadden and Olivier Kapo sidelined, Blues have been in desperate need of someone to do the Dugarry thing and provide inspiration - Zarate did that on Saturday all right.

Although still very raw and sometimes infuriating when he goes off on a dribble straight into a crowd of bodies when the better option of a simple pass is on, the Zarate kid will learn and get better.

No question he has natural ability, can beat an opponent with ease, possesses a turn of pace and is a top-class finisher, with either foot.