September 2008 Archives

POSTCARD 1. The Riverside

- Miller. Okay so he missed three chances, two of which he should have passed. But, importantly, he's still willing to take on the challenge of scoring goals. Would you rather have a striker who tries? Or one who simply cannot be bothered with football and prefers to live a footballers' life, without actually earning his money?

- The defence. Not often I'll say this but to a man all five (inc Carson) were excellent. Donk was a little fidgety at first, affording Alves too much room, but he improved. Zuiverloon, Olsson and Robinson were outstanding. And if there's a better English keeper than Carson right now then let's see him.

- Kim. He turned to receive a ball inside the opening 30 seconds. He went down. It didn't look good.

- Top half of the table? 10 points from the opening seven games would be an outstanding return. And, don't forget, Andy Johnson is suspended following today's sending off. You can't appeal two yellow cards...even if he wanted to.

POSTCARD 2. Match Of The Day

- Yes Kim did go off injured after one minute. He suffered a bad knee injury. Where was it?

- His replacement Sherjill MacDonald was subbed at half-time.

- Miller missed three one-on-ones, as opposed to the two (MOTD missed the best of the three when Bednar was unmarked).

- The double save from Carson in the second-half. It wouldn't have counted. The flag was up. MOTD, for some reason, missed this.

- Villa v Sunderland, United v Bolton, Stoke v Chelsea? Really, were there any surprises?

- Good to see Stevie Wonder taking time out from his tour to help out in the editing suite of Match of the Day. Perhaps he was on a work experience placement. Word to the wise to those at football's flagship TV show, fans don't want to see Alan Hansen and Alan Shearer looking at each other wondering what to say. Actions, not words. No words, but action. Get it?

Roll on the day that ITV finally get the contract...

Off for a few days. Will be back after the Boro game...

In the meantime, who was the last man to score a winner for Albion in Middlesbrough?

Some observations.

1. Leon will get over it. The TV evidence wasn't kind, nor were Tony Mowbray's comments. Nor, for that matter, are my individual player ratings in Monday's Birmingham Mail. However, Barnett doesn't become a bad player overnight. Leon won't have been involved in the final set-piece drills or the pre-match training sessions. Although he's a professional, there's still a chance he wasn't 100 per cent switched on - it would be human nature if that was the case. So, despite the basic lapses, he must be cut some slack. Although you get the feeling he'll be glad that he doesn't face John Carew every week...

2. If you're going to organise a race between mascots at The Hawthorns then don't allow Wolfie from Wolves to win. More so if the bloke inside the costume happens to be a 'ringer' who supports Albion!

3. James Morrison has a point - Jonathan Greening DOES look like Screech from 'Saved by the Bell'.

4. 'Mozza' is also Albion's most improved player of the season so far. He was excellent last year but, during the early parts of this campaign, has looked more accomplished. His overall game has improved, he looks hungry and looks completely at ease at this level, more so than he did in the Championship.

5. Martin O'Neill might have won today's derby but he didn't beat Albion's groundstaff. The Villa boss was stood pitchside, speaking to my colleague and the Birmingham Mail's Villa reporter Bill Howell when the sprinklers came on. Whether he would have taken it in good spirits had Villa lost is unlikely.

6. Anyone get the feeling that Curtis Davies isn't necessarily the best of mates with certain Albion players? His pre-match comments about certain individuals not being honest enough to admit they wanted a move from The Hawthorns in summer 2007 were certainly a little barbed. As were some of the early challenges in yesterday's derby...

Based on tradition and proximity then surely it's Villa.

Or do you go for Albion vs Wolves - a rivalry stoked up more over the last 20 years, than beyond.

Villa or Wolves, you decide.

You may have read a tabloid story this morning about Tony Mobray (sic) being 'at war' with Jeremy Peace.

It's a great story. Or, at least, it would be if there was an iota of truth about it.

It couldn't be further from the mark if it had 'James Quinn shot' stamped all over it.

And this newspaper's timing couldn't be worse either. Coincidentally, Tony Mowbray spent a large part of yesterday's pre-match press conference talking about how well he worked with Jeremy Peace and how healthy the relationship was between the two men. This wasn't in response to any questions about his relationship with the Albion chairman I should add - more to do with questions relating to the 'continental' management structure at West Ham and the issues which arose there and at Newcastle recently. You can read about this in today's Birmingham Mail.

This particular national newspaper would have heard Mowbray for themselves - had they actually bothered to attend the press conference that is.

It's not the first time my profession has been let down by this particular newspaper.

Back in the summer, the Birmingham Mail reported extensively on Kevin Phillips' situation.

On one occasion we said that Tony Mowbray had no problems with Phillips and quoted the Albion manager where he said that Bosman players were often 'hawked around' by their agents so they could get the best deal available. Mowbray made it clear he had no gripe with Phillips.

When the story appeared in this particular national newspaper two days later it was claimed that "Tony Mowbray has slammed Kevin Phillips for 'hawking' himself to rival clubs" - something Mowbray never did.

Again, it was sexier story than the one we carried. Only it wasn't true.

So you make your own mind up whether today's revelations about a Peace-Mowbray bust-up are true or not.

But I leave you with this thought. When problems arose between the Albion chairman and former managers it was quickly apparent, mainly through the footballing grapevine and through sources both close, or in and around the club.

Like all employee-employer relationships I'm sure there is occasional friction. It wouldn't be natural if there wasn't. But if the two men are 'at war' then they are doing a good job of disguising it.

It makes you wonder what the original source of this story was. Someone within football trying to cause trouble for the club perhaps?

As I said, you make your own mind up...

Daydream, just for a moment, if you will.

You're the manager of a football club, your team are doing reasonably well and then you find out some of your key players have been sold behind your back.

Worse still you arrive at training to find that a player you never wanted has pitched up and is ready to train.

Welcome to West Ham United and Newcastle United.

It's how they do things on the continent. Presidential elections at major Spanish clubs have been won or lost by the promise of a major new signing arriving at the club. Ramón Calderón Ramos promised Robben, Fabregas and Kaka on the back of his success. Not quite.

It happened at Barcelona in the early 1980s when Diego Maradona arrived courtesy of President Josep Lluís Núnez. Argentine coach César Luis Menotti was rather pleased to have the world's greatest player on board. And then Terry Venables replaced Menotti and swiftly put his foot down - they didn't do things like that at QPR or Crystal Palace.

Maradona was sent packing to Napoli and replaced by Scotland's plodding centre-forward Steve Archibald. (Younger readers, imagine selling Kaka and signing Kenny Miller instead)

The upshot is that it's now happening in England. Has it ever happened at Albion?

Well there was certain innuendo some years ago regarding a few players. Without going into detail - in case our lawyers are watching - it was never proven, so let's leave it there. It was either true or rubbish, depending on who you believed at the time.

Albion already have a continental-style management structure, which incorporates a Sporting and Technical Director. Just as Newcastle and West Ham do.

Yet Albion's works well because everyone follows the same rules.

Tony Mowbray certainly has interesting views on the matter. According to the Albion boss the owners of any club have a right to run it as they say fit. But when it comes to dictating which players arrive at or leave the club? Well...you can read what Mowbray has to say about it in Friday's Birmingham Mail and birminghammail.net from late morning.

Had to smile when I heard the story about Ryan Donk, who was unveiled by Albion yesterday afternoon.

The Baggies' loanee spoke to the written press, as well as TV and radio.

It seems he is clearly looking forward to Saturday's game.

Asked how he felt about his move to The Hawthorns, the Dutchman told one radio presenter how pleased he was to sign for 'West Ham'.

One player signing for two clubs? That would put the Tevez?Mascherano saga somewhat into perspective...

You may have to forgive Tony Mowbray for diverting his attention from Albion tonight when Andy Murray takes on Roger Federer in the US Open final.

The Baggies boss became friends with the Murray family when he was manager at Hibernian.

Murray takes on Federer in the New York showpiece after defeating Wimbledon champion and world No.1 Rafael Nadal.

The 21-year-old recovered from a break down in the fourth set to beat the Spaniard 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-4.

Murray, a huge Hibs fan, was presented with the BBC Scotland Sports Personality of the Year award by Mowbray back in 2005.

Mowbray watched Murray at Wimbledon the following summer, with the Dunblane-born star and brother Jamie both being presented with Hibernian shirts by the club.

Mowbray said: "He is an inspiration to everyone with the way he looks after himself.

"My young players at Hibs looked up to him."

At some stage I may - although I probably won't - launch a vicious attack against a colleague. A few blows to the face should do the trick.

The people who run my industry may also discover that I have a history of trouble. I haven't, but let's pretend for a moment. For argument's sake I may have once stubbed out a cigarette on the work experience lad's face, or even committed common assault, perhaps in Liverpool.

The "cowardly and extremely violent assualt" (the judge's words, not mine) will happen after I've downed 10 pints and five bottles of lager. CCTV will capture all of this, not least the bits where I continue to lay into my victim as a 16-year-old watches in horror. The teenager will also get a whack, just for good measure.

None of this will be a problem. My job won't be in jeopardy as a result of the attack on my colleague because the people who run my industry are weak and pathetic. The fact I battered a Liverpudlian or two during a night-out won't matter one jot either as far as they're concerned.

Can you guess which industry I'm talking about yet?

In fact I will be fined half a week's wages and told to stay off work for a bit. About six weeks should do the trick I reckon. By which time my colleague's eyes should no longer be black, his teeth should be fixed and, with any luck, his nose will have stopped bleeding.

After a few weeks I shall return to work. If I choose to commit any further offences during this time I will get an extra six weeks off. Yep, I can live with that.

Sadly, I live in the real world, where such conduct would get me sacked and locked up. I would become unemployable. Or, worse still, pursued by Aston Villa.

With that in mind I shall refrain from assaulting anyone I know. I shall also avoid stubbing out any cigarettes on the younger staff at work. Likewise I'll keep my nose clean should I visit Liverpool.

Joey Barton, however, lives in a world where you can commit grievous bodily harm and, to all extents and purposes, get away with it. Well done to the FA for fining him half a week's wages and giving him a 12 game ban (six of which are suspended). I mean that sarcastically. This season footballers are being told to respect the referee, yet the FA are respecting those footballers who assault others. A fine example.

So the powers-that-be are wondering why fans are starting to turn their back on the game? The FA might as well have given Joey Barton a pat on the back and congratulated the loathsome fool for assaulting his ex-Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo - an attack so vicious that Arsenal's French contingent refused to acknowledge Barton last week in protest at his attack on their compatriot.

Barton will be back sooner, rather than later.

Just to make it relevant to Albion, it may interest you to know that his first game back at St James' Park will be when Albion visit on Octber 29 (after he faces Sunderland at the Stadium of Light). And won't that be a joy for all concerned.

I wonder what Ousmane Dabo thinks?

Belgium, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Korea, Netherlands, Cape Verde, Portugal, Poland, Ivory Coast, Dutch Antilles, Sweden, Spain, Mozambique, Grenada, Romania, Japan, Jamaica, Hungary, Uruguay, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Australia, Macedonia, Senegal, Switzerland, Mali, Nigeria, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland and England.

I make that 34 countries to have been represented by Albion since 2000.

But do you remember which Albion players were from: Mozambique (2007-08), Mali (2003-04) or Nigeria (2002-03)?