Friday, May 26, 2006
ALEX FERGUSON: THE SCAB THAT JUST WON'T HEAL
Listening to Man Utd manager Alex Ferguson is a bit like picking a scab off.
It always hurts, and sometimes you feel that the pain was worth it, because, underneath the skin has healed - and you feel quite pleased with the result.
Sometimes though all you do is open up the wound again, and wish you'd never bothered after revealing a load of blood and puss.
Fergie is a daunting opponent, and for that, he has the respect of W.C.R.
Right now, Ferguson's face goes from strawberry to plum at the very mention of Rooney.
Two days ago, news came out that he'd sacked the head physio at Manchester United. Talk is that it wasn't about the fact that the physio was on good terms with the FA, and giving them updates about the most famous foot in English soccer.(tmffies)
But it probably didn't help.
Then yesterday he was back at it. I can't give you the exact quote but it went along the lines of "there is no footballer in the world that can be ready to play after just two weeks back on his foot, not even him."
To qualify this, the foot guy who examined tmffies, said that it would be two weeks before he can resume full training, and four weeks before he could back in the contact sport that is football.
Rooney may still be named in the squad, but WCR is not convinced that it's a good idea for Sven to look like he's hopeful of his return. If he is really lucky, Rooney might make it if England qualify for the last 16.
Today Manchester United confirmed what the foot guy said, but that he will have a further scan on June 14 which could reveal tmffies has healed completely.
But WCR thinks the side has to start thinking Rooney won't be there, rather than he might.
Though Ferguson has admitted he puts Man Utd before England, maybe his realism is what the England squad needs.
Without Rooney we may not be good enough to win the World Cup, but if that's the case, are we doing damage to the psychology of the squad who may have the hope of Rooney returning in the back of their minds if we struggle through the qualifying group?
Because of the allure of playing in the world's greatest soccer tournament, and the pressure on the England unit to take Rooney along, it just may be that Ferguson's scepticism is actually worth a second look.
If it were a Champions League semi-final and final that Manchester United were waiting to find out if Rooney were fit for, I believe Ferguson would have still been as sceptical.
Because he knows it's better for the team to believe in themselves, rather than wait for someone to come and save them.
Rather than go head to head with Fergie, Sven and the England camp should play down Rooney's hopes of being fit - and pull him out as a wild card if the recovery really is possible.
But an unfit, and chubby Wayne Rooney that hasn't kicked a ball for six weeks isn't going to stand a chance in the World Cup.
No matter how good he is.
It always hurts, and sometimes you feel that the pain was worth it, because, underneath the skin has healed - and you feel quite pleased with the result.
Sometimes though all you do is open up the wound again, and wish you'd never bothered after revealing a load of blood and puss.
Fergie is a daunting opponent, and for that, he has the respect of W.C.R.
Right now, Ferguson's face goes from strawberry to plum at the very mention of Rooney.
Two days ago, news came out that he'd sacked the head physio at Manchester United. Talk is that it wasn't about the fact that the physio was on good terms with the FA, and giving them updates about the most famous foot in English soccer.(tmffies)
But it probably didn't help.
Then yesterday he was back at it. I can't give you the exact quote but it went along the lines of "there is no footballer in the world that can be ready to play after just two weeks back on his foot, not even him."
To qualify this, the foot guy who examined tmffies, said that it would be two weeks before he can resume full training, and four weeks before he could back in the contact sport that is football.
Rooney may still be named in the squad, but WCR is not convinced that it's a good idea for Sven to look like he's hopeful of his return. If he is really lucky, Rooney might make it if England qualify for the last 16.
Today Manchester United confirmed what the foot guy said, but that he will have a further scan on June 14 which could reveal tmffies has healed completely.
But WCR thinks the side has to start thinking Rooney won't be there, rather than he might.
Though Ferguson has admitted he puts Man Utd before England, maybe his realism is what the England squad needs.
Without Rooney we may not be good enough to win the World Cup, but if that's the case, are we doing damage to the psychology of the squad who may have the hope of Rooney returning in the back of their minds if we struggle through the qualifying group?
Because of the allure of playing in the world's greatest soccer tournament, and the pressure on the England unit to take Rooney along, it just may be that Ferguson's scepticism is actually worth a second look.
If it were a Champions League semi-final and final that Manchester United were waiting to find out if Rooney were fit for, I believe Ferguson would have still been as sceptical.
Because he knows it's better for the team to believe in themselves, rather than wait for someone to come and save them.
Rather than go head to head with Fergie, Sven and the England camp should play down Rooney's hopes of being fit - and pull him out as a wild card if the recovery really is possible.
But an unfit, and chubby Wayne Rooney that hasn't kicked a ball for six weeks isn't going to stand a chance in the World Cup.
No matter how good he is.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
DID THE "B" STAND FOR BALLS UP? (That's what it looked like)
England's B team lost 2-1 in a friendly against Belarus tonight.
But it was a night of good and bad for the England side...
Good
Michael Owen ran around for an hour not doing much, but at least he didn't get injured. He did set up the goal with a header (just don't mention he was three yards off side when the ball was played).
Bad
Robert Green, the number 3 goalie in the squad, fluffed a goal kick and sustained a groin injury that means he's out of the World Cup.
Good
Aaron Lennon was man of the match, and looked good despite some tight marking. He set up Crouch for a goal (though it was disallowed for off-side) and hit the bar with a chip.
Bad
England gave the ball away all over the place and looked pretty shit.
Good
The 2-1 scoreline is deceiving - one of the goals came while Green was lying on the ground holding his bollocks.
Bad
Belarus only had ten men for the final 20 minutes and still scored the winner in that time.
Good
Sven's got a nice new sun tan.
Bad
Michael Carrick looked shit, as did most of the B team midfield.
Good
Scott Carson will replace Green in the World Cup Squad
Bad
Belarus are pretty shit. Their star player, Arsenal's Hleb, was on holiday, strangely, in Germany.
Good
Er, that's it. Actually it was fucking awful. Theo Walcott came on and looked "lively". Very fast, and definitely alive.
But it was a night of good and bad for the England side...
Good
Michael Owen ran around for an hour not doing much, but at least he didn't get injured. He did set up the goal with a header (just don't mention he was three yards off side when the ball was played).
Bad
Robert Green, the number 3 goalie in the squad, fluffed a goal kick and sustained a groin injury that means he's out of the World Cup.
Good
Aaron Lennon was man of the match, and looked good despite some tight marking. He set up Crouch for a goal (though it was disallowed for off-side) and hit the bar with a chip.
Bad
England gave the ball away all over the place and looked pretty shit.
Good
The 2-1 scoreline is deceiving - one of the goals came while Green was lying on the ground holding his bollocks.
Bad
Belarus only had ten men for the final 20 minutes and still scored the winner in that time.
Good
Sven's got a nice new sun tan.
Bad
Michael Carrick looked shit, as did most of the B team midfield.
Good
Scott Carson will replace Green in the World Cup Squad
Bad
Belarus are pretty shit. Their star player, Arsenal's Hleb, was on holiday, strangely, in Germany.
Good
Er, that's it. Actually it was fucking awful. Theo Walcott came on and looked "lively". Very fast, and definitely alive.
Sunday, May 21, 2006
SVEN: "WE WILL WIN"
Amazing the boost of confidence you can get by knowing you are leaving your job after the tournament...
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