This weekend’s Black Country derby marks twelve months in charge for our head coach Roy Hodgson, but where has the last year taken us? writes West Brom blogger Jarrod Hill.
Feb 082012
Feb 082012
…well that’s according to our favourite newspaper the Daily Mail anyway!. Being a Chelsea fan, hardly a day goes by without reading a ridiculous headline from this lot as they look to fill their pages and websites with headlines to grab peoples attention with little basis for the story!.
In this instance, they claim the following:
Chelsea face a battle to keep Daniel Sturridge after Arsenal took significant steps towards a shock summer swoop.Sturridge, 22, is the Blues’ top-scoring forward this season with 10 goals, but sources close to the player claim he is not happy with his role as a right winger under Andre Villas-Boas.
And Arsenal’s influential chief scout Steve Rowley has put the wheels in motion to effect a surprise switch.
Sturridge wants to negotiate an improved contract, yet Chelsea are unwilling to do so as he still has two-and-a-half years left on his current deal.
And with the likes of Hulk and Edinson Cavani on Villas-Boas’ shopping list, Sturridge’s current wide role is likely to continue.
Let’s just have a look at the facts here shall we. This season is his first back at the club after being a huge success on loan at Bolton last season. he IS only halfway through the five year deal he signed a couple of seasons ago and has spoken numerous times of how much he is enjoying his football this season and the freedom under AVB in his game.
Do we honestly believe this rubbish they have come out with once again and do you honestly see Chelsea selling one of our prized assets go to one of our rivals?
Don’t believe this one people for a second!
KTBFFH
My Blog / Facebook: / Twitter: / My Blog on Chelseafc.com.
I wondered being honest, how long it would take until we heard from either Nico Anelka or Alex after their departures from Chelsea back in last month’s transfer window and it hasn’t taken long.
The Sun over here in the UK leads with an interview Anelka has given about the end of his Chelsea career and claims he was left to rot with the reserves.
Anelka had refused to sign a new contract offered to him by the club and as a result, handed in a transfer request. He has since signed for Shanghai Shenhua in what he calls his “last contract”.
Anelka spoke of what happened and said:
“Ever since I was punished they put me with the youngsters.I’ve got all the kit and equipment that professionals have but they put me in a separate changing room — that’s football for you.
One day, you can be there scoring goals and doing all you have to do for your club but the day you leave there is no pity.
That’s why the day you do decide to leave you have to do what you have to do and have no sadness either, because there are no friends in football.
That’s the truth. It’s sad to say but that’s the truth. It’s a collective sport but it’s also very individual.
I for one love Nico Anelka as I think he is a real class act. I wrote a tribute post to him before he left the club called “We never knew we had it so good” and I stand by everything I stated there.
News of what happened to him at the end of his time he will shock and disturb some people. From the clubs standpoint, he has no interest in staying and wants to leave so why should he train with everyone else and be part of match preparations?. From that standpoint you can understand him being kept away from the first team.
However, to treat him the way they did is uncalled for if you ask me as Anelka always gave it his best whenever he pulled on a blue shirt. Bearing in mind the situation with our results and performance around that time, we could have used Anelka until the day he walked out the door.
Who’s to say someone at the club could have sat down with him, explained that they would work hard to find the right solution for the club and Anelka but for the time being he trains and works hard to give it his all for the club he is still an employee for?. I am sure being the professional Anelka is, he would have done so even if it mean’t coming off the bench in every game. He would have done it knowing the club were trying to sort out the move he wanted and for the fans who have always supported him.
Am I wrong here about all this? Did Chelsea make a mistake in the way they handled Anelka or were they right to do so bearing in mind the player could have been a disruptive influence?
It’s a difficult one to answer isn’t it. What do you the Chelsea fan reading this think of it all?
My Blog / Facebook: / Twitter: / My Blog on Chelseafc.com.
KTBFFH
Dimitar Berbatov, who was last season’s top scorer in the Premier League, is disappointed with how few games he’s played this season, but claims he won’t be speaking the media about his current situation.
He has scored 7 goals in 10 league appearances this season but has spent most of the season as fourth choice behind Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez.
“I am a Manchester United player, but I do not currently play in as many games as I want,” he said. “I’m not happy that I do not play. But I cannot blame anyone, especially in the media. When I have something to say, I go and talk face to face with the manager. He decides everything.”
Speaking about his future at United, Berbatov added: “There was nothing concrete as an offer to me. I read about such things, but they are more speculation. I do not know how long I will stay at Manchester United. To my knowledge, the clause to extend my contract for another year is automatically activated in March. I know nothing more.”
“Berba: I Won’t Talk To Papers If I’m Unhappy” was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia.
Feb 072012
Well yesterday’s article went down pretty well, so we’re doing it again. Actually we were going to be doing at again all along, let’s not flatter ourselves.
Anyway welcome back to our little feature where each weekday night we’ll round-up some of the best or most interesting bits of Sunderland news and lay them out nicely so you can get yourself right up to date with the latest happenings at the club.
So here’s what’s happening today, a day in history when in 1982 the USA banned all Cuban imports and exports, but on the plus side the board game Monopoly was invented. This is your SAFC news for the day…
Wayne Bridge looks set to have to wait for a first start in red and white, with Martin O’Neill saying that he’d first of all like Bridge to get used to the area and the club before chucking him in at the deepend, and also players have to earn their place on merit. He’s also pretty pleased with Craig Gardner too, as reported in The Journal today – CLICK HERE
After Michael Graham’s spirited defence of David Meyler from Pulis’s allegations of feigning injury yesterday, Martin O’Neill has now followed suit with his usual dignity and class. Sky Sports with the news – CLICK HERE
We know Stephane Sessegnon’s awesome in every possible way, but if you wanted to measure such a thing you’d probably use some stats. ITV Football have done just that, and it makes for quite an impressive read – CLICK HERE
And after some resounding success at AFC Wimbledon, they’re looking to keep ‘wonderkid’ Billy Knott at the club for an extended period. Apparently they’ve had positive news about doing so – CLICK HERE
After all the to-ing and fro-ing over the Robert Huth red card at the weekend, The FA finally gave their verdict following Stoke City’s appeal. The red card still stands. Rumour has it Tony Pulis is on his way to Prontaprint right now to get 20 or so t-shirts made up for their next game – CLICK HERE
For some reason we thought that Sylvain Marveaux would be back in training at the end of this month. Sylvain Marveaux – still out about two months This is what 25 year-old Sylvain Marveaux has said on the Newcastle web-site today: “I’ve been working hard. I’ve been doing strength work for my legs and upper body as [...]
When John Terry got the boot (again) as England Captain I was genuinely surprised that Steven Gerrard was considered the obvious choice to replace him.
Is it just me and my Tottenham bias ( which I try to curtail when writing these articles) or is Scott Parker not the outstanding candidate? The guy is a virtual prototype of what you look for in the ideal captain.
For starters, he is vocal. Very vocal. If anyone is screwing up or not pulling their weight he lets them know about it, but not in a Roy Keane ‘you f***ing w**ker!’ type way. In fact in the post match interviews after a miraculous second half comeback when he was with West Ham I heard every player put the turnaround down to Scott Parker’s rousing half time speech. They said it was inspiring, and the reason they won (don’t know what Avram Grant was doing at the time).
Just as importantly, Parker leads by example. An all action, body on the line, get stuck in like I am type of example. His man of the match award against Liverpool was richly deserved and shows what an asset he is when the chips are down and every man has to stand up and be counted. He puts me in mind a little of Stuart Pearce in that respect except he is all over the pitch whereas Pearce was confined to left back.
Which leads me to another point in his favour; he plays defensive midfield which is surely the best position for a captain. He is easily in contact with everyone and right in the centre of the action. It’s not vital, but it helps.
Lastly, he usually plays. Steven Gerrard is a good choice for England captain but it’s 50/50 whether he will even be on the pitch most of the time.
There are three reasons being given why Parker should not captain England; Gerrard is a better choice, that he is new to the team and that he doesn’t captain his club. I don’t think any of those reasons are valid.
Firstly I just completely disagree Gerrard is the better choice because I believe Scotty to have more of the qualities required and is more likely to play.
Secondly, being ‘new to the team’ is hardly the case. It may have taken Capello a long time to recognise his qualities but Parker made his England debut in 2003, and has represented the national team at every level from under 15’s to senior. He is hardly a kid, and is well known and respected by the whole squad. Besides, was it not only a little while ago that the ‘old faces’ such as Gerrard, Lampard, Terry etc were being blamed for England’s stagnation on the world stage?
Lastly the fact that he doesn’t captain Spurs. Granted, that would point to there being a possible weakness were it not for the fact that our captain is Ledley King.
There is surely no greater enigma in the Premier League than our Ledley. He doesn’t train, yet plays most Saturdays. He has no knee cartilage, yet outperforms those around him on a regular basis. In fact I believe that although none of the top clubs in this country would buy him because of the appalling situation with his knees, I don’t think any of them would wish to get rid of him if he were already at the club.
Ledley has earned the Spurs captaincy through his sheer dogged determination and dedication to the cause. Through that alone he leads by brilliant example and, although I think Scott Parker would ultimately make the better captain, in my opinion Ledley should keep the role until he hangs up his boots.
You may think this irrelevent. Some say it’s all about choosing heads or tails and not much else. You could be right. All I know is if I’m watching England trying to hang on to a 1-0 lead in some foreign field, with fifteen minutes on the clock and the tide turning against us I’d rather see Scott Parker rallying the troops than Steven Gerrard; quite possibly from the bench.
COYS!
You can follow me on Twitter @RobertReedUK
Feb 072012
Briggs joins Peterborough
Left-back Matthew Briggs has joined Championship side Peterborough United on an initial one-month loan deal. Strange, given Riise’s recent demotion to the bench.
Feb 072012
Victor Anichebe has called for a repeat of the Blues’ Man City heroics when Chelsea visit GoodisonPark on Saturday.Table-topping City were humbled last week as both players and fans alike were a…Feb 072012
Feb 072012
Feb 072012
Feb 072012
The doors that open thanks to being part of Roker Report are quite wonderful. Not only do I get to chat to our other lovely contributors on a weekly basis on the podcast, but I get to talk to Sunderland stars of the past.
Today’s interviewee is no exception. He was always one of my favourite players at the club, and although things conspired against him somewhat, he’s always been something of a hero to me.
He spent two spells with us in the North East, and now plies his trade in Australia.
So, enough of me chatting away eh, you aren’t here for that. You’re here to see what our guest star had to say for himself when I caught up with him. Ladies and Gentlefolk, welcome to Roker Report meets… Michael Bridges.
You grew up as a Sunderland fan, yes?
Michael: Actually no, my family grew up in North Shields, and both of my parents were black and white. I was actually a Tottenham Hotspur fan. I was just a huge Chris Waddle fan, it might sound sad, but I had the haircut and I used to try and be just like him. Had his picture all over my bedroom wall, when he went to Tottenham I supported Tottenham, when he went to Marseille, I supported Marseille, and then I had the pleasure of playing with him at Sunderland. To sit in the dressing room and have your idol walk in was just sensational.
What was your first memory of Sunderland as a club?
Michael: First memory would have to be playing at school, and the scouts coming to watch me. I was actually part of the Newcastle United Centre of Excellence, but a scout called Jack Hickson came to watch me and he took me over to Sunderland and I had a two week trial over there as part of my six form college studies, so I went over to the training camp with Peter Reid, and after being there for a week they decided that they wanted to sign me as a professional. And I jumped at the chance. Everything just fell into place, the club was going in the right direction, the fan base was tremendous, and everything was just great.
Do you remember your debut at the club?
Michael: Yes, yes I do. It was against Port Vale. I’d had a really good time in the youth team, and scored a lot of goals for the reserves as well. I’d travelled with the first team for about six weeks on the bus and in the squad, but never got off the bench. Against Port Vale, I remember warming up and my stomach was going crazy, I needed the toilet and I was feeling sick… The Roker Roar was going up and I was just getting tingles and butterflies and Reidy said ‘what’s wrong with you?’… I told him that it was nerves and he told me to sort myself out because I was going on. I got 35 minutes and came off with the ‘Man Of The Match’ award. I was given two bottles of whisky and a bottle of champagne, but I couldn’t even drink them, my Dad took them off me because I wasn’t old enough. It was a sensational feeling. A lot of the supporters knew that I’d come through the youth team, but to actually come on at Roker Park and to perform like that was just sensational, I loved it. Despite the nerves and everything, as soon as you step over that white line and you’re back in your comfort zone, it’s just brilliant.
Is there a match that you look back on and think, ‘that was my best game?’
Michael: It’s tricky to just pick one. When we beat Manchester United at Roker Park, that was sensational. For me personally, it was a game at Sheffield United away. I got two goals and Steve Bruce was their captain, and I ran rings around him. Martin Scott was our penalty taker and he came up and gave me the ball and he said, ‘go on son, there you go, get your hat-trick’, and he give us the ball in front of our away fans and I put the bastard wide. But yeah, that match. Steve Bruce actually came up to me after the game and told me that he thought he should retire as I’d totally showed him up, and wished me all the best for the rest of my career. That was the best.
Did you have a favourite season at the club?
Michael: Well, every season at Sunderland was excellent. We were promoted as champions, then relegated. Promoted as champions, then relegated. I’ve got three Championship medals with the club and I’ve won so much there. It’s a big honour and a great feeling. The stand out season would have to be the year after the playoff finals. After that match we got on the bus and obviously Micky Gray was suicidal, but Bally climbed on and said, ‘you lot, let’s forget about this, we’ll put it behind us, and next season we’ll be promoted as champions.’ Sure enough, we went on and got the record points, and it was just an excellent season. Even though we probably achieved more in the Premier League when Kev was on fire, that season tops it for me.
If you had to pick one, who was the toughest opponent that you came up against?
Michael: Kevin Muscat, the Aussie. He elbowed me, punched me, kicked me… Everything that you can imagine really. Either him or Martin Keown and Tony Adams, they were animals.
And the trickiest in training?
Michael: Kevin Ball. I’m still scared of Bally to this day.
You were at the club when Phillips and Quinn were at the height of their powers. Do you ever wonder how things might have been if they weren’t there?
Michael: No, not at all, as it wouldn’t have been Sunderland then. What Quinny did for the club, both on and off the pitch was sensational, and what Kev did on it, the little and large combination was fantastic. I know that me and Danny (Dichio) used to fill in every now and then, but what I learnt as a kid from the two of them was invaluable, so there would never have been a question of what might have been, no. I know I went to Leeds and did what I did there, I got my chance and took it, but at Sunderland, we had a great squad, and it was all about the squad there. We had two people for every position, the team got rotated well, and it worked wonders. It wouldn’t have been the same without those two.
We all remember Premier Passions. Did it bother you at all to get a telling off from the manager as a teenager, and for it to be shown on TV?
Michael: Not at all, no. You have to grow up quickly in football, it’s a harsh industry and you learn things fast. At the time, I did wonder what the hell was going on, and people thought it was all just put on a little bit for the TV, but that wasn’t it at all. Reidy was a passionate man, and that’s just what he was all about. Maybe he did overstep the mark at times, but when he wanted to fire his players up, he knew what he was doing, and maybe you need that every now and then. He certainly got the reaction that he was after, but it’s interesting when you’re a 16-and-a-half lad that’s just left school and your mam sees that happening on the telly and she wants to ring up the manager and give him a piece of her mind, but I managed to persuade her to let me fight my own battles. I think overall it affected my family more than it did me.
I think most fans were stunned when, amidst rumours of a fall out with Peter Reid, news broke that you were going to leave following a break down in contract talks. Did you feel that you were being forced out of the club?
Michael: Yes. Me and Reidy had a fall out over certain things that were going on at the time to do with agents, and things couldn’t be cured after that. I didn’t want to leave, and I had a really good relationship with Bob Murray and his family and he actually came to the house to talk to me and to my Mam and Dad but unfortunately, despite everything, it was irretrievable for as long as Reidy was there. That was the end of it really, and I was just cast aside. It was a sad way to leave, but we kept it all in house and I didn’t want to come out and slag anyone off, as you never know when your paths will cross again in the future.
Then, of course, Reidy came to Leeds and was my manager there, so you just have to let bygones be bygones and get on with things.
After leaving Sunderland, you had great success at Leeds. Do you ever look back and think about what could have been, if you hadn’t been blighted by injuries?
Michael: Of course I do, definitely. I think things do happen for a reason, but before the injury I was named in the World Cup squad alongside Alan Smith, then when Sven took over as manager of England, he named me in the squad, but then I broke my leg over in Turkey, and it never materialised. So, in that respect, yeah I do, I never know where it might have taken me on the world stage, but it just wasn’t meant to be, and I’ve enjoyed absolutely everything that happened in the meantime. You can’t turn back time. I’ve had a great career and wouldn’t swap it for anything.
How did you second spell with us come about?
Michael: I was at Bolton and had the pre-season there but found out that I wasn’t in the plans for the first team, so I wanted to get out and carry on playing as I was feeling good about myself. Like I said, I had a good relationship with Bob Murray, and Reidy had moved on, and I got a call from Bob who just said to me, ‘do you want to come home?’ I jumped at the chance and came on loan and we got promoted again that year and had a great time of it.
There’s a saying in football that you should never go back. Were you ever worried about ruining the memories that you made during your first spell, or were you just happy to return?
Michael: I was just happy to get back. I knew what was going on with Sunderland, I knew the whole set up, the academy and everything that they were trying to achieve, so I just wanted to get back there.
It was said in the media that you were happy to sit on the bench during that second spell, what’s your take on that?
Michael: I remember listening to the radio one night and Eric Gates saying that I was just happy to play very little, but I’m not one of those lads who will go into the club and kick off and kick up a stink if I’m not playing. I would never want to come across as a nasty piece of work, and that’s all just detrimental to the team. I’d actually said that I was happy to play a part when and where I was needed, and I was just glad to be a part of the whole thing, but Eric Gates said on the Legends show that I’d lost my desire and that I was happy just being a bit-part player, and that really hurt me as I thought that, if he’s saying that, then the fans might think the same thing. I thought that a club would prefer to have a player who is happy to contribute when needed rather than someone who is kicking off all the time when he’s not in the team on a Saturday. We were on a good roll, and the manager knew what he was doing, so I just had to work hard to get my chance, but when Gatesy said that it hurt as he was a fellow pro and a good friend, and I didn’t expect it from him.
In all of your career, who do you think that you formed the best partnership with up front?
Michael: Definitely Harry Kewell. He used to drift in from the left and pretty much every goal that I’d score would have been set up by him, and I would have played a part in a lot of his goals too. We were brilliant mates on and off the field, we were always together, and it was almost like we could read each other’s minds out there on the field.
If you could choose an all-time XI from the players that you have played alongside, who would be in it?
Michael: Okay, so goalkeeper would have to be Shay Given, he was sensational at Sunderland and we all know what’s happened to him ever since.
Left back would be Micky Gray (although Ian Harte would have been a contender), then Rio Ferdinand and Jonathan Woodgate in the centre, and Darius Kubicki at right back. He was better than Gareth bloody Hall any day of the week, the guy was a genius and an utterly crazy man. He got tackled in one game when I was a YTS, and I was cleaning the physio department during a game and Darius came in at half time during a match with his shin hanging open, it was absolutely horrendous, but he just walked in and said ‘inject me, inject me, I play on’. Then he got some stitches, threw his shin pad back on and off he went, and I just couldn’t believe it. What a guy.
Left wing Harry Kewell as I mentioned, then I suppose I’ve got to have Bally in there (because I’m sh*t scared of him and he might kill me if he realised I didn’t put him in), right wing I’d have Lee Bowyer, and it’s going to have to be Gary Speed in the middle too.
Upfront, can I put myself in? Well, I’m not going to. It’s going to be Super Kev, Mr Phillips, and… actually no, Quinny instead, and Robbie Fowler. Phillips is going to have to go on the bench. That’s not a bad team at all is it?
And my last question… Do you have a message for the Sunderland fans?
Michael: I do. Thank you for everything that you gave me. Thanks for the support, all the funny songs that you came up with and the way that you accepted me not once, but twice, and just keep supporting the boys. It’s a huge club that’s going places and I’m delighted that Martin O’Neill’s there now as he’s exactly the right man to take the club on to the next level. And, hopefully, you never know, one day I might be back in the North East alongside Bally in the coaching department. Sunderland plays a big part in my heart, and I’ve got so, so many good memories, so hopefully one day I can return in some capacity and give something back.
One more, how’s it going out in Australia?
Michael: Yeah it’s going really well. I actually retired last year, and they asked me to coach the strikers, but as I was training so well, I’ve actually come out of retirement and am back playing again, enjoying myself and scoring a lot of goals, so hopefully I’ll be able to carry on playing for another couple of years now. I’m doing my coaching badges too, and it’s going really well.
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