Transfer Deadline Day - LIVE as it doesn't happen

by Mike Martin

12:00 Welcome, folks, to our live coverage of the National Panic-Buying Festival that is transfer deadline day.  Regular updates on transfers BEFORE THEY HAPPEN around the clock until midnight tonight.

"I've just seen Ryan Giggs outside Old Trafford.  Oh." From A. Mole via TwitBook.

12:30 DONE DEAL Stockport County have sold every single player on their books for £30,000 each.  "We still have full confidence in our ability to stay in the Football League," head-in-the-sanded their ineffectual coach Peter Ward.

13:00 Somebody we hesitate to describe as a 'contact' has confided in us that Robbie Keane is joining West Ham on loan.  "I've supported West Ham ever since I was a boy growing up in Dublin," Keane reveals.

13:30 DONE DEALS Liverpool have completed the signings of Luis Suárez and Ashley Young.  "Fernando Torres is not leaving", reveals the new club spokesman, Muhammad Saaed 'Comical Ali' al-Sahhaf.

14:00 DONE DEAL Chelsea have loaned Daniel Sturridge to Bolton Wanderers for the rest of the season.  Still no official word on Fernando Torres.

"I remain faithful that Arsène Wenger will sign a half decent central defender today.  Oh." From W. Mitty via TwatFace.

14:30 DONE DEAL Sale Sharks rugby club have signed The Shirt Off Our Collective Backs from Stockport County.

15:00 Chelsea's medical department have recruited two surgeons specializing in knees and hamstrings.  Still no official word on Fernando Torres.

15:30 DONE DEAL Chelsea have signed Benfica defender David Luiz from Benfica for £22m.  Following their acquisition of Ramires in the summer for £18m from the same club, they are placing the receipt in the club's safety deposit box.

16:00 Wet Sham Untied are being linked with loan deals for Joe Cole, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Gary Neville, Jermaine Jenas, Sol Campbell, Stuart Pearce, Nobby Stiles and Lieut. Henry Renny-Tailyour.  "We need to freshen up our squad," reveal club owners Gollivan.  Surely, given their previous industry, Sulli'd would be a better sobriquet?

"Any news on any Real Madrid signings?" From J. Mourinho via SMS.

16:30 DONE DEAL Jonathan Woodgate has re-joined Leeds United on loan until the end of the season.

16:31 BREAKING NEWS A Leeds United spokesman confirms that Jonathan Woodgate has returned to his parent club Tottenham Hotspur after picking up a new injury while trying on his new club socks.

17:00 DONE DEAL Shaun Wright-Phillips has joined Crawley Town on loan for the rest of the season.  "It's not about the money," revealed the player's father.  "My boy's got ambition."

17:30 Rumours abound that Michael Owen is about to sign for Los Angeles Galaxy to improve his England prospects have so far proved unfounded.

18:00 Liverpool have upped their bid for Andy Carroll to £38m plus Joe Cole and Martin Skrtel.  "We are not intending to sell Fernando Torres," confirms new club spokesman Lord Archer.

18:30 DONE DEAL Chelsea have signed Chilean winger Alexis Sánchez from Udinese for £15m plus Salomon Kalou.  "He will provide excellent service for our strikers Didier and Fern… I mean Nicolas," cat-out-of-the-bagged Carlo Ancelotti.

"Torres is a disgrace, asking for a transfer to Chelsea.  A true club legend like Stevie G would never do that.  Oh." From Alberto Dockez via SpaceBook.

19:00 DONE DEAL Manchester United wonderkid Ravel Morrison has joined Peterborough United on loan for the rest of the season.  "It is a pure co-incidence.  I'm sure it's nothing to do with Sir Alex Ferguson's son being their manager.  After all, they used to loan a lot of players to Preston, and Darren's not the manager there, is he?  Oh."  A few thoughts there from our guest pundit Sam Allardyce.

19:30 DONE DEAL Former Stockport County striker Liam Dickinson ends his loan spell at Rochdale as Barnsley sell him to Lincoln City for £100,000.  “I do not regret leaving Stockport,” he says as he joins his tenth club in two and a half years.

20:00 Our deep-throats have spied Lille’s Belgian prospect Eden Hazard at Arsenal, Juventus and Manchester City in the space of the last two hours.  He’s got some pace, that lad.

20:30 INJURY UPDATE A reporter from Sky Men-In-Car-Parks has been slightly hurt by some flying tumbleweed during his all-day vigil outside Goodison Park.

21:00 DONE DEAL Liverpool have signed Andy Carroll from Newcastle for £38m plus the entire Boston Red Sox merchandizing rights.  “He is coming to partner Fernando Torres,” day-is-nighted new Anfield press officer Baron Münchhausen.

21:30 DONE DEAL Our sources reveal that Fernando Torres has indeed signed for Chelsea for a record Premier League fee of £47m.  “We are delighted with this deal,” say Alex Ferguson, Roberto Mancini and Arsène Wenger.

22:00 ONE HOUR TO GO!!! Celtic midfielder Scott Brown is being linked with a move to Chesterfield.  “He’s only going for the money,” moans chairman ‘Dr’ John Reid.

“Just seen Fernando Torres outside Stamford Bridge.  He can fire us to the treble.” From blueisthecolour via TwitBook.

“Isn’t he cup-tied?” From A. Pedant via TwitBook.

“Oh.” From blueisthecolour via TwitBook.

22:30 DONE DEAL Charlie Adam is staying at Blackpool.  “I am delighted the lad is staying,” chirruped boss Ian Holloway, while his personal accountant gently weeps.  Meanwhile, the FA have scheduled the bothersome clubs-recently-spurned-by-Steven-Pienaar derby FA Cup replay between Chelsea and Everton for 26th October, 2015.

22:45 DONE DEALS Blackpool have signed James Beattie on loan from Rangers for the rest of the season.  Rangers replace him by signing Newport County veteran Ade Akinbiyi.  “This is not a panic buy,” headless-chickens assistant manager Ally McCoist.  Andy Gray and Richard Keys sign for Al-Jazeera TV, where their views on women in football are found to be more in line with mainstream opinion.  Arsenal sign 6-year-old Southampton winger Dale Maynard-Joseph for £7.7m.  Scott Parker staying at West Ham United until the end of the season but set to join Tottenham Hotspur when – sorry, if – the Hammers are relegated.

22:55 OFFICE WINDOW CLOSED! Phew, thought it was a bit cold in here.

23:00 TRANSFER WINDOW CLOSED! Thank goodness for that.  An end to weeks of innuendo, claims, counter-claims, bitter wrangling and baseless media speculation.  Tomorrow, the latest on the future of the London Olympic Stadium.  Oh.

Just by getting one decision right, Sian Massey may have done football broadcasting a huge favour

By Mike WAHS

Just my luck.  The first Monday Night Football of the season during which we won’t have Andy Gray inflicted on us and I’ll be out.

Sky hardly merit praise for their rather piecemeal punishment of pundit Andy Gray and presenter Richard Keys – they could scarcely have done anything else – but at least the issue has not been swept under the carpet.

Happily, Sian Massey, the female assistant referee so pointlessly and crassly mocked by Keys and Gray before Saturday’s Wolves-Liverpool match went on to have a belter, getting the key offside call of the game right when keeping her flag down as Raul Meireles broke clear from an onside position to set up Fernando Torres for the game’s first goal.

It is fanciful to imagine that Sky will dispense with the services of Ratty and Mr Toad forever; for some reason, the two are considered to be among Sky Sports greatest assets.  Alas, there will be many men who are happy to dismiss their comments as mere ‘banter’ and argue that football is ‘a man’s game’.  Football is not a man’s game, except in places like Saudi Arabia.

It is difficult enough for the FA to recruit competent match officials as it is, without two influential men taking the sport back to the bad old days and alienating half the population.  That key figures such as Rio Ferdinand, Lord Sugar and Graham Poll have all openly ridiculed Keys and Gray’s comments is encouraging but many terraces remain the last bastion of an antediluvian culture of machismo, prejudice and idiocy.

This morning, who did Five Live see fit do invite into the debate but John Gaunt, the tiresome oaf who was fired by TalkSport – TalkSport! – for being insufferable and offensive?  Gaunt is one who still believes that going to a football match is a type of working man’s catharsis, enabling the proletariat to relieve themselves of bile stored up after a week in a feminized, political-correctness-gone-mad workplace.  The imagination does not need to be stretched far to conceive that Gaunt is probably the kind of man who refers to his car as ‘the old girl’.

The irony is that many football pundits not only don’t know the offside rule but make a point of not knowing it.  What a crazy labyrinth this new fangled regulation is, Gary.  Indeed, Alan, who knows when you’re offside nowadays?  The answer, of course, is every qualified official in the world, plus those of us who comment on the game and are responsible enough to actually study the rule.  A rule, incidentally, which can hardly be described as ‘new’ any more since it was brought in ahead of Euro 2004.  Only Clive Tyldesley, who is criticised for other reasons, dares to suggest that the rule is perfectly straightforward if only people bothered to go to the FIFA website and read it.

We should give thanks to Massey.  Without knowing it, by the mere act of correctly not raising a flag, might just temper the boorish side of Gray’s broadcasting persona.  At his best, he can provide truly memorable moments of commentary – such as the one after which this website is named – but broadcasting brings with it responsibilities.  Tact, balance, humility and good judgement are required.  It is a complex, subtle issue, rather like the offside rule.  Perhaps it would be better if Gray didn’t worry his pretty little head about it.

The great Avram Grant debacle

By Paul WAHS


So, it appears that yet another day has passed in East London and Avram Grant is still in charge of West Ham United. It kind of goes without saying that this has rattled on a long time now and Grant has been a 'dead man walking' for a long time now. Grant has been shown nothing but complete contempt by his employers, messers Gold and Sullivan - that even Karen Brandy has chipped in, even though she is officially vice chairperson, she also enjoys a lavish media-drenched lifestyle of columns in tabloid newspaper The Sun and as one of Lord Sugar's henchmen on The Apprentice. The similarities between Brady on The Apprentice and in the newspaper are similar, but for the fear of slander, I shall no longer concentrate on her.


Grant is a manager of great pedigree - many may disagree but he has had spells in charge of Maccabi Tel-Aviv and Maccabi Haifa, two of Israel's most prolific clubs who have both enjoyed stints (albeit briefly) in the Champions League. Grant has also had a period in charge of Israel's national side, in which he narrowly missed out on taking them to the FIFA World Cup in 2006 - even though Israel did not lose in the qualifying. Upon his arrival in England, Grant was brought in as 'Director of Football' much like Damien Comolli at Liverpool now. Grant, it was reported, was a close friend of Russian owner Roman Abramovich and benefitted from Red Roman's fallout with Jose Mourinho, by being installed as the manager of Chelsea - then champions.


Grant was never a popular choice in West London - he took over from Mr. charisma himself, the self-styled 'special one' who wore his heart on his sleeve and enjoyed nothing more than winding his opposition up. Grant on the other hand, was solemn, respectful and at some times, passive. Where Chelsea saw Mourinho as a figurehead for the consumerist nature of the early Abramovich days, Grant was the grumpy old man who seemed to flap his hands about more than inspire the team. When Grant didn't win the league and was beaten in the Champions League final dramatically by Manchester United on penalties, the vultures began to circle. Grant was dismissed shortly afterwards, even though he had a 100% home record during his tenure.


In 2009, Grant returned to the Premier League and in the same role as his time at Chelsea, again - as 'Director of Football' at Portsmouth. Grant once again had a closely reported friendship with owner Ali al-Faraj and yet again, Grant was installed as first team manager after Paul Hart parted ways with the club. Grant took over what appeared to be the reigns of the Titanic, the club rooted to the foot of the Premier League and rooted in debt - many High Court battles later and an unsuccessful trip to the FA Cup Final, Grant terminated his own contract at the club he described as having "a special bond with. Grant was seen as the heroic force bravely starving off the inevitable threat of relegation - and upon Portsmouth succumbing to the decline from the Premier League, took his own job.


Grant's stock was high again when, in June 2010 - he was appointed the successor to the popular Gianfranco Zola at West Ham (who incidentally had West Ham's worst winning percentage in their history when he was in charge). Grant went to work under a new regime and there was a sense of recovery after the club signed German International Thomas Hitzelsperger, Frederik Piquionne from former club Portsmouth and managed to coax wantaway captain Scott Parker into a new 4 year deal. The feel good factor however was short lived - Grant gave the Hammers their worst possible start in their Premier League history - hitting bottom of the league and being humbled 5-0 away to Newcastle over the Christmas period. West Ham's only real joy this season has come in the League Cup - in which the Hammers stunned Manchester United 4-0 at Upton Park en route to the semi-finals (where the go into the second leg 2-1 up at time of writing. Grant's job has come under extreme pressure through the blatant  flirting between the board and former Aston Villa Manager Martin O'Neill.


So where does this leave poor old Avram now - well, as it stands he is still in charge of the club - but for how long? Grant has been described by many as 'dignified' in his role under pressure and to an extent this is true - however he is increasingly close to losing the fans and the players. Now, without this turning into a discussion regarding the frankly ludicrous issue of 'player power', the players are employed by the football club to perform - especially on £90,000 (WAYNE BRIDGE!) a week. When the players begin o show poor form - surely they should face disciplinary action - take your job for example. If you are performing badly, would you turn to the CEO or owner and say "sorry boss, but my leader simply isn't good enough - I'll do better though if you bring someone else in". No, you wouldn't. And if you did, maybe you'd be going out of the door...


I am an ardent fan of Grant, But I simply cannot see how he will rise from this. It has been widely reported that there is a 6 month review clause in Grant's contract - therefore removing his now would not only be cost-effective, but also useful when the next manager comes in as he would have time to strengthen and streamline the squad. Where Grant fits in is beyond me and is beyond most - by rights he should have gone - but then again, when was the last time a captain of a sinking ship found a great replacement in time before it went down?


By the time the next skipper takes the wheel at the good ship Upton Park, Celine Dion will be preparing for a power ballad, one suspects.

Forget Serie A, Syria are providing all the fun you need as the Asian Cup proves a surprising hit

By Mike WAHS

Whoomph! Ker-Pow! Ger-Shwunk!  The Asian Cup has looked, at times, like a tournament that should be broadcast with camp 1970s superhero show captions as long range shots have flown like Exocet missiles passed befuddled goalkeepers into the top corner of the net, in a manner that puts the ten-bob-booted clowns that littered the group stage of last year’s World Cup to shame.

The Asian Cup has, for the most part, been excellent in terms of on-field entertainment; crowds, though, have been pitiful for some matches, with less than 3,500 souls turning up to watch Uzbekistan v Kuwait in Doha’s Al Gharafa Stadium.

But the goals – and the tournament has had a decent quota of them so far, with 46 scored in the first 18 contests – have included some absolute screamers.  You will, by now, have almost certainly seen about twenty times the YouTube hit that is Odin Ahmedov’s 40-yard stunner that was the first goal of the championship.

Group A has been uncannily rich in fantastic long-range strikes.  Qatar responded to their opening match defeat to the Uzbeks with a 2-0 win over China, inspired by a quite wonderful goal from the very promising forward Yusef Ahmed.  His second wasn’t bad either.

Then there was the crazy 2-2 draw between Uzbekistan and China, in which Ahmedov scored a rather more prosaic goal to equalize and early Chinese strike before teammate Alexander Geynrikh, the Pakhtador Tashkent striker, cracked in a stunning goal not just from long range but a wide angle.  China saved a point – though not their place in the competition – with as fine a free-kick as you’ll ever see from Hao Junmin.

And that was just Group A.

Group B, though not blessed with such extraordinary goals, has been full of incident.  I write during the second half of Syria v Jordan which has, perhaps unexpectedly, turned out to be the key contest of the group.  Syria opened with a 2-1 shock win over Saudi Arabia, who have been quite dire, while pre-tournament favourites Japan needed an injury time goal to save a 1-1 draw with Jordan, who have been a sensation.

Jordan then went on to deservedly beat the Saudis 1-0 and this afternoon have come from behind to lead Syria, whose star striker Firas Al Khatib has been carrying an injury throughout.  The Syrians’ match with Japan was loaded with controversy.  Japan led through a scrappy first half goal from Wolfsburg midfielder Makoto Hasebe, before their goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima was correctly judged to have fouled Senharib Malki in the penalty area and was sent off.

The only problem was that Malki was about three postcodes offside when receiving the ball, as the linesman correctly indicated.  The Iranian referee Mohsen Torky over-ruled his assistant, wrongly ruling that the pass to Malki had come from a Japanese defender.  Mayhem ensued before Al Khatib, on one leg, dispatched the spot kick.  Matters were returned to equilibrium, though, when Japan got a soft penalty of their own, scored by star CSKA Moscow forward Keisuke Honda.

And so to the key match in the group: Syria v Jordan at the Qatar Sports Club stadium in Doha, a breathless winner-takes-all match which has just finished with Jordan winning 2-1 to secure a place in a quarter final against Uzbekistan.  The match was illuminated by that most rare of commodities for matches in this competition not involving host nation Qatar: a lively, sizeable crowd.

Partisan as well, which helps; Qatar is full of ex-pats from the other gulf states and India, who have also been well supported, even if their team have barely been competitive.  They nearly provided us with a Frank Lampard moment against Bahrain, when Renedy Singh’s fine shot rattled off the underside of the bar and behind the goalline.  It was not given but, mercifully, Sunil Chhetri, the striker on the books of Major League Soccer outfit Sporting Kansas City, headed in the rebound.

We need hardly bother with Group D, which has been dull, although there was a lively comeback victory for Iran against neighbours Iraq, which was viewed as ‘revenge’ after the Iranian anthem was booed before a recent friendly meeting.  Oh, and people who think Danny Baker never made enough videos will like Iraq’s last minute winner against the UAE.  Roll up, roll up.

London Calling!

By Dave WAHS

Next summer the Olympic Games, arguably the biggest sporting spectacle in the world, arrives in London, and for the first time since 1972 Team GB will be entering a team into the Olympic Football tournament. However this has caused a bit of discomfort among the Home Nation F.As, with only England happy to allow their players to represent Team GB next year. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have made it clear that they don’t want to play, despite reassurances from Sepp Blatter that a joint British team had FIFA backing. Actually given the turmoil over England’s World Cup bid I don’t blame them. 

But that’s all well and good. England can represent the Home Nations, and it surely makes sense as we’re the higher ranked and strongest of the four Home Nations. Well, there’s a slight problem with all this. At present, the EURO 2012 qualifiers are well underway and England look likely to qualify for next years tournament. Northern Ireland has a slight chance, while Wales and Scotland look to be out of the running. Should all go well for England, the EURO 2012 tournament will start on 8^th June, and if (God Forbid) they make it to the final, will finish on 1^st July. The Olympics will start less than a month later at the end of July, normally the start of the British pre-season. Could all this tournament football stretch the resources of English football? 

The squad are to be made up of mainly under-23 players, with an allowance of 3 over-age players.  This will mean that in theory the bulk of the England under-21s would make up the squad, with the likelihood that whoever Fabio Capello doesn’t take to the EUROs making up the 3 over-age players. But looking at the England under 21 squad and those who qualify for an under 23 side, many are not playing in the Premiership at present, and given the squads of their parent clubs, unlikely to play in the Premiership next season either. That’s not to say that we won’t take it seriously or that our current crop of youngsters aren’t good enough, but I feel that the other Home Nations have players who could bring far more to a Team GB side. The sensational Gareth Bale has already shown an interest, and players like Aaron Ramsey (Wales) and Danny Wilson (Scotland) would be very welcome additions. Even over-age players such as Craig Bellamy (Wales), Charlie Adam and Darren Fletcher (both Scotland) should be considered to bolster Team GB.  

This clearly makes sense. The best players from Scotland and Wales will be fresh and ready to go, having had the summer off. England’s finest will be recovering from a (hopefully) successful EURO 2012 campaign, and those picked from the England under-21s will surely benefit from playing with experienced and talented internationals such as Gareth Bale. If Team GB is to take the Olympic Football seriously, then surely asking our neighbours for a little help is the way forward.  

There is hope. The BOA have stated that they feel that only using English players would be discriminatory and would consider the situation nearer the time if they were approached by individual players from the other Home Nations who wanted to play.  

Given that Wales haven’t qualified for a major tournament since 1958, and don’t look like doing so anytime soon, and with Scotland and Northern Ireland also struggling, next summer could be their players’ one and only opportunity to play in a World tournament, let alone a Once-In-A-Lifetime opportunity to take part in the Olympic Games! And should Gareth Bale defy his own FA to play in the Olympics, would the FAW ban their best player?

Why we should avoid the Home Nations Tournament

By Elliot WAHS

This year sees the revival of ‘Home Nation’ football in Britain.  And England are thankfully not part of it. Yet. 

Next month Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland meet each other in the ‘Celtic Cup’, and what will surely be the dullest competition in football.

Just as the FA have stumbled across a good decision by keeping England out of this dross, they look set reverse their decision with today’s announcement that they are considering playing ball with the other teams in 2013. The FA are reluctant to make it a regular event, revealing talks only for a ‘one off’ in 2013.

But I wonder how much choice they really will have?  If this was the result of fierce fan desire to see international football then I may see the point.  Instead it’s come about at the whim the new corporate sponsor, driven by Vauxhall’s wanting to recoup some of their cash.  If they want to England to carry on after 2013 they will twist all the arms they need to make it happen.  

Even if it was a one off, the impact on the football calendar would be huge - whenever it was held.  The timing of pointless friendlies is one of the reasons people have fallen out with international football.  The first two games of Carling’s Celtic Cup are on the 8th and 9th of February.  Between now and the end of February Spurs, Man City and Man United have a minimum of 9 games each, with Chelsea having 8 and Arsenal 11.  I imagine Harry Redknapp will be thrilled to see Gareth Bale playing in Dublin six days before an away trip to the San Siro. 

You can guarantee if England were involved Rooney would pull out with a ‘niggle’ and Lampard would catch ‘a bug’ before the team met for training.  And I don’t blame the clubs – they pay the wages.  The team that would show up would be a passing resemblance to the real team, full of debutants and old timers.  Hardly more meaningful than the upcoming friendly’s against World quarter-finalists Ghana or the Dutch runners up.

After all, that’s what happened before.  There is a reason that the idea was scratched – no one showed up and the matches were overshadowed by the real international competition offered by the World Cup and Euros.  For the last 3 of the 5 years the Rous Cup (between Scotland and England) ran, a South American team was invited to wake people up.

England’s next friendly against Denmark is on the 9th February, and this is madness too.  But this friendly comes with none of the overhyped tooth baring that would accompany a home nations cup and allows the manager the freedom to genuinely try something new (if he wanted too…).

It’s hardly a secret that England’s part in any home nations cup would serve no one but their new sponsor.  Vauxhall’s Managing Director admitted ‘fond memories’ of home internationals, before adding, of course, ‘commercially, it would be good for us’.

And that’s the only people a Home Nation Cup with England would be good for.

West Ham United 2 - 1 Birmingham City

Only three people know how this dramatic night will effect the future of Avram Grant. Gold, Sullivan and Brady all were present at Upton Park this evening and will have seen finally some real spirit in the squad.


West Ham started the game in sizzling fashion - zipping the ball around the park with Mark Noble and Jonathan Spector gave Steven Carr and Liam Ridgewell a torrid time, with Frederik Piquionne and Victor Obinna moving freely around the box. It took just 13 minutes for West Ham to break the deadlock - Noble drove forward to the right hand side of the box before his chipped ball found itself pinging around the Birmingham box before Freddie Sears sent the ball back towards Noble - who fired in a near-post drive past Ben Foster.


West Ham built on the momentum and were unlucky not to get a second when James Tompkins header narrowly missed from a corner. Five minutes later, Tompkins was unfortunate not to score again - almost same position.


As the second half began, Birmingham were forced into taking off the impressive Scott Dann to bring on David Murphy, who gave Birmingham some strength on the left side of defence. Birmingham fired out of the traps like the favourite at the 15:05 at Sandown Park - Alex Hleb showed some of the class that he had in his Arsenal and AC Milan days, Barry Ferguson began to follow Scott Parker around the middle and Sebastien Larsson had a much bigger creative license. It was this that lead to a period of sustained pressure that Birmingham won corner after corner and it was only a matter of time until Liam Ridgewell leveled the game with a bullet header. The impressive Larsson's deliveries were beginning to trouble the Hammers defence - who were beginning to creak.


What West Ham did not need was to lose a man. Victor Obinna however had other ideas - Obinna's straight red card for kicking the *ahem* ball(s) of Larsson was petulant and silly. West Ham were really under the cosh now - Birmingham had a Cameron Jerome header cleared off the line by Spector and should have doubled the lead when Ridgewell ghosted past the Upson and Faubert at a Larsson free kick - the Referee's assistant however raised his flag. Birmingham had a very good penalty appeal turned down when Upson barged into Barry Ferguson, with West Ham's luck slowly beginning to change. Piquionne was replaced by the sometimes frustrating carlton Cole - who ten minutes later gave West Ham the winner after some woeful defending from City. Cole's scuffed strike trickled towards Foster who somehow managed to paw the ball under his groin and send the Hammers fans into raptures.


The game ended predictable, West Ham defended deep and took every opportunity to wind the clock down. Cole said at full time the result was for the manager. Maybe Grant might get to the weekend just yet.


WAHS's Man of the Match - Liam Ridgewell - was unlucky not to get a couple and one lapse of concentration cost Birmingham the tie - but Ridgewell was the rock that held West Ham off in the first Half. 7/10.


WAHS's Villan of the match - Victor Obinna. Did nothing outstanding and lashed out at Larsson. Disappointing and thuggish. 2/10.

We like this

The first goal of the Asian Cup, and, pardon the pun - What A Hit Son!

Where did it all go wrong for Woy?

Looking back over the past year of football, many things spring to mind. England's abject performance at the World Cup, Inter Milan's rise (and fall) and Blackpool's unlikely march to the Premier League. Nothing however, compares to the 12 months that Mr. Roy Hodgson has had.


Back in March, I was fortunate enough to visit Craven Cottage to witness one of the greatest comebacks in football history - Fulham, trailing 3-1 from the first leg in Turin, hosted much-fancied Juventus in West London - a game in which Fulham showed just how a full house of 23,558 can really drive a team on. Not only was it David Trezeguet's 2nd minute goal that tested the whites, but also the experience and resolve of The Old Lady. When Clint Dempsey lobbed Chimenti in the 81st minute - the chants (to the theme of the Banana Splits) of "Roy Roy Roy, Roy Roy Roy Roy!" rang out. I developed somewhat of a soft spot for Fulham (coupled with the fact my team, Middlesbrough, had a similar run to the then UEFA Cup final) that during the final in Hamburg I was genuinely gutted they lost.


Speaking to the Fulham fans I knew, Hodgson was nailed-on for the Liverpool job - and he deserved it. Very much like Steve McClaren, a manager had achieved great things with an unfashionable team - McClaren got England - Roy got the Premier League's very own England team - a sleeping giant who clung on to former glories passionately. Roy went into the job at Liverpool knowing that he was taking over from an unorthodox and sometimes calamitous manager in Rafa Benitez (who lasted under 6 months in Milan after leaving) and Roy was seen as a safe pair of hands.


It all began to turn sour however on 22nd September 2010. Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw at home to the basement boys of League 2 - Northampton Town. After Northampton's dramatic victory on penalties the name of Liverpool FC was suddenly tarnished - people began to see the holes developing in the threadbare squad and the lack of direction the senior players showed that night. Coupled with a shocking home defeat to much unfancied Blackpool, Liverpool's season came under scrutiny from the press and the blogosphere. Hodgson would now face an even bigger fight to win over fans who had struggled already to convince he was the man.


A furious boardroom fallout saw NESV, another American set of owners take charge of the club, installing Damien Comolli as 'Director of Football Strategy'. Comolli, it was reveled, would be one of the leaders of identifying the right type of signing to make and to work with Roy to support the development of the club. Roy lost his job on the eve of the FA Cup third round tie away at Manchester United and was replaced by Kenny Dagleish - the marquee signing Liverpool fans so desperately craved.


So after that lovely little potted history, the question remains - where did it go wrong? Well, after flirting around the idea in the paragraphs above, Roy simply wasn't box-office. He was slated for choosing the wrong tactics and wrong players in games that Liverpool should really have won. Roy seems to be one of the nicest guys in football, but the pressure got to him after his outburst at the fans. One thing is for sure, we will never forget this reaction to conceding a goal.


Roy, WAHS salutes you and wishes you the best