England Turn to Allardyce

It has been just under a month since England’s shambolic defeat to Iceland and the subsequent resignation of boss Roy Hodgson. With a young squad that had promised so much and caused great excitement across the country, it proved to be another familiar feeling of disappointment for many England fans.

Whether you regarded Hodgson’s squad as talented or perhaps overrated will have mattered little after defeat to the Icelandics. Indeed, regardless of whether you think any of England’s previous tournament squads have been good enough to properly challenge is irrelevant when it comes to deciding Hodgson’s reign. Sadly many will conclude that it was an out right failure.

Penalty heartache in the quarter finals of Euro 2012 was as good as it got for Hodgson and from memory the performance that night against Italy was as poor as what was to follow in Brazil two years later. Defeat to lowly Iceland in the recent European Championships provided the third and final proverbial nail in Roy Hodgson’s England coffin.

And so the next man has been lined up and picked to take on arguably the most difficult job in football. Despite this though the new man still claims to have “dreamt about this job”.

The shortlist was hardly eye watering, with rumours about an offer being put forward to Arsene Wenger as interesting as it got. This isn’t to belittle the candidates who were in contention for the job. Both Steve Bruce and Sam Allardyce have had wonderful managerial careers and often go under the radar when keeping teams in the Premier League with little resources.

But the mere fact that there was little competition or breadth of choices available shows that the task ahead to rebuild the English national side is far greater than many of us can imagine.

In the end it was Sunderland’s latest version of football’s answer to Houdini, manager Sam Allardyce, a man renowned for his no nonsense style football and the ability to get the most out of a team.

Whether or not Allardyce is ready for the job remains to be seen but there is a belief that his appointment will see England move away from dependence on the ‘talented’ regulars and instead pick players in form. Hardly a revolutionary idea but serious questions have been asked regarding the selection of Wilshere and Henderson for the Euros. We can now hope that players can no longer be picked on ability alone.

Indeed there is a sense that England might be able to finally form an identity under Allardyce. Playing 5 strikers, whilst bold, was never really the solution to difficulties in France. It appeared against Slovakia, Iceland and even Wales that England had forgotten the midfield entirely with Kane, Rooney, Sturridge, Rashford and Vardy all appearing on the pitch together at numerous points.

This was my biggest gripe with England’s poor showing in France. It was not so much the boldness to play 5 strikers at one time but the inability to use them tactically and astutely. It made the team disjointed, demonstrated by the lack of invention. It was almost like the plan was to put them all on and hope for the best rather than working out plan B.

The worry with Allardyce though is that he will produce an England side that is a similar blueprint to his normal sides – physically competitive, defensively sound and relying on a long ball/ set piece approach going forward. This approach has proved successful for him in relegation battles but whether this will please supporters who expect more than just competing remains to be seen.

Some might say that this approach is what cost Allardyce his job at West Ham who have shown that they have greater ambition than playing like relegation fighters.

But one of Allardyce’s priorities (there are many) will be to establish a way of playing that fundamentally gets England to succeed and progress further in major competitions. It’s all very well topping your qualifying group with a 100% record but the big tournaments have found England wanting.

“My job is to get the players in each position and as a team to win in whatever way needs to be done in any particular game.”

Fans will surely excuse an Allardyce style of playing if it means greater spirit and fight in big games. Its fair to say that England and Hodgson were overawed by Iceland taking the lead in the infamous last 16 match. The magnitude of what defeat would mean left the players confused and shocked, something they never really seemed to snap out of.

One would like to think that this wouldn’t happen under Allardyce’s management and if it did, he would find the passion and words (preferably strong ones) during half time to revitalise the players.

The new man has promised to make subtle changes and man-manage the players. He spoke about the need for immediate impact from players on the international scene, hinting that only players with form will be picked in the future. Lets hope this means greater chances for players like Noble and even Drnkwater who was somehow overlooked despite being integral to Leicester’s stunning charge to the Premier League title.

Allardyce’s first assignment will be to right the wrong’s against Slovakia and show that England possess the capability to breakdown their stubborn defence in September’s qualifier. He will know all to well that the pressure is already greater than anything he will have experienced.

Its hard to know how much of his comments were tongue in cheek when he said “I am exceptionally lucky. Or am I exceptionally good?”. But there can be no doubt that his following comment summed it up perfectly – “I suppose that you’ll (the media and fans) decide”. Try as he may to remain calm and grounded, the true factor about his reign will be his record and ultimately, whether he can make this England team great again.

 

 

 

Euro 2016 Review: The Rise of the Underdog

 

“This has been a European Championship with no football innovation and where fear has dictated”

This was the verdict from Sky Sports pundit Guillem Balague on a tournament that had threatened to excite us, perhaps fell flat but still gave us unexpected twists along the way.

It was the first European tournament with 24 teams, an increase of 8 teams from the previous editions. There were many firsts – Albania’s first appearance in a major tournament along with England’s conqueror’s Iceland. Portugal won their first major international trophy and Wales defied the odds to go the furthest in a tournament than they have ever gone before.

Yet despite all of these wonderful firsts, there has been a sense that this was not the spectacle that we know the European Championships can be. The contrast in styles between previous winners Spain and new champions Portugal could not be greater and would resonate with Balague’s claim that the football played lacked innovation.

Some big names within the game, such as Theirry Henry and Mats Hummels, said this was partly down to the precedent set in the group stages. With the chance to qualify in third place on offer to the teams, it meant that 3 draws or one victory would likely secure qualification to the knockout stage.

This enabled the lesser known nations, without superstars to play a more defensive style, meaning that strangely winning wasn’t everything. Indeed eventual winners Portugal profited from qualifying 3rd in their group, failing to win a single group match.

This according to the experts stunted quality and the big names from shining.

But whilst this doesn’t exactly bode well for the tournament’s future (UEFA have announced the new format will be retained for the 2020 tournament),  we should celebrate the achievements of the ‘smaller’ nations. The home nations profited hugely from the expanded tournament, with Northern Ireland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland all joining England not only in going to France, but commencing through to the knockout phase.

It was over 14 years ago that a home nation other than England were in a major competition. That of course was the Republic of Ireland who again made it through to the knockout stages, this time the World Cup.

The brave Icelandic story will forever remain part of this tournaments legacy. Although humiliating, few English fans would begrudge their deserved victory over a floundering England.

A Robson-Kanu inspired Wales’ win over Belgium may well have been one of the games of the tournament – although hardly a shock as they had taken 4 points of the Belgians during qualifying. The official goal of the tournament was from another unlikely source – Hungary and West Brom’s Zoltan Gera’s strike against Portugal in the 3-3 draw during the final group game.

Even the winning goal in the final came not from Ronaldo, Nani, Griezmann or France’s 100 million man Pogba, but instead the unlikely Eder. His unflattering record with Swansea (15 goalless appearances) would have led to raised eyebrows when he came on as a substitute in the 79th minute.

It was hardly the goal or goalscorer that many around Europe expected. In fact with Ronaldo’s eyes swelling up with tears (and a moth) after 25 minutes due to injury, few would have even thought Portugal could come close to winning. What unfolded may have been dull but even then the ending was extraordinary.

These are the moments that football cherishes more though. The unpredictable. The underdog winning when they really shouldn’t. These will always be supported and admired by the neutral. It is why we watch the great game with such excitement and anticipation in the hope that we see the unlikely happen.

Playing in stadiums like these is a chance in a lifetime for some.

 

Some of these players from teams like Albania, Iceland and even Northern Ireland will cherish the memories of this tournament. The opportunity to play in big stadiums and share the field with the best players in the game would have been an experience of a lifetime for some. To see them enjoy and sometimes flourish on the big stage reminds us that the game is all about having fun.

They may not have stylish players that we are used to seeing on our screens. They simply make the most and best of what they’ve got.

It has now become accepted around England and Europe that many club teams will go to the big teams and simply ‘park the bus’. We no longer scowl at this or ridicule it. Instead we admire the tenacity in defence, the bravery to stop the unstoppable big boys.

So lets not dismiss this tournament as poor and boring. In a year where Leicester virtually defied everything other than gravity to win the Premier league title, hope has grown in the game that David can still beat Goliath. This won’t happen in every game. Maybe not even every year. But in an age where money has shaped the game like the devil shapes hell, the prospect of the underdog toppling the superpower is still alive.

This longer tournament has given every team a chance to succeed in their own way and that’s why we should embrace this new format. After all, the onus is for once on the big boys to find a solution to their opposition and until they do we can keep on enjoying the unexpected twists and turns.

Mourinho’s Biggest Challenge

The new Premier League season promises to be the most exciting yet. The new TV deal has begun meaning clubs can splash out on just about anyone (perhaps not Messi or Ronaldo but you get the idea). Competition in the league seems to be at its highest for years and its fair to say we are still pinching ourselves that Leicester City will be looking to defend the Premier League trophy.

However the most intriguing aspect could well be the battle for superiority in Manchester. Old foes Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho face off against one another having spent two years trading blows in Spain with the small matter of El Clasico. At the time Guardiola’s Barcelona were dubbed the team of their generation. Real Madrid had turned to Jose Mourinho, at the time a Champions League winner with Inter Milan, in a bid to upstage the unstoppable Barcelona.

What ensued was two very acrimonious years for Mourinho which at least saw him claim the La Liga title. It was however a case of big club meets big personality.

He was seen as petulant and divisive by the media, freezing out popular galactico, Iker Casillas. Despite rumours suggesting he might return to Madrid earlier this year, Mourinho had learnt there was no returning to the Bernabeu.

In fact Jose’s personality has often been the cause of instant success and then the inevitable implosion that we have seen twice at Chelsea. Mourinho will be desperate to show the world he can be a long term manager.

Whilst the sacking of Van Gaal has split opinion amongst many United fans, the reality that Jose Mourinho is now their manager hit home with his first press conference on Tuesday.

He appeared both calm and measured; a pro at dealing with the adoring English media. He gave out soundbites and headlines for the watching journalists to feast on. The sense though has been this is a wiser Mourinho. One that may have learnt from mistakes of the past.

This is not a dream job…. this is a job that everyone wants and I have it.

There was little emotion from the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’. Gone was his smile and sense of joy we had seen from his first press conference since returning to Chelsea where he claimed to be the ‘Happy One’. Instead, a steely determination was present from a man who saw his hopes for longevity as Chelsea manager collapse dramatically last year – only months after winning the title.

He defended his reputation when challenged on this very issue, pointing out that he had won the Premier League a little under two years ago compared to others who had not one it in 10 years. This suggested that this was not an entirely new Mourinho, his feud with Wenger, who he was surely eluding to, seems to still be simmering nicely.

Make no mistake though, Mourinho will be under pressure from the outset. Despite brushing off his calamitous last few months at Chelsea, he will be nervous to remove those memories as quickly as possible.

Whilst it would be presumptuous to find similarities with his time spent at Real Madrid, Mourinho already faces some scepticism from United fans with the departure of club legend Ryan Giggs. Giggs had been at the club for 29 years and was seen by some supporters as a future manager. He fitted the United mould perfectly – a product of the club rather than learning his trade elsewhere. Mourinho quickly distanced himself from the blame for Giggs’ exit but should it be a difficult start for United then he may find the issue reappear, and with much greater force.

Surely his biggest challenge though will be to re-establish Manchester United as both a Domestic and European superpower of the game.

Whilst United are soon expected to overtake Real Madrid as the richest football club in the world, the board will know that performances on the pitch must meet the requirements of such. Investment is clearly there, shown by the signings of Ibrahimovic, Bailly and Mkhitaryan. However the precedent has been set very clear with the removal of Van Gaal, who himself invested millions into rebuilding the team. The performances must match the size and investment of the club. Failure to do this is simply unnegotiable.

Mourinho has subtly hinted that Champions league football may be the main aim for this season. He stated he was frustrated that United were not participating in Europe’s elite competition and that by July 2017 “the club is where it has to be; the Champions League”.

However after that the pressure and expectation will inevitably grow, and this is where Mourinho’s true test will be. Whether he will have time to implement his style and mentality on the team is unknown. But maybe his biggest challenge will be the one he failed so poorly at Madrid.

Can he curb his personality to help a big club dominate football once again?