FOOTY FAIR

11 Players We Hate

2016-06-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

While reflecting on the utter villainy of Portugal's Pepe this morning, myself and two of our occasional FootyFair Round Table contributors, Jason Bramble and Adrian Sertl, started trying to put together a definitive first eleven of players we despise.

The list we roughly settled on includes players past and present, along with our reason(s) for disliking them. Let us know who would make your hated first eleven in the comments below this article.

Goalkeeper: Bruce Grobbelaar

Bruce Grobbelaar's dodgy antics in goal for Liverpool in the 1980's, along with his smugness drew the ire of many rival fans and then he did himself few favours when he got mixed up in a match fixing scandal in 1994. Although he was eventually cleared in court, he did not come out of the affair looking too reputable. When he attempted to sue The Sun after his trial for libel the presiding judge only awarded him £1 and said that "he had in fact acted in a way in which no decent or honest footballer would act and in a way which could, if not exposed and stamped on, undermine the integrity of a game which earns the loyalty and support of millions."

Defender: Alexi Lalas

For the crime of his alternative rock beard at the height of his playing days and over hyping of his ability by the American media, Alexi Lalas made our list.

Defender: Pepe

The most despicable player in football today, Pepe seems to spend half the time trying to get opponents sent off and the other half of the time aiming sly kicks at the opposition. Pepe is an absolute scumbag.

Defender: John Terry

John Terry: Chelsea's Captain, Leader, Legend, Racist, Love Rat, Dirtbag.

Defender: Ashley Cole

Ashley Cole was without a doubt a brilliant left back, but also an arrogant asshole who summed up the self absorbed bubble most modern footballers live in when he released an autobiography at age 25, in which he claims to have been betrayed by Arsenal when they only offered him a £55,000 per week contract. He also cheated on his wife, the lovely Cheryl Tweedy, with a reported score of women.

Midfield: Arturo Vidal

Arturo Vidal is a typical fraud hard man, who often get's stuck in without the ball and falls over under minimal contact when he has the ball himself.

Midfield: Joey Barton

Where to start? If Joey Barton isn't copying and pasting philosophy quotes onto his Twitter feed he's doing wretched things like trying to get opponents sent off or trying to pass off some of his past transgressions off the pitch, including stubbing out a cigar in a youth team player's eye, as the follies of youth.

Midfield: Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard: The over-hyped camera kissing owner of zero Premier League winners medals.

Midfield: Sergio Busquets

The villainous Sergio Busquets, who does the dirty work for Barcelona and Spain, includes in his repertoire a litany of cynical fouls and the odd bit of play acting. He is of course a critical player for club and country but still an asshole.

Forward: Carlos Tevez

Carlos Tevez: A wretched mercenary who shows loyalty to no one but himself.

Forward: Rivaldo

Remember "that" shameless bit of play acting by Brazil's Rivaldo in the 2002 World Cup, when he got hit in the shins with a ball during a match against Turkey and then went down clutching his face? Douchebaggery of the highest order.

Subs: Fabian Barthez, Rudi Voller, Landon Donovan, Craig Bellamy, Diego, Deco, Clint Dempsey, Rui Costa, Robbie Fowler

El-Hadj Diouf Doesn't Rate Liverpool's Legends

2016-02-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

To say that El-Hadj Diouf had a difficult time at Liverpool following his glittering performances for Senegal at the 2002 World Cup is a huge understatement.

The temperamental forward, who landed himself in hot water for spitting at opposition fans and opponents several times throughout his career, underperformed badly at Anfield during his brief stint on Merseyside.

But that hasn't caused him to hold back on his criticism of two of the club's legends.

After Jamie Carragher wrote in his recent biography that Diouf is the worst player he played with at Liverpool, he responded with the following spectacular barbs against not only Carragher, but also the saintly Steven Gerrard during an interview late last year and then an explosive follow up this week.

Sit back and enjoy.

"Steven Gerrard is a great club player but an egotist. He didn’t care about Liverpool winning – all that mattered for him was getting on the scoresheet.
The person I would least want to spend Christmas with is Jamie Carragher. I hate him.
He was the biggest turkey I’ve seen on a pitch. I found him useless."

"The difference between Jamie [Carragher] and me is that I am a world-class player and he is shit. The type of shit that writes a book and mentions me all the time. Me, in my book, he does not warrant one phrase: he's a fucking loser.”

"I carried the national team for many years, 14 million fans on my shoulders. When we won, it was thanks to me, when we lost, it was my fault. What I represented for Senegal, he [Gerrard] never managed 100th of that for England. He has never done anything in the World Cup or the Euros.

When I arrived at Liverpool, seeing as I just did what I wanted, he thought that I did not respect the club. But he downright killed his team by slipping against Chelsea. If Liverpool has never won the Premier League, it's no accident. What goes around, comes around.”

Tell us how you really feel, El-Hadj.

MLS All Stars: Two Players Yet to Play and a Video Game Star

2015-07-14T12:00:00.000-04:00

Yearly All Star Games are a uniquely North American phenomenon where the best players from a given sports league are chosen to play in a glorified mid-season fantasy friendly.

The MLS approach is to have an All Star squad face off against a visiting European side on a summer tour, and in fairness there have been some entertaining contests as a result of this format.

But one thing that's equally entertaining, at least if you're a fan of stupid comedy, is how the MLS All Star squad is made up.

In a classic example of how the league strives to match anything it does well with something ridiculous, MLS commissioner Don Garber has named Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard to the 2015 MLS All-Star Game, despite neither having played in an MLS match.

So once again the league has raised its big name Designated Players above the rank and file players who quietly keep this league ticking over. A less than wonderful move by the Soccer Don.

To add to the hilarity of the All Star Game squad, on top of the legitimately chosen Fan XI, Seattle Sounders forward Obafemi Martins has been named to the team after winning the "More Than a Vote" bid, which is decided by the number of goals fans scored with his character in EA Sports FIFA 15.

That's right, Martins was chosen based on the number of goals his character scored in a video game.

Oh, and I nearly forgot to mention that there's no room in the All Star game for Toronto FC's Sebastian Giovinco, who has been one of the best players in the league so far this season.

Am I taking crazy pills or is this game a bit of a joke that I shouldn't be worrying about?

Who the Heck is Steven Gerrard?

2015-07-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

When Liverpool legend and former England captain Steven Gerrard signed off at Anfield back in May of this year for a new adventure with MLS side LA Galaxy he surely knew his life was about to change.

From being one of the most recognized players in England, and arguably in Europe, to an unknown in his new home city might not be something he had banked on though.

As the video below, shot on the streets of Los Angeles by Sky Sports, shows though despite the growing popularity of soccer in the United States there are still very few footballers that garner any recognition by the typical American public.

David Beckham seems to still be one of the only players the average Jim-Bob and Mary-Sue on the street have heard of, and he retired two years ago.

Meanwhile poor "Stevie G" draws a lot of blanks when his name is mentioned or hilariously one fellow even asked if Gerrard had played for Manchester United.

Even a Samuel L. Jackson lookalike was clueless as to who the 2005 Champions League winner was when asked by Sky Sports News HQ reporter Vinny O'Connor.

Check it out:

The Other Brother - Today's Popular Footballers' Less Famous Siblings (Part 3)

2015-06-19T12:00:00.000-04:00

This is our 3rd and last part of The Other Brother - Today's Popular Footballers' Less Famous Siblings. You can check out the first two editions here: Part 1 | Part 2

Christian Benteke

Brother: Jonathan Benteke

Belgian international and Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke is a very sought after striker now days. The 24 year old has a younger brother. Perhaps Jonathan's fame is still in front of him, but few
football fans know of the 20 year old Zulte-Waregem footballer, who like his brother also plays up front. Unlike Christian however, who had played for the Belgian national team at every level, Jonathan has yet to be called up, so even though he's only 20 years young, perhaps this list is a fitting place for Jonathan Benteke.

Steven Gerrard

Brother: Anthony Gerrard

Good ol' "Stevie" is a Liverpool legend and has collected over 100 appearances for his country with the Three Lions. His 29 year old brother Anthony however has not enjoyed the same type of fame however. Once a promising young lad, Anthony made two appearances for the Republic of Ireland (no joke) U18 squad. But since then Steven's younger brother had struggled to make a name for himself, going through his career with smallers clubs such as Walsall and Huddersfield Town. Currently, Anthony Gerrard is a free agent.

Eden Hazard & Thorgan Hazard

Brother: Kylian Hazard

Chelsea's Belgian star Eden Hazard has lit the football world up with his impressive performances. And even his younger brother Thorgan is slowly making a name for himself. But the two have an even younger sibling who also happens to be a footballer. 19 year old Kylian Hazard currently plays at Belgian side Zulte-Waregem along with Christian Benteke's younger brother Jonathan. Perhaps the day will come when Kylian makes a name for himself also, but for now he makes our list because, well, not many know of his existence.

Florent Malouda

Brother: Lesly Malouda

Remember Florent Malouda? Well, he is still around. The former Chelsea and France national team star is currently with French side Metz. Florent has a younger brother (currently 31) who as you have probably figured out by now has not had the same success as his 4 years older sibling. 31 year old Lesly Malouda has gone through various smaller French clubs including his latest stint with Dijon Football Côte d'Or. But the younger sibling of the two has had 6 caps for the French national side...French Guiana that is.

Samuel Eto'o

Brother: David Eto'o & Etienne Eto'o

Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o has been a part of some of the biggest clubs in the world having played for the likes of Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea; not to mention his 100+ caps for Cameroon's international team. His two younger brothers however have not lived up even close to the success of their older brother. 28 year old David Eto'o could barely make a year at a small club before being cut, with his last appearance in the professional game coming at the age of 24 with Slovenian side FC Koper. And 25 year old Etienne Eto'o was no better, making his last appearance for a professional club 3 years ago; that, with Austrian 2nd tier club FC Lustenau 07. Needless to say, neither of Samuel's brothers have ever been called-up to the Cameroonian national team.

A Photographic Tribute for the Departing Steven Gerrard

2015-05-17T16:00:00.000-04:00

Love him or hate him Stevie G will always be remembered as a legend of the English Premier League and more specific Liverpool Football Club. With more than 500 appearances for his club and over 100 caps for England's national team, even the most dedicated rival club fan must surely recognize and respect this one-club man's achievement and dedication to his side. As he played his last match in front of the Anfield crowd yesterday, Gerrard is about to join his new employer, Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy, but will surely always be remembered as a Liverpool man.

The "What If" Game, by Amar Karabegović

2015-05-14T16:00:00.000-04:00

All football fans including Bosnian designer Amar Karabegović wonder every once in a while what if this or that player joined this or that team. Well, Amir has put this notion on paper simulating five instances in which world renown footballers almost made a move that eventually did not happen.

You can like Amar's Facebook page by clicking here.

FFN: Steven Gerrard Joins Pokerstars

2015-04-17T16:00:00.000-04:00

Steven Gerrard is playing his last season in the Premier League before moving to MLS to reportedly represent the LA Galaxy.

The move to North America and MLS will allow Gerrard more free time than what he is used to have while playing for Liverpool. A shorter season, and without the demands of Champions League or Europa League football and League Cup or FA Cup, the soon to be former Liverpool captain, is on the brink of signing with Pokerstars and start a career as a professional poker player.

He has always wanted to try his luck and play the WPT and other high roller tournaments across the world. The move to MLS and Los Angeles will give him the ability to realize his dream and be the newest addition to the Pokerstars roster.

He is not expected to participate in this year’s main event in Las Vegas, but his goal is to be there in 2016 once he has gained more experience and feels comfortable enough to compete at that level.

During the season he will be playing mostly online, but his proximity to Vegas will allow him to be a regular at casinos. Friends tell us that Gerrard is a very good and intelligent poker player and that his move to Los Angeles was in part due to his desire to play poker professionally and full time, which he expects to do by 2017.

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Thank you for reading FootyFair’s Friday Fake News. Please note that none of the above is true.

Five Players I Love to Hate

2015-03-31T16:00:00.000-04:00

Well here's a topic that's sure to raise a few eyebrows and likely upset a few people reading this.

I'm talking about five players I currently despise, and giving you my reasons. I tried my hardest to keep club allegiances out of it and purely focus on other reasons for not liking these particular players, but I can't write with my hand on heart that the club's some of these guys play for hasn't factored into this a little.

Anyhow, without further ado here are the players I love to hate:

1.) Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard is a Liverpool club legend and fans of the Anfield outfit have practically awarded him an honorary Sainthood at this point. But that's just the thing with Gerrard and why I don't like him. Depending upon your perspective, he's either become bigger than his club or has become interwoven with the weird Anfield Boot Room mysticism that fans of the Merseysiders like to wax lyrically about. So much focus has been on his quest to win a league championship, it's as if it's more important that he wins it rather than the club. Last season, when he had his most realistic chance of winning the league, after beating Manchester City his posturing seemed to suggest that Liverpool had the title in the bag. Can you imagine Frank Lampard or Paul Scholes, his contemporaries acting like that?

Even if you do support Liverpool, and love Stevie G., why do you think so many rival fans took pleasure in his slip up against Chelsea last season?

It shouldn't be overlooked that he once got into a night club altercation over a DJ not playing Phil Collins. That's right, Phil Collins.

2.) Cristiano Ronaldo

He may be one of the greatest players of all time, certainly he's been one of the most dominant players of the past ten years, but my god is Cristiano Ronaldo a smug looking jackass. With his crispy chicken looking tan and precision hair style, he looks twerpy enough, but it's the facial gestures, the mugging, the sulking and the appearance of it all being about him that makes him particularly annoying. He also dates super hot models, and drives incredible cars, so how can you like a guy like that?

I don't like to judge people, but he also paints his nails and opened a museum in Portugal dedicated to himself. If that's not narcastistic I don't understand the word.

But what I wouldn't give to have him at my club though...

3.) Arjen Robben

He doesn't dive quite as much as he used to, although Mexican fans would beg to differ on that, and he's also cut down on his ultra flipping annoying habit of always running down the right wing, cutting inside and blasting the ball over the damn net, but Arjen Robben is still annoying.

It could be his previously mentioned sins that get my back up, or it could be the fact that he looks like he's a 57 year old man's testicle but appears to run faster than Usain Bolt. It could be that last point that pisses me off, as I'm winded when walking across the street to pick up the mail some days.

4.) Rio Ferdinand

With this character it all comes down to his off the pitch behaviour. At his peak he was one of the finest defenders in the world, but since he first opened a Twitter account he's been one of the biggest knobheads on Social Media.

When he's not pimping his shitty "5" brand hats he casually get's low class digs in at other players or former managers.

For someone with plenty to say online he could bore the paint off the wall whenever he turns up in front of a camera. Let's hope he sticks with his hat empire and doesn't feature too much on the airwaves once he hangs up the boots.

5.) Luis Suarez

My dislike of this fella doesn't need much explaining really. He's a cheat, has been found guilty of racially abusing another player and has bitten three opponents.

If you were presenting an example of a professional player that kids should look up to, at the bottom of your list should be Luis Suarez. It's a pity, as he's probably only behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of overall ability, but the man is a gargantuan dick head who looks a bit like a rat.

The Five Greatest Midfielders in the History of the Premier League

2015-03-28T16:00:00.000-04:00

With both Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard set to leave the English Premier League for the MLS by the end of the current season, we take a look back at the five greatest midfielders of the EPL era.

5 - Patrick Vieira

Arsenal's powerhouse midfielder from France was at the heart of one of the finest team's English football has seen, the 2003/2004 undefeated "Invincibles" that swept to the League title. Tough tackling, but also a great passer and occasional goal scorer, it's often been said that manager Arsene Wenger has never adequately replaced his former captain.

4 - Roy Keane

Vieira's fierce rival, Manchester United's former captain Roy Keane led his side to numerous triumphs in over a decade at Old Trafford. Another fierce tackler who was also supremely gifted with the ball at his feet, Keane was manager Sir Alex Ferguson's on-pitch general and a massive reason for the Red Devils success during his time at the club.

3 - Steven Gerrard

Unlike Keane or Vieira, Liverpool's Steven Gerrard was never able to lead his club to a league title, but it wasn't for the want of trying. Liverpool's inspirational skipper scored many fantastic goals for the Anfield side, but is mainly remembered for his all action performances that drove his side to several domestic cups and the 2005 Champions League title.

2 - Frank Lampard

The only midfielder to have scored more than 150 goals in the Premier League era and a key part of Chelsea's success for over a decade, Frank Lampard's £11 million acquisition from West Ham in 2001 is probably the best bit of business the West London club ever did. The three time league champion and Champions League winner had an incredible knack of showing up at the top of the box at just the right instant to put away numerous chances for the Stamford Bridge side. Currently playing for Manchester City, he leaves England this summer having won virtually every club honour on offer.

1 - Paul Scholes

When players such as Zinedine Zidane call you the best midfielder they've played against, and legends such as Xavi call you an idol, you have to know that you're a special sort of player. Manchester United's Paul Scholes is possibly the finest passer of a ball English football has ever produced and that's not even mentioning some of his trademark goals from distance. The winner of eleven league titles, Scholes has to be considered the greatest midfielder of the Premier League era.

Five Wacky Premier League Moments

2015-03-26T12:00:00.000-04:00

As Liverpool's Steven Gerrard was shown a straight red after only 38 seconds on the pitch against Manchester United on Sunday, it was the latest example of the wildly unexpected moments we've come to love about the English Premier league.

Whether it's ridiculous red cards, hilarious rants, or colourful owners, there's never a dull moment in England's top flight.

The following are five wacky moments since the start of the Premier League in 1992/1993:

Cantona Kicks Off

With two time defending champions Manchester United embroiled in a title race with Blackburn Rover in 1994/1995 the Red Devils would be dealt a massive blow in late January when they lost their talismanic striker Eric Cantona to a long term suspension.

After seeing red against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, as the Frenchman made his way towards the players tunnel, Cantona was on the end of a stream of abuse from Palace fan Matthew Simmons. Simmons, who allegedly racially abused Cantona, didn't know what hit him though as the United player launched into his chest with a 'kung-fu' kick and a flurry of punches.

Cantona was suspended for eight months and United were pipped to the title by Blackburn on the final day of the season.

Kevin Keegan Loses the Plot

Newcastle United under manager Kevin Keegan had enjoyed a renaissance in the mid-1990's, as he led the club back to the top flight and after two seasons of consolidating their position in Premier League they were primed for an assault on the title in 1995/1996.

Playing some thrilling attacking football, the club at one point held a twelve point lead in the title race and seemed odds on to win their first league championship since 1926/1927.

However a young Manchester United side, galvanized by Eric Cantona, who had returned from his previously mentioned suspension, surged past them in the table and with Sir Alex Ferguson playing his famous mind games on his rival manager, the pressure began to tell on Keegan.

During a post match interview towards the tail end of the season, Keegan unleashed the following famous rant in response to Ferguson's opinion that club's wouldn't be trying as hard against Newcastle as they would against Manchester United:

"When you do that with footballers like he said about Leeds, and when you do things like that about a man like Stuart Pearce - I've kept really quiet, but I'll tell you something, he went down in my estimation when he said that - we have not resorted to that. But I'll tell ya - you can tell him now if you're watching it - we're still fighting for this title, and he's got to go to Middlesbrough and get something, and... and I tell you honestly, I will love it if we beat them, love it!"

Manchester United would go on to win the league on the last day of the season.

Delia Smith's Halftime Announcement

For those unfamiliar with Delia Smith, the Norwich City co-owner is a famous British celebrity chef who has sold over 21 million cookbooks and presented numerous television shows on cooking during her long career. If you like to dabble in the kitchen, I'd actually suggest looking up a few of her recipes as she's got a few great dishes in her arsenal.

Anyhow, on the football side of things she's most famous for an epic rant in February 2005 during half time of a Norwich home match against Manchester City. With her club in a relegation fight, an inebriated looking Smith made her way down to the pitch, grabbed the microphone and said the following:

"A message for the best football supporters in the world: we need a 12th man here. Where are you? Where are you? Let's be 'avin' you! Come on!"

If I owned a football club, I'd probably do this every other week if I'm being honest. Despite Delia's encouragement Norwich lost the match 3-2 and were relegated at the end of the season.

Phil Brown's Team Talk

As his newly promoted Hull City side struggled through an awful first half against Manchester City in December 2008, manager Phil Brown resorted to desperate measures.

Brown, feeling the players weren't putting in enough effort, conducted his half time team talk on the pitch in front of the where the Hull supporters were sitting.

The furious Hull boss tore into his side, who were two down at the time, for three minutes in front of puzzled travelling supporters.

Brown, who would just about manage to keep Hull in the Premier League at the end of that season, had this to say of his team talk:

"It was unacceptable behaviour, an unacceptable performance from a Phil Brown side and I am bitterly disappointed."

[On his on-field half-time talk]: "I thought it was nice and cold and I thought I would keep the boys alive because they looked as if they were dead.

"Our 4,000 travelling fans deserved some kind of explanation for the first-half performance and it was difficult for me to do that from the confines of a changing room.

"We owed them an apology for the first-half performance."

Luis Suarez Bites Again

Biting an opponent once is awful, but we all make mistakes. But having three instances of biting in your career, sandwiched around a charge of racially abusing a fellow professional, doesn't mark you out as being a role model for young fans. After receiving a ban for biting an opponent when playing for Ajax, Luis Suarez's second instance of biting another player came towards the end of a 2-2 draw between his Liverpool side and Chelsea in April 2013 when he sank his gnashers into Branislav Ivanović.

The player was suspended for ten matches, but would later return in some style as he almost carried the Anfield club to the title the following season.

Unfortunately, he followed that up by biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during a first round match at the 2014 World Cup while playing for Uruguay. Some people never learn.

MLS Designated Players: Why Are They Here?

2015-03-25T12:00:00.000-04:00

Most recreational soccer leagues for adults that I've played in have consisted of three or four divisions that are organized by a team or a players ability.

So if your team is full of beginners or people with two left feet you should be playing in the fourth tier. But there's always some jackass that should be in the top division, but to bask in his own glory plays in the fourth division and scores a mess load of goals. They likely perform elaborate celebrations after scoring as well because that's the type of utter douchebag they are.

I think of guys like that when I look at certain Designated Players in the MLS. Not that I'm saying the MLS is a third tier league, but more so what are these player hoping to accomplish here?

The MLS has drastically improved in quality over the past ten years, but for guys that have played in the Champions League, which is the pinnacle of club football, it is undoubtedly a step down from that in terms of prestige and perhaps quality.

Players who are in their 30's come here seemingly for one last pay day, while providing the bullshit line about "growing the sport in America", while some come here when they appear to have exhausted all other options.

Although we can all speculate why a top international player would come to the MLS to sign a Designated Player contract, the overwhelming assumption is still that DP's are only here for the money.

Some come here and embrace the culture of football in North America and try to take their teams to the next level, but some come here and either underestimate the league or treat it like a retirement parade.

One thing that is certain is that teams that aspire to win the MLS Cup will have to bolster their squad with a DP and therefore choose the right one.

The Designated Player rule came into existence during the 2007 season, when the Los Angeles Galaxy signed English star David Beckham to a five-year contract worth $32.5 million

The goal with this signing was to raise the profile of the league, and it most certainly did for a time, and although the DP signings since Beckham haven't been splashed over the front pages in a similar manner, they have had an impact on the league.

Recent months have seen high profile players like Kaka, David Villa, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard sign for the clubs in the league, but again these players are in their 30's and the suspicion will always be that they're here for a final payday.

However with the MLS' rise in exposure, along with teams now being allowed to sign up to their DP's, players who we never would have expected to see in the MLS, and who did likely have opportunities to play out of a top European league, are choosing to come to North America.

Significantly, American stars like Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey, although admittedly on big money, have consciously chosen to sign for teams in North America, seem to be here for the right reasons and have become the faces of the league.

One of Toronto FC's other DPs, Sebastian Giovinco, is another interesting proposition as he's 28 years old, an Italian international, and surely could have gone to another big club in Europe if he felt he had to leave Juventus. Did he choose TFC for the $7 million a year contract alone, or are things changing in the way players overseas look at the league and if they see it as a challenging and interesting competition that they want to be a part of?

Time will tell.

Football Heroes Illustrations by Ardyan Susanto (Gallery)

2015-02-05T20:00:00.001-05:00

Ardyan Susanto is an illustrator from Jakarta, Indonesia. This is his series of football heroes.

FFN: A FootyFair Q&A With MLS' Head of Social Media

2015-01-09T16:00:00.000-05:00

The significance of social media to football clubs and leagues in 2015 is apparent when you quickly glance at the number of followers a player like Cristiano Ronaldo has on Twitter.

The Real Madrid star currently weighs in with a staggering 32.5 million followers, a total that many popular musicians and movie stars would covet. One of the biggest football clubs on the planet, Manchester United, currently has over 4 million followers on Twitter, while the FA Premier League must surely be happy about their 7 million followers.

One league that would love to grow their number of followers is North America's Major League Soccer, who currently only have 638,000 accounts following their tweets. This week I had cause to smile about something the MLS' official account tweeted as they used the hashtag #BAE when announcing the impending arrival of Steven Gerrard to the LA Galaxy.

When you find out you're reunited with #bae in LA. #StevieLAG pic.twitter.com/kfhactmuvS
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) January 7, 2015

Their use of the popular slang 'Bae' came across as an elderly accountant trying to appear hip to his disinterested 15 year old son. It reminded me of the dark days of when every advertisement on the radio by law had to include a rap jingle. I'm looking in your lame direction Canada's Wonderland, you silly dickwads!

I was curious as to who writes tweets like this for the MLS and what their overall social media strategy for growing the league actually is. So I contacted the league offices and to my great fortune I landed a brief interview with Nathaniel Wankdorf, the league's head of Social Media Communication.

Mr Wankdorf, thank you for agreeing to talk to Footyfair. First of all, what were you or your team thinking by using the word 'bae' in the tweet regarding Steven Gerrard this week?

Well, it's important for the league to exude coolness and show the kids that we're hip. The NBA has done a great job of appearing to have it's finger on the pulse of the streets and that's where we need to be as a league. On the streets.

Don't you think that seems a little insincere and that 'the kids' as you call them will be able to spot a phony?

I disagree. Our advanced social media analysis has shown us that brands that can connect with today's youth by using current slangs like bae or swaggy do quite well.

What is the overall goal of having a Twitter account like @MLS?

The goal is get the word out there about our league and the personalities that play in the league. Like Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe, Steven Gerrard, and Kaka.

You just named four designated players, what about homegrown North American players?

It's all about brand recognition. No ones has heard of Kyle Bob Buckwheat who plays for Real Salt Lake, but everyone knows Kaka.

I think that's a little unfair on some of the emerging domestic talent you have in the league, but anyhow moving along. What is the latest on the Frank Lampard situation?

Well, as far as I know we're working with the Manchester City Emirate Blues to bring Frankie over here by July. In the meantime you can get 30% off of any Lampard merchandise on our website.

Thank you for your time.

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Thank you for reading FootyFair's Friday Fake News. Please note that none of the above is true.

Football's 5 Wildest Moments of 2014

2014-12-26T16:00:00.000-05:00

As we prepare to bid farewell to 2014, with many football writers and fans focusing on the more memorable moments and standout players of the year, I preferred to focus on the instances of pure insanity in football this year and let me tell you I struggled to get it down to five.

5 - Steven Gerrard Slips Up

Carried by the inspirational play of Luis Suarez, who was aided by standout performances throughout the 2013/2014 season by Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard, it seemed almost certain that Liverpool's 24 year wait for a league championship was finally over. However it was not to be, as Gerrard disastrously slipped up against Chelsea at the end of April which allowed Demba Ba to race in and score to put his side ahead. Liverpool lost that match 2-0 and would never recover as Manchester City surged to the title.

4 - Faroe Islands Stun Greece

The Faroe Islands hadn't won a competitive fixture in three years, while Greece had only months before made it to the last 16 of the World Cup, but it mattered little as the European minnows upset the Greeks 1-0 in 2016 European Championship qualifying. This put an end to Claudio Ranieri' brief time in charge.

3 - Atletico Madrid Win La Liga

With La Liga appearing to be in danger of being completely dominated by only two sides for the foreseeable future, it was both a great shock and breath of fresh air that Diego Simeone's side became the first club other than Real Madrid or Barcelona to win the championship in Spain in ten years.

2 - Luis Suarez Bites Again

With Luis Suarez playing the football of his life in 2013/2014, and nearly dragging Liverpool to the title, an injury suffered prior to the 2014 World Cup was disappointing indeed. However the Uruguayan striker dragged himself back to fitness and stunned England with a two goal performance that effectively knocked the Three Lions out of the tournament. Against Italy though he would do something he had already been in trouble for twice before at club level as he sunk his teeth into Giorgio Chiellini and was later kicked out of the World Cup.

1 - Germany 7 - Brazil 1

It's not worth writing that much more than the score alone. In a friendly a score of this scale would be a shock, but in a World Cup semifinal? It was insane and not a result that Brazilian fans will forget for a very long time.

Could Brendan Rodgers Be Sacked By January?

2014-12-11T20:00:00.000-05:00

What a difference a eight months has made for Liverpool and their under pressure manager Brendan Rodgers.
Lauded last season as a tactical genius and the man who looked to be guiding the Merseyside club to their first title in twenty four long years, Rodgers and his side have seen this season descend into chaos after narrowly missing out on the title last spring.

Sitting in ninth place in the Premier League, Liverpool had a chance to lift the gloom at Anfield on Tuesday with a home win over Basel that would have seen them through to the last sixteen of the UEFA Champions League.

But after a turgid first half and a comeback that came far too late, Basel were able to hold Rodgers side to a 1-1 draw that dumped them out of the competition and into the poisoned chalice of Thursday night's in the Europa League.

On a night when Liverpool had to win there was a lack of urgency, until the last twenty minutes, but above all a lack of quality from the five times European Champions.

When all was said and done the Anfield side had taken only 5 points out of a possible 18 in the competition and won only one match, a last ditch win over lowly Ludogorets after a ludicrous penalty conceded in injury time by the Bulgarian champions.

It made a mockery of chief executive Ian Ayre’s bold comment that ‘this is our competition’ when Liverpool qualified for Europe's top competition last season after several years in the wilderness.

So where has it all gone wrong for Liverpool this season?

The obvious answer is that the brilliance of Luis Suarez last season seriously glossed over other issues with the squad, such as a porous defence, but his exit alone is not the only answer for their shocking form.

Daniel Sturridge's battle with injuries this season has also dealt the club a crushing blow, as their attack has lacked the sort of edge he would have surely provided for the majority of the season.

The biggest issue seems to have been Rodgers and those responsible for player recruitment at Liverpool, not appropriately planning for Suarez's exit nor adequately strengthening a defense that certainly cost them the title last season.

Instead they took the Tottenham Hotspur approach after the North London club's sale of Gareth Bale, but splashing out the Suarez cash and buying quantity instead of quality. With eight players signed over the summer, most of whom have flattered to deceive so far, Rodgers transfer policy has left a lot to be desired.

There has been a lot of focus on the perceived folly of signing Mario Balotelli, and yes the former Milan striker has been very poor, but it was obvious to anyone who has watched Liverpool play over the past few seasons, that he surely wasn't suited to their style. The signing of Balotelli smacked of a panic buy.

With the new signings failing to gel into the team, captain Steven Gerrard showing his age and goalkeeper Simon Mignolet suddenly becoming a bumbling disaster it's hard to see how Liverpool can turn this season around.

Even Rodgers, a man who seems quite confident in his own ability and philosophy, seems downbeat in recent weeks. With matches coming up against Manchester United and Arsenal, his future could well be on the line.

Footballers in the Style of Shepard Fairey by Dev Ethan (Gallery)

2014-11-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

“Footballers in the Style of Shepard Fairey was inspired, of course, by the iconic Obama Hope posters used for his political campaign in 2008 created by Shephard Fairey. “ This is how design creator Dev Ethan describes this project.

If you enjoy his work and would like to purchase some of his posters you can do so at Postergully.com

Mid-Week Rants: The Most Overrated Players in the World

2014-09-17T15:00:00.000-04:00

Here's a topic that will invoke a bit of fury, the most overrated players in the world and the fact that your team might contain one or two of them.

So what makes a player overrated?

In this era of media hyperbole the number of players that are deemed to be world class would have us believing that even the most one footed oaf, who would struggle to trap a bag of cement, is the second coming of Pele because he managed to not put a ball into Row Z last Saturday.

The media that mainly focuses on the Premier League, also known unofficially as the Greatest League in the World, is probably more guilty than most when it comes to this and especially in regards to it's elevation of English born players into the sporting stratosphere.

Although the Premier League is the worst at over hyping, or rather overrating players, this is not a phenomenon that is restricted to English football. Throughout the footballing world there are several great examples of decent or even average players that we're wrongly told are world class.

The following are ten examples that are guaranteed to stir up some strong opinions:

Joe Hart

Manchester City's number one since 2010/2011 plays for the reigning Premier League champions and is the England national sides keeper, but anyone who has closely watched him over the past three seasons couldn't have failed to recognize the flaws in his game. Whether or not his issues are physical or mental, you always feel that he has at least one spectacular catastrophe in him every time he steps onto the pitch. He dropped so many turds last season he was in danger of losing his starting place for City.

Mario Balotelli

Apart from his wild off pitch behaviour and two superbly taken goals against Germany in the Euro 2012 Semi Final for Italy what has "Super Mario" really accomplished in football? He starts out fairly well at each of his clubs, scores a few goals and then gets bored, goes into a massive sulk and forces his way out. His goal return for club and country isn't that great and he would never be confused with a player you can consistently rely on.

Hulk

The fascination with Hulk is that he has a cool name, he commanded a big fee when he went to Zenit, the man seems to be a mountain of muscle and he is of course Brazilian. Upon closer analysis though it's easy to see that the player who struggled so badly in the World Cup is just a very average player at best and somewhat symbolic of the current brawn of brains malaise that Brazilian football finds itself in.

Antonio Cassano

A player who is so naturally gifted should really have achieved so much more in the game. Cassano through a combination of bust ups with teammates and managers, along with bad decisions, has not really had the career his early potential promised. Former manager Fabio Capello actually coined the term 'Cassanata' after him to describe any player that is incapable of fitting into a team structure.

Mesut Ozil

A surprise inclusion perhaps, but for anyone who has seen Ozil player for Arsenal over the past two season you would be hard pressed to justify his £42.5 million price tag. He appears completely anonymous over too many matches for the Gunners, particularly in the big matches when they really need him to shine, and has to be classified as a disappointment. His form for Germany though has been better, so it may just be a case of the wrong guy at the wrong club.

Sergio Ramos

Another controversial choice, particularly given his heroics in last season's Champions League Final and his success for both club and country, but he's another player that seems to have at least one outrageous blunder in him every match and he also skirts around the edge of the law with a lot of his play. A good defender, definitely, but not world class by any means.

Steven Gerrard

Any Liverpool friends I had left will certainly be gone by the time they read this piece, but anyone with a trace of objectivity, that's watched Gerrard over the years, can shoot holes through the notion that he's one of the finest midfielders of his generation. Tactically ill disciplined, not the best reader of the game and an absolutely awful passer, his commitment and stamina did lead to some standout performances for Liverpool, but he was often a liability for England.

Javier Pastore

The gifted Argentinian midfielder, who shone for several seasons at Palermo before a massive €39.8 million move to big spending PSG in 2011, has seen his performances drop off so rapidly in the past few seasons that he didn't even make Alejandro Sabella's squad for the 2014 World Cup. Still only 25, the classy player has been linked with moves to several other big clubs in Europe recently and may be able to recover his form.

Nani

The Manchester United winger, currently on loan at his old club Sporting Lisbon, has been one of the most disappointing players United fans have had among their ranks in recent years. He has natural ability, but can come across as one of the most brain dead players to have ever pulled on a red shirt. He seemingly always takes the wrong option and yet despite turning many United fans prematurely grey, he somehow still gets picked to represent Portugal.

Best Players Who Have Retired Internationally in 2014

2014-09-07T18:00:00.000-04:00

With the conclusion of the 2014 World Cup and the start of the Euro 2016 Qualifiers, there have been quite a few notable players that have called time on their international careers.

But how one feels about players deciding themselves that they no longer wish to play for their country is another matter entirely.

UEFA president Michel Platini was in the news this weekend following his outburst that retired French international Franck Ribery, "Cannot decide himself whether he plays for France", and "If (coach) Didier Deschamps picks him, he must come. That's the FIFA rule. If he doesn't come, he will be suspended for three Bayern Munich games."

Such a rule does exist, but is normally only enforced by international sides attempting to stop clubs from withdrawing players from national team call-ups for their own selfish reasons. Usually when a player retires from the national side there is an understanding between club and country that the player is in the final stages of his career and can no longer effectively give his all for both sides.

Whether or not Ribery faces any repercussions for his international retirement, or this is just another case of Platini talking out of his ass, remains to be seen.

In the meantime here is a list of notable players that called time on their national side careers this year.

Philipp Lahm, Germany

Despite being only 30 years old, the former German captain has already participated in three World Cups, and two European Championships and with Germany's victory in the 2014 World Cup he has opted to go out as a winner.

Miroslav Klose, Germany

With the 36 year old striker becoming the highest all time goal scorer at the World Cup with 16 goals and signing off with a World Cup win, Klose rather understandably ended his international career this summer.

Ashley Cole, England

One of the finest left backs of his generation and a long servant for the England national side, Cole's surprise exclusion from Roy Hodgson's 2014 World Cup squad caused the 33 year old to end his international career prior to the tournament.

Steven Gerrard, England

Although he didn't truly shine at international level as brightly as he has at times for Liverpool over his distinguished career, the 34 year old Gerrard never shirked his duties to the Three Lions and his presence on the pitch and in the dressing room will be missed.

Xavi, Spain

Watching the Spanish national side will simply not be the same with Xavi at the heart of midfield pulling the strings. The 34 year old leaves the international stage with two European Championship wins and a World Cup title as the most influential player for one of the greatest sides of all time.

David Villa, Spain

The 32 year old striker, who has been plagued with injuries in recent seasons, decided this summer to not only leave European football behind with his move to New York City FC, but also bring an end to a glittering international career that also saw him win two European Championships and a World Cup title.

Franck Ribery, France

Finally the aforementioned Ribery has decided at the age of 31, after missing the 2014 World Cup with a back injury that his time with Les Bleus has come to an end. That is unless Platini is able to force him back into action. Time will tell on that one.

Lampard Calls it a Day With England

2014-08-26T21:00:00.000-04:00

After 106 caps for his country, Frank Lampard called time on his international career today.
Since making his first appearance for the Three Lions against Belgium in 1999, the Chelsea legend has gone on to score 29 goals in 106 appearances for his country.

Known for his knack of arriving late into the box to score crucial goals for his club, he didn't quite have the same level of return for England. After playing arguably his best football internationally at Euro 2004, Lampard was never really able to form an effective partnership with Steven Gerrard in the heart of the England midfield. He struggled badly at the World Cup in 2006, and although he showed decent flashes of form in qualifying matches he was never able to replicate his club form in another major tournament.

In truth, successive England managers should have made a straight choice between Gerrard and Lampard, as they were never able to play effectively together. But sadly one of the many problems with the England national side is that whoever is in the manager's chair often avoids dropping the big names.

In six months Lampard will be joining the MLS' latest expansion side, New York City FC, and thus he decided it was time to follow Gerrard's lead and retire from the England setup.

One interesting point from Lampard's time with England is that he did set the record for most successful penalties for the Three Lions, with nine. So in an area England have often struggled with, he at least could be relied upon to find the net from 12 yards.

Another notable footnote from his England career is that immediately after the 2006 World Cup, he released a typical mid-career autobiography, that was all the rage at the time. In reaction to this, and Gerrard's book that came out around the same time, bad boy midfielder Joey Barton commented:

"England did nothing in the World Cup, why are they bringing books out? 'We got beat in the quarter-finals, I played like shit, here's my book'. Who wants to read that? I don't."

Later when Barton was called up for his lone England cap, he sat down next to Lampard at breakfast and the Chelsea man quickly switched tables. Barton, never one to mince his words, responded with:

"It's alright, I'm not going to steal your breakfast you fat prick."

Anyhow, these are mere footnotes to what can only be seen as a great career at Chelsea for Lampard and a slightly underwhelming one for England.

5 World Cup Stars Call it Quits in 2014

2014-08-10T21:00:00.001-04:00

Didier Drogba has announced this week that he is retiring from international play. He is the 5th World Cup star to call it quits on his international career, in 2014.

Let us take a moment to look at these five wonderful players and what they have given their countries over the years.

Steven Gerrard (England)

The Liverpool captain has been a main staple with the English national team for a better half of a decade. During that time he earned 114 caps and scored 21 goals. He has never managed to win any major trophy for his country but he helped them qualify for 3 Euro Cups and 4 World Cups. His first World Cup experience was in 2006 and he scored two goals, both during group stage, against Trinidad & Tobago and Sweden. He managed to be England’s top scorer in that tournament with his two goals. 2010 World Cup was the first time he was given direct captaincy of the national team, not because someone else was injured or unavailable. He had been captain before but not under these new circumstances. When he retired from international duty on the 21st of July 2014 his 114 caps put him in third most capped English player ever. He will go down in history as one of England greatest players, leaders and captains.

Philipp Lahm (Germany)

The Bayern Munich player represented his country for a decade, and in that time period he earned 113 caps and scored 5 goals. His first international tournament was the Euro 2004 in Portugal, where he played all 90 minutes of Germany’s group stage games. Then didn’t advance out of the group stage but his performances showed the world his talent and what was to come in years ahead. From that point on he became an integral part of the Germany national team, which unless due to injury or suspension would play nearly every game for his country. He reached his 100th cap on the 6th of September 2013 in a 3-0 win over Austria. The game was part of the qualification matches for the upcoming 2014 World Cup. The 2014 World Cup would be his last tournament with Germany, but considering that he and his country won the tournament, I believe it was his way to leave on top.

Xavi Hernandez (Spain)

Xavi has been representing Spain since 2000, in what can only be considered 14 glorious years. During that time frame he earned 133 caps and scored 13 goals, not to mention that he won 2 Euro Cups and 1 World Cup, and all in back to back to back years. His first major tournament was the 2002 World Cup, but his true value and importance in the Spanish national side wasn’t obvious to most observers until the Euro 2008, where he was voted player of the tournament and he helped Spain win their first major international trophy. He absolutely dominated that tournament and became a household name in world football. On August 5th 2014, following Spain’s early exit of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Xavi announced his retirement from international football. Spain lost one of its best players and the fans lost a true magician in the art of football.

David Villa (Spain)

David Villa represented Spain from 2005 to 2014, earning 97 caps and scoring 59 goals during that time period. His first major tournament was the 2006 World Cup, which saw him partner up with Fernando Torres in the attack of the team and earning both 3 goals each as they lead their team in scoring. The only tournament he would not play for Spain was the Euro 2012, after breaking his leg playing for Barcelona he wasn’t able to recuperate on time to be able to represent his country that summer. He won the Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, but would miss out on winning the Euro 2012, a small blemish in what is an incredible international career. He is currently the all-time leading scorer for his country, surpassing the enigmatic Raul on that list. It is an incredible mark for an incredible player.

Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)

Drogba announced yesterday that he would no longer be representing his country in international play. He represented Ivory Coast from 2002 to 2014, earning him 104 caps and he scored 65 goals during that time. His first World Cup was in 2006 in Germany, and up until this summer he was the main weapon in Ivory Coast’s arsenal when looking at scoring goals in the opposing net. He earned his 100th cap in a friendly with Bosnia and Herzegovina, scoring a penalty kick in a 2-1 loss. His limited play at the 2014 World Cup started to signal to him that perhaps his time was coming to an end, so his retirement news is not coming as a shock to anyone, having said that he is one of the most prolific goals scorers of his generation.

Steven Gerrard Bids Farewell to England Squad

2014-07-22T06:00:00.001-04:00

England captain, Steven Gerrard has announced yesterday that he is retiring from international football.

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil this summer was the last time he would represent England at a major tournament. He made the announcement on Monday, which he confirms wasn’t an easy one to do. The 34 year old Liverpool midfielder has 114 appearances with England over a span of 14 years.

He was one of the few old guard players that still made it to the World Cup squad, but at the age of 34 he must have known that the changes would be coming, either by his own hand or forced on him by someone else. England is looking at rebuilding their national team, and Steven Gerrard would not be a part of that project, he is wise and intelligent enough to see it. I believe he made the best decision for himself. Nothing worse than overstaying your welcome, which is a mistake so many players seem to do.

I don’t believe he would be in England squad for the 2016 Euro and he would without a doubt not be in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. While always a difficult decision to make, it is always better to do it in your own terms and leave gracefully. This allows him to also concentrate on his club career and perhaps extend it for a couple more seasons at a high level.

The iconic Liverpool midfielder departure will allow the new upcoming and talented young midfielders that England has a chance to step out of his shadow and be accounted for. While the news of his retirement from international duty may be sad for some I believe it will be a blessing for the national program and also for his club. Both country and club have the most to gain from this announcement and deep inside I am sure neither one is really devastated by it.

A look at Steven Gerrard last goal for England, it came during World Cup qualifying against Poland on October 15, 2013 at Wembley Stadium. England won the game 2-0.

The Monday Meltdown - World Cup Weddings

2014-06-30T14:00:00.000-04:00

Who in their right mind would schedule their wedding day for during the middle of the World Cup?

It's a question I ask myself every four years. Well, two if you count the European Championships and I very much do. I think there's a certain selfishness involved in not taking a quick look at the football calendar before planning your nuptials.

The most wonderful day of your life could be the most frustrating day of mine if you make me miss Belgium taking on Algeria. Weddings come and go in this day and age, but the World Cup is only once every four years.

I once missed South Korea versus the Netherlands, and some fine goals according to the newspapers, to be at a wedding. The fact that the soup, later served at the reception, was far too salty seemed symbolic in ways I'm not clever or poetic enough to fully understand. But it might have symbolized the bitterness I felt over missing a sublime pass from Dennis Bergkamp that almost led to a goal.

On a positive note, a guy I know got married just this past Friday and I take my hat off to him and his bride. They looked at the calendar, saw a gap in the schedule and jumped on it with gusto. It was like they caught a centre back napping and darted through for a crucial goal. I wish them a life time of happiness, despite my lack of an invitation to their celebration.

Speaking of invitations getting lost in the post, one of my extended family didn't invite me to their wedding some years back, and since we'd never really had an argument or anything I was left wondering what the problem was. But then I remembered that their special day fell on the day of England's opening match at that year's World Cup and all was forgiven. England scraped a win, and I wasn't left sweating in church wondering if the Gerrard and Lampard axis was working out. I'll be forever grateful for them forgetting about me.

One time I did actually get invited to a wedding, when I wished I hadn't, was when I was forced to miss the second half of the Manchester derby. I actually didn't even get to see the first half properly as I was fumbling with my tie. The couple, who are now frustratingly divorced because it means I missed the match for nothing, didn't even serve a proper meal at the reception. There were finger foods and those abominable open faced sandwiches. Beer and wine was also $5 a glass. That sort of behaviour would get you run out of town on a rail in some countries. This followed a very long wedding service in a church with no air conditioning, no fans, and inadequate WIFI.

On the topic of being in church instead of watching a match, a close friend of mine once missed the FA Cup Semi Final because his girlfriend at the time made him come to mass with her. The service ran right through the first half and part of the second, and he ended up completely missing his sides resilient win over Newcastle as a result. I have respect for all faiths and I know full well that most churches, temples, synagogs, mosques, and other places of worship generally offer different times when you can attend. So for her to pick that particular time slot was laden with an agenda. It was like slamming into your opponent's most talented player straight from the kickoff with a very heavy tackle. She was telling him who the boss was and setting a tone. The problem is he went for it, but let's face it, we've all been there.

Guys will do virtually anything for a bit of nookie, or rumpy-pumpy to use the technical terminology, and that includes missing important football matches. But it sets a horrible precedent, and I can guarantee that if they had gotten married it would have been scheduled to coincide with the World Cup Final and she would have done it just to piss me off.

Now, we're all human and we all make mistakes. We may have mixed up our dates, or perhaps a reception hall wasn't available when you had originally planned your special day. If this is the case, make sure you provide a few TVs at the reception where people can watch the match if they so desire. Then they'll really mean it when they wish you a life time of happiness, rather than just say the words, but secretly always think of you as the rude couple that robbed them of seeing a terrific left foot volley into the roof of Germany's net from 25 yards.

White Shirts, Red Faces - What Now for England?

2014-06-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

It's not even the losing, it's the hope of something better that always kills me.

On June 19, 2014 England, barring a miracle, crashed ingloriously out of another World Cup. It has now been 48 years since England lifted the World Cup and in that time they've only made it as far as a Semi Final once.

For the birth place of football, and the home of the most watched domestic league in world, it's a very bitter pill to swallow. Lacking in creativity and tactical nous, England have fallen time and again when faced with high calibre opposition, and it doesn't look like that will be changing any time soon.

So why is English football in its current mess, and why are they so far off the top sides in the world?

When I skim through Twitter and look at the Facebook posts of the people back in England one of the main themes is always, "they lacked passion!" I don't agree with that. Passion alone doesn't win matches. Besides that you need skill, technical ability, intelligence, concentration, invention, tactical awareness and organization to win matches. Beating your chest and roaring isn't enough.

Therein lies the problem at the heart of the English game. As long as supporters value graft instead of craft, we'll insists players "put a shift in" rather than focus on developing two footed, intelligent footballers.

Even when a rare diamond emerges, like Paul Gascoigne, Michael Owen, Joe Cole, or Wayne Rooney the bit of magic is either coached out of them by tactical inflexible coaches, they're overplayed and injured, or their own excesses bring them down.

England does produce good players, there's no doubt about that, but they produce next to no great players and even the good ones that form the national side end up being less than the sum of their parts.

These good players often seem either technically inferior against top international sides or are found wanting in the tactical know how to react to different situations in a match.

After Thursday's loss to Uruguay the knives might be out for Roy Hodgson, but in all honesty who would you rather see in charge? There's really no qualified English coach that could take the reigns and the Football Association seems loath to seek a manager from outside of the country again.

But there lies another problem for England, the lack of enough qualified coaches that are able to take on the high pressure jobs in England and bring through the next crop of young English players. It's quite telling that no English manager has won the top division's league title since Howard Wilkinson with Leeds United in 1992 and very few English managers are in charge of top Premier League clubs.

One of the players that will come under major scrutiny following yesterday's match will be Steven Gerrard and perhaps rightly so. For a player who has produced so much at club level he has never truly shone for England and was at fault for both of Luis Suarez's goals for Uruguay. He's surely done at this level now and his club mate Glen Johnson's days in an England shirt, despite an impressive assist for Wayne Rooney, must be numbered as well.

Defensively England were a shambles and even though they dominated possession they had no tempo and couldn't move the ball around at pace.

For those of us that support England we know going into a World Cup that we aren't going to win it, which is sad in itself, but all we ask for is for the side to give us something to cheer for. One Semi Final appearance since that sun washed day at Wembley in 1966 is scant reward for so many of us that have spent so much financially, and emotionally, following this team.

2014 World Cup Match Day 8: Goals & Highlights

2014-06-19T21:06:00.000-04:00