As the domestic season is now closed, and everyone starts to wonder what to do with their Saturday afternoons, it is important that we review the highs and lows of the season just gone. Here are my four highlights of this season as well as my four things to forget.
HIGH- BARCELONA’S FIRST HALF PERFORMANCE AT THE EMIRATES STADIUM
If anyone ever believed that beautiful football was something that died in the often referred to golden era of the 60’s and 70’s, they have now been emphatically proved wrong. Barcelona’s first half performance in the first leg of the Champions League quarter final, away to Arsenal, was so dominant and so awe inspiring that Arsene Wenger, known around the world as the ultimate football professor, could only sit to watch and admire as his side were torn apart in front of their own fans. Barcelona had 11 players on top of their game and playing so high up the pitch that even Cesc Fabregas panicked and played hoofball whenever he got possession. What made this performance so incredible is that Arsenal themselves have for years been known as one of Europe’s best teams in terms of style, however on this night they were made to look like the girl who used to be the prettiest at school but who has taken a serious tumble since you last saw her. Barca played a kind of football that very few people are familiar with, and with the recent acquisition of David Villa from Valencia don’t be surprised if they make some bigger and better teams look just as ugly next season.
LOW- THE TRAGIC DEATH OF BESIAN IDRIZAJ
After a life full of heart problems Swansea striker Besian Idrizaj died in his sleep last week whilst in Austria with his family. Idrizaj was a tall, skilful striker who was slowly but surely chasing his dream after spells at Liverpool, Luton and Crystal Palace. Although the cause of death is not yet known a heart attack appears to be the most likely explanation. This incident should send every footballer a message to love every last second of your career and make the most of the talents that you have, because you never know if this game will be your last.
HIGH- BLACKPOOL REACH THE PREMIERSHIP
This is as much, if not more, of a miracle than Fulham reaching the Europa League Final. Ian Holloway has proved once more his brilliance at acquiring players from all different backgrounds with all different types of qualities, and making it work. What has been critical to the success of Blackpool this season have been their successful loan signings. DJ Campbell, (on loan from Leicester) scored a hat trick in the second leg of the playoff semi final away to Forest. 22 year old Seamus Coleman, on loan from Everton, has come in and has been a rock at the back whilst Swansea’s forgotten man Scott Dobbie has scored four goals in 11 games, both since joining in February. But the real trick has been how Holloway has managed to balance this out through keeping the core of his team intact. The intelligent play and character shown by the likes of Jason Euell, Ian Evett, Brett Ormerod and Charlie Adam has been every bit as important throughout the season. In a way the methods of Ian Holloway are very similar to those of Roy Hodgson. Both build their teams on solid professionals and find a system in which they can play to their strengths without breaking the bank, and for this Blackpool have been rewarded when bigger Championship clubs are facing financial ruin.
LOW- THE TREISMAN AND TERRY SHOW
Is it possible to go through a whole season without the FA making a mess of things? Apparently not. People may say, quite rightly, that what the Mail on Sunday did was the lowest form of journalism and they should be charged for entrapment, but the truth is that Lord Treisman was put in the position of chairman of the FA because he was meant to display the finest sense of judgment out of anyone in football. I don’t know about you but I couldn’t trust anyone in politics. However Lord Treisman clearly thought he could and he got punished for it. As well as this the FA had their leader on the pitch have an affair with a fellow teammate’s girlfriend and was consequently stripped of the England captaincy. According to what Treisman told his “acquaintance” Terry thought he had done nothing wrong. Talk about Dumb and Dumber.
HIGH- FULHAM REACH THE EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL
I wonder what kinds of odds you could have got on this happening two years ago? No doubt they would have been long but Roy Hodgson has proved that it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks- if you buy good players and put them into a balanced system that exposes their strengths, you will always have success. Hodgson is every chairman’s dream. Calm, calculated and dignified, but most important of all is that he is not a manager who goes around chasing Big Time Charlie’s in the hope that they may just solve everyone’s problems. Portsmouth take note.
LOW-CHESTER CITY LIQUIDATED
After 125 years of history Chester City went out of existence on March 10th 2010. Following a series of financial problems, owners being put in jail and players refusing to play, they were expelled by the Football Conference. Although the way the club was run was nothing short of a freak show and some may say that any organisation run by a criminal doesn’t deserve to survive, what must be remembered is that the people who suffer the most in this situation are the fans- nobody deserves to have their club taken away from them no matter who they are. Recent news reveals that Chester City have been reformed under the name of Chester FC and will start again in the North West League Counties Premier Division, football fans everywhere should support Chester FC in their pursuit back to the Football League.
HIGH- CHARLIE AUSTIN SCORING 20 GOALS FOR SWINDON
There aren’t many rags to riches stories in football anymore, but this is one of them. This time last year Charlie Austin was working on a building site whilst supplementing his income by playing for Poole Town in the Wessex Premier League. Austin was a prolific striker at non league level scoring 146 goals in 159 games- but one would logically think that at the age of 20 if he hadn’t been found by now his chances of playing professionally were non-existent. However, in October Swindon boss Danny Wilson offered Austin a trial and to say that it has paid off would be an understatement. Austin has proved to be as effective at League 1 level as he was at non-league level, scoring 20 goals in 35 games in turn putting Swindon on the verge of Championship football. This story demonstrates to everyone in football (players and fans alike) that dreams do come true and that if you keep plugging away you can eventually be successful.
LOW- CLUBS GOING INTO ADMINISTRATION
This season has seen two well established clubs in Portsmouth and Crystal Palace go into administration with a combined debt of around £170 million. Both had a similar situation in that their wage bill exceeded their revenue with Portsmouth spending 112% of cash generated over the past three years on wages. The formula is pretty simple; if you put players on high wages when you can’t afford them then you will eventually find yourself in great financial difficulty. Unfortunately these two clubs will not be the last to fall into such hard times as it has recently been revealed that the likes of Hull, Preston and Cardiff are heading in the same direction. Eventually the football bubble will burst and it is a mathematical fact that bigger clubs than Chester will go out of business, and that time could be soon.
AND FOR NEXT SEASON WE WOULD LIKE……….
The FA to find another competent CEO and to at least try keeping hold of him…….please. Clubs to start slashing wage bills. John Terry to keep it in his trousers and for the next chairman of the FA not to be so love struck. Sir Alex Ferguson to stay at Old Trafford as manager- if he steps down and Chelsea keep progressing like they are under Carlo Ancelotti, then the Premiership could easily become what the French league has been like for many years with one team winning by a canter every season.
To get involved with Chester FC or to apply for a trial visit www.cityfansunited.com or www.chesterfc.com.
Written By Kieran Lovelock
Click here to see back stage pictures from Saturday night’s Champions League Final?