By Shaun Orange

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is on the offensive, and he is on the offensive big time. In not more than a few days apart during which the Old Trafford boss slated the president of the world governing body and then took pot-shots at the president of Real Madrid, he has been ridiculed for the same issues that he took exception to against them.

Ferguson, perhaps riled that the Federation of International Football Associations, under Sepp Blatter’s leadership threw out an appeal to have the Spanish giants sanctioned for what he perceived as an untoward “tapping-up” of striker Cristiano Ronaldo, labeled the FIFA chief “as being too old for the job” and that “he was a laughing stock of football”.

It was a scathing attack in which the 66-year-old pulled no punches in an interview with GQ Magazine.

Ferguson’s fury also will have stemmed from remarks in which Blatter said that Manchester United’s rejection to allow Ronaldo a move to Real against his wishes was like “modern day slavery”.

The Scotsman add that “things can happen to people in power” and then likened the situation to “the despots in Africa'.

In the case of Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon, Ferguson said that the La Liga champions were “obscene” in their methods of acquiring star players. And he went to say that the Manchester United players who moved to the Bernabeu Stadium over the last two years did so only because the nine-time European champions were trying to lure Ronaldo to Spain’s capital.

But the 57-year-old Calderon really hit back, and hit back hard. He told the sports daily Marca that he would not “waste his time answering him (Ferguson)” and then added that the Old Trafford manager was “getting old” himself.

However, Ferguson was dealt another heavy body blow and this time from an unlikely source.

Arrigo Sacchi, one of the world’s most respected coaches, said he was “surprised” to learn that Ferguson had said Real Madrid were not a “gentleman club” and branded the English champions’ boss “two-faced”.

He scoffed at what he called “double standards” by the Manchester United manager and added that Ferguson was “out of order to say that Real Madrid are a club that belonged to General Franco”.

It certainly does seem like Ferguson overstepped this time. He has a history of bossing other around in the media, particularly clubs in the Premiership who are lesser off financially, and naturally poorer in success as a result.

Maybe it is time that Ferguson, who has in the past hinted several at retirement, steps aside and enjoy his twilight years in the luxury of the company of his family and home.

To speak like that and make those kinds of accusations are not called for nor are they proper to come from a club with the standing of Manchester United.

I can only add that I feel very sorry for Mr. Ferguson.

By Shaun Orange

The world of professional football is played these days as hard on the field as it is off the pitch. And a bright, shiny example of this is Harry Redknapp’s overnight switch from Portsmouth to Tottenham Hotspur. The crafty 61-year-old manager moved from Fratton Park in the south of England to White Hart Lane in London last weekend, and just a few hours later watched from the dugout as his new team beat Bolton Wanderers.

For the long-suffering Spurs fans that win was a rare delight to savour and one that they hope will be followed by many more under the guidance of Redknapp. Of course, it will not be that easy, and Redknapp will have to graft to get results and re-establish Tottenham as a formidable side in the Premiership.

For their part, Spurs agreed to pay Pompey compensation for Redknapp moving to White Hart Lane; exactly how much it will work out to is not quite the point. The issue that now stands out in Redknapp’s move to Tottenham is that Spurs are quite likely to return to Fratton Park, only this time Redknapp would be leading a charge to lure several key players to Tottenham.

So often holding high ground in the media, Redknapp was bitter at what he perceived to be the bigger clubs “just walking in” and signing the keys players from the less wealthy squads.

Indeed, Redknapp noted in an interview with the BBC that “if Portsmouth want to sell some of their players, there's an open market. They've got some fantastic players there, absolutely top, top players, they really have''.

Redknapp should know more about the ins and outs at Fratten Park than anybody else, having largely assembled the squad himself. And for him to all of a sudden now declare that there is an “open market” out there for players and that if Portsmouth want to sell he would certainly be interested; it all smacks of the hypocrisy that is so entrenched in this beautiful game.

No doubt, clubs buy and sell players because that is just how good businesses function. However, the fact that Redknapp did not blink an eye over the weekend, and is now hoping that his former club does not have the kind of money to keep the best players staying put in Portsmouth, clearly suggests that there is concern.

The worrying issue for Portsmouth, who were said to be considering Tony Adams taking over the team on a permanent basis, thereby stepping up from his assistant’s role with Redknapp, is that they will be indeed powerless to stop the “bigger clubs” from moving in to acquire Pompey’s “top, top players” (as described by Redknapp).

As shameless as it seems, Portsmouth will just have to get on with life, whether or not they can hold on to their stars, because that is how this sport operates these days (it’s more like dog eats dog).

By Shaun Orange

Liverpool threw down the gauntlet at Stamford Bridge on Sunday with such authority that even Manchester United and Arsenal, their main title rivals along with Chelsea, will have sat up and taken notice. The Reds' victory over the Blues brought an abrupt end to Chelsea’s supremacy at home, a remarkable record that stretched back 86 league games, dating back to February 2004.

And such was Liverpool’s resolute performance that it left Stamford Bridge boss Luiz Felipe Scolari to apologise to the fans and concede that they were beaten by a better team. In fact, the Brazilian, in his analysis, termed Liverpool “a very good team”. Indeed, Liverpool played this Premiership tie unlike they have at any time under the stewardship of Rafael Benitez, who himself took over at Anfield in the middle of 2004. But more importantly for the visitors, it vanquished the hoodoo that they could not beat Chelsea in the Premier League away from home.

Of equal significance was that this result lifted them three points clear of Chelsea and surprise package Hull, at the top of the standings. And when one adds their win over Manchester United last month to the equation, then the picture becomes a lot clearer, and underlines their growing confidence while reinforcing the notion that maybe, just maybe, this season they can go on and win the league title.

In his post-match comments, Benitez said that they had it in them to win the Premiership, but he wisely hastened to add that they should not take their eye off the ball and that this campaign is a long and drawn out one. That Benitez, while still celebrating their first league triumph over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in five years, called on his players to quickly turn their attention to Wednesday fixture against Portsmouth, illustrated how badly the Spaniard, and his players, and their fans, want to win the league championship title.

But it will not be easy, not by a long shot. The league is a gruelling nine-month test, and when you get to the end of it, and you sitting at the top of heap, only then can you let your guard down. Liverpool have not managed that in 18 years, but for the first time since 1990 there appears a genuine belief at Anfield that they could win it again.

Liverpool’s more senior supporters will also remember that in those heady days they won the league 11 times in the 18 years before this long barren spell. And now that they have rung the ball, many of them will be hoping that if they can just get one more title under their belts, it could lead to a major revival; one that could mirror their successes of the ’70s and ’80s.

If there is one thing going for Benitez’s side, it’s that at last he has got a squad together that is not only talent, but also boasts some good depth. The second-half introduction of 19-year-old Ryan Babel and Lucas, 21, confirmed that, and with Yossi Benayoun Andrea Dossena, Diego and Jermaine Pennant also on the bench, the Reds do have ample support. When one thinks that Fernando Torres, widely regarded as the best centre-striker in Europe, was ruled though injury, then Liverpool must surely fancy their chances.

The key question though is, can they go all the way and finish the job. I reckon that if they get through November unscathed (often a bad month for them in the league), then maybe they do have a pretty good chance of being there, or thereabouts, in May.

By Shaun Orange

This weekend has been loaded with some absorbing developments, and with the Chelsea and Liverpool game still to come, there may yet be even more to unravel.

But perhaps the pick of them (not necessarily in order of impact) have been the Tottenham dilemma, Manchester United quick off the mark to deny that they are eyeing Jose Mourinho to take over, and Hull City famously going joint top of the Premiership.

Of the three, I would say that Hull’s 3-0 demolition fellow promoted side West Bromwich Albion was the biggest story yet. That win, on their visit to the Hawthorns Stadium, lifted the Tigers to 20 points and joint leaders with Chelsea and Liverpool at the top of the Premiership standings.

This has been nothing short of a remarkable debut by Phil Brown’s side. And even if it is true that the newcomers will face a real test over four days in the coming week when they take on Chelsea (on Wednesday) and Man United (next Saturday), Hull have every reason to be proud.

Their’s is a story, albeit a short one at this stage, of a great triumph for all of the “smaller teams” conquering clubs with mega bucks.

Not only have the Tigers risen to the challenge of making sure they stay up in the Premier League – having been written before the new campaign even started in August, they are at the summit of the English game.

We all know that staying is the a much greater task than getting there, and for that reason the next week or two will really show just how far this team has come, and maybe shed some light on just how far they might be able to go.

My guess is that they will lose their next two fixtures, but will still have a lot to play for this season.

Man United’s statement denying that Mourinho is being targeted to replaced Alex Ferguson, might well be an accurate one. But there is no denying that Mourinho would fit the bill just nicely if he did take over at Old Trafford.

Mourinho enjoyed a successful three-year stint at Stamford Bridge, but was eventually ousted because he did not win the European Champions League.

Reports late Saturday night indicted that Juande Ramos, the Spaniard coach who took at White Hart Lane last year September and then won the League Cup in February, was sacked.

And in the wake of this, Harry Redknapp apparaently said that he was on his way to London from Portsmouth to assume control of Spurs. The BBC reported that Redknapp said he was “delighted” to have been afforded the opportunity to manage “a big club” and that he was looking forward to the challenge.

All this, and the top of the table clash at Stamford Bridge is still to come. This has been a good weekend, thus far, for us football neutrals, and we’re not yet done!

By Shaun Orange

The top of the table clash at Stamford Bridge between Chelsea and Liverpool on Sunday is laden with potential enough to fall into the one-of-the-matches of season category. But whether or not it will live up to its billing is another matter altogether.

However, we can rest assured that both sides will go into the fixture confident of doing well, and maybe enough to win the tie.

These two teams, first and second in the Premier League standings, are both unbeaten thus far in the championship race and both especially proud of their reputations, which means that neither will yield without making a case for themselves.

With both sides pegged on 20 points garnered from six victories and two draws, a stalemate might be considered the easiest option of forecasting who will emerge from this major battle with their reputations intact.

But given the magnitude of the fixture and what sort of impact a win would have for the winners, one gets the feeling that one of these clubs is going to lose Sunday.

And with Chelsea in such irrepressible form in the domestic game, they will have their fair share of support. Indeed, logic dictates that Chelsea will go into this one with a marginal edge over the visitors, if only because of the manner with which they have played in the league in recent weeks.

And with Luiz Felipe Scolari, Chelsea’s Brazilian coach who took over in the summer, promising “to win, and win with style” there is great air of confidence in the Blues’ dressing room. And there is no reason what it should not be that way.

Chelsea have really turned on the flair, which has only served to galvanise their growing support and talk of a third league title in five years.

Yet despite this, Liverpool themselves are confident lot. They have not won convincingly as the London team has done, but all the same, they have won.

And perhaps their recent come-from-behind triumphs, most notably against Manchester City and Wigan Athletic, are what could be used to that extra yard an extra breath of air to spur Rafael Benitez’s squad to a first Premiership victory over the home team since he assumed the manager’s job at Anfield in the middle of 2004.

Chelsea have a better league record over this period, but Benitez has had more cup success; and how he would like to swap that.

Both teams have injuries to key personnel, so for one side to claim that they will be more disadvantaged than the other does quite hold water in this fixture.

Nonetheless, Chelsea look to be off for it, and for that reason they should get the nod ahead of their rivals, whom midfielder Frank Lampard said would be the toughest challenge for the title this season.

Still, I think Liverpool pull it off, even without their talisman Fernando Torres; if this were to be the outcome, it would be Chelsea first league defeat at Stamford Bridge since the first half of 2004.

Either way though, it should be a tight game, filled with tension and the teams separated by a goal or two.

By Shaun Orange

Tottenham Hotspurs’ miserable start to the season took yet another turn for the worse, and again it was a combination of both on and off field issues. This time they were beaten (2-0) in Italy by Udinese in the Uefa Cup.

And to make matters worse, England defender Jonathan Woodgate had some harsh words for his team-mates, while young David Bentley was censored for sharing his thoughts about their troubled campaign.

Woodgate, who only arrived at White Hart Lane in the January transfer window, from Middlesbrough, was in the team that lifted the League Cup in February, when they saw off Chelsea in the final at Wembley Stadium.

But after the defeat at the hands of the Italians on Thursday, Woodgate left Tottenham’s fans, their management and players alike, stunned by declaring that this Spurs side was “worse” than the Leeds team so appallingly relegated from the Premiership.

And if anybody should about the demise of the once-high flying Leeds, then it is Woodgate himself. He part of the squad that reached the semi-finals of the European Champions League only for the club to fall from grace and spiral into bankruptcy shortly after.

Pulling no punches in speaking to the BBC, Woodgate said it was long overdue that the Tottenham players “started to learn quickly and, stand up and be counted when the chips are down”.

“"I seen it before at Leeds, and we had a better team at Leeds than we have now,” the England international pointed out. He called on his teammates “to roll up their sleeves and start grafting”.

Whether or not the squad will take heed is another matter.

But for Bentley, he was taught a lesson about shooting his mouth off. Following an interview with talkSPORT, the midfielder who joined Spurs from Blackburn in a £15 million move in the summer, said that the players “had no clue about what they were doing” and that the fans had every right to be disappointed in the team.

Tottenham are in the midst of the worst start to a season since 1912, and Juande Ramos, the Spanish coach who led them to League Cup glory just five months after taking over from Martin Jol, is under intense pressure to get things right immediately or face the sack himself.

Ramos took exception to Bentley utterances and left him out of the team that lost to Udinese.

But one has got to feel for Bentley, and of course the other players as well. The 24-year-old has lost his place in the England set-up in the wake of Tottenham’s atrocious form.

Spurs get another chance to redeem themselves somewhat this weekend, and it maybe Ramos’ last. They are down to play Bolton Wanderers at White Hart Lane.

And unless they take Woodgate’s advise to heart and win, they will almost surely get booed off the pitch again.

Somehow, I think Tottenham will win this one, however narrowly, and then maybe buy Ramos more time.

By Shaun Orange

Jose Mourinho fed us loads and loads of long tales in his time at Chelsea. There is no doubt in my mind that he enjoyed every minute of it. And it is more than obvious that he still finds great delight in doing so; now in his time at Inter Milan.

Not all of us believed everything the Portuguese coach chose to share with the media, and many of us remain that way to this day. That he chose to indulge in self-praise, dubbing himself the “Special One” while at Stamford Bridge is his owning doing and gives us a little insight into the man’s thinking.

However, before I venture further, let me say that I thought his accomplishment of winning the Premier League title for the London club in successive seasons, was no mean achievement. Only coaches with substance are able to do that. And this is regardless of the many taunts that Chelsea bought their way to success (Roman Abramovich having pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into the club).

But despite his ability to get his teams to win, Mourinho does have some glaring shortcomings and perhaps none are more so than his two-facedness. Chelsea unceremoniously gave him the boot, evidently for being too bigheaded and now he has put his foot in it again with remarks made about Didier Drogba. Drogba, for his part, is no saint – never was and never will be. And yes, like all strikers he has gone down in the box at the faintest of touches (looking for a penalty, of course).

But for Mourinho to come out now and label the Ivorian striker a “diver” is way off the mark. The obvious question is: why did he (Mourinho) not say so while he was still at Stamford Bridge? That he did not do so at the time, and only chooses to say so now, is indication that the man is still hurting deep down.

For those who might not remember, Mourinho went to great lengths to sign Drogba from Marseille; and the ace striker did not come cheap either. In July 2004, shortly after the Portuguese manager quit Porto to take over at Chelsea, the London club coughed up some ₤24 million in protracted deal.

Drogba was on the two teams that won the Premiership crown - that season and the following campaign. And he played his part, even if he did not win over the fans immediately. He became an integral part of Mourinho’s squad, and remains that way in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team. He is certainly one of the best strikers in the world (pound for pound), but not necessarily the best liked. Thus, it makes no sense that Mourinho should all of sudden start calling the player names.

But perhaps, we should not be too surprised. Mourinho does appear a real troubled man, having only days ago hinted that he would like to return to the English game.

My take on this is that the Portuguese coach sorely misses the limelight he enjoyed so extensively in his time at Stamford Bridge. And maybe also, now that Scolari has shown us how to play attractive football while winning (something Mourinho failed to do) and all the while enjoy a good relationship with the sometimes-cocky British media, Mourinho is hurting even more.

My advise to the man would be to just take it easy and get on with what you are supposed to be doing at Inter.

By Shaun Orange

Tottenham are a club in deep, deep trouble. And unless their fortunes dramatically turn for the better, they really do face the likelihood of finding themselves in the Championship League next season.

As in most instances such as this, the manager – in this case Juande Ramos, is the one who has been thrust into the firing line. And if, indeed, things continue like this for the next couple of weeks or so; or maybe less, the Spaniard will almost surely be sacrificed as the scapegoat.

However, that would be grossly unfair. Ramos is a good coach. Technically he is more proficient than the majority of the other 19 managers in the Premier League. He is highly respected by senior administrators of the game and players alike. His track record is among the best in Europe, and in England only Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Rafael Benitez have won more silverware than him.

But because Spurs only have two points, are languishing at the bottom of the standings and are in the midst of their worst start to a season, Ramos may soon unemployed. In fact, he could even get the boot today, or tomorrow. Notwithstanding this, it really surprised to me to read (The Daily Mirror) that White Hart Lane chairman Daniel Levy “is ready to make a cut-price double swoop for West Ham’s Matthew Upson and Scott Parker in January”.

What is of particular interest here is that Levy must surely have consulted Ramos on trying to bring in the Hammers pair. It is more than likely that he did not discuss it with the club director of football, Damien Camolli, if reports that he is to be shown the exit next week are true. Or is this just a smokescreen for the impending departure of Ramos?

I certainly hope not. I hope that Ramos remains at White Hart Lane and is allowed turn things around for the London side. I believe what most people forget when discussing the Ramos situation and his “delicate” predicament at Spurs, is that this is a manager who lost his main strike force at the end of the transfer window in the summer – Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov. Combined they earned Spurs more than £50 million, and if they were not quality players, they would not be a Liverpool and Manchester United today.

Jonathan Woodgate, one of the senior players in the Spurs dressing room has come in public to show his solidarity for Ramos, and said that the other players likewise are behind the boss. The England defender has openly asked for the Spaniard to stay, and why not?

So I’d suggest that Levy bite his lip and just hold on a while for Ramos to get things moving again. I’m sure that when(and not if) they can just get one win under their belts, then more will definitely follow.

Remember the League Cup final at Wembley Stadium last February anyone? Give the man a break, please! He deserves it.

By Shaun Orange

As Newcastle United limp from pillar to post, battling to save their season, and maybe even their Premiership status, Bobby Robson has come out to endorse the suggestion that Alan Shearer to be put in charge of the Magpies.

The Tynesiders are among the best supported clubs in England and are by no means a small entity in continental terms. But for all their traditions and significant fan base, Newcastle are but only a mediocre side when measured in success. They are roundly viewed as an underachieving club, and that is a accurate assessment of the situation.

In recent years they have suffered dismissally, on and off the field, and right now are in the throes of being sold by proprietor Mike Ashley. There were hopes that Kevin Keegan,  hero-worshipped by the fans, would turn the fortunes of the club around and go on to establish them as one of the four top teams in England’s Premier League.

However, two stints at St James Park yielded nothing of the sort. He came agonisingly close to lifting the league title in May 1996, but had to settle for a runner’s-up medal. That has been about as good as it has got for the Magpies. But the real problem with this team is that, barring Robson himself and Kenny Dalglish, they have not had a decent manager in years and will continue to struggle until they find one.

The last time they won England’s top flight was back in 1926/27. That is how bad it has been. And as much as I respect Robson for what he has done for the game and his knowledge of the sport, I do not believe for a moment that Shearer will do any better than what has past.

Shearer, for his part, was one of the best strikers in the business. But that does not automatically qualify him to turn this club into a powerhouse – and do so overnight, as would be expected if he were to take over. He has no managerial experience to speak of, and therein lies his shortcomings for a possible appointment.

What Newcastle need is a manager with a proven track record. A man who stand tall among the players (and his adversaries), talks straight (pulling no punches) and is disciplined (doesn’t take any nonsense) – something in the mould of Fabio Capello, or to go back a little while; like Bill Shankly.

The likes of the incumbent Joe Kinnear, or any of Keegan, Sam Allardyce, Glen Roeder, Graeme Souness, Ruud Gullit, Ossie Ardiles or Jim Smith; they were all not up to the job, and never were even before they got there. For me Shearer is on that list.

So who should they engage that could deliver the goods? I would say someone like Jose Mourinho, the former Chelsea boss now at Inter Milan, who has been reportedly eyeing a return to the Premiership; or maybe Marcelo Lippi or even Giovanni Trapattoni.

The question is: Would any of them take the job? The answer is probably no. So that in turn would leave Newcastle right where they are. And with due respect to Mr. Robson, for sure Shearer would not make any difference.

By Shaun Orange

Manchester United played like true champions in their vanquishing of West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford. They chalked up a convincing 4-0 win over the visitors, and had another couple of chances been buried, they would easily have won by a half-a-dozen.

That victory also lifted them into the top four in the standings for the first time this season, joining leaders Chelsea, who are locked on the same number of points (20) as Liverpool, and Arsenal, in third spot on 16 and two ahead of the Red Devils.

Yet for all this, Old Trafford boss Alex Ferguson went out of his way to taint their triumph, and particularly Wayne Rooney’s performance, by unkindly suggesting that his star striker was a better player that former England centre-forward Gary Lineker.

Ferguson’s contention that, with time, Rooney will develop into a more polished product – score more goals and become a more all-round player, looks more likely than not. But for him to draw a comparison that was picked up in a headline of a story carried by The Sun that read: “... (Rooney) won’t be as lazy as Lineker” was way off the mark. Indeed, it was “a blow below the belt” and one that really sullied their good work against West Brom.

There was no need for Ferguson to go out on a limb and deride the former Tottenham and Barcelona striker, who remained loyal servant of the England national team throughout his distinguished career (he was never sent off in his pro career). And if the comment came after something maybe said or attributed to Lineker, who now serves as a football analyst/commentator, then Ferguson, with his vast experience (and success) in the game, should have known better than to “hit back”.

Because, instead, the remarks attributed to him (by The Sun) have done nothing but take the shine off another excellent showing by Rooney. The Manchester United forward scored their opener to make it eight goals in just six games for his club and country – a brilliant run of scoring form.

It maybe should be mentioned that Ferguson is a cattish sort, but there is no excuse for his latest outburst. Why not give Rooney his due, and then leave there, like it there? Needless to say, this sort of thing only galvanizes the belief of those who say that the Old Trafford manager is a sore loser (remember Man United won anyway); and while we fully understand that “everybody want to be a winner", there any limits (or at least there should be some respect) shown for others.

Rooney has the opportunity to extend his scoring run to seven matches when Manchester United play Celtic in a European Champions League tie at Old Trafford on Tuesday, and I only hope the Ferguson refrains from the kind of references he made to Lineker; it is the last thing he should want to do anyway.

Ferguson will know from the experiences of his own team players down the years that there is just too much bad blood created by rival players and fans who often make racist remarks and gestures, to add to it by him chipping in with comments like those about Lineker attributed to him.

By Shaun Orange

Despite an injury list that includes goalkeeper Petr Cech, defenders Ashley Cole and Ricardo Carvalho, midfielders Michael Ballack, Joe Cole and Michael Essien, and Ivorian striker Didier Drogba, Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari remains upbeat about their game against Middlesbough this weekend.

And the Brazilian’s predicament gets special mention because this is most unlike the other leading Premier League managers, who would have by now been moaning and groaning about such a ravaged squad.

Indeed, it is hats off Scolari, who just gets on with things and does his job the best he sees how to do it.

There are also concerns that right-back Jose Bosingwa might not also be available to feature this weekend, although Scolari was treated to a bit of good news with the return to action of club captain John Terry. The England defender and skipper is back to fitness after missing both internationals against Kazakhstan and Belarus, and his presence alone will add significantly to their morale.

Scolari conceded that Thursday he only had 11 players at training, and then on Friday that figure went up to 17.

What the wily Brazilian did was to add to his team by bringing in youngsters: defender Michael Mancienne and winger Scott Sinclair.

And for those who thought that Scolari has a problem, they should maybe also note that Chelsea have a tough European Champions League match in the middle of next week when they clash with Italian giants Roma.

Yet regardless of all this Scolari still has his head about him without ranting about his sick bay.

A good example of how not to gripe about everything is Liverpool’s Raefel Benitez. The Anfield boss learned this week that star striker Fernando Torres will be out for up to a couple of weeks through an injury sustained while on duty for Spain in the World Cup qualifiers.

But perhaps most importantly of all for the other clubs, is that Chelsea remain the top pick for this season’s league title. And with so many players ruled out with injury, they could drop a few points and be forgiven for it.

I say this because once the injured players return to the starting line-up at Stamford Bridge, then Scolari’s team is almost unbeatable, and that takes into account their escapades in Europe.

Chelsea lead the Premiership on goal difference and will be expected (by Scolari) to win the weekend and keep up the pressure on Liverpool, with whom they are tied on points at the top for the log standings.

Scolari will also be pleased to hear that Drogba has said he is now happy with life at Stamford Bridge and that he would like to play for the Blues for sometime yet.

But the Brazilian will o doubt be keen on a positive outcome in the league championship race this weekend.

By Shaun Orange

The report that FIFA are investigating the incidents of hooliganism at Italy’s World Cup qualifier with Bulgaria last weekend is welcome. This behaviour, as previously harped upon, is not accepted in the game and should be dealt with ruthlessly and efficiently.

The world governing, who daily go about telling others what they should and should not do, particularly their “big boss” Sepp Blatter, must act on this quickly if they are ever to rid soccer of the despicable things (or people) who are bent on destroying the very fabric on which this sport exists. There is nowhere in the world where this sort of behaviour is accepted, least of all when the world champions are playing.

The Italian Football Association, so often embarrassed by the barbarians who claim to be their fans, moved to ban their lot from travelling abroad and said that this would be enforced indefinitely. How long that really means is anyone’s guess. And whether or not they will in fact be able to put it into practice is another mater altogether.

But FIFA have to do something about it. The incidents involving hooliganism are not only becoming more frequent these days, but also a lot more ill-tempted.

In the English Premiership, vile and racist remarks were recently aimed at Portsmouth captain Sol Campbell, and England striker Emile Heskey too has been subjected to racist tuants while on duty for his country. Investigations into these are also on-going, yet nothing appears to being done about them.

In a brave and long overdo act, Manchester United’s England defender Rio Ferdinand singled out Blatter for not doing enough to help eradicate racism in the sport.

That Ferdinand called Blatter out to take responsibility for the barbarism in the sport that he leads was indeed, not only highly commendable, but also noble.

In the aftermath of the Sofia game, where Italy’s visiting fans chanted fascists slogans and made fascists salutes while also throwing bottles, FIFA attempted to take on an authoritative stand by saying that they were "currently in the process of collecting all the relevant information".

Well, that might be the case, but for me, unless they do something substantial and act with purpose in dealing with the matter firmly and without delay, this is just another case of showmanship on the part of the world governing body. Too often in the past, similar incidents were supposedly “investigated” only for the media attention to die down and then all was forgotten.

Surely, if Blatter can go around dictating to national associations who should and should not buy into clubs, he must also have the authority to weed out the hooligans, hang them up and then leave them out to dry.  He must be made accountable. Or is this just another case of him turning a blind eye to something that he does not want to get his hands dirty with? This could well be the case.

However, if it is not, then let us see the president of FIFA do something about it; and not tomorrow, or the day after, or next week, or next month or next year, but now!

By Shaun Orange

Real Madrid manager Bernd Schuster has again expressed his great admiration for Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo, and extended “an open invitation” to the Manchester United star by suggesting that he would be more than welcome at the Bernabeu Stadium.

Not more than two months after the summer-long tug-of-war over the player between the world’s two biggest football clubs appeared to come to a close; the German again said that Ronaldo would fit just nicely into his squad and that he hoped that by next August the 23-year-old would wearing the famous all-white stripe of the most successful soccer club in Europe: 31 league titles, 17 Spanish Cups, nine European Cups and two UEFA Cups confirm that standing.

It goes without saying that Schuster’s latest comments will not have escaped the notice of Old Trafford boss Alex Ferguson, and infuriated him in the process.

At the height of saga in the summer, Ferguson reported Real Madrid to the world governing body, FIFA, for trying to “tap-up” their player. The matter was subsequently thrown out, but the English and European champions did get their way when Ronaldo chose to remain in the Premiership.

But Schuster remains hopeful that Ronaldo, who has in the past publicly declared that he would like to one day play for the Spanish giants, will soon become their player.

The German coach has even hinted that Ronaldo should be awarded the European Player of the Year award – the Ballon d’Or – this season, ahead of two of his own stars: Iker Casillas and Xavi.

 However, not too much should be made of Schuster’s detour to install Ronaldo as his favourite for the continental award ahead of Casillas and Xavi.

One can only imagine that he will have pulled his the two influential players aside and told them that he is merely “feting Ronaldo” in public with a view to helping entice him to join Real Madrid; and that all of this was in the interests of the club as a whole (something they should supposedly support).

Ronaldo would certainly prove a huge boost for Real, who have now won the Primera Liga two seasons on the trot and are desperate to add a tenth European Cup to their collection of silverware.

The inclusion of a player with Ronaldo’s stature would no doubt have been of a great benefit. But that is not to say that they cannot do it without; they surely could, but it will be all that more difficult now.

Another key issue to factor into this lot is that a Manchester United team without Ronaldo is considerably weakened, just as would be a Real Madrid team with Ronaldo in it considerably strengthened in equal measure.

Thus, Schuster’s comments do not come as much of a surprise, and from that standpoint they certainly do make sense; even if they do make Ferguson’s blood boil.

Schuster has perhaps intentionally also steered clear of trying to make out like it’s a another hostile bid to lure the player to the Bernabeu by suggesting that Ronaldo should get Europe’s top individual award.

In the event that his comments are taken up with the authorities it is more than likely he will in mitigation say that he is merely stating his opinion on who should get the award, like so many other coaches, pundits, players and members of the public do – and he would be right, mind you.

By Shaun Orange

England maintained their 100 percent record in the campaign to qualify for the World Cup finals in South Africa in 2010 when they saw off Kazakhstan at Wembley on Saturday.

It was a handsome 5-1 victory over the East European nation and a deserved win for Fabio Capello. And while the home team were frustrated by the visitors for most of the first half, they really came good in the second to score more than three goals in a game for the third consecutive match.

On this occasion, Wayne Rooney led England’s charge as he bagged two goals to underline his exciting recent form. That brace from the Manchester United striker took his tally to five goals from his last four games – the other three coming in the Premier League.

Such has been the kind of form that the player is in. That it comes after Pele, one of the two greatest players of all time, and his club manager Alex Ferguson, both noted that he should maybe get amongst the goals more often, will not be lost on him.

If anything, it shows that the lad, who got married in the middle of the year, is settling down again and playing with the aptitude of a player who is at peace with himself; more so after he was outshone by Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford last season.

Ever since Everton unveiled Rooney as a teenager with loads of raw skill, he was always expected to go on and become a household name in English football. But he has stumbled along the way, just like many kids do. However, the exciting form that he has produced over the past few weeks has excited not only those who follow the national team, but also Manchester United as whole will be more than delighted.

England are down to take on Belarus in another World Cup qualifier on Wednesday, and Rooney will no doubt be looked to, to deliver the goods again.

When he returns to action for his club next weekend, when Manchester United welcome West Bromwich Albion, again he will be singled out as the player to carry the day. It is not that the 22-year-old will shirk the responsibility but rather, he will almost certainly face it head-on, taking the challenge in his stride.

And a confident Wayne Rooney is an asset to any team, yet also a dangerous threat for the opposition. And that is why Ferguson and Capello will be rubbing their hands together in glee, while watching the striker enjoy a rich vein of form. Both teams stand to benefit immensely from this type of form, and both his club and country will be spurring him on to continue with much of the same.

I do not think we have seen the best of this player yet, but if he does indeed carrying on in the same mode for a little while longer we might just be blessed enough to witness of the talents of a player who could become one of the best ever that England has produced. I hope on Wednesday he takes another step forward in that direction, even if it does come at the expense of Belarus.

By Shaun Orange

Tottenham paid Blackburn something in the region of £15 million to take David Bentley, the young England player, from Ewood Park to White Hart Lane in July. Spurs boss Juande Ramos believes that this kid has the makings to go on and become one of the nation’s best players.

But, Ramos is not the only one who admires the exciting skills of Bentley. There is a long list of clubs who would happily add his name to their starting line-ups if given the chance.

However, now Bentley is wondering if he made the right decision to join the London, and so too is almost everyone else. The 24-year-old attacking midfielder is part of the Spurs team that has picked up just two points from their opening seven games and are rooted in last place on the standings. That sequence of results equates to their worst start in the league since 1912 – four years short of a century.

This has led Bentley admit that they are the Premier League’s “laughing stock” right now. Of course, the lad is right when he says this. And Ramos is under intense pressure to turn things around really fast or risk getting the boot from the White Hart Lane hierarchy.

In fact, some quarters have already suggested that Tottenham were lining up Everton manager David Moyes to take over from the Spaniard. Needless to say, this has not happened and Moyes is still at Goodison Park (where he too is having problems getting results).

Bentley’s assertion that they are “not happy with what has been happening” also tells us that the boy has his heart in his game, and that his rallying call to his teammates “to change” their fortunes is the thinking of a player committed to chipping in and doing his part for the manager.

Spurs are in dire need of a good run of results if Ramos is to keep his job and steer the team away from the relegation zone. Should they find themselves still at the bottom of the pack, come Christmas time, then Spurs will be in big trouble and could find real difficulty in staying up.

It is quite likely that by then Ramos would have been kicked out and another soul urshered in to try and clean up the mess.

With the Spaniard winning the League Cup after just five months in charge last season and the arrival (and exit) of a string of talent, this team was expected to be challenging for a Champions League spot.

Bentley obviously would have been thinking about that when he signed on to join Tottenham; but they are the furthest from that right now. And one can only hope that he and teammates do indeed get things going again.

Along with the midfielder who has been capped seven times by England, this squad has some real good talent and should be near the top of the table rather than where they are now.

By Shaun Orange

Fabio Capello’s England team were not given much of a chance of getting anything from their trip to Zagreb in their World Cup qualifier last month. And then against the odds, his team clobbered Croatia 4-1 in their own backyard, sparking talk of a colossal revival for the Three Lions.

To some extent, or to a great extent, there is a lot of merit to the suggestion that at last England can get going again and re-establish themselves among the elite of world football.

The triumph in Zagreb, highlighted by a wonderful hat-trick by Arsenal teenager Theo Walcott, was a polished performance and a deserved victory for the Italian boss and his Englishmen.

But now, as they prepare to play Kazakhstan and Belarus this weekend and next Wednesday, a furious debate has been ignited about why Michael Owen is not in the team, and whether Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard should be used simultaneously in the centre of midfield.

For me, this is downright baloney. Capello is his own man, he makes his decisions (I believe) on what he figures to be best for the team. And thus far he has done as well as any of England’s coaches over the past few decades.

Of course, it is early days still, in their quest to qualify for South Africa 2010. And my thinking is that if Il Capo could just be left to do his job without any interference or criticisms, then he will deliver on his task of presenting the Three Lions as a decent squad at the World Cup finals.

That Owen is not in the side, yet his former teammate at Liverpool Emile Heskey is, is the choice of the manager and it should be respected and accepted without the catcalls, particularly those from within the British media.

It is my considered opinion that those who knock the coach for including or excluding a player or players, or go about dictating who should play where and why, are merely trouble-making. If for some reason Capello’s team was as weak or had no clue about what they wanted to achieve like Steven McClaren’s side, then maybe there would a case to suggest to the boss a thing or two about trying to get it right.

But this is not the issue with the Italian. If anything Capello has made a good start to the qualifying campaign and should be allowed to build on it, rather than be ridiculed for it.

Those who are finding fault with the England coach’s winning team merely want to see him and his team fail. And that is a real sorry state of affairs, because that is not what sport is about.

No doubt there will be those who will quickly say that “this is a free world and we all can have our say”. Well, that might be case, bit I implore those big mouths to be constructive and objective in their analysis. To get off just ranting and raving because the freedom of expression exists is not why it was put there in the first place.

Let Capello show us what he can do, and let him do so without attacking him for winning. Long may the revival continue. Thank you!

By Shaun Orange

It is interesting to note that Sam Allardyce has venomously turned on Mike Ashley, who is in the throes of trying to sell Newcastle United. But the former Magpies manager’s blasting of the owner is not surprising.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Allardyce said that Ashley only bought Tyneside club to quickly sell it off for a handsome profit.

Allardyce joined Newcastle on May 15, 2007 and by January 9, 2008 he had split with the club: “by mutual agreement”. A series of poor results plunged the club into relegation material and was really at the centre of an acrimonious parting.

Such was the confidence at the club at the time that Newcastle picked just one point from Derby and Wigan, who were struggling themselves at the bottom of the table.

Now, Allardyce has come out to brand Ashley “greedy” alleging that the tycoon merely bought the club to make “a quick buck”. This hardly comes across as someone being rational in his assessment, but rather a grave case of sour grapes.

In his lambasting of Ashley, Allardyce said that “the continuous sales and players moving in and out” caused Kevin Keegan to quit the club last month. And he added that things on Tyneside were “going from bad to horrendous”.

However, for some reason there was no mention attributed to Allardyce pointing out that just six days after he took over at St. James’ Park he got rid of six players. Two weeks later he brought in his first signing.

Allardyce’s assertion that “it is crystal clear now what the motives were for Mike Ashley,” might well be spot-on. But what all of a sudden gives him the right to go around pointing fingers.

And if he is indeed correct, and Ashley does go on to make a whole lot of money by selling Newcastle, why should he be so upset about it.

Ashley is obviously a businessman, and it appears from the outside that he is a pretty successful one at that. So what if he wants to walk away from the club (where the fans have given him a fair share of stick) and makes money in the process. That is just how football has evolved.

Allardyce should know this by now. That is just the way of the world these days.

By Shaun Orange

Gianfranco Zola made a statement of note when he said that he backs goalkeeper Robert Green. This came after the England international’s monumental blunders that cost West Ham the match against Bolton Wanderers.

The Hammers had come into the home game with a 100 percent record under the Italian, having taken over from Alan Curbishley who resigned last month, and were fancied to see off the Trotters to maintain their impressive start to the new season.

Indeed, West Ham went into the match in fifth place. But after 90 minutes and two big gaffes by the 27-year-old, Upton Park was anything but a joint to revel in for the home fans. Bolton’s Kevin Davies could hardly believe his good fortune when Green presented the visitors’ striker with their opening goal. And barley five minutes later an ill-fated attempt to clear the ball by Green fell to Gary Cahill.

Notwithstanding this Zola described his goalkeeper as having had a “bad day at the office” and promised of better things to come for the former Norwich City goalkeeper. The Upton Park boss’ comments, though, clearly indicated just how the manager thinks of Green.

In spite of Green’s errors of judgment, he was still called up into Fabio Capello’s England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Belarus. Indeed, Green is a much better goalkeeper than the player we saw suffer at the hands of Bolton at Upton Park.

With the World Cup qualifiers getting preferential treatment over the next week and a bit, Hull City will for two weeks enjoy the limelight. The newly promoted side climbed into third in the standings after West Ham and Aston Villa (away to Chelsea) both lost ground. But the Hammers will get the first chance to unsettle Hull when they clash as the Premiership action resumes on Oct 19.

Of course, it might not work out that way. But even if does not, Zola’s confidence in his goalkeeper is as good as it gets and that in itself might just be enough to lift their players ahead of the encounter, particularly Green, who has the full backing of the manager.

By Shaun Orange

There is a welcome and distinctly different look to the top of the standings in the Premiership and what a difference it is to have a few underdogs who have delightfully taken their place among the top eight teams in the championship race, enjoying fine starts to the campaign and loving every minute of it.

Indeed, the inclusion of Hull City (in sixth spot) and West Bromwich Albion (eighth) makes for a real surprise, even in these early stages of the season.

Aston Villa are fourth and West Ham United fifth (all this before Sunday’s action). Of course, by the end of the weekend – barring West Brom who won for the third time in seven games when they beat Fulham on Saturday, the others could further consolidate their positions.

For the record, Chelsea are tops, tied with Liverpool on points (14), while Arsenal are third and Manchester United up to sixth.

Hull and West Brom, newly promoted from the Championship League are gloriously digging their heels in and have every right to be reveling in the moment. History has taught us though, that things can change for the worse just as fast, and these two minnows will do well keep their emotions in check.

They will come to face with some difficult times ahead, no doubt; but if they can hold up like how they started the new season then they could be in with a good opportunity to stave off relegation and still be around when the next campaign gets underway. Obviously they will not be thinking that far ahead now, but that must be their goal.

Hull, coming off that famous victory over Arsenal last weekend, play embattled Tottenham at White Hart Lane. And if they can somehow avoid defeat (even a draw would be considered a decent result), then they could amazingly find themselves third in the league.

That scenario would demand a win for Phil Brown’s Tigers and defeats for Villa (at Chelsea) and West Ham (at home to Bolton Wanderers). The former looks a possibility, but the latter a more difficult proposition for the traveling Trotters.

Nonetheless, it could well turn out that way and Hull could well find themselves in the top three. That would be a real turn up for the books – one that we (the neutrals) would enjoy lastingly.

Of the four top pretenders, Villa look like the best placed and shaped of the lot to maintain a sustained challenge for a top four place; dominated in recent seasons by Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.

Still, it’s not to say that any of the others, including Manchester City, who host Liverpool on Sunday, Blackburn or Portsmouth, will not put together a few telling sequences and finish up near the top. This is what will most likely happen over the course of the campaign, as it has proved down the years.

But right now, it’s a refreshing change to see Villa, West Ham, Hull and West Brom right up there with the big guns and doing well for themselves. Long may it continue!