Ashton Career Cruelly Cut Short

Unfortunate

The news on Friday afternoon of Dean Ashton’s retirement from football at the tender age of 26 was not a shock to anyone. It was met sadness within the game and beyond, with observers ranging from Piers Morgan to Arsene Wenger quick to offer their sympathy and support to the West Ham striker. While we all shake our heads in disgust at the obscene wages that are paid to Premier League footballers, it seems that there is no price one can put on having their career cut short on something that was beyond their control. However there are murmurs from Ashton that legal action may be taken, giving this tale of one man’s woe an unfortunate and sinister edge.

‘Arry Yet To Earn His Spurs

 

'Arry Thinks of Challanges Ahead.

Following Tottenham Hotspurs’ meagre exit from the Carling Cup at the hands of Manchester United’s reserve side, Harry Redknapp bravely refused to attend the post match press conference. Instead sending one of his countless coaches and long-time compadre Kevin Bond to face the music. Harry had bigger fish to fry, with press conferences later on in the week where he can play conductor rather than field questions regarding the inepitude of his Tottenham side on a night where a cup semi-final was in their grasp. The East-End boy can enlighten us with his opinions on Portsmouth’s dwindling fortunes, and talk up Spurs chances of earning Champions League football next fall. Whist glossing over his own squad’s glaring deficiencies.

The Blame Game

HANDBALL!!

The morning after the night before. Time seemed to be passing slower than normal. I kept looking at the clock on the bottom right hand corner of my screen. It was almost 11am. ‘What’s bloody taking them so long?’ I pondered. My Microsoft Outlook was in a state of constant refreshment. But, alas finally, they arrived. The first batch of Thierry Henry related e-mails landed in my inbox. After John Terry’s Moscow misery in May of 2008, there were a bucket-full of mails jeering Terry’s misfortune at 8:15am the following morning. Whatever the reason for the delay, we all chuckled heartily at the various images of Henry with giant hands, no hands, and his Wikipedia page being ‘updated’. However the reality was, Ireland were out of the World Cup. Or were they?

The Unlikely Lad

Nou Hero at the Nou Camp

In the dying moments of Barcelona’s Champions League triumph in May, coach Pep Guardiola made a substitution to run down the clock. Andreas Iniesta was the player sacrificed. The diminutive midfielder produced a stirring display on the night, along with partner in crime Xavi. Both tormented the Manchester United midfielder to such an extent, Darren Fletcher was almost missed. His replacement was yet another graduate from the Catalan’s outstanding academy, Perdito. It was a surprising choice, as the young forward only appeared in sporadically during their historic treble-winning season. However, one third of the way through the 2009/2010 campaign, he is 2nd in the Barca scoring-charts, just behind a certain Lionel Messi. This season, he has grown into Pedro.

Curse Of The Bolton Strikers

Remarkable Recovery

Euro 2008 was a hugely enjoyable tournament on a number of levels. Viewers across the globe were spoilt with a month of delightful, positive football. Spain were indisputably the best team on show, and deserved winner of their first major championship in 34 years. However, a personal highlight was the re-emergence of Croatian striker Ivan Klasnic, after he had spent most of 2007 recovering from 2 kidney transplants. It is a tribute to his strength of character and determination that he is playing the game at the highest level, and this summer moved to Premier League Bolton Wanderers. Since promotion in 2001, Bolton have searched Europe and beyond for firepower, with varying levels of success. The Hamburg-born striker will hope to enjoy a more successful tenure in gainful employment at the Reebok Stadium then these forwards endured:

Is There Any Way Back For Rio?

Rio and Usher Discuss Tactics

There are any number of reasons to dislike Rio Ferdinand. From his failed attempt to become football’s equivalent of Mike Murphy in ‘Rio’s World Cup Wind-Ups’, to missing a drugs test due to a shopping trip, to kicking female stewards, he really does his best to test the public’s tolerance of him. Not to mention video-recorded frolics whilst holidaying with choirboys Kieron Dyer and Jody Morris amongst others, and a drink driving charge at the age of 18, which postponed an international debut. Before this descends into a rant, I must stop myself here. But you get the general idea. However, more worrying developments for Ferdinand is his on the field performances.  His dip in form has been well documented, but is there any way way back for a player that 12 months ago was arguably the best centre-half in world football.

France Provide Irish With New Challenges

Domenech:Back in the Day

At approximately 14: 07 CET on Monday afternoon, there was a collective sigh around the country. The Republic of Ireland were drawn against France in the FIFA World Cup Qualifying Play-off. ”Feck it anyway” we muttered. But of the 4 potential opponents in the draw for Ireland, 3 of them would have provoked a similar reaction. Having avoided facing the freezing cold of an away leg on a plastic pitch in Russia, and sidestepped the now strangely likeable Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, now we must turn our attentions to the French and analyse the dangers posed by Raymond Domenech’s mismanaged side.

Big Jack Had Us All Fooled

Big Jack: The Waterboy

As age catches up with us, cynicism is a number of unwanted traits we acquire. Suddenly, scanning through the history of our lives, we focus on memories of our younger years. We scoff  at our previous pastimes, hobbies, favoured television programmes, fashion sense and cringe at times when we embarrassed ourselves through the folly of our youth. It seems like a different life. However, this transformation into a cynic can bring us to realise that certain things we were enthralled by at this early stage in our lives were not all they were cracked up to be. Like the Republic of Ireland under Jack Charlton.

Naive Ireland Learn Valuable Lesson

Late Drama

It was the sort of goal that you would expect the team leading 2-1, rather than those chasing the game at the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline, to get. Catching the opposition out on the break with a swift counter-attack in the 90th minute to put the gloss on a convincing 3-1 triumph. However, this is Ireland we are discussing here, and for the old habit of magically turning wins into draws has again reared its ugly head. But from the slick move that resulted in Vincenzo Iaquinta setting up Alberto Gilardino for Italy’s equaliser, there are valuable lessons to be learned. And one’s that Giovanni Trapattoni must teach his players before next month’s play-offs.

Pompey Can Take Hart From Recent Displays

Under Fire

What a difference a couple of days make. Whilst in the midst of the worst start to a season in England’s top division since 1930, news filtered out of Fratton Park that the players and staff of Portsmouth Football Club had not been paid. Rogue owner Sulaiman al-Fahim, complete with replica shirt with his own name on it (still better than Mike Ashley’s ‘Smith 17′ effort) comes out with mixed messages regarding the funds available for reinforcements in January. Then manager Paul Hart enlightens us all with this beauty:

”You put one fire out and another starts up in the corner. That’s how it has been in my tenure as manager. But you can spit your dummy out and throw your toys out of the pram, or take it as another fire, put it out and get going again”

However, a corner has been turned in the South-East of England in recent days, both on and off the pitch.