Name & Shame

Keith Hackett the referee from yesteryear, who is in charge of the unfeasibly titled Professional Game Match Official Limited has gone on record as saying that there are 50 divers (see here for the Sporting-Life's take on it) So few I hear you cry.

You have to say he is dead right in his assertion that it's down to the players and managers to decide how this international shame plays itself out. FIFA with it's ongoing stance on Fair Play surely has it, in it's power to allow national associations to stamp it out. Video evidence would easily out the persistent offenders, relieving the refs of the difficult task of punishing every Olivier and Gielgud. Once they realise that they are found out, fined and publicly shamed perhaps the pratcice will stop. They ruin the game - so if they can't stop they must be stopped.

I can already hear the cries of victimisation from the usual suspects, but that's just tough, isn't it.

The other challenge for Hackett must be fitting all his details on his business cards. What's the betting they're either red or yellow.

G14 - in their own words

Have a look at the G14 site - they're high tech believe me - It sets out in a very reasonable way their mission and their history. As their "dimunitive voice" gets heard in the modern day reality of football in Europe, you can be assured the King of Football will be keeping an eye on their quest for truth and justice.

Interesting to see Borussia Dortmund in the original 14. It is some while now since they enjoyed the league and european status their membership implies. I wonder if they will be applying for re-election in the years that come?

Learn from the Masters

Chelsea (it's becoming an obsession sorry) have come out today denying they are seeking to join the self styled G14 group of rich clubs. G14 - they weren't much cop on X factor now they want to push the rest us around in football. It's a strange move on the part of Chelsea, possibly motivated by the size of their pockets more than the belief that rich clubs getting together is a terrible cancer on our game.

Chelsea, were they interested in joining, could enjoyall the benefits afforded the current 18 members of the G14. In any other arena such an organisation would be seen as anti-competitive as they seek to influence the powers that be. On certain issues they appear to be a force for reason and justice. Compensation for clubs who lose players to international call up injuries seems entirely fair. Setting yourself apart from the rest of the football world. Guaranteeing yourself automatic entry into the lucrative club competitions at the expense of the rest seems entirely wrong, and should be resisted.

Our own breakaway Premier League should be suitable evidence of the folly to football as a whole of such elitist power seizing. If you don't believe me try asking the supporters of Oldham, Nottingham Forest, Bradford City, Coventry City, Leicester City, QPR, Barnsley, Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich Town, Norwich City, Watford and Crystal Palace. All clubs who have played Premiership football and gone on to severe financial troubles since the parachute money dried up.

Spare a thought

Few will have been unmoved by the situation of Chelsea of late. They are a fine football team with coach with several special qualities, but they do seem to be losing a lot (relatively) of late. As the great cliche goes winning becomes a habit and the cold turkey side of that habit is the bickering to refs and ungracious post match mantra of "we was robbed".

Yesterday's Fulham result was all the more joyous because Mourinho took it, with the grace and class he doubtlessly possesses, but had until that point never shown in defeat. He is a good guy there is no doubt about that.

What was said as the media response to the on pitch ruck after the game, left a lot to be desired. Three different experts at three different points trotted out the usual "football people" response in these difficult times. When confronted with this kind of event it must surely be difficult to tread a path that is alright with the King of Football - he's such a hater of pundits and commentators - but we got the same old guff

"These pictures are being beamed all over the world" is always a good one. Our sense of ourselves and our place in the world media order is always heightened by some bad news. Jonathan Pearce's take was slightly more guarded - I know hard to believe isn't it - but still the undertone veered to the sensationlist. The imagery was dark. Nobody died, nobody really got hurt - but the schadenfreude was very palpable.

It is to be hoped that the "Football People" and the people who run football don't react in a way that screws it up for the "people who pay for football".

More to Follow.

Get out more - switch it off if you don't like it!!!!

News reaches me that my single handed attempt to clean up the football media business is meeting with apathy at best and violent opposition.

In today's Observer I have read the words "Alan Green" and "excellent" next to each other in a sentence. Somebody, and I guess there are others, who actually enjoy his royal bumptiousness.

The Observer also published a letter from an unnamed TV insider that reinforced my view that pundits are crap and that it needs a bit of a shake up. Putting a little presentation table next to the pitch and linking live to the new saint and greavsie achieves only one thing - saves Gabby Yorath having to entertain the odiously earnest Andy Townsend. Sorry it makes 2 ex-players look like tools as well.

One thing the responses I have received have left me wondering is why as the king of football do I watch so little live in the flesh. Time and money I suppose - lame excuse. In order for football to be an affordable fortnightly expense you need to buy it in bulk - season ticket - and when you are confronted with a sizeable bill for one match you can easily find something much more pleasurable for less money. Difficult age I guess.

Perhaps a rest from the telly and the radio is in order. I'll get me coat.