Chelsea did the domestic double this season and good on ‘em. It was perhaps the last hurrah of the Mourinho era, even though the old master moved on 3 years ago, returning only to school his old pupils on his way to the Champions League title and ascension to the throne in Madrid (I’m speaking of the one that really matters). The Premier League title and the FA Cup were sufficient to restore the swagger to a group of aging stars, however.
Soul, if not team, mates
Frank Lampard is flattered that he might be wanted on the continent but content to stay with his new manager, Carlos Ancelotti, and do it all over again. Joe Cole is happy he was given the chance to show he’s back from a horrific injury spell and will wait, until after the World Cup, to choose his next club. Unfortunately, John Terry seems to think winning gives him license to undermine Steven Gerrard, the new captain of England, and Nicolas Anelka believes it gives him the right to return to being La Sulk. So, succumbing to their spoiled inner children, these two have lit bonfires of dissent within their respective camps on the eve of crucial matches for their national sides.
Not for a moment am I accusing either of merely attempting to garner attention. I believe, in my heart of hearts, that both of them spoke out because they desperately want to win and things are not going their way. Even though the Chelsea duo were thinking of the greater good, they acted selfishly, thoughtlessly and without consent from their teammates. They assumed and you know what that makes them.
Each must now lie in a bed of their own making and both are likely wondering how, in trying to be the hero, they have, again, been branded villains. It’s not hard to imagine that the pair are harboring ill thoughts towards their managers and, in Terry’s case, teammates for letting them down.
The only advice I can offer these bitter twins originally came from some old geezers known as the Glitter Twins.
For Anelka any advice may be too late. He’s been shown the door by the FFF and has flown from South Africa to London, rather than Paris. A wise choice considering the furor in France over the side’s poor performance. Rumors in the London tabloids have him in danger of losing his place at Stamford Bridge, as well as his standing in Les Bleus.
To me, that seems a bit much. By the time August rolls around, so many other things will have happened at the World Cup, including the crowning of a champion, and after, as well, with the usual rash of transfers resulting from stellar auditions during the competition. Anelka’s tantrum will be merely a footnote. Carlos Ancelotti will take his striker aside and politely make it understood that he is not Raymond Domenech. Then, he and the Chelsea brass will downplay the matter publicly as being between Nicolas and the FFF.
Definitely not a WAG
Anelka’s former French teammates may have a few things to say to him, as well, despite giving him their support after his tirade. Patrice Evra, the captain, was stripped of his captaincy before today’s loss to South Africa. He had words, himself, with the manager, in support of the banished forward. Frustrated that his effort had proved to be so much chasing of windmills, he let it all out in a feisty row with a physio.
The whole side was then dressed down personally by French Minister of Sport, Roselyne Bachelot, earlier criticized by players, courtesy of her deputy, for condemning their posh training quarters in light of the current economic difficulties. Apparently, she delivered an ultimatum, ordering the team to pack before the match. If they lost, there would be a bus waiting to carry them to the airport for an immediate commercial flight home, coach class no less.
Bachelot may have been grandstanding for the French press, doing her leftist version of Sarah Palin,with a funny accent, but its hard to argue that it’s treatment undeserved. When I read about this whole French mess (and the English one, too) the players’ actions reminded me of the loud obnoxious children frequently encountered in what are supposed to be romantic restaurants, ruining moment and meal for everyone. So, three cheers for Roselyne. Go get ‘em, I say.
Still, anyone who reminds me of Sarah Palin has to take some stick.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7r5RYThiHM
Beyond what I already have done, I don’t know what I can say in John Terry’s defense.
As for what drove him to go public, I think there were several factors. To start, he’s competitive and wants to win. Also, he’s a control freak. He’s use to being in charge and suddenly, thanks to his antics with Veronica Perroncel, he’s no longer the alpha male in the Three Lion pride. He believes in and places himself before anyone else. Those last two qualities combined are often a recipe for disaster.
Then there’s the fact that Nicolas Anelka is a teammate back in West London and they have doubtless talked over the last few days.
Could it be that after their chat, JT thought to himself, “You know, I’m in the same sort of situation over here. Our gaffer doesn’t always relate well to the players and he seems to think my opinion about who should be playing <read Joe Cole> and who not <read Emile Heskey> isn’t important at all. The lads aren’t playing well and Stevie G isn’t stepping up to have a go at Fabio. I need to step in. It’s not too good an idea to get in a row with il Signore, however. Look what happened to old Nico. Maybe I should just drop some hints in a press conference.”
Of course, if that’s how it happened, it needn’t be said that our boy didn’t stop to think things through but that’s not really his style. If he had, he might have realized that Fabio Capello is not Raymond Domenech. He has a head on his shoulders. He’s playing Heskey because:
- He works better with Rooney than anyone else,
- He set up the goal beautifully in the US match and
- Against Algeria, he was the only interested player on the pitch, literally running his kiester off
He’s not playing Cole because it’s either Cole or Gerrard on the left side and he prefers Gerrard with his added dimension of leadership. I will admit, in Terry’s defense that it’s beyond me why he doesn’t bring Cole in as a sub, rather than Shaun Wright-Phillips. That’s no excuse for attempting insurrection, though.
It’s heartening, if you’re an England fan, that none of the team broke ranks to stand with Terry. That shows they still have respect for their manager, as they should.
Capello , quoted in the Guardian, is spot on in his diagnosis of England’s struggles.
“I don’t know why or how the players have arrived at this point. The training is good, so I can’t understand why they don’t transfer that form on to the pitch. It is simply the fear that stops the legs, that stops the mind, that stops everything. I’m not criticising them for that. I know the problem, it happens sometimes in important matches, this pressure. This is a big challenge, and a big pressure for me and the team.”
Terry is lucky Capello hasn't already shown him the door
Hopefully, he can find a solution in time for tomorrow’s match.
In any case, John Terry, more than Nicolas Anelka, should be concerned with future consequences from his actions. His international could be over after this tournament, especially, if Capello stays on. The Italian, when he has more time and options, is not likely to rely further upon someone he can’t trust.
When the tournament does end for the Brits, fingers crossed that it’s not too soon, Terry, unlike Anelka, won’t be flying to a foreign country where he’ll be able to avoid the local media. Instead, he’ll be landing in a hornet’s nest. Every pundit who panned him after the Bridge fiasco now has the right to say that he should have been dropped from the national side.
Essentially by going behind Gerrard’s back in this press conference and co-opting leadership of the team, he burned another Bridge. This time it was on the pitch, though, not off. He has lost all credibility as a leader and that was his hole card coming into this competition. He sees nothing wrong, however, because in his mind, it’s all about him. Frank Lampard and Carlos Ancelotti should be concerned as their defense of the double begins.
Still, I can’t deny that he’s an effective defender. Despite his shortcomings, he deserves some form of tribute for his many deeds and accomplishments. Perhaps a dedication. Why not? I’m sure Roselyne enjoyed hers. This is for you John, with love.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6UAYGxiRwU&feature=related
The last verse is so appropo.
‘Well, you’re where you should be all the time and when you’re not
you’re with some underworld spy or the wife of a close friend,
wife of a close friend”
Priceless.
Anyway, in preparing for tomorrow’s match, one hopes that Capello is thinking, “How much would I really lose by starting Dawson and Upson in the middle?”
Pull the trigger, Fabio.
John Terry is a despicable human being and, personally, I would rather see him not in the England squad. There was a huge debate over whether his personal affairs should have had an influence on his place in the England squad; I believe he should have been dropped and simply waiting for Bridge to retire from international football was a pretty bad way of treating Bridge and also sent out a very dangerous message: JT is virtually untouchable.
Is it any wonder that, after pretty much escaping any kind of punishment for his deeds, JT now has an ego the size of the planet? In my mind, the whole reason the French and English have seemingly imploded is this toleration of pretty much any kind of behaviour purely because of reputation. It doesn't seem to matter what they do (see JT with affairs, SG on assault charges, many out of form or injured), their place is always safe. What incentive is there for these players to behave and play well?
Posted by Matt Dalton | 23 June, 2010, 12:13