German Burgos: Atletico's raging bull ready for Real Madrid

By Andy West Spanish football writer

Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid

Venue: Bernabeu Stadium Date: 13 September Kick-off: 19:00 BST

Coverage: Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website

When reigning La Liga champions Atletico Madrid make the journey across town to face Real at the Bernabeu on Saturday, they will have to cope without the usual sideline exhortations of inspirational manager Diego Simeone.

The fiery Argentine is currently banished to the stands as he serves an eight-match touchline suspension after cuffing the fourth official on the neck during the most recent Madrid derby, the second leg of last month's Spanish Super Cup, which Atletico won with a 2-1 aggregate victory.

In their manager's absence, Atletico will instead be led from the sidelines by Simeone's assistant and compatriot German Burgos, a larger-than-life former goalkeeper who enhanced his reputation as one of the most colourful characters in Spanish football during the last league derby against Real, a 2-2 draw at the Vicente Calderon in March.

Burgos confronted referee Delgado Ferreiro in the last Madrid league derby in March

When Diego Costa, who has since joined Chelsea, was denied a penalty after tumbling under a challenge from Alvaro Arbeloa, Burgos simply exploded, facing up to referee Carlos Delgado Ferreiro with such ferocity that it took six men to drag him back, earning one of the most obvious dug-out dismissals ever witnessed and a three-game touchline ban.

That wasn't the first derby flare-up involving the man universally known by his nickname 'El Mono' (The Monkey) because of his reach. Burgos, 45, also had a spat with Jose Mourinho at the Bernabeu in December 2012.

Referring to a notorious touchline incident in an October 2011 meeting between Real and Barcelona when Mourinho viciously poked Tito Vilanova in the eye, leading the usually placid Barca coach to gently shove the Real boss in return, Burgos concluded his own pitchside dispute with Mourinho by delivering the sinister line: "I'm not Tito - I'll rip your head off."

And it was no hollow threat because Burgos is not afraid of getting physical: Whilst playing for Mallorca in 1999, he earned an 11-game ban, one of the heaviest sanctions in Spanish football history, after knocking out Espanyol's Manuel Serrano with a hefty punch.

German Burgos
Born: 16 April 1969, Mar del Plata, Argentina
Playing position: Goalkeeper
National team: Argentina, 1995-2002, 35 appearances
Club Career: 1989-1994 Ferro Carril Oeste, 1994-1999 River Plate, 1999-2001 Mallorca, 2001-2004 Atletico Madrid
Teams managed: 2010 Carabanchel, 2011 Catania (assistant), 2011-2012 Racing Club (assistant), 2012-present Atletico Madrid (assistant)
Honours: Argentine Primera Division: Apertura 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999; Clausura 1997; Copa Libertadores: 1996 (River Plate) & Segunda Division: 2001-02 (Atletico Madrid)

'Mono' Burgos, it is clear, is a man you want on your side when the going gets tough. Simeone certainly feels that way, having repeatedly nagged his former club and international team-mate to join him in the dug-out before Burgos eventually agreed to become his old friend's assistant at Catania in January 2011, where they promptly helped the Italian club avoid relegation from Serie A.

The duo then stayed together for a brief return to Argentina to take charge of Racing Club, and when Simeone was persuaded to take charge of his former playing team Atletico in December 2011, there was only one man he wanted by his side.

Like the man himself, however, El Mono's rise to his current position as assistant manager at one of European football's foremost clubs has been anything but conventional.

German Burgos (back row, second from the right) made his debut for Argentina in 1995 and earned himself the nickname 'Monkey' because of his reach

Throughout his playing days, Burgos was an unmistakeable figure - partly due to his appearance, with his propensity for brightly-coloured jerseys topped by flowing long hair and a (usually red) cap.

But beneath the dubious style, there was also serious substance because he was an excellent goalkeeper - good enough to win 35 caps for Argentina between 1995 and 2002.

In particular, Burgos was noted for his unrivalled bravery in one-on-one situations, his eagerness to charge out of his penalty area (performing as a sweeper-keeper long before the phrase became fashionable) and his ability to improvise unconventional saves, such as the occasion he saved a fiercely struck penalty by Luis Figo with his face.

Burgos's readiness to confront challenges head-on was starkly evident in 2003, when he successfully battled against kidney cancer - after being told he needed an operation, he responded with a typical mixture of fortitude and humour: "I've got a game at the weekend: we'll do it on Monday."

Last six meetings between Atletico and Real
05.02.14, Copa del Rey semi-final, first leg: Real 3-0 Atletico
11.02.14, Copa del Rey semi-final, second leg: Atletico 0-2 Real
02.03.14, La Liga: Atletico 2-2 Real
24.05.14, Champions League final: Real 4-1 Atletico
20.08.14, Spanish Super Cup, first leg: Real 1-1 Atletico
23.08.14, Spanish Super Cup, second leg: Atletico 1-0 Real

At the end of his playing career in 2004, following a three-year spell with Atletico, Burgos didn't intend to enter coaching. Instead, he sought fame in a completely different environment: as the lead singer in hard-rock band 'The Garb', named after his full initials, which saw him release a series of albums and perform live with a number of professional musicians.

His career path again went meandering in 2010, when Burgos's charisma made him the perfect choice to become the coach in reality television show 'Football Cracks', which put a group of young players through their paces with the tantalising prize of a professional trial for the winner ('crack' is the Spanish word for 'star' in a sporting sense).

Although his love of the limelight and rock music - especially the Rolling Stones - remained undimmed, Burgos eventually grew to realise that he was still consumed by one even greater passion: football, hence his assent to Simeone's attempts to lure him into coaching.

Simeone and Burgos were team-mates at Atletico in the early 2000s

And their partnership has quickly proven to be one of contemporary football's greatest success stories, with Burgos playing far more than a supporting role.

Like a modern-day Brian Clough and Peter Taylor, Atletico's management team are very much a pair. They share the same views on football and, having played and coached together for so long, each instinctively knows what the other is thinking, allowing them to provide their team with firm, clear and consistent direction.

Considering his flamboyant background and his occasional flashes of temper, it would be easy to dismiss 'El Mono' as an eccentric hard man.

But that would be a serious misjudgement, because he is also an astute, intelligent and extremely hard-working coach, whose part in Atletico's unlikely rise to La Liga winners and Champions League runners-up cannot be overstated.

Burgos became the first coach in the world to use Google Glass during a competitive game

In fact, Burgos's touchline tantrum in March was out of character because he is usually a placid and pensive figure in the dug-out, describing himself as "thoughtful and cold" when he switches into game mode.

While Simeone prowls the touchline - yelling at his players, berating officials and urging fans to up the volume - Burgos sits quietly on the bench, taking a step back from the heat of the action to coolly analyse the game, with notebook and tactics board always in hand.

Burgos's openness to innovation was demonstrated during his team's 2-0 win at Getafe in April, when he became the first coach in the world to use Google Glass  during a competitive game.

Live statistics were imprinted upon the glasses and updated every 30 seconds to appear in front of Burgos's eyes without him having to distract his gaze away from the game itself, and he later hailed the experiment as a success and proclaimed live in-game statistics as "the future" for professional coaches.

Burgos spent his club career with Ferro Carril Oeste, River Plate, Mallorca and Atletico Madrid. He retired after the 2003-04 season

Just like Google Glass, then, there is more to Mono Burgos than meets the eye, and anyone who believes Simeone's absence from the dug-out will weaken Atletico as they travel to the Bernabeu on Saturday might like to think again.

For the majority of people, stepping into the shoes of Diego Simeone to lead La Liga's reigning champions into a highly anticipated local derby against Real Madrid might be a daunting experience.

But for German Burgos - a man who has played international football, beaten cancer, fronted a rock band, starred in a reality TV show and threatened to rip Jose Mourinho's head off - you get the feeling he'll take it all in his stride.

Source : bbc[dot]com

Iwan Roberts column: Wales' first win vital for France 2016 bid

By Iwan Roberts Former Wales striker

A win is a win no matter who it is against.

Having lost both opening games in the last two qualifying campaigns, it was so important that Wales got off to a winning start in the European Championship qualifiers. Especially as they faced the weakest nation in Group B in the first game on the road to France 2016.

Wales can play much better and they are going to have to if they are to qualify automatically from the group - manager Chris Coleman and his players will know this. Wales have played much better and lost so there cannot be too many complaints.

But you have to take everything into account to realise what an important three points those were against Andorra.

The plastic pitch was a disgrace and has no place in international football. It was a farce at times and our lads really struggled to come to terms with an awkward bounce and an uneven roll; throughout the game there were times when the players really had no idea what the ball was going to do.

Add to this a referee who failed to protect the Welsh players from some very crude challenges by a very physical Andorra side, and in my opinion it's a terrific three points. How on earth referee Slavko Vincic failed to show a red card to one or two Andorra players is beyond me and I hope it is a long time before he takes charge of a Welsh game again.

Wales went a goal down after only six minutes, when defender Ildefons Lima calmly sent Wayne Hennessy the wrong way from the penalty spot. Swansea defender Neil Taylor was adjudged to have pulled the shirt of forward Ivan Lorenzo and while it might have seemed like a soft penalty, from where I was sitting it did look as if Neil had a handful of Lorenzo's shirt.

Bale to the rescue
Gareth Bale has scored 14 goals in 45 appearances for his country.

After that opening setback Wales had long periods of possession without really troubling Ferran Pol in Andorra's goal. If I have one criticism from the game it is that Wales did not test him enough - there was a lack of chances created and shots on target.

Once again Gareth Bale showed just how important he is. If Wales are to qualify for France in two years time then he has to be fit for every game because with Gareth is in the side, Wales have a chance of beating anyone.

His two goals were fantastic for different reasons. The first was a header that any forward would have been proud of. It was a peach of a cross from Ben Davies but Bale's run and cool header were outstanding. He knew exactly where he wanted to plant the ball, he did not panic and guided it to the left of the helpless Pol.

Wales started the second half strong by putting plenty of crosses into the Andorra penalty box, without forcing him to make a save. But when Wales needed a hero, once again up stepped the world's most expensive player. He had tested Pol twice from free-kicks and on both occasions the keeper looked uncomfortable, but with the third Gareth gave him no chance. It was a ferocious left-footed drive and the ball had reached the back of the net before the goalkeeper had even moved.

Wales' remaining Euro 2016 qualifiers
Andorra (h) 13 October 2015
Bosnia-Hercegovina (h) 10 October 2014; (a) 10 October 2015
Cyprus (h) 13 October 2014; (a) 3 September 2015
Belgium (a) 16 November 2014; (h) 12 June 2015
Israel (a) 28 March 2015; (h) 6 September 2015

The travelling Welsh fans, who had been superb throughout the game by sticking with the players after that early setback, went crazy behind the goal as did the team and the Welsh bench. To be fair I even think I found myself screaming when the ball went in.

It was a huge relief for all of us and a very important goal on what was a tough, awkward night for Wales. But it is a winning start and the other nations in our group will not relish facing Andorra on their plastic pitch in the next two years. Andorra are more than capable of taking points from some of their home games.

We now move on to two consecutive home games next month. If Wales can win nine points from their first three games, what a strong position they will be in going into the November away fixture against Belgium.

Source : bbc[dot]com

Scotland v Germany: The night Scotland beat the world champions

By Tom English BBC Scotland

 

The way Gair Henderson told it in the Glasgow Evening Times, the West Germans weren't happy that May week in 1957, not happy at all.

Henderson was the newspaper's football correspondent, their man on the spot in Stuttgart in the build-up to Scotland's first international match in Germany, in a stadium that began life in 1933 as the Adolf Hitler Kampfbahn but was now simply known as the Neckarstadion.

Upon landing in the city, Henderson took a stroll, ending up in a cafe talking football with the locals.

"The moment they discovered that I was from Scotland they gathered round the table in a rush," he wrote.

Henderson explained to his new friends that the Scots were unlikely to field their strongest side in the friendly, given that they had a critical World Cup qualifier against Spain only five days later.

His audience didn't take it well. "Half a dozen tickets, with prices varying from £2 down to three shillings, were brandished in my face. 'Ve are der Vorld Champions' they said. 'It is not fair for Schottland to play reserves against us," Henderson continued.

Max Morlock nets Germany's opener as they come back to beat Hungary 3-2 in the 1954 World Cup final

But 57 seven years on, the scene is a comedic one as Scotland open their Euro 2016 qualification campaign in Germany

Now, as then, Germany are champions of the world, but that's about the extent of the comparisons between the eras.

No German football fan is going to hang on the word of a Scottish journalist this week in Dortmund. No German football fan is going to be bothered about who is in or out of Gordon Strachan's team. And no German football fan, barring a miracle to end all footballing miracles, is going to see their team soundly beaten by the Scots, as they had to all those years ago.

The Scots won at a canter in 1957. Bobby Collins of Celtic scored the first after 21 minutes and the third after 55. John 'Jackie' Mudie of Blackpool got the one in between. They were 3-0 ahead and coasting before the Germans got into the game and scored. Far too little, far too late. It ended 3-1 and the home team exited against a backdrop of vitriol.

Collins and Mudie are no longer with us. Indeed most of that team have passed away. There are only a couple still alive and there's no better place to start in the telling of this story than with the captain, Tommy Docherty.

He was 29-years-old back then and he's 86 years young now. He has a million memories of a long football life and yet 1957 is still as fresh as can be.

He talks about the match like it only just happened. The underdog spirit. The noise in the stadium. The sense of pride he felt when he walked off the pitch at the end.

"We weren't expected to turn up, never mind to win," he said. "All the papers were saying we'd no chance, not a prayer against the world champions. We'd played against Switzerland the previous weekend and we'd won, but we didn't play great and we got a real kicking in the media.

Helmut Rahn was one of Germany's star names in the side that lost out to Scotland in Stuttgart

"So nobody thought we'd beat West Germany. I was made captain that night. It was the greatest honour you could get but, you took the ball out and tossed the coin and that was it. We didn't even have a manager. We had a sponge man who gave us a bit of a chat. 'Tommy, take that Helmut Rahn out of the game'. 'What, today or forever?' We knew we were good, though. That was a nice Scottish team."

Three years into their reign as world champions, the country was still in thrall to the national team even though it had changed profoundly since their heroics in Switzerland. 

They were a side in transition. Five of the World Cup-winning team had left the international football stage and five others were unavailable.

Rahn, the colossus who scored the goal that overcame the Hungarians in the Miracle of Bern in 1954, was the lone World Cup winner in the team that night in Stuttgart, the rest of the side forming the nucleus of the team that made the semi-finals in 1958 - Hans Tilkowski, Erich Juskowiak, Georg Stollenwerk and Horst Szymaniak.

Respected players. Winners. Too good for Scotland, that was the feeling.

"They were a fine side," says Docherty, also known as The Doc. "Rough or smooth, whatever way you wanted it they would accommodate you. But there was nothing wrong with our team. I could name it for you now.

"Tommy Younger in goal. Bulky. A big strong man. The original football Dracula, never liked crosses. I used to say to him, 'Tommy, you're like the crocuses, you come out once a year'. Made some great saves that night, as I recall.

"We had Eric Caldow, Glasgow Rangers, an over-lapping full-back, a very elegant player. And John Hewie from Charlton. Born and bred in South Africa but when he put a blue shirt over his head he was all Scottish. Ian McColl from Rangers. Good tackler, a long-striding player, a lovely passer of the ball. Bobby Evans from Celtic. Ran for a year, did Bobby. A Rolls Royce engine, switch him on and he was away.

"Who else was there? Aye, Alex Scott, Glasgow Rangers, a good winger, a terrific crosser of the ball. Wee Bobby Collins. We called him Lester after Lester Piggott. He should have been a jockey instead of a football player. He was a hard little bugger. Hard tackler, quick over short distances and a ferocious shot in his right foot. Scored two that night. A brilliant player.

"You see, this was where we got the confidence from. If you've got the likes of Bobby Collins in your team then you're not in bad shape. We had Jackie Mudie, a great little goalscorer, very elusive. Sammy Baird from Celtic was in there. In later years, we called him The Manuel. There was a serial killer in Glasgow called Peter Manuel in the late 1950s and that's how Sammy got his name. Sammy would kick everybody. Never mind the ball. He just whacked you.

"We had Tommy Ring, an old-fashioned left-winger. Played for Clyde at the time and went to Everton after that. Good player. And then there was me. Oh aye. Sublime. A very talented wing-half. I had to watch Rahn. And he ran, by the way. He ran and ran every time I went near him."

Tommy Docherty during his playing days with Scotland

The difference in eras didn't just begin and end with the football. The reporting was stark, too. Amid the plaudits of beating the Germans there was an unmistakeable disapproval of their inability to turn three goals into four, five and six. Such were the standards of the day.

The Scots were criticised in the Glasgow Herald for their "easy osie" attitude when leading 3-0. The Express took a similar line. "Confident in their lead and with the wind in their favour, they started the second half in exhibition mood. They lost touch and rhythm by over-elaboration."

The Evening Times went further. "There is no doubt that the selectors sitting in the president's box at the stadium were squirming in their seats for quite a long time during that second half," it reported.

Docherty laughs at the memory of it. Getting some stick for only winning 3-1 in Germany. How times have changed.

"I don't know if I'll watch it at the weekend," he says of the game in Dortmund on Sunday.

"Football as I remember it is dead. The money killed it. But I wish the boys well. It'll be a great occasion for them. Funny, isn't it? World champions then and world champions now. We'd take 3-1 again, wouldn't we? We'd definitely take it."

Germany v Scotland, Euro 2016 Qualifying
Venue: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund Date: Sunday, 7 September Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Coverage: Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and live commentary on BBC Radio Scotland.

 

Source : bbc[dot]com

Germany v Scotland: Friendly loss brings Low's problems to the fore

By Ross Dunbar Germany-based football writer

Euro 2016 qualifying Group D: Germany v Scotland
Venue: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund. Date: Sunday, 7 September. Kick-off: 19:45 BST.
Coverage: Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and live commentary on BBC Radio Scotland.

Germany's national team coach Joachim Low has plenty to mull over despite a summer of success.

Having led the nation to their fourth World Cup win, Low has seen three established internationals retire and had to name a new assistant head coach. His fitness guru, Shad Forsythe, was even snapped up by Arsenal.

Their first match since being crowned world champions failed to capture the party atmosphere expected as Argentina, led by the impressive Angel Di Maria, ran out 4-2 winners in Dusseldorf.

Manchester United's British record signing Di Maria, the man who missed the World Cup final in Rio as Germany edged it 1-0, proved a nightmare for left-back Erik Durm, creating three and scoring the other.

Before kick-off there was a farewell to several key components of the World Cup-winning side, as Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm, Lazio's Miroslav Klose and Per Mertesacker of Arsenal bowed out of the international game with 354 international appearances between them.

And it leaves Low with a little soul searching to do before the Germans kick off their bid to reach the 2016 European Championships in France.

Mertesacker (left), Klose (second from right) and Lahm (right) have retired from international duty

It's certainly worth noting, though, that the Germans had not convinced everyone of their credentials in the build-up to the World Cup in Brazil.

They drew with Cameroon and Poland in warm-up fixtures, and stuttered to a lucky 1-0 win over Chile in Stuttgart.

Defensive concerns had plagued the team in 2013. Germany conceded three goals against Paraguay and another three to Sweden in October. In that summer, the Germans lost 4-3 against the United States and conceded two in a victory over Ecuador.

The defensive weakness appears to be a mix of small things, rather than one overriding factor. Injuries have played a part and uncertainty over who should play as defensive midfielder is also an issue for Low.

Against Argentina these issues were to the fore as poor concentration, aerial weakness and a lack of cohesion between defence and midfield cost them.

Germany's attack is also in the spotlight, and more specifically 'the Gomez dilemma'.

Along with Marco Reus, Mario Gomez returned to the fold after recovering from two knee injuries in his first season at Italian club Fiorentina.

His return is a welcome one given Klose's retirement, but 29-year-old Gomez was anything but convincing against Argentina, missing a number of clear-cut chances.

Bayer Leverkusen striker Stefan Kiessling is out of the national fold despite his scoring exploits

Scoring 25 times in 60 internationals is a good record, but most of Gomez's goals have come in friendlies and minor qualifiers. There's a school of thought in Germany that Gomez and his type of orthodox penalty box frontman hinders the team.

Switching from defence to attack in the blink of an eye is what this generation of German players have mastered. With Reus, Julian Draxler, Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos, Low has a great range of dynamic, technically and tactically astute attacking midfielders.

Finding the balance and what suits the collective will be one of the manager's biggest tasks, and Gomez might find it tough to stay in Low's starting XI as pace is such a valued commodity.

There was no Gomez in Brazil and Low was unable to find a convincing combination in the early matches, as Mario Gotze and Muller shared the 'false nine' slot until Klose's inclusion.

Muller continues to thrive for Bayern Munich in an inside-right position, while his team-mate Gotze is struggling to find form. A return to a system without a focal point is unlikely for Low.

The manager does, however, have options galore to consider.

Hoffenheim forward Kevin Volland is one of the most complete attackers in the Bundesliga.

Borussia Monchengladbach forward Max Kruse is on the fringes of the German line-up

The 21-year-old is a chunky and powerful attacker who hit nine goals and set up another 11 last season. He forced his way into Germany's preliminary squad for the training camp, but failed to secure a seat on the plane to Brazil.

There's also the Stefan Kiessling conundrum. The Bayer Leverkusen striker was the Bundesliga's leading marksman in 2012-13, and was the top-scoring German in the league last season. He remains well out of the international picture, though, and his relationship with Low is such that a return to the fold is unlikely.

Meanwhile, the likes of Borussia Monchengladbach's Max Kruse and Pierre-Michel Lasogga of Hamburg have some convincing to do this term.

The 45,000-odd fans in Dusseldorf whistled Gomez as he passed up three great chances against Argentina, but the likelihood is that he will line up against Scotland on Sunday.

Gomez's inclusion might not hinder Germany's passage to Euro 2016, but it's a barrier that likely needs to be hurdled if Low's side are to dominate the international scene as Spain did before them.

Source : bbc[dot]com

Roy Hodgson's England team need to win their fans back

 

England achieved something at Wembley that escaped them during the World Cup in Brazil - they won.

It was unconvincing, uninspired and, perhaps most significantly, played out in front of an attendance that only just scraped above 40,000 against a Norway side that resides very much on world football's undercard.

The vast areas of red seats where supporters used to be was the sight of England's fans voting with their feet after the letdown of the World Cup and in sharp contrast to the packed houses that have been in vogue for years in the Premier League.

Just 40,181 turned out to watch England's first match since the World Cup

As preparation for the opening Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland in Basel on Monday, it served as little more than a morale-booster provided by the win.

It was a night that underlined England's current place in the nation's thoughts and why manager Roy Hodgson and his team cannot afford defeat when they take the first serious steps on the road to recovery when the Euro campaign begins.

So what were the main issues emerging from an England win achieved in a surreal and almost testimonial atmosphere inside a less than half full Wembley?

England need to win back their public

The Football Association's worst fears were realised by the embarrassing sight of thousands of empty seats in its £750m monument to the future of the game in this country - just 40,181 turning out to watch England's first match since a World Cup campaign that effectively expired after only two games.

England have lost much of the public's imagination and interest after Brazil and, almost as damagingly as anger, it appears apathy is the overriding emotion as their status as a second-tier football nation is seemingly accepted by their fans.

England have kept a clean sheet in their last three matches at Wembley

There may be mitigating circumstances, especially as Norway are not high-end opponents, but such a poor attendance is an accurate reflection of England's current standing in the national psyche.

Throughout a tepid evening, "ThingsBetterThanBeingAtWembleyRightNow" was a trending topic on Twitter - and certainly the evidence of those empty spaces suggested plenty had found more attractive alternatives.

An attempt to raise the atmosphere with a brass band playing Michael Jackson's "Thriller" outside Wembley's main entrance before kick-off smacked more of irony than entertainment given the low-key build up and the fare that followed.

The looming danger for the FA is that England's first Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland in Basel next Monday is their most dangerous fixture and the home games against San Marino, Slovenia, Estonia and Lithuania are hardly the sort to entice many more than turned out here on a balmy night.

England's group, Switzerland apart, is very favourable but without the sort of opponents that would allow the team and the FA to create a spark again. The days of a packed out Wembley, given the current position of the team, may be some time away and a match with only two shots on target did not get the pulses racing.

What a contrast to the packed houses guaranteed in the Premier League with the arrival of elite players such as Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao at Manchester United while one of England's brightest late performers - substitute Danny Welbeck - was effectively pushed out of the door of Old Trafford by their arrival.

Tom Cleverley was another England player who suffered the same fate. Premier League giants would love to fulfil FA chairman Greg Dyke's wish of producing homegrown players to bolster the national team - but Sir Alex Ferguson once described Manchester United as "the bus that waits for no-one". The likes of Welbeck, a fixture in England's squad, had to hop aboard another.

England's all-time leading goalscorers
	Goals	Caps
Sir Bobby Charlton	49	106
Gary Lineker	48	80
Jimmy Greaves	44	57
Wayne Rooney	41	96
Michael Owen	40	89

The priority for fans is the Premier League, and Hodgson faces a tougher fight than ever to change that. It looks like a fight he will never win. The FA and England will know their place.

The poor attendance was also the FA picking up the price on the ticket of the World Cup failure and also for Wembley.

If ever there was a game that was a perfect fit for the days of not so long ago when England hit the road, this was it. Wembley, however, has to be paid for and the admission has been made that it will be eight or nine years before a choice other than the national stadium is on offer.

This was a sobering night for England and the FA. This was not how it was meant to be when Wembley was built and opened amid such fanfare but the early departure from Brazil and a Euro 2016 qualifying group that is free of anything approaching box office means they might have to get used to them.

Hodgson under pressure?

England's manager was in brusque form in his post-match briefing, particularly when it was pointed out - correctly it should be said - that his team had only had two shots on target against a decidedly average Norway side.

"Two shots on target? Don't give me that," was Hodgson's tetchy response.

The victory over Norway was England's first in seven matches under coach Roy Hodgson

The apathy that has been draped around this England team in recent months was not just evident from Wednesday's attendance but also when they were applauded off by their supporters after a goalless draw against Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte in a meaningless third group game at the end of a winless World Cup campaign.

It was almost as if England's supporters had been hypnotised by a lack of expectation.

Hodgson, however, cannot afford any more slip-ups in the Euro 2016 group games and while there is not the slightest appetite for change at the FA (nor will there be change) the mood of the public could alter towards England's team and manager should they fail in Switzerland.

Given the scale of their failure in Brazil, England and Hodgson have been given a remarkably easy ride. There is the sense, though, that they are only one bad result away from seeing that reservoir of goodwill run dry.

Hodgson's Swiss dilemma

Hodgson has had change forced upon him by the retirement of two stalwarts in former captain Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard - so the line-up against Norway was another new aspect of the post-World Cup era.

Former England winger Chris Waddle on BBC Radio 5 live
"I wasn't impressed with the 4-4-2 system but I liked Daniel Sturridge's movement although I thought Wayne Rooney was very quiet. Whether it was the pressure of the armband, he just didn't get in the game. Norway had no quality whatsoever and England caused their own problems with poor decision-making."

England started with Wayne Rooney and Daniel Sturridge up front with Henderson and Wilshere as the central midfield partnership. Raheem Sterling and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain played in wide positions but with a licence to roam. It was a variation on 4-4-2 but the system was fluid.

Sterling, the man of the match, was particularly mobile but he looked even more effective at the tip of a diamond when a change in formation followed a spate of late substitutions.

This is surely where the Liverpool youngster is most effective and will give Hodgson food for thought ahead of the meeting with Switzerland on Monday.

England will face a tough examination from the Swiss and Sterling will be central to Hodgson's gameplan.

A lively display from Welbeck as a late substitute, in a week when he made a £16m move to Arsenal from Manchester United, will also put him firmly in Hodgson's thinking.

Captain Rooney needs to relax

Wayne Rooney's obvious pride and determination to succeed after being handed the England captain's armband following Gerrard's retirement was evident in the moments before kick-off when he visibly encouraged his team-mates.

Wayne Rooney moved to fourth on the all-time England leading goalscorers list

After that, however, he almost seemed to be trying too hard to make an instant impact - hardly a fault but something this fierce competitor will need to watch as he assumes such a heavy responsibility in an England team under reconstruction.

There was one pass at the end of the first half that flew wildly away from any intended target but he relished stepping up to hammer home the penalty that gave England the win and Rooney his 41st England goal, lifting him to fourth in the all-time rankings and only eight behind record holder Sir Bobby Charlton.

No matter what debate surrounds Rooney, and there invariably is at least one, Hodgson will count heavily on him in Switzerland.

 

Source : bbc[dot]com

Tennis Tech Startups Serve It Up at The Tennis Show 2014

 

As all sports technology startups try to become mainstream, one of the several, underlying prevalent issues remain constant: education of a respective company’s benefits from its technology to the consumer level.

Be it derived from the tech sector over sports or vice versa notwithstanding, common ground needs to transpire in order to reach desired target markets. Communication, above all else, is paramount for the continued development and progression of these startups. Just about any single opportunity that presents itself to speak and share their information to the right public forum should be a prudent one.

While the sports tech world awaits its grand showcase at the 2015 International CES, the individual trade entity for tennis, the Tennis Industry Association, has prepared its own event to convene the technology and business minds of the sport.

Today, a day leading up to the U.S. Open, The Tennis Show 2014 held in New York City commences to celebrate the past, present, and future of the game. This marks TIA’s seventh consecutive year of hosting for the gamut of influencers, including teaching professionals, coaches, retailers, manufacturers, and players. A state of the industry address will cover tennis participation levels, equipment sales data, and grassroots programs among other aspects as well.

There will be over 50 companies and organizations in attendance to demonstrate their technological products and services. Some of them, in particular, will be holding prize drawings to be valued collectively upwards of $20,000 from their respective exhibitions for those on hand.

“The TIA has always had a strong emphasis on using the latest technologies to help grow this sport. At The Tennis Show this year, we’ll have companies that are changing how players hit the ball with devices designed to track and improve tennis strokes. We also have companies exhibiting the latest in match and player analysis systems. In addition, we’ll have companies showing off cutting-edge software that helps find playing partners, find tennis instructors, and help tennis businesses run more efficiently,” TIA’s Executive Director, Jolyn de Boer, tells SportTechie.

This trade oragnization’s mission, of course, is to promote the growth of tennis and the economic well-being of the industry as a whole. By arranging such an event, they’re in a position to support the range of tennis providers with the latest tech innovations. This relationship intends to help these businesses grow--regardless, if it’s for selling more products, services to aid players, or any other function--and, in turn, more importantly, grow the interests for tennis.

The various tech startups at this show share similar sentiments as the governing association, in terms of improving the way the game is played and sustaining engagement for it.

For one, PlaySight’s Chief Executive Officer, Chen Shachar, mentions to SporTechie that TIA and everyone in the tennis industry has been receptive to what they’re doing, bringing analytics to the forefront. These parties are recognizing that good technology at reasonable price points for the masses means all of them win in the long run. Placing any more barriers besides the learning curve involved for non-early adopters wouldn’t be viable, especially in relation to the initial monetary investment. Thus, the continual education part of their products as tools serves as a prime reason why they’re an exhibitor at The Tennis Show 2014.

Another, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of PlayYourCourt, Scott Baxter, affirms the strong relationship they have formed with TIA. This partnership has manifested itself to boost their software, SaaS, business significantly, be it for education, networking, or encouragement purposes. And, similar to the aforementioned PlaySight, creating awareness of their brand presents more than worthwhile time spent here.

A third, Jon Bloodworth, TennisSource’s Chief Operating Officer, has worked with TIA for over a decade. The avenue TIA provides them the chance to reach specific tennis facilities across the country, which is critical towards their success as a silo, niche company. They hope to receive feedback on their latest features of its software solutions, notably crucial with the shift to mobile platforms.

Accordingly, TIA acknowledges the role they have to understand these incoming players in the space.

“As consumers continue to become more tech-savvy, look for instant gratification, and adopt the latest in technology products and services, it’s important that we, as a sport and industry, stay on top of these trends and be sensitive to how consumers are searching for information, booking court time, and buying products,” says de Boer.

Still, hurdles persist for tennis to completely embrace technology insofar as its visibility, daily usage, and scalability.

Schachar states: “We think the biggest issue is acceptance of change. Tennis is very averse to change and that has slowed its growth.”

Meanwhile, Baxter believes Generation Y tends to be more about convenience than ever before, which causes a greater emphasis for an online strategy. Of course, a lot of the solutions that this young demographic seeks would be through the internet first. The sport as a whole must create efficient and appealing ways to deliver tennis programming. Otherwise, there’ll be very little traction to get them to want to play as much.

That said, TIA’s de Boer identifies four potential areas to spur tennis expansion through technology--in spite of the impediments just mentioned.

There’s over 50 kind of companies trying to tap into the SaaS segment. At its essence, these software applications as a cloud-based service intend to drop costs at some tennis facilities and other providers; and continue to offer the latest technology of its kind available. Growing and managing related businesses would prosper, provided it’s serviced the right way.

Secondly, line-calling systems should pervade courts as they become more affordable. The goal here would be to make the game more accurate and enjoyable for players and fans alike. A conceivable byproduct of it would be to stimulate people to play more--the overarching objective to permeate this desire.

Thirdly, “smart racquets”, like Babolat’s Play Pure Drive, are out there in the market already. The fact that it’s the key device that players utilize allows them to stand out, specifically as the user experience funnel for their respective tennis strokes. Multinational tech companies have expressed a lot of interest to see the latest iterations.

Fourthly, TIA, themselves, manages one of the industry’s prominent mediums called PlayTennis. This unbranded website is dedicated to helping players and any users looking to get involved in the game with the information they need to play it, more frequently, at that. This free platform functions as a search engine to find partners, courts, tutors, retailers, and just about anything else.

“We want to continue to offer players every chance to play this game,” added de Boer.

These tennis tech startups, in turn, will be serving it up as it’s their turn to shine among the game’s most important minds at The Tennis Show 2014.

 

Garth Crooks's team of the week

By Garth Crooks Football Analyst

Chelsea have fired a warning to the rest of the Premier League after going top with a thrilling 6-3 victory at Everton on Saturday.

The only team keeping pace with them after three matches are Swansea, who maintained their 100% record by beating West Bromwich Albion.

I was at White Hart Lane to see Liverpool return to form by brushing aside Tottenham 3-0 - the Reds move level on points with Manchester City, who were surprisingly beaten at home by Stoke.

Elsewhere, Manchester United and Arsenal were held to draws, while Crystal Palace earned a late point at Newcastle, and there were wins for Aston Villa, QPR and Southampton.

Take a look at my team of the week and see if you agree with my choices.

GOALKEEPER - Simon Mignolet (Liverpool)

Simon Mignolet ended a run of eight Premier League games without a clean sheet this weekend - with the last one also coming against Tottenham, at Anfield in March

The Liverpool goalkeeper did not have to perform heroics against Spurs, thanks largely to an immense team performance in what was a Brendan Rodgers masterclass. But the Belgium keeper looked commanding whenever called upon.

DEFENDER - Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea)

Branislav Ivanovic (centre) has scored 17 Premier League goals since the start of the 2010-11 season. Leighton Baines, with 19, is the only defender with more

Ivanovic often finds himself up the pitch in open play but now he is scoring goals with his feet and not just his head - hitting the net in an impressive Chelsea victory at Goodison Park. In the most exciting game of the weekend, the right-back showed he is fast becoming Chelsea's new leader.

DEFENDER - Ryan Shawcross (Stoke)

Ryan Shawcross (left) won all seven duels he contested against Manchester City as well as making eight clearances and four interceptions

For as long as I can remember, Stoke fans have loved their centre-backs to be hard-working, no-frills and extremely competitive. Shawcross displayed all of those elements in a superb defensive performance to help his side to a 1-0 victory at Manchester City.

DEFENDER - Dejan Lovren (Liverpool)

In his previous two Premier League games against Tottenham, Dejan Lovren was part of a Southampton defence which conceded six goals

Although Martin Skrtel and Kolo Toure were out of the picture against Spurs, Liverpool never looked as if they were missing the experience of either player. Lovren partnered Mamadou Sakho and marshalled a new-look back four extremely well.

DEFENDER - Alberto Moreno (Liverpool)

Alberto Moreno (left) had the second-highest number of touches (62) of any Liverpool player at Tottenham. Only Steven Gerrard (66) had more

Full-back Moreno played his part in a comprehensive Liverpool victory over Spurs at White Hart Lane. The Spanish defender seemed to get more confident the longer the game went on - and his goal capped an impressive performance.

MIDFIELDER - Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea)

Cesc Fabregas has provided an assist in each of his last five Premier League appearances

Fabregas seemed to be involved in every Chelsea move against Everton. It was a match where, if you blinked, you were likely to miss a moment of magic from him, Nemanja Matic, Ramires or Eden Hazard, all of whom helped tear the home side to shreds. But be under no illusion, it was Fabregas who was the mastermind.

MIDFIELDER - Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace)

In addition to scoring Crystal Palace's second goal, Jason Puncheon had 60 touches against Newcastle - more than any of his team-mates

I'm not sure what surprised me the most: Neil Warnock's return to Crystal Palace or the fact that Puncheon was selected in the manager's first game back. We all know that both men have had their differences but they seemed to put those to one side for the benefit of their club. Between them, they inspired a tremendous team performance in a 3-3 draw against a very dangerous Newcastle United.

MIDFIELDER - Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton)

Morgan Schneiderlin (left) had four shots at Upton Park on Saturday - as many as opponents West Ham managed between them

Two beautifully-taken goals and a performance to match from Schneiderlin helped Southampton to a 3-1 victory at West Ham. I haven't given Ronald Koeman and his boys much hope this season after the sale of half of the team. But against the Hammers, there were signs that the Dutchman is assembling a new side. The Saints rode their luck, but they got the points.

FORWARD - Nathan Dyer (Swansea)

Nathan Dyer has been involved in 25 Premier League goals - more than any other Swansea player, having scored 17 and provided eight assists

This young man isn't just playing some lovely football at the moment, he's also scoring some fabulous goals. The diminutive Dyer's finish for his first goal in the 3-0 win over West Brom was exquisite. His form, along with that of Wayne Routledge, is making a massive difference for Garry Monk's side. For Swansea, the best things seem to come in small packages at the moment.

FORWARD - Diego Costa (Chelsea)

Diego Costa is the first Chelsea player to score in his opening three league games for the club since Adrian Mutu in 2003

I never thought Chelsea would replace Didier Drogba so effectively, but they have. What a performance it was by Costa against an Everton side who were in no mood to roll over. The Spaniard stood up to everything the home side threw at him and remained resolute throughout. It is the second time he has made my team of the week. The way he's playing, he could be a permanent fixture.

FORWARD - Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)

Raheem Sterling has been involved in eight goals in his last eight league appearances for Liverpool - scoring five and providing three assists

I was at White Hart Lane to see this youngster take Tottenham apart. The decision to play him at the top of a diamond was a masterstroke by Brendan Rodgers, and Spurs never came to terms with it. What impressed me was Sterling's overall contribution to the team and the way he linked with Mario Balotelli and Daniel Sturridge. If those players continue to work well together, then Liverpool are in for another exciting season.

Source : bbc[dot]com