Ballack out, Fabregas in?

According to ESPN Soccernet, German captain Michael Ballack is doubtful for tomorrow's Euro 2008 final match. This would unbalance the German side, as Ballack has been central to most everything his team has done well in this tournament.

This development comes alongside the possibility widely reported that Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas may be the one to replace the injured David Villa. Fabregas had a significant impact on the Spanish attack once he came on in the semi-final, replacing the injured Villa. With Fabregas in and Ballack out, the scales may be tipping in favour of a Spanish team that hasn't been in a final since 1984.

The Footy Show

Hats off to the Footy Show for an excellent podcast they released Friday. Joe Ross and James Sharman, the pods usual hosts, spent half an hour talking with former Canadian international and U20 coach Paul James about the state of football in this country. I didn't agree with everything James had to say (such as suggesting the men's national team should shut up and play where the CSA tells them to), but I think he had some great insight into where the Canadian game should go (he likes MLS in Ottawa and believes the collegiate system in Canada should be our route to producing players). Available through iTunes and the Score website, this is great listening for anyone who loves the game in Canada.

Canada in Montreal

As I mentioned in my last post, I went to see Canada play St. Vincent & the Grenadines in Montreal on Friday, June 20. The game was less than good, with the visitors lacking any real quality and Canada not really taking advantage, but the home side won 4-1 nonetheless. Both Ali Gerba and Dwayne De Rosario had excellent games for Canada, Gerba coming close to a hat trick several times but settling for a brace.

Saputo Stadium, nestled under the shadow of Olympic Stadium in east Montreal, is a top class facility. The pitch was immaculate and the atmosphere was decent. Richard Starnes, who blogs for the Ottawa Citizen, was amongst the journalists to suggest many of the Canadians would like to play their upcoming group stage matches exclusively at the new Montreal stadium.

This is unlikely as the CSA wants the games in Toronto and Edmonton, but I'm sure top-level football is sure to return to la belle province in the near future. Particularly if Canada makes it through its group of Mexico, Honduras and Jamaica into the final group stage, where five games will be played on Canadian soil.

MLS in Ottawa, We're off to see Canada and number 7

MLS coming to Ottawa?

According to a report by Hugh Adami in the Ottawa Citizen today, the owner of the Ottawa Senators and Biovail founder Eugene Melnyk is actively seeking to bring a MLS team to the city.

As Adami points out in the article, billionaire Melnyk faces a rough road in his quest, both from the City of Ottawa who are reluctant to pump money into either aging Frank Clair stadium or a new stadium at a new site and from competition for new franchises.

MLS wants to add four teams to its 14 league by 2012 according to Adami's piece, with Seattle and Philadelphia already claiming two berths. To make matters worse for a potential Melnyk bid, groups in both Montreal and Vancouver are eying teams of their own. They both happen to have the advantage of already owning USL teams with decent fan bases. Ottawa have the USL Player Development League Fury, which draws next to no media coverage and little in the way of fan support.

Melnyk's ambition is admirable, since football appears to be gaining a firm toehold in the Canadian sporting scene and top flight clubs will eventually dot cities here. I think MLS has other plans and as a U.S.-based league, they will surely look to build their business in U.S. cities.

As for the next Canadian team, I feel MLS will favour Vancouver, if only because it's profile will be high in the next few years with the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and another West Coast team will balance out travel for a league strung across this massive continent.

As a side note, Adami mentions that NBA star and Victoria native Steve Nash is interested in putting some cash into an MLS team, also strengthening a Vancouver bid.

Canada vs. St Vincent & the Grenadines

I'm heading off today to see the second leg match in Canada's opening World Cup 2010 qualifying round. Canada lead 3-0 after the first leg, so a home tie being held at the brand new Saputo Stadium in Montreal should be a matter of course. It should be good fun, with a post tomorrow to fill in all the blanks.

One number 7 is playing well...

Anyone who follows this blog at all (yes, all two of you I'm sure) knows I admire the skills of Christiano Ronaldo, but despise him as an athlete competing in sporting events. Well, I am vindicated for another day after his uber-sulk yesterday against the Germans in Portugal's 3-2 defeat in the Euro 2008 quarterfinal.

Ronaldo put in about five minutes (total) of noticeable effort, resulting in one goal, as far as I could tell. Yes, not a bad return for a match. But when you are supposed to be the Greatest Player To Ever Play (as anointed by many in the naive media) and your team in fact needed two ADDITIONAL goals to win (plus the one he had nothing to do with) and you simply sulk because the Germans won't cave to your otherworldly footballing powers, you don't really deserve the hype.

Another player wearing number seven in this match, looked like he may be one of the best in the world right now. Bastian Schweinsteiger had a superb match, as did German captain Michael Ballack. If these two keep it up, Germany will be tough to beat. Schweinsteiger is playing like a man possessed right now, and is closer to being the player Ronaldo is supposed to be than Portugal's defeated number seven.

Scolari and other things Portuguese

I watched the Portugal-Czech Republic game on television with some interest last night, partly because I picked a Czech upset in my EURO 2008 pool, partly because I wasn't as impressed as many were by their 2-0 win versus Turkey in their tournament opener.

They had moments during that game where they looked a menacing, attacking force set on reducing the Turks to ruin. Overall, however, they simply played an efficient match, producing the result that many expected. Deco, Ronaldo and company had yet to show any of the flash that makes them the sexy choice to win the tournament.

Last night in Geneva however, the talent of Portugal rose to the top with a masterful performance by Deco, resulting in the first plaudits for Ronaldo. Yes, the young Manchester United winger looked more like the Premier League Golden Boot winner than he did against Turkey, but it was Deco who created the opportunities to shine.

The Czechs looked a better match for the Portuguese, but in the end they lack the creativity usually provided by the injured Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky. They threatened the Portuguese goal enough to lead me to think they will get the result against Turkey, but the quarterfinals is surely all they have to look forward to.

That brings us to what transpired after the match, an announcement by Chelsea that they had appointed Luiz Felipe Scolari as their new manager to replace Avram Grant, who had been fired May 24.

That Portugal remains the choice source for Chelsea saviours is less than surprising -- Scolari, a native Brazilian, has done a masterful job managing Portugal. He has seamlessly moved the team from the Figo Era to the Ronaldo Era. He changes tactics to suit his chosen side and to exploit the opposition's weaknesses. Those traits will go well with the deep, diverse squad at Chelsea.

What remains to be seen is whether Scolari can cope with the media pressure placed on English club managers (reportedly he turned down the England job because he didn't want to face the cameras every day) and whether he can turn the vastness of Roman Abramovich's pile of gold into astute signings that can top the Russian's ultimate target: the European Championship.

If nothing else, Scolari will provide football fans with something Grant did not: a flamboyant, charismatic manager who will keep us wondering what he'll do next.

My EURO 2008 predictions

The two major international football tournaments, the World Cup and the European Championship, are great fun indeed for fans around the world. Games almost every day, top-class talent on display and wall-to-wall media coverage in some of the darndest places.

For my part, I'm going to look at some of the highs and lows of the 16-team field and hash out who will be happiest come June 29.

The Also-Rans

I'll spare you some money: don't be placing any wagers on Austria, Greece or Sweden to make any waves this year.

The co-hosts, Austria, are woeful without much anywhere in their line-up. No strikers, no wonder kids in the midfield, no intimidating center backs, no keepers. Nada. Their FIFA ranking, about 30 places below Canada for chrissakes, is a miserable 92nd. A scoring a goal would be a worthy milestone for this group.

Now I don't have anything against Greece, I just don't see lightning striking twice. Decent team, but up against Spain, Russia and Sweden in Group D, I can't see them eking through to the quarter-finals.

Oh yeah, Sweden. Yes, they're okay, but see the above argument and deduce that three points would be a good haul for this group.

Outside Shots

For some reason or another, the next group of teams has something that could potentially set them apart from some of the more established sides. Read: these guys could pull Greece -- Poland, Turkey, Romania, Russia and Switzerland.

Poland topped their group ahead of Portugal - beating them once and earning a draw in the process - during qualifying. They play disciplined, organized football, sort of like Greece! If they can get a point from either Croatia or Germany to go along with three against Austria in Group B, they could get through.

Switzerland are a similar case, with a solid back line and organized midfield that produced a good display two years ago in Germany. Coupled with their home field advantage, they could do enough to get past Portugal and Czech Republic and on into the quarters.

Romania, the poor cousin in the group of death, could very well sneak up on their glittering opposition and slip into the knockout round. With only one defeat in qualifying (a loss to Bulgaria on the next to last qualifying date -- they beat Albania 6-1 on the final day), they topped their group ahead of the Dutch. As such, they appear to be a reasonable force in their own right, led by Adrian Mutu who has come off a spectacular season at Fiorentina. Points will be precious here so even a modest return could vault a team into the quarters.

After finishing in the top four at Japan/Korea in 2002, Turkey have floundered a little. They haven't been to a major tournament since, but there's still talent in the lineup. Their group could be the most favourable, with no clear cut top two teams in Group A amongst Switzerland, Portugal and Czech Republic.

Finally, Russia are the team of this group that I could see making the most noise in the tournament. One factor makes me write this, and perhaps one fact alone: Guus Hiddink. This man knows international tournaments. Having guided the Netherlands to the semi-final of World Cup 1998, he took South Korea to the semis in 2002. In Germany two years ago, he came very close to guiding Australia past eventual champions Italy in the second round, losing on a last moment penalty. Russia perhaps aren't Holland, but they're comparable to Korea or Australia surely. Watch out...

The Usual Suspects

But of course we now must move on to the more realistic sides, the teams many of us have learned to both love and loath for their talents and bad habits: Portugal, Czech Republic, Croatia and France.

As is ever the case, there will be Portugal, trotting out in their claret and green kits, putting on a dazzling display of footwork and play acting. Inevitably however, they will fail once they come up against a team that really doesn't care what party tricks they can pull and Portugal will limp back to Lisbon ruing a missed opportunity four years ago against Greece. They're good, but there's probably seven other teams in the tournament as good or better.

The Czech Republic is in a similar set of circumstances. Competent, especially at the back (Petr Cech is not too bad...), the Czechs have the ability to beat anyone on their day. Their day however could be next year for all we know. They will miss Tomas Rosicky and Jan Koller is a year older, but the plucky Czechs did top their qualifying group over the Germans, so don't count them out until at least the quarter finals.

Croatia may be the best of this group and will probably be the best team not in the semifinals. They made the English look silly at Wembley and they have an exciting attack. Their downfall will be an aging back line that while they managed to hold an impotent England at bay will be tested much more sternly by any team not led by Steve McClaren. I've been particularly impressed by Niko Kranjcar over the past season at Portsmouth...be warned.

France are truly the elder statesmen of the tournament. Patrick Viera, Claude Makelele, Lillian Thuram and Thierry Henry will once again suit up for Les Bleus. Unlike World Cup 2006, there will be no Zinedine Zidane, who loaded the whole crew on his back and carried them until he lost his, err...head? There are great youngsters in the form of Karim Benzema and Sami Nasri, but wait at least a couple years before penciling in the French for glory.

The Big Four (Manchester, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool need not apply!)

For those who've been counting, only the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and Spain are left. I feel these guys are the ones to watch during the final three games of the tournament.

The Dutch are a shambles, that should be said at the outset. There is ceaseless rumour-mongering surrounding this squad, and outright rebellion never seems far away. That being said, the names Robben, van Nistelrooy, van der Vaart, van Persie and Sneijder should put the fear in the best of them...I'm scared and I'm an ocean away. The Dutch also feature Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, the player with the Greatest Name Ever. They are suspect at the back, which will likely be their Achilles heel if dissent isn't already. The outsider of the big four, relying on otherworldly, fragile talent. Oh yeah, they also play in the Group of Death.

As reigning world champions, Italy are not to be trifled with. They feature battle tested players who get the job done: Gattuso, Pirlo, Zambrotta, Materazzi (I know your sister...), Camoranesi, Toni, sheer quality all over the pitch. If only because I don't think they are as good as the French team that won both the World Cup and Europe, I think they may fall short. They will miss Canavaro, who is hurt, but will likely benefit from the absence of Totti, who seems to unbalance every team he is selected for. Keep an eye on Di Natale, who has impressed in the lead up to the tournament, Aquilani, who I really enjoyed watching play for Roma in the Champions League this year and De Rossi, because everyone who knows more than I do says so.

At the end of the month, Germany will likely be one of the teams left standing. Like Italy, they are solid all over the pitch, but unlike Italy, they have moved on an built upon a semi-final appearance in that tournament. Yes they didn't cruise through qualifying, but none of the favourites did. They do have some of the best players in the tournament, like Ballack, who could look to make EURO 2008 a crescendo on the calendar year in which he has risen from the hard, hard pine at the end of the Chelsea bench to regain his stature as one of the best around. Podolski, Kuranyi and Klose up front provide firepower, while Lahm and Jansen provide attacking flexibility from the full back positions. In goal is their biggest weakness, German fans should pray Lehmann retires from international play at the end of the tournament.

And the winner is...Spain? The right mix of veteran savvy, youthful exuberance and technical excellence may finally end the pain for the Spaniards. Casillas and Reina are the two best keepers outside of Cech in the tournament and they play for the same side. Fabregas' will complement the likes of Iniesta and Hernandez in the middle. Torres, Garcia, Villa and Silva will provide the goals. The defense is competent if not flawless. They play decent but not tough opposition in the opening round. They very well could win. Ole.

These are predictions, not results, and I am no expert, but that's the way I see it.

Putting Canadian football in perspective, David Beckham notwithstanding

It is somewhat of a strange weekend here in Canada, and not because it's almost June and we've seen not a whiff of humidity in southern Ontario.

Nor is it particularly out of the ordinary that David Beckham won't be playing for the L.A. Galaxy against Toronto FC later on this afternoon. That appears to have become a tradition, and I'm sure some other commitment will force Mr. Beckham to skip out on the fixture next year too.

But I digress...today is Soccer Day In Canada. This is a less than clever knockoff of what has become, in my opinion, a tired exercise when it is applied to hockey by the ubiquitous Canadian institution, the CBC.

Today the whole nation is expected to huddle around the television set and marvel at the beautiful game, in the form of U-14 games from Halifax and later yet another average production of the Toronto FC match. Interesting that Canada v. Brazil from Seattle isn't in the lineup, that match being shown on a rival network.

At any rate, I've shifted most of my attention lately to North America, after suffering through the pain of Liverpool being knocked out of the Champions League and then having to watch Manchester United lift both the Premier League and European trophies. There have been some good things happening in Canada, while some of the same cancers remain.

If you haven't taken the time to watch Toronto FC this season, they have vastly improved over last year's edition. Laurent Robert and Amado Guevara have almost instantly improved the squad. Gone are the days of kick-and-chase, TFC are playing more attractive football. Possession is maintained, attacks are built in a more calculated manner and this has given the defenders a respite from the frantic displays from last season. Players like Maurice Edu, Jim Brennan and Carl Robinson also look more comfortable in the more settled side.

Yet another football specific stadium opened this spring in Montreal. Saputo Stadium will be the home ground of the Montreal Impact of the USL as well as a venue for Canadian national team games. The first such match will be the World Cup 2010 qualifier versus St. Vincent & the Grenadines on June 20.

The three top Canadian club sides are participating in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Toronto FC, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps will play each other home and away, with the top club moving on to play in the CONCACAF Champions League (this is a new 24 team tournament that replaces the Champions Cup). Toronto won the first match in Montreal 1-0 on Tuesday.

With all that's going on in Canadian football right now, there are still a number of warts. The Canadian Soccer Association still has a long way to go in order to resemble a true footballing association. The provincial associations continue to play power games at the expense of the national program, and there's little evidence this will end any time soon. With the World Cup qualifying campaign starting in a matter of weeks, Canadian supporters can only hope the players can succeed in spite of those running the association.

Television production of matches in Canada is a pet peeve of mine at the moment. While Canadians may have set the broadcast standards for hockey world wide, effective production of football matches seems to have eluded them. This is not that the commentators are particularly weak. Jason De Vos, a former Canadian international and Ipswich Town captain, recently joined the CBC and has provided some good analysis of TFC games.

The practice of having stationary field level cameras needs to end, however. During broadcasts, you can see this fool sitting at the center line with a stationary camera, providing some of the most bland shots I've ever seen.

Dear CBC: you've got more money than you know what to do with, buy some steady cams, hire operators and do things like the pros in Europe do. Throw-ins, free kicks and corners (where these cameras are usually employed) happen all over the pitch. A stationary camera can't hope to capture these moments in any compelling manner. While you're at buy some more pitch-level microphones. The reason English Premier League matches are great to watch on TV is that you feel like you're THERE. You see everything and you hear everything: the keeper hoofing the ball upfield, the players shouting at each other, the managers shouting at the players and the roar of the crowd. I've yet to go to a TFC match, but speaking with those who are there, it's noisy. You can't tell on your broadcasts. Get on the phone with Sky, Setanta, BBC or whoever, and learn how to do things right.

Oh yeah, the EURO starts next weekend.

The final weekend and what's to come

Well, after nine months of action, the fate of several teams in the Premier League rests on the events of Sunday. Manchester United need to win to lock up the league championship, Chelsea need United to slip and a victory against Bolton at Stamford Bridge to pip the Red Devils at the end.

Derby are down, but two of Fulham, Reading and Birmingham City will join them after tomorrow. The Blues need a win and a draw or loss by both of the other teams to stay up. Fulham are safe with a win, while Reading need a win coupled with a Fulham draw or loss in order to escape relegation.

After picking Man United to win it all in August, I think they will win against Wigan to close out another league title. The can't afford to slip up, as Chelsea will surely take all the points against Bolton, but I'll go on the record to state that Man United will take the league and Chelsea will have their revenge in Moscow at the Champions League Final.

As for the relegation battles, I think Reading will go down, along with Birmingham. At Reading, the team seems to have given up and manager Steve Coppell is paying the price for not upgrading his side after surviving the vital first year in the top flight. Even lowly Derby, Reading's final foe of the season, will prove too much for this bunch.

As for Birmingham, Alex McLeish coaxed some fine displays out of this side when he arrived mid-season, but he is finding out the hard way what a manager's job is in the Premier League. I'm sure he'll be back, perhaps not with Birmingham but he'll see better days in the future.

The Blues are in tough against Blackburn, who are still a top-half team, while Fulham are playing with the conviction of a team wanting to survive -- and likely will against Portsmouth, who have been on cruise control since qualifying for the FA Cup final.

Here in Canada, three games will be shown live: Wigan v. Manchester United (The Score), Chelsea v. Bolton (Setanta) and Portsmouth v. Fulham (Sportsnet). A slew of same day, tape-delayed games will follow, making for some fascinating televised action.

In the days ahead on the blog, I'm going to be writing a season review of sorts, cataloging the ups and downs of the football season across Europe, and preparing a Euro 2008 preview. For the close season, I'm going to try to post a weekly collection of rumors and happenings in the transfer market and otherwise. Stay tuned.

MLSE looks to buy English club

My coffee maker broke the other day, so I took a walk over to a local convenience store to get my morning fix. I stopped in front of the news rack and one of the headlines caught my eye:

"Leafs owner eyes U.K. soccer"

(Toronto Star, 04/24/2008, A1)

For those who aren't from Canada, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment is a sports/real estate conglomerate based in Toronto, Ont. They are the owners of the Toronto Maple Leafs (National Hockey League), Toronto Raptors (National Basketball Association), Toronto FC (Major League Soccer) and the two facilities where these teams play, the Air Canada Centre and BMO Field. The estimate value of these clubs and MLSE's other holdings is $1.75 billion (Cnd.)

The thought of MLSE buying a English club is intriguing, but I believe U.K. supporters of some clubs should be wary. I say some clubs because MLSE is not an organization with a winning tradition. No MLSE sports franchise has won a single bit of silverware since the Leafs won the NHL championship in 1967.

Even Tom Hicks, the reviled part-owner of Liverpool, can claim his Dallas Stars of the NHL won a Stanley Cup in 1999.

So the article goes through a series of teams MLSE supposedly has interested in acquiring. MLSE President Richard Peddie said he recently visited Tottenham, Reading and Southampton. Peddie also went to Stamford Bridge to see the Chelsea operation, but I'll discount that as a purely informational session.

The article also suggests MLSE could be interested in Everton and Newcastle.

Of these clubs mentioned, I think it's safe to rule out two at the outset. I'm sure Everton has learned a lot from the plight of their rivals across Stanley Park and the owners would be very hesitant to sell to anyone even remotely related to an American (or Canadian for that matter).

The other would be Reading. Reading have a relatively new stadium built in 1998, but it's small if Premier League terms, with a capacity of just over 24,000. I understand it is a very nice facility, but not the sort of revenue maximizing vehicle MLSE will seek.

I'm sure Tottenham is the club that will most interest the MLSE folks, with its history, Premier League bona fides (as it were), decent stadium and relatively consistent European presence. I'm not sure how this would proceed, since Spurs are a publicly traded company, but I'm sure it could be done.

The purchase I would make if I was MLSE would be to snatch up Southampton. The Saints would be a bargain owing to their bottom-half Championship performance, but they are well supported and have a fantastic stadium in the St. Mary's. Southampton also has suffered from some financial instability since they dropped from the Premier League, so a fresh infusion of cash could be just what the doctor ordered.

Of course the perfect match for MLSE would be Newcastle, even though they seem unlikely to be sold by Mike Ashley any time soon (or...?). Newcastle has a huge stadium that is constantly filled by deluded fans who haven't seen a trophy in decades ... sounds just like the Maple Leafs to me. This would be such a perfect match, you could hardly come up with a better scenario. Back to reality...

At any rate, the American Invasion seems set to continue. I must admit that the chance for Toronto FC to have a ownership partnership/relationship with a top-class English club would be of unfathomable value to both North American football and Toronto FC. With TFC's summer schedule, it would be conceivable to see some top youth talent spend a few summer months playing on this side of the pond.

Watch this spot for this sure-to-be-ongoing saga...

Back to square one for Arsenal and Wenger

At the beginning of the season, I predicted Arsenal would finish fourth, behind the other members of the Premier League elite, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.

I believed at that time, Arsenal had done little to improve on a squad that failed to impress in the last campaign, really adding only Eduardo and Bacary Sagna. Their team was relatively inexperienced and they would struggle to keep up with the other big sides.

By about December, I had finally come to admit I was wrong, with Arsenal the class of the league, seemingly poised to make their mark, winning Arsenal's first title in four years. Their skill was unsurpassed in England and they were breezing along in Europe and the League cup competitions.

Well, I think I was wrong then too. At this point, Arsenal are about where I pegged them in August, in somewhat of a fight for fourth with Liverpool, sitting only five points ahead of the Merseysiders and still mired in a stretch of wretched form.

I think what I missed in December, and what most commentators missed since August, is Arsenal's distinct lack of depth. Beyond the first 11, Arsenal simply lack the talent to fill in when a starting player must be rested or is injured.

Looking at the number of games started from players of the top four teams, Chelsea have one player Joe Cole (I had to look at that twice to believe it) who has started 25 or more Premier League games. Liverpool have three players in this category and Manchester United, who likely have the deepest well of talent from which to draw, have started six players 25 times or more this season.

Arsenal have started a whopping eight players 25 or more times in the Premier League. Its no wonder Arsenal have suffered through absences of their top players and have began to fade down towards the end of the season.

When it came time to play Liverpool three times in ten days in the Champions League and the Premier League, followed by Manchester United (also in the league), the tank was empty for Arsenal's talented squad.

Arsene Wenger, who had the opportunity to strengthen his side in January but took a pass, will need to look much harder at his team in the summer if he still holds ambitions of winning silverware in this the most demanding of football leagues.

Gillett speaks candidly about Liverpool FC

I just finished listening to the interview of Liverpool owner George Gillett by Bob McCown and Stephen Brunt on Prime Time Sports yesterday.

I must say I think I was wrong to ever think Gillett and co-owner Tom Hicks were cut of the same cloth. Over the course of the interview, which was summarized on ESPN Soccernet along with a link to an audio version, Gillett was very forthcoming about the very unpleasant behind-the-scenes business at Liverpool. I'm beginning to see who the real problem is in the Liverpool front offices.

Gillett revealed that his relationship with Hicks has become unworkable and that his life has been threatened by individuals who don't want to see Hicks take a controlling stake in the club. Over the course of the interview, I became convinced that Gillett is truly a man who cares deeply about the fate of Liverpool, just as he cares about the Montreal Canadiens, his National Hockey League club.

This only ads to the sordid tale that has become the biggest off-field story of the Premier League season, but I think Liverpool fans should take heart from at least one owner's words and that all is not yet lost for the future of the club.

I encourage any Liverpool fan to read the article and download the clip, it is definitely worth your time.

Millwall FC may play in Ottawa

Football fans, American and the rest of us, had reason to be hopeful in Ottawa today.

As I reported today on the National Post website, one member of the group conditionally slated to run Ottawa's third (yes third, the two previous incarnations went bust) Canadian Football League team is also a significant shareholder of Millwall FC.

Bill Shenkman suggested during the press conference that Millwall, a League 1 side, could be brought over to train in the summer, possibly bringing other clubs in for friendlies.

He didn't go into much detail, but the possibility remains high. With the mayor, some members of council and the CFL behind the bid, a refurbished Frank Clair Stadium may see some real football much sooner than we'd anticipated after last summer's FIFA U-20.

"Gargantuan" Sunday: The Return

For whatever reason, the Premier League has decided two of the biggest rivalries in England should play their games on the same Sunday, almost at equidistant points during the season. This weekend, the "Grand Slam" returns, with Manchester United hosting Liverpool and Chelsea versus Arsenal.

Last time around, back in December, spectators were treated to one of the worst displays of football not involving Derby when Man United beat Liverpool 1-0. In a slightly better contest, Arsenal brought down Chelsea 1-0.

Why these games need to be crammed into one day is beyond me, but I'm certainly hoping the quality will be better this time around. I have a feeling it will be, but you never know when someone like Sir Alex will throw ten men behind the ball with hopes of grabbing all three points on the break, as he did at Anfield, turning a match into a dry, agonizing battle of attrition.

But I digress. Fergie will likely plan a more positive game, as he is wont to do at home. Chelsea is less likely to sit back, also at home and with the scent of blood in the water: Arsenal is vulnerable and a legitimate shot at the title beckons.

The one thing the Grand Slam has going for it now, that it didn't in December, is the end is near. We can clearly see the implications of possible results. If United wins and Chelsea-Arsenal ends in a draw (Arsenal have taken a shine to draws, posting four in a row), the Red Devils may have the title sewn up.

They would lead by five points with seven games remaining. Not insurmountable, but Man United seems to have a knack of winning in April and May. If Man United and Liverpool draw and Arsenal wins, it would seem to be a two horse race, with the Gunners and Devils fighting it out over the last two months.

The more interesting scenarios involve Chelsea winning and United dropping points. Chelsea would be level with Arsenal, only 2-3 points back of the leaders. Alternatively, and most intriguingly (and most unlikely, it should be said) is for red-hot Liverpool to pull off Rafa Benitez first defeat of Man United in the league and for the other game to finish in a draw.
The resulting table would look like this:

Manchester 70 pts
Arsenal 68 pts
Chelsea 66 pts
Liverpool 62 pts

With three games or less separating each team and head-to-head matches left to play, the final seven games would be something to behold.

Got all that? Enjoy your Easter Sunday!

Champions League Quarterfinal Draw

Here's the draw for the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal:

Arsenal v. Liverpool
Roma v. Manchester United
Schalke v. Barcelona
Fenerbahce v. Chelsea

The first legs will be played April 1/2 and the second legs will go April 8/9.

I got my wish, and there will be no Premier League domination of the continent this season. The last thing football needs is giant English teams with even more money at the expense of the rest of Europe.

Bolton must now win at Wigan after UEFA gamble lost

Gary Megson huffed, he puffed, but nothing he did March 13 could make his understrength team topple Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Cup, losing 1 - 0 on the night and 2 - 1 on aggregate.

The Bolton Wanderers manager elected to leave Kevin Nolan, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Kevin Davies, Matt Taylor, El-Hadji Diouf, Andy O'Brien, Ricardo Gardner, Ivan Campo and Gavin McCann at home in anticipation of the relegation battle against Wigan Athletic on Sunday.

His reserves, led by Gary Cahill who put in a heroic performance at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, could not muster the goal they needed to knock of the Portuguese side after drawing the first leg in Bolton.

The dilemma that Megson faces is that he wagered if he rested his top men for Sunday, they could potentially move on in Europe and get three points valuable points in the league.

Based on how his team performed last night, the gamble almost paid off. Only a late goal in the 85th minute sealed Bolton's fate. Watching the Trotters battle against a somewhat mediocre Sporting side, one couldn't help but wonder what could have been had Megson kept, say, Nolan, Davies and Diouf in the team.

Bolton only needed a goal, now they need to defeat Wigan on the road. Mired in 17th place, Bolton has only one win in their travels this season, so the odds get even longer for Mr. Megson.

Bolton have been the most underachieving side in the Premier League this season (Newcastle had yet to achieve anything, so they don't really count). The departure of Sam Allardyce has damaged both Bolton's fortunes and those of Big Sam himself.

Allardyce had managed to keep a penny-wise club in the top eight, four seasons in a row. Now Bolton are fighting for their top-flight lives.

The story of Bolton this season has been a woeful one, but Wanderers fans can only hope Megson gets his bet right on Sunday.

Champions League quarterfinal draw needs an all-English tie

The draw for the quarterfinals of this season's Champions League takes place in Nyon, Switzerland tomorrow with four Premier League sides having qualified in the previous round.

This presents a possibility, albeit somewhat remote, that four English clubs could qualify for the semi-finals. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United each have a shot at avoiding one another, but this would prove to be a disaster for the competition and UEFA in general.

The best case scenario would see at least one match-up involving the top four teams in England. A rematch of Chelsea-Liverpool or a London derby would make for a fascinating storyline in the next round.

The sentiment among the players is that they would like to meet another English side later in the competition, but can anyone truly imagine an all-English competition? What sort of mockery would be made of the European club championship if it were contested by English sides alone?

Naturally this assumes the four Premier League teams win in the quarterfinal round, but this is not an impossibility by any stretch of the imagination.

The strongest side on paper appears to be Barcelona, but they have been inconsistent in La Liga this season, allowing an equally inconsistent Real Madrid side to waltz along in first place for most of the year.

Roma has been impressive, beating the aforementioned Madrid side in the round of 16. They've managed to keep pace with Inter in Italy, but who can forget the quarterfinal debacle last year that saw them bow out to Man United, conceding seven goals at home?

As for Fenerbahce and Schalke, certainly anything can happen over two legs, but for either of these teams to defeat any of the other six would make for a David and Goliath epic.

The Premier League has come a long way in the past 15 years or so. The 1990s were a relatively barren time for English clubs in Europe. Now they are regular contenders for continental silverware. For the powerhouse sides of England to so utterly dominate the continent, so that the four clubs that qualify are the only ones left in April, will distort the competition in ways that may permanently impact European competitions.

UEFA likes to tinker with their toys, I can only imagine how they'd respond were England to bully everyone else off their playground.

The world does not need any more Premier League

One of the big stories swirling around the Barclay's Premier League this month has little to do with what's taking place on the pitch and a whole lot to do with marketing one of the hottest properties in world sport.

In early February, the Premier League began floating the idea of playing a 39th league match outside of Britain. The various scenarios concentrated on games to be played in China, Australia and the U.S.

From a Premier League operating standpoint, this makes good sense. Go over to the States, fill a 70,000 - 80,000 seat American football stadium, charge ridiculous prices for seats and negotiate a fat TV contract for the rights to broadcast the one-off match with a U.S. network.

The Premier League clubs seem cool to the idea, especially since most of the bigger clubs complain about too many matches. FIFA has outright condemned the move.

I think it is right to be skeptical of the proposal. While it would likely be a great moneymaker, it would continue to distance the game from fans who already feel alienated from the teams they support.

In North America, the MLS has been moving in the right direction for the past five or so years, slowly changing their league format to something more familiar to cultured football fans. It has come a long way, but still pales in comparison to the European game.

The MLS needs to continue to grow on its own terms, and doesn't need the added pressure of competition from Europe. The MLS will become a great league by continuing to spread its brand of football throughout the U.S. and Canada, not by trying to keep up with the Premier League.

An incursion by the Premier League or any other foreign league into developing football markets will have a detrimental effect on the progress the game is making in those countries. Fans can always get their fix via television, but live football should remain a domestic experience, free from the glow of brighter foreign lights.

Tottenham Hotspur: Carling Cup Champions

Particularly after praising manager Juande Ramos transfer exploits, it felt really nice watching Tottenham secure their first trophy since 1999, defeating Chelsea yesterday in the Carling Cup final 2 - 1 in extra time.

Of course I may not have cared, had Liverpool not followed their win over Inter mid-week with a 3 - 2 win over Middlesbrough, but I digress. The Carling Cup is truly the lowest rung of competition for English clubs, but the final generally provides a great way to spend a Sunday.

Tottenham controlled most of the opening 15 minutes, Chelsea ran the middle 60 minutes or so, and Tottenham had more gas in the tank for the latter part of the game.

Juande Ramos has really got Spurs on track, especially at the back. That was the best game I'd seen Paul Robinson play, err, ever? Jonathan Woodgate has finally found a home at Spurs, I feel spelling the end to an undying reliance on the fragile Ledley King at the heart of defense.

Alan Hutton looked a little out of sorts, not seeming quite comfortable with the pace of Premier League football yet. Didier Zokora played the best match I've seen out of him as well.

As for Chelsea, their attack seemed lacking. Nicholas Anelka was nowhere to be found and Michael Essien had an uncharacteristically mediocre game. I feel Michael Ballack, who has been infinitely better since coming back into the side in late December, was brought on too late to make an impact on the game. Drogba was, as usual, the most potent Chelsea force, but even he had little impact on the Spurs defense.

Frank Lampard, who whined his way onto the team sheet, may need to watch what he wishes for in the future. He looked very pedestrian yesterday and his days at Chelsea may few if he keeps chirping without putting up the goods.

Hats off to Tottenham on a game well played, and to hoping Ramos and company will make competition in the already potent Premier League even better this year and in the future.

Defoe & Baros: What's up Harry?

I will admit at the outset that I feel it's never poor policy to upgrade forwards in the Premier League. When coming up against teams like Arsenal and Manchester United, who can put up three or four goals on any given match day, the need for teams to have proven, 10+ goal scorers in their squad is paramount.

That being said, what's up, Mr. Redknapp? With players like Benjani, John Utaka and Kanu, Portsmouth seemed pretty solid up front, scoring a respectable 35 goals through 25 games (before Saturday).

Gone now is Benjani, off to Manchester City (where he scored on his debut away to Man United). In are sulking former Tottenham man Jermaine Defoe and Milan Baros, who has previously played for Liverpool and Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Both Defoe and Baros are decent players, but neither were deemed valuable enough for their former employers to keep around. To be certain, they will score for Pompey, but I don't think they will solve the problem of getting the team into Europe.

Redknapp's main problem at Fratton Park is the lack of a consistent attacking inspiration from midfield. Muntari has been the scorer of some fantastic goals this season, but he is more in the mold of his terrier-like teammate Papa Bouba-Diop. They can win balls and control the center of the park, but won't necessarily make the incisive pass to unlock a defense. Niko Kranjcar is influential in fits and starts, but not a consistent provider.

In order for Portsmouth to squeeze their way into the UEFA Cup picture, their manager needs to look for creator to run his attack. No small task, but money spent on more forwards (don't forget a pricey David Nugent on the bench) won't help the fortunes of the Premier League's south coast squires in their quest for continental glory.

Juande Ramos: Tottenham Hotspur's Transfer Wizard

Unlike his predecessor Martin Jol, Juande Ramos appears to have got the script on how to run a transfer window.

Back in the summer, Jol spent a combined 24.5-million pounds on two players he didn't need: Darren Bent and Younes Kaboul. Bent rarely plays and hardly rates his fee and Kaboul has been a consistent feature in blooper highlights, failing to adapt to the Premier League.

Ramos has spent plenty, but took the time to address Spurs' needs rather than splashing the cash on the flavour of the month (Mr. Bent, as it were). Back in the summer, Tottenham needed a center back. At the end of December, they still needed a center back.

So Ramos gets Jonathan Woodgate for 6.5-million pounds. A couple of full backs would be nice too, so enter Alan Hutton, the highly rated Scotland right-back (9-millionpounds) and Gilberto, a Brazillian international from Hertha Berlin (fee undisclosed). Throw in Chris Gunter, a promising left-back and Ramos has successfully transformed his defense for about the same price as Jol's summer spending spree on two players now surplus.

Watching Spurs play Everton yesterday with Woodgate and Gunter both in the team, it was clear the improvement Ramos made. Woodgate was solid, lending the leadership at the back Spurs miss with Ledley King injured. Gunter started his first Premier League game, and performed well enough for a 19-year-old.

But perhaps the most telling statistic from the game was the announcer pointing out that the clean sheet was Spurs' first in 63 games.

Progress, anyone?

As a footnote, Jermaine Defoe looks on his way to Portsmouth, further clearing the wasted bodies left by Jol on the Whiteheart Lane bench.

Worth A Look: Madrid Derby, Kevin Keegan Part III and FA Cup revisited

This weekend is particularly sparse when it comes to marquee footballing match ups. England this weekend features three matches between the top three and teams in the bottom quarter of the table. Lambs to the slaughter, says I. That being said, a trio of matches stand to draw deserved attention from the more discerning, perhaps neutrally inclined footballing fan. And Toon fanatics.

Saturday January 19

Newcastle vs. Bolton, 12:15 p.m. ET

With the circus back in town, everyone in the Northeast of England will be forgetting that this was actually supposed to be Big Sam vs. Little Sam, part II. And now for something completely different.

Yes, King Kev is back in charge; we haven't seen times like these since the heady days of '96 when the Keegan led Newcastle managed to cough the league title up to Manchester United. Newcastle will be a different team, one filled with a new spirit, a new belief and if the mid-week FA Cup tie is any indication, the people of Newcastle will be looking for some place beyond the sky.

Bolton will be looking to mitigate the overwhelming emotion this fixture will elucidate amongst the crowd at St. James Park. The job got a little harder with the departure of Nicolas Anelka, but the team is playing better under Gary Megson. They'll make Newcastle earn their points, but I get the feeling that fate is against the Trotters this weekend.

Sunday January 20

Manchester City v. West Ham United, 11:00 a.m. ET

Deja vu, anyone? Four days after clashing in the FA Cup at the City of Manchester Stadium, these two clubs meet up again in the Premier League. City won the first encounter 1 - 0 and with their stellar 9 - 2 - 0 home record this season, West Ham will be in tough again.

The one thing I'll say about the Hammers this season is that they are anything but predictable. They've never looked horrible, and in fact looked to be quite a fashionable side at times. Despite a rash of injuries to many key squad members, Alan Curbishley's men have managed to maintain a respectable 10th, only 7 points back of City with a game in hand. Their road record has been surprising as well, winning 5 of 10 on their travels this season.

A quick rematch is sure to keep the passion high, so look for a quality fixture here.

Athletico Madrid v. Real Madrid, 1:00 p.m. ET

More than a few TVs in North America will be tuned to the other football around this time to catch some over hyped playoff clash, but the best bet for your Sunday afternoon viewing pleasure is surely taking place at the Vincente Calderon.

Athletico have only managed to beat their cross-town rivals once in ten meetings, but the Torres-less side of Madrid is turning up the heat this season, sitting third on 37 points. The emergence of Sergio Aguero and the continuation of stellar play, post-Man United, by Diego Forlan have helped contribute to an improved team approach at Athletico following the departure of their talismanic captain.

Real have been perhaps the only consistent side in Spain this season, building upon their championship form of last season. The Vincente Calderon Stadium is a tough place to play on the best of Sundays, it will be a true test of Real's ambition against their local rival.

Send in the Clowns, Liverpool style

As Sami Hyypia put it after a lacklustre draw at Middlesbrough Saturday: "We seem to be becoming like Newcastle. Every time we pick up a paper, there seems to be something new."

Liverpool is becoming, quite quickly, a higher profile, higher stakes version of Newcastle. The ownership hasn't a clue how to operate a football club (for more on the Newcastle situation, read Martin Samuel in the Times). The two men at the club who should know better, David Moores and Rick Parry, appear to have turned into very capable yes men, failing to back the manager and failing to stop Hicks and Gillett from approaching Jurgen Klinnsmann last November as "an insurance policy".

Liverpool's owners are only exacerbating the situation on the field, adding fuel to the fire rather than doing anything constructive to help the team. If they don't want to spend any more money on players, so be it. But don't sack your manager because he asks for funds to improve the team.

That being said, perhaps the American owners don't have the pockets nor the stomach for this game. Football is not hockey, it is not baseball, nor is it like any other sport in North America. A team cannot simply buy its way to a title for less than the value of the club. Roman Abramovich plunked down half a billion pounds to win two league championships. That's how you win the league in a hurry.

Hicks and Gillett took out a loan to purchase Liverpool, pay off its debt and had some left over to buy a few players. A steady investment of this type over a few years might get the Reds closer to a title, but to think that a third of the way through the season this paltry amount should be paying immediate dividends is ludicrous.

Rafa Benitez has his failings and can improve as a manager, but he has delivered a European Championship, an FA Cup and a European Super Cup during his first three seasons in charge. Liverpool is underachieving at the moment, but rash decisions will get nowhere.

As teams like Manchester United and Arsenal have learned, to their credit, when you find a good manager, stick with him. Alex Ferguson won nothing in his first few years at United. Arsne Wenger had more immediate success, but he has also gone for spells without winning anything.

Ask a Newcastle fan what the consequences of a revolving door policy for their managers has earned them.

If I were Benitez, I'd be considering my future at the club as long as Hicks and Gillett are running the show. Perhaps the news that Dubai International Capital is once again interested in purchasing the club should be welcomed as good news by all who are involved with the club, staff, players and fans alike.