Capello's lions

Tuesday saw the release of Fabio Capello’s provisional 30-man squad. Controversially, there were a few players involved and few left out, so I thought I’d give a view of each selected, personally of course:

Goalkeepers:

Joe Hart: Ultimately, he has had the best season out of the three, sure to be pushing for that number one shirt.

David James: Bags of experience, Capello would have been stupid to leave him out, sure to be on the plane.

Robert Green: The man with the gloves right now, on form, there’s no one better.

Defenders:

Leighton Baines: Wiked left foot. Had a decent enough season with the Toffee’s.

Jamie Carragher: Dragged out of retirement, great asset to the squad. Will defend for his life.

Ashley Cole: Capello will be thrilled to see him back! The world’s number one left back, sure starter.

Michael Dawson: He’s been at the heart of Spurs success this season, a very worthy holder of that ticket to South Africa. Great in the air.

Rio Ferdinand: Our new captain. If he can stay away from injury, he’ll be the soul of the team come this summer.

Glen Johnson: Not a favourite of mine, but our main right back. Great going forward, doubts about his defending.

Ledley King: World class when fit. Always injured, but hopefully can play a key part in SA.

John Terry: He will need to play the tournament of his life. Had a tough year, needs to win us ALL over.

Matthew Upson: Rarely out of an England set-up, a great back up, but that’s all.

Stephen Warnock: Another fullback with great pace, on the fringe of the squad; doubt he’ll make the final 23.

Midfielders:

Gareth Barry: England’s holder in midfield, will face competition for his place, but always performs for the Lions.

Michael Carrick: Struggled to make himself a starter for England, but never the less, a class passer in midfield, nothing but a success at United recently.

Joe Cole: Many are surprised to see him involved. Hardly played for Chelsea, but is our left side natural.

Steven Gerrard: I feel the best is still too come. Part of world football’s elite. Will play a massive role, attacking wise I feel, in Africa.

Tom Huddleston: I’m so pleased to see him here. So under-rated. No one better in the team with passing and striking the ball. Class.

Adam Johnson: One of the main surprises. Very tricky winger recently signed for Man City. Will bring another element in SA.

Frank Lampard: Yet again, a superb season for Chelsea. Most goals by a midfielder, let’s hope it happens in the England shirt this time.

Aaron Lennon: Between him and Walcott for the right side. Amazing pace and skill. Still lacks that finishing product at times.

James Milner: England’s versatile man. Can play all over. He will be a major asset is injuries occurs. Great dribbler, lovely vision.

Scott Parker: Kept West Ham up this year. Such passion - will be fantastic along side Lamps and Gerrard, got to play.

Theo Walcott: Fastest player in the squad, his pace will be deadly. Can also play through the middle. Key man, I feel.

Shaun Wright – Phillips: The last of England’s pace makers in the squad. Quick, but not enough to make the final 23 I feel.

Forwards:

Darren Bent: Had to make the squad. England’s top-scorer this year.

Peter Crouch: Greatest Goal to Cap ratio in the team. Always performs for England.

Jermain Defoe: Quick, powerful, skillful. If England needs a goal, he’ll get it.

Emile Heskey: Capello loves him. Not had the best season at Villa. But, if anyone gets Rooney playing, it’ll be him. Powerful in the air, and all over.

Wayne Rooney: STAR MAN. Best striker in the world at present. Carried United this year. Cannot wait to see this perfect forward play in the upcoming World Cup.

Watch here to hear Capello's decisions...

Bradford Stadium Blaze: 25 Years On

On the 11th of May 1985, one of sports biggest disasters broke out in Bradford City. It is, today, exactly 25 years on since 56 fans lost their lives and 265 suffered serious burns in the Bradford City chaos.

The inferno then marked the start of 18 days in which English football was plunged into the Dark Ages. Starting at Valley Parade, Bradford on May 11, 1985. A cigarette end was carelessly thrown to the floor which ignited an antique wooden stand. Rapidly, the whole structure became inflamed taking anyone in it’s path. To this day, Fire Services still use footage of the burning peril for training, to show the extent of how quickly fire can spread.

On the same day, a 14-year-old boy died when a wall collapsed as Leeds and Birmingham fans, or should I say ‘hooligans’, staged a battle on St Andrews pitch. And, before the month came to a close, 39 people died in a stampede at the crumbling Heysel Stadium in Brussels as Liverpool fans charged at Juventus fans.

People may say that football stadia has lost it’s atmosphere, with the abolishment of terracing - but there lay no argument when you compare the safety of our fans from now, to then.

Whoever you support, what ever you may do, today is a day to reflect on progression in football safety, and remembrance of innocent lives lost, in Bradford City.

Coalition: The Lib dem and Tory Marriage

I've become a bit more interested in politics after this years election, so I thought I'd thrash out one of the more interesting situations for you all to read. After Thursday's general election, this generation gets it's first taste of a 'hung parliment'. With the tories claiming the 'largest' amount of seats, it still wasn't enough to win a majority. So... what next? David Cameron is hoping that, come monday, the knot is tied with Nick Clegg of the Lib dems in a 'Coalition marriage'.

Now, personally, this is an outcome that stings the mind. I voted Labour. But, it's now clear that their time has evaporated, and a new government will reign. This coalition idea, I feel, will bring even more potenial problems, with their being a reasonable amount of disagreements between the Tory and Lib Dem parties.

Still, the Tory leader has vowed to make the marriage work - so, where can we find the leaders 'i do's' and where the relationship is already on the rocks?

Let's start with the 'I Do':

Educationally David Cameron and Nick Clegg agree that a "pupil premium" should be enforced to allocate additional state funding to schools with children who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Fair enough.

Tax wise, they both seem on the same boat. The lib dems still maintain within their manifesto that the first £10,000 people earn should be tax - free. The Tory leader seems to agree saying: "It has always been an aspiration of the Party to reduce taxes". Ok, this is quite a biggy, so agreement is reassuring.

Environmentally, both parties address a plan to achieve a low - carbon economy. Again, Cameron stating: I am sure that we can agree a common plan, together, to achieve it."

Now, a few of the 'I Don't':

The big one, Economy. Cameron want's to start reducing the UK's record state deficit this year, in 2010. Where as Clegg and his Lib Dem buddies argue that is should be delayed untill 2011. In order to give it a chance to gather pace in it's recovery.

Immigration. And Cameron vowes not to be "weak or soft on immigration" - effectively ruling out the Lib Dems proposal for earned regularisation of illegal immigrants who have been in the UK for at least a decade.

Hmm. Yes there may be enough there to suggest that the coalition can work. But, I still feel the economy is the most imporant slice of manifesto. Yet, they have a big enough difference there to suggest a major crack in this relationship. Can this marriage work? Well if fatal, we know one thing. Mr Gordon Brown will be awaiting outside the church - sure to pop the question.

Portsmouth debt rises again

Recent reports made my Portsmouth Football Club’s administrators reveal that the club now faces a staggering debt of £138 million.

The recently relegated Premier League club was initially reported to be £120m in the red after a creditor’s meeting held last Thursday to discuss how they would repay, but it has been recently revealed that the debts have risen highly.

All such a distant thought to what was in the mind of Portsmouth fans in May 2008, when they took the club to a major honour in winning the FA Cup. Players such a Lassana Diarra and Jermaine Defoe have all left for big money fees, but the money has done only what can be described as ‘disappeared’.

With the club going into administration in February, they are still searching for new owners. With a deal is still yet to be struck with interested parties, the south-coast faithful still have another FA Cup final against Chelsea to look forward too, and that’s all, in what looks to be a few difficult years ahead.

Is FIFA World Cup 2010 the greatest footballing game ever?

2010 FIFA World Cup. 199 national teams. All the stadiums, glamour and carnival atmosphere. EA Sports have refined and sharpened the most sophisticated football engine to turn the planet’s so-called biggest sporting event into a feast of fun. I got hold of the game and I can say with confidence that it’s set to be this generation’s finest football title yet. I’ll explain why…

The 199 international sides are a catalyst in what is to be huge success for the game. Many people have doubted the ‘point’ of the game, stating: There was no need to create the game, why not just create an international tournament on FIFA 10? Well… does FIFA 10 have 199 international teams? No, it has 41, not nearly enough to get that full World Cup extravaganza.

The presentation of the game is impeccable. With pre-match confetti, full 3D crowds and all 10 stadia that’ll be used in South Africa, the atmospheric feel to the game is already more authentic than FIFA 10.

They even provide an insight into each nation’s manager. Even two of the scariest mangers England’s, Fabio Capello and Spain’s Vicente del Bosque brace in a handshake to feel our pre-match needs. No one can doubt the style, authenticity and enjoyment of what is surely the football game of our time.