Johnson has more work that first thought

Martin Johnson's England come off the back of three successive defeats as the Autumn Internationals came to a disappointing close.

Defeats to Australia, World Champions South Africa and New Zealand have left Johnson will a real problem ahead of next years Six Nations Championship.

The manner of the defeats will be hard to take for the new manager as they have been thoroughly outplayed from start to finish.

The side's indiscipline is most shocking stat of all as they have seen penalty after penalty conceded, as they slip to fifth in the World rankings.

Now after only four games, it's unfair to judge Johnson just on these performances.

We know full well how difficult it can be to build a side, but lots of work has to be done after Christmas to ensure England aren't overwhelmed when they take on the home nations in Feburary.

They are in danger of finishing with the wooden spoon if there form doesn't improve and especially if they don't improve their discipline.

The players are certainly there. Nick Easter, Toby Flood and Paul Sackey are all fine players for their club, but transferring the form internationally has been a problem.

Danny Cipriani is still looking for fully fitness, but he in-particular has been poor and he will do well to be selected in Johnson's squad for the Six Nations.

But more importantly Johnson has learn't that this job is no walk in the park, and that serous work has to be put in before he can start reaping any sort of reward.

Dons defying Promotion odds

After a superb double winning season under Paul Ince, Milton Keynes Dons had high hopes for the new season. Ince ensured promotion for the club from League 2, and added the Football league Trophy to cap off a memorable season.

With a huge financial backing, Dons had the makings of a Championship club with all the foundations to ensure success for the foreseeable future.

However it didn't run to plan. Ince jumped ship to Blackburn Rovers after turning down an offer from Leicester City. Winger Lloyd Dyer didn't turn down the offer though as he joined the former Premiership club. Captain and League 2 player of the year Keith Andrews followed Ince to Blackburn to cap off the exodus at Stadium MK.

After losing three such important figures especially the inspirational manager, the high hopes after the end of last season where extinguished immediately with focus more on mid-table stability than a promotion bid.

However, against all the odds they have formed into a side destined for even more success. Under the stewardship of the un-fancied Roberto Di Matteo, Dons have propelled themselves to second in League 1.

Now let's not get ahead of ourselves, even after losing the staff that they did, they were hardly in dire straits, as I said before the foundations were already in place for success, but with it being triggered by this inexperienced Italian is even more unexpected.

Why this brilliant start? Well it's difficult to put a handle on it. Dons were known for their awesome away form before the start of the League season and that has continued into this one.

The honeymoon period is certainly over but yet the wins keep coming. Wins at Colchester United, Hartlepool United and most recently at Walsall have pushed them up the table keeping pace with the heavyweights of Leicester City and Leeds United.

And it doesn't seem like halting anytime soon. Bringing in wingers Jason Puncheon and Luke Chadwick has bolstered there attacking force, with Miguel Angel Llera holding the back four together as they come under pressure from some of the big hitters in the League.

This season (as I've written in a previous blog) has plenty of front-runners for promotion, so their is no margin for error for Dons for any of the clubs involved.

It's left to be seen whether Dons will have the endurance to last the whole season, but if the opening third of the season is anything to go by don't be surprised to see them hovering around the play-off places in May.

England Show Maturity Beyond Their Years

England showed that they can perform on the big stage without their star players with an impressive 2-1 win over Germany in Berlin.

The likes of Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard sat out the game through injury, as England's second string outplayed a quiet frankly awful German side.

Mathew Upson opened the scoring for England after a dreadful goalkeeping error from Rene Adler, allowed the West Ham defender to poke the ball into an empty net.

However England repaid the favour with an hour gone, as substitute goalkeeper Scott Carson and captain John Terry got in a muddle allowing Patrick Helmes to equalise.

But Terry made up for his mistake heading in Stewart Downing's free-kick with just seven minutes remaining.

The performance from the likes of Glen Johnson, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Downing himself was impressive, but the team performance as a whole from a group of players who would have never played together was the highlight of the evening.

I wouldn't say any performance stuck out as spell-binding , it was the composure of the team as a whole that impressed me in-front of a capacity crowd of 74,000.

The only issue for me fell with Scott Carson, who did his best to deny England a victory they thoroughly deserved.

At the time, I believed him playing against Croatia was a mistake, and that anything that happened on the evening was a result of Steve McClaren's poor selection and that Carson wasn't ready to be thrown in the deep in at such an early stage of his career.

On Wednesday night however there can be no excuses, he definitely deserved a second chance for England under Capello. In simple terms, he's blown it.

Only thing he had to do all night, and he allowed the ball to go through his legs and into the back of his net.

I think John Terry is slightly accountable, why he couldn't just clear the ball out I have no idea but the goalkeeper clear called for the ball and he simply didn't produce

Capello as we know already, likes to wheel the axe at the best of times. I hope he doesn't hold back with the West Brom goalkeeper here, he's had his chances, give someone else a go.

I was disappointed to only see 15 minutes of Ashley Young, and for him then to be played out of position was unfortunate.

But this was down to the inspired performance of Downing who started to show his club form on the international stage, which is something Capello targeted at the start of his international tenure.

Before we go raving about this performance, lets spend a moment or two to consider the terrible Germany side that we saw last night.

For as good as England were Germany were just as bad, and for a team who 'appeared' in the European Championship Final just four months ago they have slipped hugely, there is plenty of work for Joachim Low to do.

But of course it wasn't a full strength England side and considering that it was a brilliant performance, and if similar injuries occur in March for the next lot of World Cup Qualifiers Capello won't have reservations about blooding this talented group of players.

Capello Given Chance to Experiement in a True Arena

This week, Fabio Capello's England travel to Germany to play their Eastern European rivals in the final international match of the year for both sides.

For England it is the culmination of a year that has proved fruitful, as they top their World Cup Qualifying group with maximum points after four games.

Due to a number of injuries to Capello's squad, he will be without up to eight first-team regulars and an unfit David Beckham, who the Italian refuses to pick while the former captain is out of action.

This provides Capello a chance to give some of his fringe players a game in Berlin's Olympic Stadium—quite an opportunity for the players involved.

Gabriel Agbonlahor will finally get his international debut after having it delayed by injury. Alongside fellow Aston Villa protégé Ashley Young, they are sure to give the Germans a fright.

It's not just the Villa duo that will look for a role in Wednesday's international.

Micheal Carrick, Jermain Defoe, and Glen Johnson are all set to start as they stake their claim to a starting berth for England in the next World Cup qualifiers.

In my opinion, as disappointing as it is not to see a full strength England side, it will be interesting to see how the squad players perform in the big stage against a big team.

England had a similar opportunity in the summer when they faced Trinidad and Tobago but, with all due-respect the Caribbean nation, weren't presented with a huge challenge.

Germany in Berlin, however, will give the players a huge test and they will know they can't under-perform the way they could possibly afford to against Trinidad.

Knowing Capello the way we all like to think we do, he'll note the impressive performances ahead of his next squad selection in the new year.

This game is the opportunity for players like the ones noted above to turn out a performance.

Maybe even Scott Parker can force himself back onto the international stage. As a big fan of the former Charlton man, I hope he can stamp his mark on the game.

Not many opportunities come up like this for these players; sometimes the opposition is too inferior to make an impact or injuries don't fall like they have. However, these players need to step up to the plate.

They might not get many more chances.

League 1 Promotion Report

Every season there is a story in the football league that grabs my attention. Last year and relegation battle between Bournemouth, Gillingham and Cheltenham Town which came down to the final day grabbed the attention of everyone in League 1.

This season my attention has been grabbed in mid Novemeber. The venue League 1 again. The subject the eight way promotion chase. The current top eight, look head and shoulders above the rest and already look like they are pulling away.

After a disappointing play-off final performance Leeds United have started the process of returning to the Championship. For me their start hasn't been the best with their defense looking dodgy at the best of times. However with the likes of Luciano Beccio and Jonny Howson up front they are free-scoring and even more potent than last season.

However it's not necessarily their defense that they should worry about, it's the rest of the teams in league 1 they need to concentrate on.

There are around eight teams that could easily win League 1 this season, something that Leeds certainly didn't bargain on.

Leaders Scunthorpe United haven't surprised anyone and with Gary Hooper, who was on loan at Hereford last season up front they always have a chance. Well organized and intent on making up for last season's debacle they look odds on to return to the Championship at the first time of asking.

Leicester City obviously aren't going to allow themselevs to endure another season in League 1, however there inconsistent form, especially away from home holding them back. Dropping points at Brighton, and yesterday at Swindon Town are moments that the Foxes won't want to repeat in a hurry.

Millwall have put together a series of results to propel them towards the play-off picture, including a win over Leeds. Kenny Jacket has done a brilliant job so far this season, and a promotion success will top things off perfectly.

Promoted duo Milton Keynes Dons and Peterborough United have taken the league by storm, and to everyone's surprise find themselves in the play-offs and competing with every side in the league.

Dons, had a difficult summer after their promotion from league 2. They lost captain Keith Andrews, winger Lloyd Dyer and most importantly manager Paul Ince. But they have become resurgent under Roberto Di Matteo and own the best away form in the league as they find themselves in the dizzy heights of forth.

High scoring Peterborough haven't surprised me with their form, with Aaron McLean and Craig Mackail-Smith up front they will always score goals and as they have shown already can beat any side in the division, don't expect them to be shifting position anytime before May.

These six are joined by Oldham Athletic and Southend United who have both made themselves very difficult to beat with just two defeats between them at home all season.

On loan Lee Sawyer has been hugely influential this season, and if Southend can keep hold of him from Chelsea for a further three months they could start reaping the rewards very quickly.

It's simple for Oldham, they have got Lee Hughes fit and scoring goals. I knew once he was on form, Oldham's would pick up as well it seemed like a simple transition and it's worked well for the Latics.

At the start of the season I backed Leeds to storm the league along with Carlisle United with Peterborough winning the play-offs. It's been far more open than I first thought, and I wouldn't want it any other way. Dons and Millwall have surprised me and they don't look like dropping off anytime soon.

So there we have it the eight teams who are taking control of League 1 this season, lets hope that in April we're graced by as many in the always heated promotion chase.

Patterson's time bomb ready to explode

It might have taken four years in the making, but Darren Patterson is here, and as Oxford United manager he needs to step to the plate, a job that has bamboozled even the best managers around, Jim Smith I hear you cry?

Having been manager for just over a year now, Patterson is getting to the stage where he can be judged fairly on his progress, and I’m going to be straight with you it could have gone better.

After Jim Smith’s resignation in November 2007 Patterson has been trying to drag the club back towards the reaches of the football league. Now I will admit it’s only been a year so in effect he’s only had one attempt, but considering how close Smith came Patterson should have a long look at himself.

Let’s take you back to just six months before Smith’s resignation and Oxford’s play-off semi-final with Exeter. Oxford were 1-0 up after escaping with a victory from St. James Park. They went into the home leg as favourites and soon doubled their aggregate advantage through Yemi Odubade.

With an hour of the tie reaming and Oxford 2-0 up you would have thought, with home advantage they could see out the rest of the game. However goals from Lee Philips and then Adam Stansfield sent the game into extra time.

Oxford had been given a reprieve and it was left to the lottery of a penalty shootout to decide who would face Morecambe in the final. Billy Turley who had already missed a penalty himself saved one from Richard Logan allowing Steve Tully to smash home the winner.

Now you could debate Morecambe could have overturned that Oxford side under the stewardship of Sammy McIlroy, but after sustaining such a crushing defeat, you could excuse the Oxford side for not caring about who they could have played.

Now with Patterson at the helm that play-off semi-final looks a distant memory as his Oxford side struggle with the unpredictable Blue Square Premier.

After a finish of 9th in Patterson’s first season with a late surge, the fans had high hopes ahead of the new season.

Intent was certainly made in the summer with the signing of the dependable Jason Constable from Shrewsbury on loan to bolster the attacking line.

Patterson knew things had to change and that his own stamp had to put on the team in his first full season in charge.

However this summer ambition hasn’t been reflected in the results as Oxford have struggled to get going.

They find themselves languishing in 15th, with just six wins from their 17 games.

Now with five of them coming at the fortress that is the Kassam Stadium, just one win on the road shows where the work has to be done there, but Patterson needn’t stop there.

Getting the fans back onside is something that will take time, and that is necessary if he is to be taken seriously as a manager and more importantly given time to makes things right

Up till now he has been a little bit of a laughing stock at a club built for the football league.

The club hold the record for the highest ever Conference attendance of over 11,000, so why can’t the team on the pitch reflect the devotion that the fans are showing?

Well Paterson has inherited a team low on confidence that’s for sure, although Smith had hardly left them high and dry, it was clear after his play-off effort he had taken them as far as he could.

His outlook on his side’s defeats and shortcomings however has to go further than his team’s fault. He consistently blamed his team for under performing, which is fine after one or two games but week after week? I don’t think so.

With new owners taking the reigns you would have thought an ultimatum would have been thrown down, and to be fair Patterson has reacted since the takeover.

But that’s exactly my point; he does what he needs to keep his job without taking his team forward, he seems happy to trudge along knowing he has a job at the end of the day.

Kelvin Thomas the new chairman said results had to turn around sooner rather than later and to some extent they have but in all honesty it couldn’t have been much worse

Thomas is sure not to have too much patience with Patterson, he is sure to know the record before he took over, and won’t let it continue.

They go to struggling Grays this weekend before their FA Cup replay with Dorchester and then go to high flying Histon next week so it’s three difficult away trips in a week, a tough ask for any team.

Patterson would be aiming for at least two wins and most importantly a place in the 2nd round of the FA Cup.

Patterson has definitely bought himself some time with the new owner but he’ll have to use it effectively. But just a few defeats here and there and Christmas could be a quiet one for the former Oxford defender.

Underachieveing Keane not Paying the Price

Few managers are more outspoken that Roy Keane. The former Manchester United captain leaves no stone unturned when in front of the British press as we saw when the Irishman was asked about Michael Chopra being allowed to go back to Cardiff City.

I think the media actually fear Roy Keane a little, like they dare give him bad press at the trepidation of being given a tough lashing the next day.

However the media have been known to tell it like it is. So why are they refusing to put the pressure on Keane after his sides poor start to the season.

Sunderland lie in 19th in the Premiership and after Keane splashed the cash in the summer it is amazing to see his start and the focus on his sides poor start.

Lets start with the team itself. Sunderland have had just one win from their last eight games in all competitions, with the solitary win coming in the Tyne-Wire derby against Newcastle United, who are coincidently the team below them in the Premiership.

After spending nearly 30 million pounds on a variety of players during the summer Keane’s results have been poor to say the least.

Anton Ferdinand, George McCartney and David Healy are just a few who have been drafted in on the major budget provided by Niall Quinn.

Quinn is bound to be unhappy after the uproar that Keane made after the end of last season, when he said that some of his squad wasn’t good enough and that he needed major finances to re-build the side.

The former Sunderland man gave in to the manager’s demands, expecting a top half finish and dare I say it a foray into Europe. This success would have been warranted considering the cash injection.

However the result has been the opposite and Quinn has been left thinking whether he has wasted his time at the hands of the controlling manager as they look set for a relegation battle.

Keane hasn’t been checked up on this once by the press, and even worse they are more concentrated on managers whose teams are more successful like Mark Hughes at Manchester City than they are at the underachieving Sunderland.

Are the media scared of Keane? Well quiet possibly.

Now before I’m inundated with comments that I’m calling for Keane’s head I’m definitely not, I’m saying that if Hughes warrants some pressure with 13 points from 12 games then so does Keane with a point less.

So the next time the media line-up with Keane in there sights maybe uttering their recent record of one win the their last eight might put Keane under more pressure than his overpriced team.

Overated Football Eleven-Premiership

To often these days our beloved media hype up players after they score from a throw in, or shoot from outside the box, such unique things in football don't you think? So I've assembled a side of overpaid Premiership Footballers (which gives me plenty of options) that are so overrated for in Europe's supposed top league that they don't deserve to grace the league at all.

Goalkeeper- Manuel Almunia (Arsenal): The Arsenal goalkeeper is an accident waiting to happen it just amazes me that team don't put more pressure of this joke of a keeper. I remember a certain game against Manchester United a few years ago in where Almunia made a number of mistakes as Arsenal went down 4-2 to the current Champions. Against Spurs he was made to look very ordinary behind an Arsenal defense that was sieving chances to Darren Bent and co.

Right Back- Pascal Chimbonda (Sunderland): This petulant African born Frenchman has caused problems where-ever he has been at the Premiership. When he was at Wigan he disgraced himself by submitted a transfer request 15 minutes after the final whistle of their final game of the season away at Arsenal. His transfer to Sunderland took an age as he demanded high wages for his big money move to the black-cats. His performances have hardly set the world alright at either Tottenham or Sunderland so far which brings up the question is he the only one who believes his own hype?

Left Back- Nicky Shorey (Aston Villa): This man fair play to him went to Villa to send his career spirally towards regular England call-ups. However its spiraled downwards as Villa's fortunes have done the opposite. He has looked dodgy at the back to say the least, and not like he was at Reading but certainly not as much as a presence in the side. Shorey was a player to drive the side forward, with Villa he has looked uneasy and not the player they thought they had signed. Reading got second season syndrome, Shorey's has come a season later, as he thoughts his attempts to become a big high flier had finally begun.

Centre Back- William Gallas (Arsenal): The current Gunners skipper showed his poor respect for his club at the back end of his Chelsea career as he was accused of wanting to score own-goals if he was played at left-back for Chelsea. These comments don't surprise me and after what we've seen from him after the game at Birmingham last season tells me he isn't the man to turn to when things aren't going well, not the sort of man you want as captain or in your team. As a player he has lost a bit of focus since his Chelsea days where he played as a decoy to John Terry, Terry's class is obvious now as Gallas struggles to bed in alongside Kolo Toure at the heart of the Arsenal defence.

Centre Back- Joseph Yobo (Everton) Now Everton's usually sure defense has really fallen apart this season and a reason for this could be their Nigerian defender Joseph Yobo. Yobo for me has always been punching above his weight not only playing in the league but being part of one of the meanest defenses in the league. I'm not sure if you've ever seen this lad head the ball, but I haven't even when it's easier to he'll try any alternative. Playing Jagielka instead of Yobo has been a way of avoiding this mix up and it has worked in recent weeks.

Right Midfield- Soloman Kalou (Chelsea): What can I say about this man? He can be a lively player I won't deny that but nothing more, if you look at the goals he scores they are easier to score than miss, and if you look at his misses its easier to score than miss. How he ever gets into the Chelsea side I have no idea, with Cole and Malouda (who dare I say is better than Kalou). His goal record isn't one to strike fear into any team, and neither is his pace. In terms of the rest of the Chelsea squad he is average as this hugely entertaining side head towards a third Premier league title.

Centre Midfield- John Obi Mikel (Chelsea): Now this might look like a Chelsea witch hunt here but it isn't, they have just bought some dreadful players and Mikel for me is the tip of the iceberg. I see no point to this player. He is so ineffectual to the Chelsea side that they prefer right back Julliano Belletti in his holding role more than they like Mikel. He is a joke, and whats more he can't tackle to save his life with his disciplinary record being poor considering he's been in the league just three years.

Centre Midfield- Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth): Now here's a man who has been rejected by both Chelsea (Jose Mourinho) and Arsenal (Arsene Wenger). These two clubs and managers are two of the best readers of player in the country let alone in the world. Wenger especially knows a good player when he see's one and wouldn't let one go if he knew he had some quality and some use to him. Knowing Arsenal's current central midfield situation you would have thought he would have kept Diarra in reserve to this, he didn't. That's how bad Diarra is. If your no-use to the best youth manager in the world and you've been rejected as a player, I'd kiss goodbye your career because it's not turning around anytime soon. And it hasn't. This 'world class' midfield player now plays for Portsmouth and he'll be the first to tell you it's a big step up for such an inferior player.

Left Midfield- Jason Koumas (Wigan Athletic): The former West Brom man has really had a slip in his form since he moved to Wigan and has become anonymous in a side that have started to struggle in Premiership. His role in the side is different to that of when he was at West Brom and his 5.3 million price tag looks like a waste of money even after 18 months. He was known as the one man team at West Brom, now he's not in the team at Wigan, such a fall from grace and yet he still makes the Wales national team, nice to see there not picking on reputations anymore.

Center Forward- Robin Van Persie (Arsenal): The new 'Bergkamp', what a complete joke. This one footed Dutchman is maybe the worst of my overrated players and the on that infuriates me the most. For one thing he is seen as the new Bergkamp just because he is Dutch, no other reason. To be fair to him it took years for him to get the 'Bergkamp' taunts off his back, but since he's hardly covered himself in glory since. When your best goal scoring record is against Blackburn Rovers you can see where it's going. he never turns up in the big games. He's never been Wenger's first choice, he even plays Diaby as a fifth midfield instead of Van Persie at the end of the Henry days. Any player who can't play with Henry is a joke, even Adebayor gave it a shot in his short period with Henry. His injury proneness doesn't help either, I think he's broken his foot around 50 times. And finally he is one of the most petulant players in the league, he hasn't grown up as a player. A comment made by Telegraph sportswriter Clive White described van Persie in his match report as "21 going on nine. And after four red cards already he seems like a accident waiting to happen. Oh and did I mention the rape allegations?

Centre Forward- Craig Bellamy (West Ham United): The welsh wizard has never been the same since his season long spell at Blackburn Rovers where he helped them towards a European place. He joined Liverpool and became part of the rotation system under Rafa Benitez and it set his career back a bit. His move to West Ham has been a none event and he hasn't got going as the most injury prone players around struggles for form amongst other things. And you know full well he has a scuffle with a player on a training ground just around the corner, pace is his only attribute and it's been years since I've seen any, don't touch this player with a barge pole, you won't see him for years.

Performance of the Week

A little late I know but this performance of the week is maybe one of the best I've seen and is up there with my performance of the year. In this weeks forth test between India and Australia which India came away with the win to seal the 2-0 series win there was a shining light for Australia which many have overlooked.

Jason Krejza took twelve wickets in his debut match as India toiled but eventually came out as winners. Krejza's performance will remind many, especially Englishman that Australia are no spent force. People have talked about how they have lost some zip in the last few years after loosing some of their experienced players. Krejza looks like a direct replacement for Shane Warne in this respect, he has the passion and most importantly the talent to bring back the good days for the Aussies.

Krejza took the important wickets of Sehwag and Dravid on the first day before cleaning up the tail to pick up eight wickets in the first innings. He added just four to his tally in the second innings as he ended Veranda Sehwag's international career with a caught and bowled attempt.

Getting twelve wickets in any match is a very good effort, on your debut is even better, he has record the forth best ever figures for an Australian on his debut and it's sure to be held for some time.

His emergence is sure to kick some spirit into the side as they have come off it with a crushing defeat, their first since the 2005 ashes series.

I'm sure we'll see much more of him in the coming years and sure to see him in the Ashes series next year, and knowing how the last high class Australian spinner did against the English, this lad might not be bad.

There's no Cole left in the fire

Today we saw the retirement of one of the great Premeir League players in history, Andy Cole. Cole played for a number of clubs in and out of the Premiership, most famously for Manchester United where he won five league titles two FA cups and a Champions League trophy in a treble winning 1999.

Cole started his career at Arsenal in which he played just one game in three years and soon moved onto Bristol City where he had a very successful spell scoring 20 goals in 41 games. However it was clear that his talent deserved better, and he soon moved to Division One high fliers Newcastle who were keen on promotion to the new Premier League. They were promoted and in his season as a Premiership player he scored 34 goals in 40 games to won Young player of the year at the age of 22 in the same season as Newcastle qualified for the UEFA Cup.

After another season on Tynside Cole was sold to Manchester United for 7 million to bolster their attacking options. Cole struggled at first at Old Trafford and became a laughing stock before winning the double in 1996 and then the treble in 1999 where he became telepathic with Dwight Yorke. A few more seasons went along before he slipped down the pecking order behind Ruud Van Nistelrooy and moved to Blackburn under Graeme Souness.

He had a good time at the Lancashire club scoring 13 goals in his first season and picked up the League Cup scoring the winning goal in the final against Tottenham. He moved onto Fulham a few years later however to join his only London based club of his career, he became the clubs top scorer and helped send down Norwich City on the final day of the 2004/05 season. Spells at Manchester City, Portsmouth and Sunderland were very unsuccessful before he dropped down to the Championship with Burnley.

He showed he could still cut it at any level as he scored 6 goals in 13 games and Nottingham Forest came in for him to boost their attack prowess. However at Forest he was short of games and was released in October.

Cole won just 15 England caps as a player, even though he is second in the all time list of Premier-League goalscorers with 187.

His lack of caps is certainly one for scrutiny considering he was one of the best marksman in the League. He could be seen as a bit like Robbie Fowler in that he could perform for club but not for country, although unlike Fowler he was never given the chance to shine. Just one goal came from those games and he never went to a major championships as a result, the only thing missing from his CV

For a player in Cole's position it's amazing he's been playing for as long as he has, and in terms of quality he's served it up every time he's shown up for any of his twelve clubs, he will be missed.

England in India

As international tours come they aren't more difficult than in India. With the humid pitches and unpredictable conditions combined with the boisterous home crowd it sit the most hostile test country to visit.

Players who can perform in India are some of the best around, as the conditions, especially for batsman can be very difficult. As England travel to India for the ODI series and the test match series they go knowing they are facing the in form side in world cricket.

India are set to complete a 1-0 test series win over Australia, unless the tourists can complete a massive 382 target to win. In one-day cricket India have always had the upper hand over England inflicting a 5-1 defeat on them the last time they visited. However England scrapped the series in England during the summer, winning 4-3.

The test series last summer went India's way and they are sure to be favorites for both forms of the game as England try to recover from the time-wasting Stamford Series last week.

For India the retirement of Sourav Ganguly is sure to leave a hole in the side and the middle order of India won't look as strong. However the highest test scorer of all time Sachin Tendulkar is always around and he loves playing against England, even if he hasn't been able to buy a century before his 40th against Australia.

Zaheer Khan is a crucial man for me. His bowling has come on so much in the last 18 months. In particular the Australian series has seen him shine, and in both forms of the game he will be a threat. He always performs against England, and as yet the England Batsman have yet to have any reply.

Kevin Pietersen has to step up as captain. His honeymoon period is over, and after a shock against South Africa he has to stand up and be counted. His personal form can never be called into question, but can he raise his team for his new sides most difficult challenge yet?

One good thing to see is the similarity between the sides picked for the ODI's and the test matches. There seems to be some coherency at last between both sides and players like Steve Harmisson, Ryan Sidebottom and Stuart Broad can perform on both stages.

England's ability to adapt and read the India pitches will be crucial to whether they can repeat the success of the last tour, when they battle to a 1-1 series draw.

Pietersen is under such pressure to succeed as captain on this tour something is bound to give, his form or the teams.

Now without getting to controversial, Pietersen strikes me as the sort of player that will put his own form before his teams, trying to carry them through and then considering the situation.

He's a brilliant player, but does he have the discipline to lead his side into battle in India, I'm not so sure. I was never in favor of his appointment in the first place but of all the countries in the world to prove himself against, this is the one.

I fancy England to get on better in the ODI's series than the test series, but to still lose both. England shouldn't be in to much despair if they do fair in both forms, they are playing a fine side, but the manner of their defeats will be interesting to see.

Not Keane

Robbie Keane opened his goal account in the Premier league for Liverpool as he scored two goals in his side's 3-0 win over West Bromich Albion at Anfield.

Up til now Keane had scored just two goals for his new club, in the Champions League games against PSV Enidhoven and Athletico Madrid.

In the absence of Fernando Torres for a six game period, Liverpool were relying on Keane to step up to the level we all saw at Tottenham Hotsphur in the absence of the Spaniard.

However without Torres, Keane has looked just as anonymous as he looked when Torres started alongside him.

I had huge reservations about Keane's move to Liverpool on two counts. Firstly because his 'ideal' partner would not be around in the shape of Dirk Kuyt and Torres. Secondly because of the formation Liverpool like to play. Benitez seems to have settled on a 4-5-1 formation after it's success at the back end of last season.

For me Keane doesn't have a place in the side even when they adapt the formation for him. With Torres alongside him, he is overshadowed and deemed useless for the success of the side.

Dirk Kuyt's success while Torres has been out of the side shows clearly how Keane hasn't fitted in well in the team.

The Dutchman had scored four goals in Torres's absence, showing everyone he isn't just a right sided midfielder. This included crucial winners against Manchester City and Wigan Athletic.

Kuyt clearly stepped up, why couldn't Keane? The man with the forward responsibility.

I understand there is a certain amount of bedding in time for a player, things don't just click at a new club like that. But Keane is a quality player, and we haven't even seen a whiff of what he can produce.

Keane just simply hasn't cut the mustard at Liverpool, his two goals yesterday might give him some sort of kick-start. But his form hasn't been good enough to think that he'll keep Torres out of the team after his injury return yesterday.

His 19 million price tag, while I think is accurate is far to much for a player that doesn't fit in your team. He just doesn't make sense, and while at Tottenham he was the focal point, at Liverpool he is nothing more that a bit part player.

Master Cup Preview 2008

The Tennis year climax with the Shanghai Masters s the top eight players in the world meet to decide the masters player of the year. It's a chance to finish the year in style for some players who after a long season are desperate to get some sort of break before the season starts again in Australia in January.

This year however we won't be graced by the world's best player, Rafael Nadal due to tiredness. Now we all know that Nadal is no slouch and that if he's ain't fit enough to play he must be in some sort of state. However with him missing the whole feeling of the evet has taken a downturn, you must feel for the organizers who build the event up as the crowning event of the year. To not have the world's best player involved must be frustrating.

And maybe even possibly for the eventual winner of the competition. They will know that however they win it wasn't against the world's best and that he didn't get to prove himself against the world number 1.

Let's get onto the competition itself shall we, and this week does throw up an interesting format unlike any other tennis tournament. Unlike a predetermined draw like in every other championship the players are split into two groups, and red and gold group. They play each other in a group stage format and the top two from each group play each other in a semi-final and then the two winners of that in a final.

It must be refreshing for the fans and the players to have a different format from the normal ATP events, and as previous years have shown the format has proved to be a success.

Players now-a-days complain that they have to be on-top of their game for every tournament. Well in this tournament you can afford to lose a game and still come out the other side as the winner.

So lets look at the players involved. The lucky man who qualified due to Nadal's withdrawal is Giles Simon who certainly won't be throwing away his chance after the nature of his qualification. He is one of the two Frenchman in the top eight and shows the strength his country have for the sport.

He is liable to be very dangerous as well. He is one of only three players to have beaten all of the 'big three' this season and is coming off the back of his most successful season ever as a tennis player, rising to a career best 9th in the rankings and taking three tour titles this year.

Joining him in the red group is American Andy Roddick who has had good year as his resurgence in the sports starts to gather some pace. This consistency in getting to at lest the semi-final in eight tour events is pretty remarkable, but unfortunately for the American it's his performances in the Grand Slams that have let him down.

A best of the quarter-final in the US Open is poor going from the former home-town champion and it shows that on the big stage he maybe can't quiet cut the mustard.

His semi-final performances this year have reflected how he's done in previous masters cup outings as on three occasions he's gone out at the last-four stage.

Andy Murray is the next in the group after a brilliant year for the 21-year old. He has achieved so much this year that the Brit can be excused of taking a break now ahead of his first Masters Cup tournament. Murray collected his first Masters Series Shield and reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open in a year that has seen him sore to forth in the world.

He's beaten every player whose turning up at the tournament this week this year, and is bound to be full of confidence.

Rodger Federer is the last player from the red group, and after what has been a difficult year he has still come out of it with a lot of credit. After loosing his Wimbledon crown in dramatic style to Nadal and the his world number 1 status the season could have petered out for the Swiss. However an amazing win at the US Open over Murray showed that class is permanent. His performance in that match was one of the best ever seen not only by him but of all time on the Arthur Ash court.

Going in as Number 1 seed with brim him with confidence that he can overhaul Nadal next year, and there wouldn't be a better time to start that this week in Shanghai.

In the Gold group we have the remaining four players, Novak Djokovic, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Juan Martin Del Potro and Nikolay Davydenko.

Djkovic started the season brilliantly winning his first Grand in Australia as he beat Tsonga in the final. His dominance this year can be summed by by saying that as some players need a good performance in the last tournament of the year in Paris, Djokovic had qualified by July.

The Serb has a poor Wimbledon and the back end of his year hasn't been the best. After last year's disappointment at this event loosing all three of his matches he will be keen to put it all right and stake a claim to Nadal's number 1 crown.

Jo Wilfred Tsonga got in by the skin of his teeth as he won the final Masters Shield in Paris by beating David Nalbanian. Tsonga only made two of the Grand Slam's this year, missing out through injury only to return at the US Open. His Australian Open final however will surely be his crowning achievement and the moment that he arrived on the scene. Defeating Nadal in the semi-final was a huge moment for the Frenchman, and will hope to build on that in his first Masters Cup.

He has to be seen as a huge threat by the other players. He goes into the tournament in form, after his success in Paris and after a brilliant year in which he has jumped up the rankings.

The season of Juan Martin Del Potro has been one of amazing achievement. From July where he was ranked 65, just two months followed before he found himself ranked 8th. He won four titles in that period in a 23 match winning streak which was ended by Andy Murray at the US Open. Since July in fact he was won 36 of his 41 matches.

The most improved player on the circuit certainly deserves his chance to shine in Shanghai and after a break in Paris will be eager to show that Nadal isn't the only youngster on the circuit. His will-to-win can't be paralleled with any other player. is drive and determination is something to be admired and this sort of competition will suit him ideally. expect him to be around when the trophies are handed out.

Finally Nicolay Davydenko who has slipped in the Rankings somewhat but has still had an impressive year. Three tour titles to boot, along with wins over Nadal and Roddick along the way. He succeeded mostly on the clay where two of his titles came. He was the only player this year to beat Nadal on clay. However of course Shanghai is a hard court event, a surface the aging Davydenko doesn't favor as slowing down the game has become an art to now established Top ten player.

His success in this tournament dates back to 2005 as he went out to eventual winner David Nalbanian at the semi-final stage. This is his forth tournament appearance and although he isn't fancied as one of the winners, he can certainly raise his game when it's needed.

So there we have it the best eight players in the world, apart from Rafael Nadal. It's sure to be an interesting week and with the tournament more open than ever, anyone from the eight can come out as Champion

Tips on how to keep your job as a football manager

After some rediculous managerial casualties over the last few days, capped off by Stan Ternant's departure for Huddesfield Town after just six months in charge. Town are now looking for there sixth manager in eighteen months. A rediculous club and chairman Ken Davy should be at the front of the abuse that Town fans are sure to barage him with.

Anyway after this weeks casualities in which three managers have gone already I've come up with some tips for managers who don't want to be seeing P45 anytime before Christmas.

1. Before joining a particular club, research the owners background. For example how long they have been at the club and the investments that have made. For example a club run by Milan Mandaric, does have a lot of investment going into it, but at the same time he'll give you six months to put everything in check. Joining a club just before a takover can be damaging, as it's likely your not there first choice for the job.

2. So you've found your club and you know that behind the scenes nothing it going to change. Believe me its nopt going to get easier. Your relationship with the board and chairman is inperitive. A good relationship can mean he will side with you when big decisions have to be made i.e major transfer signings. And if you get into a spot of bother backing you when it all goes wrong. A bad relationship, can mean one game to turn things round can mean none.

3. When given your budget for the begining of the transfer window in either the summer or January don't spend all of the money, especially if you get a hefty amount. Spending millions can put yourself under huge pressure to produce and when it doesn't got right your spending is the first place your critics and your chairman point to.

4. Getting your first win in your first game in charge is vital. This gets the fans onside, and even if you go five without a win you always have the win to back you up. Winning once means you can win again, and doing it in the opening game theres nothing better. Yes people could see an opening win as a honeymoon period, but if its the only win you get milk it as much as you can.

5. When signing players, especially for a lower league club, try and vary the age of the players. Consentrating on young players for the future or old players for the experience are perfect amunition for fans and critics. Saying your squad is either to old to keep up, or to naive to hold onto a win. Southampton's 2008/09 squad explains this perfectly, can't close out games and find themselves in the bottom five with a side with an average age of less than 21.

Of course after all this you need to have some talent for managerment, but with these tips you should have enough time at the club to find out if you do. To often do we see managers not given a chance at clubs where a quick fix is expected. As a football fan it sickens me to see what is going on at Huddesfield and although these tips are a little toungue and cheek they represent real reason why managers such as Dave Jones who is the longest serving Championship manager currently still at their job.

Formula 1 World Championship 2008 Review

Thrill a minute is all you can say to be honest. From start to finish whether it was Monaco, or Silverstone or Spa this season's championship was one of the best in living memory, and unlike last year it was all about what happened on the track.

Yes Lewis Hamilton is our champions, the youngest ever at 23 but behind lie a number of drivers who will be pressurizing him hugely this time next year.

A queue has formed so to speak of drivers ready to take Hamilton's crown and they all made there Challenege at some point this year.

Kimi Raikkonen had a particularly quiet season and didn't hang onto his title as firmly as many thought he might. He led for the opening third of the season before he handed the baton to Felipe Massa to make the Ferrari charge.

Fernando Alonso had an amazing change of fortune to his season. After just ten races he had to settle with just 13 points in his unpredictable Renault. However the Spaniard picked up 48 points in the final eight races of the season to bring up to 5th in the Drivers Championship. A brilliant achievement for the former World Champion who is now a real threat in his familiar Renault colors.

Sebastian Vettel picked up his first World Champion win this season and certainly looks like one for next season in the Red Bull car replacing the retiring David Coulthard. Maybe until the driver has proven himself in this car will he finally get a contract for a bigger team, you can't seriously see a winner not coming from the Ferrari, Mclaren or BMW.

And then there's Felipe Massa who was just one point from the Championship this year and came so close last year as well, falling out of the race with three to go. He will obviously be hurt by the manner of the defeat on Sunday. But just like Hamilton was last season, extra determination will be the order of the day and he will be twice as strong going into the new season.

As for the rest well there are some notable mentions. Jenson Button has had another season he'll want to forget in a hurry. Another year or two I think and Button will have to give up a sport that he has simply never succeeded in.

The BMW team of Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica have done well. Heidfeld has taken a step back to allow the more talented Kubica a shot of the title that he was only a few wins away from making. Next season he will have a real go and know the dependable Heidfeld is behind him for support This duo will be a real force to be considered and a real contender for next year's title.

it would be refreshing to have another contender from another team and not having the same Ferrari/McLaren fight to the end of the season. Kubica has a lot to do to put himself as a possible challenger but he has all the making of a true champion.

As for Hamilton well he will do well to hold onto his title. Massa won't let his disappointment lie for long and he will be back on the trail as soon as the new season is upon us. To think Hamilton will hold onto his title like Michael Schumacher did is a stupid statement. He's won his first title now lets just see what next season brings.

We all know the first championship is hard enough, holding onto it will be even harder for the youngster.

Performance of the Week

This week we have seen some of the great performances of the year, let alone this week. I have been spoilt for choice with victories left right and centre. This weekend in particular has been on of thrills on spills on the track, court and the pitch.

Where else do I start than with Lewis Hamilton's Formula 1 World Title win in Brazil on Sunday. Needing to finish 5th or higher, the Brit came over the line in that coveted 5th position to steel an amazing win on the last lap.

Jo-Wilfred Tsonga won the Paris masters beating Argentine David Nalbanian in three sets, and therefore qualified for the Shanghai Master at the end of year after leapfrogging into 7th in the ATP rankings.

Australia'a Rugby League side thrashed England 54-4 in the Rugby League World Cup, producing a performance of class that England had no answer to.

In football Stoke City bullied an Arsenal side into a 2-1 win at the Britannia Stadium, with Rory Delap proving his throwing ability can work even against the best.

Yeovil Town beat in-form Oldham Athletic 2-0 to give them breathing space at from the bottom four in League 1.

However none of these are this weeks performance of the week. This week its goes to an athlete who has come back from disaster in Beijing to produce one of her greatest performances yet. My performance of the week goes to Paula Radcliffe after she won the New York Marathon on Sunday.

Radcliffe won the race from the eventual runner-up Ludmila Petrova of Russia in a time of 2 hours 23 minutes and 56 seconds, a full two minutes ahead of the Russian.

It was her third win in New York after victories in both 2004 and 2007, but this was by a handsome margin as she regained her status as the best Marathon runner on the Women's circuit.

Radcliffe's year will be remembered by her poor performance in Beijing where she was hampered by injury in the lead up to the games.

But this should go some way to make up for it after a very convincing win, that should put her critics at rest until at least the London Marathon in April.

Until then its the hard work she was denied of before Beijing that Radcliffe needs if she is to continue this winning streak.

Moment of truth

On 17th August 1996 David Beckham propelled himself into the public limelight as he scored from the halfway-line against Wimbledon at Selhurst Park in a 3-0 win for Manchester United.

From this moment on Beckham became somewhat of a living legend as he won numerous trophies with the club and went on to become an England regular appearing at three World Cup Finals.

Like most players Beckham's crowning moment came at the right time for his career. On Wednesday night David Bentley could have had his crowning moment.

His forty-yard volley at the Emirates Stadium is arguably the goal of the season in the Premiership already and we're only in November.

This goal could be the start of Bentley's career and the culmination of the potential that we saw at both Arsenal and Blackburn Rovers.

In all honesty I've never caught onto all the fuss about Bentley, at Blackburn he was their best player but for me didn't stick out like everyone said he did. It seemed that when he scored a goal for them it was better than if someone scored the same goal, he was overrated and it clearly went to his head.

His petulance was revealed when he turned down a place in the England under-21 squad for the European Championship in Holland. Bentley felt that if he went to the Championships if would hurt his chances of making the full squad when the European Championships came around in 2008.

A completely arrogant decision from the former Arsenal player seeing as he wasn't even established in the squad at the time and not that it came round to it he wouldn't have made the squad.

Bentley for me still needs to grow as a person but his performance on Wednesday night shows to me that he is starting to get over his poor decision of 18 months ago.

His delight at the result and his personal performance was clear to see in the post-match interview.

He has more to prove certainly, but under Harry Redknapp he has the sort of manager that will nurture his career and make him into the player we all know he can be.

Bentley has had his 'Beckham' moment, it's now down to him to build on it and become a player that doesn't live in the superstar's shadow.

Time's up

After their disappointing 3-1 defeat at home to Barnsley on Saturday the future of Charlton manager Alan Pardew looks bleak to say the least. His side have already lost eight of their fifteen Championship games and lie in the bottom three for the first time this season.

The former Premiership side have been going no-where since their relegation from England's top league in 2006 and haven't once looked like regained their Premier-league status.

Since loosing Alan Curbishley in 2006 the club have been on a downward slope and are close to hitting the bottom if their season continues like it is.

The reason behind there current struggle could be explained by the season they had after Curbishley's departure.

The club went through three managers in four months sacking both Ian Dowie and Les Reed before settling with Alan Pardew, who came from relegation rivals West Ham United, who under Curbishley survived on the final day of the season.

The last thing the club needed after loosing a manager like Curbishley was this sort of managerial merry-go-round.

Pardew thankfully is still the manager, but after nearly two years in charge his position looks very vulnerable after taking too many steps back under his stewardship.

The club were relegated in his first season, but in truth he could do little to keep his side up after two sacked managers before him.

A quick return to the Premiership was expected as Charlton kept the majority of the players that had given them success in the Premiership.

However the quick return didn't come about as the fans would have liked as the Addicks underachieved hugely in finishing down in 11th six points off the play-off places.

To be fair to the side they weren't anywhere near the play-offs at any part of the season and were never contenders to be re-promoted as West Brom and Stoke City stormed the league.

This season was therefore looked as one to re-build the side and push for promotion next season.

Chairman Richard Murray had highlighted Pardew as his man to bring his side top-flight football, however this season has been more about how the side have missed their chance to get out of on the most difficult leagues in the world.

They find themselves in the bottom three and not a sniff of the the top half let alone the play-offs.

Things have to change if this side to get out of their current predicament and it doesn't look good for the London club.

The squad assembled by Pardew is simply not good enough for this league. It's as simple as that. It's a squad that are doing exactly what it says on the tin, struggling in a league to big for them.

Players like Mark Hudson, Luke Varney and Lloyd Sam won't strike fear into any side, dare I say it not even in League 1.

The man to take all the flack will be Pardew, due to the performances I'm sure. But I think the side are playing as well as they can, they just look out of their depth.

This blog may become irrelevant in 24 hours as Pardew is set to get the dreaded 'vote of confidence'. However it will take more than a change of manager to turn things around at the Valley.

This former Premiership club will find it hard whether he stays or goes, and their in for a tough end to the season.