Quelle surprise. Ridiculous article. I might look into becoming a Sports Journalist. Going by the likes of this, it takes very little talent to make it. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ittle-Peter-Crouch-lot-Lionel-Messi-goal.html On Sunday morning, in the International Stadium, Yokohama, Lionel Messi will set out to reinforce his status as the most stunning talent in world football. Of course, selfadvancement will not be his primary objective. But if FC Barcelona should overcome Santos of Brazil to win the Club World Cup, then that will be the inevitable consequence. And lovers of football across the world will celebrate both the man and his club because they remind us of the glorious possibilities of an endearing game. Barcelona's philosophy is as simple as it is sophisticated; you run more urgently, press more diligently, pass more accurately, think more deeply than the opposition. And if you do all those things efficiently, then the chances are you will open up productive avenues for the little chap who is the jewel in your crown. Messi, of course, is a phenomenon; slight, diffident, strangely vulnerable. True, he is blessed with incongruous strength and electric pace but even those assets do not equip him for the command he exerts. When he is in tune with his game, he performs like a man sitting high in the stands, serenely assessing every angle, every run, every inch of potential space. With every appearance he delivers the kind of masterclass whose messages only a Pele or a Maradona could ever truly comprehend. Such is the company that Messi is keeping. Which leads us, by a circuitous route, to the city of Stoke and the Britannia Stadium. It is a genuinely exciting place, awash with supporters who are loud and loyal. They are so fiercely delighted at finding themselves in the Premier League that they are prepared to condone anything which might help preserve that position. And currently, they have much to condone. The Stoke style is abrasive, some would say cynical. Not blatantly thuggish, in the manner of a Wimbledon of old, but direct, muscular, intimidatory. The ball is battered, long and early; the challenges are raw and fearsome. The game is reduced to a trial of nerve and strength. If you believe that ends always justify means, all these methods will be perfectly acceptable. But, of late, other factors have emerged. For one thing, there is the business of the pitch markings. Study the Stoke pitch and you will detect two sets of markings. One set is broad and expansive, as dictated by UEFA and used in the Europa League. The other is shorter, narrower and regarded as perfectly fit and proper by our indulgent Premier League. The Stoke manager, Tony Pulis, says that the narrow pitch 'lets us play close together as a team'. In other words, a small pitch encourages exponents of the long throw, that tedious tactic which has come to symbolise their approach. It also allows their large, combative players, like Peter Crouch or Ryan Shawcross, a better chance to impose themselves. Then there is the process by which Stoke's long-throwers were provided with towels by indoctrinated ballboys so that the ball could be dried before being hurled into the mix. A few weeks ago, Neil Warnock, of QPR, not the most persuasive advocate of the beautiful game, mimicked the Stoke tactics to such effect that the ballboys came out emptyhanded for the second half. The whole affair was both pathetic and typical. While doing nothing illegal, Stoke have been stripping the game of its charm, its stealth, its beguiling complexity. I suspect that the late Don Revie would have recognised the mean spirit which informs these ploys. But at least his Leeds team had players who could raise their standards beyond such charmless banality. Stoke are not similarly blessed. Now, I do not argue that Stoke City are solely responsible for the coarsening of the English game, any more than I believe that every team could play like Barcelona. But I know, beyond question, that we should look to that extraordinary Spanish club as our inspiration. For the basic, enduring problem of English football is that it settles for Peter Crouch. When, as we may see this morning, it should aspire to Lionel Messi.
As you correctly aver Sgt - quelle surprise. When I was much (much) younger, I said to my Father; " When I leave school Dad, I want to work for the Daily Mail AND be a widely respected Journalist " My Father said," nay lad, ye canna be both" And I did not even then want to read anything that was and is a Neo Nazi right wing, consistently trashy rag, aimed at a retired Squadron Leader living in Surrey. With apologies to retired Squadron Leaders everywhere!
