Euro 2012 day eight: what we've learned

England has a team to be proud of again


Two summers ago, Wayne Rooney stormed off the pitch after a dismal England performance against Algeria, and angrily criticised his own fans to a waiting camera. A few days later England were on their way home from the World Cup, following a humiliating 4-1 defeat to arch rivals Germany. The fans were angry not upset; the press bayed for blood; the players hid from the spotlight. It's hard to imagine a time when the national team's popularity was lower.

Fast forward to Kiev in 2012 and after a nervy 3-2 victory over Sweden, England might just have won back the hearts of those same supporters that had seemingly deserted them after the South Africa debacle. For whilst England were far from perfect last night, they played with a spirit and determination that can only be admired.

Let's not pretend that this is anything but an average England squad. It doesn't have the star names of squads from yesteryear, and the young players it includes are promising without creating the kind of hype that Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney's inclusion in previous squads did. The manager, Roy Hodgson, has been in the job a matter of weeks and was recruited from mid-table West Brom, not head-hunted from one of Europe's premier clubs. But with expectations uncharacteristically low, England - as demonstrated last night - are punching their weight in an international tournament for the first time since perhaps Euro '96.

It was by no means a perfect performance - Hodgson will surely have been disappointed with the manner in which the goals were conceded - but the victory over Sweden should be celebrated, rather than a cause for concern. England scored three goals - something in itself many thought beyond them - but the telling factor was the quality of those goals. Have you seen a better header in this tournament than Andy Carroll's? A sweeter strike than Theo Walcott's? Or a more incisive move finished off with a piece of individual brilliance than Danny Welbeck's? And there was potential for more too, with Steven Gerrard prevented from scoring a great counter-attacking goal only by a superb save from Isaksson. 

Of course, the team looked far from assured at the back, but you only have to go back to the France game a few days ago for evidence that England can be solid and stubborn when they need to be. We should not dwell on the negatives. Instead, we should praise the team - and Hodgson - for the verve with which they attacked, the spirit they showed to battle back from going 2-1 down and, whisper it, the manner in which the players are conducting themselves with a sense of togetherness that was clearly lacking in South Africa.

The anger directed at England after South Africa and the indifference shown since can at last be replaced by pride. This England team may not go very far in this tournament, but it as least one the supporters can get behind and be proud to support. We have our England back.

Euro 2012 day three: what we've learned

And so the first weekend of Euro 2012 is over and thankfully, we're not bemoaning the lack of attacking football from the opening games as we were in South Africa two years ago. But apart from the fact that international teams have remembered how to attack again, what have we learned from the opening day of Group C?

Spain are beatable
There, I said it. Sorry to broadcasters across the world, but this Spanish team can be got at and Italy probably should have taken all three points today. The Italians are not fancied by many but today they were excellent both technically and tactically, and for long periods, Spain struggled to handle them. That difficulty was caused by Spain's tactical arrogance of playing six midfielders and no centre forward, which played into the Italians' hands. 

What was Del Bosque thinking? Call me paranoid, but I genuinely believe it was a move of bravura to demonstrate the fluidity of his Spanish team; to show they can easily do without such conventions as strikers, and will punish anyone that crosses their path with a blitz of short passing and rapid movement; 'we're Spain, come and have a go if you think you're hard enough'. It didn't work. Instead, it afforded Daniele de Rossi all the time in the world to spray the ball left and right, and to feed the imperious Andrea Pirlo. It will be interesting to see if we see the 4-6 formation again. I suspect not....

Andrea Pirlo is still class
Last summer Andrea Pirlo was seen as surplus to requirements at Milan. A club legend maybe, but everyone's time comes to an end and it was felt Pirlo's star was on the wane. But after winning Serie A with Juventus last season and today's brilliant performance, it's clear that there is still life in those twinkled toes of the Italian playmaker. 

Today's display of passing, pressing and maturity - his decision making nearly always spot on - was as good as I've seen from a central midfielder so far in this tournament, and we're in for a treat if we see a better one. The man oozes class and is exactly the calming influence that England don't have, nor have they ever had. He was a joy to watch against a fantastically talented Spanish midfield, and could be the key to Italy going further in this tournament than most of us imagined.

Ireland are out of their depth
As in, completely out of their depth. No pace, no subtlety and on the evidence of today's game against Croatia, absolutely no chance of going through to the knockout stages. 

Perhaps I'm being harsh on a team that draws most of its players from the lower reaches of the Premier League and the Championship, but their approach to today's game - knocking it long and hoping to win enough set pieces to nick a goal - seemed like something from another age. They struggled to keep the ball throughout the game and never really looked like getting much out of the game - bar a few corners. Simon Cox and Shane Long injected a bit of pace late on, and have to start in their next game if they are to improve on today's showing.

Peter Drury should not be allowed to commentate ever again
"Ireland's sheet has been stained". We all heard it, but let's close our eyes and remember the days when Brian Moore commentated on ITV and forget it ever happened eh? Please? Thank you.

Euro 2012 day one: what we've learned

Russia look quite good

Ok so admittedly the Czech Republic were pretty poor, but few can deny that Russia were very impressive in tonight's 4-1 victory. Arshavin looked interested for about the first time since the last European Championships, and Pavluchenko showed that he still possesses a hammer of a right-foot. Interestingly, the Russian team also included a player with "Alan" as a first name - something not even England have this year. We'll see if Alan and his mates are the real deal when they come to play one of the lucky two to emerge from the group of death.

Czech Republic look quite rubbish

A few bright spells excepted, the Czech's were pedestrian in pace and beige in creativity. Tomas Rosicky tried to influence the game, but with only the once-again-as-always-awful Milan Baros to aim for, his passes rarely found a worthwhile target. Surely they have someone other than Baros to try out up front? Surely? If not, they could well be making the short trip home at the end of the group stage.

Poland look ok, nothing more, nothing less

At times in the first half of today's game, they certainly looked like they could be more than ok, but they lost their way and seemed reliant on the partizan crowd being in full voice to really make them play. They will probably have to play better than they did today to have any chance against Russia, but they have some talented players - notably Lewondowski - and could well make it through to the quarters. It's difficult to see the co-hosts going further than that though.

Greece look a bit boring

Ok so they woke up in the second half when they needed to, but seldom have I seen such a negative start to a tournament. It's as if they were a caged animal that needed to be prodded with a big Polish stick in order to be brought into action. Even then their response was hardly one to strike fear into Russia or the Czechs. Actually, the Czechs will probably be scared of their own shadows after tonight. Much improvement needed if they're to go through.

And so day one is over with the group of death's first games to come tomorrow. It will be interesting to see who draws first blood, as a positive result in either game will set the group up nicely. Is it too much to ask for Cristiano Ronaldo to turn up to a tournament as well?

England to benefit as Neville swaps studio for the dugout

As the blue half of Manchester continues to celebrate its first top flight championship for 44 years, one of the red half’s greatest servants will be excused for pouring himself an oddly-timed celebratory drink tonight: step forward England’s new coach, Gary Neville.

In all the hysteria following one of the most dramatic final days of a football season in history, the appointment of Gary Neville as part of Roy Hodgson’s permanent coaching staff has gone relatively unnoticed. For those that have had the decency to pick up on the FA’s announcement, surprise seems to be the most common reaction. 

Surprise as Neville was settling in well to his role as a pundit at Sky, and had impressed many with his tactical acumen, forthright opinions and his completely unexpected willingness to criticise his beloved Manchester United. He seemed to be revelling in the role, and a certainty to be the long-term successor to Andy Gray as the network’s chief co-commentator.

But with his coaching badges completed and a burning desire to be involved in the cut and thrust of the game rather than the gloss and pomp of the TV studio, Neville clearly had other ideas. He apparently bit the FA’s hand off - not literally, that would be too eager - when offered a job as part of Roy Hodgson’s coaching staff, in what could yet prove to be the smartest move Hodgson makes as England boss.

Although Neville has no real coaching experience so to speak, he has all the other attributes one could hope for in an international coach. With 85 caps, he has international experience in abundance. His involvement in World Cup and European Championship squads will be invaluable both in Poland and Ukraine, and hopefully Brazil and France in 2014 and 2016 too. As captain of United and at times England, he is one of the game’s most passionate leaders of recent times. And as he has shown through his work at Sky, he is more tactically astute than most of us would have expected.

But I’m sure there will be many England fans that find it nigh on impossible cheer Neville’s appointment, for as a player, he was also one of the most divisive players of the Premier League era. Divisive is putting it kindly perhaps; most non-Manchester United-supporting fans simply despise him.

Why such hatred for a man that always served his country with such passion and skill? Well, Neville would - or at least should - be the first to admit that he hasn’t always helped himself: there was the celebration in front of the Liverpool fans in 2006; his role in organising an ill-fated England players’ strike in the wake of Rio Ferdinand’s suspension following a missed drugs test; and of course, that pathetic attempt at growing a moustache. Football fans can be forgiving folk, but they don’t take abysmal facial hair lightly.

But over the last year, Neville seems to have won over certain sections of the supporters that disliked him as a player. His even-handed analysis on Sky has certainly helped, whilst his infamous ‘goalgasm’ when commentating on Fernando Torres’ goal at the Nou Camp has gone down in TV football history. He is also a genuinely entertaining user of Twitter, unlike many of the players and ex-players that dominate timelines of football supporters up and down the country. It seems Neville has demonstrated possession of something few of us thought he ever had: a personality. 

It is that personality, that experience of tournament football and those unrivalled leadership qualities that means Neville can be a huge asset to Hodgson’s team - regardless of his coaching inexperience. He will not be there to lead the coaching - Hodgson has more than enough of his own experience and ability to do that - he will be there as a confidant of the players; someone they know has been there and seen it all, yet also understands the demands and pressures of modern football. He will help rouse the squad when the pressure is on and perhaps the odds are stacked against them. He will also defend them to the hilt in the face of any criticism; something that Sven and Don Fabio were never really able to do.

As a player Neville was never the lead star. He was always part of an impressive supporting cast to stars such as Beckham, Ronaldo and Rooney, but played just an important role. This summer, he will once again be joining the ensemble rather than grabbing the headlines himself, but it remains the case that with everything he has to offer, he could yet prove to be England’s shining light.  

The 23 players Hodgson must put his trust in

With less than a month to go until Euro 2012 starts, the competing nations have begun to announce the squads of 23 players they hope can take them all the way to the final in Kiev on 1 July.

Germany have announced theirs (frighteningly good), Ukraine have done theirs (one cap between three goalkeepers) and France have sort of done theirs (only the foreign-based players have been confirmed so far). This week the FA confirmed the England squad for the tournament - and Hodgson’s first as England manager - will be revealed on Wednesday.

Who will make Hodgson's 23?

Now I know what a tough task Roy Hodgson has on his hands: it seems like he’s been in the job only a matter of hours, and already he has to pick a squad that will play under the weight of the obligatory unrealistic expectations of the nation’s public. So to give Roy a hand, I’ve given him some food for thought by picking my suggested 23 for Poland and Ukraine:

Goalkeepers

Joe Hart
Undisputed number one and will go into the tournament on the back of a fine season, with potentially a champions medal around his neck by Sunday evening.

Robert Green
Has fully bounced back from his horror show in South Africa and has been consistently good since. A decent back up for Hart.

Scott Carson
It’s slim pickings for English goalkeepers beyond Hart and Green, particularly with Foster and Robinson unlikely to play for their country again.

Defenders

Ashley Cole
One of England’s most consistent performers and despite a wobbly start to the season, has been in sensational form during Chelsea’s unlikely march to the Champions League final.

Joleon Lescott
Often the choice of Roberto Mancini to partner captain Vincent Kompany in Manchester City’s defence, Lescott has had a solid season and can also operate at left-back should Cole be unavailable.

Gary Cahill
Still not convinced he is rock solid positionally, but can certainly play with the ball at his feet and dangerous in the opposition’s box as well.

John Terry
The man everyone outside of west London loves to hate, Terry will almost certainly start in the opener against France despite a shaky end to the season and rumours that he’s unpopular in the dressing room.

Rio Ferdinand
Big question marks over his fitness in recent seasons, but is enjoying a good run of games and brings vital tournament experience to the squad. Still a class act when fit.

Phil Jones
Has experienced an up and down season, with some great early performances but not enough games in any one position for him to settle properly. Young, versatile and energetic though; he has a lot to offer.

Glen Johnson
An under-appreciated talent who often seems to be Liverpool’s stand-out player in what is increasingly an average side. Dangerous in attack, generally solid for England and can play left side if needed too.

Kyle Walker
The PFA Young Player of the Year fully deserved his award and not looked out of place in his early appearances for England. His pace is a huge asset going forwards and backwards.

Midfielders

Scott Parker
The most recent captain of England and strong contender for the role during Euro 2012, Parker is up there with the best anchors around and keeps the ball brilliantly. Should be a certain starter.

Gareth Barry
Seems a long time ago that the nation sweated on his fitness for South Africa, but he is one of the more intelligent users of the ball we have and is in good form. 

James Milner
No longer the wide man he used to be and now more a reliable up and downer. Is that what England needs? In an otherwise one-paced midfield, I’d suggest it is at least a good option.

Steven Gerrard
Remains a shame that his talents have often been wasted by England managers, intent on shifting him to the left or right side of midfield. Perhaps on the wane, but still has a lot to offer and likely to start.

Frank Lampard
Written off at the start of the season, he is another of the Chelsea players that seems to have been rejuvenated in recent months. Not always great for England, but will be on the plane for sure.

Ashley Young
When he isn’t diving, young can be devastatingly dangerous. Great set piece taker and also chips in with his fair share of goals. Would like to see him tried in a floating role.

Adam Johnson
Not had much of a look in at City this season, but still remains England’s best left-sided midfielder for years. Always good for England and can often be the key to unlock stubborn defences.

Theo Walcott
Major doubts over his fitness, but if he can get fully fit, he will deserve his place on the plane. Clearly hasn’t fulfilled his potential, but pace is frightening and has certainly matured this season.

Forwards

Wayne Rooney
Despite being suspended for the first two games, Rooney has to go. Despite a suspect temperament, he is England’s talisman and still our only genuinely world class player.

Andy Carroll
Over-priced? Definitely, but also under-used. Carroll has shown in recent weeks that there is a top footballer somewhere inside him, and Hodgson should use him as his go-to ‘big man’.

Daniel Sturridge
At times this season, has threatened to look a real star. He’s inconsistent a little too self-assured, but is also very talented and is worth having as an option to play off a front man.

Jermain Defoe
Wouldn’t have made this list had Bent been fit, but the Aston Villa’s injury means Hodgson is clutching at straws for another striker deserving of a place. Defoe remains a sharp finisher though.

So there we have it, my England squad for Euro 2012. In short, it looks strong at the back, robust but a little unimaginative in midfield and worryingly light up front. Sound familiar?

All we are saying is....give Roy a chance

New England boss, Roy Hodgson

The appointment of Roy Hodgson as the next England manager proves two things: firstly, the FA are clearly not swayed by popular opinion; and secondly, I know nothing about football, after I wrongly predicted on this blog that Stuart Pearce would be appointed to the role.

Hodgson’s appointment has not been met with the excitement that the FA might have hoped for. Many think he is a nice guy but not the sort of character that can manage the big egos of an England squad, some feel he is too defensive tactically and others just wanted Harry Redknapp. Whilst few are scathing about the appointment, people are not exactly dancing in the streets about it either.

I feel Hodgson has been judged a little unfairly. Most of those criticising him seem to be pointing to a disappointing spell in charge of Liverpool during 2010-2011, which would be fair enough, if ‘King’ Kenny Dalglish had fared any better in the role since then. Contrary to what some deluded Liverpool fans might tell you, he has not.

Clearly much of the criticism of the appointment is born out of the fact that Roy Hodgson is not Harry Redknapp. With his ‘cheeky chappie’ persona and penchant for attacking football, Redknapp was the clear fans’ favourite for the job. He did little to distance himself from the speculation, although interestingly, his Spurs team’s dramatic decline in form since that speculation started may well have played a crucial role in the FA’s decision to look elsewhere. Redknapp is also not exactly famous for his tactical nous either, something that won’t have escaped the FA’s attention. Whatever the reason not to appoint Harry Redknapp, I hardly think its fair for Roy Hodgson to take the blame.

I for one am pleased with the appointment. Hodgson is a man that has managed two of the biggest clubs in the world - Liverpool and Internazionale - and has also been in charge of three other national teams. He has coached in an international tournament environment, as well as taking clubs to European competition finals. For me, he certainly has the credentials you would expect of an England manager.

He has also proved during his recent spells in charge of both Fulham and West Brom, that he can get the very best out of fairly average playing squads. This sounds like exactly the type of man we need in charge of the current England team. 

Hodgson deserves both a chance and support from the fans and the media. Will he get it? Almost certainly not. As a nation, we seem to want to make it difficult for ourselves. Certainly in international footballing terms, we set ridiculous expectations for the team and its manager, and then will them both to fail. Despite the incredibly challenging circumstances Hodgson will be working under, I see no reason why this year will be any different. 

I do hope that for once, things will be different though. I hope people get behind the team and remember that the squad is in transition, and the manager will have little over a month to prepare them. I hope people appreciate the skills, knowledge and yes, politeness that Hodgson will bring to the role, and give him the support he needs. 

Getting out of the groups this year will be a great achievement in my eyes, but finally getting over our propensity for heading into tournaments with ridiculous expectations could be even more important.

FA can't delay Euro 2012 appointment any longer

Some numbers for you: 1.4m fans expected to attend Euro 2012; 53 days until the tournament starts; 31 games to be played; and 16 nations competing. All but one of those teams has their coach in place, who will be busily scouring the last remaining games of the domestic season to put the finishing touches to their final 23 man squad. The exception is of course England.

England's Euro 2012 manager?

Whilst Fabio Capello’s departure from the England manager’s hot-seat was not exactly surprising, its timing was far from ideal. With less than six months until Euro 2012 was set to begin, the FA needed to act quickly to give the new manager enough time to make preparations for the tournament. They didn’t, and here we are now, more than two months further down the line and still England do not have a manager.

Am I the only person that’s slightly worried by this? Surely it’s a cause for concern that the person who is supposed to be spending every waking hour considering his nation’s Euro 2012 squad doesn’t even know he has the job yet? Most of the other coaches wouldn’t dream of tinkering with their team’s playing style or system this close to the tournament. It’s likely that England’s coach will have to develop both a style and system completely from scratch, and will have just two friendlies to perfect them - away to Norway and home to Belgium.

The FA seem less worried I am. In response to calls to step up the pace of the appointment process, Alex Horne, General Secretary at the FA said: ‘We know exactly what we're doing between now and our first game against France [at Euro 2012], and we just need to slot a manager in.’ Thanks Alex, that’s reassuring. We’ll just ‘slot someone in’ the day before the squad sets off for Poland I suppose; hand them a few print-outs of the squad; give them a big jacket and tell them to make sure they don’t take the team beyond the Quarter Final under any circumstances.

But although this might seem like yet another FA shambles ahead of a major international tournament, I have a feeling they know exactly what they are doing this time. For I think they have already decided who will lead England out in their first game against France, and they have every reason to be confident that man knows how to handle the environment of an England squad and the pressure of tournament football. That man is Stuart Pearce.

Pearce of course took over the England reins on a temporary basis against Holland last month. For large parts of the game, Holland outclassed an inexperienced England team, but given that Dutch team contained the likes of Sneijder, Van Persie and Robben, that is by no means a cause for embarrassment. What people should remember is that the team also showed great spirit to battle back from 2-0 down to draw level, before Arjen Robben won the game for the Dutch with a great last minute strike.

But whilst many saw that game against the Dutch as an audition for Pearce, he should not be judged by that performance alone. He, more than any of the other candidates, knows the current crop of England players and how they gel together as a unit. He knows how they react to being kept together for weeks at a time (for any of you that have forgotten South Africa 2010, the answer is ‘badly’). He knows how to deal with the media, the suits at the FA and after an illustrious career as captain for both club and country, huge and often unrealistic expectations.

Is Pearce the perfect choice as England manager? Probably not. His record at Manchester City was average at best, and he has at times struggled to get the best out of England’s youngsters as the Under 21 boss. But at this stage of the season, with the tournament just round the corner, the FA need a safe pair of hands they can trust. They need someone that knows what they expect and won’t be caught staring at the headlights in shock as the fever of tournament football takes hold.

Do you honestly think Harry Redknapp is that man? Or Alan Pardew? Both have done fantastic jobs this season and could well be in the running for the England manager’s job full-time post-Euro 2012, but asking them to pick a team to play France in a European Championship in what would be only their third game as England manager would be asking too much.

Pearce may not be perfect, but when is the England manager ever? His experience in and around the England set up puts him at a distinct advantage over all of the other candidates, and I fully expect him to be announced as the interim coach of England for Euro 2012 before the Premier League season is out. He will then have at least three matches - two of which will be without Wayne Rooney - to prove he is the man to take on the role full-time.

The impossible job? We shall see.

No way back for Big Sam

After today's bizarre game in which West Ham looked both sublime and ridiculous in equal measures, it's likely that Sam Allardyce will need both the rhinoceros and elephant skins he claims to have in order to survive the expected backlash from the home fans.

Time up for Big Sam?

Whilst I have been one of Big Sam's fiercest critics, today's game was more the culmination of a dispiriting run of poor home form than the lowest point of the Hammers' season, but it will still be viewed by many as the straw that broke the camel's back. For many, there will be no way back for Allardyce after today's result.

Some people will think that harsh on a manager that has rebuilt a whole team and took them to within touching distance of an automatic promotion place, with six games still to play. And looking at today's game, Allardyce will I'm sure point to West Ham's first half dominance as proof that the team is perfectly capable of playing to the level required for promotion.

However, the truth is West Ham and Sam Allardyce just isn't going to work. It's a marriage made in hell, and many fans won't be happy until it ends in divorce. They had their doubts from the start, and Big Sam has done little to appease them since he first joined the club in the Summer.

His outburst against the fans this week was certainly ill-advised and many of the fans I spoke to today were still seething about it. Personally, I thought it was insulting and helped only to drive a bigger wedge between the fans and Allardyce than already existed. What other manager can you recall calling his own fans 'deluded' or saying they have been talking 'a load of rubbish'? 

Allardyce has complained about the lack of atmosphere in the ground this season, and I must admit that he has a point. But today the fans were in fine voice from the start and from what I heard from my seat, wholly positive. Even when the team went in 2-1 down at half-time, the crowd acknowledged that the team had at least given their all and importantly, tried to play some decent football. It was an improvement from recent performances at least.

But such is the nature of the modern football fan, most people on the District Line after the game were in agreement that Big Sam's time was up. And whilst today alone is not the reason for today's judgement, the combination of Allardyce's ugly football, brash manner and expected failure to get West Ham into the automatic promotion places, means that it is the right one.

Muamba collapse reminds us of respect agenda

Looking back over the weekend's football, one story is quite rightly occupying the thoughts of fans across the country: the collapse of Fabrice Muamba during Bolton's FA Cup quarter final against Tottenham.

Fabrice Muamba

As I write this, there are reports that Muamba is speaking and recognising relatives, and one only hopes that he continues to make progress and heads towards a full recovery. The best wishes of football fans across the country and beyond, regardless of where their support lies, go to Muamba and his family.

The events of Saturday were quite clearly distressing for all those in the stadium at the time, with players and officials visibly effected. Reports suggest that Spurs fans showed genuine concern and respect in equal measures, and deserve credit for doing so. It is of course the least that should have been expected of them, but the attitude of English football fans in recent years means that we have come to be grateful for signs of respect, not expectant of them.

Perhaps I am tarnishing the many with the brush of the few, but from my seat at Upton Park I have suspected for the last few seasons that that the atmosphere at our grounds has changed. There is an added vitriol to support from the stands, which often spills over into outright abuse. This kind of venom is more often than not delivered by individual supporters rather than whole stands in unison, but it certainly feels like a degree of respect has been eroded from our game.

For example, fans over the age of 21 will no doubt remember the home team's supporters behind the goal clapping the opposition's goalkeeper as he took his place between the sticks for the first time. It was a small gesture and was probably followed by at least 45 minutes of heckling, but it at least demonstrated a modicum of respect; an acceptance that the guy has an impossible task, and is highly unlikely to grab the morning headlines. I genuinely can't remember the last time I saw that happen, either at West Ham or any other ground I have been to in the last few years. Can you?

Another example is the dying practice of appreciating good play. I may be looking at this issue with rose tinted spectacles, as I know I am prone to do, but there was a time when it was perfectly acceptable to acknowledge a wonder strike from an opposition player. Look back at footage from as little as 10-15 years ago, and you are likely to see the odd home fan clapping a Le Tissier belter or a Bergkamp curler (ok, maybe not at White Hart Lane for that one). Have you clapped a goal of outstanding quality despite it being from the opposition recently? Do you think doing that would be respectful to the skill you have witnessed, or disrespectful to your own team?

I also recall Max Gradel, then of Leeds and now of St Ettiene, tearing West Ham apart at Upton Park earlier this season. It's one of the best performances by a winger I have seen at West Ham for many a year, and it was nigh on impossible to not admire it. West Ham resorted to kicking him to stop him, and the fans screamed abuse at him for having the temerity to go down after one particularly nasty two-footed lunge. When he was substituted towards the end, my friend and I very briefly clapped to show appreciation of the performance. A couple of older supporters around us did the same, but we were very much in the minority, with the rest of the crowd around us choosing to scream some of the worst abuse I've heard in years at him instead.

I know some of you will read this and think that I have lost my mind; that the passion in our grounds creates the unique atmosphere that makes English football attractive to so many across the world. And I agree with that. I don't want to make our grounds into libraries, or even to develop tennis-style atmospheres where there is complete silence followed by polite applause. Nor do I expect cross-city enemies to sing positive songs about their rivals' star striker. We are passionate about our game and have every right to cheer on our team as loudly as we like, and so long as it is appropriate, make life as difficult as possible for the opposition.

My concern is that I don't think showing passion for your team and making life difficult for the opposition, cannot be achieved without also showing a bit of respect at times. This weekend's events are a stark reminder that whether we like it or not, as supporters, we have a great deal in common. Fabrice Muamba could just as easily been one of your team's players; would the circumstances have been any more tragic if he were? Quite simply; no, they would not. 

We all invest so much time, money and energy in the game because we love it so much. One would hope that would extend to showing a little more respect for the good in our game than we currently have.

Sullivan soundbites show lack of class

Many West Ham fans will be familiar with the work of Iain Dale, the political commentator and committed West Ham fan. Whilst I may not agree with his politics, I must commend Dale on a fine interview with West Ham's co-chairman, David Sullivan - the latest installment of which is available here.

In the interview, Sullivan admits to making mistakes during his time at the club. For example, he accepts that he and David Gold are just as culpable for the Hammers' abysmal performances under Avram Grant, as it was they that appointed him. Sullivan also acknowledges that the deal that allowed Demba Ba to walk away from the club for free in the summer was "one of the biggest mistakes of my life". 

There is also music to the ears of Olympic stadium sceptics, with Sullivan seemingly beginning to harbour some of the anxiety that Hammers fans have ever since it was announced by the Government that the stadium will only be available to lease, not own. For the first time, he seems to acknowledge that moving away from Upton Park is not necessarily a necessity, although the club will of course still be amongst the bidders to be the stadium's tenants when the deadline for submissions closes on 23 March.

Throughout the interview, Sullivan is extremely frank about the financial side of the club too. Whether it's talking about the £32m he has personally invested, or the £7m that the Benni McCarthy deal cost the club in total, Sullivan clearly sees no reason to keep the fans in the dark about the club's finances whilst also making a clear point that he has made huge sacrifices himself to keep the club afloat when it could just as easily have been opening its doors to the administrators and waving goodbye to 10 points. Who knows; the consequences of financial mismanagement under previous owners could even have been more dire than we care to imagine?

Whilst his openness is to be admired and certainly makes for a fascinating read, I can't help feeling it lets the club and himself down at times. For example, was it really necessary to have a dig at Scott Parker; the club's player of the year for three out of the four seasons he played there and at times, the man who seemed to be playing the opposition on his own? I think not. It comes across as crass and bitter, and for me, totally unnecessary.

This is the problem with Sullivan though: he seems to speak without a second's thought for what the consequences may be; he is a press officer's nightmare.  There are things in this interview that would be best left unsaid, such as the laughable bids for Carlos Tevez and Fernando Torres, or Sullivan's apparent xenophobia. I can't help feeling this does little for the club's image and in short, it smacks of a lack of class.

Sullivan has taken more of a back seat this season and I can't help feeling this is at the request of Sam Allardyce, who doesn't strike me as a manager that will stand again for interfering chairmen, or indeed anyone taking the media spotlight away from him. It's meant that West Ham have been in the papers for football reasons, rather than the soundbites that were once regularly released by the club's co-chairman. At a time when the club is on the cusp of an instant return to the Premier League, we could do with once again focusing attention on the pitch.

To read the Iain Dale interview with David Sullivan, please click here.

Fashanu farce misses golden opportunity

Whilst I’m sure most of you will be glued to Sky Sports News as I write this, desperately hoping for Jim White to appear on screen outside your club’s stadium and reveal an exciting new signing, I want to move away from deadline day drama and take a look at last night’s BBC3 documentary Britain’s Gay Footballers.

Justin Fashanu, Amal's uncle

Presented by John Fashanu’s daughter Amal, the programme aimed to shine a light on why there are no openly gay footballers in Britain. It featured interviews with professional footballers past and present, famous comedians and football supporters. Amal also managed to score an interview with Anton Hysen, Europe’s only openly gay professional footballer. 

So what did we learn from it? Well apart from how not to construct a sensible documentary, not a lot. In short, the show was a shambles. Whilst the Twitterati and sections of the mainstream media queued up to be seen as supporting a show with such honourable intentions, its execution was appalling. 

Fashanu seemed to have conducted little research on issue, outside of the admittedly sizeable experiences of her own family - Amal's uncle Justin came out as gay before committing suicide in 1998. The questions and the subjects they were put to were lazily sourced, such as the decision to head to Brighton to interview their supporters on homophobic chanting. And her complete failure to comprehend cultural differences between 30 years ago and the present day gave the show an unseemly culturally superior sneer.

I feel so strongly because homophobia in football is an issue that warrants sensible debate. The crux of Fashanu’s show - that surely there must be at least on homosexual footballer amongst 4,000 professionals in the country - is one worth exploring. But it was done in such a sensationalist, arrogant way that it offered nothing of value to the debate.

The way Fashanu approached the issue was to try and track down a gay footballer and reveal them to the nation on TV. Or as some people call this, start a witch hunt. She visited Millwall to ask if any of the players were gay, interviewed Max Clifford - you know, the renowned football expert - and anyone else willing to tolerate the inane question: do you know a gay footballer? Such was Fashanu’s determination, one could expect her to punch the air in delight if she managed to convince a League Two reserve team player to confess to having a Kylie Minogue album, following three days of water boarding.

It wasn’t a very subtle approach to the issue and brought the debate down to its most simplistic terms. It’s almost as if the conclusion was written before the analysis; that football is too hostile a game for any footballer to ever come out, and the governing bodies and clubs are just as culpable as the fans. Society has moved on, but football hasn’t.

I personally think this is an unfair judgement. Whilst I accept that the game has a macho persona and is intrinsically linked to male subcultures such as casuals, I don’t think it’s accurate to suggest that there is huge swell of homosexual football supporters and players that feel they have been locked out of the game by machismo and prejudice.

Without straying into “some of my best friends are black” territory, of all the gay people I know, not a single one has any interest in football. They may humour me by asking the odd question about West Ham, but it’s out of politeness rather than a genuine interest. They certainly don’t harbour any unfulfilled ambitions to play the game, nor rage against the cruel way in which they are effectively barred from English stadia. For want of a more eloquent phrase, they simply don’t give a shit about football.

I feel the programme was a classic case of applying general societal attitudes to the population with the broadest of brushes. For example, Fashanu was at pains to point out that one in 10 people is gay in the UK, so by law of averages, there must be at least one gay player in each team. Woefully, she seemed to mistake this logic for fact and used it as the basis for her witch hunt. 

But I feel she would have better explained the lack of homosexuals in football by gauging the attitude of the gay community. How did they feel about watching football? About hearing certain songs at games? About their desire to be more involved? All questions that may have gone some way to answering the question of why there are no openly gay players in the game, as opposed to Fashanu’s sixth form media studies approach to documentary making.

In my own view, there aren’t any openly gay footballers in this country because there are so few, if any, playing the game professionally. I say this not from a prejudicial perspective, but from the perspective that by and large gay men aren’t attracted to the game of football, whether at a young age or as adults. If people find this view offensive, I fear they have missed the point completely. It's not that I don't believe a footballer could be gay, of course they could; I just don't think that many gay people would be sufficiently interested in the game to carve out a career in it. 

At the moment, the debate is far too narrow. It is concentrated on revealing who the footballers that are keeping their sexuality secret are, not whether the game is as inclusive as it could be. There is much the game could do to make stadia and clubs more welcoming in general. This means catering better for women, children, ethnic minorities and yes, gay people. That doesn’t mean changing the whole culture of football - another thing Fashanu seemed to want to happen - it just means removing any barriers that could dissuade a section of society attending football. 

Unfortunately, Fashanu and many others completely miss this point and in doing so, miss an opportunity to explore how football can become a more inclusive game.

Big worries over Big Sam

Firstly, a belated happy new year to one and all. With more allegations of racism within our stadia, a pulsating Manchester derby and a managerial casualty already under our belts, 2012 has started with a bang. Oh and, West Ham have been knocked out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle. Predictably.

Hammers enjoying a steady start

Given the Hammers’ push for promotion, a potentially distracting cup run is probably not what the club needs right now. Last season, with the club almost permanently in the bottom three, West Ham went all the way to extra time in the semi-final of the League Cup, only to lose the tie and eventually their Premier League status too. So whilst us nostalgics will never cheer an FA Cup exit, I doubt very much Big Sam will be shedding a tear.

But what of Big Sam? Having completed just over half the season, he has led West Ham to second place, level with league leaders Southampton and busily searching for the reinforcements that could secure one of those coveted automatic promotion places come May. Considering we are yet to really get out of third gear, surely the first half of Big Sam’s inaugural season as West Ham season must be viewed as a success?

Well yes and no. No-one can deny that Allardyce has made West Ham a tougher and stronger proposition than any of the club’s fans can ever remember them being. Opposition managers now talk about how difficult West Ham make it for teams to play, or of how when playing the Hammers, you know you’re going to be in for a battle. As a club historically known almost as much for its soft centre as its links to an old ironworks, this kind of talk has baffled supporters throughout the season.

Big Sam has also managed to remedy the club’s woeful away form. From a team that struggled to win as much as a throw-in away from home last season, West Ham - along with Middlesbrough - have now so far won the most away fixtures in the Championship - seven. For the first time in many a year, Hammers travelling up and down the country to follow their team are having something to cheer on a Saturday afternoon.

And who can argue with the club’s standing in the Championship? At just over halfway, West Ham are perfectly poised: already in one of the two automatic promotion places and looking to kick on and secure their return to the Premier League at the first time of asking. The brief was promotion and at this stage, Big Sam looks set to deliver for his employers.

But all has not been rosy in Big Sam’s big West Ham garden. As I wrote here at the start of the season, I was more worried about the impact of Allardyce’s success than his failure. I was concerned his muscular style would rip out the fabric of the club; making West Ham the type of team that the opposition found it difficult to play against, or had to beat in a battle before they could even think about winning the game. True to form, that is exactly what Allardyce has done.

Many West Ham fans are pleased with this transformation. They were sick of watching their team get rolled over home and away and welcome Big Sam’s ruthless approach. We’re now difficult to beat, we’re big and strong and no-one relishes playing the Hammers, when in previous years they would have sensed blood and eyed an easy three points.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not going to complain about being difficult to beat, and I am certainly not going to complain about being second in the league. But having watched half a season of some of the worst football I have ever seen from a West Ham side, I still have concerns about the direction Allardyce is taking the club.

Supporters of other clubs will think this ridiculous I’m sure. They will argue that the only direction that matters when in the Championship is upwards, and ensuring promotion. Style, they will probably say, comes a very poor second to substance.

But those supporters of other clubs have probably not had to watch the kind of football we have at Upton Park this season. Lacking in width, creativity and often a pass less than 40 yards in length and height, it has certainly not been pretty. It’s the kind of football we might have expected from an Allardyce team, but that doesn’t make it any easier to watch, or should I say endure.

My concern is that if successful and promotion is achieved, Allardyce will be heralded a hero. His football ideology will be considered a blueprint for success and the Hammers will almost certainly approach the task of surviving in the Premier League using the same brash style of football that got them into it. 

And what then of the club? A club that still has ambitions of swapping its tightly packed and intimidating home to renting the bowl-shaped Olympic Stadium. A club that has prided itself not on winning at all costs, but on the way it entertains its public.

I realise to many this will all seem laughably romantic at best, and pathetically naïve at worst. But as football supporters, we are in it for the long haul. We have seen good and bad times, and will see them again. And as Hammers fans, it’s likely that we’ll see more bad than good. So forgive me if hanging desperately on to the club’s traditions seems twee, but with failure only ever round the corner with West Ham, its our traditions that make us the club we are and the reason we keep going back.

I’m still firmly behind the team of course and am looking forward to what promises to be an exciting end to the season. Hopefully it ends with the Hammers crowned champions having adopted a Barcelona-like passing game, following Sam Allardyce’s chance meeting with Pep Guardiola in an East End pub one lonely Tuesday night. And like my dreams they fade and die….