A Sad Day For Football

The agent of Swansea striker Besian Idrizaj has unfortunately told the media of the players death due to a heart attack on May 15th in his family home in Linz, Austria. Although not a regular in the Swansea side, it is so unfortunate to see a player (or indeed anyone) die at such a young age, and the death of the 22 year old gives a sad end to a great season in the Championship. In England Idrizaj represented Liverpool, Luton, Crystal Palace, Blackburn and of course Swansea City, which has been rocked by this sudden death. Although only making three appearances for the Swans in his first season, manager Paulo Sosa was a fan of the youngster and was thought to be impressed with the attacking option he could bring to a team.

An actual diagnosis of the death will become clearer with time, but our thoughts go out to the family and everyone involved with Besian tonight. Hopefully there will be a minutes silence before the upcoming Championship play-off final as a mark of respect to the player. This is a very sad day not only for the Championship, but football in general.

R.I.P.

Wembley Will Be Waiting For Two Lucky Clubs

Firstly, congratulations to Roberto Di Matteo and his West Brom side who clinched the second automatic promotion berth and will be once again in the top flight next season. The sound coming from West Brom fans is that they’re desperate for their team to spend money and cement their place in the Premiership, as in previous seasons West Brom have been considered as the team ‘too good for the Championship – not good enough for the Premiership’. Albeit, many would of argued in the previous season when they did go down, they ill-deserved their fate as many met their style of football and mentallity favourably. Early rumours coming out of the club suggested that the Albion would be looking to invest heavily this summer but this may no longer be the case, as instead the chairman, Jeremy Peace, is hoping for sensible purchases. Next season will be an interesting one for the Baggies and they have added to the recent success of other clubs in the area such as Villa, Birmingham and Wolves.

Now that the two automatic places have been decided, that leaves only four more promotion places and in truth only one of those spots will see a team thrust into the top tier as the Championship playoffs draw ever closer. Nottingham Forest are guaranteed a place in the final four and look odds on to finish top and play the team who finishes fourth in the play off section. Forest’s amazing home form and mid-season unbeaten run made them hopeful of obtaining automatic promotion, but I’m sure no fan would have complained at the start of the season if they knew their side would be finishing in 3rd!

Cardiff city also look odds on to play in this season’s play-off semi finals and surprise package Leicester, who are looking for back-to-back promotions, are also in a strong position. The final play-off spot looks less certain however and although Swansea have a slim advantage and sit on the right side of the line, Blackpool and Middlesbrough are snapping at their heels. Outside of that, there is Bristol City and Sheffield United, but with only three games to go their challenge appears to be over. So in my opinion, there is one more play-off place that can really be contested.

Swansea have an all Yorkshire run in for the remainder of the season:

Swansea V Barnsley

Sheffield United V Swansea

Swansea V Doncaster Rovers

These are all tricky ties and although all three of these teams have little competitive to play for, they will be keen to put in the performances towards the end of the season as the opening of the transfer market draws closer. Swansea have been picking off 1-0′s and a lot of draws this season, but with teams motivated behind them they’ll need to give it their all if they want to make it to the play-offs.

Blackpool have two tough games coming up too, but luckily for them they are both at home:

Blackpool V Nottingham Forest

Peterborough United V Blackpool

Blackpool V Bristol City

Forest and Bristol City are two tough oppositions and Bristol City, who sit behind this pack of three, will still be keen to test out whether or not they can reach the play-offs and if by chance they do make it to the run in, that final game of the season could be massive.

Finally, Middlesbrough will need to dig deep and they could most definitely do with winning every single one of these games despite how tall an order it may be:

West Brom V Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough V Coventry City

Leicester City V Middlesbrough

That final game, against Leicester, is such a tricky game and one that few teams would look forward to due to the Fox’s dominance at home games. As well as this, Leicester are not too far away from the chasing pack and could be sucked back into a battle, meaning this could also be an interesting final day tie with everything to play for. It is also hard to say whether a newly promoted West Brom will be a good thing or a bad thing, as players may be in a more relaxed mood but the pressure is off them and they can play with more freedom. ‘Boro need to go for that game and make it competitive as possible, as that is the last thing the Albion will want.

In my opinion these final few games are tricky for every side and it’s going to come down to which team wants it more. If I had to chose one run in, I’d probably go for Swansea’s, with all due respect to those teams, it’s a more balanced fixture list and you would be hoping to challenge for points there, whereas Blackpool play Nottingham Forest and ‘Boro have two daunting away tasks. But like I said, they’re all difficult fixtures and it’s hard to say which team can gain an edge from the games they have. Swansea are looking good to take that final place, but in the Championship you cannot rule anything out.

There were some tremendous games at all levels of British football on Sunday. Cardiff and Swansea battled out a thrilling 2-2 draw. Luton gave the Football League a poke in the eye by winning a wonderful Johnstone Paint Trophy Final 3-2 against Scunthorpe. And finally we had the gasp-inducing 3-2 stormer at Old Trafford.

It was just a shame that fan behaviour cast such a pall over the whole day.

Like many fans I was disgusted with the throwing of the coin that injured referee Mike Dean in the Welsh derby, but I’ve been just as concerned by the reaction of key figures from both clubs.

Peter Ridsdale, Cardiff Chairman, said:

“We’ve now identified an individual who threw a coin, we believe it’s the individual whose coin hit the referee… assuming it’s the right individual he will be banned for life.”

Well, that’s good to know. But it wasn’t ‘an individual’ it was many individuals. The few seconds of footage surrounding the moment Mike Dean was hit clearly shows several items landing near the referee, while Swansea captain Garry Monk has claimed objects were being thrown throughout the match. Cardiff fans have commednably been more open than Ridsdale, speaking of witnessing a number of individuals throwing objects onto the pitch ranging from coins to lighters.

Does Ridsdale think that getting rid of this one person somehow solves the problem? Moreover, was this individual more guilty for hitting the referee than anyone else who tried but missed?

Cardiff manager Dave Jones said:

“I hope the club don’t suffer serious repurcussions as it was only one person and there were 20,000 people here… It’s ridiculous as I thought those days were long gone.”

Only one person, Dave? Really? And you thought those days were long gone? Good job the police didn’t share your view or they might not have sent those 450 officers to Ninian Park to try and minimise trouble between the fans.

What weasel words by both of these people. I would expect more of Jones in particular, but perhaps he is just trying to protect the club. If that is the case then he has been shown up by the Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust who condemned the ‘mindless idiots’ (notice the plural) and for those Cardiff fans who stood up and pointed out the offenders at the time. If only club officials were so forthright.

It is unfair that the whole club should be tainted by this, but football must not continually attempt to hide the truth. Whenever there is violence at a game we are fed the same line about how “these people are not football fans” – well, who are they then? There can be no doubt things have moved forward over the last 20 years, but problems still exist. Every club still has their trouble-makers.

In the midst of all this you might expect Swansea to act with quiet dignity, but manager Roberto Martinez, a good, honest, likable man, a successful coach and a very decent TV pundit, has waded in with some ill-advised comments of his own:

“You don’t want to see coin throwing incidents like that but looking at the overall performance of the referee maybe he was affected by it… you work all week not to get emotional performances from your players and you drop two points because of an emotional decision by a referee.”

In one sense, Martinez is right – Cardiff’s late penalty for the equaliser was probably the wrong decision – but to show such callous disregard of the referee’s health beggars belief. He had been hit in the end, no more than a few centimetres from his eye, yet made little fuss and carried on refereeing the game – on the whole very well. It seems incredible that rather than blaming the fan for his actions he suggests that the referee failed to deal with the situation adequately. I wonder what Martinez’s reaction might have been had his goalkeeper received a blow to the head. Would he have publicly blamed him for dropping a cross and for becoming too emotional?

The fallout from this will undoubtedly continue for some time, but what sort of punishment should be meted out by the Football Association? Ridsdale has a point in that it seems unfair to punish Dave Jones’ team for the actions of some of the fans. Cardiff have improved the image of the club in recent years and so a fine or a points deduction seems ill-fitting.

Perhaps the FA must leave it to the club to identify as many of these coin-throwers as possible and have them thrown out of all football grounds for good, but while Ridsdale continues to suggest it was only one person, this is not a problem that will disappear any time soon. In the meantime, football officials need to start being a little more honest when it comes to assessing the behaviour of some fans.

The 5^th round of the FA Cup gets underway this Saturday and Sunday and the question is will there be any upsets or will it be business as usual?

Watford v Chelsea – Vicarage Road

Just last week I would have said there was no chance of Watford pulling an upset but I’m not sure. With Chelsea playing poor football and Scolari being sacked just 4 days before the match how will Chelsea react? Will they come out and have a hangover or will they take any anger over their managers dismissal out on Watford? The talent gulf is clear between the two clubs but that doesn’t always guarantee a victory. Watford does have the home pitch advantage which will help boost them. However, I still think Chelsea will squeak by Watford 2-1 but it won’t be pretty.

Derby County v Manchester United Episode III  “Revenge of the Rams?”- Pride Park

This will be the third time Derby and United have faced off this year, with Derby taking the first leg of the Carling Cup 1-0 and United taking the tie and second leg 4-2. I give Derby a 15% chance of springing the upset on United. Derby are playing good football right now, Rob Hulse and Kris Commons are on hot streaks and Commons has showed he not intimidated by United. Pride Park will be a sell out and the Rams fans will be loud and in full support of Derby. However United are full of talent and if they play like they can, Derby wont stand a chance. I think Derby will do well but I expect United to take this 3-2.

Swansea City v Fulham – Liberty Stadium

This is a battle of two teams who are performing above expectations in their respective leagues. Swansea City is showing it can handle life in the Championship with no problems while Fulham are having a good year after barely escaping relegation last season. Swansea isn’t afraid of any team and they will be playing at home which will help Fulham dispatched non-league Kettering Town while Swansea struggled to beat non-league Histon. I think Fulham will take this tie but it depends on which Swansea team shows up that will determine the score, my guess 3-1 Fulham.

Blackburn Rovers v Coventry City – Ewood Park

I sense an upset here, Blackburn are not playing well at all while Chris Coleman has Coventry doing well in the Championship. Blackburn struggled to get past fellow BPL team Sunderland while Coventry likewise had issues with BSP Torquay. I think out of all the ties this one has the best chance for an upset. Coleman has Coventry believing they can win and Blackburn are having a bad season. My guess 2-1 Coventry.

Sheffield United v Hull City – Bramell Lane

The surprise package of the BPL travels to a solid Sheffield United squad. While United are playing well and on track for the CCC playoffs, Hull are having a magical season in the BPL. They are not afraid of anyone which has contributed to their success. Hull takes this 1-0 in typical Hull fashion.

Arsenal v Cardiff City 4^th Round replay – Emirates Stadium

Cardiff did well to hold Arsenal in the first match but I think Arsenal will show their class in the replay of the tie. The talented youngsters Wenger has at his disposal is frightening. Arsenal to advance 4-2.

Sadly I see this weekend as a continuation of business as usual for the FA Cup. Other then Coventry springing an upset on Blackburn I think it will be a clean sweep for the BPL Clubs. I hope and would love to be proven wrong and of course Lets Go Ewe Rams!!

Another weekend gone and if you are a Swansea fan another great result which sees you to continue to inch up the Championship towards a play-offs spot. The win for the side from Wales moves them to within two points of a play-0ff spot as we get into the business end of the season. However it was not so long ago that Swansea were close to going out of the football league and going out of business full stop. So can the club once sold for a £1 better Hull City by going from League Two relegation candidates in 2003 to a Premier League side six years later.

If you had been a Swansea fan you won’t have had too much to cheer about since the Swans glory days back in the early 1980′s when the side beat the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal and even played in the Uefa Cup Winners Cup. However since then it has been a slippery slide down the football league, culminating in the 2002-03 season when survival as a football league side was not guaranteed until the final day of the season. Ironically it was a 4-2 victory over Hull on the last day at Vetch Field which kept the side in the division and saved the club as a whole.

Since then though the only way has been up for the Swans and now as one of the form sides in the Championship are they about to return to the top flight of English? Well they certainly have one of the best young managers in British football, perhaps even in Europe, at the helm with Roberto Martinez currently in charge. Martinez took over in 2007 and in his first full season in charge managed to get his side promoted as champions from League One.

Swansea have gone from strength to strength since then and have flown up the Championship table to join rivals Cardiff in the football betting as both sides  hunt for promotion. Martinez has assembled a useful little side since arriving with Jason Scotland one of the stand out performers with his goals whilst on loan Jordi Gomez has become a firm favourite with the fans this season along with the likes of Leon Britton, Darren Pratley and Mark Gower.

The Welsh club have lost just one game at the Liberty Stadium all season and are beginning to hit a good run of form at about the right time, which has been coupled with a good run in the FA Cup. Swansea will receive a good test on Saturday when they face Fulham at home in the FA Cup and it could go along way to measuring whether they could cut it in the Premier League.

It was certainly an impressive showing when they beat the cup holders Portsmouth in the last round and they would certainly love to repeat Cardiff’s achievement last year, perhaps going one better, by reaching Wembley. However I imagine that they would rather be there in the play-off final later on in May.

Swansea’s football odds have been slashed greatly since they embarked on their recent run of good form and their would certainly be a few eyebrows raised if Martinez’s side were able to achieve promotion, especially given the short period of time since their near demise. Whilst it may not be as remarkable as Hull achieving promotion to the top flight for their first time in history it would be a fairy tale in itself to see Swansea back in the top flight.

The Carling Cup returns on Tuesday and four Championship sides are still in the mix for the Cup.Here are the fixtures for Round Four of the Carling Cup.

Derby County v Leeds United – Pride Park Stadium 2:45 pm est

Swansea City v Watford – Liberty Stadium 2:45 pm est

Manchester United v QPR – Old Trafford 3:00 pm est

November 12:

Chelsea v Burnley – Stamford Bridge 2:45 pm est

Round Five will be played the week of December 1st. When the draw is announced I’ll post who and where the remaining Championship Clubs will be playing.

It’s been almost ten years since the two teams that are one of the most hated rivalries in British soccer last played a league match against each other. On that cold Spring morning in 1999, the Welsh derby between Cardiff City against Swansea City ended in a drab nil-nil draw. Both teams, at the time, were in the bottom division of the Football League.

The two Welsh sides finally play against this each other this Tuesday (September 23, 2008) in the Carling Cup in a game televised live on Sky Sports (and on Setanta in the United States) at 2:30pm ET/7:30pm BST. It’ll definitely be a classic to watch if you’re a fan of the beautiful game.

While the nineties were mostly a dark time for Welsh club football, a lot has changed since then. That season, Cardiff were promoted to League One where they continued their slow ascent into the Championship League. Last season, Cardiff were finalists in the FA Cup Final and came within six points of qualifying for the playoffs.

Forty one miles west of Cardiff, the capital of Wales, Swansea’s fortunes haven’t been as pronounced but a recent resurgence under the leadership of Spaniard Roberto Martinez saw the club break their record of most points in one season (92) when they finished as champions of League One.

Now that Swansea has returned to the Championship League for the first time in 24 years, football fans have three opportunities this season to see why the Welsh derby is one of the most heated battles in the Football League.

Interestingly, the rivalry is more pronounced off the pitch than on it. On the pitch, the match often resembles a Merseyside derby played at a frenetic pace involving plenty of red cards and rough play, but few moments of brilliance or goals.

For me, when I was growing up in Wales until the age of 14, I would go to as many Swansea matches as possible. But in the late 70s and early 80s, the only two matches I would purposefully stay away from was when Swansea’s opponents were either Cardiff or Chelsea.

Off the pitch, the viciousness and hatred between the Cardiff and Swansea fans is the most venomous in all of England and Wales.

After ten years of no league matches against each other, the fear is that violence will rear its ugly head when both teams play each other this Tuesday and on November 30 and April 4. In the past decade, old grudges have had a chance to fester.

One recent incident that will be on the minds of Cardiff fans looking for retribution is the April 2006 Football League Trophy final. After Swansea beat Carlisle at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, two Swansea players unfurled a Welsh flag that contained anti-Cardiff insults written on it. To make matters worse, one of the Swansea players wore a T-shirt with an image of a Swansea player urinating on a Cardiff shirt.

Club officials and local police, looking to reduce the likelihood of mass violence, have scheduled the November 30 match between both sides for an eleven thirty kick off on a Sunday morning. A heavy police presence will be on display for the match will be televised live on Sky Sports as the Bluebirds of Cardiff battle the Swans. Expect a very heated atmosphere both inside and out of Swansea’s Liberty Stadium.

Newly promoted Swansea City couldn’t have picked a better time to ascend into the Championship.

The Welsh club was a penalty kick away from being promoted to the league in May 2006, but Barnsley walked away victors that day in Cardiff.

In hindsight, it was a blessing in disguise for Swansea. The South Wales club now features one of the best sides Swansea has ever seen, which is heavily influenced by La Liga thanks to Swansea’s Spanish manager Roberto Martinez, formerly a player with Real Zaragoza, Wigan and Swansea City.

The Spanish influence doesn’t stop there. The style of play that the team employs is a traditional Spanish variety with lots of passing ball on the floor rather than hoofing them up the field, as well as an attacking style of play that is better suited for the Premier League than the old fashioned Championship.

Swansea’s squad is far stronger today than it was in 2006. The team now features six Spanish players: Andrea Orlandi (midfielder formerly with Barcelona and Alaves), Jordi Gomez (midfielder formerly with Espanyol), Gorka Pintado (striker formerly with Spanish side Granada), Angel Rangel (defender formerly with Spanish side Terrassa), Guillem Bauza (striker formerly with Espanyol) and Albert Serran (defender formerly with Espanyol).

It’s no wonder then that Swansea chose to play several friendlies the past two weeks in Spain to prepare for the grueling Championship season. The tour included a 3-3 draw against the Barcelona B side, a 4-0 loss to Espanyol, a 1-0 win against Palamos and a 2-0 win against Peralada.

The Spanish influence at Swansea is just one element of their success thus far. The biggest question mark about the Swans is that of experience. Can a Spanish style of play overcome the lack of experience in the fourth biggest league in the world? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Swansea City

Founded: 1912

Nickname: Swans

Ground: Liberty Stadium (20,532)

Last Season: 1st in League One 92 Points- Automatic Promotion to the CCC

Welsh Cup Winners: 9 times

FAW Premier Cup: 2005, 2006

FAW Welsh Youth Cup: 1999, 2003, 2008

English Third Division/ League One Winners: 2007

English FA Trophy Winners: 1994, 2006

Welsh Football League Winners: 12 Times

Welsh League Cup Winners: 1931,1933

Sky Sports has announced its schedule of televised Championship matches for the first few months of the 2008/2009 season. Here’s the schedule:

• Sunday, August 10: Nottingham Forest v Reading
• Saturday, August 16: Bristol City v Derby County
• Saturday, August 30: Watford v Ipswich
• Saturday, October 4: Coventry City v Southampton
• Saturday, October 25: Reading v QPR
• Saturday, November 8: Southampton v Bristol City
• Saturday, November 22: Nottingham Forest v Norwich City
• Sunday, November 30: Swansea City v Cardiff City

Chances are quite good that these matches will also be shown on Setanta Sports for viewers in the United States.