Credit where it's Pardew, 'Toon' Boss could be the next England manager.

So if you believe the old hacks of Fleet Street then you would believe that current Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is a certainty to take over the reins from Fabio Capello after the Italian has led England through the Euro 2012 tournament in Poland and the Ukraine, but is there one name that everyone is missing that could yet take on the role of Three Lions manager?

At the age of 50 it feels as if the name of Alan Pardew has been in the footballing world for an age but could the current Newcastle boss force his way into the minds of the FA ahead of their big decision in July? Pardew has transformed the ‘Toon’ since being appointed manager on the 9^th December 2010. An alleged Sky Sports vote reported that just 5.5% of their poll taken by 40,000 Geordies offered Pardew their backing. Since then the ‘Toon’ boss has flourished and after their latest 1-0 win over QPR which moved Newcastle above Liverpool and into 6^th, Pardew challenged his side to push for a European place.

Of course there is one thing that could deter the FA from choosing Pardew, his former controversies. On pitch scuffs with Arsene Wenger, Resigning from Reading FC as manager after being refused permission to speak to West Ham and his comments of Michael Essien “absolutely raping Ched Evans” will be fresh in the minds of the FA. Of course those comments made about Essien refer to his physical presence, although the BBC was criticised for never offering an on screen apology. Weighed against Harry Redknapp’s court case this month for tax evasion maybe Pardew would be the safer choice.

So what makes Pardew a candidate for the England job? Firstly his managerial record can never be disregarded. From his 576 game managerial career, Pardew has won 250 of them with a win ratio of 46%. The 50 year old also led West Ham to the FA Cup final in 2006 which they would have won bar Steven Gerrard’s 30 yard drive in stoppage time.  Promotions with Reading and West Ham are also on the C.V yet this year’s achievements at Newcastle surely top the list. Should Newcastle qualify for Europe then I see no reason why Pardew should not be interviewed for the job.

For those that thought the only candidate was Redknapp then I suggest you open your eyes and minds to the possibility that the next England manager could be the current Newcastle manager rather than the current spurs one.

What do you think? Could Pardew become England manager? Who should be the next Three Lions boss? As always let me know. 

Is the King of Anfield about to be dethroned?

It’s just over a year since ‘King Kenny’ returned to Anfield with the belief that he would be the man to lead the Merseyside club to the League title or European football at the very least, forward to today and Liverpool’s 0-0 draw at home to Stoke left the ‘Reds’ five points behind fourth placed Chelsea and a massive 13 points behind league leaders Man City who have played a game less.

The one thing that will worry many Liverpool fans is that a win for Newcastle against QPR on Sunday would see the ‘Toon’ move above Liverpool into sixth placed and leave Dalglish’s men languishing in seventh, outside of any European spaces available.  There is no doubt that Liverpool do have a better squad than when Roy Hodgson departed, however, that can only increase the calls for Dalglish to fix Liverpool’s stuttering season or face the consequences.

With Luis Suarez banned for a further six games after being found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra and Andy Carroll struggling to score goals Liverpool are struggling for both goals and points with the club having only scored 24 league goals so far this term which could prove costly for Dalglish soon. The January transfer window could prove vital as to whether Dalglish will be in charge next time the window opens on 1^st June. Should Liverpool spend and rise to the heights of fourth and above then Dalglish will remain, should the club not make European football for the second year in succession the kings reign may come to a sour end.

Draws against Blackburn, Stoke, Norwich, Swansea, Wigan and Sunderland while defeats at Fulham and Tottenham have left the pressure on Dalglish but will the Scotsman get the boot? Like Sir Alex at Manchester United the Liverpool fans love their boss, however, with results continually disappointing for Liverpool I seriously think his honeymoon period has come to an end and patience is beginning to wear thin throughout Merseyside.

However hard it is to imagine I don’t think we should be too surprised if in the coming months we see ‘King Kenny’ removed from his position.

What do you think? Would Liverpool sack Kenny Dalglish? How can he turn Liverpool’s season around or do you think he is doing a good job? As always let me know.

Non-league hotshot could steal the January headlines

With the transfer window in full swing, this week saw the return of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry to the Emirates Stadium from the U.S while Robbie Keane also joined Villa on a similar deal from LA Galaxy; however, there is one Non-League striker on the South coast that could yet steal the headlines of this transfer window.

Margate FC striker Kwesi Appiah has found the net 33 times already this season and a move away from the Kent club is highly expected before the window slams shut on the 31^st January but where will the hotshot go to and how much can Margate expect for such a player? In truth Appiah could be a Premier League player by the 1^st of February 2012, however, many people think his likely destination could be the Championship.

The latest clubs to be linked to the striker include Premier League sides Aston Villa, QPR and Swansea while a whole host of Championship clubs ranging from Watford, Bristol City and Leeds are all expected to keep a close eye on Appiah. With no game this week for the 33 goal hero to showcase his talents even more so, Margate will hope to earn some breathing space this week meaning that Appiah could feature against Lewes on the 21^st of January and three days later when Margate entertain League One side Charlton Athletic in the Kent Senior Cup Quarter-Final clash at Hartsdown Park.

Fans of Margate will be hoping that their main man will stay beyond this transfer window and help fire the ‘Gate’ into the Play-off places and beyond into the Blue Square Bet Conference South. Despite them hopes there would be no fan at MFC that would begrudge Appiah the chance to resurrect his League career after his last chance at Championship side Peterborough was ended when he was released before returning to the Non-league stage.

So finally what can Margate earn from the possible sale of the star man? Realistically the answer is a lot. Margate would be well within their rights to demand an upwards fee of £50,000 (perhaps higher) as well as a sell on clause of up to 10% while also earning a lucrative friendly against the side that Appiah could join.

All at Margate FC hope Appiah will lead the club to promotion ahead of what looks like to be an exciting new era for the club, however, I would like to offer my thanks to Kwesi for his contribution to the ‘Gate’ should he decide that his future lies elsewhere.

What do you think? Would Appiah suit your club? How much is a 33 goal machine worth in January? As always let me know. 

2011: January to June

Another year of excitement, tears, happiness and emotion has passed by. 2011 saw the comings and goings of several managers, the return of King Kenny to Anfield as well as a new record transfer fee for an English striker.

2011 started with a bang as Roy Hodgson lost his job at Anfield just a week into the New Year, meaning the return of Kenny Dalglish to Anfield, twenty years after he originally departed the hot seat. It wasn’t to be the only headlines breaking from Merseyside that month as Dalglish later spent a staggering £35 Million Pound on Newcastle front man Andy Carroll. Luis Suarez seemed steel at a cost of £20 Million; however, it was the departure of Fernando Torres to Chelsea for £50 Million raised eyebrows across Europe and England.

Chris Hughton was outrageously axed by Newcastle despite their inspiring start to the Premier League Season, Alan Pardew eventually replacing the axed boss.

February saw the first Cup Final of the season as Birmingham and Arsenal met at Wembley with the Gunners looking to lift the first of the four possibly trophies that they could win. Unfortunately for the Gunners, Birmingham had other ideas as on loan Striker Obafemi Martins struck late on to gift the Blues the Carling Cup.

March started just as badly as February ended for Arsenal as they exited the Champions League at the hands of Barcelona while FIFA President Sepp Blatter banned the new craze of snoods. As March grew older, so did Arsenal’s hopes of any silverware as they crashed out of the FA Cup at the hands of Manchester United. England overcome a resilient Wales team at the Millennium stadium 2-0 to all but secure qualification to Euro 2012. Meanwhile Tottenham’s Champions League adventure ended with a resounding defeat to Real Madrid.

April saw Wayne Rooney land himself in trouble with the FA after his foul mouthed rant down a TV camera after his goal against West Ham, while former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho was to suffer his first home defeat in nine years as Real Madrid lost 1-0 at home to Sporting Gijon.

May saw Manchester City win their first trophy under Roberto Mancini as they beat Stoke City to lift the FA Cup, however it was rivals Manchester United that lifter their 19^th Premier League. In an exciting survival Sunday, Wolves and Blackburn shared an entertaining 3-3 draw which meant Blackpool, West Ham and Carling Cup winners Birmingham City all suffered relegation.

Manchester United couldn’t gain revenge for their Champions League defeat in 2009 to Barcelona as yet again the Spanish side showed their dominance with a convincing 3-1 at Wembley in the Champions League Final. 

June started with England again looking over their shoulders for qualification to Euro 2012 after a disappointing 2-2 draw against Switzerland at Wembley left Capello’s side needing four points from their remaining two fixtures. Mark Hughes sensationally walked out of Fulham expecting to be named the new Villa boss, however Randy Lerner instead chose cross city rival boss Alex McLeish to take charge. In further manager merry go round antics, Chelsea paid a massive £13 Million to Porto for the services of their boss, 34 year old Andres Villas Boas.

That was the first half of 2011, I will post the second half tomorrow but while you wait for that why not share your best moment in football during 2011?

D-Day again for Margate FC

It’s been one of the longest saga’s running but this week Margate Football Club will seek to move one step closer to beginning work on their new community stadium. Nearly ten years have passed since the club began the process to redevelop their Hartsdown Park home, and on Thursday the club will host the council for a site visit as the Councils decision on the leases edge nearer.

Nothing but delay after delay due to many factors has affected the club both on and off the pitch; however, with a competitive squad and decent manager in charge in Chris Kinnear only the stadium seems to be holding the club back. At 2P.M on Thursday 22^nd December 2011, Margate FC will welcome the officials of the Thanet Council to Hartsdown Park and today urged all supporters to attend to show their support for the project.

A decision was due to be heard last week although a change in leadership at the Council meant the decision was delayed….again. The club has been at its lowest point ever in recent years as the stadium saga threatened to bring the club to its knees, however thanks to directors, players, management and most of all supporters that refused this situation to kill the club that they love, Margate FC are stood on the brink of what could be the biggest boost possible.

Not only the football club need this, anyone that has been to Margate in recent years will agree that empty shops, graffiti covered walls and shops, no theme park and a dying town is in a much needed boost and this decision could be the best thing to happen to the town in a long time.

I am in no doubt that the people of Margate want this and fans of other clubs that have enjoyed a ‘jolly outing’ to Margate to watch football want the stadium to be sorted and built. Many Christmases have passed with no stadium being built, yet this week fans of Margate FC could receive one of the best Christmas presents that they could have hoped for.

I urge anyone that supports/cares about Margate as a football club and as a town attend the visit this Thursday to show their support to this much needed project.

City to stay top while Wigan's problems will deepen

With the busy Christmas schedule well and truly upon us, this weekend’s fixtures could prove crucial at both ends of the Premier League table. Below is a small match preview for all Premier League fixtures along with my predictions.

Blackburn v West Brom

Struggling Blackburn welcome West Brom to Ewood Park on Saturday with pressure on manager Steve Kean mounting. Blackburn let a 1-0 lead slip when they visited Sunderland last Sunday. West Brom suffered another defeat last week at home to Wigan leaving the Baggies 15^th just three points clear of the relegation zone. Expect a close game with the visitors snatching victory.

Verdict: Blackburn 0-1 West Brom

Everton v Norwich

David Moyes will be looking for his side to bounce back when they host newly promoted Norwich at Goodison Park. The Toffee’s suffered two defeats in a row without scoring. This week will be the 10^th anniversary of the appointment of David Moyes. Norwich have enjoyed their return to the top flight and a 4-2 win against Newcastle last week saw the Canaries move up to tenth. Everton have struggled with goals and that could cost them all three points this week and may have to settle for a bore draw.

Verdict: Everton 0-0 West Brom

Fulham v Bolton

A Europa League exit on Thursday evening might have been a blessing in disguise for Fulham and Martin Jol as they look to bounce back from last week’s 1-0 defeat away to Swansea. On the other hand it has been a nightmare start for Bolton and their boss Owen Coyle. Defeat at home to Aston Villa last week turned up the heat on Coyle who could find himself sitting a little bit more uncomfortable with a defeat in this game.

Verdict: Fulham 2-0 Bolton

Newcastle v Swansea

No win in three for Newcastle has perhaps brought the expectations back to reality at St James Park after a superb start to the season. With an injury crisis at the back and constant rumours of Cheick Tiote’s future at the club manager Alan Pardew will be desperate to win this fixture. The visitors to Newcastle this week have had a solid start to their first ever season in the Premier League. A 1-0 win last week against Fulham has set Brendan Rodger’s side up to earn something this weekend.

Verdict: Newcastle 1-1 Swansea

Wolverhampton v Stoke

Wolves find themselves sitting just two points clear of the relegation zone after last week’s 4-1 hammering against Manchester United. Mick McCarthy will look to Steven Fletcher to continue his fine goal scoring form after he has netted 16 times in his last 23 games. Stoke progressed through to the final 16 of the Europa League and will look to bring that form to the Premier League and will claim three more points.

Verdict: Wolves 1-3 Stoke

Wigan v Chelsea

Roberto Martinez grabbed a vital win last week at West Brom although they shouldn’t expect much from this game. Andres Villas Boas has begun to turn it round at Stamford Bridge after a poor start to the season. Monday night’s 2-1 victory over Man City moved Chelsea to fourth in the table. They should claim an easy victory at the DW stadium.

Verdict: Wigan 0-4 Chelsea

Sunday

QPR v Manchester United

Being in the Europa draw isn’t something that Manchester United fans have become accustomed to in recent times but after being handed a last 16 tie against Ajax in Fridays draw it is back to the bread and butter of the league on Sunday as they travel to Loftus Road. QPR lost narrowly at Anfield last week and that should offer them some hope of beating the reigning Champions, however, United should claim a victory.

Verdict: QPR 0-2 Manchester United

Aston Villa v Liverpool

Villa could move up to eighth if they can beat Liverpool this weekend. Last week a 2-1 victory at Bolton ended their miserable form of late. Liverpool have started to pick up of late, bar a 1-0 defeat at Fulham two weeks ago. Luis Suarez is in fine form and will look to trouble a disjointed Villa back line.

Verdict: Aston Villa 1-1 Liverpool

Tottenham v Sunderland

Tottenham ended their Europa League adventure this week with a 4-0 thumping of Shamrock Rovers. Harry Redknapp will be delighted with Spurs so far as they currently find themselves positioned fourth in the division. Times of late have been tough for Sunderland, however, after appointing Martin O’Neill last week the Black Cats beat Blackburn 2-1 although this will be a much tougher test.

Verdict: Tottenham 3-1 Sunderland

Manchester City v Arsenal

No doubt the game of the weekend comes from the Etihad stadium as top of the table Manchester City welcome a resurgent Arsenal. City lost their unbeaten run against Chelsea last Monday so will look to bounce back. Arsenal have the inform Robin Van Persie in attack as they look for a victory that could add to their growing title challenge.

Verdict: Manchester City 2-1 Arsenal

As always let me know what you think. Do you agree? Send me your predictions. 

Depression: A worrying rise

It has always been recognised that woman were twice as likely to become depressed, however since the economic struggle the number of suicides from men has risen and is likely to continue to do so according to the British Journal of Psychiatry.

Depression has no particular cause; however it is believed that marriage problems, unemployment, money worries and divorce are all considered to be major factors behind a man becoming depressed.

So what makes a footballer depressed? For the majority of us the life of a footballer is seen as the ‘perfect’ job, a huge salary, playing football for a living, celebrity lifestyle and ladies falling at your feet, sounds perfect right? So what caused the likes of Robert Enke, Dale Roberts and Gary Speed all to take their own lives?

Research has shown that men are three times likely to take their own lives when suffering with depression. The world of football was rocked again last week when 42 year old Wales manager Gary Speed was found hanging at his Cheshire home. It is still unclear what drove to Speed to deciding that his life was no longer worth living. Last year Rushden and Diamonds goalkeeper Dale Roberts was found in his home hanging after his fiancé’s affair with John Terry’s brother was publicised. The ‘embarrassment’ of the affair and an on-going leg injury drove Roberts to committing the act that brought his life to a premature end.

The first footballer to commit suicide though was German goalkeeper Robert Enke who in 2009 threw his body in front of a fast moving train as he looked to escape the struggle that he had battled with for so long. Recently a book titled ‘A life too short- The tragedy of Robert Enke’ tells the compelling and emotional stories of Enke and how he struggled with the fear of making mistakes, avoiding public ridicule and fear of job security as he was constantly linked with moves to other sides across Europe.

Throughout my research for this blog I found that the media were becoming more compassionate towards male suicide and more understanding, so I was surprised to come across Jeremy Clarkson’s comments this week saying that people that commit suicide are ‘selfish’. Here is a man that earns millions from a contract with the BBC with the money that we pay them with our T.V licences, here is a man that is able to voice his opinion to millions of people through whichever media platforms are stupid enough to give the moron airtime. I hope Jeremy Clarkson never has to deal with anything that the families of Robert Enke, Dale Roberts, Gary Speed and the thousands of other suicide victims go through.

What makes the stories of these high profile cases and in fact any suicide attempt is that the victim sees ending their life as the only way out when the reality is that there are lots of people that would love to be able to help their loved ones. Whatever it was that drove Gary Speed to kill himself last week, finally male depression is getting the awareness it now deserves. There are men out their suffering and the Speed case highlights how it could literally be anyone, even your loved one.

Suicide isn’t ‘selfish’ or ‘cowardly’ and depression is nothing to be ashamed of. Any one that is feeling depressed or struggling to cope with life should seek advice immediately.

Here is a website for people that are finding it difficult to cope- http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfoforall/problems/depression/mendepression.aspx