1. Ben Foster: One of the few success stories in what has been a poor season for Birmingham. Written off at Old Trafford, Foster has made a string of impressive saves but has also added some much needed calmness to his game. His performance against Chelsea at St Andrews was the standout goalkeeping one.
2. Bacary Sagna: After a dip last season, the Frenchman has regained his debut season form for Arsenal. One of the few defensive bright spots for the Gunners.
3. Patrice Evra: It is a measure of Evra's consistency and his abilty to get forward that he has disgusied United's lack of a left wing threat for a couple of seasons now. Started slowly but now back to his best.
4. Gary Cahill: Bolton have arguably been the team of the season so far with Owen Coyle a decent bet for manager of the year. It is their passing game that has impressed the most but that has been built on the solidity provided by Cahill at the back.
5. Nemanja Vidic: Made captain at Old Trafford at the start of the season, the Serb has responded by leading his team to the top of the table. He has resumed his powerful partnership with Rio Ferdinand and has guided the likes of Chris Smalling through.
6. Nani: Often a candidate for most fustrating player the Portugeese is now one for most improved. A constant stream of goals and assists. His new found defensive responsabilty should also be noted.
7. Alex Song: So often known as Arsenal's only enforcer, Song has shown just how adept he is with the ball at his feet. Five goals this season equals his tally for the previous five.
8. Rafael Van der Vaart: Goals, assists and genuine class. The Dutchman has a strong chance of being footballer of the year next May. His intelligence in front of goal and his cleverness at finding space have added a new dimension to Spurs.
9. Samir Nasri: Despite the claims of the excellent Gareth Bale it is the little Frenchman that gets the vote. Double figures in goals and his role for Arsenal in the absence of Fabregas was vital.
10. Andy Carroll: Alot wondered if the giant Geordie could score at the highest level and so far he has emphatically shown he can. An obvious danger in the air, he proved against Liverpool he can also be deadly on the ground.
11. Carlos Tevez: Forget the transfer talk, the Argentinan has yet again been the focal point for Man City. He has maintained his level of performance from last season and is vital if City are to maintain a title challenge.
Alternate team : Hart, Rafael, Cathcart, Gallas, Baines, Varney, Modric, T.Cahill, Bale, Elmander, Berbatov.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
City star ready for next season.
Cork City striker Graham Cummins has said that there can be no excuses next year as the club battle to regain its Premier League status but that he also expects the competition to be tough.
“It depends on what type of squad the manager puts together before the start of the season, other clubs like Waterford and Shelburne have strengthened so it will be tough but there are no excuses for us, last year was all about stability and learning as a team. Next year we will have a good pre-season and we will hopefully be able to really push for it” he said.
The City star had a fantastic season last year finishing as the division one top scorer and earning a string of rave reviews for his performances on his own up front. He puts his great season down to a combination of things.
“The coaching staff helped me a lot. I felt a lot stronger and fitter last season. The season I had with Waterford in 2009 really pushed me along as well. Being upfront on your own is a lot of responsibility and that helped me in a way. You are not dropping deep or out to the wings, you are staying up top and trying to be a threat. I think I have become more mature as a player and because of that I was able to focus on the role”
He sees room for improvement in his game however.
“I was happy with the amount of goals I scored but I kind of hit a wall towards the end. I didn’t score in my last five games and I’d like to get more towards the end of the season”
His performances for City were recognised by him be selected in the First Division team of the year and winning the division’s player of the year award last season. He was also selected for the Republic Of Ireland under 23 squad for game against Estonia last September.
“That was probably a personal highlight. I really enjoyed the set-up there. Training in the morning. All your meals ready for you. It was a good environment to learn and help you grow as a player. A great experience”
He believes City can kick on next year and earn promotion back to their rightful place in the Premier League.
“Everything about the place is geared towards it” he explained. “ The stadium and training ground are great and the management give you everything you need outside of that like gym membership, it’s a very professional set-up”
The striker who scored eighteen goals last season is happy at the club and sees his immediate future there having agreed a two-year contract earlier this year.
“Yeah, it is a two-year deal and I’m enjoying my time here, I don’t see anything happening to change that at the moment, a lot of the lads have signed on again from last year so that can only help us” he said.
The lure of England must be strong however for a player who has attracted interest after his sterling performances last season.
“Of course playing in England is an ambition for most lads, if a good opportunity came you would have to look at it. It would mean more stability for you in your career. But I was over in Sunderland before for two weeks and being on trial is not easy. You have to be sure. I think a lot of players used to go over when they were fifteen or sixteen and then come back. You are better off playing in the League of Ireland and then if a chance comes up maybe look at it”
He cites the likes of former city stars Kevin Doyle and Roy ‘O Donovan as examples of players who spent their youth playing in Ireland before plying their trade across the water. Former city player Kevin Long- who last week extended his loan deal from Burnley to Accrington Stanley- is another example.
“Kevin Doyle opened the gate I suppose, he was such a success that teams started looking at the league for other players. The likes of Roy ‘O Donovan at Coventry is doing well and Kevin Long has a good deal at Burnley so it shows there is a lot of quality in the league”
The recession of course has cast it shadow across all spectres of sport in the country but soccer is affected more than most. Drogheda United announced last week that they need to raise €185,000 by the 28th of January if they are to meet the likes of Cork in next seasons First Division. This kind of instability only adds to the pressure for players to find work. Cummins is currently doing some Christmas work and admits it is hard to combine his soccer career and to find stable employment.
“I finished college last year and am just picking drink orders for Christmas. It is hard. The clubs here now can be unreliable with their financial difficulties. You hear a lot about GAA players maybe going abroad for work and it may happen with soccer players too. It’s hard to combine the two. You need time off, usually every Friday and employers aren’t going to be too keen on that”
For now his sights are firmly set on next season. Improving on such a good season last year won’t be easy. Is his target to score more goals than he did last season?
“Well you want to improve as a player. I’d obviously like to score more goals than I did last season but if you offered me scoring less goals and us winning the league next year than I would definitely take that. It all about getting into the Premier League”
The Douglas man is gunning for the season to start then. If he can repeat, or improve upon his stellar form last year than City have a great chance to return to where they believe they belong.
“It depends on what type of squad the manager puts together before the start of the season, other clubs like Waterford and Shelburne have strengthened so it will be tough but there are no excuses for us, last year was all about stability and learning as a team. Next year we will have a good pre-season and we will hopefully be able to really push for it” he said.
The City star had a fantastic season last year finishing as the division one top scorer and earning a string of rave reviews for his performances on his own up front. He puts his great season down to a combination of things.
“The coaching staff helped me a lot. I felt a lot stronger and fitter last season. The season I had with Waterford in 2009 really pushed me along as well. Being upfront on your own is a lot of responsibility and that helped me in a way. You are not dropping deep or out to the wings, you are staying up top and trying to be a threat. I think I have become more mature as a player and because of that I was able to focus on the role”
He sees room for improvement in his game however.
“I was happy with the amount of goals I scored but I kind of hit a wall towards the end. I didn’t score in my last five games and I’d like to get more towards the end of the season”
His performances for City were recognised by him be selected in the First Division team of the year and winning the division’s player of the year award last season. He was also selected for the Republic Of Ireland under 23 squad for game against Estonia last September.
“That was probably a personal highlight. I really enjoyed the set-up there. Training in the morning. All your meals ready for you. It was a good environment to learn and help you grow as a player. A great experience”
He believes City can kick on next year and earn promotion back to their rightful place in the Premier League.
“Everything about the place is geared towards it” he explained. “ The stadium and training ground are great and the management give you everything you need outside of that like gym membership, it’s a very professional set-up”
The striker who scored eighteen goals last season is happy at the club and sees his immediate future there having agreed a two-year contract earlier this year.
“Yeah, it is a two-year deal and I’m enjoying my time here, I don’t see anything happening to change that at the moment, a lot of the lads have signed on again from last year so that can only help us” he said.
The lure of England must be strong however for a player who has attracted interest after his sterling performances last season.
“Of course playing in England is an ambition for most lads, if a good opportunity came you would have to look at it. It would mean more stability for you in your career. But I was over in Sunderland before for two weeks and being on trial is not easy. You have to be sure. I think a lot of players used to go over when they were fifteen or sixteen and then come back. You are better off playing in the League of Ireland and then if a chance comes up maybe look at it”
He cites the likes of former city stars Kevin Doyle and Roy ‘O Donovan as examples of players who spent their youth playing in Ireland before plying their trade across the water. Former city player Kevin Long- who last week extended his loan deal from Burnley to Accrington Stanley- is another example.
“Kevin Doyle opened the gate I suppose, he was such a success that teams started looking at the league for other players. The likes of Roy ‘O Donovan at Coventry is doing well and Kevin Long has a good deal at Burnley so it shows there is a lot of quality in the league”
The recession of course has cast it shadow across all spectres of sport in the country but soccer is affected more than most. Drogheda United announced last week that they need to raise €185,000 by the 28th of January if they are to meet the likes of Cork in next seasons First Division. This kind of instability only adds to the pressure for players to find work. Cummins is currently doing some Christmas work and admits it is hard to combine his soccer career and to find stable employment.
“I finished college last year and am just picking drink orders for Christmas. It is hard. The clubs here now can be unreliable with their financial difficulties. You hear a lot about GAA players maybe going abroad for work and it may happen with soccer players too. It’s hard to combine the two. You need time off, usually every Friday and employers aren’t going to be too keen on that”
For now his sights are firmly set on next season. Improving on such a good season last year won’t be easy. Is his target to score more goals than he did last season?
“Well you want to improve as a player. I’d obviously like to score more goals than I did last season but if you offered me scoring less goals and us winning the league next year than I would definitely take that. It all about getting into the Premier League”
The Douglas man is gunning for the season to start then. If he can repeat, or improve upon his stellar form last year than City have a great chance to return to where they believe they belong.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Lessons for Roy to take on the road.
IF ONE was to compare the origins of the managerial careers of Alex Ferguson and Roy Keane, then Ferguson – with East Sterling and St Mirren – took the road less travelled.
Keane is still the voyager but he has trodden down more familiar paths and is struggling to find his way.
He is young enough to overcome these struggles. But he would do well to examine the early years that shaped Ferguson and heed some lessons.
By his own admission, Fergie has mellowed with age. His wild anger in his early days as a manger became more subdued and surgical as time passed. He motivated players by putting an arm around some and by slaughtering others.
He speaks in his autobiography of the Aberdeen player John Hewitt, “I knew if I looked at John at a team talk he would fold up. I never involved him in a team talk because I knew it could destroy him. He was really scared of me” So he encouraged him. Conversely he checked the ego of others when he needed to.
That is the bedrock of successful management. Yet the suspicion remains that Keane has yet to embrace it. He seems to have a default way of motivating his players and it is an earful. Jonathan Walters said after leaving Ipswich for Stoke that “Even now I speak to the lads at Ipswich and when they get beat, well, we know what’s been said before we even speak to anyone. We guess, ‘Aye, this is what’s been said this week’ and we ring all the lads and that’s what happened. It’s eggshells all the time.”
If it is a constant hammering than the message is lost. Keane’s anger is a broad sword to the Ferguson scalpel. Players today will just shrug their shoulders and call their agent. He needs to accept that attitudes have changed.
Here he is at a disadvantage. His enormous profile as a player and his fascinating character ensured much ink when he took the plunge into management. Ferguson was a failed player who took on East Stirling when he started. Keane landed with a sleeping giant in Sunderland and now has arguably another one in Ipswich.
He can compensate for this however with his magnetic personality. Every press conference of his is jammed with razor-sharp quips. When he speaks, he speaks honestly and possesses a ability for withering one-liners. He can use this to help his players. Ferguson religiously defends his players in public no matter the indiscretion. Keane’s constant transfer talk and public rebukes can only make his players nervous. He should use his ability on the camera to infuse his players with confidence.
Keane has already lasted longer than Ferguson did at his first club. Ferguson was fired at his second. Only with his third did the road become clear and lessons learned along make it an easier path.
Should Keane learn from his mistakes and from his mentor then his road as a manger will be easier to travel and it may make all the difference.
Keane is still the voyager but he has trodden down more familiar paths and is struggling to find his way.
He is young enough to overcome these struggles. But he would do well to examine the early years that shaped Ferguson and heed some lessons.
By his own admission, Fergie has mellowed with age. His wild anger in his early days as a manger became more subdued and surgical as time passed. He motivated players by putting an arm around some and by slaughtering others.
He speaks in his autobiography of the Aberdeen player John Hewitt, “I knew if I looked at John at a team talk he would fold up. I never involved him in a team talk because I knew it could destroy him. He was really scared of me” So he encouraged him. Conversely he checked the ego of others when he needed to.
That is the bedrock of successful management. Yet the suspicion remains that Keane has yet to embrace it. He seems to have a default way of motivating his players and it is an earful. Jonathan Walters said after leaving Ipswich for Stoke that “Even now I speak to the lads at Ipswich and when they get beat, well, we know what’s been said before we even speak to anyone. We guess, ‘Aye, this is what’s been said this week’ and we ring all the lads and that’s what happened. It’s eggshells all the time.”
If it is a constant hammering than the message is lost. Keane’s anger is a broad sword to the Ferguson scalpel. Players today will just shrug their shoulders and call their agent. He needs to accept that attitudes have changed.
Here he is at a disadvantage. His enormous profile as a player and his fascinating character ensured much ink when he took the plunge into management. Ferguson was a failed player who took on East Stirling when he started. Keane landed with a sleeping giant in Sunderland and now has arguably another one in Ipswich.
He can compensate for this however with his magnetic personality. Every press conference of his is jammed with razor-sharp quips. When he speaks, he speaks honestly and possesses a ability for withering one-liners. He can use this to help his players. Ferguson religiously defends his players in public no matter the indiscretion. Keane’s constant transfer talk and public rebukes can only make his players nervous. He should use his ability on the camera to infuse his players with confidence.
Keane has already lasted longer than Ferguson did at his first club. Ferguson was fired at his second. Only with his third did the road become clear and lessons learned along make it an easier path.
Should Keane learn from his mistakes and from his mentor then his road as a manger will be easier to travel and it may make all the difference.
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