Shocking news - Capello resigned from the Three Lions. Not shocking that Capello is leaving his role as head of England. Let's face it, he has had a rocky relationship with England and its fans since the FA hired the Italian. Capello has not really shown much since he took over the nation. Between constantly calling up Beckham so he could chase the England record for caps or the debacle at the 2010 World Cup where once again England had no clue how to leverage Lampard and Gerrard, or how to create width with some wingers, or what to do for Rooney...
So Capello exits after leading England to Euro qualification, so what now for the Three Lions? As the statement from the FA points out - most of the managers are currently tied up with their clubs. I am sure Redknapp would jump at the chance, especially were Tottenham mid-table. Shocking, however, the Spurs have a half chance of winning the Premiership, but are clearly in a good position to qualify for the Champions League. How about Wenger? Not sure the Arsenal manager wants to manage at the national level...and would he chose England over a chance at France (rumors are that Blanc might be out next summer, regardless of how Les Bleus do). Regardless, the Professor still is fighting to get the Gunners back in Champions League.
The best answer might already be walking the halls of the FA offices - Stuart Pearce who is managing the U-21s. As former player and one understands the meaning of wearing the white shirt of England (watch the video below of , he might be just want the senior squad needs to motivate them heading into the Euros.
Or how about this - The Special One resigns, takes the helm of England for the Euros, wins the title and then anoints himself the greatest of all time, tells the FA to fire SAF from Manchester United and then gives himself a life time contract....
Showing posts with label Mourinho. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mourinho. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
The Special One - pouting in Madrid wants back to the Prem
Lets put aside the 7-1 drubbing that Arsenal handed out this weekend of the ridiculous defense at Chelsea, up 3-0 in the second half!! The intriguing story that I have been meaning to write about - the Special One and his desire to return to England. Actually the Chelsea game might flame the fires of seeing Mourinho coming back to his old stomping grounds - Chelsea.
How did this all start? With the Special One whining about his role at Real Madrid that his players don't listen to him and that he cannot get the best of Barcelona. But is a return to England really that viable? What clubs have the ability to attract the Special One? There need to be a few things in place to even consider reaching out to Mourinho and his gigantic ego: deep transfer kitty, brand name and money to fuel his ego. That basically eliminates all but a handful of teams: Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham are the ones that fit the bill:
Ah Jose, it would be good to have you back in England!
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| Together at last?? |
How did this all start? With the Special One whining about his role at Real Madrid that his players don't listen to him and that he cannot get the best of Barcelona. But is a return to England really that viable? What clubs have the ability to attract the Special One? There need to be a few things in place to even consider reaching out to Mourinho and his gigantic ego: deep transfer kitty, brand name and money to fuel his ego. That basically eliminates all but a handful of teams: Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham are the ones that fit the bill:
- Manchester United - SAF isn't going anywhere next season, although this would be the natural fit for Mourinho. After managing Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid the Red Devils would be one of the few clubs at the level of Real Madrid. He has expressed interest in succeeding Sir Alex but I do not see that happening right away. Odds - 250:1
- Manchester City - the nouveau riche of football, would look very similar to the situation he took on at Chelsea. A club that has been toiling away in the shadow of the bigger club in the city it plays in that has a massive cash infusion and can all of sudden compete. If Mancini fails to win the league, and even if he does win, I could see the Citizens look to add another superstar this time on the touch line. Unlike with Chelsea, I am not sure Manchester City's owners are going to be as meddling down the road, the reason why Jose decided to leave the Blues. Odds - 7:1
- Liverpool - Mourinho turned them down once, but what greater challenge than taking over the storied club and win the league! Something that has not happened in ... well forever. Also, the Special One and his ego would LOVE doing something one of his rivals - Benetiz - failed to do, beat Manchester United for the Premiership. However, Liverpool look like a long shot for Champions League football and not sure that Henry et al will make a move to move away from Dalglish just to get Mourinho. Then again, Liverpool might need a Jose to lift them to levels that haven't been enjoyed in a very long time. Odds 10:1
- Arsenal - Ugh, now that would be a headline, Mourinho taking over for Wenger. Much like with the Liverpool opportunity, I am sure that somewhere in Mourinho's ego there is a burning desire to take over Arsenal and win what Wenger could not, but Jose has done twice - win the Champions League. Arsenal have the funds to both support Jose's salary and transfer desires, but would they open the purse strings? Unlikely. But what a juicy situation that would be if we say Jose patrolling the Emirates home touch line. Odds 50:1
- Tottenham - The Spurs are the darlings of this season, sitting third with some pundits claiming they might actually have a run in them to contend for the title, doubtful. With Harry Redknapp embroiled in a tax evasion trial but more importantly the fact Capello is doing everything he can to get out of managing the Three Lions, there could be a natural landing sport for Harry. Fact of the matter is, Harry has never been shy about wanting to manage at the international level. The main issue is can Tottenham afford the Special One? That is where I think they fall short...well short. Odds 75:1
Ah Jose, it would be good to have you back in England!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
The Special One at PSG??? Yes Please...
In an upcoming interview, The Special One, discusses how close he came to managing PSG. Wow. That would have been...well....very interesting for PSG and Ligue 1. In the end he decided to go from Chelsea to Inter, not entirely surprising Ligue 1 does not really stack up to the EPL, La Liga and Serie A. What was very interesting is what Mourinho had to say about why he even gave PSG some consideration.
«J'ai déjà dit que je ne comprenais pas comment une des plus grandes capitales du monde pouvait ne pas avoir un club de dimension mondiale, a-t-il poursuivi. Paris est un cas unique. C'est quand, la dernière fois que Paris a disputé la Ligue des champions ? 2004 ? C'est impensable, dans une ville qui aime autant le football, qui compte autant d'immigrés, portugais et autres.»
Basically what the Special One is saying is it is inexplicable why one of Europe's premier cities does not have a world class footballing club, especially considering the talent pool just within the city limits. I could not agree with him more strongly. Mourinho might be the master of the obvious, but that challenge and potential seems to have given him a serious pause for thought. Let us just hope that the powers that be at PSG recognize this and become serious about taking the club to the right level both in France and Europe.
«J'ai déjà dit que je ne comprenais pas comment une des plus grandes capitales du monde pouvait ne pas avoir un club de dimension mondiale, a-t-il poursuivi. Paris est un cas unique. C'est quand, la dernière fois que Paris a disputé la Ligue des champions ? 2004 ? C'est impensable, dans une ville qui aime autant le football, qui compte autant d'immigrés, portugais et autres.»
Basically what the Special One is saying is it is inexplicable why one of Europe's premier cities does not have a world class footballing club, especially considering the talent pool just within the city limits. I could not agree with him more strongly. Mourinho might be the master of the obvious, but that challenge and potential seems to have given him a serious pause for thought. Let us just hope that the powers that be at PSG recognize this and become serious about taking the club to the right level both in France and Europe.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Champions League finals preview
One more club match before we can start turning our full attention to the World Cup, then again according to the Special One this game is bigger than that silly tournament that will be held in South Africa. Anyways, we all know that Mourinho is susceptible to bouts of delusional grandeur. Of course if anyone had wagered that these two teams would be in the finals...well they would have made a tidy profit today.
The question to me is whether or not Inter will be able to block Bayern, Robben in particular, as they did against Barcelona. We all know that Barca is a much more offensively prolific side than the German champions, so on paper one would think that Inter and their defense will have an easier time against Bayern. Without Ribery, I think that Bayern will be hamstrung against what we all know will be a stout Inter defensive system. Much like against Messi et al, I imagine that Mourinho will scheme to have Cambiasso and Chivu nipping at the heels of Robben all game, where ever he goes one of the defensive midfielders will be right there, whenever the Dutch winger gets close to the offensive 1/3 of the pitch I am sure one of the Inter defenders will converge as well - Maicon or Zanetti - I would think Zanetti might be tasked with watching Robben regardless of which wing he is one since Maicon is a little to offensive minded. Much will be expected of Lucio and Samuel to keep an eye on Olic and Muller down the middle.
Bayern will have to worry about containing the counter attacks which will most likely channel through Sneijder and be looking to spring Eto'o or Milito behind the Bayern defense. Van Buyten and the rest of the Bayern defense should be able to contain this threat, but I fear that Butt remains the weak link and could easily concede a soft goal.
I fear that this game will be a drab game with Inter defending and looking to counter with Bayern being frustrated to break down the defense. Had Ribery not been suspended I think Bayern would stand a very good chance in this game, not sure Inter could slow down the Ribery - Robben attacks down the wing. Alas, that is not the case. So who will win the match....
Inter win 1-0. Mourinho is seem running around the pitch screaming that he is the greatest and will actually keep the Champions League trophy for himself and not allow his players to have a victory lap. He will then announce that since he is so great Inter Milan will be entered into the World Cup representing his own ego which is about as big as a western European country.
Other side story - Robben and Sneijder will be back in Madrid where they had unsuccessful stints playing for the local side - Real Madrid, must be some level of revenge for both. Both clubs are also sitting on a treble having both won their domestic titles and cups.
Bayern will have to worry about containing the counter attacks which will most likely channel through Sneijder and be looking to spring Eto'o or Milito behind the Bayern defense. Van Buyten and the rest of the Bayern defense should be able to contain this threat, but I fear that Butt remains the weak link and could easily concede a soft goal.
I fear that this game will be a drab game with Inter defending and looking to counter with Bayern being frustrated to break down the defense. Had Ribery not been suspended I think Bayern would stand a very good chance in this game, not sure Inter could slow down the Ribery - Robben attacks down the wing. Alas, that is not the case. So who will win the match....
Inter win 1-0. Mourinho is seem running around the pitch screaming that he is the greatest and will actually keep the Champions League trophy for himself and not allow his players to have a victory lap. He will then announce that since he is so great Inter Milan will be entered into the World Cup representing his own ego which is about as big as a western European country.
Other side story - Robben and Sneijder will be back in Madrid where they had unsuccessful stints playing for the local side - Real Madrid, must be some level of revenge for both. Both clubs are also sitting on a treble having both won their domestic titles and cups.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Camp Nou disgrace: Barcelona "win" but crash out of Champions League
If ever a 1-0 game can be so entertaining it was the Barcelona v Inter Milan second leg match yesterday. Between Mourinho running around the pitch like an out of control 6 year old after the game, or Busquets Oscar winning performance, or the drama of the match as Barca chased the 2 goals, the game was entertaining and fun to watch.
First, Milan and the Special One need to be complimented for a well strategized and executed game plan. Barcelona had an amazing 76% possession during the match, that is unheard of in a 1-0 game let alone a match at this level. You usually see that when you get a Germany vs Andorra or France vs Faroe Islands type matches. But this is Inter Milan! Yet with all that possession Barcelona really only had a handful of legitimate scoring chances and the bulk of those came towards the end of the match when Inter were playing 5 across the back with 4 "holding" midfielders, they were not even trying to go past the half way line! Barcelona clearly lacked their second play maker in the form of Iniesta (still sidelined due to injury), with an additional creative dynamo in the middle, Barca may have found the right combination sooner. I also question Guardiola taking out Ibra in the second half and putting in Bojan. He must have known that Inter were going to pack in the box with white shirts even more as the game went on, so why take out your big center forward for another "water bug" of a striker? I realize that you move Pique up to a center forward role, but are you seriously going to tell me that Pique is a better option than Ibra? Granted there are some that feel the big Swede disappears in big matches, and there is some merit to this critic, however all it takes from a player of his caliber is one moment of brilliance which is capable of, and that cannot be done from the bench. Clearly Henry is off Guardiola's radar, having been firmly planted on the bench in favor of Jeffren, to play on the left wing in the second half. Red Bull New York never looked so good.
Second, the play acting and other shenanigans of the match were entertaining but at the same time took away from what should have been a better display of football. Clearly the first incident was the Busquets acting...
Um I mean seriously...you would have thought he got elbowed and then kicked in the head by Tiago Motta. It was an absolute disgraceful display but not surprising from the lanky Spanish holding midfielder (by the way I know this made my friend Sam aka The Gooner irate since it is a pet peeve of his how much this player flops - you can listen to his thoughts on the Frog and Gooner podcast!) Simulation such as this is why I think there needs to be another ref on the pitch and possibly the use of video for such game changing events such as red cards and disputed goals...more on that in another blog! Once that happened, I started rooting for Inter, no way a player like Busquets needs to be rewarded for such play acting by getting to another Champions League final! Inter is also not fault free, they clearly were feigning so many injuries to break the game's rhythm, slow down Barca, waste time it was comical. Maicon crashing into the advertising boards early on and pretending his shoulder was broken....laughable. Ever time Lucio was near the ball he appeared to have been run over by a herd of elephants, comical. Granted these tactics worked, but comical and somewhat sad to see these players leverage such bush league tactics. Of course this might have been overshadowed by the ridiculous post game activities from both sides...
What was Mourinho doing? Okay we know what he was doing, but seriously...what other manager would prance around like a peacock looking like a 6 year old at a birthday party post chocolate cake and candy - hyped up on sugar and out of control? Maybe he was showing the Camp Nou fans who was #1 only elevating his stock in the eyes of the Real Madrid powers that be...even more farcical was Valdes attempt to stop the Special One from his post game victory dance. The most comic was the grounds crew turning on the sprinkler system to get Inter off the pitch. Stay classy Barcelona!
So we have Bayern vs Inter...what were the odds on that final? Should be a fun filled 3 weeks of Mourinho telling us how great he is and how much more difficult his club have had it compared to Inter.
First, Milan and the Special One need to be complimented for a well strategized and executed game plan. Barcelona had an amazing 76% possession during the match, that is unheard of in a 1-0 game let alone a match at this level. You usually see that when you get a Germany vs Andorra or France vs Faroe Islands type matches. But this is Inter Milan! Yet with all that possession Barcelona really only had a handful of legitimate scoring chances and the bulk of those came towards the end of the match when Inter were playing 5 across the back with 4 "holding" midfielders, they were not even trying to go past the half way line! Barcelona clearly lacked their second play maker in the form of Iniesta (still sidelined due to injury), with an additional creative dynamo in the middle, Barca may have found the right combination sooner. I also question Guardiola taking out Ibra in the second half and putting in Bojan. He must have known that Inter were going to pack in the box with white shirts even more as the game went on, so why take out your big center forward for another "water bug" of a striker? I realize that you move Pique up to a center forward role, but are you seriously going to tell me that Pique is a better option than Ibra? Granted there are some that feel the big Swede disappears in big matches, and there is some merit to this critic, however all it takes from a player of his caliber is one moment of brilliance which is capable of, and that cannot be done from the bench. Clearly Henry is off Guardiola's radar, having been firmly planted on the bench in favor of Jeffren, to play on the left wing in the second half. Red Bull New York never looked so good.Second, the play acting and other shenanigans of the match were entertaining but at the same time took away from what should have been a better display of football. Clearly the first incident was the Busquets acting...
Um I mean seriously...you would have thought he got elbowed and then kicked in the head by Tiago Motta. It was an absolute disgraceful display but not surprising from the lanky Spanish holding midfielder (by the way I know this made my friend Sam aka The Gooner irate since it is a pet peeve of his how much this player flops - you can listen to his thoughts on the Frog and Gooner podcast!) Simulation such as this is why I think there needs to be another ref on the pitch and possibly the use of video for such game changing events such as red cards and disputed goals...more on that in another blog! Once that happened, I started rooting for Inter, no way a player like Busquets needs to be rewarded for such play acting by getting to another Champions League final! Inter is also not fault free, they clearly were feigning so many injuries to break the game's rhythm, slow down Barca, waste time it was comical. Maicon crashing into the advertising boards early on and pretending his shoulder was broken....laughable. Ever time Lucio was near the ball he appeared to have been run over by a herd of elephants, comical. Granted these tactics worked, but comical and somewhat sad to see these players leverage such bush league tactics. Of course this might have been overshadowed by the ridiculous post game activities from both sides...
What was Mourinho doing? Okay we know what he was doing, but seriously...what other manager would prance around like a peacock looking like a 6 year old at a birthday party post chocolate cake and candy - hyped up on sugar and out of control? Maybe he was showing the Camp Nou fans who was #1 only elevating his stock in the eyes of the Real Madrid powers that be...even more farcical was Valdes attempt to stop the Special One from his post game victory dance. The most comic was the grounds crew turning on the sprinkler system to get Inter off the pitch. Stay classy Barcelona!
So we have Bayern vs Inter...what were the odds on that final? Should be a fun filled 3 weeks of Mourinho telling us how great he is and how much more difficult his club have had it compared to Inter.
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Inter get the essential and Arsenal scrap back - Champions League Day 2
I will admit when Arsenal went down 2-0 I stopped paying attention to the match...my fault. First, the Special One made sure of the essential against CSKA by securing the 1-0 victory. A small margin heading to Moscow but the essential is done and Inter did not concede the dreaded away goal. All this came after Mourinho took away the spot light from his squad by saying he did not like Italian football. Okay. He did preface by saying he like Inter, I would hope so since they pay him a handsome salary...not sure if this was the Special One making outlandish comments to take the pressure and attention away from his squad prior to a big match or just his massive ego that once again was unleashed on the public. I would opt for the latter. Inter should be confident heading into next weeks match, it will not be an easy trip, but their 1-0 lead is something to defend and one thing the Italians are known for is the catenaccio!The second match was much more entertaining....for those who did not turn away after the former Inter man - Ibrahimovic got his brace on a cheeky pass and finish. After watching the first half where Almunia, yes Almunia, saved the house for Arsenal making at least 3 world class saves in a matter of minutes.
Granted he went back to his old self on the first Ibra goal where he made the cardinal sin of hesitating on the ball. Rather than hold his line he timidly went out to meet a through ball and rather than continue at full speed to cut down the ball he stopped and started retreating allowing Ibra to chip him for the first goal. The second was a lightening bolt that Lev Yashin would have been hard pressed to get a finger tip to, let alone hope to stop it.
Arsenal deserve credit in fighting back. However the task will me monumental next week - Cesc is out (injury or not he got another yellow card meaning he is suspended), Arshavin had to come out so not sure if he can play, Gallas re-injured his leg and Arsenal while level did give up 2 dreaded away goals. At least Arsenal have a better chance than they appeared to have with 30 minutes left in the game!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The heat rises on Rafa...no surprise there.
So Rafa and his band of merry-men from Liverpool slide further away from the top of the league table, now 14 points behind league leaders Chelsea and 4 points out of a top 4 spot, after a 1-1 draw against powerhouse Stoke City. Add to the situation the midweek loss to Championship side Reading in the 
FA Cup and Liverpool having to play in the Europa League having crashed out of the Champions League. Of course Rafa had a classic post game interview blaming everything but himself for the situation Liverpool finds itself in...
The rumors are swirling that the Hicks and Gillett are seriously thinking about sacking their gaffer, not that the two owners do much chatting these days. Now with others such as Souness calling for the Spaniard to stand down on his own, can the ax be far away? I have never made any secret about my dislike for Rafa, I think that he is overrated as a domestic league manager - knock out tournaments are another story. I also think his time at Anfield needs to draw to a close. Liverpool has not won a domestic title in what seems like a lifetime (20 years to be exact)!! That is unacceptable for a side such as the Reds. However I do no think he should be sacked immediately. First, the transfer window has been very quiet and I am not sure a new manager will have the time or money to greatly change the side. Second a new manager will not be able to change the fundamental problem with Liverpool - over reliance on Gerrard and Torres. Third, Liverpool might be able to make a run for the Champions League spot next year...which in a strange way would be perfect for Rafa - he can manage in a knock out tournament manner - not worrying about player development nor multiple cups - Liverpool is out of the FA Cup, Carling Cup and Champions League. Finally, why not wait until the summer and even after the World Cup where you think there will be a deluge of managers on the market. Allow the new gaffer a full transfer period to reshape his club.
I am sure the names of Hiddink and Blanc will be tossed around, but what about "The Special One?" Hmmmm, Mourinho has never made any secret about his desire to return to England. Rumors are swirling that he would return to replace SAF at Manchester United. But why would Mourinho seek that challenge? To replace a legend...short of going undefeated for a season or winning the Champions League without giving up goal, what can the Special One do at Manchester United that SAF has not already done. However, if he goes to Liverpool...he can be the manager that finally gets the Reds a Premiership title. He can be the one that finally brings Liverpool back to the level the fans so desire. I think it is a perfect fit. Mourinho's ego is large enough to want such a challenge. He would get a chance to face off against Wenger, SAF and the rest. He would get a chance to take on his old employer at Chelsea. Finally he would get a chance to cement his legacy if he can find a way to steer Liverpool back to the top of the Premiership mountain.
FA Cup and Liverpool having to play in the Europa League having crashed out of the Champions League. Of course Rafa had a classic post game interview blaming everything but himself for the situation Liverpool finds itself in...The rumors are swirling that the Hicks and Gillett are seriously thinking about sacking their gaffer, not that the two owners do much chatting these days. Now with others such as Souness calling for the Spaniard to stand down on his own, can the ax be far away? I have never made any secret about my dislike for Rafa, I think that he is overrated as a domestic league manager - knock out tournaments are another story. I also think his time at Anfield needs to draw to a close. Liverpool has not won a domestic title in what seems like a lifetime (20 years to be exact)!! That is unacceptable for a side such as the Reds. However I do no think he should be sacked immediately. First, the transfer window has been very quiet and I am not sure a new manager will have the time or money to greatly change the side. Second a new manager will not be able to change the fundamental problem with Liverpool - over reliance on Gerrard and Torres. Third, Liverpool might be able to make a run for the Champions League spot next year...which in a strange way would be perfect for Rafa - he can manage in a knock out tournament manner - not worrying about player development nor multiple cups - Liverpool is out of the FA Cup, Carling Cup and Champions League. Finally, why not wait until the summer and even after the World Cup where you think there will be a deluge of managers on the market. Allow the new gaffer a full transfer period to reshape his club.
I am sure the names of Hiddink and Blanc will be tossed around, but what about "The Special One?" Hmmmm, Mourinho has never made any secret about his desire to return to England. Rumors are swirling that he would return to replace SAF at Manchester United. But why would Mourinho seek that challenge? To replace a legend...short of going undefeated for a season or winning the Champions League without giving up goal, what can the Special One do at Manchester United that SAF has not already done. However, if he goes to Liverpool...he can be the manager that finally gets the Reds a Premiership title. He can be the one that finally brings Liverpool back to the level the fans so desire. I think it is a perfect fit. Mourinho's ego is large enough to want such a challenge. He would get a chance to face off against Wenger, SAF and the rest. He would get a chance to take on his old employer at Chelsea. Finally he would get a chance to cement his legacy if he can find a way to steer Liverpool back to the top of the Premiership mountain.
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Domenech gets "vote of confidence"
Oh yes, the dreaded vote of confidence from the association! So it appears that Raymond will be with Les Bleus through thick and thin. Interesting. A couple of things to consider:
- If France lose this Wednesday in Belgrade will Raymond remain with the squad? As I stated in my post yesterday, France should...hopefully...still qualify for the 2nd place play off even if they drop all 3 points against Serbia. However would the FFF reconsider their stance and think about inserting a new manager to allow them some time to get their system together for the last two group matches and then prepare for the play offs? That would seem like proper timing.
- The television contract with the FFF is up for renewal this season....if France do not make the World Cup the potential money from that contract will take a serious hit. The powers that be must be aware of the repercussions that will be suffered if Les Bleus do not turn things around in a hurry. This might motivate the FFF to make a change if things do not go well this Wednesday.
To me this vote of confidence was a shot across the bow of Domenech, he better come back from Belgrade with 3 points or he should update his resume. The other question becomes - does the FFF have any options in mind? Deschamps or Blanc, two alumni of the 98ers, appear to be t
he best candidates, both men making it clear that they would be open to the position. However, the former just started at OM while the latter just secured Bordeaux's first league title and has a solid sqaud for this season. Neither might be ready to make the move. How about an outside like LeGuen? He just took over at Cameroon, so not likely to leave already! How about Houllier, he has managed France before and still works at the FFF? He has also expressed interest in managing at the international level before. What about Wenger? He clearly has the pulse on the talent being produced at the youth levels in France. Or how about this one...Mourinho...I am sure the French FA has enough cash, especially after signing a kit deal with Nike, to lure the brash Portuguese to France. Now that would be interesting!
Unfortunately I think that the FFF is stubborn, almost as much as their head coach. So short of disaster, meaning losing at Serbia, heading into the final match against Austria and losing that to fall out of 2nd place, I cannot see Domenech sacked after Belgrade. Unfortunately. France is stuck with their head coach for the play offs, and if France emerge from that to head to South Africa I cannot see the FFF sacking him prior to the tournament....sigh.
So just for fun, and because I am a footie junkie, I started playing around with the potential match ups for the 2nd place playoffs. First, I misspoke last post, France is not guaranteed a spot as one of the top 8 2nd place teams. Let us say France head into the last game against Austria on 11 points (the results against the worst team in the group do not count towards the best 2nd place teams...since Scotland's group, group 9, only has 5 teams, so take away the 6 points from the Faroe Islands) and France draws with Austria, finishing in second with the adjusted 12 points and Scotland beats Holland....they would be at 13 points.....Assuming all the other teams lose the same ratio of points France is sitting in the middle of the pack as it currently stands:
For fun let us assume the following nations make the playoffs, based on current standings and guestimates:
Sweden, Greece, Northern Ireland, Russia, Bosnia, Croatia, France, and Ireland.
Pool 1:
France
Sweden
Croatia
Russia
Pool 2:
Greece
Northern Ireland
Bosnia
Ireland
Short of facing Northern Ireland none of those nations are easy play off opponents. Heading to Bosnia, no thanks. Playing Ireland? France struggled last time in qualifiers with the Irish. Greece? Their style is exaclty what France cannot deal with - tough defensive block, that counters and looks to score on set pieces. Well maybe this will give Domenech 2 more games for his resume.
France have the talent, no doubt, do they have the inspiration to over come a deficient head coach?
he best candidates, both men making it clear that they would be open to the position. However, the former just started at OM while the latter just secured Bordeaux's first league title and has a solid sqaud for this season. Neither might be ready to make the move. How about an outside like LeGuen? He just took over at Cameroon, so not likely to leave already! How about Houllier, he has managed France before and still works at the FFF? He has also expressed interest in managing at the international level before. What about Wenger? He clearly has the pulse on the talent being produced at the youth levels in France. Or how about this one...Mourinho...I am sure the French FA has enough cash, especially after signing a kit deal with Nike, to lure the brash Portuguese to France. Now that would be interesting!Unfortunately I think that the FFF is stubborn, almost as much as their head coach. So short of disaster, meaning losing at Serbia, heading into the final match against Austria and losing that to fall out of 2nd place, I cannot see Domenech sacked after Belgrade. Unfortunately. France is stuck with their head coach for the play offs, and if France emerge from that to head to South Africa I cannot see the FFF sacking him prior to the tournament....sigh.
So just for fun, and because I am a footie junkie, I started playing around with the potential match ups for the 2nd place playoffs. First, I misspoke last post, France is not guaranteed a spot as one of the top 8 2nd place teams. Let us say France head into the last game against Austria on 11 points (the results against the worst team in the group do not count towards the best 2nd place teams...since Scotland's group, group 9, only has 5 teams, so take away the 6 points from the Faroe Islands) and France draws with Austria, finishing in second with the adjusted 12 points and Scotland beats Holland....they would be at 13 points.....Assuming all the other teams lose the same ratio of points France is sitting in the middle of the pack as it currently stands:
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | |
 | Denmark | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 17 |
 | Hungary | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 13 |
 | Sweden | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 12 |
 | Portugal | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 10 |
 | Albania | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 |
 | Malta | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | |
 | Switzerland | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 16 |
 | Greece | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 13 |
 | Latvia | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 6 | 13 |
 | Israel | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 9 |
 | Luxembourg | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 5 |
 | Moldova | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 2 |
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | |
 | Slovakia | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 8 | 16 |
 | Northern Ireland | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 14 |
 | Poland | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 8 | 11 |
 | Slovenia | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 4 | 11 |
 | Czech Republic | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 9 |
 | San Marino | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 37 | 0 |
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | |
 | Germany | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 4 | 19 |
 | Russia | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 18 |
 | Finland | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 13 |
 | Wales | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 9 |
 | Azerbaijan | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
 | Liechtenstein | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 1 |
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | |
 | Spain | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 21 |
 | Bosnia-Herzegovina | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 7 | 15 |
 | Turkey | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 11 |
 | Belgium | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 16 | 7 |
 | Estonia | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 19 | 5 |
 | Armenia | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 17 | 1 |
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | |
 | England | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 4 | 21 |
 | Croatia | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 7 | 17 |
 | Ukraine | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 14 |
 | Belarus | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 11 | 9 |
 | Kazakhstan | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 22 | 3 |
 | Andorra | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 30 | 0 |
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | |
 | Serbia | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 18 |
 | France | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 14 |
 | Austria | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
 | Lithuania | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 9 |
 | Romania | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 8 |
 | Faroe Islands | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 1 |
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | |
 | Italy | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 17 |
 | Republic of Ireland | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 16 |
 | Bulgaria | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 11 |
 | Cyprus | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 5 |
 | Montenegro | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 4 |
 | Georgia | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 3 |
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | |
 | Netherlands * | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 21 |
 | Scotland | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
 | Norway | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 7 |
 | FYR Macedonia | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 7 |
 | Iceland | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 5 |
For fun let us assume the following nations make the playoffs, based on current standings and guestimates:
Sweden, Greece, Northern Ireland, Russia, Bosnia, Croatia, France, and Ireland.
Pool 1:
France
Sweden
Croatia
Russia
Pool 2:
Greece
Northern Ireland
Bosnia
Ireland
Short of facing Northern Ireland none of those nations are easy play off opponents. Heading to Bosnia, no thanks. Playing Ireland? France struggled last time in qualifiers with the Irish. Greece? Their style is exaclty what France cannot deal with - tough defensive block, that counters and looks to score on set pieces. Well maybe this will give Domenech 2 more games for his resume.
France have the talent, no doubt, do they have the inspiration to over come a deficient head coach?
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