Watching soccer Am a while ago, I seem to remember Paul Dickov being a guest on the famous sofa and talking about his life in football. One of the conversations that struck me was the one about his relationship with Berti Vogts. Dickov was posed a few questions about there fall out and it seemed his reasoning was that Berti played him out of position and later blamed him for poor performance and used him as a scapegoat for a Scotland defeat? I thought, this seems really interesting. Even more so when Dickov went on to say that he was in great goalscoring form for his side at the time, however Vogts played him at right back for some reason, before hauling him off after a torrid first half? Never to play again under this manager Dickov has since built bridges with the boss. I have looked around and cannot really find any record of this. Surely this is just the tip of the iceberg. Dickov, a hard working pro with no reason to make this up. Is Berti Vogts crazy?

Everybody has heard of the England B team but who are the England C team?

The England C team are relativelty unknown, however they do repreasent England in International matches against other nations. All of the players selected are usually in there early 20’s and usually play semi pro football at non-league clubs. Sometimes playing at this level can help further there career into league football. All fixtures are played at non league grounds from around the country. The current manager is Paul Fairclough who was manager of Stevenage Borough prior to appointment.  The best source of news and information regarding England C can be found on the official FA website along with highlights of matches also.

Current England C Squad

Lance CRONIN-Ebbsfleet United FC
Adam BARTLETT-Kidderminster Harriers FC
Daniel GLEESON-Cambridge United FC
Exodus GEOHAGHAN-Kettering Town FC
Darius CHARLES-Ebbsfleet United FC
Sean NEWTON-Droylsden FC
Shaun DENSMORE-Altrincham FC
Russell PENN-Kidderminster Harriers FC
Joel BYROM-Northwich Victoria FC
Lee TOMLIN-Rushden & Diamonds FC
Andrew FLEMING-Wrexham FC
James CONSTABLE-Oxford United FC
Ishmael WELSH-Grays Athletic FC
Paul CLAYTON-Alfreton Town FC
Liam HEARN-Alfreton Town FC
Nicky WROE-Torquay United FC

Nigeria- 2010 Semi Finalists

I have just read an article on one of the major footballing websites that Pele has tipped Nigeria to reach the World Cup semi final next year in South Africa. This is not a joke and is not a sarcastic dig at Pele or Nigeria, it is really something Pele has said. Despite the fact the Super Eagles are rubbish, Lazy and lacking discapline, the Brazil legend thinks they can reach the last 4. Pele was in the Nigerian capital to drum up support for Brazils bid to host the Olympics in 2016 so i wonder if that had anything to do with his latest prediction. Pele also met president Umaru Musa Yar’Adu.  It will be intersting to see how close he comes to this prediction but in my opinion this will not happen. Nigeria are not even on course to qualify at the moment as lie in 2nd place behind Tunisia so they have allot of work to do if they are to finish top of the group, then win another qualifying round, then finish in the world cup group above a team of similar ability and 2 teams that are allot better, then probbably beat another 2 teams that are allot better than them to get to the last 4.

Pele did go on to mention how African football has become allot nearer the standard of the rest of the world over the last 10 years but i dont think its that close really is it. Did anyone watch the last African Nations Cup. We did see all of the world class superstars that we see play in Europe but the team game is still not there or nowhere near some of the smaller nations in Europe or South America

Obscure International of the Week

Well there are a few weird ones this week, especially as every country is playing in the latest round of World Cup qualifying matches! However the most eye catching one has to be….

Iraq v Poland (Cape Town – 09/06/2009) not only a bizarre fixture but to play it so far away from either country is baffaling! I think the most amazing thing about this game is that they have met 4 times before!!!! Poland winning twice, Iraq once and one draw! Who the hell arranges games!!?! This can surely have no benefit to Iraq or Poland or Cape Town, who is going to watch it. With Iraqi’s not having teles because there always getting blown up and there is no one left in Poland because there all over here in Manchester! I also very much doubt that anyone in Cape Town will be that bothered!

So football in Iraq? Who knows whats going on?! The team in 5^th place in their league is Robert Pires!!!! I wonder if Villareal know; and you can tell that where ever Arbil are based, it has been bombed more heavily that the rest as they have managed to played 8 less matches than anyone else!!! None of this makes any sense. I find it hard to believe that they have won the Asian cup and are in the Confederations cup! With the possibility of playing USA (now that’s an explosive fixture!) cant wait for that one!

Iraqi League

So on to Poland and lets face it there hardly brilliant! Ranked 40^th in the world I don’t believe it! Ecaudor and Costa Rica are below them. Well that proves it the FIFA ranking system is nonsense! Simple as that! To be honest when you best player for (a hell of a long time) is a Nigerian born forward who plays in Cyprus its not a good sign for Polish football, but I suppose the new generation will be better as they will be training in English football academies! Little Michael Owenzyi or Wayzne Roonskiy will be heading the next Polish world cup campaign!

Also this week we have England v Andorra (Wembley – 10/06/2009). People that say there are no easy fixtures in world football obviously watch chase eggs or something! Because if this is not close to double figures I could turn my back on England! Andorra’s entire population would not even fill Wembley! A team of bakers and ski instructors should be getting battered off Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard and Co!