Sunday 30 December 2012

New Year's Resolutions

After a tumultuous 2012 here's a wishlist of changes to football for 2013. Some may be about to happen, many never will and some simply must.

Firstly Arsenal FC need to find some new defenders - did you see their defence against Newcastle? Theo needs to sign a new contract in January and buy into the new vibrant young GB side 'In Arsene We Trust' is assembling.
Rock Required


The FA needs to greatly increase the available sanctions for racist abuse by players/managers. Clubs need to incorporate termination/compensation clauses into contracts for racist abuse. The game cannot be further tarnished by episodes such as 'Terry' and 'Suarez'. I am not confident this will happen. I salute Milan for taking their players off the field when Kevin Prince Boateng was racially abused. It was though a friendly. Would FIFA support them otherwise?

Sepp Blatter's first act of 2013 should be to resign forthwith. His contribution to the 'Beautiful Game' is entirely negative. His successor should come from outside FIFA.

Countries which fail to properly offer equality for women players should be banned from all international tournaments.

FFP must be adhered to and enforced (I am after all an Arsenal fan).

ITV Sport should be discarded from the schedules.

Proper tackling and contact should be allowed to return. Gareth Bale and other miscreants should decide if they are man enough to play football or find another sport.

Man Up

With that in mind simulation should be a red card offence with 3 game bans.
To assist with the above the use of technology should be extended to all 'goal decisions', simulation incidents, red and yellow card calls and off the ball incidents.

Officials' microphones should not only be recorded, but published when players are abusive to referees or each other. Abuse would rapidly die out. Similarly what is said in the technical area should be broadcast. Managerial contributions are hardly rocket science. It might even be illuminating.

Shirt pulling in the box should result in a penalty.

Goalkeepers should no longer be treated like an endangered species.

Gary Neville should be on MOTD.
Lawrenson, Savage and Shearer definitely should not. Elsewhere we don't need Townsend, J Redknapp, Niall Quinn and many others. Keown has potential.

Serbia should receive its just desserts for racist abuse.

Women's football should feature on Football Focus and have weekly terrestrial shows. We should also have access to the National Women's soccer League when it commences in USA.
Lianne Sanderson should return to the England Women's Football team. This might require changes at the top.
My England Wish


A new vibrant young England team featuring Wilshere, Chamberlain, Walcott, Gibbs (of course), but also Jones, Smalling, Welbeck and Sterling to name but a few.

Fan representation on every board.

An end to the managerial merry go round. Introduction of a form of Rooney Rule to give all talent a chance. End to knee jerk sacking of managers (Forest, Blackburn), but also terrible appointments - Hughes, McLeish ...
However also an end to managerial excuse making, abuse of referees and negative tactics.

An end to interviews with English players (most) which are frequently embarrassing and tedium personified.

I forgot about gloves - they should never be seen on a football pitch - possible exception for goalkeepers!

Happy New Year!

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