Champions League: Mourinho's Homecoming

Photo: Times Online, 30 March 2010

I'm no Mystic Meg, but mark my words: the Silver Fox will be coming to England come the end of summer 2010.


At a pre-Champions League press conference ahead of Inter Milan's quarters match against CSK Moscow, Jose Mourinho was at it again, dropping pitch perfect soundbites like stardust and peppering English journo's with the usual pre-match mind games you'd expect. The subject? Italian Football. Jose informed one and all that he was unhappy with Italian football. Ma perche, Jose? 
                               
                                                “Because I do not like it and because it doesn’t like me.”


This is the football mind-fuck equivalent of requesting your P45. These are the moves of a smart guy softening the ground for his eventual departure. Sure, he wants to win the Champions League with Inter. But he clearly won't be staying on to mount another campaign if they should fail this year. 


The popular and obvious bet for a next destination is probably Real Madrid, who have the size, scope and money to facilitate the ambitions of a successful coach like himself. But it's clear that Mourinho's heart lies in England for club football.


                      “I miss English football and English football misses me, there’s no doubt about that"


With a toss up between coaching Manchester United or Real Madrid, all signs would point to Old Trafford. But that job is not up for grabs. Yet. Whereas there are a couple of legitimate possibilities which may arise in the English game, at the right level. Funny to think that for the clubs I'm thinking about, much of this prospect depends on whether those two teams in particular can retain and attain fourth spot in the Premier League.


Interesting times.


Until that time, we'll just have to make do with the occasional flirt 'n' tease dance afforded to footy fans on Champions League nights when Europes best face one another in the prestigious final 8 stage.


Wednesday Matches, 7.30pm GMT kick off


Inter Milan vs CSK Moscow
Arsenal FC vs Barcelona FC

The Hand of Gaul: Incompetent Linesmen Strike Again!

Well, well. The start of terrible, avoidable football eff ups begins already. With every Fifa World Cup to roll by, we're treated to not only excellent displays of football and shocking fouls, but brazenly wrong linesmen decision making.

Tonight's controversy merely wets the appetite for howlers so sublime us viewers will really have need of endless replays and multi-angle TV coverage. France were playing the second leg of their World Cup play off match against a plucky Ireland, and were trailing 0-1. Deep into extra time, France penetrating again and again, Thierry Henry used his hand to touch the ball down (TWICE) and threaded it through to William Gallas, who neatly put the goal away.

Where do we start, in analysing what went wrong tonight?

• One, France had a man off-side at the start of that fateful charge.
• Two, Thierry handled the ball...twice. Swedish ref, Martin Hansson, wasn't sure and conferred with the linesman.
• Three, conferring with any linesman in football is always a wasteful decision in the majority of cases, owing to the fact that linesmen never see anything, even infringements occurring under their nose.

Watch any EPL game and the evidence is there for all to see. In theory, Hansson, old linesman should be able to tell you what happens on his line. In case you missed it. Too bad, he saw nothing and will scurry away Scot free into the dust long before the consequences of his god awful decision does.

People will blame Thierry Henry, and label him a cheater. He'll have to take it, and so long as his country are through, I doubt he'll care. But the real culprits are the officials who have all the rules on their side, but once again show that even the obvious incidents can waltz right before them before they action the rules correctly.

It's sad to see a team who tried so hard be denied the fruits of their labour, all because of incompetence. Make no mistake- that is what it was. Every time a ball crosses the line, yet is declared not. Every time a goal from a free kick is scored, but the ref cites 'foul' based on an inconsequential tussle in the wall. Every time a striker is onside, yet called off. These all add up to more than a slip of the eye. These amount to unfair, arbitrary advantage given by those whose job it is to monitor the game, not blemish it with their presence.

The time is coming for use of video technology during play. Human error as big as this and as frequent occurring in any other area of the sport, would result in a P45. The stakes are too high. It's introduction need not threaten the role of the officials, and for the accountable ones, it wouldn't.

The old arguements and fears about changing the nature of the game, the high tempo speed it's played in and the trust in officials decisions? Someone needs to send a memo to Fifa: that ship has long sailed.