Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

Oh dear. Another crazy owner who knows jackshit about football thinks he owns the world and can make bad decisions at the expense of everyone else at the club - players, coaches and fans. Manchester City manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson, is, according to the BBC, going to be sacked at the end of this season by billionaire owner Thaksin Shinawatra. Manchester City have had one of their best seasons in recent years. They may have slipped since the turn of the year but they will finish in the top ten, precisely the target set for Eriksson. I thought you usually kept your job if you met your targets. He may even exceed them. What does Shinawatra expect? Manchester City to win the Premiership? I've not been a fan of Eriksson for a while now. I think he was a great coach in his earlier days but he ended up a major disappoinment at the helm of England and I think his decisions largely cost England in the last World Cup. However, he has done a great job at City. The players like him, the fans like him. It just appears that the owner doesn't. What is with these power crazy owners? We've seen the shenanigans at Liverpool. OK, Liverpool have faded in the Premiership but they are still in the Champions' League for Christ's sake. Benitez remains a top notch coach.
I think there are lessons for everyone. Owning a football club, particularly in England, is not simply a financial investment. You have to have the players' and fans' interests at heart. Glory does not come overnight. I would not be at all surprised if the Manchester City fans take to the streets on this one. Maybe Mr. Shinawatra's days at City could also be numbered?
Here's the BBC link to the story.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/7370698.stm

Pundits Get it Wrong on FA Cup

I'm sure many cliches have been written since the weekend over the FA Cup and the extraordinary results that emerged. My only comment is that it just goes to show how some of the so-called experts who pontificate on the state of the world's game just get it so damn wrong. I remember such experts saying confidently at the time of the third round that all the romance had gone from the competition because only the big teams were going to win. Indeed, there was some justification for this given that the tournament has been won only by the big boys in recent years. But it is only a game played by human beings and almost anything can happen.
Granted, Havant and Waterlooville were never going to beat Liverpool at Anfield having actually taken the lead twice but they gave them a fright. I wrote way back about non-league Horsham frightening the life out of League One leaders Swansea in the second round. The gap is too large for such giant-killing but clearly, as the weekend showed, Championship teams can beat the Premier giants. Barnsley, who had already beaten Liverpool at Anfield in the previous round, dumped Chelsea out and now face the prospect of possibly winning the Cup and being relegated. A first? Or maybe it will be mighty Cardiff City to take the FA Cup out of England? And let's not forget the achievement of Portsmouth. Granted, a Premier League team who have been playing very well this season but to go to Old Trafford and beat United really was a fantastic performance. Oh the romance.