Newcastle United fans have put up with a lot over the years but selling “naming rights” for James’ Park might be the final straw for some fans.

At 10pm on Tuesday the club announced that Chris Hughton would be made full-time manager and that owner Mike Ashley would no longer be selling and instead would inject 20 million pounds this week.

Slipped in among the back-slapping was the news that the club would welcome bids for the naming rights of the ground the club has occupied with pride since 1892.

Newcastle fans have had years of fun abusing Sunderland for what they consider the pretentious “Stadium of Light” which replaced Roker Park 12 years ago and now their fiercest rivals are poised to return the favour when one of the most famous and atmospheric grounds in the country becomes an advert.

Supporters have become less sensitive about names of new or rebuilt stadiums since the days when Millwall’s Den was imaginatively named “The New Den” and selling the naming rights to a new ground, such as the Emirates Stadium, is no longer that controversial.

Slapping a new name on an established ground, however, is another matter entirely.

Manchester United, never slow to miss a commercial opportunity, would surely never consider losing “Old Trafford” even though the sort of fee they could command for such a deal would dwarf anything Newcastle could hope to raise.

Imagine Liverpool’s players trotting down the tunnel and reaching up to pat a sign reading “This is the ACME Co Stadium”, with the world-famous Anfield relegated to the club museum.

Such decisions are exactly why Ashley is so disliked and distrusted by the rank and file Newcastle fans, something that cannot be changed by donning a replica shirt and downing a few pints amongst them.

The forum of the city’s Evening Chronicle newspaper website was overflowing with comments from angry fans on Wednesday.

Though some fans said it was not a major issue and that the money would be welcome, the overall feeling was very opposed. “Magpie5uk” led the way with the following heartfelt pros:

“This completely detached buffoon has to be stopped. He is unscrupulous, and will not stop until he has taken everything that not only fans, but people of Newcastle in general, appreciate. He is systematically destroying everything that means anything to the fans.
For instance:
1…Our Premier League Status.
2…Our top players.
3…Kevin Keegan.
4…Alan Shearer.
5…Our dignity.
6…Our humility.
7…Our enjoyment of Saturday Afternoons.
8…(AND POSSIBLY THE WORST OF ALL!) Our heritage, with this DISGRACEFUL decision to sell the name of the ground!!!
This man MUST be stopped!!”

PHOTO: Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley (C) at St James’ Park, Feb 1, 2009. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

Maintaining the strength in depth to cope with injury crises is as crucial for the management of a top-class team as it is difficult to master, writes William James.

The recent experience of England's rugby team is testament to this after being forced to pick a squad without twelve regular members.

Similarly just 10 games into soccer's Premier League season, managers of the big four clubs have been forced to field reserves. Liverpool handed big-game debuts to Daniel Ayala and Jay Spearing, while injuries forced Arsenal to thrust goalkeeper Vito Mannone into the Champions League spotlight.

The challenge for any team is to keep a pool of talent bubbling underneath the first team that is both able and experienced enough to step up to the next level. Teams invest vast amounts into scouting young talent, but experience is harder to buy.

Managing the gulf between the first team and the reserves is key to ensuring the consistency that brings league titles and secures international trophies. What this soccer season has shown already is that this issue warrants much greater attention.

Second-string teams competing in football's reserve leagues are given over largely to youth and those returning from injury, while more senior players lose match sharpness bench-sitting for the first team.

The loan deals that provide young players with the experience to slot back into first team action are too inflexible to work; lower-league sides demand season-long loans and control over players.

The result is young talent floundering in reserve leagues or stranded out on loan without a route back to their parent club when first-team opportunities arise.

At international level the balance of reserve squads is again tipped in the favour of youth to the detriment of the senior game. Despite England's rugby team missing over twelve players through injury, only three of the replacements that have been announced were drawn from the England Saxons, the notional reserve team.

The less said about football's England B team the better; without fixtures or a defined role it has been supplanted entirely by the Under-21 setup.

The standard of domestic cricket is often derided, but the sport is the best British example of a functioning reserve system working hand in hand with the national team.

England Lions, the squad below the test team, gave Jonathan Trott the chance to step up and perform on a stage that propelled him into the senior team for the final Ashes test. At the age of 28 he had the right mixture of experience and ability, and seized the chance he was given to perform.

Graham Onions is another who, aged 26, successfully made the transition earlier this year.

Forcing youngsters to sink or swim under the gaze of the world's television cameras is rarely successful and often damaging to both the player and the team.

Those determining the structure of national and domestic squads should take note; youth and talent is essential in the long term, but so is managing a pool of players beneath the first team who are ready to contribute when needed.

England's Jonathan Trott celebrates reaching his century against Australia during the fifth Ashes cricket test match at the Oval in London August 22, 2009. REUTERS/Philip Brown

The coaches of the three biggest Serie A clubs recently indulged in what has always been one of the favourite pastimes of the older and wiser — picking fault with today’s youngsters.

Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho kicked things off when he criticised 19-year-old forward Mario Balotelli’s approach in training and suggested that footballers of his age were more interested in Ferraris and Bentleys than getting on with the job.

“It’s probably a generational problem,” Mourinho said. “At the moment it’s very difficult to find a player who’s 19 or 20 and thinks like a man.”

Reporters asked Juventus coach Ciro Ferrara what he thought, but if they hoped to stir up another Mourinho-versus-the-rest-of-Italy row, they were disappointed.

“I agree. It’s a problem of values,” Ferrara said. “Things have changed a lot and the purely sporting side often drops down to a secondary level.

“A young player becomes a star after just a few matches in Serie A. Million-euro contracts arrive and thoughts immediately go to the national team. It’s difficult for them to keep their feet on the ground.”

AC Milan boss Leonardo agreed too.

“I understand what Mourinho is saying. It’s difficult to teach certain values to youngsters,” he told reporters, adding that he believed it was a problem for society as a whole, not just soccer.

Maybe the managers have a point and all the money pouring into football has corrupted the game’s budding talent.

I’m not so sure. Football has always had its share of prima donnas and players who, let’s say, gave great importance to the economic side of the profession.

Moreover, those wondering why young players find it harder to get a chance to shine in Serie A than in other top flights, might have be given a clue to the riddle.

PHOTO: Inter Milan’s coach Jose Mourinho (L) argues with his player Mario Balotelli during their Serie A match against Siena at San Siro, May 17, 2009. REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito

Carlos Alberto Parreira’s return as South Africa coach has been widely pilloried in the country’s media, a stark contrast to the almost universal approval he received when he took the job the first time round in late 2006.

Parreira has been enticed back in the wake of the firing of compatriot Joel Santana last week, as the World Cup hosts battle to drag their national side out of a spiral of long-term mediocrity.

Parreira was supposed to be the architect of a plan to build a competitive South African side to set the 2010 tournament alight.

But when his wife fell ill, he had little option to quit and return home to Rio de Janeiro.

Failure to properly explain the reasons for his departure, combined with a simmering discontent over the amount of money he was being paid, obviously touched a sensitive nerve, because his return has been widely condemned.

Columnists across the South African media have raged against his re-appointment and, more to the point, the failure of the South African Football Association to appoint a locally-born coach in the wake of Santana’s departure.

Just why a local would supercede the decades of World Cup experience Parreira has amassed has not been sufficiently explained.

Parreira will likely be surprised by the tone of the ‘welcome’ he will get when he arrives in Johannesburg soon to resume the job. He seemed to have the team on an upward curve during his first tenure but after his departure they have headed steadily downwards, even if there were some bright spots during June’s Confederations Cup.

The South African soccer scene is fickle, which could work in Parreira’s favour. Should he be able to engineer victories in the next two warm-up games, at home to Japan and Jamaica in mid-November, he could well be back on an African honeymoon.

PHOTO: Parreira, REUTERS/Masimba Sasa

So it was an even worse week than usual. Ok, there were some surprise results but generally it was pitiful, some panelists only picked up one point and even most of our outside contributors struggled despite showing us up in recent weeks.

On behalf of all of us, I’d like to point out that the Premier League is more evenly balanced than it has been for a while (see Kevin’s blog) so we have a slight excuse….

Mitch Phillips was the only one to come out of the weekend with any credit, leaping into second spot after getting two scores bang on including West Ham 2-2 Arsenal, which sadly for the rest of us was a double-pointer.

To avoid a plethora of emails from Mitch and to keep it tight at the top, we will let his prediction of a draw in Wolves v Villa stand despite him sending in his entry after the match had started!

Here are the updated scores:

Reuters Soccer Blog panel: Patrick Johnston 92, Mitch Phillips 81, Paul Radford 79, Simon Evans 71, Mike Collett 70, Kevin Fylan 66, Miles Evans 63, Julien Pretot 59, Mark Meadows 50, Asia Sports Desk 48, Neil Maidment 44, Justin Palmer 36, Martyn Herman 10, Soxley (newbie) 2

Mark Meadows

(more…)

A game between Liverpool and Manchester United is one of football’s great fixtures and it has recently been given additional spice by a number of clashes between the managers.

Much has been said and written about the verbal jousting between Rafael Benitez and Alex Ferguson and at the moment the Scot is losing both on and off the field.

Ferguson is by far the most successful manager in the Premier League but Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool suggests he is now helpless and out of ideas when he crosses swords with his Spanish opponent, who was calm and collected before the game.

Ferguson said after the match there was a “wounded animal aspect to the game” given Liverpool’s recent poor run but their victory may also have been the result of a growing confidence among Benitez’s side when it comes to meeting United. 

After losing 4-1 at home to Liverpool last season, United needed a different approach when visiting Anfield on Sunday but their display was a case of déjà vu.

The game was won by Liverpool’s team effort, by the passionate Anfield crowd but also by Benitez’s ability to rediscover United’s weaknesses (Rio Ferdinand?).

PHOTO: Liverpool’s manager Rafa Benitez (L) and his Manchester United counterpart Alex Ferguson gesture during their English Premier League soccer match at Anfield in Liverpool, northern England, October 25, 2009. REUTERS/Phil Noble

Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool has again exposed the chinks in the Premier League champions’ armour, notably their defensive frailties against top level opposition.

While United overcame Rio Ferdinand’s howler in a 4-3 win over City in the Manchester derby, the England centre back’s lack of pace and cutting edge cost Alex Ferguson’s side dearly against Liverpool.

The ease with which a half-fit Fernando Torres got away from Ferdinand to score Liverpool’s opening goal will have raised not only Ferguson’s eyebrows, but also given Fabio Capello a headache.

Is Ferdinand, who has looked completely at sea in the heart of United’s defence this season and had a nightmare of a game in England’s 1-0 defeat by Ukraine, going through just a temporary loss of form or are his best days behind him?

Ferguson has no world class cover for Ferdinand in his squad and his decision to let Gerard Pique return to Barcelona after United’s 2008 Champions League triumph might come back to haunt him. That is if it hasn’t already…Pique stopped United from taking the lead in the 2009 final while Ferdinand was at fault for Barcelona’s second goal in the 2-0 defeat by the Spanish champions.

England’s potential rivals in the 2010 World Cup will also be rubbing their hands over Ferdinand becoming a liability and while Capello must hope he rediscovers his form, the Italian might also want to consider an alternative partner to John Terry in the centre of England’s defence.

PHOTO: Liverpool’s Fernando Torres (front) outmuscles Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand to score during their English Premier League match at Anfield, Oct 25, 2009. REUTERS/Phil Noble

Franck Ribery’s knee injury has flared up again and the problem could not have come at a worse time for Bayern Munich.

Ribery picked up the injury in pre-season training at the height of Real Madrid’s efforts to sign him.

He has played only a handful of matches, his last three weeks ago, and now he is out again, for at least a month, maybe more. He will likely miss France’s World Cup qualification play-off against Ireland and by the time he returns for Bayern there won’t be many matches left before the long mid-season break.

This raises the question: does anyone at Bayern regret not selling the player to Real?

They could certainly have done without another injury saga. Frustrated 30-million-euro striker Mario Gomez has been relegated to the bench, Dutchman Arjen Robben and Mark van Bommel are only just recovering from injury, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk is reportedly unhappy in Munich and emotions seem to be running high after Thomas Mueller and Daniel van Buyten were both sent off in the Champions League defeat by Bordeaux this week.

It is not the start coach Louis van Gaal had envisaged. So would they they have been better off with Ribery sold to Real and many millions in the bank?

PHOTO: Bayern Munich’s midfielder Franck Ribery reacts during the Champions League game against Juventus in Munich September 30, 2009. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle

(Updates after Parreira appointed)

Joel Santana arrived for what he thought was a routine review of his work with his South African Football Association bosses on Monday and within hours was packing his bags for a return to Brazil, ending his tenure as the 15th coach employed by South Africa in the last 17 years.

The run of poor results in recent internationals plus last year’s early elimination from the African Nations Cup qualifiers, had left Bafana Bafana in deep crisis, a team without any confidence or direction and running out of time before hosting the 2010 World Cup finals.

Santana had done himself few favours, first with his inability to learn passable English even after 18 months in the country and secondly his glib answers to increasingly concerned questions about the progress of the team. His side have looked listless and without direction in recent matches.

Santana was the second coach in the country’s Brazilian experiment, following Carlos Alberto Parreira as South Africa turned to the land of the five-time word champions for the expertise to mould their 2010 team.

Parreira has now returned to the job. He quit in April 2008 after his wife was found to have cancer. She has since recovered and he had indicated over the last days he would be interested in returning to the job.

There was, however, a clamour for a local coach to take over, with popular sentiment believing the experiment with foreign coaches has failed. In the past the deluge of callers to phone-in shows on radio and TV has influenced the decision of SAFA, which makes for a potentially dangerous decision-making.

The issue of Santana’s successor was discussed on Friday by the association’s leadership and Parreira will be in charge for the next internationals at home to Japan and Jamaica in mid-November. He will have six months to resurrect the country’s hopes of at least making it past the first round.

PHOTO: Carlos Alberto Parreira reacts during a match against Swaziland at Ellis Park in Johannesburg March 13, 2007. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Liverpool’s run of four straight defeats has generated a lot of discussion about what has gone wrong, but precious little about how to put it right, aside from the suggestion that it might be nice to see Kenny Dalglish back in the dugout.

So let’s leave aside for a moment Rafa’s handling of big players and whether he should have kept hold of Sami Hyypia and Xabi Alonso, and consider what the club’s next moves should be.

As many have noted, without Fernando Torres they look impossibly ordinary in attack, and when Andriy Voronin was brought on with a few minutes to go against Lyon it seemed to many fans an indictment of the Spanish coach’s transfer dealings.

Certainly Liverpool could do with another top class forward but with money short the chances of them landing David Villa or someone similar in the transfer window are remote. And in any case, I’m not sure pitching in a player like Villa at the halfway stage of the season would provide the answer.

What Liverpool really need is a player with a touch of gravitas, the sort of performer who can command respect from team mates and opponents alike, can put his foot on the ball, weigh up the options and give players around him a lift.

Arguably the best signing Gerard Houllier made, apart from Hyppia, was Gary McAllister. The Scot was 35 when he moved to Anfield yet he still had a profound effect on the team, playing an instrumental role in the run to the Cup treble of 2000-01 and, more importantly, the club’s first qualification for the Champions League.

How Benitez could do with a player cut from the same cloth. But where should he turn?

David Beckham might have been a solution — well, Michael Owen did sign for United, after all – but the England man seems set for another stint with AC Milan.

He is no McAllister, but in the absence of such a player Liverpool might consider making a bid for Rafael van der Vaart, a player with the same sort of quality on the ball and the experience of leading a team during his time at Hamburg SV.

He is currently warming the bench at Real Madrid and might jump at a chance to show what he can do in the Premier League.

But if not the Dutchman, who would you suggest? They certainly need to find inspiration from somewhere, as they contemplate the possibility of falling 10 points behind Manchester United on Sunday.