No need for Colombo, Cook has to go.

England fans went into the one day series against Sri Lanka with low expectations. We anticipated a hammering, but with England there is always that vain hope that at one day cricket they may finally turn the corner.  That corner was not turned in Sri Lanka.

England lost the series 5-2, and the two victories were rain affected.  The first victory was a duckworth-lewis inspired win.  The 2nd win was a glimpse of how England could bat in sub continent conditions, when they chased down 240 in 50overs.

However the five Sri Lankan wins were thrashings.  Sri Lanka rubbed our noses into the dirt, and England were made to look second rate.  So what can we read into this series defeat:

View image | gettyimages.com

1. Alastair Cook should not be in the side

Everyone knows this, it may even be the case that some of the players in the side think this now.  His batting is now fraught, and the tension he brings with him to the crease is rubbing off on other players.  Mooen Ali normally composed at the crease, has lost his wicket to some awful shots.  In the back of Mooen's mind, is that it is up to him to get the run-rate going, as the captain does not have the skills to bat that way in one day cricket.
Also as the captain always has to play, it has led to some of England's best players in the series moving from the positions in which they had given their best performances.  In the final game of the series, James Taylor was moved from number 3 to number 5 to ensure that Cook and Hales could play.  This also led to Ravi Bopara, consistently England's best one day batsman, inexplicably dropped.
However it is not only Cook's batting which is under question, it is also his negative approach to captaincy in the field.  England took early wickets in each game, but once Dilshan and Sangakkara for example, hit a few boundaries then Cook retreated.  The key to restricting runs in one day cricket is to keep on taking wickets, and stop partnerships building.  Cook's plan is to restrict the runs for the first 35overs, then hopefully pick up a few wickets when the opposition tee off.  This plan would never work.  It was noticeable in the game Cook missed, and Eoin Morgan was captain, that the fields were more aggressive.  Morgan backed his bowlers, they responded, and England won the game.

2. England's back up seamers are not good enough

In the 7 match series England bowled 71 wides.  That's 10 wides a match.  We were giving the Sri Lankan's 1.4 overs extra a game.  For a side as poor as ours, it is giving the opposition an advantage we cannot afford to give.
Whilst Chris Woakes ended up top wicket taker in the series (14), his figures flattered to deceive.  He was invariably bowling too short and wide.  On the hard bouncy tracks in Australasia he will be taken apart.  He needs to learn to pitch the ball up, and give it a chance to swing.
Chris Jordan whilst has undoubted potential, cannot be trusted to bowl an over without giving away a wide or a no-ball.
Steven Finn towards the end of the series was beginning to find the menacing pace and bounce, we know he can deliver.  For some reason he was dropped/rested for the last day.  Finn should be used as an enforcer in one day cricket.  Used in short sharp spells, his job is to un-ruffle settled batsman. However under the current Captain he will never be used like that.
Harry Gurney appears a likeable guy, but he is not international class.  He won't be going to the World Cup, but may re-appear in the English summer, as he may offer something in overcast conditions.
Ben Stokes is the conundrum for England.  He bowls quick, and bats in an aggressive manner.  However he has gone from England's brightest hope at the start of the year, to a shadow of that.  His bowling at times was shambolic and embarrassing.  Whilst batting he looked completely devoid of confidence.  Stokes has that X-Factor however, and I would still take him to the World Cup.  England don't have many game changers, Stokes is potentially one of those.
Stuart Broad and James Anderson cannot come back into this one day side quick enough, but you fear if either of those get injured, then England could be chasing some huge totals in the World Cup.

3. Eoin Morgan needs to improve

The vice captain had a terrible series with the bat, and scored 90 runs throughout the 7 games.  Not good enough.  Interestingly he scored 62 when he captained the side in Cook's absence.  Could Morgan thrive with the extra responsibility of captaincy.  I am desperate for him to be given a chance.  Eoin Morgan will play in the Big Bash league in Australia over Christmas and the New Year, were I fully expect him to find his form, and expect him to come into the World Cup in prime form.

4.  Mooen Ali should be the only spinner in the side

Mooen Ali at times turned the ball more in the sub-continent conditions, then the plethora of Sri Lankan spinners (Herath, A Mendis, Senayake, Dilshan).  He did not disgrace himself at all, and is more of a wicket taking threat than Tredwell.  James Tredwell is a solid citizen, and reliable, but on those flat tracks in Australia, he will be marmalized!  His slow loopy bowling will be feasted upon by the likes of Warner, Finch, De Villiers, McCullum (this is turning into a long list!).  Mooen has proved that he bowl the odd unplayable delivery, and can be trusted to bowl 10overs if required.

5. Finally James Taylor has been given a chance

Taylor has been batting excellently for a number of years in County Cricket, and once he was finally selected in the 4th One Dayer, he responded with an excellent 90.  He dovetailed superbly with Joe Root in the middle order throughout the remaining matches, their positive running between the wickets and artful batting was a delight to behold.  He seemed to have made the number 3 position his own in his handful of matches, but a clusterf*ck of a selection in the final game saw him shunted down to number 5.  Apart from Joe Root, England's batting was a sorry mess in the last game.

England move onto Australia in the New Year, to build up for the World Cup, and this is the side I would love to see play.  However we all know this isn't going to happen.

Mooen Ali
Hales
Taylor
Root
Morgan (c)
Bopara
Buttler
Woakes
Broad
Finn
Anderson

Remaining squad members - Stokes, Tredwell, Jordan, Bell.

Chris Clark © 2014    @Chrisclark1975

Gary Lineker - My hero.

Did you ever know that you’re my hero, you're everything I wished I could be.

As a young boy I desperately wanted to be Gary Lineker. I idolised him.  This fascination with Lineker led to the following:

1. Wearing a fake wrist support
2. Getting my parents to buy Quasar boots.  They were terrible.
3. Learning to be a penalty box finisher
4. Never back-chatting a referee.

The World Cup in 1986 will always be remembered for Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal, and Maradona’s match-winning performances as he captained Argentina to World Cup glory.  For me a skinny 10year old kid, it was all about Gary Lineker.  I had seen his goal for Everton against Liverpool in the previous season’s FA Cup final, but the World Cup is where Lineker captured my attention.  To take advantage of the worldwide TV audience, games kicked off at mid-day and 4pm in Mexico. In England that meant 6pm and 10pm kick offs.  The 6pm kick off’s were fine, but the 10pm matches were a tough ask to swing past Mum on a schoolnight!  England were dreadful in their opening two games, they lost to Portugal and drew with Morocco.  They had to beat Poland in their last group game to qualify for the knock out stages.  This was Lineker’s moment.  He scored a first half hat-trick as England swept past Poland 3-0.

 

But wait, what was this he had on his wrist, he must have injured himself in training, as he was wearing a support.  I had to have one, it didn’t matter that my wrist didn’t hurt.  This was part one in my becoming Gary Lineker.  So through the summer playing in the park with my mates, I wore the wrist support.  Looking back I probably looked like a pillock, but I didn’t care I was in love with Gary Lineker.

After the World Cup in which Lineker became the first English player to win the top goalscorer award he was signed by Barcelona for £2.8m from Everton.  In his first season at Barcelona, Lineker scored 21 goals in 41 games, including a hat-trick away to Real Madrid in a historic 3-2 victory.  However that was not Lineker’s best performance at the Bernabeu stadium that season.  England travelled to play Spain in a friendly on 18^th February 1987.  It was my Mum’s birthday, she could think of no better way than to spend her 32^nd birthday then to watch England play Spain, well that’s at least what my Dad said.  Lineker scored all four England goals in an impressive 4-2 victory, Gary Lineker was becoming god-like in my eyes.


 

During his time at Barcelona, my own footballing season had begun.  I had always been a budding centre forward, but never really scored many goals.  However I had begun to study how Lineker played.  He came alive in the penalty box.  He was dynamite.  I pestered my parents to buy me a pair of Lineker’s endorsed football boots…Quasar.

They weren’t my dad’s tried and tested Mitre’s. – Dad “You can’t go wrong with Mitre’s, proper football boots.” However if I wanted to become Lineker, I needed his boots.  My dad finally relented.  So with the Quasar boots and the wrist support, I was ready to show the Under 11 Southend Junior League my Gary Lineker influenced talents.  I scored 52 goals that season.  I was unstoppable.  I didn’t get involved in much of the build up play, but when that ball was in the box, I became alive.  Headers, volleys, side footed finishes, tap-ins, I got them all.  My manager at the time, wondered where these goals had come from, I had never scored this many before.  I knew, it was all down to one man…Gary Lineker.

In 1989 it happened, Gary Lineker joined my favourite team.  When playing for Tottenham Hotspur, Lineker scored 67 goals in 105 games.  He finished the 1989-90 season as top league scorer with 24goals, as Spurs finished 3^rd.  Imagine that Spurs 3^rd!

I can look back and say I was there, when Gary Lineker scored his first goal at White Hart Lane.  It was 30^th September 1989 at home to QPR.  I was so excited to see my hero in the flesh.  My dad, a massive Chelsea fan, but not wanting to let his son down, took me to White Hart Lane.  Looking back, I’m sure when QPR scored their goals my dad was standing there with clenched fists!  

Watching Lineker’s movement off the ball in a live game, I could then understand he was not just a penalty box player.  His constant movement off the ball and his running into the channels, meant that he never gave the defence a moments rest.  That is what was remarkable about Lineker.  He put in 100% effort throughout the match, but he still had the instinct and energy to find space in the box, to get that all important goal.

Lineker in that game against QPR was not content with one goal, he scored a hat-trick. Typical Lineker!

 

Seeing Lineker live, I knew that I had to adapt my game, I couldn’t just be a penalty box player.  I needed to make more impact outside of the area.  Sadly this is where my game tailed off, I didn’t have the ability to do both.  From the ages of 13-16 I could not buy a goal, and ended up playing as a frustrated left back. Looking back my football career peaked at the age of 11.

Gary Lineker went to the 1990 World Cup as England’s spearhead.  He scored four goals, and England through a series of below par performances and narrow victories, were defeated by West Germany in the semi-finals.  Ironically the semi-final defeat was England’s best performance in the tournament.  England on the night were excellent, and that performance would be in my top 3 England performances of all time (others Holland Euro 1996 and Argentina 1998 World Cup).

The day of the semi final, we had taken in a new rescue dog.  It was very nervous and timid dog, it had been beaten by it’s previous owner.  When Gary Lineker equalised against the Germans, and I jumped up and celebrated, the dog bit me on the leg.

 

England’s exit from the World Cup was painful, but so was my evening.  Does Gary Lineker know he was responsible for one of my many tetnis shots.  Highly unlikely.

After the World Cup, Tottenham were the media darlings the following season.  They had England’s ace marksman Lineker, and the new sensation Paul Gascoigne in their team. These two led Spurs to the FA Cup final in 1991.  They were both excellent in a semi final victory over arch-rivals Arsenal.  While Gascoigne took the glory for his sublime free kick, Lineker’s two goals, especially his 2^nd knocked the stuffing out of Arsenal. I still remember Barry Davies classic commentary – “Samways to his left, Lineker uses him by not using him.  Good try. Scores!”


 


Spurs won the F.A. Cup in 1991 beating Nottingham Forest in the final, despite Gary Lineker missing a penalty.  This would not be the last penalty he would miss at Wembley stadium.

The following season Gary Lineker was exceptional scoring 28 goals in 35 games, however Spurs struggled in the league and ended up in 15^th place.  During the season Lineker had accepted the opportunity to play in the fledgling J-League, and he joined Grampus eight after the final game of the 1991-1992 season.  I was now getting a little older, and it was not cool to be in love with footballers at the age of 16.  I was getting into grunge music, and had already decided that I could easily become the next Eddie Vedder.  I couldn’t sing, but I was determined to have the look. However I still loved Lineker, so with my Saturday job wages, I forked out about £60 for a Grampus eight shirt with Lineker’s name on the back. Quite possibly being the only person in Essex with this shirt.  It led to a lot of my mates saying “You go to many games?”.

In his final season at Spurs, Lineker scored one of the best team goals, I have seen Spurs score.  It was at home to Porto in the now defunct Cup Winners Cup, and he finished off a team move which had about 20 passes.  It was a goal, which made you proud to support Spurs.

 

Gary Lineker should be England’s all time goalscorer, he ended up one short of Bobby Charlton’s 49 goals.  He had an excellent chance to equal the record in a friendly against Brazil before Euro 1992, from the penalty spot.  Lineker tried a panenka penalty, but the Brazilian keeper Carlos stood his ground and gathered the ball easily.  Most fans thought that Lineker would still equal the record in Euro 1992 as his tournament record for England has never been bettered (scoring 10goals in 4 tournaments).  England under Graham Taylor were a disaster, and in Euro 1992 they plumbed the depths.  They had two disappointing goal-less draws against France and Denmark.  It was all down to a must win game against the hosts Sweden.  With England chasing the game and needing a goal, the clueless Taylor hauled Lineker off and replaced him with Alan Smith.  Lineker was visibly upset, not only that his chance to equal/beat Charlton’s record had gone, but he could no longer help England in their hour of need when he had for so long been their saviour. 

Gary Lineker retired from International football with 48 goals from 80 games, and he finally retired from professional football in 1994, after a couple of injury plagued seasons in Japan. 

Gary Lineker’s playing career spanned 16 seasons, and not once did he pick up a yellow or red card.  He was an ideal role model on how to conduct yourself and play the game.

I know footballers can’t be all as clean cut as my hero Gary Lineker,  but they are consciously or sub-consciously inspiring the next generation.  Whilst earning vast sums of money, they should never forget the fact that what they do on a football pitch, will be replicated by kids the next day across the world.

Chris Clark © 2014    @Chrisclark1975

GERRY FRANCIS KILLED THE FAMOUS FIVE

Tottenham Hotspur had a lot of issues in the 1990s, but fundamental to most of those was pigeon fancier Gerry Francis.

Tottenham began the 1994-1995 season managed by Ossie Ardiles, with a 12 point deduction in the league and had been kicked out of the F.A. Cup.  They had also been fined £600,000 for financial irregularities which had taken place in the 1980s.  However, chairman Alan Sugar in the autumn of 1994 challenged those sanctions in court, and the points deduction and F.A. Cup ban were revoked.  Quite possibly one of the only two decent things Sugar did when he was in charge of the club.

The other was the signing of world footballing superstar Jurgen Klinsmann in the summer of 1994.  When news of this transfer appeared on Teletext (page 140) or Ceefax (page 302) depending on your inclination, it shocked me.  It shocked everyone.  The Jurgen Klinsmann was coming to White Hart Lane, how on earth had Alan Sugar pulled this deal off?  For six months at Tottenham, Alan Sugar could do no wrong in the eyes of the Spurs fans...that was not to last.
Jurgen's arrival at Spurs, was quickly followed by the signing of Romanian attacking midfielder Ilie Dumitrescu, who had starred for his country in the World Cup of that summer.  Ilie was eventually joined that season, by his countryman Gica Popescu who was equally adept at playing centre back, or centre midfield.
Spurs were the media darlings at the start of the season, Alan Sugar was the cock of the walk, and Ossie Ardiles unveiled his front 5 attacking players, they were dubbed the Famous Five.

Spurs lined up on the opening day of the season at Sheffield Wednesday as follows:

Walker

Kerslake           Nethercott        Campbell         Edinburgh

Calderwood

Anderton                       Dumitrescu

Barmby

Sheringham       Klinsmann

It was high risk football, it was certainly entertaining as proved in that opening day at Hillsborough.  It was a seven goal roller-coaster, it was showbiz football! 

However this brand of football was unsustainable over a long period of time, and despite Teddy Sheringham and Jurgen Klinsmann forming an electric partnership, Ossie Ardiles was sacked.  He won only winning four of his first eleven league games, and suffered an embarrassing 3-0 defeat away to Notts County in the League Cup, with a full strength side.

Gerry Francis had gained himself a respectable reputation at QPR, not necessarily playing attractive football, but it was functional winning football on a budget.  For Gerry pragmatism was the key.

Francis's appointment at the time was underwhelming, but the majority of Spurs fans knew that with a bit of tinkering on the training pitch and some tactical nous on match day, the team would steadily climb the league.  The attacking talent at the club was too great, it truly was an embarrassment of riches.

The first of the Famous Five to fall was Ilie Dumitrescu.  Gerry did not have time for an enigmatic Romanian attacking midfielder, he was replaced in the starting line up by David Howells, who was workmanlike, and put a shift in.  His introduction certainly made Spurs harder to beat, this was Gerry's pragmatism in full flow.  This wasn't "To Dare is to do", this was "To Draw is to do!"

Ilie Dumitrescu, once he was left out of the side, began to enjoy the bright lights of London.  As a rich, single man in London, he let his hair down and partied hard.  From World Cup hero to playboy in London within six months, Dumitrescu's journey was complete.

In early December 1994, Spurs were reinstated back into the F.A. Cup, and their points deduction was revoked, it was a boon to the players and the supporters, and they celebrated with one of their best performances of the season beating Kevin Keegan's Newcastle 4-2.

   

 Into the New Year and Spurs were beginning to motor, they were turning in impressive performances beating arch rivals Arsenal, and the eventual Premier League champions Blackburn Rovers.  Gerry's defensive organisation and the flair and prowess of the attacking four was reaping dividends.  The F.A. Cup run was also beginning to take shape, they hammered Southampton in a replay at the Dell, when footballing buffoon Ronnie Rosenthal slammed in a hat trick in a 6-2 victory.  Ronnie couldn't believe he had done it, for most Spurs fans who had seen Rosenthal play, couldn't believe it either.

This victory led to an epic quarter final at Anfield, Spurs fans were beginning to think that their name was on the cup, considering the side weren't even in the competition at the start of the season.  Against Liverpool, Sheringham and Klinsmann were outstanding, they scored a goal apiece in a famous 2-1 victory.  I remember listening to the game on the radio, and when Jurgen scored in the last minute, I sunk to my knees in the living room, letting out a primal scream!

   

 This was it "Jurgen's going to Wembley, his knees have gone all trembly" only Everton stood in the way of a glamour final against Manchester United.  Spurs travelled to Elland Road on 9th April 1995, and were quite frankly horrendous, they lost 4-1 to Everton.  They lost every 50/50 challenge, Everton basically wanted it more.  Spurs were so bad, they even let Daniel Amokachi score twice.  During the game Gerry's tactics of battle hard, and get the ball forward as quick as you can weren't working, but he didn't have the nous to change tactics during the match, he only knew one way to play.

After the cup semi-final defeat the wheels came off Tottenham's season.  They won one of the last eight league games, and missed out on qualifying for the UEFA Cup via the league.  A player of Jurgen Klinsmann's stature needed to play European football, something Spurs under Gerry Francis could not deliver.

Jurgen Klinsmann was the second of the Famous Five to fall.  Klinsmann announced his intention to leave Spurs and join Bayern Munich in May 1995.  Alan Sugar was irate and embarrassed himself in a subsequent interview, saying he wouldn't wash his car with Klinsmann's Spurs shirt, and Spurs would not be buying anymore "Carlos Kickaball's".  This myopic outlook would hinder Spurs over the coming months and years.  All Spurs fans knew that during his spell at the club, Jurgen Klinsmann gave his all, and proved that by scoring 30 goals in all competitions, winning the Player of the Year.  It was a privilege to see him play at his peak.  He would return to the club in 1998 to help save the club from relegation, whilst under the management of the clutz Christian Gross.  It's hard to call Klinsmann a Tottenham legend, as he only played 55 games for the club in total, but his attitude and genuine love for the club, mean he is highly revered by the fans.

Also at the end of the 1994/1995 season, Nick Barmby asked to leave. He had risen through the youth ranks to the first team,  and performed so well he had made it into the England squad.  Wanting to return to his roots, Barmby upped sticks and went to the big spending Middlesborough in the summer of 1995.  Would he have stayed if Spurs had made the UEFA Cup the previous season, it's hard to say.  One thing is for sure though, the Famous Five was now down to two; Darren Anderton and Teddy Sheringham.

Leaving the club also that summer was Gica Popescu, a cultured ball playing centre back.  Gerry Francis felt that Popescu could not adapt to the hurly burly, rough and tumble of the Premier League.  Funny, I remember Popescu giving a man of the match performance at home to Arsenal, in a highly charged local derby, in which Gica scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory.  Anyway Popescu was shipped off to a club who would appreciate his talents.  Popescu joined Barcelona, in which he was made captain, and led the side to UEFA Cup glory. Nice one Gerry!

Foreign footballers buoyed by the success of Jurgen Klinsmann the previous season, were itching to join the Premier League.  However Spurs, hampered by the Chairman's short-sightedness and Gerry Francis's insistence on buying middle of the road players, missed out on the signing of Dennis Bergkamp.  Bergkamp was a huge Glen Hoddle and Spurs fan, it was an opportunity missed.  Instead Bergkamp went to Arsenal, and became one of their greatest players of all time.  Rather than buying Bergkamp, Spurs paid £4.5m a club record at the time, for Crystal Palace forward Chris Armstrong, who the previous season had scored 9 goals and been banned for smoking cannabis.  Alan Sugar famously said "Who needs Bergkamp, when we've got Chris Armstrong". Quite.

Spurs also passed up on the opportunity of signing Ruud Gullit on a free transfer, as Gerry Francis did not see the need of signing a sweeper.  Gerry Francis did not do thinking outside of the box, it was 4-4-2 or nothing at all.

Whilst players like Bergkamp, Gullit, Juninho, Ginola and Asprilla joined the Premier League during the season of 1995-1996,  Gerry Francis brought in; Ruel Fox, Andy Sinton, Chris Armstrong and Clive Wilson.  Un-inspirational, dour and workmanlike, the epitome of the manager.

Spurs were incredibly difficult to break down in the 1995-1996 season, only conceding 38 goals ( a goal a game), but they only scored 50 goals.  At times, it was mind-numbingly tedious stuff.  They finished in eighth place, neither bothering the top sides, nor coming close to relegation.  The season was forgettable, albeit for an injury ravaged Spurs side beating Manchester United 4-1 on New Year's Day 1996.

   

 Injuries were becoming a common theme under Gerry Francis, whilst Gerry regularly bemoaned the fact, maybe he should have looked closer to home.  Were his training sessions too intense? Was it the fact that he had so few skilful and attacking players at his disposal, that he rushed them back from injury? I certainly think this is the case in respect of Darren Anderton and Chris Armstrong.

The foreign invasion into the Premier League was really taking place in the 1996-1997 season. Arsene Wenger took over at Arsenal, bringing with him Patrick Vieira.  Ruud Gullit was managing Chelsea, signing world class players from Serie A, in Roberto Di Matteo, Gianluca Vialli and Gianfranco Zola.  Liverpool and Manchester United brought in two of the Czech Republic stars of Euro 96, in Patrik Berger and Karel Poborsky.  Even Middlesborough were going for it, when they signed Fabrizio Ravenelli from Juventus.  Imagine that Middlesborough signing someone from Juventus. They were was different times!  Spurs were getting left behind, and Alan Sugar and Gerry Francis needed to act, they had to join the foreign player bandwagon.  They needed players to excite the fans, players who could play the Tottenham way.  

Spurs through the course of that season, bought Allan Nielsen, a Danish box-to-box midfielder, whose only redeeming quality was that he wore sweatbands on each wrist.  Joining Nielsen, was acne-ridden Steffen Iversen, who could pick up an injury if someone looked at him funny.  Iversen was a potential World Class prospect from Norway.  He never lived up to that potential.  To complete these signings, Spurs bought the Swiss centre back Ramon Vega.  Poor old Vega, if you asked 10,000 Spurs fans to name their worst ever Spurs side through history, Vega would appear in 90% of the line ups.  These three signings were not even close to the quality of players Middlesboro were bringing to the country, 1996-1997 was gearing up to be another long struggle.

Injuries again played a major part in Spurs's season, as they limped home in 10th place, their lowest finish under Gerry Francis.  Spurs used thirty four players that season, as they lost nearly half of their league games (they lost 18 out of 38), and crashed out of both cups in the early rounds.  It was insipid football. It was tedious at best.  They also got humped 7-1 by Newcastle, a week before Kevin Keegan walked away from the Newcastle job.  Even Gerry Francis was taking Kevin Keegan's enjoyment away from football!

Whilst Spurs were floundering, Teddy Sheringham was playing excellently for club and country, and no-one could blame him for wanting to leave and win trophies.  Sheringham ended up at Manchester United, where he won every trophy going, famously scoring in the F.A. Cup and European Cup finals, when Manchester United won the treble.  

The Famous Five of 1994-1995, had one remaining member, Darren Anderton.

The pressure was fully on Gerry Francis at the start of the 1997-1998 season, he needed to bring in a player he could trust and rely on to replace the excellent Sheringham.  Les Ferdinand was signed from Newcastle for £6m.  Ferdinand was iconic at Newcastle.  At Spurs he was injured.  Again was this a result of Francis's training regime, there were too many injuries now for this to co-incidental.

Gerry Francis was finally sacked as Tottenham manager in November 1997, after Liverpool had drubbed Spurs 4-0 at Anfield, in fact it could have been double that.  The club had won three of their opening fourteen games that season, and had also crashed out of the League Cup, losing at home to Derby County.

Darren Anderton missed all of the 1995/1996 season through injury, he also missed the beginning of the 1997/1998 season under Francis.  Therefore it can be said, that during Gerry Francis's spell as Tottenham manager, through one reason or another, he killed the Famous Five.  

Gerry Francis took over an entertaining Spurs side, who played with a swagger.  During his period in charge, he slowly turned them into a dour side, reflecting the man himself. The last two seasons when Francis was in charge Spurs featured in no memorable matches, in fact it was painful to watch at times.  

This period of dourness did not change until Alan Sugar was removed from the club.  ENIC took charge in February 2001, and brought in Tottenham's number one son Glenn Hoddle as manager, unfortunately this did not have a happy ending.  Spursy.

Chris Clark © 2014    @Chrisclark1975

Watcha gonna do when Gullit-mania takes over you!

It was the summer of 1988 that I first saw Ruud Gullit.  I was a 12year old living in Essex who worshipped football, and when I turned on the TV to see Holland play in the European Championships I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.  I had never seen someone with a hairstyle like that, let alone someone play football with that hairstyle…and boy could he play football.

#52943827 / gettyimages.com

When Holland won the Euro’s that year, Ruud Gullit was the captain.  He was the driving force.  Was he a forward? Was he an attacking midfielder?  I couldn’t work it out.  All I knew was that he was immense.  I was fixated, I was mesmerised.  Holland had other great players in that side, Ronald Koeman, Frank Rijkaard and Marco Van Basten, but for me Ruud was the main man, with his dreads rotating and whiplashing whenever he headed the ball, it was a sight to behold.  Van Basten may get the plaudits for scoring one of the best goals ever in the final against Russia, but Gullit’s thunderbolt header in the 1^st half was just as good.

Whilst the tournament was going on and England went crashing out, Holland and especially Gullit were the talk of the school playground.  With my hard-earned paper round money, I saved up and bought this cap.  Looking back I probably looked a complete tit, but at the time I didn’t care.  I had Gullit-mania!

I discovered that he played for AC Milan in Italy, but how could I get to see Italian league games?  In 1988 there was no internet, so I couldn’t pester my dad into streaming a game on the computer.  Thinking about it, there were not many things the Spectrum 128K could do, but it did have a built in tape deck. 

Thankfully AC Milan were a supreme side in the late 80s/early 90s and appeared in the later stages of the European Cup which was shown on ITV late at night, so I would tape Midweek Sports Special, and watch the games at 630am before doing my paper-round. I was an obsessed child.

They had the watertight defence with Franco Baresi marshalling a young defence, which included a youthful Paolo Maldini.  The midfield starred Albertini, Donadoni and Gullit’s international team-mate Frank Rijkaard.  The flair was added by Ruud Gullit and the goal power from Marco Van Basten.  There is a strong argument that the AC Milan side of 1987-1992 could be the greatest club side of all time.  AC Milan’s 5-0 destruction of Real Madrid in the European Cup semi final of 88/89 season is one of the best performances ever, by any club side.

However this victory saw the beginning of Ruud’s injury problems, would he make it back in time from an operation to be ready for the final against Steaua Bucharest.  Of course Ruud would.  Not only did he play, but he scored two goals as AC Milan waltzed past the Romanians in the final 4-0.

Then in 1990 it happened.  There was a chance I could see Ruud Gullit every week on my TV.  British Sky Broadcasting was introduced, and they had a sports channel which showed live Italian games, week in week out.  My dad was well up for getting satellite TV, however my mum was a tougher nut to crack, as my dad and I watched too much sport already.  My dad worked his magic, and in November 1990 the Clark’s got satellite TV.  The first programmes we watched were the Flintstones and the Dog Olympics, BSB didn’t have many programmes!!

However I was in heaven, my chance to see Ruud every week, be it live on a Sunday afternoon after I had graced the pitches of the Southend & Junior U15 leagues, or the multiple highlights programmes they used to show during the week.  However, disaster was going to strike, not only was Ruud seriously struggling with ligament trouble, severely limiting his time on the pitch, when he was fit, his route back to the starting line up, was being blocked by restrictions on the amount of foreigners Italian sides could pick in their team.  Milan being a footballing superpower, had the choice of selecting three from these guys:- Marcel Desailly, Frank Rijkaard, Marco Van Basten, Dejan Savicevic, Zvonomir Boban, Jean-Pierre Papin and finally Gullit.

Ruud was left out of the 1993 Champions League final against Marseille, and that was the final nail in the coffin for his time at AC Milan, and he was sold to Sampdoria.  Gullit went there with a point to prove, and when Milan played in Genoa, Gullit rolled back the years, and turned in a barnstorming performance. He scored the winner in a 3-2 victory for Sampdoria and led them to an Italian  Cup victory as well.  Ruud was such an iconic and influential figure, his mere presence led his team-mates to greater efforts.

Milan ate humble pie in the summer of 1994, and they re-signed him from Sampdoria, however the return to Milan never really worked out, as injuries had affected his pace, and Gullit was having to play at centre back or sweeper, and by the end of the season, Gullit had been loaned back to Sampdoria. At the end of the season, Gullit needed a change of scenery, and he was being heavily linked to a move to the Premier League.

As a Spurs fan, I was hoping that Spurs would be in for him.  However those hopes were dashed, as our complete numpty of a manager Gerry Francis, decided he did not need a new centre back, Christ we had Colin Calderwood and Stuart Nethercott, why on earth did we need Gullit;-) Gerry definitely did not entertain the idea of having a sweeper either.  The man was clueless.  He ruined Spurs, but that’s a story for another day.

Ruud swaggered into Chelsea of all places, playing under a man who knows a good footballer when he sees one, Glen Hoddle. My dad being a lifelong Chelsea fan was ecstatic, and I had to put up with Spurs lumbering on under Gerry Francis, with footballers like Andy Sinton, Clive Wilson and Chris Armstrong.  From 1995 to the present day, my dad has rubbed my nose in it, about Chelsea’s dominance over Spurs, in fact he’s bloody loved it.

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During this period I couldn’t show how much I loved Ruud Gullit as a footballer, I had to hate him, it was part of the deal of being a football supporter.  But secretly, I still adored him.  He was like a Rolls Royce, either playing sweeper or centre midfield for Chelsea.  The players loved him, the fans loved him. I hate to say it, but he was the King of the King’s Road.
When Glen Hoddle was made England manager in 1996, there was only one candidate for the Chelsea job, and Ruud Gullit became their manager in the summer of 1996.  From that moment in time, Chelsea as a club have not looked back.  Gullit was an icon for European footballers, and they were queuing up to join him at Chelsea, Roberto Di Matteo, Frank LeBoeuf and most importantly Gianfranco Zola joined in his first season.  Chelsea won the FA Cup in his first season in charge, the club’s first major trophy in 26 years.  Gullit became the first non-British manager to win a major trophy in England.  Chelsea had arrived. Meanwhile Spurs plodded on.

Ruud Gullit has always been a confident man, some may say bordering on arrogant, and this may have led to his falling out with Ken Bates at Chelsea.  There was probably a clash of personalities, however you could probably list on one hand, the amount of people who get on with Ken Bates, and one of those is Mrs Bates.  With Chelsea in 2^nd place in the league, and in the quarter finals of both cups, Gullit was sacked by Bates, and replaced by Gianluca Vialli. 

Spurs at this time, were being managed by Christian Gross, a completely clueless manager, who was brought in by the Apprentice’s Alan Sugar.  Alan Sugar was a terrible football chairman, he made one bad managerial decision after another. Could we hope that Sugar would finally make a wise choice, and appoint Gullit, to play the sexy football us Spurs fans craved.  Don’t be so ridiculous, we ended up with George ficking Graham, the man with a marble mural of the Arsenal crest in the entrance to his house.  Ruud took his brand of sexy football to St James Park, but it never really worked out for Gullit at St James Park, I don’t think his heart was really in it.  He missed Chelsea too much.  He also dropped Alan Shearer in a must win game against Sunderland.  Newcastle lost, and Gullit was sacked.  However you have to admire Gullit’s balls for making a decision like that.

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After leaving English football, Gullit flitted around Europe and the US taking managerial jobs, but he never really settled anywhere.  He fell out with owners left, right and centre.  Being a manager wasn’t his style, he was too much of a maverick. 

However the last few years of Gullit’s time in professional football as a manager, should not cloud what a truly fantastic footballer he was.  It certainly changed the life of a young boy in Essex, and for that I will always be fond of Ruud Gullit.

Chris Clark © 2014    @Chrisclark1975