Swansea welcome Everton to the Liberty Stadium on Saturday lunchtime looking to recover from their first defeat of the season suffered at Aston Villa last weekend.
Swansea defender Ashley Williams faces a race to be fit for the game having been suffering with an ankle injury. His loss would be a blow to Michael Laudrup who is already without the injured Neil Taylor, Kyle Bartley and Gary Monk. Chico Flores will also serve the second of his three match suspension.
Everton will be without Darron Gibson, who is suffering with a thigh injury. Nikita Jelavic is an injury concern after he was hurt in a collision with his own teammate Leon Osman during Monday’s draw with Newcastle.
Despite last weeks defeat, its been a superb start to the season for Swansea. Only Manchester United and Fulham (10) have scored as many goals as the Swans this season, who are infact unbeaten in their last five home games.
Summer signing Michu has been the star of the show so far for Laudrup’s men, and will be looking to score in his third consecutive home game for the club.
David Moyes brings his side to Wales in decent form also. His side have in fact lost just one of their last 13 Premier League matches.
Leighton Baines was on the scoresheet during Everton’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle on Monday night. It was the fullbacks tenth goal since August 2010, making him the highest scoring defender in the Premier League during that period.
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According to the Daily Mail, West Ham United are on the verge of launching a £25m bid for Swansea City centre-back Alfie Mawson.
What’s the story?
West Ham boss David Moyes is expected to be given funds to improve his squad in the January transfer window, and the Scot has previously suggested that he will look to bring a new centre-back to the club in the early stages of 2018.
Mawson has been linked with the Hammers in recent weeks, and according to the Daily Mail, the London club are now readying an offer in the region of £25m.
It is understood that Swansea have already rejected an offer of £18m as they hold out for the best possible deal.
The report claims that West Ham have offered £20m upfront with £5m in add-ons as they look to secure Mawson’s signature when the winter window opens for business.
Is £25m fair for Mawson?
It has been a rotten season for Swansea, with the Welsh outfit rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table following their 5-0 defeat at Liverpool on Boxing Day.
Mawson has been Swansea’s standout player this term, and has gone from strength to strength since joining the Welsh club from Barnsley in the summer of 2016.
At 23, Mawson is the right age when it comes to development, and whilst £25m is a big price for a centre-back that does not have an awful lot of experience at the top level, it could turn out to be a smart piece of business from West Ham.
Good in the air, strong and with a decent turn of pace, Mawson has the potential to develop into a very good centre-back over the next few seasons.
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Swansea will want a fair price as they potentially head for the Championship, and it seems that West Ham want the deal signed and sealed as soon as possible.
Former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman believes Luis Suarez will stay at the club for years to come, reports the Daily Star.
The Uruguayan signed a new long term contract worth a reported £200k a week in December, and McManaman believes he is set to honour it despite continued interest from Arsenal and Real Madrid.
“I think he will stay. He’s signed a new contract,” McManaman said.
“It’s important for superstars to play in the Champions League every week. It is the over-riding fact that they want to test themselves against the best players.
“Liverpool are on the right track. If they finish suddenly finish sixth in the league there will be question marks but if they win the league or second or third and are in the Champions League there won’t be any assumptions about whether he stays or goes.
“He will stay and it will be up to Liverpool whether they want to sell him rather than the other way round.”
Liverpool closed the gap on league leaders Chelsea to just one point after a 2-1 win over Sunderland last night, and McManaman believes they can challenge all the way in the title race.
“They have got real strength in depth,” headded.
“Like Arsenal everybody was expecting Liverpool during March to drop points but they go to Old Trafford and won, go to Cardiff and won and suddenly everybody starts to think that they are quietly chipping away.
“It would be great if they did but it will be hard with Man City at Anfield, Chelsea at Anfield.
“Anybody who has been involved with Liverpool does not expect miracles this year. You don’t expect to jump from seventh last year, 20 points behind Manchester United, to winning the league.
“You just want progression and we have had it in bucketloads this year.
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“If Liverpool can qualify for the Champions League without having a qualifying game, finishing first or second, that would be even better.
“If they win the league that would be incredible.”
Finally Tottenham are beginning to resemble a Mauricio Pochettino side, following their industrious and organised yet elegant and efficient 2-1 win over Everton at the weekend.
But the Argentine gaffer was given a rather modest transfer budget during the summer, eventually spending around £35million, and clearly wasn’t allowed to make the wholesale changes he desired.
Consequentially, there’s a number of lingering issues, ranging from viable transfer targets to the make-up for the White Hart Lane Roster, the Spurs boss needs find resolution to.
The quickest way to do that is via the transfer market, so here’s a list of FIVE lingering issues Pochettino must resolve in January.
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Get rid of Emmanuel Adebayor
Priority one for Tottenham in January has to be orchestrating the departure of Emmanuel Adebayor.
A lack of depth up front combined with the Lilywhites’ overinvestment in £27million striker Roberto Soldado has given the Togo international a stay of execution until now. Bt the 30 year-old devilishly revelled in Tim Sherwood’s dependency on him for goals last term – safe in the knowledge that he would unlikely be dropped in spite of some completely anonymous displays – and under Mauricio Pochettino he’s netted just twice in ten appearances.
There’s also very bizarre stories emerging about the Togo international’s mum using black magic to ruin his career, as if he needed any help:
Clearly, Adebayor’s mind is preoccupied – still earning £100k per-week (in part subsidised by Manchester City), the Lilywhites need to get him off the wage bill as soon as possible.
The only problem is – who would buy a high-earning, goal-shy centre-forward that’s now left Arsenal, Manchester City and Spurs on rather sour terms?
He’s been linked with ‘Arry Redknapp’s QPR recently, which seems like a rather likely scenario, as well as a Galatasaray, but other reports claim Adebayor is prepared to rot in the reserves and see out the rest of his contract, which expires in 2016.
If that’s the case, perhaps Spurs should consider a termination.
Midfield overhaul
What is going on with Tottenham’s midfield?
The Lilywhites splashed out a combined £41million on centre-mid powerhouses Etienne Capoue, Paulinho and Mousa Dembele, but none can get a look-in over academy duo Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason – decent prospects by all means, but nowhere near the level you’d expect to be starting regularly at a top six club.
Worryingly, this isn’t just a Pochettino thing – all fell out of favour with Tim Sherwood for significant periods last season too.
Clearly, the Lilywhites need a bit of a midfield overhaul; depending on Bentaleb and Mason for the rest of the season can only spell disaster. But who could they realistically sign in January?
Well, reports this morning claim Franco Baldini has already wrapped up a deal for PSG’s contract-rebel prodigy Adrien Rabiot:
Here’s a clip of the 19 year-old in action:
What a scoop that would be, but any report from the Metro has to be taken with a pinch of salt.
Fellow contract rebel Fabian Delph remains an alternative. Performances for Aston Villa earned him the Villain of the Year award last term and more recently a spot in Roy Hodgson’s England squad. But most importantly, the 25 year-old’s industrious-yet-marauding style, epitomised best by this goal against Chelsea last year:
…would fit perfectly into Mauricio Pochettino’s philosophy.
After that, there’s the likes of Yohan Cabaye, Joao Moutinho and Morgan Schneiderlin – all rumoured to be on the move in the coming transfer window – but they’re valued at £19million upwards.
Should Spurs cash in on Jan Vertonghen?
On paper, Jan Vertonghen is still by far Tottenham’s best defender, but the Belgium international hasn’t come anywhere close to matching the talismanic form his debut Premier League campaign over the last 18 months, as shown below:
His pathetic attempt to stop Chelsea’s Loic Remy yesterday evening pretty much sums it up:
Meanwhile, the 27 year-old has just ended contract talks at White Hart Lane on a rather sour note:
So January seems like a logical time to sell. Put it this way; right now, the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City will be interested in taking a punt on Vertonghen, but that won’t be the case in the summer if his lukewarm form continues.
Of course, the only stumbling block is finding a viable replacement mid-season. Perhaps West Ham’s Winston Reid or Aston Villa’s Ron Vlaar? The centre-back duo are both about to enter the final six months of their respective contracts.
DeAndre Yedlin – is he needed and what does this mean for Kyle Naughton?
Tottenham wrapped up a deal for Team USA World Cup starlet DeAndre Yedlin during the summer and now that the MLS season has come to a close, he’s free to move to the Lane in January, having also attained an EU passport.
Apparently, the 21 year-old right-back is raring to go and he’s certainly an impressive talent – just look at his recovery speed in this short clip:
But another MLS campaign would hardly dent Yedlin’s development, considering he could well spend much of his first season at White Hart Lane on the bench or in the reserves.
That being said, Mauricio Pochettino has been forced to field centre-backs Eric Dier and Vlad Chiriches at No.2 this season, with Kyle Walker absent through injury, so the American international could slot into an immediate first team role.
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What does that mean for Kyle Naughton however? Versatility is the only attribute prolonging the 26 year-old’s Lilywhites career and in my opinion, he’s Spurs’ worst defender by quite some way.
Mirror Football believe he could be shipped off to Swansea City as a consequence of Yedlin’s arrival:
Should Spurs return for Jay Rodriguez?
The Lilywhites were strongly linked with Southampton’s Jay Rodriguez during the summer until the St. Mary’s outfit issued a rather stern, non-negotiable hands-off warning:
Indeed, the 25 year-old was in stunning form under Mauricio Pochettino last season, netting 15 times to become the third-top scoring Englishman in the Premier League, and had it not been for an ACL injury, would have likely made England’s World Cup squad. Here’s a look at the Three Lions man in action:
So with the winger-forward set to return to action in the New Year, should Spurs revive their interest in Rodriguez, as reported by the tabloids?
He’s proven under Pochettino and addresses two gaps in the Spurs’ squad, namely the strike-force and the left-wing role – although to give credit where it’s due, Nacer Chadli’s been fantastic out wide this season.
That being said, Rodriguez has just missed the best part of nine months through injury and there’s no guarantee he’ll be the same player.
Furthermore, the Saints are likely to command around £20million for his services.
Wigan have doubts over the fitness of Antolin Alcaraz after the defender picked up a hamstring injury at the weekend.
Alcaraz has only just returned to the first team following a lengthy spell out with a groin injury and any more time on the sidelines will come as a huge blow to Latics.
The return of Alcaraz coincided with an upturn in results as Latics have won five out of the last nine games but there is still plenty of hard work to do if they are to beat the drop and they need the defender fit.
Roberto Martinez is now waiting to hear the full extent of the damage and will be hoping and praying that it is nothing serious, with just five games of the season remaining.
“The injury to Antolin made for a very difficult afternoon for us at West Ham,” he told the Wigan Evening Post. “He’s got a soft tissue injury to the back of his hamstring, and so we’ll assess him this week before discovering exactly how long he’ll be out for.
“It’s obviously a real negative note, and had an effect on how we wanted to play.”
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Breaking into a PSG team filled with high profile names and world renowned stars wouldn’t be an easy task for any player currently plying their trade in the modern game, let alone a home-grown star who is seemingly forced to operate within the shadows of his more commercially viable, poster-friendly counterparts.
That however, is exactly what 28-year-old Blaise Matuidi has so far achieved during his time at the Parc des Princes stadium – and the combative Frenchman is simply thriving as a result. The central midfielder has not only managed to break into the star-studded squad currently on the books at PSG in recent years, but he has also successfully maintained his place in the first team and gone down as a solid starter for Laurent Blanc’s side so far this season.
Such an impressive record from the former Saint Etienne man has subsequently not gone unnoticed across the rest of Europe, as since the culmination of the January transfer window, Manchester United have reportedly been linked with brining the no. 14 to the Premier League next season for a hefty fee of around £25 million.
In light of such a potentially expensive investment from Louis van Gaal’s side, would Blaise Matuidi ultimately be suited to the English game throughout the 2015/16 campaign, and could the Red Devils actually aim higher than the supposedly in-demand Frenchman this summer?
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Well for one thing, to label Matuidi as ‘not good enough’ for the Premier League would only be doing a great disservice to the player’s overall game. The 28-year-old PSG favourite has not only been a big success in Ligue 1 throughout his time with the Parisian giants, but he has also been arguably one of the standout performers for PSG so far in the Champions League.
Some of Blanc’s perhaps more high profile names – such as Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi – simply haven’t stepped up to the plate for their team in Europe for one reason or another, yet Blaise Matuidi has certainly been a worthy servant for the club with his consistent level of performance in club football’s most illustrious tournament.
The midfield enforcer may not be gifted with a great amount of elegance on the ball when he plays it across the pitch, the determined Frenchman simply doesn’t operate with the technical brilliance and gifted control that many would have expected from someone in his position, and of course, no one will be comparing the PSG no. 14 to the likes of Andrea Pirlo or Xabi Alonso any time soon – but as Blaise Matuidi is more than capable of performing the ugly side of the modern game – he will seemingly always go down as a strong asset for his respective manager.
In putting in countless crunching tackles, several goal saving blocks, and breaking up moves from the opposition on an almost week-to-week basis, the 28-year-old midfielder has certainly done well to emulate the legendary Claude Makelele since his retirement, both for club and country.
Having made such a positive case for Matuidi’s skill-set and overall game however, Manchester United could still nonetheless aim higher than the tenacious Frenchman throughout the coming summer. He simply isn’t THE player Louis van Gaal needs right now, and although he could certainly do a good job down at Old Trafford across the course of next season, the Red Devils have to spend their money more wisely this time around if they want to avoid an embarrassing repeat of this season’s shortcomings.
Not only do Manchester United have to replace the increasingly ineffective Robin van Persie in the striking department for next season – not to mention needing to have a good look over the club’s somewhat frail looking back-four sooner or later – but as the ageing Michael Carrick will likely be on his way out of Old Trafford in the not too distant future, an elegant midfielder with a keen eye for a through-ball will be most required for the Red Devils next term.
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Van Gaal already has Daley Blind to count upon to cover the gritty side of being a modern day Premier League midfielder after all, so spending close to £25 million on a player so similar to the Dutchman would simply have to go down as another huge waste of money at Old Trafford, should they follow through on their reported interest in Matuidi.
With all things considered, even though the current PSG man has certainly staked a worthy claim for himself in the past few seasons, Blaise Matuidi is just not the player Manchester United require going into the 2015/16 campaign.
If there is one thing Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers deserves praise for it is the impressive role he plays in developing many of England’s most talented youngsters.
The Northern Irish manager has been responsible in showcasing the talents of the likes of Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, Jordon Ibe and Emre Can. He has integrated them all into the first team and helped them become vital for their club and, in some cases, country.
And another youngster with a bright future at Anfield is defender Andre Wisdom.
The young talent signed a new four-year deal in May and is expected to play an important role in the future for the Reds.
Rodgers gave Wisdom his big break back in 2012 when he made his debut in a Europa League clash against Young Boys and due to a number of defensive injuries, the player became a regular member of the squad that season.
Since then the player has been sent on a number of loan spells to further his development, with time spent at Derby County and then West Brom last season.
Unfortunately, during his time at West Brom the youngster’s development was halted following the arrival of manager Tony Pulis in December. The Welshman didn’t regard Wisdom as part of his plans and the defender was limited to just six appearances in the second half of the campaign.
This means the player isn’t where Rodgers wants him to be experience wise and now Wisdom is being sent on another season long loan, this time to Norwich City.
Following the arrival of Nathaniel Clyne at Anfield, there is no gap to give Wisdom the necessary time in the first team.
In what will prove a massive season for the under pressure Liverpool boss, he needs his players to perform and will not want to take many risks with selection looking to the established members of his squad to lead his side’s rejuvenation.
And Norwich provide the perfect opportunity for the player. He moves to the side as one of their best defenders and will most likely feature heavily for the Canaries this season.
The newly promoted side gain a talented young defender who is comfortable on the ball. The 22-year-old is also extremely versatile. Although prominently played at right-back, he is comfortable playing anywhere along the back line.
After his troubled spell at West Brom, Wisdom will have a point to prove to his former boss Pulis and will be determined to showcase the talents that the Baggies missed out on, which will great news for Norwich.
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Alex Neil is a great motivator and he will play an integral role in developing his new addition further. Similarly to Brendan Rodgers, he looks to get the best out of his players and motivates them to go that extra mile and to push themselves to a higher level of performance.
Wisdom himself knows how important this year is for his future. The defender is at that crucial stage of his Liverpool career where he has to make an impression on Rodgers, otherwise he could find himself at the bottom of the pecking order on his return to Anfield.
The youngster has all the talent needed to succeed at the top level, it’s just a case of taking every opportunity he gets.
For disciplinary issues, Antoine Griezmann had to wait a frustrating period before finally bursting onto the international scene for France. Having only made his France debut three months back in a classy 2-0 victory over the Netherlands, Griezmann has now very much arrived.
The 23-year-old is known to be a target for a number of clubs, but none are more keen than Arsenal to snap up his signature. Arsene Wenger, working as a pundit for French television, is in the prime position to cast his eye over Griezmann’s performances for the national side, and he’s been impressed with what he’s seen so far.
In France’s 2-0 win over Honduras, Griezmann started off on the left, but he vacated his position regularly, looking to the pick ball up in pockets of space inside, also allowing for Patrice Evra to rampage up the field. Called into the French starting line-up to fill the boots of the absentee star man Franck Ribery, Griezmann excelled. He confidently addressed the ball in the opposition’s final third, completing an impressive 91 per cent of his passes and deceptively winning all of his aerial challenges.
This aerial prowess he possesses will be no shock to Real Sociedad fans who have the joy of watching him perform for them week-in week-out. Griezmann’s three international goals in his five appearances are no shock, having racked up 20 goals in 49 games last season in Spain. The diminutive winger has a knack for turning up in the right place at the right time, heading in at the back post.
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It’s not just his heading ability which makes him stand out either. Due to his fleet-footedness and great control on the ball, Griezmann causes endless problems for his opposition full-back. His willingness to carry the ball inside the channels, and make runs off the back of his marker, makes him a direct threat on goal running in behind the back line. His competence with both feet allow him to go either way, making him a wholly unpredictable foe.
Wenger gushed over Griezmann’s World Cup debut, impressed by his effectiveness and efficiency in possession. The Arsenal manager may be on the lookout for a naturally left-sided attacker sooner than he thought, with Santi Cazorla’s future up in the air. Antoine Griezmann would seem the man likely to fill that gap. He’s fast, direct, technically accomplished, and scores countless goals. He is a must for Wenger.
“This morning, a formal offer arrived by e-mail, but it stipulated that he has to play 60 per cent of the games for it to be renewed the following year.
“Dani is sad. The negotiations are finished now. He will finish his contract as best as he can.”
Poor old Dani Alves… these are the words of his representative, Dinorah Santa Ana, revealing that the Brazilian will be leaving the Nou Camp this summer when his contract expires. The Samba star has long been hailed as one of the best full-backs on the planet, and even at the age of 31, he’s far from short of admirers willing to give him the contract he craves.
Among the list are both Liverpool and Manchester United, who are in the market for right-sided defensive additions. The pair are great rival and considered to be two of the biggest sides in English football, so, should they both make serious offers, it’ll be a tricky decision for Alves, right?
Well, we at FFC Towers don’t think he’ll struggle too much, with Old Trafford far more appealing for these FIVE reasons.
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More money
Football – Manchester City v FC Barcelona – UEFA Champions League Second Round First Leg – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England – 24/2/15Barcelona’s Dani Alves hits the barReuters / Darren StaplesLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
While Liverpool are by no means paupers, United are a cut above in terms of finances. The Anfield side are reluctant to pay over £100,000-per-week to keep hold of Raheem Sterling, but over at Old Trafford the likes of Radamel Falcao, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie all pocket salaries of between £250,000 and £300,000-per-week. While it may leave a bitter taste in the mouth of fans, in any line of work getting more money is more attractive…
Working under a world class manager
Brendan Rodgers is a good, progressive manager. His work at Liverpool has been excellent so far, but he’s not quite in the same realm as Louis van Gaal. The Dutchman has coached some of the best players around at teams such as Barcelona, Ajax and Bayern Munich, proving that he has what it takes to do it at the best level and help the finest talent around to succeed.
Champions League
Football – Liverpool Champions League Trophy Parade – Liverpool – 04/05 , 26/5/05Steven Gerrard and John Arne Riise – Liverpool show off Champions Leaue Trophy to fans from open top busMandatory Credit: Action Images / Lee Smith
As it stands, Man United are far more likely to get into the Champions League than Liverpool for next season. A mega win at Anfield has helped the Red Devils to move eight points clear of their bitter rivals, and with just seven games each left to play, it’s hard to see this gap being bridged, even though LVG’s men are set to face Man City, Chelsea and Everton in the coming weeks.
More chance of Premier League success
Although history doesn’t dictate much going forwards, United have bossed Liverpool in the Premier League era. The Reds are yet to lift the trophy, while Old Trafford has played host to the celebrations on more occasions than we care to mention.
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With a bigger budget, better players (arguably) and the fact that Liverpool are losing their top stars on almost yearly basis, United look the safer bet if Alves is looking to add another domestic medal to his collection.
Bigger plans
Liverpool have been losing key players of late. Steven Gerrard will be going this summer, Luis Suarez went last year and in the windows prior to that Fernando Torres, Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso had all left.
Although United have stagnated, their top stars are still around and plans to pay big money for the likes of Mats Hummels, Kevin Strootman and Edinson Cavani suggest that the future is bright.
After investing over £1 billion to tackle Sky, something that Setanta, ITV Digital and sister channel ESPN never managed to achieve, BT Sport seem like a worthy competitor in the sports broadcasting arena after they happily marked three months on air last Friday.
BT have secured the rights to air 38 Premier League matches per season along with top notch fixtures from the Serie A, Ligue 1 and Bundesliga. The next target is to bring over the Champions League whilst Tottenham Hotspur, Wigan and Swansea feature every Thursday night along with other Europa League matches.
BT Sport invited Football Fan Cast to go behind the scenes last week at their state-of-the-art studios in Stratford to watch Des Kelly’s newest show Life’s a Pitch whilst also having a look at the SPFL Review show.
This was not my first visit at the Olympic Park’s football Disneyland. It is a place where former Real Madrid player Steve McManaman is sitting one one place and then all of a sudden you get the chance to interview former England goalkeeper David James whilst the legendary Michael Owen is standing on the other corner. Everywhere you look you see one of the greatest football personalities that have now hung their boots and put on their suits.
I entered their CGI-looking studios which are swarmed by high technology discovered by BT Sport’s Chief Operating Officer Jamie Hindaugh. BT have three studios together, where they all form the biggest TV studio in the UK, which two of them feature sports shows and the other one is the LED pitch where the veterans lace their boots for a few minutes to recreate some key moments of a match.
It was now time to meet the executive producer of Life’s a Pitch Mark Aldridge who acts as Des Kelly’s eye in the sky. He has been on the TV business for 18 years but this is the first ever brand new company he has joined.
“It’s a pretty exciting place to be. There’s a buzz here which feels unlike anything I’ve ever worked in before,” said Mr Aldridge who described the show as a combination of journalism with an extra dose of humour. He also admitted that his favourite part is when the former Daily Mail columnist gets under the guests’ skin.
“A journalist being funny is much easier to sell than a comic trying to be a journalist. By the time I met Des he was very very excited. He was hungry to do it.”
Darrell Currie met me at a conference room after wrapping up the SPFL Review Show, which also featured the former Liverpool midfielder Gary McAllister who is now a pundit. A very energetic young man that loves the Scottish Premier League outlined his thoughts about the SPFL and also talked to me about his “absolutely brilliant” time at BT Sport.
“I’m lucky enough to have been right at the very start of this channel. I’ve never seen a studio space like that, and I’ve been to many studios around the world. It’s absolutely fantastic. You will hear people say that this is a legacy of the London Olympics. We’re trying to give so much exposure to so many different people.”
He believes that Celtic are “the shining light of Scottish football” but one of the big stories now is Rangers’ journey back to the League and that the club is greatly missed by the SPFL as well as their derby against the Scottish champions, which will be “absolutely explosive” next time it comes around.
Mr Currie praised the “absolutely stunning” support from Hearts fans to the club but admitted that relegation seems very likely and survival would be a miracle. However, if The Famous drop down they will definitely return because “they’re too big of a team”.
It is now time for the SPFL Review Show’s presenter to go home and for me to meet the presenter of Life’s a Pitch. The former Daily Mirror Editor meets me with a giant smile fixed on his face and a very warm handshake. He is wearing a blue suit with white stripes, looks a little like Jay Leno, and is absolutely lively and energetic for a man that anchors a late show four times a week from Monday to Thursday.
He does get a bit tired sometimes but that is just natural as he enjoys doing the show. The first couple of weeks were a little more difficult for the Fonz but now all the pieces have come together. However, he jokingly disclosed his worry that his guest Brian Moore, former rugby player, might be “a right grumpy git”.
“BT Sport is good. Very supportive. They let us do things that would probably cause more sleepless nights than most programs if you were a worried boss because we joke about things,” said the award-winning journalist.
“Humour is always risky. I’ve been around long enough to know where to draw the line. I like doing this because it’s what I wanted to do.”
That was the 47th show for Life’s a Pitch and the presenter seems to have completely adapted after he humorously described the show as him interviewing the former Arsenal and Everton striker “smiling” Kevin Campbell and the Daily Telegraph’s “Pit Bull” Brian Moore.
The show is solely concentrated on football and is consisted of press reviews, where the panel will read today’s and tomorrow’s back pages, straight live reactions, consisted of a discussion regarding major football events, and of course humour, which features funny videos, tweets and of course Des’s tricks.
The first ever show had former Spurs manager Harry Redknapp sitting on a car-door chair whereas another episode featured former England manager Graham Taylor accidentally getting hit with a newspaper in the head as part of the show’s scenario of delivering the papers by bike.
The former BBC man also warned us that the Halloween episode would include a crowd wearing Martin Keown masks in front of the Arsenal veteran himself. “We want the tone to be jokey because we don’t want to just sit there and say ‘I thought the left back’s performance was particularly good tonight.’ We want to say: ‘What was he doing there?!’
“It is a very subjective show and I try to make it that way so we are not bland, you might not agree with everything in it but at least it might have something that will make you laugh.”
That night’s show featured an extensive conversation about the Capital One Cup results, especially those regarding Chelsea’s win and Fulham’s elimination. There were also a few funny videos as well as an interesting remark about Emmanuel Frimpong’s “daft” tweet.
The panel was consisted of Campbell, Moore and journalist Sheridan Bird which brought some freshness in contrast to the mainstream shows dominated by pundits.
“That is an institution, we’re not. We are a new show and I would just be bored if I was applying that institution all the time. Ian Stone was in last night and he is a nice comedian.
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“If something serious though happens we will do it properly as a proper news story with proper journalism. We’ve had ex footballers in here and we found one or two of them a little difficult but most people engage in it and everyone that’s been on the show has enjoyed being on it.”
The moment I finished the interview, the Fruit Machine stands up and tosses me a brick. It took me a couple of seconds to realise that it was a dummy brick but I immediately understood that I just fell victim to a Des Kelly trick.
Kevin Campbell though was not intimidated as I had a little chat with him while his former team was playing Chelsea in the background. He was indeed very confident as even when Juan Mata made it two for the Blues he just laughed it out, while Brian Moore started to dance.
“I am not nervous but I am definitely excited. I’ve never been on BT Sport before. I love doing TV work and it’s a good show. Listen, I can work with that (Des’s unpredictability). I don’t worry about that because funny things happen on TV anyways so you’ve got to be flexible and that’s what I think I am.”
It was now time for the show to begin. The presenter and his guests take their seats while an audience of 20 stands on the right. My interview fixer takes me to the gallery where the executive producer commences the countdown, the set gets completely silent, everything is in place and it is lights on. Showtime.