My Euro 2012 Predictions

Group A
Overview: The easiest of the groups but possibly the hardest to predict. I'm going for Poland as group winners and Russia as runners-up.

Poland:
Star Man: Robert Lewandowski - Has been in lethal form for Dortmund this season, helping them win the German League and scoring 22 league goals. Poland will need him to get on the goal trail in order for the co-host nation to progress.
One to Watch: Wojciech Szczesny - The Arsenal keeper has had a great season and many will be looking at him to continue his progression in his first major tournament.

Greece:
Star Man: Georgios Samaras - Can be hit and miss but can be a match winner. He has had a good season with Celtic and will need to be at his very best if Greece are to have a chance.
One to Watch: Sotiris Ninis - At the age of 22 Ninis is a bright prospect for Greece and has just been signed by Italian team Parma. A creative attacking player who can play anywhere across the midfield.

Czech Republic:
Star Man: Tomas Rosicky - Finished the season in great form for Arsenal and will be looking to lead his team forward as captain. Can score and create and will probably need to do both if he wants to take his team forward.
One to Watch: Michal Kadlec - Confident attacking full back who has been a consistent performer for Leverkusen in recent years. He can score and has 8 international goals in 34 caps from left-back.

Russia:
Star Man: Alan Dzagoev - At 21 years old Dzagoev is the main man for Russia. He is extremely creative and has an eye for goal. A strong tournament could well put him in line for a big summer move.
One to Watch: Andrei Arshavin - Despite losing his place and form in the Arsenal team this season he is certainly one of the more talented players in the Russian team and has a good track record in recent major tournaments.

Group B
Overview: Incredibly tough group where one of the big nations will not make it through. I think Germany will win the group with Netherlands finishing second. Commiserations Portugal.

Germany:
Star Man: Mesut Ozil - An extremely intelligent player who constantly finds space in between the lines. Integral to feeding the likes of Mario Gomez up front and can also grab a goal. His vision and accuracy in delivery makes him the man to stop and he is in fantastic form having just lifted the La Liga trophy with Real Madrid.
One to Watch: Toni Kroos - He's a midfielder who helped Bayern to the Champions League final and looks set to have a huge career in front of him. He already has 26 caps at the age of 22 and this could be his chance to blossom into an international star.

Portugal:
Star Man: Cristiano Ronaldo - Officially the second best player in the world. On his day he can tear anyone apart and Portugal can never be written off for this reason. Contributes goals and assists and is a complete player. Hasn't quite produced his best form at international level but there is still time.
One to Watch: Raul Meireles - Has just won the Champions League with Chelsea. An efficient and intelligent player with 8 international goals to his name. Goes about his business in a less flashy way to the likes of Ronaldo and Nani but an important part of Portugal's system.

Netherlands:
Star Man: Robin Van Persie - He struck 30 league goals for Arsenal this season and has been in unplayable form recently. If he performs, with service from the likes of Robben, Netherlands will be a force.
One to Watch: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar - With 29 league goals to his name this season he will certainly be looking to stamp his authority on the world stage. A great finisher and certainly a danger to any defense.

Denmark:
Star Man: Daniel Agger - Experienced and a great defender. Beset by injury problems but when fit a leader for Denmark. Has had a good season for Liverpool but a few too many injuries. As captain and penalty taker Denmark will look to him for inspiration, although being in the hardest group their chances don't look good.
One to Watch: Christian Eriksen - At the age of 20 many people are already touting him as one of the hottest prospects around. He was expected to make a big impact at the 2010 WC but failed, now 2 years on he has matured and grown as a player and a big performance could get him a big money move from Ajax. He is an attacking player who many have likened him to Mesut Ozil.

Group C
Overview: Holders Spain to coast as winners and Croatia to pip an Italian team beset by troubles to second.

Spain:
Star Man: Andres Iniesta - A player of footballing genius and an integral part of Barcelona's formidable team. He is extremely creative and also has an eye for goal. His movement and passing ability are one of the reasons why Spain are a dominant force currently and one of the favourites to win the tournament.
One to Watch: Jordi Alba - Has had a great season with Valencia and has received transfer attention from all the elite clubs. Can play anywhere down the left and has good attributes going forward and defending. At 23 years old he looks to have a big future in front of him.

Italy:
Star Man: Andrea Pirlo - Blessed with a fantastic touch and passing range the experienced midfielder will be looking to orchestrate Italy's team in order to progress out of their group.
One to Watch: Claudio Marchisio - A creative spark for Italy and Juventus. He has had a great season this year, lifting Juventus back to the top of Serie A.

Croatia:
Star Man: Luka Modric - An elegant player who provides the moves that could see Croatia qualify. In a group against the holders, Spain, Modric will need to perform to keep his team in the hunt for progression.
One to Watch: Ivan Rakitic - Has had a great season for Sevilla in Spain and has amassed 41 caps at the age of 24. He is a creative midfielder with great passing and shooting ability, scoring 8 international goals so far. While the focus may well be on Modric, the likes of Rakitic may be able to thrive under less pressure.

Rep of Ireland:
Star Man: Robbie Keane - With over 50 international goals he is certainly Ireland's most prominent goal threat and is also their captain. If he performs to his best then they have a chance and with his movement and leadership he can be a thorn in most sides.
One to Watch: James McClean - Has had an unbelievable season in the Premier League with Sunderland, mainly praised for his dribbling skills from left-midfield. Despite only having 2 senior caps Ireland may look to him for a bit of genius in their bid to progress.

Group D
Overview: I think England will surprise critics and win the group with France coming in second. The first game between England and France will ultimately decide who wins the group.

England:
Star Man: Steven Gerrard - Talismanic captain and part of a weakened England midfield that has been terrorized by injuries. It is imperative that Gerrard and Parker remain fit in the middle of the park. He can score, create and defend and on his day can be the complete player that can inspire England. With Rooney absent it will be up to Gerrard to be at his best to drive England forward like he has been doing for Liverpool for many years.
One to Watch: Andy Carroll/Danny Welbeck: With Wayne Rooney suspended for the first 2 games one of these two will have a chance to impress. England will need a scorer to help them qualify and with France up first it could be a great chance for one of these young strikers to make their mark.

France:
Star Man: Karim Benzema - He is one of the most prolific strikers in the world currently and France will no doubt be looking at him for goals. If a chance falls to him in the box he would expect himself to score and having earned himself a first 11 place in the Real Madrid side this season he will be full of confidence.
One to Watch: Yohan Cabaye - He has had a fine first season in English football, helping Newcastle finish 5th in the Premier League. While others can call themselves match winners, Cabaye has the ability to contribute at both ends of the pitch and dominate a midfield. With legends like Vieira before him, Cabaye will hope to cement the centre midfield spot as his own and continue his form on the international scene.

Sweden:
Star Man: Zlatan Ibrahimovic - A striker of undoubted talent who's attitude has occasionally held him back. He can be the difference for Sweden and is capable of great things if he puts his mind to it. His skill and manipulation of the football is certainly impressive and his improved goal scoring statistics in recent years had led to him becoming one of the worlds most dangerous strikers.
One to Watch: Rasmus Elm - He is a midfielder who has been linked with many European clubs this summer such as Liverpool and PSG. Has a creative spark and scores goals. He has been in fine form for AZ this season and at the age of 24 he may see this tournament to really kick start his career and get a big summer transfer.

Ukraine:
Star Man: Artem Milevskiy - A talented player who hasn't always played to his potential. A major tournament could be his chance to impress the home fans and lead his team forward from the front. He is a striker who can finish and is a clever player.
One to Watch: Andriy Shevchenko - One of the best strikers in the world back in his peak. Can this legend of the game leave the international stage with a bang and captain his side to qualification from the group? While he may have lost his pace, Shevchenko still has an eye for goal and is a messiah figure for the co-hosts.

Overall Winners: Germany
Runners-up: Spain

The Predictability of Tennis

Djokovic will hold all 4 Grand Slams should he win Roland Garros, although the King of Clay Rafa Nadal will certainly prove stern opposition. What has happened to tennis? It has become an increasingly hard sport to support someone as you know that don't really have a chance of winning, unless it is Federer, Nadal or Djokovic. Gone are the days when Juan Carlos Ferrero would win the French, Andy Roddick the US, Lleyton Hewitt the English and Marat Safin the Australian. And of course Henman would be sniffing around the semi-finals. Federer had just started his rise in the rankings, although back then he was an angry youth, far from his calm exterior he is now known for. It was a good time to be a fan. Now the sport is predictably dominated by the big three. The finals are made up of two of those three, bar the rare appearance from the likes of Del Potro or Murray, although they never go on to win it. The Goran Ivanisavic win at Wimbledon just wouldn't happen any more. Back in the glory days of tennis, some ten years ago, you could have genuine belief in the underdog. Now, it is more just a certainty that one of the big three will destroy them. While Nadal, Fed and Djok have certainly raised the standard of tennis and make great champions, it must be a daunting task to anyone outside the top three trying to win their first major tournament. When Marat Safin made his last Grand Slam final appearance at the US in 2009 he was ranked 58th in the world...

Brendan Rodgers - The Future

Brendan Rodgers represents not only the new face of Liverpool football club, but the ever changing face of football. As a young manager he has experience with the best, Jose Mourinho, and has a philosophy that is admirable by his peers. 


‎"The philosophy is very much based on the attacking side of the game. People ask me that question and I always say it's about being offensive and creative, but also with tactical discipline. If you look at the Swansea team in the last couple of years they've been lauded for their offensive approach but defensively we've kept many clean sheets and we're up there with the top defensive records. That's the principles of this club. This is a club that's based on fast, attacking, offensive football. But I'll repeat - it's very important to have tactical discipline within that. Your philosophy and your principles will always be governed by the players. There is a fantastic squad here, some terrific players, but there is no doubt I'll need to make maybe two, three or four additions to try and get that flow - and it will take time to put that in place."


It is clear that the ideals that Rodgers hopes to impose upon the Liverpool team have real intent to move forward. With around £30m available to spend, adding on any outgoing transfers, it will be about finding the right play to fit the mold of the team, not making signings just because they are good players. Liverpool is a historic club and expect Champions League football every season. Realistically that is a high target, although not necessarily unachievable . More likely is a good, solid season in which a gap of 17 points does not arise between the coveted 4th spot in the Premier League and 8th, where Liverpool finished in the season just passed. Targeting top 6 and being in the running for 4th is imperative in LFC's strides forward. Rodgers high pressing, possession football is a formula that is bred for success. With the right, quality signings made to boost the squad he will be delighted with this opportunity he has been given. Some say the Liverpool job is one steeped in doom with high expectations and money that can't match the likes of Man City or Chelsea making success increasingly hard.


So what does Rodgers have to work with. Well the stats are there to be seen. Liverpool have often played teams completely off the park and still not won. Finishing has been a clear problem throughout the season with Luis Suarez becoming top scorer with only 11 goals. Liverpool had to lowest chance conversion percentage in the whole league and that is where their problems lay. There is clear talent in the Liverpool ranks, Suarez, Gerrard, Skrtel, Enrique, Lucas, Johnson...these are players that are some of the best in their position and will certainly play a major part in Rodgers transition into the LFC team. Time is obviously an essential element of a managers career, but also an increasingly 'old' trait in football. Modern football has seen many clubs chop and change manager as often as they like, paying vast sums to sign them and then vast sums to sack them. Ferguson got time, got trophies. Wenger got time, built a successful club that gets top 4 every year. There must be a line, however, when the reality becomes too bad for time. Sorry Kenny Dalglish but that was the end of this season. Finishing 8th, behind Everton, with only the Carling Cup to our name is simply not acceptable for LFC and it could not be ignored. 


Signings: Liverpool are a club that are always strife with transfer rumours and this window will be no different. With a new man at the helm it is inevitable that players will come in and some players will go. Chelsea have already made major moves by signing Hulk, Marin and Hazard for a combined fee costing barely more than Andy Carroll and Henderson. However in net spend Liverpool received £50m from Chelsea for Torres to allow those signings, which isn't a defense, just a sign of the financial difference between the two clubs. Chelsea's players are clearly more household names but as Newcastle proved this season, with the right signing massive money does not have to be spent. Find the right player who fits with the squad and that is all that matters. I believe Arsenal are a prime example of how not to do this. Most people identity Arsenal's weakness as their defense and yet Wenger still fails to rectify the problem, signing attacking players year after year....Gervinho, Benayoun etc before, Podolski now. You don't have to always buy the best players, sometimes you have to buy what you need and I hope Rodgers realizes this.

While LFC are not in the Champions League currently they are still a club full of history, passion and a philosophy. From the likes of Paisley and Shankley, and then of course King Kenny, trophies were ingrained in the club, signified when Rafa Benitez lifted LFC's 5th Champions League trophy in 2005. While the club have taken knocks backwards and some people questioning the clubs status it is ridiculous to say that they are not a big club. Not only are LFC one of the biggest in the country, but they are also a worldwide club. The fact that LFC are STILL in the Forbes Richest Clubs top 10 with only a 45,000 seat stadium and no Champions League football in a few seasons says it all. It was clear a change was needed and that is what LFC have now got, wether or not it will be a success will remain to be seen but with the style of football Rodgers plans to implement I believe that LFC will soon be making vast strides towards where they want to be, although time to build their project is essential.

University: The Housemate

Who is the ultimate housemate? Living in a house of 6 has given me a deep insight into what this so called 'ultimate housemate' consists of. Take Tom Slimming, inhabitant of 37 Shaftesbury Road, and current housemate. On the exterior he is a tough Callum Best wannabe, however after closer inspection and alcohol to loosen his tongue....there is a soft, thoughtful man under that front. Having met Tom shortly before living with him I felt that the person I was going to be living with was a fun, extremely outgoing Croydon local who loved to go out and live the party lifestyle. Contradicting this was his degree: politics and international relations, which I would not have expected from a person of Tom's first impression. Ultimately the course did not work out for him and he then changed to Property Development, however on his journey through University I felt that a new side had emerged, one that I was keen to find out more about. Tom is good around the kitchen, no doubt about it. I would say he is a useful housemate in this department as his love for food and jovial attitude around the communal areas only serves to brighten up the mood and people respond positively to his antics. Alcohol has been known to cause Tom certain problems with aggressiveness a rare occurrence. Having been with Tom on many a night out I have seen his party animal side, his deep side and his laddish side. He is a hard working individual who I find incredibly easy to talk to as he is open and a good listener. Having done a Come Dine With Me week I saw the time and effort Tom was prepared to undertake in order to impress his fellow diners and although Tom received mixed reviews I could see that he was an individual who was able to really get involved in things and enjoyed the banter around the house.

Waking up at 8 o'clock in the morning to hear Tom singing 'Food Glorious Food' at the top of his voice is not the ideal wake up call. This, and his desire to picture his own excrement after going to the toilet, occasionally results in a few bad glances being thrown in his direction. I mean, Tom has a reasonable voice, but he is no Shane Ward....and seriously who wants to be doing a hard piece of work and then, Beep Beep, your phone goes off...who could this be you are thinking...oh its a picture message from Tom saying 'look what I did to the toilet'. I mean really??? Having said that, everything is taken well within the house and most things are kept as banter.

Tom likes to think he is a ladies man, and although successful with the other gender, I think that deep down he is just afraid of commitment and someone getting close enough to him to be able to cause him hurt. In recent months however, I have seen him open up a lot more and be more agreeable to the idea of a relationship, although his need to be a 'lad' often holds him back. To be fair to Tom, he has a killer Croydon sweep. With statements such as 'most loved man in Portsmouth' leaving his mouth that shows he has a good sense of humour as that is clearly not true. Tom's lack of Fifa 11 tekkers on the Xbox is evident in the house as he is more often than not on the losing side when a house session goes down. On the plus side for me, this is then an easy win when playing him and only does good for me on our house league.

I think that Mr Thomas Nigel Slimming is a valued asset to the house. He is his own man and brings something different to the table. I feel that I can talk to him about anything and get along very well with him. The house would certainly be a quieter place without him. Is Tom the ultimate housemate?.....I dont think there is an ultimate housemate to be honest. After evaluating Tom I have come to the conclusion that the best scenario is the house as an all round package, not just one member of it. All being said, Tom does contribute significantly to our house and in this he is a valued member of Shaftesbury manor.

King Kenny back at Anfield and the day of the footballing derby

When Hodgson got the sack after a short stint at Liverpool many believed that regardless of the manager, Liverpool were in decline. In recent times, having had well publicised off-field issues, Kenny Dalglish will at least bring the sense of honour and winning mentality back to the club. With a tough start at United, only made worse by losing the talismanic Gerrard for a vicious foul that could only be described as an attempt to fire up his players, Liverpool certainly look lost. Having lost to Blackpool midweek serious questions were asked wether King Kenny would be able to salvage anything from a season that has seen many teams, not just Liverpool, drop points all over the country. Having left Liverpool after a 4-4 draw against Everton after his first managing role there it had been suggested that after many years out of the game he would not be able to have the same effect that he had before. Having had league success with Blackburn after Liverpool, one thing is for certain, he certainly knows how to win trophies. Given the time Hodgson had to build his own team I can only see Liverpool progressing. Such is the respect Dalglish owns at Anfield all the players will be out to show the legend what they can offer to the club. Knowing football inside out will give Dalglish the tactical presence of mind that can only be a positive and Liverpool fans should take faith in the improvement shown against Everton. The players already seemed more confident and had a much better tempo and effort than under Hodgson, and apart from 10 minutes of dreadful defending, a game that ended 2-2 should really have been Kennys first win back.

The Liverpool v Everton derby, the most dirty in English football, was one of 3 derbies today, all of which ended in a draw. 3 games of great quality saw the Liverpool derby, Tyneside derby (Sunderland v Newcastle) and the Midlands derby (Aston Villa v Birmingham) result in fans over the country create the atmosphere that we all love in football when rivals play each other. With 1 point gained for each of the teams I feel that Villa fans can have every right to be unhappy given the performance and effort their players put in. Having hit the bar 4 times during the game you would feel that the 3 points was going to come but to be fair to Birmingham they took the lead and the game finished very closely. Things at Villa Park mirror the problems at Liverpool, a new manager having just taken over. Performances from the Villa players have, however, been pleasing but the results just havent gone their way. There was heartache for Newcastle fans as a late goal from Gyan denied them doing the double over Sunderland for the season, although im sure the 5 goals they scored past them in the 1st game goes some way to dealing with that late equaliser.

At the end of the season I simply cannot see Liverpool down at that end of the table, along with Aston Villa. Teams above are seen as lower reputation teams and to their credit have played incredibly in the first half of the season, to note a few, Blackpool, Bolton and Sunderland. However over the course of the season I just cant see them staying in these high league positions and soon the bigger clubs will start to settle and the results will come with that. Im 100% sure that King Kenny will soon have Liverpool occupying a higher position and with a few new additions this transfer window, things will only be getting better.

World Cup Catastrophe

So the World Cup is heading Russia’s way. Who would have thought that when England’s odds were 2/1 on to get the 2018 World Cup we would only end up with 2 votes from FIFA? Certainly not me. The speculation that has followed this ridiculous decision is in my opinion absolutely right. Whatever happened in that FIFA vote was an absolute joke and has only undermined the organisation and the respect it carried. The panorama show not only highlighted the corrupt way the organisation is run but also the blind eye FIFA shows to any indiscretions against them.

Sepp Blatter is a fool. No matter how you look at it he has ruined what was good about the world of football. He wanted a Russian World Cup and guess what, Russia got it, what a surprise. But the disrespect he showed English football and the integral members of our bid by saying that we had an ‘outstanding bid’ is an utter disgrace. Saying that and then only getting 2 votes is just too far and people seriously need to look at how the committee is run.

Russia are a corrupt country, full of crime, terrorism and bribery. One can only imagine the amount of money they threw at certain FIFA members to get their vote. Not only that but there will be no legacy left in Russia as the pitches from the World Cup will be put back to artificial ones due to their cold weather and the size of the country simply makes it impossible to travel between places, resulting in the atmosphere and continuity of the tournament faltering through the sheer distance between stadiums.

All in all, it is a gutting blow for all England fans and should be a blow to football. England are perfect for the World Cup and I felt certain that we could have put a huge mark on how to run a major tournament, as well as with our performances on the pitch. If we had lost after getting a few more votes people could say that maybe the result was correct, but to lose in the first phase of voting with Netherlands/Belgium above us is a disgrace. Tactical voting, bribed voting...whatever you want to call it, England have been robbed and humiliated by FIFA, at least we have the Olympics to look forward to!

Movember

Wow, clean shaven for the first time in years. I feel a different man. I haven't seen my neck like this in such a long time its like looking at a different person. However, far from the amusing fact that I am now beardless, Movember represents something far more important and actually tackles real issues that men have to deal with in their life. Prostate cancer and mens health is the main priority of Movember and although seen as an amusing thing to participate in, the issues that Movember help raise are far from amusing for the unfortunate men who have suffered or currently suffer from any of the issues that Movember helps to raise awareness and money for.

So yes people, laugh at out beardless faces, even join us and clean shave....but never, ever underestimate the value of.....MOVEMBER!!!

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