THE BIGGEST MATCH IN CLUB FOOTBALL?

This Saturday all eyes will be focussed on Wembley and the eagerly awaited showdown between Spanish champions Barcelona and English champions Manchester United in the Champions League final. Both teams have slaved to get to this final by travelling to all corners of Europe and beating some of football’s biggest names. With star names such as Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Vidic, Evra and Rooney lining up against each other the football purists are hoping for a festival of football with skill, determination and moments of genius. Many would argue that this is the biggest club match in the world.

I disagree! The biggest club match in the world will be taking place in exactly the same location, but less than 48 hours later. On Monday, 30^th May Swansea City and Reading will face each other at Wembley stadium, London, in the Npower Championship play-off final. Though the stadium will be full, the match won’t attract a fraction of the viewership that the Champions League final will receive. It won’t have the frantic media attention or publicity that goes hand in hand with the Champions League final. But the stakes are so much higher.

Should Manchester United get a shock result against their Catalan opponents to win the famous trophy it would be an incredible night for their fans; a night they could celebrate for years to come. But what if they lose? There would be a horrible feeling of disappointment and regret at getting all the way to the final only to fall at the final hurdle. However next season they’d start life in exactly the same league with their expectations and hopes for the season unchanged from the ones they held prior to the big European final.

The Championship play-off final is a very different proposition.

Swansea and Reading have battled through 46 regular league games and two exhausting play-off semi-finals against Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City respectively to get the chance to play on the hallowed turf. Now their futures depend on ninety minutes of football. For the winners, promotion to the world’s biggest league, for the losers another season in England’s second tier.

This explination clearly doesn’t truly reflect the magnitude of the match.

The victors next Monday will find themselves in the Premier League, visiting grounds like Old Trafford, the Emirates and Anfield, playing against players like Vidic, Fabregas and Gerrard. The losers will find themselves scrapping for points against the likes of Doncaster, Brighton and Millwall. The winners will be awash with cash as promotion through the play-offs is worth an estimated £90million. The losers will have to settle for the football league hand-outs. A win would bring the prospect of big name signings, capable of competing at the highest level. The losing team will be left assessing which squad-members will have to be let go to balance the books.

A look at the defeated clubs in the last three play-off finals shows how damaging a defeat can be to a club’s future. Last year Cardiff lost 3-2 to Blackpool and have since struggled to re-build a team due to a transfer embargo initiated due to financial irregularities and missed payments. Two years ago it was Sheffield United that lost 1-0 to Burnley. The Blades had to sell their best young players and after a mid-table finish last year they were relegated to League 1 this season. Three years ago Bristol City were shot down by a Dean Windass stunner as Hull City won 1-0 at Wembley. It’s fair to say the robins have never recovered, suffering two disappointing seasons in mid-table.

The futures of Swansea City and Reading will be massively altered by Monday’s result. Both sets of players have worked tirelessly in search of the promised land that is the Premier League. One squad will be rewarded with glory and riches the likes of which they’ve never experienced before. The other will be left with a lasting gut-wrenching feeling and the never-ending thought of “what if?”

The Champions League has all the glitz glamour, but the play-off final is far more important. The neutrals will be hoping for an entertaining game and a great spectacle. The 90,000 fans in Wembley desire only want one thing; a win!

Here are my player ratings for the likely line-ups on Monday:

Swansea City:

Dorus De Vries – Goal Keeper – The Dutchman has been a model of consistency all season, rarely making a mistake and pulling off many fine saves in key matches. His distribution is seen as a valuable weapon for Swansea – 8/10

Angel Rangel – Right-back – Rangel is one of the division’s most exciting full-backs. As a Catalan he loves to get forward, and defensively he usually looks very assured – 8/10

Ashley Williams – Centre-Back – Possibly the best defender in the Championship this season, the defender has been an ever-present in the Swansea team and has also captained Wales this year. Big, strong, fast and athletic, with a great passing range, though has been known to score the odd own-goal – 9/10

Garry Monk – Centre-Back – The captain joined Swansea when the club was in League 2, and has adapted with ease every time the Swans have won promotion. Monk’s organisation and leadership have become essential to the Swans’ success – 7/10

Alan Tate – Left-Back – In 2003 Tate played in the 4-2 victory over Hull at the Vetch field that kept Swansea in the football league. A flexible player that has played in numerous positions for Swansea including goal-keeper yet Tate has been known to make mistakes on the big occasions for the Swans, including the key miss during the swans’ penalty shoot-out defeat against Barnsley in the 2006 League 1 play-off final against Barnsley – 7/10

Nathan Dyer – Right-Wing – Dyer’s lighting pace and outstanding dribbling have terrorised dozens of full-backs this season, and have earned him the club’s player of the season award. Despite his incredible dribbling which usually makes him unplayable, his end product is rarely up to the necessary standard, with Dyer usually electing to pass instead of risking a cross or shot – 8/10

Leon Britton – Centre-midfield – The prodigal son returned to South Wales after failing to settle in Sheffield with United. The intelligent midfielder is a great passer of the ball and despite his short stature he’s capable of a thunderous tackle. Nicknamed by some the “Championship’s Xavi” for his delightful style of play – 8/10

Stephen Dobbie – Centre midfield – If there’s one player on either side who knows how to get promoted through the play-offs it’s Dobbie. The scot was a member of the Blackpool team that beat Cardiff last season. Formerly a striker, Dobbie was moved into midfield by Brendan Rodgers and has added a driving force to Swansea’s pretty-passing midfield – 8/10

Joe Allen – Centre Midfield – The Academy product has developed a great partnership with Britton. Both share a similar style of play. Allen’s passing and his ability to control midfield has earned him many admirers. The Welsh international will be another cog in the well-oiled machine that is Swansea’s midfield – 8/10

Scott Sinclair – Left-Wing – Known to most Championship fans before his £1m move to Swansea due to his numerous loan spells at various clubs. Has finally settled at Swansea and has had a great season. His superb dribbling and goal-scoring earned him a nomination for Championship player of the season however he had looked tired towards the end of the season, before a spirited show against Forest in the semi-final second leg – 9/10

Fabio Borini – Striker – The on-loan Chelsea man has showed genuine class since arriving at the Liberty, scoring two goals on his debut against Nottingham Forest, and linking up well with Sinclair and Dyer. His movement and skill make him capable of scoring from any situation – 9/10

Reading:

Adam Federici –  Goal Keeper - Has come out of the enormous shadows of Marcus Hahnemann to prove himself a solid, dependable keeper. The Australian is a reliable last line of defence for Reading and will fancy his chances against Swansea’s attacks. Also a goal-scorer in emergency circumstances as he proved when he headed a last minute winner for Reading against Cardiff last season – 8/10

Andy Griffin – Right-back - The experienced full-back knows all the tricks of the trade and has defended like a brick wall during Reading’s late climb up the table. Forms a vital part of Reading’s strong defence, however not the fastest full-back in the league. He will have to use all his knowhow to control the pesky Sinclair – 7/10

Matt Mills – Centre- back - The captain has proved himself to be one of the top defenders in the division. A no-frills centre-back, his tough tackling and imperious aerial ability make him nearly impossible to beat. Mills’ leadership will also be key to Reading keeping a clean sheet at Wembley. Reading are heavily dependent upon their captain for structure and on-field authority – 9/10

Zurab Khizanishvili – Centre-Back – The Georgian international had fallen out of favour at parent club Blackburn and found himself partnering Mills in the Royals’ back four. His transition from Premier League to Championship has been faultless. Has a similar style to Mills and works well alongside the former Doncaster man. Has had a great time at the Madejski stadium – 8/10

Ian Harte – Left-Back – The former Leeds player has certainly been around the block. Since leaving Leeds around the time of the Yorkshire club’s fall from greatness he’d been to Levante, Sunderland and Blackpool before McDermott brought him to Reading from League 1 Carlisle United. Just when the football world had started forgetting about Harte’s existence, he burst back into life. Defensively Harte’s been very solid this season and his deliveries and set-plays proved invaluable for Reading as they stormed the play-off places. However, like Griffin, lacks acceleration, which could cause Reading problems against Nathan Dyer’s speed – 8/10

Jimmy Kebe – Right-wing – It’s touch and go whether Kebe will be fit enough to start against Swansea as the winger’s been out injured for a few weeks. Should he start it would be a huge boost for Reading. Kebe’s electric pace and creative feet pose a real threat to Swansea. Kebe has provided a creative spark for Reading all season and has been present in the nightmares of many left-backs. If Kebe can re-discover his form from before his injury Reading will have a big advantage – 9/10

Jem Karacan – Centre-midfield – The young Turk has been a hard worker in Reading’s midfield all season and has tried to contribute as much as he can to attacks. Though his scoring record isn’t exceptional he links up well with the front two. His inclusion in the Reading team is on the basis that he causes problems and gives defenders something to think about- 7/10

Mikele Leigertwood – Centre-midfield – Leigertwood wasn’t needed at Loftus Road this season as QPR rampaged towards the title in very commanding fashion. However Reading boss Brian McDermott had a place for him anchoring Reading’s midfield. Leigertwood is another no-frills player; a defensive midfielder that puts himself about and takes control of matters. His authoritative presence has given Reading balance in midfield since his arrival. But can he compete against Swansea’s possession-keeping midfield? 7/10

Jobi McAnuff – Left-wing – The one-cap Jamaican international has been brilliant for Reading all season. Along with Kebe he’s given full-backs plenty to think about and plenty of work. With Kebe out of the team McAnuff has had to fill the creative void and did it well. His goal in Reading’s 3-0 victory at the Cardiff City Stadium was beautiful and he never gave the Cardiff defenders a moment’s rest. McAnuff probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves; a great dribbler that can also provide an end product – 8/10

Noel Hunt – Striker – The bother of Stephen Hunt, he has often found himself overshadowed during his career, especially since Shane Long started fulfilling his promise earlier in the season. Hunt lacks the skill and style of his brother, however he compliments Long very well up front. His hard work and presence can go unnoticed and can sometimes be ineffective. However Hunt’s more than capable of grabbing a goal or two. 6/10

Shane Long – Striker – In many ways Reading’s key player. The young man from Tipperary looked a real prospect in his younger days, yet for some reason failed to fulfil that promise, until this season. McDermott has found the perfect system for Long, utilising his athleticism well. Long’s quick and strong, but can also finish like a seasoned professional. He’s a player that can get a goal from nowhere, and his scoring has been essential for Reading this year. But he’s not just a goal-scorer. He’s also a surprisingly effective target man for long balls, and holds the ball up well for his team-mates – 9/10

Good luck to Swansea and Reading at Wembley. Let’s hope it’s a good game and that the best team wins.

WOLFSBURG COLLAPSE COULD GET WORSE!

Remember Saturday 23^rd May 2009? VfL Wolfsburg fans remember this day very fondly. 30,000 of them were packed inside the Volkswagen Arena to see their team thrash Werder Bremen 5-1 to win the club’s first ever Bundesliga title. Josué was showered in green confetti as he lifted the shield high above his head, accompanied by the roars of his team’s success-starved supporters.

Manager Felix Magath was largely responsible for this shock triumph; using players like Dzeko, Grafite, Dejagah and Misimovic to play an attacking style of football that took Germany’s top division by storm. This was undoubtedly the greatest day in VfL Wolfsburg’s history.

However the energetic celebrations and free-flowing football are nothing more than memories by now, and the events of last Saturday highlight how far the Saxon club have fallen. This weekend saw Die Wölfe slip into the relegation zone after FC Nürnberg starlet Mehmet Ekici orchestrated a 2-1 win for his side against Wolfsburg. The crowd at the Volkswagen Arena were left contemplating the possibility of relegation from the Bundesliga less than two years after winning the league title. One win in their last seven league games suggests that this unthinkable possibility could very well become a reality.

A quick glance at the train-crash that has been Wolfsburg’s post-championship history will show that far from being a confusing surprise, this plummet from greatness was inevitable.

Following the 2008-09 success Felix Magath decided to leave Wolfsburg, heading to Schalke 04. The club appointed assistant Armin Veh as Magath’s replacement. The new manager had enormous boots to fill, and despite managing to hold onto highly-rated Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko, he had trouble filling those old boots.

The first half of the 2009-10 season saw Wolfsburg make a disappointing start. I was in the stands for their 25th October match at the Olympic Stadium against Hertha BCS. Hertha had only managed one win by this stage of the season and were rock bottom of the Bundesliga. However Wolfsburg never threatened Drobny’s goal and in truth looked second best against the Berliners, only managing a 0-0 draw. This was a fair reflection of their performances in the first half of the season; slow, insipid and lacking the excitement of the previous term. The writing was on the wall and three months later Veh was shown the door with his team in mid-table and eliminated from the Champions’ League.

Lorenz-Günther Köstner steered Wolfsburg to an underwhelming 8th in the Bundesliga, five points off the European spots.

However fans had cause for optimism in the summer when Steve McLaren, who’d just led FC Twente to the Eredivisie title, was made Wolfsburg manager. For the second season in a row Wolfsburg managed to keep hold of striker Dzeko and also added to their squad with Brazilian midfielder Diego. The fans were hoping McLaren would transform Wolfsburg as he had Twente. Unfortunately his effect on the former German champions was more similar to his effect on the English national side.

McLaren lost his first three games, including a humiliating 4-3 defeat against Mainz, despite leading 3-0 after half an hour. Wolfsburg never found a winning rhythm under McLaren, drawing far too many games.

On the 23rd December the Englishman was given a vote of confidence by the board but it was at this point that things took a dramatic turn for the worst.

After swimming against the current for three transfer windows Edin Dzeko was finally sold. VfL Wolfsburg’s record league goal-scorer was sold in January to English club Manchester City. This was a hammer-blow for the club who now lacked a consistent scorer.

The Wolfsburg board had seen enough when a bizarre penalty incident cost the team a point against Hannover in February. Midfielder Diego had been floored by a late Hannover challenge and the referee pointed to the spot. Regular penalty taker Helmes tried to get the ball for the spot-kick, but found stern opposition in the form of Diego who was intent on taking the penalty himself. McLaren instructed Diego from the touchline that he was to allow Helmes to take the kick yet in a staggering challenge to McLaren’s authority the Brazilian refused to listen and prepared to shoot. Inevitably the penalty cannoned off the crossbar and with that miss McLaren’s Bundesliga career was finished; he was sacked on the 7th February.

Since then Wolfsburg have struggled to find a replacement, with coaches such as Basel’s Thorsten Fink choosing to stay at his post rather than take charge of the sinking ship. In the meantime Pierre Littbarski has had trouble raising confidence, with the team only registering one victory since McLaren’s departure.

Wolfsburg’s collapse beggars belief. The club sits second from bottom in the Bundesliga seemingly incapable of performing coherently. Without their talismanic Bosnian diamond and still without a permanent first team coach, their prospects look dim. Managerial instability has taken its toll on the squad and it now looks increasingly unlikely that VfL Wolfsburg will manage to rescue themselves. Two years ago this kind of situation seemed unimaginable, but for fans the impossible could soon become a reality.

ITALIAN FOOTBALL IN A......WORRYING SITUATION?

Not the catchiest title but I hesitate to use the word crisis when discussing Italian football. The country’s national sport has seen many dark days over the years thanks to scandals, poor form and hooliganism. The Torontero match-fixing scandal in 1980 (which famously involved Italy’s star striker, Paolo Rossi) was labelled a crisis after the case dirtied the reputation of what was then considered Europe’s finest league. In 2006 Juventus, one of Italy’s greatest clubs was relegated to Serie C (the punishment later amended to allow the Turin club to play in Serie B) for bribing referees.

Both incidents were labelled crises at the time, yet were quickly forgotten as Italy answered its critics by winning surprise World Cups in 1982 and 2006.

Fast-forward to 2011 and there’s no sign of a major scandal. However Italian football is arguably in its most difficult situation since World War Two.

Since the introduction of democracy to Italy Serie A has constantly been one of the top two leagues in Europe. Torino were arguably Europe’s finest team until the tragic 1949 plane crash which killed the entire squad. Their Turin neighbours Juventus took Torino’s place as Italy’s best team during the 50s. The 60s saw Inter’s revolutionary defensive tactics earn them consecutive European Cups, with their city-rivals AC Milan picking up two European titles in the same decade. Throughout the 70s Italian clubs threatened in Europe, and during the 80s both Juve and Milan triumphed in Europe with some of the best players of the era, such as Platini and van Basten. Italian clubs continued to succeed during the 90s with Sampdoria reaching a European Cup final and Milan and Juve adding to their trophy cabinets with Champions’ League titles. Even during the first decade of the new millennium both Milanese sides have won Europe’s top club competition.

More than any other European league Serie A has consistently produced great teams, until now.

This week saw table-topping Milan exit the Champions’ League at the expense of England’s fourth best team, Spurs. Before that Roma were hammered 6-2 on aggregate by the Ukrainian champions, Shakhtar Donesk. Next week the last remaining Italian representative in the Champions’ League, Inter, could be eliminated by Bayern Munich who hold a 1-0 lead from the first leg. Should Inter complete the trio of eliminated Italian clubs it would be the second time in three years that no Italian club has made the quarter-finals of the Champions’ League.

This would be an astonishing failure for one of Europe’s biggest leagues, less than a year after Italy’s national team exited the World Cup at the group stage of the tournament following a shock defeat at the hands of underdogs Slovakia.

So what’s happened to Italian football? In truth its stubborness has cost Serie A. Whilst the English Premier League, the Spanish La Liga and the German Bundesliga have all adapted to the 21^st century Serie A has chosen to do nothing, and as the saying goes “If you’re standing still in football, you’re going backwards.”

Serie A clubs are being run by the same old suits that were running them twenty years ago, whilst English clubs are seeking foreign investors. This has lead to a lack of ingenuity in Serie A that has left this once glorious league vapid and dull. AC Milan’s team against Spurs featured four players over the age of 32. Seven players over the age of 30 played for Roma against Shakhtar on Tuesday. Clubs have struggled to cultivate a new generation of players, due in part to a lack of funds compared to English and Spanish clubs. Arguably the two biggest Serie A signings of last summer were loan deals for Ibrahimovic and Robinho. European Champions Inter were eager to bring in Mascherano from Liverpool, but couldn’t compete with Barcelona and therefore missed out on the Argentine’s signature. Ten years ago almost every top player in Europe was playing in Italy, with the likes of Ronaldo, Zidane, Del Piero, Shevchenko, Cafu and Maldini all delighting audiences in Milan and Turin with their sublime skills.

As well as the lack of foreign talent playing in Serie A, the country has stopped producing exciting young players. Mario Bolotelli bucked that trend as he impressed for Inter, but he was forced to move to England as he wasn’t being appreciated at Inter. Giuseppe Rossi is now Italy’s brightest young star, yet he had to move to Manchester as a teenager to get his chance to shine.

Attendances reflect the lack of recent development in Italy. The average Serie A attendance is just 23,207. This season AC Milan, arguably Italy’s biggest club, have been averaging a miserly average of just 46,065. Napoli, who drew crowds of over 50,000 in Serie C1, are averaging just 43,777 this season. The Old Lady, Juventus, has an average attendance of just 21,505, that’s less than English League 1 team Southampton.

Though there’s no sign of major scandals in the near future Italian football is in a dark place. The country’s footballing culture desperately needs revitalising and reinvestment. Corruption, stagnation and an inane refusal to evolve has left Serie A and the national side in a worrying situation. However with no money, no promising youngsters and no willingness to reform, things can only get worse for Italian football.

WILSHERE PROVES THAT ENGLISH FANS LACK CULTURE

I apologise for the lack of articles on this blog since Christmas. Between exams and personal issues I haven’t found any time to write anything of worth, despite there being some extraordinary events.

One of the less striking events to take place during my absence was Jack Wilshere’s solid full debut for England during their 2-1 victory against Denmark in Copenhagen. Prior to the match I was struggling to cope with a mountain of work, however in the background was talksport’s drive time show with Adrian Durham and Darren Gough. The topic seemed to be of the duller variety, “How good is Jack Wilshere?”

On the face of it this was a sterile subject that would attract little meaningful discussion. I was wrong. The station was inundated with calls from fans of all clubs, claiming Wilshere was an average player that would never make it at the highest level. Apparently 19 year old Wilshere “only makes sideways passes”, “doesn’t score goals” and “isn’t strong enough.” These weren’t just fans of opposition sides, eager to have a rant against Arsenal, a large proportion of these callers were Arsenal supporters.

Having watched Wilshere’s performances for Arsenal in the first half of the season I thought he was a real prospect. Wilshere looked like a real rarity in English football; a young midfielder with an eye for a pass, an eagerness to keep possession and an ambition to play beautiful football. So I was astonished to hear this reaction to his performances.

Wilshere played for England against Denmark and looked comfortable in a holding midfield role (not his preferred position).  However the critics kept claiming the youngster was “average” and “overrated.” I started questioning my own opinions. Was Wilshere just flattering to deceive? Was he really that good?

I continued to question my views until last night, when Arsenal took on European giants Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions’ League. Arguably the two most stylish teams in Europe went head to head, with much of the focus on the central midfield area. Between Arsenal and Barcelona there were four World Cup-winning central-midfielders on the pitch, and in their midst was young, inexperienced Wilshere.

Like a young leopard, surrounded by experienced hyenas, Wilshere refused to be intimidated. The Englishman starred. Even in a difficult first half when Barcelona dominated possession, Wilshere put up a real fight and was at the heart of all Arsenal’s attacks. During the second half Wilshere pressed Barcelona and played them at their own game. His tenacity was key to turning the match in Arsenal’s favour.

The London club won the game 2-1 thanks to a stunning van Persie strike and a flowing move that culminated in a calm Arshavin finish. However the star of the show was the youngest player on the pitch, local boy Jack Wilshere.

Against Barcelona he proved all his critics wrong as he put in a stylish yet gritty, dominating performance against the Spanish champions elect.

He also proved that many English fans are pretty clueless when it comes to judging true class.

It’s not their fault. These are fans that have watched decades of clubs finding relative success through long-ball, muscular football. These fans saw Wimbledon win the FA Cup and Stoke City establish themselves as a Premier League club. They’ve been poorly educated when it comes to football. Players like Wilshere are still seen as lightweight and over-cautious because they use their brains and not their brawn.

These fans that have labelled Wilshere “overrated” are the same that hail Rooney, Terry and Lampard as classy players. Again, it’s not their fault they’ve never seen an England team capable of stringing passes together like the Spanish, French, Germans and Portuguese.

It’s often suggested that had Xavi would not have been given a chance as a footballer had he been born in Telford and not Terrassa.

Criticism of Wilshere from English football fans shows that they still lack the ability to spot true class in a footballer. They still can’t appreciate ability and craft like continental fans can.

Wilshere’s glowing emergence will hopefully be a catalyst for further development of cultured English players. With the development of cultured players we’ll see the coming of cultured football in England. And when cultured football is the norm football fans themselves will be enlightened and England will finally have cultured fans.

Maybe then players like Wilshere will get the recognition they deserve.