Moody Loss a Blow For England

No one will understand the implications of the loss of Lewis Moody for England's Six Nations campaign more than his international coach and ex-teammate Martin Johnson. Johnson will be cursing his luck this week, and rather than any drug-related issues, it will be a broken ankle at the forefront of his mind.

With England's first match only two weeks away, this latest squad withdrawal is arguably the biggest blow to Johnson's hopes. England cannot afford a below-par showing - as different nations discover each year, a year is a devastatingly long a time to wait to rectify the wrongs of a doomed campaign.

 

The Autumn Internationals were always going to be the toughest of first tests for Johnson, and he was always likely to be forgiven for a shaky start. Having been thrown in at the deep end, the only life-raft in sight appeared in the form of the Pacific Islanders. England were run ragged in the choppy waters of the Southern Hemisphere big-guns.

The Autumn Internationals dented Englands pride - similar displays in the Six Nations will start to erode it. Johnson will be fully aware that he cannot survive solely on past playing glories and nor, one suspects, would he be in any way happy to do so. He will expect his players to stand up and be counted, in much the same way that they did for him as captain. He will have envisaged such a charge being led by the likes of Lewis Moody.

The flanker is a veteran of more than fifty games for his country. He doesn't always come off the pitch clutching the man-of-the-match award, his performances as such are not always notable, but his passion is. Like any player he may make mistakes; misplace passes, give away too many fouls, but successive England managers have found his big hits and big heart just too big to ignore.

Whilst experience should never be the be all and end all in sport, certain situations increase its importance. Martin Johnson's first Six Nations squad is one such situation. Lewis Moody alone is likely to practically match the collective caps count of the starting back line.

Crucially too, Moody has been part of a winning England setup. Making his debut in 2001 he soon became integral to Woodward's World Champions - a team immersed in a winning culture, which they have been striving to recapture ever since. 

Quite apart form his considerable experience, it is Moody's attitude, application and sheer desire to win which England will miss against their fierce rivals. These were grey areas for England in the Autumn. Of course they wanted to win, but at times they had a rather awkward way of showing it.

Moody, like Josh Lewsey, who England recently lost to International retirement, plays with an infectious and more obvious, unabashed brand of desire. What Martin Johnson would give for this to spread amongst his young charges. This England team must learn to steal the initiative, charge down the opposition right from the kick-off and pay no more than due respect to reputation. All of these details feature heavily on the combined CVs of Moody and Lewsey.

Whether starting or used from the bench one thing is for sure; Moody is a man possessed when representing the red rose. He'd be happy, one would imagine, to wield his crutches and take on Italy by himself in England's opening game if his manager asked him to. Indeed, those crutches would conveniently increase his wingspan for those fearless charge-downs. But instead he'll be resting that ankle, watching like the rest of us, hoping to see some of himself in his teammates' commitment.

England are capable of having a successful Six Nations campaign. But for now their camp is engulfed by unanswered questions. They will succeed if all the small details can come together. If they can sustain a challenge into the final quarter of a game, if the back line can find some unity and a common purpose and if a number of on-pitch leaders can emerge, then they can top the group. Fail to do so and they could find themselves propping it up.

In short, England fans do not know what to expect from their team this year. With Lewis Moody, they always do. 

City Must Hand Hughes Initiative In Transfer Market

So Kaka has seen sense (and a recent copy of the Premier League table) and decided to stay put for the time being. Good news for football, for Milan and for Manchester City.

Whilst it's a given that Kaka would improve any team in the world, he does not represent the best use of Manchester City's mega bucks at this stage of their side's development.

As unlikely to dramatically increase Eastlands season ticket sales that the triple captures of Bridge, Bellamy and DeJong are, they represent sensible business at this stage of a project which can only work if treated as long-term.

From the moment Sheikh Mansour grounded his private jet in Manchester with the intent of ripping up and rewriting football's rich list, the right noises have been made. No fear, we're in it for the long run the new regime were at pains to stress.

All very well but not entirely in keeping with the noises that 100 million pound bids make. Having raised an eyebrow with the Robinho offer, they well and truly raised two with their pursuit of Ricardo Kaka. 

And where does Mark Hughes fit into all this? The superstar Brazilian did not appear on his January wish-list. Being as sensible as his haircut suggests, the Hughes transfer targets list was headed by the likes of Scott Parker and Shay Given.

If the powers that be at Eastlands can avoid the distractions of the glitz and glamour on offer in Milan and other European football hotspots, then they would do well to consult to their manager's masterplan. 

At this stage of the project, City need their Waynes and their Craigs. Achieving moderate success with these players could lead to the attraction of the Ricardos and Thierrys. On the monopoly board of the Premier League stage, players of Kaka's ilk represent the luxury of hotels, but City have yet to purchase an above average street.

The galactico blueprint was set by Real Madrid at the turn of the millenium. Their project was launched on the relatively solid foundations of being the world's biggest club, but even their most staunch supporter would struggle to label it an unqualified success. 

City are not starting their journey from the same (or even vaguely similar) foundations. Hughes, a student of the game, understands the need to fill his squad with players in the league of his trio of new signings. Over a period of time such players should facilitate an accent up the table which in turn may start to interest the superstars of world football.

It appears that Manchester City could complete a deal for Shay Given this week. It wont attract a fifth of the newspaper space that the Kaka saga consumed, but it is exactly the avenue that the club should be exploring at this stage. 

Of all the various decision makers involved in project Manchester City, one party must take the lead on their approach in the transfer market, thus avoiding the current apparent confusion. They must listen to Hughes; the sensible man, the football man. 

The Zola Effect

If nice guys really do finish last then West Ham could be in trouble this season. When the club appointed Gianfranco Zola back in September, the general concensus of the footballing world was that they had aquired a fine man, if an unknown manager.  

Now we are beginning to get a sense of Zola the boss, and the signs are encouraging. Great players rarely make great (even good) managers, but Zola is hoping to buck that trend.

The club welcomed him by packing a seasons worth of headlines into a three month period. The fact that most of these referred to the court room and not the football pitch did not deter the diminutive Italian who has kept his cool admirably amidst the soap opera of Upton Park.

Repeatedly restating Scott Duxbury's assurances that no first team players will be sold in the January transfer window amid a barrage of press scepticism, Zola appears to be having his wish granted.

The sale of Craig Bellamy will be viewed as no disaster given a) the inflated fee involved and b) the team's, and in particular Carlton Cole's, recent performances.

Demanding to leave a club that have stuck by you through one and a half injury ravaged seasons tells you all you need to know about Craig Bellamy.

Whilst Zola has been a revelation in his off-pitch capacity, West Ham fans will be even more encouraged by the promising signs on the pitch.

West Ham have a proud tradition, and as such the fans can seem demanding. In actual fact, this is far from the truth - they are not unreasonably demanding trophies, their cravings are more subtle than that, and relate to style.

Traditionally the trophy cabinet at Upton Park has never needed to be any more than a cupboard, but that is not to say that a visit to the ground on matchday is not worthwhile - far from it. The Upton Park turf has been graced by some of the all-time greats, and the locals have grown accustomed to generations of aesthetically pleasing teams. An achievement they have come to value dearly.

Interestingly, the last time that a West Ham team could truly claim a place within that famous and proud dynasty of exhilerating football, they were also led by a charismatic Italian.

Paulo Di Canio was the sort of footballer the West Ham crowd feed off. The passionate love of the supporters was reciprocated entirely on the part of the man himself, as he forged a talismanic role in Redknapp's side of the late nineties.

That side were able to impress over a prolonged and stable period of time, culminating in 5th place (West Ham's highest Premier League placing) and an Intertoto cup spot in 1999.

 

Of course, West Ham fans are not alone in cherishing such a reputation, but no team could possibly cherish it more than them. For West Ham fans, trophies are intermitant , but their style should not be. They may not always pull, but it's vital that they look good trying.

On paper Alan Curbishley's tenure at Upton Park was a notable success. Avoiding relegation with the pendulum veering dramatically from the realm of improbable to that of impossible and the stability of a second season top-half finish are a credit to him. Replacing notable with remarkable would have required the addition of style to that substance.

Gianfranco Zola may just be combining the two.

The foundations of West Ham's recent success (four wins in five) run through the English spine of their team. From Rob Green and Mathew Upson at the back, through to Carlton Cole up front, via Scott Parker and Mark Noble.

Interestingly, this group of players (with the exception of Cole on a good day) have mastered the safe rather than the spectacular. But their consistency has started to spread through the team resulting in committed performances all over the pitch.

Summer signings and findings such as Valon Behrami, Herita Ilunga and the outstanding Jack Collison have followed the lead of the more established players, and West Ham are beginning to look a team again.

No on-pitch orchestrator in the Di Canio mould as yet, but maybe this side's equivalent is to be found sat on the bench or patrolling the touchline issuing orders.

Too early yet to tell whether this side can prize it's way into the club's aesthetics Hall of Fame -but signs that Zola, like his fans, understands that as a mark of true success.

The Pietersen Affair

Kevin Pietersen's reign as England captain has been brought to an end almost as quickly as it takes him to compile one of his swashbuckling centuries. Indeed his short tenure contained all the incident of an eye-catching Pietersen innings, but unfortunately ended with the sour taste of falling for a first-ball duck.

The whole incident covers none of the parties concerned in glory, but Pietersen's role in particular seems to have stirred up the most negative of reactions. Of the accusations flung his way, I find myself in sympathy with very few.

For a start, a large percentage of criticism directed his way seems unrelated to this particular incident. It is as if a lid has been lifted and critics are using an unsavory incident to vent all their long-held misgivings and problems with the former England skipper.

Certain quarters of the press just couldn't wait for this to happen - in their eyes Pietersen has always been guilty of the crime of not being very English. I do not mean this merely in the fact that he was not born and bred in this country, though this is the root of the problem, but it is more to do with the fact that nothing about the Kevin Pietersen package is in keeping with the English psyche.

He is brash, does not shy away from conflict, has complete confidence in his own abilities and can seem arrogant. But what is wrong with any of these qualities? In Australian cricketers they seem to be positive characteristics wistfully and ruefully admired from afar. "If only England players could adopt that attitude."

Glenn McGrath predicted at the start of the 2005 Ashes series that his Australia team would whitewash their English counterparts 5-0. Arrogance? Of course, but backed up by a genuine belief in his own and his teams abilities. The English media picked up on this brash statement and it was used by all concerned to try to spur the ultimately victorious England side on. 

But, far from condemning him, the English reaction towards McGrath the individual, was one largely of admiration. Arrogant Aussie banter it may have been, but he was speaking his mind; he genuinely believed in his words.

And why not? If those are the sort of noises being banded about the Australian dressing room as a genuine target for the series, then credit a player who discloses such information to the cricketing world. Such nuggets are gold dust to a press who are increasingly dealing with PR savy sporting professionals. 

Genuine self belief and the speaking of one's mind have traditionally been Australian traits, and ones with which Kevin Pietersen can identify. But whereas it is a thing to be admired in the Australian setup, we have always been wary of Pietersen's own brand of self confidence. As with much of the way in which the game is evolving, we view the unknown with a definite sense of unease.

Whilst one may struggle to defend his attitude if his performances since his international debut in 2004 had been substandard, the simple fact is he's backed up his confidence with brilliance on the pitch. Comfortably England's best batsman, arguably the world's, Pietersen, just like the Australia team of the last decade, could not have achieved their dominance without this genuine and unwavering self belief.

If Ian Bell could marry his undoubted and considerable talent with a Pietersenesque confidence, then maybe he'd be closer to his former captain's century count. But apparently repeatedly failing to fulfil god-given potential is a far inferior crime than doing so in style.

Complimenting his Southern Hemisphere attitude is a far from conventional batting technique. Again this characterises Pietersen, and sets him apart from his English team mates. Eye-catching, bar emptying, switch-hitting, the most exciting sight in world cricket when in full flow, yet he still hasn't been able to fully win round the establishment of the English game after four years of representing the three lions.

Pietersen would have expected a moderate amount of suspicion directed his way as he made it over from his homeland to embark on his English cricketing journey. Deciding that the only way to convince the doubters was by proving himself on the pitch, he set to work. 

The big early test of his fledgling international career was batting for England in South Africa. Vilified by the home fans, this was as tough an examination as any sportsman could expect throughout their whole career. England failed, losing 4-1, but Pietersen came away with the man-of-the-series award and three centuries to his name. Committed to the cause? He looked it.

In fact that series set the tone for the next four years. Virtually ever-present in the test and ODI teams, Pietersen has excelled for the country of his mother's birth. Foreigners seeking British citizenship have to complete forms and tests to prove their commitment to the country - 158 series-winning runs on the final day of an Ashes series should add weight to the least convincing of application forms. 

Of course, until now detractors had no reason to publicly condemn Pietersen, but the Moores affair has given them just that. 

Peter Moores was a man with whom, in a cricketing sense, Kevin Pietersen could not get on. They differed in approach, philosophy and application. The coach-captain relationship is key, and when Pietersen deemed the situation unworkable he decided to do something about it. He could have waited, in a very English way, until this year's Ashes series had past, thus jeopardizing his team's chances, but he chose not to merely muddle through - he never has been very English.

The Race for the Title

The marathon that is the English Premier League season has reached its half way point. This is the first real marker at which we can gauge anything truly meaningful concerning current league position and end of season league standings. Management, players and fans alike are beginning to get an inkling of what sort of season they're in for and are readying themselves to watch the necessary horror or excitement ensue.

The Premier League has long had much to recommend it as the best in the world, and this season, an increase in the number of breathtakingly outstanding matches, and a genuine three-horse title race has further pushed this claim. Rafael Benitez's patient rebuilding program at Liverpool has finally seen his side able to launch a credible challenge for league honours, joining Chelsea and Manchester United in the title hunt. 

Reluctant at first to acknowledge what could still prove to be another false dawn, the media are starting to come round to the possibility of the league title returning to Liverpool for the first time in 20 years. Indeed, many are predicting the return of the title to Merseyside. 

And they have a chance. Benitez knows his squad - its strengths and limitations - most of the players are his buys, and he finally has a system suited to his personel which is effective if not spectacular. At no point this season have Liverpool played the league's most attractive football, but at the turn of the year their results have been good enough to land them in pole position.

Aesthetics has never been Benitez's priority and this is a philosophy justified through recent results. Pairing Mascherano and Alonso together in the middle of midfield invites no comparisons with Brazil, but in terms of ball winning and retention of possesion the two have provided a superb base from which the team can build. The system seems to get the best out of their outstanding captain Stephen Gerrard and they have even managed to go long periods without the prolific Fernando Torres.

Good as Liverpool have been, they have somewhat relied on the indifferent results of the other top teams. In addition, a failure to capitalise on the inconsistent results of their rivals has resulted in only the narrowest of leads. This failure to put any real daylight between themselves and the chasing pack raises questions about Liverpool's title credentials.

On top of this there remains a doubt that Liverpool can up the stakes in the likely event that either one or both of Manchester United and Chelsea decide to really come to the party. Effective if not spectacular, it is hard to see that Liverpool have an extra gear to ease into in order to break away from the pack. They have been good, but little evidence suggests they can be better. By contrast, Chelsea's early season form shows they are capable of much better than they have produced in recent months.

While a Chelsea resurgance is possible, using history as a guide, a Manchester United cavalry charge is inevitable. Ferguson, a veteran and master of title run-ins, has yet to see his side fire on all cylinders this season. We know this because at no point have they matched last seasons imperious form, and the only transfer activity involving them since last season has significantly strengthened their squad.

By definition they possess a squad of title winners, and in contrast with Liverpool they have portrayed the impression of playing within themselves. The idea that they have an advanced level of performance into which Ferguson can expertly guide his team spells danger for the other two title contenders. 

So it remains to be seen where the title will end up in its seventeenth season. In the marathon of the Premier League season Liverpool are the early pacesetters but the figure of Manchester United looms ominously on their shoulders.

  

Cipriani's Apprenticeship

Danny Cipriani will be hoping that 2009 brings some consistency to his game and heralds a fresh start to his fledgeling rugby career. He kicked off the year in the best possible way, with an influential performance in Wasp's 24-18 victory over London rivals Harlequins.  

For Cipriani 2008 contained some noticeable highs, but finished on a downwards spiral of lows culminating in England's morale-sapping Autumn internationals. The turn of a new year will see the Wasps and England fly-half set out to prove his growing number of critics wrong and show the world he has been harshly treated.

And harshly treated he has been. A remarkably speedy recovery from serious injury, in time to spearhead England's southern hemisphere examination, may in fact have hindered his progress. He faltered in some big matches in front of a critical and demanding rugby press. On top of that, the Twickenham faithful seemed to make him a scapegoat for the teams massively under par performances during those matches. But they are missing the point. 

Such close scrutiny is in danger of hampering this true gem of English rugby. He was not at his best in the Autumn, and his performance level dipped, in direct correlation with the scrutiny of the media and the supporters, as the series of tests unfolded. 

The first match against Australia was typical Cipriani. There was good and there was bad. Wayward passes and charged-down kicks were sandwiched by sublime runs and the rare ability (in England's case) to find space. That's what you get with Cipriani. No 21 year-old will ever look the finished article at such a level, and he possesses undoubted weak areas, but when he's good, he looks the future of English rugby for the next 10 years.

Twenty minutes into the South Africa fixture and fans were calling for Cipriani to be taken off. He had endured a torrid time and the world champions were almost out of sight. Again these fans were missing the point. The only bench alternative was Toby Flood, a fine player, but not yet a match winner at this level, and nowhere near Cipriani's class. Flood could have come on, and the scoreline would quite possibly have settled in its present state, but that was no good to England. They needed magic, a dazzling break, a sublime bit of skill, something, someone to get them back into contention; and amongst their flat-footed backline the only man willing or capable was the man currently occupying number 10 shirt.

It didn't come off for Cipriani that day, but he will have many others - as long as he is allowed the freedom to express himself and the time to learn from his mistakes. He can land his team in hot water, but that can be addressed - he can be taught how not to. What cannot be taught is that rugby brain he possesses; his magical rugby instinct, the ability to spot a break, and his willingness to try it. Cipriani is one of that rare breed, a match winner, and England are not blessed with those. If the harsh scrutiny of his game blunts this, his main asset, then England are in danger of losing potentially their most potent weapon.

It is testiment to how quickly Cipriani has bedded into not only professional rugby but the international stage, that everybody seems to have forgotten that he is a 21 year-old who suffered an ankle injury in May which sidelined him until October. That he was picked to play in the ill-fated Autumn international series is not his fault. Too early? Possibly, but through his inclusion, Martin Johnson was recognising his value to the England setup, as well as the dearth of alternatives.

Cipriani was replaced for the final match of the Autumn series by Toby Flood. Flood may have managed to avoid any high profile errors that day against the fearsome All Blacks, but he failed to get a grip on the game in the way that the shirt number on his back requires him to. In short, England looked like they had no chance, and that is what Cipriani will always give you; a chance.

Cipriani started 2009 in typical Cipriani style. Having taken a complete break from rugby in the Carribean the previous week, he returned to the starting line-up today against Harlequins. By taking the holiday he ran the risk of further criticism if the move was not payed back with a strong performance. Fortunately it was.

Not a perfect performance - two charged down kicks spring to mind (a rather too regular offence) - but a commanding one, which was highly instrumental in Wasp's victory and did enough to suggest that club and country will reap the rewards of their young fly-half in 2009. 

His quick ball in the attacking third in particular will have caught the watchful eye of England manager Martin Johnson, and his expert handling in the Chris Bishay's try was nothing short of sublime. That single moment summed up everything that Danny Cipriani is about, and all he offers a team. As with Wayne Rooney in football, no matter how anonymous he may have been for 60 minutes of a game, his hands and feet can conjour something out of nothing.

Danny Cipriani is serving his rugby apprenticeship in the eyes of the whole world, at Premiership and International level. He sometimes gets it wrong, but when he gets it right he does so in such a way that few players in the world (and even fewer in and around the England set-up) are capable of. Through his endeavours to date he has shown more than enough to warrant the perseverance of his selection for club and country.  Unpolished maybe, but a true gem nonetheless.