Don’t leave discussion on move to summer football out in the cold
Guardiola’s dominant side stride towards place in the quarter-finals
WHEN the Danske Bank Premiership kicked off on October 16, it was always going to be a tall order to get a 38-game season played.
For a start, we were kicking off a good two months later than usual and in the middle of a global pandemic, so things were already looking a little precarious.
To counteract this, the season was going to carry on for an extra month, so with a fair wind and bit of good fortune we’d all be wrapped up by the end of May to ensure that we could tell Uefa who would be crossing the Irish Sea border in the summer.
There were a couple of hiccups with a few Covid outbreaks but, by and large, things were progressing reasonably well, apart from the ludicrous spectacle of the IFA holding an Irish Cup draw for a competition that if it is played — and by jiminy it will be, they say — is going to be a pale imitation of the real thing.
We had an enforced twoweek break and a truly commendable rolling out of testing at clubs to ensure we could continue and, while we can try and contain a global pandemic, the one thing we have no control over has struck with vengeance — the weather.
As it stands, Tuesday night’s postponement of Portadown’s game at Shamrock Park against Larne means that in February alone we are into double figures, and I’m not even counting the second call-off in 48 hours for Warrenpoint Town’s game with Carrick Rangers.
Honestly, it would be easier to get a consignment of Belgian beef, Spanish Sausage and French Fancies through Warrenpoint Harbour at the minute than getting a game of football on in the town.
Of the 17 games they have managed to squeeze in thus far, only six have been played at Milltown, so to be sitting ninth in the table is no mean achievement.
But after Tuesday night’s games they are four behind Cliftonville who, like Crusaders and Larne, are reaping the benefit of installing ‘plastic’ pitches.
That is one solution to the problem, but that means a huge input of cash to make that happen, and some clubs will simply not countenance a move from the lush green sward, or deep brown quagmire, that we have been used to since Queen Victoria was on the throne.
And that leads me to something that seems to have been knocking around as long as HRH (stands back, waits for a collective sigh) — summer football. There, I’ve said it.
Dismissed out of hand for so long, there has been a gradual thawing (pun intended) of moves towards a rejigging of the football calendar to try and make playing a game of football in the winter months more dependent on the influence of
George rather than Barra Best.
There are some stick in the muds (again, I meant it) who won’t hear tell of it. Then again, they probably still point at aeroplanes, avoid cracks on the pavement and vote in elections in this country.
I truly hope we get all 38 games played — we’re moving heaven, earth and snow to make it happen — but if we get another spell of weather and Storm Thingymajig comes to town, then it is going to be very difficult.
Some sensible moves have already been made by clubs; Ballymena United, for example, whose Showgrounds pitch is fast becoming a homage to Disney/pixar, going from Frozen to Finding Nemo. They should get Aladdin to look at it... can I humbly apologise for that last joke?
Their game with Crusaders on Saturday was switched to Seaview and on Tuesday night it was the same story as their encounter with Cliftonville was moved to Solitude.
It’s good to see that sort of joined-up thinking, but in a ‘normal’ season it is more than likely that if fans were back this couldn’t happen because of policing and health and safety requirements. Extraordinary times seem to cut through that nonsensical red tape.
And that can only happen so many times. For example, the Reds’ and Sky Blues’ original game at Solitude due to be played on March 2 is now down to be played at the Showgrounds, if Olaf, Dory and Barra say it is possible.
They’ve already played twice at Warden Street this season, so to have three games at Solitude will be seen as hugely unfair by the other teams, but the way Ballymena are playing at home they’d be delighted to stay away.
But there may be another solution and it was voiced by the mightily impressive new kid on the block in the punditry section — Glentoran’s Bobby Burns.
Injury may have robbed us of his not inconsiderable talents on the field this season, but he has used his time well by giving articulate, intelligent comments, and all this from someone who has yet to start shaving.
We can but hope his dulcet tones remain once his voice breaks.
Speaking on the Beeb’s highlights show this week, he made the very good point that with only six games being played a week across the country that it wouldn’t take much to source a ‘neutral’ ground to play a match on. Yes, this would be a tad unfair on the home side, but to try and get the season finished we may just have to take the hit.
The naysayers to summer football’s argument is that it still rains the rest of the year and games have been called off throughout the season before. True, but I’ve yet to hear of any club having to shovel snow out of the centre circle or the penalty area being harder than Danny Dyer in the middle of August.
Another popular gripe is that ‘it’s a winter game and helps fill the long, dark evenings’. Hmm, there will still be matches on the telly, and during the summer it could actually bring a few more people out if they thought they could come home without hypothermia.
The other gripe is that all football below would need to change too. No, it wouldn’t. They only come into contact with senior opposition in the various cup competitions and these could be fitted into a new calendar, or the Championship and Premier Intermediate clubs could change too.
The loss of the festive period gates is another one that keeps popping up, but if games are cancelled anyhow then that argument goes out the window.
Glentoran boss Mick McDermott is the most vociferous voice for giving summer football a try and has his own solution for the festive conundrum that clubs opposed to change raised in meetings.
“A few resisted and didn’t want to change because the big thing is we generate a lot of our revenue over the Christmas period,” he said. “My answer then was we play Linfield on July 1. People said, ‘What about the July fortnight? People are going on holiday next week, teachers play in the league’. Okay, so let’s shut it down for two weeks. Let’s have the derby days on July 1 and then shut it down for two weeks.”
Makes sense to me. Previously he would largely have been a lone voice in the wilderness but. as a survey showed in the Sunday Life a while back, things are changing.
Out of the 12 Danske Bank Premiership sides surveyed, only three were steadfastly opposed to a change in the calendar. Whether that would be the case when push came to shove, we would need to wait and see.
NIFL chairman Gerard Lawlor, speaking earlier this year, explained that road was now open for discussion, with a major plus factor the chance to improve our Uefa co-efficient by actually playing games when our season is going on.
“Pre-covid, there was a big debate about a change in the season but if our 12 senior clubs, and we would need to work with the Championship and PIL, tell the NIFL board they want to play summer football they are pushing an open door,” he said.
“The problem is we don’t have a majority of clubs looking to play summer football.”
That may be changing, the frustration of cancellations adding to the moves for a move. One of the most telling comments in that survey came from Portadown chairman Peter Hunniford, who admitted: “Personally speaking, I was never a fan of the idea previously. With attendances, Covid and other things, I think we need to start to be open to look at suggestions.
“I have moved from a year or two ago from saying, ‘Absolutely not’ to, ‘Yes, it seriously needs looked at’, and possibly this is the time to look at a different calendar.”
And that’s the next step. If somehow we get this season completed and Covid under control, then grasp the nettle and have proper discussions about a possible change.
There’s no harm in talking, but sooner rather than later that needs to stop and means the only frozen we’ll have to worry about is Olaf and his chums.
0 2
ARE Manchester City the best team in Europe? We will only be able to answer that question in Istanbul in late May but between now and then, they are going to take some stopping.
Pep Guardiola’s side sent an ominous warning to their Champions League rivals by all but ending this tricky tie against Borussia Monchengladbach in one leg.
The 2-0 scoreline was not a true reflection of City’s superiority. In theory, it leaves room for the type of spectacular collapse which has scuppered Guardiola in this competition’s knockout stages in recent years. City look different this time, though — more controlled, more composed, and capable of reaching new heights.
This was their 19th consecutive win in all competitions, extending their extraordinary all-time record for an English top-flight club. It was their 12th straight victory away from home too, a new record itself. Midway through the second half, Guardiola’s defence marked 10 hours since conceding their last Champions League goal.
Aside from one opportunity for Hannes Wolf with the very last kick, Gladbach never looked like scoring in their nominal home leg at Budapest’s Puskas Arena. Marco Rose, their head coach, is a Jurgen Klopp disciple and one of the brightest young coaching talents in Europe but his side looked like one sat eighth in the Bundesliga and in a spell of underwhelming form.
City utterly dominated, controlling possession but suppressing and stifling Gladbach’s attempts to break on the rare occasions they took ownership of the ball. There were a couple of occasions in the first half when Rose’s side managed to spring a pass in behind for wing-back Stefan Lainer to run onto, only for City to retreat in numbers or the final ball to be woefully lacking.
Other than that, it was a waiting game for Guardiola and his players. It was clear a goal was coming from the very early stages, it was merely a matter of when. Raheem Sterling was frustrated not to win a penalty once he slipped in and was brought down by Ramy Bensebaini, who took a sliver of the ball in a forceful challenge, but it was only a matter of minutes before City took the lead regardless.
After Sterling’s early breakthrough at the Emirates, it was the second headed goal by a 5ft 6in forward in as many games, with Bernardo Silva stooping low to send a downward header out of Yann Sommer’s reach. Even City’s smaller players have added an aerial threat to their repertoire. Yet this goal was all about the assist, an exquisite cross from Joao Cancelo.
Though supposedly City’s left-back, Cancelo was essentially playing every other position, popping up in central midfield or wherever the space was.
If it left City exposed to potential danger on the counter-attack, it made their attack that bit more unpredictable. Gladbach’s defence certainly did not seem to expect the delivery when it came, with Silva virtually unopposed.
Gabriel Jesus should really have added a second at the start of the second half when Bensebaini put it on a plate for him, playing the Brazil international into Gladbach’s penalty area with a wayward back pass, but he de
layed his shot until Nico Elvedi could recover and block.
On the touchline, Guardiola was furious and would have been more furious still had Alassane Plea’s flicked back heel restored parity out of nowhere with Gladbach’s first shot on goal.
Jesus made amends shortly after though, applying the simple finish for the second ‘away’ goal that should settle this tie as a contest. Once again, Cancelo was central to the piece, cutting inside onto his right foot from the left wing and arcing another cross into the penalty area.
Silva was the recipient once more but this time, he headed back across the face of goal. Jesus stretched a boot out to poke past Sommer.
There was time for Sergio Aguero to make his return off the substitutes’ bench and for Wolf to try and make things interesting.
A wayward Rodri pass in stoppage time presented the Gladbach substitute with a one-onone against Ederson. Despite being a spectator for much of the evening, the Brazilian goalkeeper stood tall and saved. You have to take such chances when they come. This new, ominous, imperious City so rarely give them up.
MONCHENGLADBACH: Sommer, Lainer (Lazaro 63), Ginter, Elvedi, Bensebaini, Zakaria, Kramer, Neuhaus, Hofmann (Wolf 87), Stindl (Embolo 74), Plea (Thuram 63).
Subs not used: Lang, Herrmann, Beyer, Traore, Wendt, Sippel, Jantschke, Grun.
MAN CITY: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Silva, Rodri, Gundogan, Sterling (Mahrez 69), Jesus (Aguero 80), Foden (Torres 80).
Subs not used: Stones, Zinchenko, Steffen, De Bruyne, Mendy, Fernandinho, Carson, Garcia, Doyle.
Referee: Artur Manuel Soares Dias (Portugal)
Man of the match: Bernardo Silva
Match rating: 7/10
(© The Independent)