23 champions or 23 chumps?

As I sit in my apartment penning these words Fabio Capello and the FA are merely moments away from announcing the squad that will be tasked with regaining the holy grail of International football. It has taken them all day to announce the conclusion that Capello had already come to just hours after the teams Friendly game against Japan. However as the dust settles it is already becoming clear who the unlucky 7 are. Theo Walcott wasted little time in letting everyone know exactly what his world cup fate was when he boarded a flight to Barbados with his WAG in tow. That left just 6 to be accounted for.

Before those 6 are discussed though it must be said that Walcott's omission is by far the biggest shock of the squad cull. Not so long ago he scored a hat rick against a terrified Croatia who couldn't deal with his pace. He certainly didn't put in dreadful performances in the latest combo of friendlies either. I do though have to agree with Capello's judgement on the Walcott dilemma. Yes he is quick, however as the Japanese highlighted, when faced with a tight and technical space to operate in he is predictable and his threat easily neutralised. Indeed Walcott is suited to open flowing football, but this is not the type of game that England will be engaged in, in South Africa. Moreover they will require technically gifted players who can maintain possession whilst also being able to provide a killer pass, cross, or finish. All these qualities are vacant from Walcott's resume. When you also consider the competition he faced you can further understand the Italian Maestro's judgement. SWP is very quick but also has superior link up play and plays better box to box. Lennon again is pacy and can deliver quality into the box.

Wow sorry Theo you took a bit of a beating there, I'm sure Barbados will be nice this time of year though! Now that issues dealt with, another must be hastily addressed . Centre Backs!
Paying particular attention to the fact that it has just been announced that Mathew Upson will be boarding the plane at the expense of Michael Dawson and that in all likely hood Ferdinand and Terry will be the teams foundation yet again.

I'm not certain what Micheal Dawson has done to offend Mr Capello? Maybe he was caught spitting on the bosses schnitzel at their Austrian training base or maybe there is a pregnant teenager walking around that Capello knows about and we don't. These are the only far fetched theories that could possibly explain why a West Ham player who has leaked goals all season has been selected ahead of the inform centre back of the year. Upson's experience has been highlighted as the reason for him being favoured. Surely though with a rear guard that is hardly in its hay day and that has the speed of a Vespa scooter on an incline, Dawson would have been the better choice.

The seemingly immovable pairing of Ferdinand and Terry also worries me deeply. At club level both these players have excelled but they play for teams that are so well drilled in their defensive tasks that they rarely have to deal with a crisis. They are also old and lacking in speed over a short difference and I wouldn't fancy their chances of halting say the Argentine, Brazilian or Spanish advances. For me King and Dawson would be the best pairing with either veteran ready to step in if either got injured.

The best piece of news to come out of today's announcement is that Joe Cole is to be winging his way to Africa. The reason I highlight his selection is for the following reasons. Many of our top stars are tired and mentally drained from what was an even more gruelling domestic season than normal. Players like Gerrard and Lampard have carried their teams hopes on their shoulders all year and then are lumbered with trying to provide for a nation. Therefore it is up to players such as Joe Cole, Emile Heskey and SWP who have not been so burdened, to come out and shine. Cole is also one our few players with a genuine world class touch and guile on the ball.

All in all then how do these selections bode for our chances in the World Cup? We have a chance as always as all English pundits have come out and aimlessly stated. Well yes everyone has a chance! Normally 'Nicks sport rant' holds a somewhat pessimistic view on our nations sporting chances but in this case I will climb the other side of the fence. Don't ask my why too much, but I think this team has more than a good chance. Our group is the weakest by a stretch, the Germans have lost Ballack, Argentina have a coke addicted midget for a manager, France are already looking to the future and Laurent Blanc, and Brazil look below their usual standard. This only leaves Spain and Italy who look like truly formidable foe's, but England might just have it in them to kick them up in the air often enough to emerge victorious.

telling the truth, cameras, and apologies!

I have to admit that leading up to last nights World Cup qualifier between France and Ireland I was devoid of any real biased towards one of the teams. By the end of the match though I felt like I had become born again Irish and that consequently I needed to commit an atrocity to Thierry Henry's vital organs. No I'm not even exaggerating. Henry's Micheal Jordan impersonation had Nicksportsrant fuming. Then I nearly vomited when Henry was interviewed and insisted that he didn't mean to do it and that it was all the referees fault.

Before I layout what I think can be done in instances like this I just want to express how I view Thierry Henry as a Football player and a person. Only a truly self absorbed, egotistical and classless human being could come out and make the comments that this once great footballer made after the final whistle. Never mind that its the referees decision to make. There was one man on that field who could have made things right and that was Thierry Henry. At least when Zinadine Zidane let himself down by head butting Marco Materazzi he did it because of the Italians foul mouthed abuse. For me Zidane is still the best Footballer of my generation. Thierry Henry has now tainted his reputation forever.

The title of this blog encapsulates (in my opinion) what should happen before, during ,and after an incident like this. Allow me to explain each point in the order they are written. Firstly the referee should have to by (footballing law) immediately ask the player guilty of the alleged offense if he indeed handled the ball. The player should then tell the referee the truth. If the player is still adamant that he is innocent of foul play then a television replay should be used by the fourth official. If the player in question is guilty he is sent off for cheating, and if not then play continues normally.

I would then go one step further as well. Along with the suspension and fine that players already receive I would force a public apology. Can you imagine Henry squirming around wishing he had a nippy little Clio to Va Va Voom him away from the glare of the camera awaiting his confession.

I believe that this three pronged approach to dealing with cheating (that could be used to counter diving as well) would appease both the purists who don't want to see technology interrupt the flow of play, and also those in the game who wish to see technology introduced.

Lets be honest by the time the Irish had stopped complaining and the French had hid their blushes there would have been enough time to evaluate the weekends weather as well as the hand ball. By giving the player a chance to admit his guilt, all the technology could be by passed and the game could continue freely.

Lastly it surprises me that its just the Irish who are demanding a replay of the game. Surely the French with their 'O so proud and honest' image would welcome the chance to replay the game and truly earn their passage to the World Cup. Unfortunately all we can hope for is that France receive some Karma at the World Cup, because FIFA and Platini got what they wanted all long and to lose both Russia and France would have been unthinkable for them.

Owen and Co out of Touch with Fans Reality

The Manchester derby at the weekend was a great spectacle. The blue side of Manchester riding on a wave of optimism and wealth seemed ready to begin the re balance of power within the city. With seconds remaining a former Liverpool hero scored the winning goal, thereby thwarting City's former United strikers Hughes and Tevez who now play for, and manage City respectively. Confused? These days if you were away over the summer transfer window you would be shocked at how the football landscape had shifted.

Players and clubs are busy doing business and the people being forgotten are the fans. The issue that needs attention here is whether we can blame the players and clubs for betraying their fans? For a fan the beautiful game can be part of their lives but for the most part it is not their entire life or career. For a player or club boss the opposite is true. Players in particular have given everything to get to the top of the game. For every one of them that makes it, to the six figures a week world of the premiership, there are hundreds more that don't. Can we really blame them then for trying to get as much out of the game as possible during their short and injury prone careers.

The man who provided the inspiration for this rant was Michael Owen. Having been a Liverpool hero, he was forgiven by fans for moving to Real Madrid, and was even understood when he moved to 'crazy spending' Newcastle. To move to Manchester United though, Liverpool's most loathed and hated enemies, has pushed Liverpool fans to disown a player that they once viewed as something of a legend. Owen has so much money that he didn't need to move to United, so what were his reasons for moving? First he wanted to make the world cup squad. Second he wanted a Premiership medal. He may well accomplish the latter but I still doubt that he will make the world cup squad.

Will a premiership medal earn't from the bench really cement Owen in footballing history. I don't think so. United fans have already had the best substitute in history in Solskjaer. Even if Owen does score a few big goals this season and win the league, United have won the league so many times that their fans will hardly remember Owens small contribution. This is the point that Owen has missed. What the fans think is what ultimately matters. It is they who will talk about the history of the game to their kids and their kids kids.

If Owen had gone to a smaller Premiership club for less money per week he could have become a hero in one season. If he had scored 20+ goals playing 90 minutes a week he may also have scraped into the World Cup squad and had the chance at obtaining true sporting immortality. By choosing United he has destroyed the legacy he fought so hard to create at Liverpool and he has also in my opinion hindered himself from creating a new legacy in the final years of his career.

Players need to realise that there comes a time when you have enough money and that what matters after that is what mark you as a player have left on the game. I do not blame young players for making big money moves. They don't know what lies ahead for them and need to make their money whilst they can. Experienced and already rich players however need to take a step back before signing big money contracts and look at whether what they are doing will secure their short term futures or (much better) their long term futures.

At the time of me writing this, one such example of a player ruining his legacy is that of Sol Campbell. A former England International and Premier League regular, Campbell shocked the footballing world when he moved to lowly Notts County on a £40,000 a week over 5 years contract. Just one week later and he has left the club. The reason for him leaving according to Notts County Chairman Peter Trembling is that he has "one eye on the 2010 World Cup Squad". Surely now that isn't a possibility for a man who clearly put money above his ambition to play for England. If he had moved to another premiership club the World Cup may well have been a possibility.

Who else losses out from this bad decision though? The fans at Notts County of course. A promise had been made to them and now its been broken in record time. To sum up; fans need to realise that the sport is a business now, and that players are professionals within that business, and therefore unsavoury transfers will be made. However players also need to spend more time considering their options. They must make sure they make the best move for themselves (which isn't always the best paid one) which in turn will usually be the best move for their long term future and their fans.