Football

From the Guardian today:

“I try to stay in the moment,” Frank Rijkaard says quietly as he studies the thick cloud of smoke hanging over his head. “Whether the moment is one of joy or difficulty or just sitting here right now, in my office, talking to you, I always think it’s best to stay in the moment. You know what I mean?”

Rijkaard takes a big drag, sucking the smoke deep into his lungs, staring quizzically at me through narrowed eyes. He exudes the kind of cool nonchalance that makes you wonder if he’s making a profound existential point or simply relishing his latest fag in the long chain he lights in his dingy office in the bowels of Camp Nou. He’s smart enough to do both.

Guardian Unlimited Football | News | Big interview with Frank Rijkaard

John O’Farrell on the dearth of English players in the Premiership, following Arsenal’s all-foreign efforts this week:

This week, another football landmark was reached when a Premiership team fielded an entire squad of foreign players. “What is Arsene Wenger doing?” said the pundits. “I mean, OK, so Arsenal are 4-1 up, but they completely lack the homegrown talent of their opponents … Oh, hang on, now they’re 5-1 up.” In fact, it should have been six but we’re stuck with these useless English referees. “Where oh where are the top British players?” asked a fan at half time, sensing that he vaguely recognised the bloke serving him a reheated hotdog.

From The Guardian:

The last time Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur met in the FA Cup, it was the 1991 final. Wembley was filled with Puffa jackets, videos were set for Saturday-night favourite Noel’s House Party, and Cher’s Shoop Shoop Song poured out of the stadium speakers. If that doesn’t date the scene, maybe this will: it was expected to be a close game – and it was. With Spurs losing Paul Gascoigne after 14 minutes, Forest were only undone by a fatal error from Des Walker, who headed beyond his own keeper in the 94th minute.

On Sunday they meet again, this time in the fifth round. And this time, it’s a different kind of fatality paling Forest cheeks. Even the most optimistic daren’t entertain the notion of a win at White Hart Lane. In fact, when Spurs met West Brom in the fourth-round replay to decide who would face Forest, John Motson said it all: “Whoever wins here will host Nottingham Forest in the next round, so there’s the prospect of a good cup run here.”

Interesting, well written and very depressing article about Forest on Soccernet.

Tottenham Hotspur versus Nottingham Forest is a fixture of historic significance. In 1991, it was the FA Cup final, a match remembered for Paul Gascoigne’s self-destructive tackling.

But for an official of questionable probity, it could have also been the 1984 UEFA Cup final. For almost 15 years, it was a meeting of two footballing sides in the upper half of English football’s top tier.

This Sunday, Forest travel to Tottenham in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Two of the most talented players seen at the City Ground for several seasons should be there, but the cup-tied duo of Andy Reid and Michael Dawson are in the employment of Tottenham now, the product of an £8 million double deal.

They have swapped a League Championship relegation battle for the quest for mid-table respectability in the Premiership.

After a reminder of past glories at White Hart Lane, Forest’s focus must switch to their league position. They are perched precariously between Gillingham and Rotherham, 23rd in the Championship and six points from safety with 15 games remaining.

Roy Keane has confirmed that he’ll be retiring when his contract runs out in 18 months’ time.

Obviously, as a Forest fan, I’ve followed Keane’s career over the years, and I have to say I have never felt much antipathy for him since he left us. I’m just pleased that he has come back and proved so many of his critics wrong this season. There was an excellent write-up about his resurgence in The Guardian earlier this week.