For Scotland fans, there is one goal above all others than stands alone as a probably the best goal they’ve ever scored in a World Cup. In fact, lets be honest, it’s one of the best goals scored by any team at a World Cup. It’s certainly one of my favourite goals in the tournaments history. Argentina 1978 had been something of a disaster for the Scottish side, who had gone to the finals in Argentina with high hopes.

During English football’s dark days of failure, Scotland carried British hopes in both the 1974 and 1978 and on both occasions failed to progress from the group stages due to goal difference. Yet despite the disappointment, Gemmill’s goal stands out as a moment of pure football genius on every level.

The Scottish manager at the time, Ally MacLeod had fuelled the hopes of the Tartan Army by insisting his side could come home with a medal but as soon as they arrived in Argentina things began to unravel. The side were on a positive wave, created by beating England at Wembley in 1977, snapped crossbars and pitch invasions et al as they won the British Home Championships.

The first group game saw them face Peru and come unstuck when faced with the majestic talent of Cubillas. Despite taking the lead, Peru pegged them back and then Don Masson saw a penalty saved before Cubillas hit two goals to help the Peruvians to a 3-1 win. After the game Willie Johnston tested positive for a banned substances. Despite the fact is was a simple hay fever remedy, it was enough to engulf the team in a doping scandal. No bitterness from the English press there then eh!

Johnston was sent home in disgrace and the team lurched into the next game, against Iran. Once again, Scotland took the lead but couldn’t hold on and Iran levelled, if anything unfortunate to not win the match. The pictures of MacLeod slumped in his dug out, head in hands summed up the mood of the nation. How could it all go so wrong? Simply, they underestimated the opposition and paid the price.

The final group game saw the Scots face the dynamic Dutch and needed to win by 3 clear goals to have any chance of qualifying for the next round. After the two previous games, they were expected to be lambs to the slaughter. An early goal for the Netherlands, through Resenbrink seemed to be an opening of the flood gates, but Scotland rallied. Kenny Dalglish equalised to go into half time level.

Gemmill then got his first goal of the game, replacing Masson as the penalty taker and slotted one home to put them 2-1 up. Yet, it was his second goal and Scotland’s third that will live long in the memory. The Scottish newspaper, The Scotsman described it thus: “In 68 minutes, however, Scotland went 3–1 up when Archie Gemmill scored one of the great goals of this World Cup so far. The little midfield player homed in on goal, played a magnificent one-two with Dalglish then sprinted into the box and thumped a glorious goal past Jongbloed to revive all the hopes which had died the death this past fortnight. It was an extraordinary goal and an extraordinary moment. Suddenly Scotland were dreaming of glory again”

Of course, it was not to be, Rep scored a screamer to make it 3-2 and whilst the Scots held on for a famous victory, they went out once again on goal difference. A tournament that promised so much, finished with disappointment again. So near, yet so far and Scotland would have to move onwards and upward. The goal became a central point in Trainspottingwhich saw it moved from being the sole love of Scotland fans, to a worthy mention as one of the best goals in the competitions history.

Gemmill’s career saw him play for Derby County, Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City amongst others as well as playing in the USA for the Jacksonville Team Men in 1982. A delightful passer of the ball, he was a tricky midfield play-maker who got his fair share of goals. Currently the manager of the Scottish Under 19′s team, he is a popular speaker on the after dinner circuit, as anyone who spent so long working under Brian Clough could never be short of an anecdote or too. So all hail, Archie Gemmill, scorer of one the greatest World Cup goals ever and certainly Scotlands best.

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Despite the superstars that have graced the World Cup over the decades, there is one record that may never be beaten by any player ever again. Only 3 times has a player scored double figures in a World Cup tournament, once in 1954, Sandor Kocsis scored 11, in 1970 the legendary Gerd Muller scored 10 goals. Yet one man surpassed both of these incredible efforts when he scored 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup, French legend, Just Fontaine.

It often astounds me that whenever lists of great strikers appear, Fontaine is rarely on the list. It’s not like the Swedish World Cup was a flash in the pan for him. He scored goals wherever he played throughout his entire career. Domestically or Internationally, Fontaine found the back of the net with unfailing regularity. It would seem yet another wonderful player is often overlooked in the modern era simply because people don’t look hard enough.

In those far away days before football became the global sport, the European Cup and European Championships were in their infancy and with only 16 teams qualifying for a World Cup, many great players missed the opportunity to play regularly on the main stage. His international career was only 7 years in total from 1953 to 1960, he missed out on 1954 through a lack of experience and was struggling with injuries by the time Chile held the competition in 1962.

That shouldn’t take anything away from his achievements and in normal circumstances scoring 13 goals in a World Cup should see you lift the trophy but for the greater strength of one team: Brazil. Yet we’re getting ahead of ourselves, before we’ve even begun. Fontaine was born in Morocco in 1933, or French Morocco as it was known then. At 17 it was his move to Casablanca that catapulted him towards history as he scored for fun in the league. French league sides fell over themselves to scout him but it was Nice that managed to get his signature first. Aged just 20, Just moved to France and his career went through the roof.

In 3 seasons at Nice, he scored 44 league goals in just 69 matches and attracted the attention of Stade Reims, who were the giants of French football in the 1950′s and 60′s. Reims are a team that we have also lost sight of, struggling in the French Third Division these days but incredibly reached the European Cup final twice, in the debut tournament of 1955-56 and 1958-59. The Olympic Lyon of the day, Fontaine was brought in to replace another French legend, Real Madrid bound Raymond Kopa and hit 30 goals in his debut season.

Ironically, it was the relationship at international level between Fontaine and Kopa that would prove so decisive in the 1958 World Cup as they combined so beautifully that Fontaine and Kopa seemed to have a psychic link. In Sweden, the bond was at it’s dizzying peak and it was almost rewarded with the greatest honour in the game. As strike partnership go, it’s certainly up there in post-war club and international football.

It is odd, especially in the UK that Fontaine isn’t more widely known as the 1958 World Cup is a watermark in British football. It was the only tournament that England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales all qualified for and some should remember him more than others. In 1954, the French side had failed to qualify from their group so hopes were high for a more positive tournament in Scandinavia. The group was tough but not impossible and they had to play against Yugoslavia, Scotland and Paraguay.

The first game saw them face Paraguay and by half time the match was tied at 2-2 with Fontaine having scored both of Les Blues goals. 45 minutes later, he was walking off the field with the match ball after scoring his third and France’s 5th as Raymond Kopa destroyed the Paraguayans resistance in a 7-3 mauling.

Next up came the dangerous Yugoslavian side and they were right to be wary. A tense and physically bruising game saw Kopa and Fontaine on the receiving end of some brutal treatment in a 3-2 defeat, which was lost at the death. Yet Just added another two goals to his tally and Scotland were dispatched in the final group game 2-1, with another goal for Fontaine taking his total to 6 goals in the first 3 games. The French were through to the Quarter-Finals and faced another British side, Northern Ireland.

The Irish had impressively finished 2nd  in a tough group and had a goal getting striker of their own, AstonVilla legend Peter McParland who had scored 5 goals in the group. Fontiane and the French were just too good and routed them 4-0, our hero scoring another 2 goals to take them in to the Semi-finals to face the favourites, Brazil.

Despite how impressive France had been so far, they couldn’t hold a candle to the Brazilians. With Vava and Garrincha running rings around them and a young striker by the name of Pele scoring a hatrick, even Just Fontaine couldn’t keep them in it. Brazil were too good and despite recovering from going a goal down after 2 minutes, thanks to his 9th goal of the competiton, Fontaine and France faced a task too far. Brazil ran away with the game, winning 5-2 and the only consolation for them was the opportunity to play for 3rd place.

To say the next game had a bit of needle would be an understatement as they were to face the defending champions, West Germany. The reasons for the animosity were still fresh in the minds of the French and as if possessed, they ripped the legendary German defensive unit to shreds. Kopa seemingly single handly passing them to death at every opprtunity and Fontaine was at his lethal best. 4 times he struck the ball pase the German keeper, Kwiatkowski as the French ran them ragged in a 6-3 victory.

So, 6 games, 13 goals and scored in all 6 matches the French played. Two hat tricks and the French had arrived on the international stage again. Fontaine returned to scoring goals for fun in Ligue 1 and in 1959 was rejoined at club level by Raymond Kopa. Unfortunately for him and Reims, they only managed one season together until a knee injury curtailed Fontaine’s career at just 29 years of age. Who could have said where he would have ended up rather than limp through his last two seasons.

He could only manage 14 games and 6 goals in his final two years before injury robbed football of one of its most underated strikers. He tried his hand at managing to no great success apart from a spell as the Moroccan coach, leading them to 3rd in the 1980 African Cup of Nations. Fontaine is now 76 and is a legend in France. In 2003 he was voted the Greatest French player of the last 50 years and still holds the World Cup record of the most goals in a single tournament.  Il était magnifique!

Well it certainly sounds like Owen Coyle will be moving the 25 or so miles to Bolton Wanderers to replace the sacked Gary Megson. After being given permission to talk to the Trotters, Coyle looks set to  become the manager of a club he served so well for two years between 1993 and 1995. By all accounts, it’s a done deal and Burnley will begin to look at who they will need to replace the excellent work that Coyle has started at Turf Moor.

Phil Gartside, the Bolton chairman has certainly acted quickly to replace Megson, but their are two things about this potential appointment I can’t get my head around. Firstly, people are saying he has more of an emotional attachment to Bolton than Burnley and secondly, why on earth is Burnley’s chairman Barry Kilby allowing Coyle to talk to them?

The second point perplexes far more than the first. Why has Kilby allowed Coyle to talk to Bolton so easily? For all the criticism of football players agitating for moves, football managers it seems can simply walk away from a contract for nominal fees. Coyle signed a contract extension in the summer after turning down Celtic that tied him down to Turf Moor until June 2013. Now an offer from Bolton Wanderers is more appealing than talking over Celtic?

Now no-one can tell me that the Bolton Wanderers job is anywhere near the level of being in charge of Celtic. It’s a non-starter without question especially right now. Burnley are two points ahead, although having played two games more than Bolton and Wanderers travel to the Emirates on Wednesday night for one of their games in hand.

Burnley fans are rightly scratching their heads thinking what on earth is going on and I can understand their confusion. Why has Kilby not put his foot down and simply pointed out to Coyle the 3 years left on his contract. Or is Bolton’s offer simply too good for Kilby to turn down? Yet for all the money that may be on the table from Bolton to take Coyle, who on earth could replace him?

The first point that I mentioned, the much vaunted emotional attachment, doesn’t add up either. As a player, Coyle played 74 games for Bolton and as of Saturday, he has managed Burnley for 113 games. So how can he have such an attachment that makes Bolton a more attractive prospect than Celtic or staying at Burnley? It’s something that I just can’t understand, which seems to echo the feelings of the majority of Clarets fan.

To be honest, a move to Bolton is more of a sideways move right now than a move up the managerial ladder. Bolton, since Allardyce left have drifted along in the lower echelons of the Premier League, whilst Burnley have been on an upward trajectory ever since Coyle landed. All the pre-season predictions, except for one idiot, pointed to Burnley being cannon fodder.

Yes, their away form has been abysmal, but it smacks of naivety more than a lack of ability. On Saturday, they were being tipped as a team that could be embarrassed by lower league opposition in the F.A. Cup, but in the end, the comfortably dealt with M.K. Dons. They’ve impressed many people this season and good luck to them. Ironically, it was Coyle’s behavior after that game that set tongues wagging.

By claiming he couldn’t go the the post match press conference as he needed to catch a flight to Scotland immediately after the game, people thought fair enough. Unfortunately, Coyle was then caught out by still being at Stadium M.K. an hour later. It was then that questions began to be asked and since then, no-one has become any the wiser as to what on earth is happening. Just a word of advice for Mr Kilby, whatever you do, don’t give Graeme Souness the job!

It sounds as if Gary McAllister is about to named as Paul Hart’s assistant manager tomorrow morning. Reports coming from Radio Solent are claiming that McAllister, after turning down the same role under George Burley with the Scottish national team last week, has agreed to join Pompey. After the start that Paul Hart has had to endure with the loss of a team over the summer and then being expected to form one in about 3 days, he’ll be glad of the help.

McAllister’s reasoning for turning the Scotland offer down was that he wanted a full time position in English club football and it seems his chance has now arrived. It’s certainly a baptism of fire but when you’ve worked for Ken Bates, you can turn your hand to most situations without any fear at all. After being out of football for nearly 10 months, since being sacked from Leeds United on December 21st, it sees a welcome return for the likable Scotsman to the Premiership.

McAllister could actually do with such a position after two ill feted managerial positions at Coventry City and Leeds United. Both clubs had varying pressures that McAllister struggled to cope with, Coventry were desperate to return to the Premiership as quickly as possible but McAllister’s personal life was thrown in to turmoil when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. He resigned in January 2004 to spend more time with her, but she sadly passed away in March 2006.

Leeds United were struggling to overcome the shock of Dennis Wise and Gus Poyet leaving, when McAllister came to the club and they managed to get to the play off final, but lost in a shock defeat at the hands of Doncaster Rovers. After that, it was always going to be tough for McAllister and a shock defeat to non-league Histon in the F.A. Cup sent the club into free fall.

Now he’s got a chance to come in as an assistant manager and cut his teeth in an environment where he can learn more than simply taking the managers job at a club he used to play for. There’s no pressure from supporters who remember him strolling around the midfield, spraying balls to all corners of the park. There’s nowhere else for Portsmouth to go and Paul Hart has continued to rise above the ridiculous levels of media pressure on his position.

The two go back to their time together at Leeds United, when Hart was in charge of the youth academy and McAllister was the club captain. This is not a decision based on a whim, the two obviously know each other well and are aware of each others strengths and weaknesses. The existing relationship could be crucial in allowing the duo to hit the ground running and Portsmouth aren’t too far away from getting some points on the board.

Hart has had to suffer the biggest asset stripping seen at a Premiership club since Leeds United’s implosion in 2003-2004. Yet he had to go through something similar when he was the manager of Nottingham Forest as the club desperately tried to recover the money that David Platt had blown in his dreadful tenure as manger.The irony of the situation will not be lost on him at all, but at least is should stand him in good stead.

The League Cup stinks. It’s superfluous and boring. It’s the FA Cup with neither the romance nor the tradition. It’s either meaningless adornment for big clubs or a delusion for teams not good enough to win a real trophy. Other countries have only one cup competition. The League Cup shows us why.

Seeing Arsenal’s academy kids is the most exciting part of the League Cup, but it’s also its greatest insult. Arsenal, a club entering its fifth season without a trophy, does not care about winning it.

Ideally, the League Cup would disappear. It may be a sacrifice for the eventual European Super League. But, until that reality comes, and it will, here are a couple suggestions to inject some spice.

First, let the Scottish teams participate. It would add some variety. The Scottish teams would be motivated. Celtic and Rangers mixing it up with the English teams would be far more captivating than less stressful versions of Premier League matchups.

There is also some intriguing historical precedent. Before International Federations hardened in the 19th Century, Scottish teams participated in the FA Cup. Britain has devolved back to its national identities without the Empire, but perhaps the Union Jack and fraternization once a year might be pleasurable.

Second, move the competition. Situated at the beginning of the season, it is pure fixture congestion. The League Cup is a distant fourth priority for players and fans concerned with the League, European Competition and Internationals.

It should be continuous rather than on sporadic weekends. It could be played in August, when fans starving for football would grasp onto it. It could also be played in May. This would give teams an incentive to keep playing once their league position is secure.

These two suggestions might not be a panacea for the League Cup’s ills, but they would make it more interesting.

I settled down yesterday afternoon ready for one of those great footballing days that come along every now and again. I had the prospect of 4 matches in a row to keep me entertained (including Charlton v Brentford!) and to see if Scotland could get a win against Macedonia. It was an opportunity to run the rule over a few players who have returned to regular football in the Premiership and see just what Scotland could do.

I’m one of those strange people that wishes no ill to my Scottish cousins over the border to the North, I always try to watch the other home nations when I can, as well as the Republic of Ireland. I always have done, since the days of the Home Championships when I was a little lad and I always want them to do well.

With Scotland still reeling from the hammering they took in Norway last month, and the S.F.A once again seemingly trying their best to destabilise their own team, Scotland manager George Burley was up against it. With 9 players in the starting line up either having played or still playing in the Premiership, the time had come for Scotland to dig in and get a result.

Craig Gordon, the Sunderland goalie has endured a torrid time since his £9 million transfer 2 years ago, but yesterday, he was immense. His reflexes and strength kept Macedonia at bay throughout a nervous first half performance when Scotland could have been easily 2 goals down. It was the form that saw him so highly rated before joining Sunderland and he continued to excel throughout the first half.

Scotland were wobbling, but one incident seemed to change the whole game. Macedonia had been indulging in the type of behavior that would have embarrassed Eduardo but a drop ball was given. Scott Brown, the Celtic midfielder kicked the ball against a Macedonian player and it spun out for a corner to the Scots.

Macedonia were incensed and all went to try and get hold of Brown. Queue much pushing and shoving, shouting and finger pointing but the Scots wouldn’t bite. Half time went and half the Macedonian team came after Brown, but he slipped off down the tunnel. That incident completely changed the game. I don’t know what George Burley said at half time or if he even put something in the half time drinks, but the second half saw Scotland emerge as a different team.

Macedonia couldn’t cope and with Stephen Fletcher setting up Scott Brown for a cleverly flicked header, Scotland were in the ascendancy. Darren Fletcher was in his busy best, bustling and chasing, tackling and harrying everything. Macedonia had chances, but Gordon and the Scottish back four stood firm and then came the champagne moment. Take a bow, James McFadden. A wonderful solo run with 5 minutes to go, saw him bamboozle four Macedonians before putting the keeper on his backside and rolling the ball into an empty net.

It was another great goal for McFadden’s resume but one goal can’t answer the doubts that still hang over the undoubtedly talented striker. His return to the Premiership can only benefit Scotland, but he needs to return to a more consistent approach. The last 18 months have seen his form dip and blighted by injuries, his performances fluctuate wildly. On his day, he is Scotland’s most naturally gifted player but he needs to have more of those days.

At his time at Everton, McFadden was a firm favourite with the crowd but could infuriate as much as he delighted. For a player that scores the occasionally brilliant goal, he doesn’t score anywhere near the level his talent says it can. He showed both sides yesterday, missing an easy chance from 12 yards out, slashing his shot high and wide. 20 minutes later he danced his way through the Macedonian team and scored. Work that one out.

With Scotland having to beat Holland on Wednesday night, McFadden needs to have one of those nights in back to back matches. No doubt it’s a massive ask but Holland have already qualified. They don’t need to win and that could play in to Scotland’s hands. Good luck to them, I’ll be wishing them well.

As Diego Maradona prepares to return to the forefront of international football it is quite fitting that he will make his managerial debut of the Argentine national squad in the cauldron of all English hatred, Hampden Park.  Anyone that can somehow contribute to the demise of the England national football team is embraced with great affection north of the border, and it is no surprise that Maradona has been afforded cult hero status once again as he prepares his side to face Scotland in a friendly on Wednesday.

Before we get going let me preclude this by stating that in his prime Maradona was one of the best players to have ever played the game.  His talents and skills driving the midfield of a powerful Argentina team made them a fearsome force in the sport.  In terms of technical skills, he was one of the best.  Note, I say one of the best.  Many, consider him to be the greatest player to have ever played, and if you consider his own self-proclamations of footballing genius, maybe that is not surprising.

However, let us get something straight up front.  Pele is bar none, the best player to have graced the world’s most popular sport.  Pele, not only led his team to an unprecedented three World Cup championships in four tournaments, but off the field, he is a class act, a diplomat for the game, for his country, a true legend.  To even try to put the subject of this article on a par with Pele is beyond laughable.  Unless that is, you are able to make a case for Pele being an arrogant, cheating, drug-addicted egomaniac oblivious to anything outside of his own pathetic life.  I seriously doubt that you can.  Wait, did I say that out loud?  Guess I’m not caught up in the latest edition of Maradona mania.

Argentina are a perennial world power of football that boast a wealth of talent in the likes of Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano, Sergio Aguero, Lucho Gonzalez, and Maxi Rodriguez to name but a few.  The rivalry, bordering on hatred between England and Argentina is well documented but in terms of footballing talent I give credit where it’s due.  Don’t get me wrong; when our nations match up, I am as fanatical as any red-blooded Englishman vying for the Lions to bury the despised men in blue and white stripes.  I still have the shirt depicting Beckham’s glory after scoring the penalty to beat the enemy at the 2002 World Cup finals – dubbed by some as the “Foot of God.”

The notorious, “Hand of God” incident in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal match between England and Argentina ignited the fuel of hatred towards Maradona and left a foul taste after an otherwise enthralling battle between two very good teams.  Before that incident, I felt he was a dangerous player that could derail our dreams of a world title.  His second goal in that infamous match was truly an amazing feat as he dribbled over half the length of the field leaving five English players in his tracks, confirmed that fear.  Sickening but amazing, and later described by England manager Bobby Robson as “a miracle.”

 Being defeated on the field is acceptable, it’s hard to take, but when the game is over, if you come out on the losing end, even the most fervent and bias fan has to accept that their team ultimately lost to a better opponent.  What true fans cannot accept is getting so close only to have their dreams shattered by such blatant cheating and then having that same player declare his act as the work of God.  So God’s a football fan and he (or she) apparently has it in for England.  Come to think of it though with the amount of tournaments that we’ve lost on penalty shoot-outs, maybe the little twit was onto something.

Back to Diego and he returned to the World Cup 4 years later as Argentina won through a series of penalty shoot-outs to advance to the final before losing to West Germany 1-0, on a penalty, in one of the dullest World Cup finals in history.  USA ’94 ended Maradona’s international career when he was kicked out of the tournament for failing a drug test.

Maradona enjoyed incredible success at the club level reaching the peak of his playing career with Italian Serie A side Napoli.  He played a major role in the team winning 2 Italian Championships and the UEFA Cup, amongst others during his time in Naples, and was the Italian Serie A top scorer in 1987.  His drug addiction and a host of other personal problems ultimately led to his demise and he left Napoli in disgrace after serving a 15 month ban for testing positive for cocaine.

But, now after being through several rehabilitation programs, gastric surgery, a close brush with death, and spending some quality time with a few of his mates and idols in Cuba and Venezuela, he is ready to be born again and lead his beloved Argentina back to world glory on the football field.  This latest venture begins Wednesday at the site where he scored his first international goal in 1979, and Hampden Park is the perfect venue to host the return of one of Scotland’s modern day patron saints.  Trust me Mel Gibson has nothing on Diego and his hand puppets.

Ironically, Scotland’s assistant coach, Terry Butcher was on the field at the Azteca in 1986.  I doubt that big-Tel will greet Maradona in the way that he really thinks befits this “legend” but, like any other England fan that remembers Mexico in ‘86, I also don’t think he will get carried away by the politically correct swath of adoration that has taken over the British media in the build up to the match.

If nothing else, it will be interesting to see how this latest chapter develops.  In terms of justice, there will probably be none for the English fan unless, of course, our respective teams make it all the way to the 2010 final in South Africa, and God chooses to give England a hand, if he or she is really watching.