Another week and yet another incident allowing football fans to again see just how silly the FA operate, or in this past weekend’s case, fails to operate. Reminiscent of a clumsy, bumbling teenager attempting to un-hook his first bra strap aged 16 because of their historical callowness, the FA possess neither the ability to make an unpopular decision or the ability to re-write their own rules thus allowing common sense to prevail.

On Saturday, attempting his best George St-Pierre impersonation, Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney bludgeoned Wigan’s James McCarthy proper elbow to the head style during United’s eventual 0-4 away win. The issue, even more vital than the incident itself (which was shocking and ridiculous by definition), was that referee Mark Clattenburg in fact witnessed the infraction yet deemed his actions in only awarding Wigan a free kick “appropriate”.

It’s at this point where we begin to pick up the pieces, attempt to reassemble them and form coherent thought over the whole matter. While the three parties involved – Rooney, Clattenburg and the FA – are all guilty in some shape or form, it’s the sum of the absurdity that assigns the Rooney-Clattenburg incident as one of the most laughable ever.

By Clattenburg’s own admission, the 35-year-old witnessed Rooney throw a haymaker of an elbow to the head of McCarthy yet somehow failed to deem the action violent conduct which would have witnessed the 25-year-old England striker miss massive matches the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool away this week and a third - likely a home FA Cup tie Vs. Arsenal.

Because Clattenburg blew a call that could have severely injured a Premier League player, the FA, under their very own laws, are left powerless to defy Clattenburg’s initial opinion. When viewed as a simple mathematical equation, football fans and head-scratchers the world over are left with something resembling this:

Wayne Rooney’s elbow + Mark Clattenburg’s eye = FA fail

At best and when given the benefit of the doubt, Clattenburg may have witnessed only half of the incident because of the fact that it did in truth happen off the ball which only places the proverbial ball in the court of the FA to use common sense. United fans and Rooney devotees may scoff at these sentences but when the red-shaded glasses are removed from their eyes, they’ll see an obvious infraction of rules resulting in a violent offense which should have led to a three match suspension.

Just because the referee didn’t witness the incident in its entirety doesn’t mean it failed to transpire. It’s for this very reason, and because of the power of video technology, that the FA must soon consider at minimum a tweaking of rules and at maximum an overhaul or risk even more ridicule from the world football community.

It seems as if all the whining and whinging to the FA hasn’t fallen on deaf ears as a proposal to the FA concerning a winter break is slowly gaining steam within the game. Eliminating FA Cup replays is just one of a few ideas that could see a vital winter break implemented in the future, a break that could go a long way in benefiting the England team in years where a major tournament follows in the summer.

Players, managers and fans have all called for some form of a winter break for what seems like years now as the mentally and physically draining Premier League season relentlessly continues to take it’s toll on England’s best and leaves them nothing short of exhausted, broken and drained a mere few weeks before a World Cup or European Championship.

The Premier League has been no fan of a supposed winter break stating the already crowded fixture list leaves no room for time off during winter. The break through in early progress seems to be the Premier League’s willingness to negotiate with the FA if they consider dropping the arguably unneeded FA Cup replays.

In the cash rich Premier League, the idea of a winter break couldn’t be simply achieved largely because of the money involved. Smaller clubs who benefit from the gate receipts and revenue generated from FA Cup replays (the revenue generated from an away replay is sometimes enough to fund a small club for months or longer) have spoken up for the small guy while top Premier League clubs want an assurance from the FA that a lucrative Wembley friendly wouldn’t be scheduled to fill the break. These such meaningless internationals would of course prompt international call ups for England players, a move surely to be frowned upon by clubs.

What are your thoughts on a winter break? Should the Premier League and FA hash out an agreement and provide England with a break similar to that of the Bundesliga? Would it benefit the England national team if they qualify for the next Euro and or World Cup? Are the FA Cup replays worth discarding if it meant Premier League players could get a much needed rest?

There is a current malaise effecting almost everyone in England that follows the national side, from fans, retailers, journalists and TV executives. The finger of blame is being pointed fairly equally between Fabio Capello and the highly paid, highly hyped and self important members of the squad. Ashley Cole, despite being the only first team regular who can honestly hold his head high after the South Africa debacle, is now being accused of hating his country due to text messages apparently sent prior to the tournament.

Yet there are two points that are seemingly being papered over and as long as it continues, England will continue to regress. Firstly is the ineptitude of the Football Association and the second is the quality of coaching in England. The F.A. board, when it’s not embroiling itself in comedy crisis that are usually self inflicted is a strange beast. Made up of a set of people who’s only interest is themselves and self protection, it is a collection of administrators and people who have progressed through the amateur ranks of the game.

On the 12 man board are 4 members from the County associations, representing those hotbeds of English football, Kent, Hampshire, Gloucesteshire and Essex. One member represents the Scottish football association, for reasons lost on me and 7 other members who have never played football at a decent level. This apparently means these people, who other than working on the administration side of football, are in charge of the English game, its infrastructure, its future and it’s present. An organisation that spent £760 million on a football stadium without a roof and a pitch that has now been relaid 13 times in 3 years. That has had 6 Chief Executives in 12 years and seen 6 different national team managers in the same period. That signed up to a £450 million pound television deal that lasted 18 months until Setanta went bust and treats the Women’s game with utter disdain. Apparently, this is without criticism as they survey the wreckage of South Africa 2010 from the ivory tower of Soho Square.

Why do these people, who have no experience of the game, other than the money making side or administrating side of it, feel they can run the football side of it astounds me. It is beyond belief that people of the abilities of Bobby Robson, Bobby Charlton, Geoff Hurst, Nat Lofthouse, Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney were not involved over the years is a disgrace. This is the organisation that shut the Lilleshall Football Academy in 1999 and is still stalling on its replacement, in Burton Upon Trent which is currently 7 years behind schedule and will apparently be open by 2012. No really it will.

These are apparently all things that we should ignore. Well I’m sorry, you can’t ignore them anymore. Every single one of them should resign immediately, they have created the situation that English football is beginning to feel to its very core. They have strangled the talent, the abilities and the opportunities for skillful, exciting footballers and left us with an academy system that simply produces strong athletes that can run a lot and now clearly cannot play football. It is a national disgrace and leads me to my second point, the quality of coaching.

English football coaching is run by a cabal of men who are obsessed with power, pace, stamina, heart, guts and determination above any technical ability. Skill and technical ability come well down the list of priorities in the coaching system in this country. I have seen this at 3 clubs with my own eyes, players are judged on how strong they are, how tall they are, how long they can run about for. I have been told by two separate football coaches at two clubs that British Asian kids don’t make good footballers because they’re not strong enough. There was no hint of irony or the racial connotations that the statement conjours up. The last great crop of really talented players that came through in English football came through before the academy system came in to destroy any semblance of talent. This country will never discover a Messi, a Ronaldo, a Totti, a Ribery because they would be classed as luxury players. They would never get through the academy system in this country because they are not giants who can run all day. England and its fans often claim that the national side has 5 or 6 World Class players. South Africa has proved that it has one and everyone seems to hate him, Ashley Cole.

Only Rio Ferdinand can possible be held up in Cole’s company now, the rest have been shown to be the overhyped, cossetted athletes honest people believed them to be. Yet, this is what the English coaching system has produced and I’ve seen so many posts, letters and status updates berating the English teams lack of fight, guts, effort, strength. Hardly anyone mentions technical ability or skill and that’s the problem. Fans seem to only judge a player on how much he runs about and gets stuck in. Not the sweet pass, not the dribble, not an ability to control the game.

The situation will not improve until the coaching system is completely changed from top to bottom, allows kids under 16 to play football and not worry about results in junior games. Talent needs to take the place of the winning at all costs method kids have to suffer from, the mad situation that sees 10 year old children playing 11 a side games on full sized pitches that resemble bogs most of the season. No wonder the English players natural defence is to simply learn how to kick high and hard as often as possible. That sees parents of children scream abuse at referees, coaches and opponents if little johnny is tackled or doesn’t score.

Of course, the F.A. will not install this blueprint and will try and fudge South Africa as an aberration. It is not, it is a stark warning to everyone involved in English football of the future. Blaming foreign players, Adidas balls, only playing 4 rounds of golf a week, too much camp discipline or dodgy referees will be put forward as the reason for the death of English football. English football needs major surgery now or South Africa will be the starting point of the end of English football. I fear that once again, the F.A. will blame everyone else but themselves and we will slip away into the shadows of world football.

Please leave me your comments below and you can find me at https://twitter.com/paulbestall

In all actuality, shouldn’t we have seen this coming like some run away freight down the frozen road of Precedence St. set by all those England players before? A capitulation of the highest order, a failing against those we least want to fail against and lastly, an outcome that was so sure to happen, we all seemed to pull the wool over our very eyes and convince ourselves through sheer self fulfilling prophecy that it was somehow going to end different this time. Only it didn’t, and who knows how long it could actually be until it does.

How was it ever going to end differently and why didn’t I see this coming? A pizza is still made to taste like a pizza does with dough, cheese, sauce and toppings, regardless of who does the mixing. Fancy Italians and three piece suits do not a gourmet chef or World Cup winning side make.

This England fan was wrong all along. And as I sit trying to convince myself that a 2-2 halftime situation somehow leads to an England victory against superior athletes, superior tactics and superior planning, I’m left only with the realization that my heart felt passion for a football team originating for a home country other than my own is equally as odd in thinking a new chef can somehow make the same old ingredients somehow taste differently.

Yes England failed in the 2010 World Cup because they weren’t good enough, we get that, and we’ve read it over and over again since the match drawn with the US. But deeper and darker questions must now be asked by the footballing community and answered by the FA if England are to ever renew their stamp on the world’s game that has whittled with age and expired all those years ago. Tough questions that will need serious answers specifically concerning youth development, home grown managers and the bloated Premier League.

The core of the England national team now float away into international waters of regret and unfulfilled promise. Forever a generation that was pipped for glory, if not in 2006, then surely in 2010, the tired old English squad with their Premier League dreams of glory set sail for a much deserved vacation with pockets full of gold seemingly happy they’ll now have time for some much needed rest before the so called “best league in the world” resumes.

What many fail to realize is that as TV contracts are won, parachute payments are paid and transfer fees are negotiated, the next generation of English millionaires sit aside, waiting in the Premier League wings planning their futures before they’ve planned how they’ll break down a midfield with one less player, pass the ball out of trouble, link play to strikers or compete in a World Cup without getting “bored”. In a nation where the majority of footballers choice of club v country is an easier choice than which football boots to wear, one can easily start to see the origins of a mindset and mentality inspired more by bling than by basics spreading like a cancer across the hearts and minds of young footballers the country over.

Before qualification for Euro 2012 starts this September, here are a few reasons why I think my (still, maybe now more than ever) beloved England just aren’t good enough to compete against the World’s best. Think of it as therapy.

• The lack of quality English managers – When we get it wrong, let’s bring in someone else, a big name, a foreigner, that’ll fix everything. I’ve been a pretty big proponent of Fabio Capello for the last year and a half. How can you not be? With a CV a mile long, a strict, glaring stare to put even the wildest of England players in their place coupled with the ability and guile to ban WAGS and ketchup in one swift stroke, Mr. Capello sure as hell got his England tenure started off on the right path in 2008. But his inability to adapt tactically to those set out in front of him in addition to his communication skills or lack thereof, were the prop fellers to Capello’s once sea worthy vessel. The England players need an English manager, someone who gets the England mindset, but whom? Since an Englishman has yet to win England’s Premier League, the list of suitable replacements stand about as long as England’s Shaun Wright-Phillips is tall. In his mumbling, broken English, did Capello ever possess the ability to inspire the troops the way other British managers like Bill Shankly or Brian Clough could? For England to emerge out of this international football desert, they’ll need to appoint an English manager soon who can inspire and instill a sense of pride in playing for England that this current squad lacks.
• England needs to change their footballing culture -We’re tired, Mom, when are we gonna be there? We’re bored. England fans and players always seem to come up with a myriad of excuses as to why they under perform. Whether it’s the long domestic season, a ball, being bored at a World Cup – which let’s face it, is one of the best ever – the mentality of the English player is weak and pampered. For England to break through their 44 year slump, the culture surrounding the England team needs to change to one of a focused, fit, smart and thinking player. Hey, kind of like the Germans. Although it’s gotten better in recent years, the WAG and tabloid culture and the insanity of Premier League wages have all done their part in corrupting the mentality of the English player. England fans and the media are also to blame with the lofty expectations they impose upon the players who are nothing more than a third tier international side. Think of England as League One representatives while Argentina, Spain, Germany and Brazil occupy the traditional big 4 of the Premier League.
• England players have to want it- You might think this is common sense, that of course the JT’s, the Stevie G’s, the Lamp’s, the Wazza’s and the Crouchie’s want to win, but do they really? This tournament more than any other has shown England fans some incredibly scared and ultimately tired looking performances that I don’t recollect seeing from any other national team competing in the World Cup.  And yes, a World Cup where so many other players compete in top European leagues with equally as insane schedules. But maybe these boys do have a case for being burnt out and reaching levels of exhaustion. Will the FA ever look into a winter break like the German Bundesliga has? As the first two group stage games played out to a relatively boring and lackluster draw, it was clear to me that England lacked what the US was so full of this tournament. Heart and desire. I saw it on Sunday in sections when England were eventually eliminated, but it’s something that has to be infectious and on display throughout. In a tournament this competitive, ability and skill alone will never be enough to progress past the round of 16. Pride, passion and desire – three traits many of these English players lacked – must compliment natural footballing talent for success to be achieved.
• England must catch up tactically to that of the rest of the world – 4-4-2, surely the best way to catch up with the rest of the evolving football world. In a tournament that has seen Chile and Algeria play 3 at the back with moderate to good success, and a tournament that has seen many teams play a preferred 4-2-3-1, England have reverted to the classic old 4-4-2 formation that saw their midfield struggle all tournament and all day against Germany in servicing the 2 central strikers because of their man disadvantage in the midfield. Overlooked by many to their own detriment, tactics are so important especially in international football these days and also especially for England. England seem to have the personnel, but rarely understand or know how to get the best out of the players on offer. In Sunday’s match v Germany, the more tactically astute Germans played a continental style 4-2-3-1 which gifted Germany the man advantage in midfield while England chased and chased. The formation was half the battle, Germany also possessed the ability to exploit the weakness presented in front of them with the advantage they had. Time after time, Mesut Ozil and the German attacking front drew out England’s center backs which created gaps for others to run into. These attacking movements created Germany’s second goal which allowed them to then sit back and pick off England on the counter attack. England left again in the stone age of football tactics.
• The Youth are starting to change – so sang MGMT, but the lack of a strong youth presence at this World Cup was devoid like that of a strong tactical plan to serve Rooney up front. England’s U21 in fact made an impressive run to last summer’s Euro 2009 Championship before losing in emphatic fashion to Germany, 4-0. On that side of impressive young Englishmen, only James Milner made the plane to South Africa while 4 Germans - a respectable balance between young and old – started the game on Sunday that earned Germany a trip to the quarter finals. The list of potentially good young English players runs a mile long, but if these players aren’t brought in and nurtured on an international level thus gaining valuable experience, then the gap between England and the rest of the world will widen. And what of the next generation of potential England players? The 9, 10, and 11 year old kids currently focusing their talents in the youth development leagues of England. Will these players come good on their potential in a fledgling youth system? Certainly more questions than answers as the pain of elimination is still so fresh.

England have a serious mountain to climb if they’re to reach the summit of international football again in mine or anyone else’s lifetime. The FA need a clear and concise plan, a date set for accomplishment and a restructuring of their organization in order for England to move forward. If they revert to more of the same, England fans can expect the same results for years to come.

I was lucky enough this weekend to be able to watch both FA Cup semi finals that took place at Wembley stadium in London from the comfort of my own home. As we know, Chelsea got the better of Aston Villa while Portsmouth went through against Tottenham in a fantastically entertaining and dramatic game.

The final, which takes place on 15 May, will pit the ’08 winner v the ’09 winner with former Chelsea manager Avram Grant now at the helm for Pompey. The final itself has enough sub-plots and story lines to assure an entertaining day. It’ll most likely be 1 v 20 and David v Goliath in a match where everything gets thrown out the window when the opening whistle blows.  

It’s safe to say that on paper, Chelsea should be favorites. However, the way Portsmouth players seem to play with no pressure because of the fact their Premier League fate is now secured, leads me to believe that I would be foolish to write off their chances.

In the aftermath of the semi finals, supporters, managers, pundits and participants on call in shows have yet again lamented the awful playing surface of the national stadium. The state of the Wembley pitch has come into question more times than number of divots one could count on the surface itself. Does the FA think of business and finances first and football second? Is the state of the pitch really that terrible?

In short, Yes – but why?

Over the course of this past weekend’s two matches, multiple players could be seen slipping and losing their footing all afternoon. Portsmouth’s opening goal in added extra time came when Spurs defender Michael Dawson, attempting to mark Portsmouth’s Frederic Piquionne, slipped and fell in the box allowing Piquionne to score the vital opener.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was quoted as saying “The pitch was a disgrace. I’m not using it as an excuse – it was the same for both teams – but for any professional team to have to play football on that is farcical.”

The dreadful surface has even been described as a “skating rink“, wherein players are constantly trying to stay on their feet. Redknapp furthered his disdain for the field by saying, “It’s rock hard and wet on top, it’s impossible to play on”. As bad as the pitch may have been, and although the result didn’t go the way of Tottenham, Spurs were in fact able to “play” on Sunday. Tottenham were the better team moving forward over the course of the afternoon, Spurs just lacked that killer ball in the final third, creating chance after chance, but definitely lacked sharpness in front of goal.

On Saturday’s episode of the BBC 5 Live 606 Football Phone In, a caller brought up the idea of the design of the stadium itself not allowing in enough sun to reach the pitch. Although I’m not an architect or expert in landscape & design, the caller’s point got me thinking of the FA’s priorities. Do they care enough about the state of the national stadium? Are number of tickets sold, expensive chili dogs and matches that in all honesty, shouldn’t even be played at Wembley all they really care about?

Who’s to blame for the pitch, and why won’t it’s woeful state be rightfully addressed? In all honesty, just how bad is the state of the Wembley pitch? Regardless of your opinion, as a fan of the England national team and English football in general, I for one remained embarrassed by the woeful state of the Wembley pitch.

• A Lion who’s seen better times.
• Will it all end in tears?

Yet again, Paul Gascoigne has been in the English media headlines in recent weeks for all the wrong reasons. The 42 year old midfield maestro of yesteryear who looks the worst part of 60 was arrested twice in a week, once for public disorder and then again for being drunk in charge of a vehicle.

Gascoigne’s misadventures on the wrong side of the law are nothing new to football supporters. Gazza seems to be arrested at least once or twice a year for the last five or six years straight. The former Newcastle United, Spurs and Lazio play maker spoke of his problems battling alcoholism, bulimia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and even bipolar disorder in his 2006 autobiography, Gazza: My Story.

We all have personal and health problems, but it was Gazza’s inability to occupy himself when not playing football that led to his increasing health problems. The lack of purpose in his life when he wasn’t playing football and after his retirement led to his heavy drinking and off the field problems that have been so widely publicized and scrutinized by the media and the public.

Gascoigne’s declining physical and mental health have been paramount in his numerous arrests over the years. Gazza’s rap sheet is by now a mile long, and I cringe a little each time I hear his name mentioned in the news or see his name in the headline of articles. I wonder in fear what will happen next if someone doesn’t step in and help him, even if it is for the third, fourth, or fifth time. It’s unfortunately been proven that Gazza doesn’t possess the abilities to manage himself, his health, his drinking or his wild behavior. I don’t know much about his immediate family situation, whether they’ve stepped in to help or not, but why can’t the FA intervene into the life of one of their brightest sons?

The question comes down to responsibility. Whose is it? Gazza’s failed at being responsible for himself, and the help he’s received in recent months and years obviously hasn’t been enough or been precisely what he’s needed to achieve a full recovery. Football fans have seen this story unfold before. George Best, the incredible talent that he was, suffered from alcoholism and ultimately succumbed to his own personal demons and died way before he should have. A sad tragedy that the football community hopes won’t repeat itself anytime soon.

This tragic story comes down to what Gascoigne wants for himself. No one can force this once great footballer to do what he doesn’t want to. But I believe he genuinely wants to be involved in football in some capacity, it’s what he loves and what he knows in life. This one simplistic reason is why I think the FA need to step in and help Gazza so he doesn’t harm himself any more than he already has.

Stoke City’s Matthew Etherington’s gambling addiction is no different that Gazza’s alcohol addiction. Addiction comes in all forms and Etherington seems to, for now, have it under wraps thanks to help that came from his club during a pivotal moment in his addiction struggles. Then a West Ham player in 2008, the club supported him and helped him through a time when Etherington said he was receiving death threats due to his £800,000 debts. The club loaned him £300,000 in advance to help payoff the mounting debt in return that Etherington would enter counseling for his addiction. Still struggling to pay the debts, Etherington insists he’s been clean of his gambling problem for some time.

Etherington continues to turn in consistent performances for Stoke City and Stoke boss Tony Pulis has even tipped him for an England spot in the near future. Why can’t this turn around and recovery from addiction be achieved by Gascoigne? Do the FA or former clubs of Gascoigne have any responsibility to help him and see him to a full recovery? I think the answer is Yes.

Growing up in America in the 80′s and 90′s when English football wasn’t readily available like it is now, I wasn’t able to experience the brilliance of Gazza during his best years for England at World Cup ’90 and Euro ’96. But I’m observant and smart enough to know about a little known site called YouTube and that Paul Gasciogne is a player with incredible football talent and someone that comes along maybe once a generation. How long will the football community sit beside and allow this once great footballer to damage himself?

We are barely a month into the new four year contract that saw England national team matches move from the BBC and Sky to ITV and Setanta, but already Setanta, despite its smaller reach and operation, is playing tough.  The Times Online is reporting that Setanta has yet to reach a deal with any broadcaster for match highlights of England’s away World Cup qualifiers with Andorra and Croatia, which take place in less than two weeks.  The impasse, if not settled quickly, will leave England fans unable to see the matches in any form without a Setanta subscription.

According to the FA’s television contract, ITV automatically gets to air a highlights package for any home England match shown on Setanta.  However, television rights for England’s away matches are owned by the host country, who are free to sell to whomever they want.  In November 2007, Setanta won the rights to all but one of England’s away qualifiers through deals with media distribution companies Sportfive and Kentaro.  As such, Setanta is free to do whatever with these match highlights, and the FA is powerless to stop them.

The situation is not that simple though.  Let’s consider where Setanta stands right now.  Yes, the company is still not profitable at this point, and it needs more subscriptions.  But Setanta is dealing with an image problem right now in Great Britain.  Its broadcast of England’s friendly with the Czech Republic last week was met with mostly mixed reviews, and an audience half the size of the highlights program on ITV later that night.  Setanta just can’t seem to shake the image of being a poor value version of Sky.  And while that’s ok (for now) with the Premier League, who are required by the European Commission to offer some matches to a second TV service, the FA has no such issue.  They have to honor the current contract, but there is no reason for them to stay after that if they don’t feel Setanta is a good partner.  The FA wants as much coverage of its team as they can get, and they’ll turn up the heat on Setanta to give these rights to someone.

If a deal is not reached, the FA and Setanta will hear about it from a lot of quarters.  They’ll hear about how, in just one month, Setanta will have done something that Sky never did in many years when it had the rights.  Never mind that, with the total control of the market they have long had, Sky could afford to be a little generous.  Suddenly, Setanta’s image among fans goes from being a poor man’s Sky to being greedy broadcasters who kept a nation of fans in the dark.  Not a step in the right direction for any company, profitable or not.

Setanta is under no obligation to sell the highlights of these matches, but my guess is they will.  A public relations fight is not a way to get new subscribers watching Setanta, and its also a bad way to start a new broadcast partnership.  There’s no good ending here.  The company will have to take their lumps and move on.  After all, with profitability still eluding them, Setanta has much bigger fights to be concerned about.