IS TERRORISM HERE TO STAY

Stepping away from football and focusing on security & terrorism. The recent events in Nice and Munich are fresh in the mind and I do not intend to repeat the details of those events. I however wish to focus on some of my 'take aways' from these two events.  

I now believe these type of events should be treated as the new norm. They should be perceived in the same way we look at armed robbery incidents leading to multiple loss of lives; fatal knife crimes; and fatal gang warfare.

I believe the security agencies are now clear that there is no security arrangement or intelligence gathering that can prevent a lone ranger from taking multiple lives if that individual is so determined. There is no tool yet developed for reading minds nor any functional crystal ball in existence that can tell you what a murdering lunatic will do next.

This is sad and somewhat fatalistic but I don’t think there is an alternative way or a solution to the problem. However there are several steps the government, the security establishment and politicians can take to help the public appreciate this stance. I will explain this at the end.  

If I had to design a the set up to combat terrorism this is what I will do.

The security establishment needs to embed armed men and women into the general populace. What if that waitress serving you coffee is armed with a disguised and licensed automatic weapon? What if that customer service assistant is actually a professionally trained sniper working for the government to protect its citizen? Hopefully this will allow the bastards who plan to mass murder innocent people think twice.

Yes many might say that these terrorism / security incidences happen too infrequently and in scattered location to justify the cost of implementing the solution I am recommending. But I think the loss of lives, the cost of the economic activities lost to these vile and deranged people outweighs whatever cost the government will incur in deploying my proposed solution.

In addition, I think the security agencies need to up their game. The 9/11 bombers in the US were known to government agencies, the 7/7 bombers in the UK were known to the authorities, the mass murderers in Paris were known to both the authorities in France and Belgium. The mentally deranged truck driver in Nice was known to local police officers as a scum thief and serial abuser of women while the Orlando self-hater was also known to local police.

If the security establishment were a bit ahead of the game, none of these idiots would probably have executed their murderous plans. They would either be in prison somewhere, dead or deported to a more welcoming country where they can practice their beliefs / convictions to their hearts content. The security agencies should stop hiding under liberty laws. You suspect someone of terrorism sympathies, lock him up please. The laws of the Magna Carta are not suitable for this day and age – 900 years after they were agreed.

We live in a different world today where one individual can kill almost a 100 people with truck or a group of 10 individuals can paralyze the strongest / mightiest country in the world as we saw during 9/11.

All these hiding behind freedom of speech, freedom of association and assumption of innocence must stop. A man claiming he subscribes to a murderous conviction should be enough to deny that individual his rights to freedom. Nations must be able to revoke the citizenship of people who do not wish to live by the collective values of that country. All the laws standing in the way of these suggestions including Article 15 of the UN Charter should be repealed and new and 22^nd Century friendlier laws put in place.

Even within the existing laws, the Nice outrage could have been prevented on that day, if the French Police had moved that bastard on after a few hours. Officers noticed him earlier in the day, he told them a cock and bull story about delivering ice cream and nobody followed up later to find out if the ice cream he was delivering had all melted. If only a police officer had moved him on.

Gun laws also need to be looked at. I assume the USA is doomed on this score, as I don’t see them ever tackling the issue on a national scale. However in states where it is possible, and in other countries so inclined, gun laws need to be tightened. Members of the general public should never have access to semi automatic or automatic weapons or concealable weapons of any kind. The psychological profiling should be such that if there is any doubt, you shouldn’t be allowed to own a gun. Visits to the psychiatrist should be mandated on a regular basis if you own a gun. Paid for by the gun owner.

Furthermore, the way we deal with mentally ill people is also an area where we can make improvements. Yes I am aware that the psychiatric side of medicine is not an exact science but where there is doubt, the medical professional needs to exercise their professional discretion for the benefit of the general public and not hand - wring about ‘difficult choices’ / ‘respecting the individual’ who is likely incapacitated but the medical tools are not definitive enough to make such a pronouncement.  As far as I am concerned, a medically ill person on lock down or on 24-hour supervision will not be able to cause mayhem or mass murder.

Finally, members of the general public play a part. If we know any idiot who fantasize about killing other people for some perceived wrong or the other and we do nothing because we assume they will never carry out their threats. I believe we are just as guilty as that one if they then go on to commit some outrage. I wouldn’t want to find out that I could have prevented the death of 100 people and said nothing to the authorities. We need to speak out and the authorities need to listen and take action.

Back to our politicians. They need to bear the larger part of the responsibility.  They should trust the public a little more. We know they can never put a stop to armed robbery, knife and gun crimes etc. And it is looking like they have nothing in their armory to stop / combat terrorism. So please level with the public. Tell it as it is. And let the public be aware of alternatives that might the current situation such as the restriction of liberties earlier outlined. When Great Britain and its allies fought WW2, lots of liberties were temporarily suspended.   We are in the middle of another war and we appear to be fighting this war with both hands tied behind our backs. If the public is uncomfortable with the loss of some liberties, then we need to live with the consequences of our decisions and accept the occurrence of terrorism as the new normal.

JOSE MOURINHO - THE FUTURE / THE PREDICTION

Jose Mourinho is off to a flying start at United. He has won his first pre – season game against Wigan. Woo hoo.

He has recruited 3 of his key targets and he is ready to break the bank to recruit the 4^th with possibly more to come. I think Manchester United are to be commended in doing those 3 deals early. They have been ballsy and money has been no object. Are the signed players world class players who can make a difference? The jury is definitely out and all observers will start to see how the new recruits adapt to the self - styled most competitive league in the world.

As part of his first press conference, The ‘Mouthy One’ showed that he’s learnt nothing from his last bruising at Chelsea. Apart from self-styling himself as The ‘Mouthy One’, he laid claim to every footballing success going. The man is a winner, many of his supporters and admirers say. I think they are right. If there was a competition in delusional lying Jose will win it hands down. Clearly his record on youth is a touchy subject as this article suggests.

Also his feeble attempt at defending his youth record clearly shows that criticism of that record has rattled him enough to come up with a fictional list of 49 youth players he has helped developed. Read this article for an assessment of the players Jose might have been referring to and make up your mind about what I believe is fiction. He is a chequebook manager in my honest opinion.

 Not surprisingly Jose didn’t hand over his own list, as it was fictitious. According to this article, after the event, United then handed over a list with 55 names that included Arjen Effing Robben. God in heavens. I’m still searching for a picture of Arjen Robben in the Chelsea academy. 

Not only has the number of players increased from 49 to 55 it included Arjen Robben FFS. I am wondering whether the United Press Officer has added the names of Rashford, Fosu - Mensah, Lingard, Borthwick – Jackson, Martial & Varela to the list. Can't put these things pass Jose you know.

  

For me and as per a previous article I wrote in September 2015, the man is simply a coward. He didn’t even have the courage to show the list of names he prepared and brought to a press conference. Some winner, lacking in bottle and conviction.

I noticed that Sir Alex Ferguson is aiming to keep him on a short leash. A bit like when the local police officer let’s the newly arrived troublemaker know that “MY EYES ARE ON YOU”.  

Sir Alex has said the following to him “WE BELIEVE IN YOUTH HERE AT MANCHESTER UNITED” Please check this link for a report on Sir Alex's comments. 

I am so looking forward to the dust up between Sir Alex & Jose especially when the latter’s token gesture towards youth isn’t delivering the promised ‘winning mentality’.  Mr. Jose will then proceed to ‘do anything’ to win. And that 'anything' as we have seen in numerous examples over the years includes briefing against Sir Alex and the hierarchy at Manchester United.

I think everybody including Manchester United fans agree the signing of Jose will end in tears. It has always ended in tears wherever Jose goes and it will not be different this time around. What they are hoping for and paying good money for is that euphoric pleasure between the ‘boy meets girl’ stage and the ‘you lied to me’ phase. I suspect United might get the big trophies they crave in the next 2 season (although this is not my wish) but in season 3 it will fall apart and while some will be pleased at the big trophies he delivered in the intervening years and will be determined to justify the gain while Jose takes a wrecking ball to what is left of the fabric of Manchester United. Fans of this once great club should pray that Jose takes Ed Woodward down with him as Eddy Boy of Essex is the biggest problem the club faces. He is a bit like Georgy Boy of Bullingdon thrashing the fabric of a once Great Britain while some praise his audacious management. 

Can’t wait for the season to start

STILL ON ENGLAND's NOT 3 LIONS

“England are Out” is a 50 year old phrase that is yet to lose its relevance and is unlikely to lose it in the years to come.

Like most fans, I was distraught at England’s 3 Lions loss to Iceland. I wasn’t distraught because England lost to what was considered a lesser side it was because they failed to turn up. They failed to put up a fight. They went out meekly like puppies instead of Lions.

They went out for many reasons, Coaching, lack of willpower and determination by the players and the desire of their opponents not to play dead.

The determination displayed by Iceland is one reason why most people love football. The unpredictable nature of the game: Greece winning the Euros; Leicester winning the Premier League; Tottenham ‘almost’ winning it; Arsenal remarkably overtaking Tottenham to come 2^nd on the final day of the season.

We also love football when the players show their abilities and talent, be it pace, power and that unerring habit of putting the ball in the back of the net that is synonymous with a Jamie Vardy or the trickery of pin point passes that is Mesut Ozil’s claim to fame or those sweet dead balls from Dmitri Payet. There is always something to admire about football.

There was however nothing to admire about England in the Euros. I am not an expert but I felt Roy Hodgson’s decision to shift Rooney into midfield, changing everything he had done in qualifying to accommodate Rooney in that role slowed the team down.

I get the fact that Rooney is perhaps the finest player of his generation for England, a player at par with the best the world had to offer in Rooney’s prime, but he is not that player any more. He is not the player to build any aspirational team around. If a West Brom or Hull decided to make that type of decision or a national team like Malta or something did the same, you wouldn’t question them. But to build the England Team around Rooney in 2016 was a massive mistake by the England manager and he has rightly paid for it.

I am of the opinion that this Rooney decision did not allow the England team play to its strength. Players were passing sideways to Rooney, slowing down England’s play and transitions. I can also imagine the impact on the psyche of the players once they realized the team set up was modified to accommodate Rooney. We all know the players all have above average ability but they clearly didn’t have the togetherness to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts.

Many blame the manager. I wouldn’t disagree especially given the decision on Rooney. Before the FA appointed Roy, I preferred Harry Redknapp. Not because Harry was tactically astute, but because his previous teams had flair and were largely exciting. His achievements in English football also towers above Roy’s.  When Roy was appointed, I understood the reasons especially the FA wanting an establishment person and all the legal issues Harry had to deal with at that time.

In his time as England manager, Roy has had his detractors even when he was blowing out teams in qualifiers. He was subjected to insults in the media, some of these, I believe bothered on ageism and good old snobbery. I changed channels frequently  and refused to read articles that appear to have a jaundiced view of what Roy was doing,. I was a silent supporter of Roy and a great believer that England could go far in the Euros.

However once Roy made the decision to rebuild the team around Rooney, he lost my support and I am not surprised England not only underperformed in their Group, they crashed out at the first knock out stage.

So wither England? The crop of players wont change although I strongly believe Rooney should be told in no uncertain terms that England is done with him. I think England should look for a young English manager like Eddie Howe (if he wants it), task him with building a team of players minus the prima donnas, give the new manager a free hand and let the whole nation know there is no expectation except that we want to see England players play as a team, play to their strength and be seen to be playing to the best of their abilities.

At the end of the day, football matches can be won and lost by the littlest of margins and referee errors, but by taking care of the things in your control – psyche, physical and mental strengths, conditioning, logistics, team selection etc. you put yourself in a position to benefit from those little margins. 

Jamie Vardy & Arsenal

Jamie Vardy first came to my attention in that 5 - 3 win at the Kings Power Stadium 2 seasons ago. He bullied 'you know who' in that remarkable turn around for Nigel Pearson’s remarkable win. That victory and the relegation avoiding match winning streak of that Leicester side is worthy of anything Claudio Ranieri’s team have achieved.

I didn’t really like him as a person. He ticked a few negative boxes for me (in your face, chavvy, appears ready to start a fight) he got done for racism, excluded his parents from his life etc.

Last season, I paid no attention to him until the period leading up to him breaking Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s record against Manchester United.

The week before his team played Arsenal, when they beat Manchester City at the Etihad, I had them down as cheats and strongly believed the Premier League body & the PGMOL (referee’s body) had an agenda in ensuring the Leicester fairy tale turned into reality.

A week later at the Emirates, I was livid when Martin Atkinson gave a penalty kick award to Vardy. Not only did I conclude that Vardy was a cheat, I could bet money Mr. Atkinson was on the take.

And it happened. Leicester won the league, Vardy tried it a few more times, got away with some and it came back to bite him in the match versus West Ham. Jon Moss gave the decision that should have been rightfully given at the Emirates. 3 months later Referee Moss sent Vardy off at the King Power.

Vardy & Leicester won the league; I imagine it was well deserved. Vardy is now a full England international. He has won lots of accolade. Watch out for Jamie Vardy The Movie.

Then the news broke. Arsenal had met his release clause. It appears he was touted around and Arsenal initially declined, had a change of mind nearer the release clause expiration date and made a move.

When the news broke, it was a difficult one for me. I couldn't understand it as he didn’t fit the ‘good mummy’s boy’ profile; he wasn’t the ‘take 5 touches instead of 1’ type player; his next birthday is 30; he has had one decent season; and has thrived in a team playing in a particular type of way. I didn’t see the glove and hand fit.

I was somewhat apprehensive but not totally against the move. Quite unlike my emotions about the Luis Suarez move. I was 100% certain I didn’t want Suarez at Arsenal even at the expense of winning something. His later day relatively good boy behaviour at Barcelona suggests that maybe I and people who had the same views on that move were wrong.  Although his good behaviour  might be down to the fact that he is actually winning things at the Camp Nou.

As it became apparent that the Vardy deal was likely to happen, I was willing to forgive Jamie all his foibles & rationalise the move by focusing on the positive. His fire in the belly is good for the club; gets in the face of people (hopefully both in the dressing room and on the field of play); perhaps he can help stick 2 fingers at Piers Morgan; show some passion; hope that his ‘purple patch’ continues for one more season; destabilise Leicester etc.

As expected Leicester have fought back. They have countered the Arsenal offer, which is good for Vardy, as it appears his main aim is to secure his future. This is a commendable aim and without the Arsenal offer, he wouldn’t have received the new deal from Leicester. God how I need an Arsenal in my life. Hopefully my employer wont think its good riddance :(  

I wonder though if Leicester will be able to stem the flow of offers for others like Kante and Mahrez as bigger vultures with deeper pockets than Arsenal are out there. I can imagine PSG giving Kante the key to the vault of Bank National de Paris and asking him to ‘PRENEZ TOUT CE QUE TU VEUX’ (take everything you want). At that stage, even all of the Thai Baht in the World can’t compete with the Euros in BNP's vaults.

Also when Florentino Perez threatens to kill Ranieri’s pet cat if they don’t sell Mahrez to Real Madrid, the bosses at Leicester will have to do a deal on compassionate grounds to let him go.        

So it is looking like Vardy will stay at Leicester. Fair play to him. More money. You are already a King at the King Power. Have a wonderful Euros 2016 and try to replicate your 2015/16 form otherwise Judas’ fate on the streets of Lagos Nigeria awaits. 

Will Arsene lose sleep on Vardy curving Arsenal? I doubt. Does he lose sleep about missed transfers? I don’t think so. By bidding for Vardy, I believe the man has set the Lions after the foxes (:

I suspect the destabilisation aim has been achieved  It is open season on Leicester’s wily foxes. Their accountants must be cursing Ranieri for winning the league and not delivering the money trophy. The club has had to cough up league winning bonuses that they never expected to pay out. They had agreed 'lowish' release clauses in the belief that their players will never be in this type of demand and now they are faced with jacking up pay to unanticipated levels and offering unplanned long term contracts. Uneasy lies the head eh.     

What could the bosses at Leicester have done better? Shove contracts / or pre contracts in the face of their stars right after the league win for starters. The emotional attachment was stronger and the euphoria was higher. Its like when a woman asks a man for something just after ………….. (You know the drill). The answer is always YES. YES . YES.  (:

Personally if I was a Leicester player or Ranieri, I would have resigned after the league win. I doubt that victory will ever be topped. Win the league again? Win the Champions league? 'Havin a laff'.

In the event that lightning was mindful of striking twice, please place a decent size bet on Leicester, they are 33 to 1 to win the EPL & 50 to 1 for a UCL win. That means they are more likely to win the next EPL or UCL than they were to win the EPL last season. Dive in fellas.

So wither Arsenal?  I’m 100% certain talks are on for the next one. Mr. Wenger is not having a party in France. Even if we don’t sign another striker, who says Olivier Giroud can not have his Vardy moment in 2016/17. Arsenal players should pretend he his Vardy and punt the ball forward to him in double quick time. Watch Olivier win us the League.  Na na na na *music*