John Helm: Italian influence being felt more than ever in English football
ALTHOUGH the Premier League is regarded as the most exciting in the world, it is perhaps not insignificant that the two men who seem to be exerting most influence over the English game at the moment are both Italian.
Fabio Capello has instilled a discipline and air of self confidence that was certainly not prevalent under Steve McClaren, while Carlo Ancelotti has coaxed a cutting edge hitherto missing from Chelsea’s game.
To be honest I’ve never been a great lover of Italian football, especially the suffocating Serie A, but I had to admit that one of the reasons Italy won the 2006 World Cup was because every one of their squad played in that highly competitive league.
Maybe even signors Capello and Ancelotti, successful as they were, felt restricted by the stereotype Italian game which demands 1-0 wins ahead of flamboyant performance.
Capello spread his wings first, flying the nest and settling at Real Madrid with whom he landed the La Liga title.
Now Ancelotti appears to be spearheading a similar assault at Stamford Bridge.
Recent thrashings of Atletico Madrid and Bolton twice, accumulating a dozen goals along the way, suggest the former AC Milan coach is getting his message across no matter how broken his English may be, and while Didier Drogba is a man re-invented, it is the improved form of the likes of Florent Malouda, Deco and Salomon Kalou that bears even greater testimony to his promptings (regardless of the result last night in Madrid).
I am still convinced Manchester United’s star is on the wane, they certainly can’t afford Wayne Rooney to get injured, and with Liverpool fragile it could yet be left to Arsenal to pose the greatest threat to their London neighbours.
By the way, congratulations to Wayne and Colleen on the birth of their first child.
A LOT of people questioned FIFA’s decision to bring a tournament to Nigeria with it’s problems of safety, health and poor infrastructure.
Also, despite the fact Nigerian television is celebrating it’s 60th anniversary, from what I’ve seen not a lot of progress has been made in that time.
Power cuts are frequent, pictures wobbly over weak signals, and coverage unpredictable.
For example, I was astonished to hear my commentary of Italy’s game with the Korean Republic being transmitted over pictures of USA v Malawi.
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