CLUB PERSON OF THE YEAR

This award went to the shirt-burning and fun-loving JP Quinn who received a (priceless) UCCFFC t-shirt.

AWARD WINNERS - CUP OF CHAMPIONS AND SHIELD

On Thursday 25 June 2009 the inaugural UCCFFC movie and awards night was held in UCC's Aula Maxima. Amongst the award recipients were Frank Burke (Cup of Champions) and Marita Foster (UCCFFC Shield, on behalf of her brother, Dominic).

KREUZ CONTROL

Mark Kreuzer claimed his fourth monthly career title by winning in April. Mark won the first ever UCCFFC award in August 2001 but then - amazingly - had to wait until December 2006 for his next success before triumphing again in August 2007. The other top five placings in April were (2) Aodh Quinlivan; (3) Karol Coleman; (4) Evan Healy and; (5) Eric Moore.

RYAN GIGGS EDITORIAL (Issue 269)

With 801 appearances for Manchester United under his belt (and counting) plus 10 Premier League titles, 2 UEFA Champions League medals, 4 FA Cups and an UEFA Cup (I’m leaving out some of the smaller titles) Ryan Giggs is a footballer apart who richly deserves many accolades and a ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award. However, on the basis of 12 league starts and one goal (the stats have risen to 13/2 after the weekend) the Welsh Wizard was somewhat fortunate to be crowned PFA Player of the Year last weekend. In my mind, the likes of Vidic, Lampard and Gerrard were more deserving but I don’t have a vote! Equally, in the ‘Young Player’ category I would have ticked Stephen Ireland’s name on the ballot box in preference to Ashley Young.

Having set out my stall that Giggs should not be the Player of the Year, I would now like to justify his selection and pay tribute to him! The PFA award comes from the professional footballers themselves and this gives it credibility. Perhaps players were influenced by the Manchester United PR charm offensive and the concerted media effort back in January to crown Giggs but, nonetheless, players know what goes on during matches and they clearly value what Giggs has done over the past 12 months. Even if there was some sentimentality attached to the decision, so what? The second point I would like to make came to me yesterday afternoon as Leinster were destroying Munster in the Heineken Cup at Croke Park. The young Brian O’Driscoll was known for his dash, his cutting line breaks and his pace. Due to bulking up, regular injuries and getting older, O’Driscoll can no longer do on a rugby pitch what came so naturally to him 10 years ago. But he has not disappeared. Instead, O’Driscoll has accepted Father Time and adjusted his game accordingly and he now relies on other strengths – experience, anticipation and tackling. It takes a certain type of character to carry this off, a person who has natural talent, mental strength and a great intelligence. Ryan Giggs also possesses these characteristics. His re-invention and longevity surpasses even O’Driscoll. Giggs cannot gallop up the left wing in the thrilling fashion of old but, as a central midfielder, he offers quality, class and – that word again – intelligence. Maybe he’s not the true Player of the Year but can we really begrudge him the honour?

Taking my life in my hands, I have engaged in my annual task of drawing up my team of the season. My main dilemma was with the forward positions. Last season, Ronaldo and Adebayor both scored more than 30 league goals but this time around Anelka remains the top scorer on 15 and he has been stuck on that total for a while. I think the best striker in the Premier League is Torres and, on current form, I would pair him with the revitalised Drogba. However, neither player makes my team because – on the basis of form over the season – they do not deserve to be there.
I’ve opted for a 3-5-2 formation (this is hard luck on Bosingwa who would have made it at right full-back in a 4-4-2) as follows:

Van der Sar (Goalkeeper)

Jagielka (Centre-half, right)
Vidic (Centre-half, central)
Carragher (Centre-half, left)

Ireland (Midfield, right)
Cahill (Midfield, right central)
Lampard (Midfield, central)
Barry (midfield, left central)
Taylor (Midfield, left)

Gerrad (Striker, support)
Rooney (Striker)

FRIEDEL EDITORIAL (Issue 265)

Don’t get me wrong, I like Brad Friedel. He comes across as a decent bloke and he has arguably been the best and most consistent goalkeeper in the Premier League over the last decade. However, I am flabbergasted that the FA rescinded the red card he received in Sunday’s defeat at Liverpool. Friedel made a genuine effort to get to the ball but Torres beat him to it, knocked it past the keeper and then had nowhere to go but into Friedel. Torres was denied ‘a clear goalscoring opportunity’ and Friedel was the last man (Reo-Coker was ahead of his goalkeeper). While perhaps a penalty and a yellow card might have been enough punishment, referee Martin Atkinson was correct under the current laws to dismiss the American. How can referees operate effectively when their (correct) decisions are reversed by the FA? This totally undermines the credibility of referees and it is no surprise that the Professional Game Match Officials Board has written to the FA seeking clarification on how the decision to rescind was reached. Meanwhile, Friedel gets to play on and extend his record of consecutive appearances in the Premier League. Good luck to him.

SPIT-FIRE EDITORIAL (Issue 264)

You all know my bias by now as I am an Arsenal supporter and a big fan of Cesc Fabregas. But if the young Spaniard did spit at Hull City’s Brian Horton on Tuesday night, then I have no hesitation in describing it as a disgraceful action for which the player should be fined and suspended by Arsenal and the FA. Of course, fair judgement has to be reached on the understanding that you are innocent until proven guilty. Fabregas has not issued a ‘no comment’ statement or a bland denial; rather, he has strenuously and unambiguously denied the charge of spitting. For now, that is good enough for me. If the FA investigation declares Fabregas guilty then he will be discredited as not only a pizza-thrower and a spitter but also a liar. I do find it interesting that the initial outrage expressed by Hull about Fabregas allegedly spitting at Horton has been reduced to an accusation that he may have spat on the ground near Horton’s feet. There is quite a difference here!

In terms of the claim that Wenger refused to shake hands with Phil Brown after the game, I have three comments to make. (1) As a general principle, I believe that what happens on a pitch should be left there and handshakes should be exchanged at the end. (2) Notwithstanding the first point, it is not always easy to shake someone’s hand after a match where there has been tension. I have never refused a hand after a match in which I was involved but I have walked off pitches without extending my hand to opponents. If some of the comments allegedly made by Horton and the Hull City staff towards Wenger during the game are to be believed then the Frenchman was entitled to walk away. (3) Phil Brown also claimed that Wenger refused to shake his hand at the other two meetings between the clubs this season. This is plain wrong (see above picture which shows the two managers shaking hands at the Emirates after the league match). It should also be noted that Wenger was fulsome in his congratulations and praise for Hull after they beat Arsenal at the Emirates.

While I am unconvinced by the spitting charge and think that the ‘handshake’ issue is unimportant it does bother me though that, under Wenger, Arsenal have gained a reputation for being arrogant in victory and whingers in defeat. This has to change and it is up to Wenger (as manager) and Fabregas (as captain) to set a proper example.