Category Archives: Events

Parker named Footballer of the Year

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West Ham midfielder Scott Parker has been voted 2011 Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association.

In what was one of the closest contests of recent seasons, Parker topped the poll of journalists ahead of Tottenham defender Gareth Bale, who was last week named the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year.

The England international – who started his career at Charlton before spells with Chelsea and Newcastle ahead of joining the Irons in 2007 – will receive the prestigious accolade, which has been running since 1948, at a gala dinner at the Lancaster London Hotel on May 12.

FWA chairman Steve Bates, chief football writer at The People said: “Scott Parker has been so consistent this season with his performances in a West Ham team battling for Barclays Premier League survival and as such has forced himself back into the England national set-up.

“He has been an inspirational figure for the Irons and hopefully his professionalism will be rewarded with West Ham staying up at the end of the season.

“In what was one of the tightest votes of recent seasons, Scott is certainly a worthy winner and follows in the footsteps of a long line of superb footballers who have been given this prestigious honour.”

FWA Shortlist for Football Book of the Year

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EACH YEAR, a select band from the national committee of the Football Writers’ Association, take some time out from writing their own words to read as many football books as possible before deciding on the Football Book of the Year, one of the main categories in the increasingly influential British Sports Book Awards. This year’s winner will be announced at a gala dinner at the Savoy Hotel on May 9.

Fifteen or 20 years ago, there were few intelligent, thoughtful and discersive books published about football, with cricket and rugby writers in general waxing far more lyrically, and in greater numbers, than those from our game. But all that has changed.

Now there appears to be more outstanding publications reaching the bookshelves than before and 2010 was no exception. However, the book committee of the FWA had to draw up a shortlist from the dozens of great books that were produced and after lengthy deliberations, their recommendations are listed below.

Mike Collett, chairing the Committee this year said: “What we are looking for is a book that tells a story in a special, unique way, and there were plenty of candidates to chose from before we settled on our final seven. We now have to give very careful consideration to the strengths and merits of these finalists and each one in their own way is superb and a deserving winner. . It is not going to be easy – but its going to be highly enlightening.”

The shortlist is (in author’s alphabetical order):
PATRICK BARCLAY: Football – Bloody Hell ! – The Biography of Alex Ferguson Yellow Jersey
MICHAEL CALVIN: Family – Life Death and Football. Integr8 Publishing
ANTHONY CLAVANE: Promised Land – The Re-Iinvention of Leeds United. Yellow Jersey
CATRINE CLAY: Trautmann’s Journey – From Hitler Youth to FA Cup Legend Yellow Jersey
JAMES MORGAN: In Search of Alan Gilzean – The lost legacy of a Dundee and Spurs legend. Back Page Press
BRIAN SCOVELL: Bill Nicholson – Football’s Perfectionist. John Blake Publishing
JONATHAN WILSON: The Anatomy of England – A History in Ten Matches. Orion Publishing

The committee will make its choice by the end of April with the winner announced by Queens Park Rangers manager Neil Warnock at the dinner at the Savoy on May 9.

Report on FWA North East Dinner

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THE North East Branch of the FWA enjoyed a fantastic 30th anniversary awards evening at Ramside Hall in Durham.

Picking up the North East Player of the Year was Sunderland striker Darren Bent, watched by his manager Steve Bruce, chairman Niall Quinn as well as his team-mates.

Following the sacking of Chris Hughton just days before the awards, Alan Pardew made his first appearance at the event and was given a good reception by both Sunderland and Newcastle fans. His assistant Steve Stone picked up Newcastle United’s Team of the Year Award in Hughton’s absence as well as Young Player of the Year Andy Carroll’s accolade.

A special award went to non league Whitley Bay for winning the FA Vase Trophy for a second successive season while Niall Quinn was awarded the John Fotheringham Memorial Award for his contribution to North East Football.

A toast was raised to former FWA National Secretary Ken Montgomerie who sadly passed away last month.

Amongst those in the room were Phil Brown, John Hendrie, Stephen Pears, Jim Platt, Dennis Tueart, Adam Johnson, Frank Clark and England cricketer Graham Onions

Report on FWA Northern Dinner

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THE 28th Northern FWA Managers’ Awards Dinner was a significant occasion in the association’s history, as the £80,000 barrier was cracked for children’s charities.

The raffle and auction at the function, held at Manchester’s Radisson Edwardian Hotel on November 14, raised £4,500 with The Seashell Trust – formlery the Royal Schools for the Blind – and Friends of Muscular Dystrophy the two charities to benefit this year.

So we have now raised almost £81,000 for children’s causes.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, usually a regular attender of FWA functions, pulled out two days before the event, owing to a business trip to Qatar.

But all the other award-winning managers were present – Newcastle’s Chris Hughton, Blackpool’s Ian Holloway, Simon Grayson at Leeds, Rochdale’s Keith Hill, Ian Chandler from Whitley Bay, the Barrow double act of David Bayliss and Darren Sheridan and Mo Marley of Everton Ladies.

Richard Bevan, Chief Executive of the League Managers’ Association, congratulated northern chairman Paul Hetherington and national chairman Steve Bates, on the event.

Bevan said: “Reading the programme, going back to past winners like Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, Trevor Cherry and Kenny Dalglish, it was great to read the history of the awards and to join you for the event.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and was honoured to sit at the FWA top table.”

Villas Boas: The New Special One?

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Manchester United, Real Madrid and FC Porto are the only unbeaten top division teams in Europe.

United are undefeated in 26 matches in all competitions. They are the fourth side in Barclays Premier League history to be unbeaten in their opening 13 games of a season. Of the other three, only Arsenal’s Invincibles of 2003/4 went on to win the title. The Reds are still in the Carling Cup, their Champions League win at Bursaspor left them on the verge of qualifying from Group C while they started the season by beating Chelsea in the Community Shield.

Under Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid have played 17 games, winning 13 with four draws. In the Primera Liga leaders Real have won nine and drawn two while they have already qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League after three wins and a draw.

Standing alongside Sir Alex Ferguson and the Special One is Andre Villas-Boas, the rising star of European coaching who has had a sensational start to his first season in charge at FC Porto. With 10 wins and a draw they lead the Portuguese League by 10 points from Benfica and Guimaraes. Like Real, Porto have also secured their place in the next stage of the Champions League.

Villas-Boas, 33, is nicknamed Mourinho II. He was still a teenager when he started working in Porto’s scouting department in the mid-Nineties when Sir Bobby Robson was in charge. The club were impressed by the youngster’s tactical knowledge and his ability to produce scouting reports players could easily digest.

Aged 21, he was appointed as the technical director of the British Virgin Islands FA in 1999, taking charge of the national team for some World Cup qualifiers. After 18 months in the Caribbean he returned to Portugal to coach Porto’s Under-19’s.

In 2002 Mourinho moved to Porto and made Villas-Boas an integral part of his staff, not just at Porto where he won two league titles, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup but later during his successful spells at Chelsea and Inter Milan. By the time he had moved to Stamford Bridge, Villas-Boas’ pre-match scouting reports included personalised DVDs for each player, outlining their next direct opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. It earned him the unofficial title of ‘director of opposition intelligence.’

He ended a seven-year working relationship with Mourinho in the summer of 2009 to become coach of Academica Coimbra in October. Academica were bottom of the league and winless when Villas-Boas took over from Rogerio Goncalves. One local paper described the club as ‘dead.’ By the time the 2009/10 season was over Villas-Boas had breathed life into Academica, leading them to 11th place in the 16-team league and the semi-finals of the Portuguese League Cup, losing to Porto in the Estadio do Dragao. Impressed by his achievements in Coimbra, Porto sacked Jesualso Ferreira despite winning three league titles in four seasons and appointed Villas-Boas in June.

Unsurprisingly Villas-Boas is keen to distance himself from the inevitable comparisons with Mourinho though he concedes the Special One has been “very important” to him. “I am not a clone of anyone,” he said. “I want to leave my mark on this club.”

He could hardly have had a better start. Benfica, the reigning champions, were beaten in the Portuguese Super Cup as Villas-Boas begin his Porto coaching era with a 2-0 victory.

It is only a matter of time before an FWA member links Villas-Boas with a job in the Barclays Premier League.

NEXT GAMES
Nov 20
Manchester United v Wigan Athletic (Barclays Premier League)
Real Madrid v Athletic Bilbao (Primera Liga)
Nov 21
Moreirense v FC Porto (Portuguese Cup fourth round).

Christopher Davies

Rooney delighted by Football Writers prize

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England striker Wayne Rooney takes his place among the FWA Footballers of the Year.

The 24-year-old Manchester United forward topped the poll of journalists with just over 81% of a record number of votes cast, finishing ahead of Chelsea forward Didier Drogba and Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez to win the prestigious accolade, which has been running since 1948.

Both United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and England manager Fabio Capello were present to watch Rooney, who led Manchester United’s ultimately unsuccessful challenge to Chelsea for the Barclays Premier League title, receive his award at the FWA’s gala dinner at the Lancaster London Hotel.

On collecting his award, Rooney said: “When you look around the room and see all the previous winners, for me to be among them is a great feeling.

“I am so proud, because I play football every day, it is my job and to win this award is amazing.”

Rooney, though, has no intentions of resting on his laurels.

“I am only 24. Hopefully I can progress and the best years are still ahead of me,” he said.

“I am always learning every day, and take things in from all my team-mates, both at United and with England.

“As a player you are never the finished article. I want to keep learning and getting better.”

The striker admitted he could not see a future outside the game and revealed he intended to stay involved in the game for many years to come.

“I love football and enjoy football – I can’t see myself running a restaurant, I want to be in football.”

Sir Alex Ferguson paid his own tribute to Rooney. The Scot said: “Wayne has this unbelievable energy, which transmits itself through everyone. It is electricity – you are born with that.

“It is nothing anyone has given him, he has just got that great desire and is quite rightly on a pantheon with all these great players who are pictured on the wall around this room. He easily sits up there with them.”

Rooney scored 34 goals in all competitions and is integral to England’s World Cup hopes in South Africa.

The striker has been struggling with ankle and groin problems since United’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg defeat to Bayern Munich on March 30.

But now Rooney is focused on recovering full fitness and is relishing leading England’s World Cup campaign in South Africa as Capello’s squad aim to emulate the 1966 success.

England line-up in Group C in South Africa alongside Algeria and Slovenia and begin their campaign against the United States in Rustenburg on June 12.

Sky Sports’ Jeff Stelling presented a question and answer session with Rooney, another first for the FWA event.

The United striker revealed he feels there is unfinished business ahead.

“The last two tournaments I have played in both ended in disappointment for me. I broke my foot at Euro 2004 and then got sent off at the World Cup in Germany,” he said.

“In the last World Cup I did not really show enough of my quality and enough excitement, which I wanted to.

“I am looking forward to this one and want to try to take my club form in with England, to help us win the World Cup.”

Capello is in no doubt Rooney has the world at his feet.

“In addition to his great technical ability, Wayne is also a player who never gives up and has a great desire to win every game,” the England manager wrote in a personal tribute to Rooney for the FWA.

“I like working with him, because he wants to learn all the time and works to improve in training.

“He is also very popular with his team-mates because of his attitude on and off the pitch.”

Capello continued: “Wayne is a very special footballer and he is now one of the top players in the world.

“He is still a young player and he can go on to achieve a lot more in the game, for many years.

“Hopefully it will be good for England that Wayne has been in such great form this season, as he will be a very important player for us in South Africa.”

The 2010 Footballer of the Year Dinner was again sold out, and the FWA, along with sponsors Barclays, was proud to help back the England 2018 World Cup bid during the evening, with guests having received a letter from David Beckham on their arrival at the tables.

FWA Chairman Steve Bates, chief football writer for The People, reflected: “I am certain that in the 64-year history of our prestigious Footballer of the Year Award there cannot have been a more popular winner than Wayne Rooney.

“There have been many big moments in Wayne’s wonderful career already, and I am sure this won’t be the last time he will be centre stage at this event.

“Wayne joins a unique club – one started by Sir Stanley Matthews in 1948 and through the following six decades has included many of the greats of the English game.

“Our members, who voted in such overwhelming numbers for him this year, have recognised that Wayne has taken his game to a new level.

“As the 2010 World Cup in South Africa approaches, every Englishman across the globe will hope those goals keep flowing just as they have done for Manchester United this season.”

Harry Redknapp Tribute Night

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Harry Redknapp became the latest recipient of the Football Writers’ Association Tribute Award when the Tottenham manager was honoured at a gala dinner in the Royal Lancaster Hotel on January 13.

The 61-year-old, who guided Portsmouth to FA Cup glory at Wembley in May 2007, jetted back to the capital following his team’s Barclays Premier League game at Wigan to take his place at the top table for what was another memorable evening for the FWA and its guests.

A toast was presented by England World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst, who recalled his playing days with a young Redknapp at West Ham, while the evening was also a special occasion for long-serving FWA member and former London Evening Standard reporter Michael Hart, presented with an honorary life membership by current FWA chairman Steve Bates.

Harry Redknapp started his managerial career at Bournemouth, claiming a famous FA Cup win over Manchester United in 1984 as well as the old Division Three title.

It was, though, on his return to the dugout at Upton Park some 10 years later when Redknapp made his name, stepping up from his position as assistant to Billy Bonds.

During his seven-year tenure, Redknapp nurtured the talents of several promising youngsters who would one day go on to represent England – such as Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand and Chelsea pair Joe Cole and Frank Lampard, his nephew.

Ferdinand, 30, who has captained both England and United and helped his club achieve Champions League glory last season, is in no doubt of the influence Redknapp had on his career.

“Harry was my inspiration, the manager who took a chance on a gangly, slightly awkward teenager and gave me the momentum to become a Premier League and Champions League winner, and an England international,” Ferdinand wrote in his personal tribute to Redknapp for the FWA dinner.

“Joe Cole, Michael Carrick, Jermain Defoe, Frank Lampard, my brother Anton and many others who have made a career either at the top or lower down the leagues also owe Harry a debt of gratitude.

“Harry makes you feel 10 feet tall. We went out on that pitch believing we were the greatest footballers who ever lived, whatever our ability.

“He had you working for that moment on a Saturday where you would truly believe you were a better team than Manchester United or Arsenal.

“Few managers can walk into a dressing room and generate an instant feel-good factor the way he does.”

Redknapp is often seen as a jovial character, but Ferdinand maintains a steely determination hides behind that colourful exterior – as the Spurs squad are currently experiencing.

“Harry has an image as this happy-go-lucky type, but believe me he is deadly serious about his football – he could not be without football,” said Ferdinand, who was sold by Redknapp to Leeds in November 2000 for a then a British transfer record of £18million, which also made him the world’s most expensive defender.

“He lives and breathes it. He hates players showing the slightest hint that they are taking the game for granted.

“Harry would tell me that the best way to make a success of my career was to follow Bobby Moore’s example and behave like he did on and off the pitch. How could you argue with that?”

The after-dinner entertainment at the Royal Lancaster was kicked off with a cabaret by Kenny Lynch and Bobby Davro, both big fans of Harry Redknapp.

The duo’s performance will live long in the memory for those who attended, which included current Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce as well as former England manager Sir Bobby Robson, who continues his brave battle against cancer.

FWA chairman Steve Bates believes the night was a fitting tribute to one of the game’s most popular characters.

“Harry received the award from our organisation because of his outstanding contribution to football both as a player and, latterly, as a manager,” he said.

“Harry has always enjoyed a good rapport with the press who appreciate his professionalism, humour and readiness to give his time for interviews win, lose or draw.

“He follows a long list of distinguished recipients and thoroughly deserves this honour and has been a highly popular choice.”

Cristiano Ronaldo – Footballer of the Year 2007-08

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Footballer of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo insisted he would not rest on his laurels following his memorable season in 2007/2008.

The Manchester United winger, 23, collected the award voted for by the Football Writers’ Association at a gala dinner in London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel on May 15.

The Portugal international topped the poll of journalists ahead of Liverpool striker Fernando Torres and Portsmouth goalkeeper David
James.

Ronaldo, who also won the prestigiuos FWA accolade last season, netted an outstanding 41 goals during the regular season – including 31 in the Barclays Premier League as United beat Chelsea to the title and would go on to be crowned champions of Europe following a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory in Moscow a week later.

Following a tribute from former Manchester United and England midfielder Bobby Charlton, Ronaldo said: “I am very happy to win this award. It is very important for me to win again, but most important is the collective awards (of the team).

“I am still going to want to win more, to carry on like this, I will not stop because I have these two awards.

“Next season I will try to do my best again.

“I have improved every season and will try to improve next season.

“I am enjoying my football, and want to carry on.”

Former Manchester United captain Bryan Robson has been
impressed by Ronaldo’s development into one of the world’s greatest players since arriving from Sporting Lisbon.

“The great thing for Manchester United is that Cristiano is getting better all the time and has made considerable progress as a player since arriving at the club five years ago,” Robson wrote in his personal tribute to Ronaldo for the FWA.

“When I first saw him play my initial impressions were that he was a great athlete with terrific ability, but that he needed to learn the game in terms of awareness.

“Basically he needed to be more aware of his team-mates. He’s done that now, become more of a team player yet hasn’t had to sacrifice his exciting dribbling ability.”

It is the second season in succession Ronaldo received the accolade, now in its 61st year. Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry was the last man to collect the FWA award twice in a row, from 2003 and 2004.

Chairman of the FWA, Paul Hetherington, commented: “Ronaldo’s award is no surprise after his brilliant form this season and incredible goal-scoring record – 38 at the moment -and he is, of course, essentially a winger.

“Cristiano was an overwhelming winner and, given his age, he has the potential and ability to dominate this award for years in an unprecedented way.”

David Beckham Tribute Night

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David Beckham brought a touch of Hollywood to London when he was guest of honour at the 2008 Football Writers’ Association Tribute night.

The Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder and former England captain is hoping to reach the landmark of 100 caps for his country, with Fabio Capello now in charge of the side.

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson led the tributes at the gala dinner at the Royal Lancaster Gate Hotel, which was also attended by ex-national team boss Steve McClaren as well as the Football Association’s Brian Barwick and Sir Trevor Brooking.

Beckham, who found fame with Manchester United and Real Madrid before his move to the United States, paid tribute to the figures in football who helped him during his career, including Eriksson.

“For me it was the best time as an England player, a positive time and we played some great football,” said Beckham, whose last-gasp free-kick at Old Trafford sent England to the 2002 World Cup.

“He was a manager that looked after the players, he wasn’t interested in anything else going on.

“That is why he is so well liked by every England player who played under him. He’s a great manager but even more of a great man.”

Beckham signalled his determination to get match fit for Capello’s
first match in charge of England, which is a friendly agianst
Switzerland at Wembley, and has been training with Arsenal during the Major League Soccer close season.

“I’m there to get my fitness for the MLS season and also to try to get fit for the England game,” said Beckham.

“Even if it wasn’t just for the 100th cap, for an England game I’d do the same.

“I want to be fit and be available for Mr Capello’s first team and first game.”

Beckham revealed he had thoroughly enjoyed working with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger in the past week.

“It’s been great. I’m lucky that Arsene Wenger has given me the chance to train with the team,” he added.

“It’s nice to be with a Premier League team that is obviously so talented.

“The players have accepted me really well.”

Former England and Manchester United captain Bryan Robson was another to pay tribute to Beckham at the dinner, recalling the youngster who once polished his boots at Old Trafford.

“He was proud to clean my boots and sometimes that goes away from the game now,” said Robson. “YTS boys now want to be superstars before they start.

“That’s why David has been the player and person he is – he was proud to clean my boots because I was a hero of his when we were younger.”

Footballer of the Year 2007

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Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United’s Portuguese star, is the 60th winner of the prestigious Footballer of the Year award. Ronaldo was a convincing winner in a heavy poll, with Chelsea’s Didier Drogba the runner up.

Ronaldo said “I’m thrilled and delighted to have won such a great award”. He was joined in the top four by Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in third and fourth place respectively.

The dinner where Ronaldo will be presented with his trophy is on May 17th at the Royal Lancaster Hotel London, in front of a sell out 700 audience.