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ELECTRONIC MEDIA CANNOT COMPETE WITH THE THRILL OF A BACK PAGE EXCLUSIVE

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Sunday Mirror sports editor DAVID WALKER on how the internet is affecting newspapers

By CHRISTOPHER DAVIES

IN THE very old days spectators were told the half-time scores from other games when someone placed numbers along the touchline of one side of a ground. By “A” – say, Arsenal v Chelsea – the numbers “1” and “1” or whatever were placed, the key to the letters in the programme.

In the not quite so old days supporters would wait at a station for the Saturday Pink Un or Green Un to arrive an hour after the final whistle. These papers were essential reading, not just for the results and up-to-date league tables, but for a report on matches played that afternoon and football columns. The demise of the Saturday 3pm kick-off and the continuing technological advance of new media have seen the downfall of these papers – the Birmingham Mail’s Sports Argus, which used to be the biggest selling Saturday sports paper in England, ceased publication in May 2006.

These days fans are aware of goals, red cards, results…everything…courtesy of Planet Internet which has, in many respects, proved to be a football writer’s best friend though progress too often comes at a price.

David Walker, the sports editor of the Sunday Mirror, spoke to footballwriters.co.uk, his views personal and not necessarily those of Trinity Mirror, about the effect of the internet on the more traditional world of newspapers. The times, definitely, are a-changing and Walker said: “Just about every local paper in every city or town ran a Saturday evening special. They were a vital part of the journey home for fans. For journalists, they were an integral part of any paper’s output. That whole market was huge and it has been wiped out.

“The next issue was the power of a closed-shop union regarding the minimum salaries in some national newspapers.”

When Walker started on his first national paper in 1982 his salary was £16,900. That equates to £51,000 now, and there are many football writers who would love to earn, let alone start on, that wage.

“Salaries have gone down and so has the number of people being employed in the industry, yet the work-load has increased with the biggest development being reporters having to write across the board, from newspapers to the electronic media.”

While the older generation remains faithful to buying a daily and Sunday newspaper, the growing influence of the internet has seen sales of national papers drop by 16 per cent over the last five years, three per cent more than the European average.

A recent survey claimed that in the UK only 18 per cent of the total population read a daily newspaper compared with 53 per cent in Germany, 21 per cent in France and nearly 70 per cent in Norway and Switzerland.

“People in their twenties are not the avid newspaper buyers their parents are,” said Walker. “They get their media fix in a different way, not least the free access to most newspapers’ web sites. The one hope I have is how good some of the apps are looking, particularly newspaper apps which are based on the design of a page, with advertising and content which makes it the nearest the old school will get to the actual feel of a newspaper on a screen.”

The internet does not affect Walker’s weekly plans for the Sunday Mirror sports pages though the football writers are expected to contribute opinion columns for mirrorfootball.com and help with breaking sports news stories.

The desire for newspapers to break stories on their web sites rather than holding them for the following morning’s paper is a progression that particularly worries football writers who are responsible for the majority of back page stories.

Walker said: “Are they protecting stories for the newspaper or, as is increasingly the case, putting them on line to get as many hits as possible for the site? The Daily Telegraph were one of the first to break a good story on-line with the row between Kevin Pietersen and [England head coach] Peter Moore about the England captaincy. They put the story on their site around tea-time which meant every other paper could pick it up.”

Fleet Street had previously been very protective of exclusive stories at the front and the back of the paper. A big transfer scoop would be kept out of the first edition and held for the last edition so no one else could lift it. The ultimate satisfaction for a reporter has always been to pick up his paper and see an exclusive story that is immediately followed up by all parts of the media. The new generation, weaned on electronic media, have a different time schedule, rather than wait for the morning’s paper they often try to beat rivals by minutes by putting a story on line first.

“If we have a really big story we’d still try to make it so people would have to buy the paper to read it,” said Walker. “For me, breaking an accurate story in a newspaper remains the greatest thrill, be it football, news or politics. A newspaper’s greatest strength is to publish a really good exclusive story. Perhaps reporters in their Twenties may have a different view.”

But should newspapers give away for free on line what is in their print editions? The Mail Online has become the world’s biggest newspaper website with one recent month’s figures showing 90,309,252 unique browsers. The BBC’s web site has an estimated world audience of 150 million unique monthly browsers.

News International led the way in the UK with a paywall. ABC figures in 2012 for The Times were 393,187 and 955,248 for The Sunday Times. Combined with 130,751 digital subscribers, it meant a total paid audience of 523,938 for The Times. The Sunday Times had 126,989 digital subscribers and a total paid audience of 1,082,237. Obviously the on-line subscriptions makes money for NI even though the figures are minimal compared to the free sites.

On-line advertising yields far less revenue than that for newspapers and we have yet to see how significant profits can be made from electronic media.

Walker said: “The game used to be that newspapers had a cover charge for the newspaper, advertising was sold, the circulation was known and you could work out your revenue per day. For their web sites, newspapers are looking for sponsors, advertising…but can they protect material that is behind the paywall? Can others copy what is on a site and pass it on?”

Despite the emphasis being placed on the internet Walker does not see a time when a newspaper will have their own football correspondent writing exclusively for the web site. “That would be pigeon-holing a writer which is not what newspapers want. They prefer journalists to write for the paper and the net, which from an accounting viewpoint is staffing as many areas as possible with the fewest number of people.”

FWA Q&A: MICHAEL CHURCH

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MICHAEL CHURCH on the silence of Melbourne…golden showers in Jakarta…and a Chinese fan who cycled 2,000 kms to meet “him”

Have you ever worked in a profession other than football?

Yes, I worked as a lifeguard at my local swimming pool for much longer than I care to admit or remember during my teenage years back in my home town of Larne, in Northern Ireland. The sights seen back in those days still haunt me. Baywatch it most certainly was not.

Most memorable match?

There are a couple that stick out for very different reasons. The first, for many of the right reasons, is Australia v Iran at the MCG in Melbourne when the Iranians came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 and qualify for the 1998 World Cup. The silence that descended on the MCG was eerie and witnessing the look on Terry Venables’ face in the post-match press conference was worth the trip Down Under in itself. Perhaps the best thing about attending that game is that I still have the opportunity to quieten down our Aussie friends by bringing it up on a regular basis. Those scars run very deep. The second was a match in a tournament called the Tiger Cup in Vietnam in 1998 when Thailand and Indonesia faced off in a group match that both were desperate to lose due to the ill-thought out scheduling and rules of the tournament. The game finished 3-2 to Thailand and the sight of the teams defending each other’s penalty areas was just odd, but not as bizarre as witnessing the gusto with which the Indonesians celebrated scoring the winning goal for Thailand. A very odd – and depressing – evening indeed.

The one moment in football you would put on a DVD?

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s winner at the Camp Nou on May 26, 1999. I was fortunate enough to be at the game and refuse, to this day, to watch anything other than the goals on TV as I want it to remain in my mind’s eye exactly how I experienced it. But that goal will live with me forever and I’d happily put it on a continuous loop.

Best stadium?

The Allianz Arena in Munich’s a personal favourite when it comes to facilities etc. while the atmosphere at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran is only matched by that at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta. Both stadiums are crumbling dumps but when they’re full – with crowds in the region of 90,000 – there are few more intimidating or exciting places to watch football on the planet. Always best to keep your head down midway through the second-half in Jakarta as urine-filled bottles have been known to start raining down from the top tier by that stage…

…and the worst?

Nothing – not even Jakarta’s golden showers – surpasses The Showgrounds in Newry. Watching – if you could, given the amount of condensation on the windows – from a cold, wet, draughty press box with a long drive home to follow made it worse than unpleasant. After almost two decades of travelling around varying venues in Asia, nothing has yet come close. A character-building experience.

Your personal new-tech disaster?

Those usually centre around wifi and the inability to get access to a network as deadline approaches thanks to the photographers using up all the bandwidth. Have to admit, nothing major comes to mind on this. Perhaps I’ve been fortunate up until now.

Biggest mistake?

Where to start? Getting the score wrong in a game because I was in a soundproofed press box (depressing enough in itself) and couldn’t hear when the referee blew the whistle to rule out a goal is right up there.The comments made in the press conference put everything into context and sent a very cold shiver down my spine. Fortunately, the guys uploading the story onto the website I was working for were slow to put the story online and a catastrophe was averted.

Have you ever been mistaken for anyone else?

Many moons ago in deepest darkest China I was walking through the lobby of the hotel I was staying in, which was the same hotel hosting the players from the Chinese champions of the time, Dalian Wanda. I was very quickly accosted by a Dalian fan who, it turned out, had cycled something like 2,000 kms to meet the players and support the team in that day’s match. For some reason, he thought I was one of the club’s Swedish imports and asked me to sign his shirt. I protested for a bit, telling him I wasn’t anyone famous until it became clear he wasn’t going to take no for answer. So, sheepishly, I signed the shirt only for someone to then tell the fan – finally – that I wasn’t who he thought I was. It’s fair to say he was none too chuffed.

Most media friendly manager?

When you’re away from the goldfish bowl of European football, it definitely gets easier to deal with managers. Philippe Troussier was fantastic during his days as Japan national team boss – couldn’t have been more helpful – and Bobby Houghton is an absolute gentleman, one of the nicest guys you could meet in any walk of life. But there are others, too. Bora Milutinovic is a gem. The sadly departed Tomislav Ivic was one of the most genuine people I ever had the pleasure to deal with and Milan Macala, who has worked across the Middle East, is a joy to work with. Former Notts County goalkeeper Raddy Avramovic is another, as is Jalal Talebi, who took Iran to the 1998 World Cup. I could go on as most managers I’ve dealt with have been helpful, which is what makes working in Asia so rewarding.

Best ever player?

I think it’s only fair to stick to the players I’ve seen in the flesh rather than waxing lyrical about highlight reels of George Best or Diego Maradona. Globally, the power and pace of the original Ronaldo always mesmerized me – pre-knee injuries he was an awe-inspiring sight when he was in full flow. It wasn’t hard to see why defenders feared him so much. The fact, too, that he managed to so successfully reinvent himself after his knee operations is a genuine sign of greatness. From an Asian perspective, the best player I’ve seen is Shinji Ono (Japan), who should have gone on to be a household name across the global game, but had an injury in his early 20’s that stopped him from fulfilling his true potential. Hidetoshi Nakata’s application and determination to succeed marked him out as well, especially at a time when he was breaking down barriers by going to Europe. Chinese striker Hao Haidong would have been a success in Europe, too, had the authorities allowed him to move when he was at his peak.

Best ever teams (club and international)?

Again, think it’s only right I stick with the teams I’ve seen in person and regularly via work. The best club side were the Jubilo Iwata team that won the Asian Club Championship in 1999, beating Esteghlal from Iran in the final with an all-Japanese starting line-up. National team is also Japanese, the one that Philippe Troussier took to success at the Asian Cup in Lebanon in 2000 – they were a fine side, although the current Japan team is of similar quality.

Best pre-match grub?

You guys in Europe are spoilt on this front. Pre-match food in Asia – if you’re lucky – is a cold bento box in Japan, but otherwise it’s whatever you pick up yourself at the local 7-11 around the corner from the stadium. The only events I’ve been to where that wasn’t the case were the Asian Cup in the UAE in 1996 and the most recent Asian Cup in Qatar in 2011. The food on offer there was great, I think. Or maybe I thought it was great because of the usual dearth of eating options at Asian venues.

Best meal had on your travels?

Hmmm, not sure as there’s so much great food in Asia. Although, funnily enough, the one that sticks in my mind isn’t Asian cuisine. There’s a very famous Brazilian churrasco restaurant in Tokyo I was taken to many years ago called Barbacoa – a venue beloved by Brazilians and the signed plates on the walls bearing the signatures of Zico, Ayrton Senna and the like proving the point – where the food is sensational. A bit pricey, but worth every penny.

…and the worst?

The chicken satay I had in Chiangmai in northern Thailand from a roadside vendor certainly made its presence known for longer and in a more colourful fashion than I appreciated.

One sporting event outside football you would love to experience?

The Tour de France. I’ve been following it since I was a kid, but haven’t been yet. Despite all the scandals and nonsense over the last two decades, it still holds an immense amount of fascination for me – would love to follow on my bike for a few weeks, but am wary of becoming a lycra-groupie.

Last book read?

Seven Deadly Sins by David Walsh. A brilliant read, but a damning indictment on many within our profession. Also Boomerang by Michael Lewis. Having read that off the back of The Big Short, it has encouraged me to keep what little money I have under the mattress and out of the hands of anyone in the banking industry.

Favourite current TV programme?

Breaking Bad – brilliant concept, superbly put together with just enough humour among the grimness to stop you from descending into depression.

Your most prized football memorabilia?

I used to be a bit of sad git when it came to this, picking up all sorts on my travels: a Jubilo Iwata shirt signed by Dunga is a definite highlight or a ball signed by Pele. But nothing beats my ticket for the 1999 UEFA Champions League final signed by Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer. Still the greatest night of my life.

Advice to anyone coming into the football media world?

Keep an open mind and look beyond the obvious to try to build a career – the world of football does not begin and end at Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge or even Camp Nou. Football is one of the only truly global sports and the opportunities to learn so much about other countries and societies through the people you meet in the game are limitless. The standard won’t always be the best, but the access to players and managers and the fascinating stories that lie behind many of those involved will always make it worthwhile.

Michael Church has covered football across Asia for close to two decades, moving to the region in 1995 and has lived and worked in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia. He was the Press Association’s Head of Sport for Asia for four years and writes for the South China Morning Post and World Soccer as well as serving as Managing Editor of AFC Quarterly, the Asian Football Confederation’s official magazine.

The Q&A’s world tour continues next week with leading Dutch football writer Marcel van der Kraan.

Mike Collett of Reuters analyses the Barclays Premier League run-in

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Mike Collett of Reuters analyses the Barclays Premier League run-in at both ends of the table.







Listen to ‘Mike Collett of Reuters analyses the Barclays Premier League run-in’ on Audioboo


The FWA Interview: Paul Hayward

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“It wasn’t possible to talk to Sir Bobby Robson without falling in love with football all over again,” says Sports Writer of the Year PAUL HAYWARD

By CHRISTOPHER DAVIES

PAUL HAYWARD will never forget writing the article that gave him most pleasure in an award-winning career – it left him injured and unable to walk properly for a week.

Hayward, the Daily Telegraph’s chief sports writer, was this week named the 2012 Sports Journalists’ Association Sports Writer of the Year. The only damage this time was to his wallet as he bought celebratory champagne for his colleagues in Podgorica, his Olympic-based portfolio winning the award for the second time.

The injury came while writing his 5,000-word Olympic review “which ended up as its own supplement,” said Hayward. “I started writing on the Friday and filed it on the Sunday afternoon. It was such hard work almost being chained to my lap-top for three days that I put my back out. I could hardly walk for the following week.

“But it was a great privilege to be asked to write the piece, telling the story of the Games. I’ll never have the chance to cover an Olympics in London again and it turned out to be a glorious success rather than the farce some had predicted.”

Hayward was not at the awards ceremony, he was in a bar in Montenegro with England sponsors Vauxhall. “We were watching the results roll in on Twitter, there’s a sign of the times,” said Hayward. “Martin Lipton [of the Daily Mirror] showed me his BlackBerry with confirmation I’d won it. I initially told him to stop messing about because for me David Walsh was certain to win the award after exposing Lance Armstrong. Martin showed me his phone and I spent a lot of money on Montenegrin champagne.”

The winners are not told in advance “but had I known I would have still gone to Montenegro because the job always has to come first.”

Walsh, of the Sunday Times, was named Sports News Reporter and Feature Writer. “We all assumed David would complete the Slam, winning every award possible. His exposure of Armstrong is a great moment for our profession. It shows sports journalism still has bite, that reporting, digging and a free press is still the highest form of journalism. David had to put up with so much intimidation and pressure, but he kept going. In the end he brought the villain down.”

Hayward was with the Daily Telegraph when he won the award for the first time 16 years ago. He started his career on the Racing Post, joining the Daily Telegraph from the Independent. After two stints with the Guardian and one with the Daily Mail, Hayward returned to what many consider his natural home in 2011. “I’ve been a Guardian reader from my young days, but the Telegraph has always promoted sports journalism like no one else and has given me my greatest opportunities.

“The daily sports supplement during the Olympics was magnificent, the proudest I’ve ever been on a newspaper. The people in the office were producing a 30- or 40-page supplement every day and each page was brilliant.”

The sports editor when the Daily Telegraph became the first national daily newspaper to produce a sports supplement that appeared initially in 1990 appearing on Mondays and Saturdays and then daily was David Welch who died a year before London 2012, sadly never seeing his dream become a reality. Hayward said: “David campaigned for the London Olympics at a time when it was a very unfashionable idea. He kept banging the drum, even getting it talked about in the House of Commons. He believed London would stage a great Olympics and on the day of the opening ceremony I thought of David. He’d have loved to have seen that, but unfortunately he was taken away from us before he could have that opportunity. I made sure I remembered his contribution throughout the Games.”

While Hayward’s title is chief sports writer, inevitably football dominates his schedule. “We were speaking about this in Podgorica, discussing what proportion of the agenda is taken up by football in sports journalism. I argued for 70 per cent. Henry Winter, our football correspondent, said: ‘As low as that?’ Henry loves football so much he’d like it to be 100 per cent.

“At various points of the year other sports become dominant. The British & Irish Lions tour this summer will be huge, there’s Wimbledon, the Open, the Ashes…they have their periods when they are the absolute centre of attention, but taking the whole cycle of the year football rules. It’s still the daily consuming diet of drama and controversy plus usually high class action.”

Unsurprisingly the Olympics and football World Cup are Hayward’s favourite major events. “I like World Cups because they give you the opportunity to travel round countries. I enjoy the feeling of moving along on a white water rapid where the story changes all the time. When there is an Olympics or World Cup, there is a beginning, a middle and an end…it takes your life over and every day is a fresh chapter.”

Hayward has met most of the outstanding sportsmen and sportswomen of his generation, but one stands head and shoulders above all others. “Sir Bobby Robson, a true gentleman” he said, a sentiment no doubt shared by those who were lucky enough to work with him. “I still have a very soft spot for Bobby who transmitted his enthusiasm to you. It wasn’t possible to talk to him without falling in love with football all over again. When I was writing his final autobiography I used to come out of our sessions together bouncing and loving football in a new way. I’d sit down and ask Bobby one question and by the time he’d finished talking I’d have 100,000 words.

“During our interviews he’d be jumping up and imitating Alan Shearer or illustrating some defensive position to stop Ronaldo. His energy for the game would just pour out of him and I found that very infectious.”

Hayward was also influenced by many his own profession. “From a young age I looked at the great sports writers as people to be revered. They set the standard for journalism and I read them avidly at university. When Frank Keating died recently it brought back the memory of the time I was at the Cheltenham Festival as a young Racing Post reporter and he came into the press box. I couldn’t believe I was in the same room as Frank Keating and was unable to speak to him.”

When Hayward was in Podgorica celebrating his latest award he proposed a toast to “the reporters.” While Hayward’s job does not involve him to be at the sharp end of digging for news stories he retains the greatest respect for those who are responsible for the back page stories.

“My message to young journalists is to remember to report, to talk to people, go to places, makes notes…all the old fashioned reporting skills which have been under threat as a result of mass opinion, Twitter and blogs. Reporting is still the most valuable thing we do and for me there is no higher calling in journalism that being a reporter.

“In football, the barriers are so high. Football pushes you away, putting obstacles between writers and the game, it closes itself to journalists. Reporters who have to fight their way through that jungle to get stories…they are amazing and I don’t know how they do it.”

Hayward has the luxury of a week off before heading to Augusta to see whether Tiger Woods can win his fifth Masters tournament, but keeping a close eye on Brighton’s challenge for promotion to the Barclays Premier League.

FWA Q&A: Tim Vickery

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TIM VICKERY on his dislike of walking in Venezuela…disrespecting Kaka’s voice…and Alfredo the great…

Have you ever worked in a profession other than football?
Take your pick – paper boy, menswear shop assisant, labourer, comedy writer, box office assistant, theatre manager, English teacher.

Most memorable match?
Think I’ll go with the 1992 European Cup final, Barcelona v Sampdoria at Wembley. London turned into the Mediterranean for a few days, and a wonderfully enthralling game got a historic result in the last minute. I lapped it up.

The one moment in football you would put on a DVD?
Pele and Bobby Moore together after the 1970 World Cup match between England and Brazil – a fantastic match in which these great players performed to full capacity, winning the respect of each other and friendship in the process.

Best stadium…and worst?
South America is full of stadiums where you’re breathing the air of the history of the game – the Centenario in Montevideo and La Bonbonera in Buenos Aires are personal favourites (not least because you can walk to both from the centre of town).  But there’s a new one (2007) which for me could fit into the category of best and worst – the Metropolitano in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. It was built for the 2007 Copa América, and it was bizarre to see a compact, English model stadium in relatively small town Venezuela. Very impressive – except that it was nowhere near ready when it opened for the Copa – it was a building site, full of empty lift shafts, though it looked great on TV. My big complaint about it, though, is that it’s so far out of town – a pet hate of mine, especially when there are no mass transport options.

Your personal new-tech disaster?
I know my limitations. Stick to pen and paper, mate. Biggest disaster was when I forgot to take a pen.

Biggest mistake?
Too many to mention but a couple stand out. My first piece for World Soccer magazine was a profile of a Brazilian goalkeeper with German ancestry.  I foolishly commented that this was the perfect combination, some Teutonic steel to balance out the local flair. I should have known that Brazil’s defensive record is and always has been, way superior to Germany’s. Lesson – take no myth for granted.

Or a few months back on Brazilian TV. Kaká had just been recalled to the national team even though he was not getting a game for Real Madrid. I couldn’t resist the easy quip, saying that the only explanation for his comeback was that he has been singing the national anthem very well. It was a lack of respect to a quality player, who proved me wrong when he slotted successfully into the side.

Have you ever been mistaken for anyone else?
Charlton Heston (when he was still alive). I recommended a good optician.

Most media friendly manager?
In Brazil they tend to be very media friendly.

Best ever player?
Pele, Maradona, Messi – genius in all of them.  But hard to believe that anyone has been as influential as Alfredo Di Stéfano.

Best ever teams (club and international)?
Barcelona of recent years (they have brought back the little player) and Brazil of 1958 – without the media of 70 but far better man for man.

Best pre-match grub?
Doesn’t happen over here. We don’t get fed.

Best meal had on your travels?
A good old Ruby Murray every time I come back home.

…and the worst?
Can’t remember what it was in Colombia that had me up all night vomiting.

Best hotel stayed in?
Any time, anywhere – providing someone else is paying.

…and the worst?
A place in Cali, Colombia that I checked into, paid for a night up front, had a little nap and then noticed did not have running water.  Needless to say, I was paying for the place myself.

Favourite football writer?
Hughie Mac.

Favourite radio/TV commentator?
Peter Jones/Brian Moore.

If you could introduce one change to improve PR between football clubs and football writers what would it be?
Let me in whenever I want – don’t need anything else – just want to watch the game and come to my own conclusions.

One sporting event outside football you would love to experience?
The Ashes in Oz.

Last book read?
Thatcher’s Britain by Richard Vinen.

Favourite current TV programme?
Discovered Law and Order SVU during the last Copa América. Got hooked. Think I’ve shaken it now.

Your most prized football memorabilia?
Copy of the autobiography of the late and undoubtedly great Zizinho, signed to me.

Advice to anyone coming into the football media world?
Don’t expect wealth or security, and always remember that your subject is more important than yourself.

Tim Vickery has lived in Brazil since 1994. A regular contributor to World Soccer and Sports Illustrated, he can be heard on 5Live and talkSPORT. Twitter: @Tim_Vickery

Next week: The Q&A world tour continues in Asia with Michael Church.

IRELAND BEWARE: “HE THINKS AND ACTS LIKE A KID,” SAID JOSE MOURINHO – IS MAD MARKO EUROPE’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL PLAYER?

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HE BORROWED A TEAM-MATE’S BENTLEY AND IT WAS STOLEN

HE CYCLED INTO A GOLF CART

HE CALLED HIMSELF A CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNER BUT NEVER PLAYED IN THE FINAL

HE WAS INJURED PLAYING WITH HIS DOG

…AND WAS INVOLVED IN A NIGHT CLUB PUNCH-UP DEFENDING HIS BROTHER

OH, AND HE’S GOOD FRIENDS WITH BALOTELLI

By CHRISTOPHER DAVIES

AS MARKO Arnautović used Mario Balotelli as his role model at Inter Milan perhaps it is not surprising that the Austria striker has consistently made the headlines for the wrong reasons.

But some of the things Arnautović has done make Mad Mario seem a pussy cat and in the view of José Mourinho, the even Madder Marko “thinks and acts like a kid.”

Arnautović is set to play against the Repuiblic of Ireland in the 2014 World Cup qualifier in Dublin on Tuesday and one way or the other Irish fans can expect fireworks from the striker who looked up to Balotelli, the player called “unmanageable” by Mourinho, as a guiding light.

The Austrian was loaned to Inter from FC Twente during their Treble-winning season of 2009/10, but the only treble Arnautović managed was the three games he played before being sent back to Holland.

Arnautović said: “The problems with Mourinho started when I went out five times a week despite being injured. I tried to distract myself, but I did it the wrong way.”

The 23-year-old has made a habit of doing things the wrong way. He once cycled into a golf cart and said: “My team-mates asked me why I can’t cycle. I lived in the Netherlands for three years and everyone rides a bike there. Accidents simply happen.”

They do to Mad Marko who is an accident waiting to happen and rarely disappoints.

He once “borrowed” the Bentley that belonged to Inter team-mate Samuel Eto’o and took it for a ride around Milan. Arnautović claimed he had planned to buy the vehicle from the Cameroon international. “I drove it for two weeks to check whether I liked it. I was at a restaurant with friends when it was stolen. This incident affected me so badly I was unable to train. Thank God the car resurfaced in the meantime.”

Yet it all started so well for Arnautović when he made his debut for FC Twente in April 2007, five days before his 18th birthday. Under former England manager Steve McClaren the teenager became a first-team regular, scoring 14 goals plus seven assists in 2008/09. At 6ft 3ins he had the strength to go with his skill and Europe’s big guns soon became aware of the Vienna-born player who had a Serbian father.

He was due to sign a permanent contract with Inter in the summer of 2009, but a foot injury saw the move made a loan deal. The Italians later thanked their lucky stars.

Arnautović had a carefree approach to life, so it was no surprise when he bonded with Balotelli another player who tended to act first and think later. Mourinho said: “Mario Balotelli is his [Arnautović] best friend, coincidentally they have the same problems. Marko is a great guy, but he has the mentality of a child.”

He was to make only three appearances for Inter before Werder Bremen paid FC Twente €7.5 million for Arnautović who didn’t take long to upset his new club. Arriving in Bremen his team-mates were amazed to see he had “Champions League winner 2010” printed on his football boots even though he was not in the Inter squad when they defeated Bayern Munich 2-0.

From being, in his mind, a European Champion, Arnautović soon found himself in a relegation dogfight while off the pitch he was involved in some fisticuffs in a night-club. He claimed to be an innocent party, going to the defence of his brother, who had allegedly been attacked by Werder fans. “There were some young men who attacked my brother without provocation,” said Arnautović. “I then came in between them. I had to do that and then I suffered a blow.”

Calling Werder Bremen “a dump” in front of a TV camera did not help Arnautović as he struggled for form. Neither did an interview in which he said that not only did he like tattoos, he required them, together with silicone-inflated breasts, in his dream woman.

His form improved, but he was sidelined when he tore knee ligaments, not the result of a crunching tackle. Arnautović was playing with his dog. The Austrian can’t even be sent-off in straightforward circumstances. During a game against Hamburg he was cautioned for a body-check on Heiko Westermann. Referee Thorsten Kinhofer showed the yellow card and Arnautović’s reaction was to threaten to kick the ball against the official’s head. A second yellow and a red card quickly followed.

His poor form and bad behaviour saw him dropped by Austria for 18 months, but Arnautović is back with the national team after the birth of his daughter gave him an added responsibility. “I must keep myself under control,” he said. “I have a big responsibility as a father and that helps me to become more sensible. It’s better that I keep my mouth shut and let my feet do the talking.”

It’s a pity Arnautović isn’t Irish. It would be fascinating to see how Giovanni Trapattoni handled him.

Mike Collett of Reuters gives his viewpoint on England’s World Cup qualifiers

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Mike Collett of Reuters looks ahead to England’s 2014 World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Montenegro.











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PATRICK BARCLAY looks at England’s 2014 World Cup qualifying ties against San Marino and Montenegro

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WIN in Montenegro and England are favourites to qualify

LOSE and there’s an international crisis

By CHRISTOPHER DAVIES

The preparation to the week that will go a long way to shaping England’s 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign could hardly have started worse. Instead of the focus being on an improving and dangerous Montenegro after the lesser demands of San Marino, Riogate has dominated the build-up.

Whatever the rights and wrongs surrounding Rio Ferdinand’s England  call-up and withdrawal, wherever your sympathies or any perceived agendas regarding the 34-year-old Manchester United defender, it has not been the ideal start to the next games on the road to Brazil.

“It’s going to make England seem a little incompetent with poor lines of communication,” said Patrick Barclay, columnist for the Independent on Sunday and Evening Standard. “This may be a little unfair. The start of all this was Rio’s rather impetuous statement that he’d be ready to pack his bags at a moment’s notice. There was an asterisk missing with ‘medical advice permitting.’

“But it is a poor beginning to what is an absolutely vital game [against Montenegro] because of what England are playing for.”

Montenegro lead Group H after four games with 10 points having beaten San Marino twice, drawn at home with Poland and a 1-0 victory in Ukraine. England are second with eight points after a draw in Poland, a home victory over San Marino, an away win in Moldova and a 1-1 draw at Wembley against Ukraine.

In the Euro 2012 qualifiers Montenegro draw 0-0 at Wembley, with Wayne Rooney sent-off during the 2-2 draw in Podgorica. Montenegro may be relatively new to FIFA as an independent team having joined in 2007, but Barclay said: “They are a solid, experienced well-knit side. At Wembley they were extremely well organised, a good all-round side with a quality player up front in Mirko Vucinic of Juventus.

“If you offered Roy Hodgson four points from the ties in San Marino and Montenegro he’d be tempted to take it. It will be very important for England to keep their discipline and not have anyone sent-off again because it will be difficult enough with 11 players.”

Ideally Hodgson’s team would be one with regulars playing well for their clubs in the Barclays Premier League. That will not be the case and Gary Cahill’s absence through injury for the San Marino leaves England with a problem in the centre of defence already without Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott no longer a first choice at Manchester City. In attack Danny Welbeck did a fine job for England last year, but has scored only one goal in 22 league appearances, many as a substitute, for Manchester United.

Barclay said: “It seemed like a good idea for England when Chris Smalling left Fulham for Manchester United because he was such a promising defender, a right-back we thought. He’s started fewer than half of United’s games this season with injuries compounding the problem.

“I was sorry to see Michael Dawson pull out, most of us thought he was worth another England chance on his club performances. Steven Caulker shows potential for Spurs, yet if you put him in you’d have to keep your fingers crossed.

“Welbeck stamped his authority on the European Championship as a real player, but he goes back to United and has to fight for a place with Robin van Persie.”

Against Montenegro, Hodgson will probably choose Cahill, if fit, and Smalling who played together in the 2-1 win over Brazil last month. The midfield against the 2014 hosts was Theo Walcott, Steven Gerrard, Jack Wilshere and Tom Cleverly though Wilshere is injured.

Barclay said: “Gerrard’s form for Liverpool this season has been a big plus for England. He has found a way of conserving his energy and in this respect the arrival of Philippe Coutinho has helped. The Brazilian has taken a load off Gerrard’s shoulders in midfield while the return of Lucas has also been a bonus.

“Gerrard is not a worry. Michael Carrick is in good form, so is Cleverly…it’s a question of getting the balance right. I don’t think England have had a completely balanced midfield since Owen Hargreaves became unfit. Every top country in the world has a holding player, a ball winner, except England. For me, when he was fit Hargreaves was the first name on the team-sheet. I don’t think England have replaced him.”

Before the challenge of Podgorica there is the inevitable victory over San Marino in the Serravalle Stadio Olimpico on Friday. True, San Marino made history in November 1993 scoring after 8.3 seconds which remains the fastest World Cup qualifying goal though England went on to win 7-1.

In the FIFA rankings nobody is below San Marino, the third smallest state in Europe after Monaco and Vatican City and who have never won a competitive game (with only one friendly victory, against Liechtenstein).

Barclay said: “I have no problem with the likes of San Marino and Andorra being in the World Cup, but they should have to pre-qualify, as in the Champions League. I don ‘t agree with those who say it would lessen these countries’ chances of progressing. You would find they will build confidence with matches at a level closer to themselves and that could be carried on into the next stage.”

There are nine European groups with each winner qualifying for Brazil 2014. The eight best group runners-up will be paired into four home-and-away playoffs. If teams are even on points at the end of group play, the tied teams will be ranked by:

1.     goal difference in all group matches

2.     greater number of goals scored in all group matches

3.     greater number of points obtained in matches between the tied teams

4.     goal difference in matches between the tied teams

5.     greater number of goals scored in matches between the tied teams

6.     greater number of away goals scored in matches between the tied teams if only two teams are tied.

Barclay does not believe Hodgson should rest key players against San Marino, despite the risk of injury or a red card. “It’s important at international level more so than at club level to keep the understanding between players,” he said.

England last failed to qualify for the World Cup finals in 1994, but in a tight, competitive group with, in many respects, little to choose between England, Montenegro, Poland and Ukraine there is no room for error. Barclay said: “All World Cups are important, but this one in Brazil has a little more stardust. If you could use a cricketing analogy it’s an Ashes series…you want to be there more than ever.

“I am nervous for England. If they win in Montenegro the whole nation will breathe a sigh of relief because England could consider themselves favourites [to qualify]. I think this is a potentially exciting era for England coming up. I don’t necessarily think they will win the World Cup, but if they can build a team – and Hodgson is doing that – then at Euro 2016 in France…if they can get a team and not just 11 players it could be a really thrilling European Championship for them.”

And if England lose in Podgorica? “There is no question a defeat for England would be extremely damaging. People will be asking if Roy Hodgson is the man to take them forward. At the moment most recognise we have the right man in charge, what’s more he’s an English manager and that’s important. Should England lose, suddenly there’s an international crisis, that’s how big this game is.”

Group H

                             P  W  D  L  F  A   Pts

1 Montenegro   4   3  1  0  12  2   10
2 England         4   2  2  0  12  2    8
3 Poland           3   1  2  0  2  5      5
4 Moldova         4   1  1  2  2  7      4
5 Ukraine          3   0  2  1  1  2      2
6 San Marino    4   0  0  4  0  16    0

FWA Q&A: KEVIN BAXTER

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KEVIN BAXTER of the Los Angeles Times on why Manchester is the culinary capital of the world…the wonderful Doghouse…and the importance of learning a second language

Have you ever worked in a profession other than football?

As for covering the sport, I came very late to football – and even later to a deep appreciation of it. For more than 20 years I primarily covered baseball and only became involved in football because my newspaper needed a Spanish speaker to follow the Mexico team through its preparations for the 2010 World Cup. I followed the team through Europe then to South Africa. And I’ve been hooked ever since.

Most memorable match?

Still a relatively small sample size. But given the stakes, I would guess I’d have to narrow it down to three from the last World Cup. The U.S. victory over Algeria, which advanced the team out of group play, was memorbable mainly because of Landon Donovan’s goal in stoppage time. Then there was the final between Spain and the Netherlands that went to overtime. But if I had to pick just one – and this might be a game that many have already forgotten – the quarter-final in Johannesburg between Ghana and Uruguay. It was incredible. It the was game with the Luis Suarez handball when he saved a certain game-winning goal, was red carded and when Asamoah Gyan missed the penalty kick, the game went to overtime and ultimately a shootout, which Uruguay won. The result also prevented Ghana, in the first World Cup to be held in Africa, from becoming the first African team to reach the World Cup semi-finals. A memorable game for many reasons.

The one moment in football you would put on a DVD?

I could spend the better part of a week answering this question. And we could probably have a great debate on it. So many incredible performances by so many great players. And let’s not forget the women’s game. There are some memorable moments and some fantastic athletes there as well. So as not to be predictable and cliché, I will pick a moment I witnessed – and have not forgotten – yet one many world football fans are probably not aware of. I’ll go with Giovani Dos Santos’ physics-defying goal for Mexico against U.S. keeper Tim Howard in the 2011 Gold Cup final. It was the clinching goal in a 4-2 win and Dos Santos’ skills defy description. He left-footed the ball into a spot so small…do yourself a favor and Google it.

Best stadium?

I’ll use the same excuse as before..limited sample size. But Old Trafford has to be on the list for the history. I liked Ethiad a lot (a picture I took there this winter is the screen saver on my cell phone). Some of the new stadiums in Mexico, such as Chivas’ in Guadalajara, are nice. So are the newer Major League Soccer stadiums which are soccer-specific, though they are much smaller than the big facilities in Europe. After seeing the men’s and women’s 2012 Olympic finals, which both drew more than 80,000 rabid fans, I’ll go with Wembley as the best stadium I’ve been to.

…and the worst?

I have to distinguish between big, historic stadiums and smaller, less well known ones. The stadium in Tijuana, Mexico, for example needs a lot of work. But among the large, world-class, World Cup-type facilities I would have to say the Azteca in Mexico City is the worst I’ve been to.

Biggest mistake?

Not becoming passionate about the game earlier.

Have you ever been mistaken for anyone else?

Thankfully for the other person, no.

Most media friendly manager?

By and large, I believe American coaches are more media friendly — largely because they are still trying to grow the sport here. So I’ll pick two Americans – Bruce Arena of the L.A. Galaxy and late of U.S. national team and Dominic Kinnear of the Houston Dynamo – and a Swede, Pia Sundhage, former coach of the U.S. women’s team

Best ever player?

I know this will anger the oldtimers, but anyone who says Lionel Messi is NOT the best player ever isn’t paying attention. He is simply outstanding. He is putting up numbers that will never be approached again

Best ever teams (club and international)?

If you are talking about history and not a finite time frame, it would have to be the Brazil national team. As for club teams, my wife, a diehard Manchester United fan, will object but I’ll take Real Madrid and its nine European Cup/Champions League titles

Best pre-match grub?

Wembley. Before a friendly between England and Mexico, May 2010

Best meal had on your travels?

Akbar’s in Manchester. Nothing has come close.

…and the worst?

The media food at any of the Olympic venus at London 2012. Sorry, London. Had a great time. The volunteers were unbelievable. But the food? Not so much.

Best hotel stayed in?

Marriott on La Reforma in Mexico City

…and the worst?

I’ll keep the name to myself. But know who you are, you Durban South African hotel.

Favourite football writer?

I’ll stick with judging my comrades in the States and go with Steve Goff of the Washington Post.

Favourite radio/TV commentator?

Andres Canto (Spanish) of Telemundo, one of NBC Universal’s networks.

If you could introduce one change to improve PR between football clubs and football writers what would it be?

More access to the players. That’s not really been a problem in the States and as a result we’ve been able to present a human side to our players that has helped draw fans to the game. Access to players is limited in Europe and largely non-existent in Latin America. As a result I think players come across as one-dimensional football robots. It is also a big reason there’s so much rumor-mongering and gossip. If you can’t ask the player a question and get a decent answer, some writers tend to make up the answers themselves

One sporting event outside football you would love to experience?

I have to say I’ve been fortunate to cover just about everything anyone could dream of. Two Olympics, Pan American Games, a World Cup. Is there anything else out there? [Cricket? – Ed].

Last book read?

This will make no sense to anyone outside the U.S. but it was Ozzie’s School of Management: Lessons from the Dugout, the Clubhouse, and the Doghouse About U.S. baseball manager Ozzie Guillen.

Favourite current TV programme?

Family Guy.

Your most prized football memorabilia?

A Manchester City jersey (my wife picks my Manchester United shirt).

Advice to anyone coming into the football media world?

Learn the game, of course but additionally learn a foreign language. This is a real problem for most U.S. writers who know only English. Unlike in Europe, few Americans speak multiple languages. And then you run into footballers like former Chelsea and Tottenham keeper Carlo Cudicini, who has learned four languages primarily because of football. Or Jürgen Klinsmann and Pia Sundhage who both speak several and you begin to realize language is the key to truly understanding the culture that produces the different styles of football in Latin America, Italy, Spain, Germany and the UK.

NEXT WEEK: The Q&A’s world tour continues and catches up with Tim Vickery in Brazil.

MINTO’S DREAM JOB – WITH THE ULTIMATE CLASICO TO COME AT WEMBLEY?

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By CHRISTOPHER DAVIES

SCOTT MINTO is living the dream. To be the presenter of Sky Sports’ coverage of Spanish football at a time when Barcelona have come within touching distance of perfection, their rivalry with Real Madrid has reached new heights and the national team rules Europe and the world is as good as it gets.

Minto has a great job – he is reluctant to call it work – and it is the reward for his dedication when, after 17 years as lively left-back for Charlton, Chelsea, Benfica, West Ham and Rotherham, the sands of time caught up with him.

“I was injured as lot during my last year at Rotherham and at 35 I knew it was time to quit,” Minto told footballwriters.co.uk. He contacted Pete Stevens of Radio London – the pair had worked together covering games – and asked if there was a chance of work on a more permanent basis.

Minto was living in Sheffield and was assigned to cover London clubs playing in the north for the station. Eager to learn as much as he could about his potential new career he took up the offer from Lawrie Madden, who played over 300 games for Charlton and Sheffield Wednesday before becoming part of the Daily Telegraph’s football coverage.

“Lawrie told me about a journalism course for players and ex-players. While things were going well on the radio I didn’t want to be sitting around doing nothing. As a player I was a lazy sod, come home, feet up and watch TV. I wanted to stay in football, but not management so the two-year course was ideal.”

The studies were intense and left little time for being a couch potato – “how those players who were still active found time to do it I don’t know.”

In the meantime Minto had started to work for Chelsea TV and Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday. His first live game was Burnley v West Bromwich where he took his position “up with the gods” at Turf Moor. “I could hardly see the numbers on the stripes. In fact, I was so high I could hardly see the Burnley numbers. The first time Jeff Stelling came to me after a goal I was tongue-tied. ‘Yes it’s a goal from a free-kick, I mean goal-kick, no corner…’ Driving home I thought to myself it wasn’t meant to be.”

But Sky Sports saw potential in Minto and persevered with him. .” In 2008 Minto graduated from Staffordshire University with a degree in Professional Sports Writing and Broadcasting. The course taught him, among other things, how to write match reports and to assess what the best story-line was. Minto was given work by the London Evening Standard until budget cuts forced belt-tightening.

“Rather than speak to someone and they put it into my words I wanted to write it myself. I was completely different to how I was as a player. I didn’t need to work on my mind then, but when I retired and the physical work ended I found I was happy to put pressure on myself mentally. I’m glad I did the course and I am where I am now because of this.”

Minto’s big break came in September 2011 when Sky Sports decided not to renew the contract of Mark Bolton who had presented their Spanish football coverage. Producers at Sky’s headquarters in Isleworth had watched Minto presenting shows on Chelsea TV and Al Jazeera and were impressed with his calm authority.

With a young daughter plus twins on the way – all three are still under the age of three – Minto knew accepting the job meant the demands on his time would be immense. He also knew it was an offer he could not refuse.

While he is fluent in Spanish – he has a Colombian wife – his language skills were not a consideration. He said: “Though it helps being able to talk to Rafa Benitez, Albert Ferrer, Marcelino, Gaizka Mendieta and other Spanish guests in their language off air, the shows are all in English.”

Minto has grown into his role, at ease with live coverage where, as a presenter talks to the camera, the producer can be chatting to him via his earpiece. “They may be saying ‘keep going, we can’t go to that replay yet’ or ‘hurry up we have to go to a break.’

“I was talking to a famous presenter recently and he told me the first time he did a live show he said on air ‘yes I know, I know’ as the producer spoke to him.”

La Liga games on Saturday and Sunday show the best of Spanish football with Revista de la Liga on Tuesday a look-back at the weekend’s action alongside Guillem Balague, Graham Hunter and Terry Gibson [Minto is pictured with Mendieta and Balague, courtesy of Sky Sports].

“In some ways Revista can be more manic than a live game because there is so much to cram in. I’ll chat to producer Mark Payne the day before about the schedule. I am passionate about Spanish football and I hope that comes across.

“I think Spain have the best two teams, certainly the best two players, arguably the best five players in the world. But when it comes to the organisation it can be shocking. Often we have only two weeks’ notice about when a game will be played. Our pundits say such things are so much more professional in England.”

Games involving Barcelona and Real Madrid rarely disappoint and the clasico head-to-heads between Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola were like Hollywood productions. “I watched every second of every clasico, even before I was offered the job. For me, the most glamorous club game in world football has always been Barcelona versus Real Madrid. They seem to play each other more than they used to, but I absolutely love it…I loved watching the games and now presenting them.

“The matches are never dull. It’s the same even if they play Granada or Deportivo…there is always something to talk about.”

Minto’s passion did not extend to the extreme of his brother-in-law. “He is a massive Barcelona fan and they’ve just had a baby boy. He texted me last Tuesday to say they want to call him Lionel.”

That night Minto saw Barcelona’s brilliant, breathtaking 4-0 victory over AC Milan on a boat with the London-based Barca fan club. He watched the game again at home, savouring every moment. “I needed to confirm what I thought at the time and that was it was one of the best performances in the history of football. I have nothing but admiration for players and teams under immense pressure not just producing the goods, but then some. In Barcelona’s case some people were almost writing them off to the point those critics wanted them to lose so they would be proved right.

“It was one of the few occasions where Barcelona were the underdogs to go through, yet the way they started and continued was Barca at their absolute best.”

A Barcelona versus Real Madrid Champions League final is still a possibility as the clubs were kept apart in the draw for the quarter-finals. For Minto and millions of others, Wembley would be host for the ultimate clasico.