In his exclusive column for CaughtOffside, former Aston Villa and Liverpool attacker Stan Collymore discusses some of football’s biggest talking points, including that Nottingham Forest social media post, Liverpool’s next manager and reaction to reports several top-flight players are preparing to come out as gay, plus much more.
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Think it through next time, Forest
I’m a proud former Nottingham Forest player who, for the 150th anniversary of England’s third oldest club, was inducted by season ticket holders and members into Forest’s greatest-ever XI., and that is something I am incredibly proud of.
So, when I saw the initial tweet from the club, I genuinely wondered if it was real or if someone had faked it because the tone and rashness of its timing worried me. It didn’t excite me like it did a thousand social media keyboard warriors who were shouting: “GO FOREST, ON BEHALF OF FOOTBALL!”
It’s worrying because I know how football works, and that is like most industries — by protocols, discussion, and solutions. If you read that post about the wrongdoing of your company after your shift, you’d better make damn sure HR are onside and your case is strong, otherwise, you’re in trouble — that’s all I worry about, Forest getting in trouble.
All clubs are unhappy with decisions, all are frustrated as hell with VAR and the slowness, the inconsistencies and to be honest I wish we could get rid of it for good. But the FA and Premier League, both as global brands, cannot, nor will they. Why? — Because it burns a fire for conspiracy theories and wears down the trust between fan and game.
In this case, regardless of whether you thought Forest should have had one, two, three or no penalties against Everton, the perceived questioning of a man none of us know, is wrong. Just plain wrong.
Forest fans back their club, and owner, and that’s fine, I wouldn’t expect anything less. But when the dust settles and the million fan sites and wannabes on social media, most of whom can’t be arsed to act on issues regarding their own clubs fall away, Forest are left with their magnificent support, a feisty owner and a conflict with the league and governing body — something they can ill afford.
I just wish them well and hope they realise that behind-the-scenes diplomacy, something the other 19 clubs manage, is better than shooting from the hip.
Liverpool’s pursuit of Arne Slot is a major worry
Is anyone else slightly concerned at the quality of the names being bandied around for Liverpool and Manchester United simultaneously?
Just as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are about to exit the world stage with no real threat to their legacies, the fact that England’s two biggest clubs may have gone to a poor Ereidvisie for their coaches is slightly concerning in my opinion. Where are all the Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola revolutionaries that mix tactical nouse with personality?
Arne Slot doesn’t have the X factor that Klopp brought with him into Liverpool, and of course he doesn’t have the trophy haul Mourinho and Guardiola had when they arrived in England, so it’s a bit of a worry.
However, on the plus side, it could mean good news for English managers. Gary O’Neil was rumoured to be on Liverpool’s radar, Gareth Southgate on Manchester United’s, Eddie Howe has a plum job at Newcastle United, so could see the return of the English manager to the top English clubs in the coming seasons? — I think so.
Spending cap is an invite for the ‘big six’ to complain
Some reports suggest that Premier League clubs will vote very soon on a “hard” spend cap that would see clubs able to spend only five times the commercial and broadcast income of the lowest club. In theory that could be anything between 5 and 6 hundred million pounds per season so it’s hardly going to leave the big boys as paupers.
However, what it may do is cool down a ridiculous and overheated transfer marker and create a more competitive environment.
All in all, I’m in favour, but I’d be surprised if the big boys will nibble on it — Why? — Because they’ll simply say that it puts them at a competitive disadvantage to leagues where a cap isn’t implemented. You mean like the Bundesliga? – Where they’ll probably have five clubs in the Champions League and a Europa League winning side…. Do me a favour.
Coming out in Germany
Recent reports suggest several players in Germany, some together as couples, are going to come out as openly gay in the coming weeks.
I can almost hear the: “Why should we have to have sexuality rammed down our throats?” comments from the less than bright. Well, it’s simple, isn’t it?
In the same way that black players in the 1970’s were routinely overlooked, not played and seen as exotic luxuries who could only play in the early or late season because they “may not adapt to the cold” despite being born and bred in England, the same can be said of today’s game and how it views gay people.
The “the game has gone soft” and “it’s a game for hard men” rhetoric has gone forever while we continue to ignore the elephant in the room…
That elephant is that the number of gay men in society doesn’t add up in football, indeed, there are no openly gay men in the Premier League, yet there must be. Think about it — it’s a statistical anomaly of unheard of proportions if there aren’t, so we need, like black players, the disabled, women and diverse communities representation to now encourage one of the final walls of machismo in the game to fall.
I look forward to the day when the best player in the world and his partner, whatever gender they may be, can walk from a stadium, hand in hand or share photographs of them holding the Champions League and/or World Cup on social media together.. And, may I add, as a straight man, I’m all here for it!
Chelsea must stick with Mauricio Pochettino
Should Chelsea sack him? — No. Why? — Because he has a proven track record of making players, especially young ones, better.
Everyone has weighed in on him after the 5-0 Arsenal humiliation without realising that in Cole Palmer, Pochettino has turned a bit part player, and rookie no less, into a 20 goal a season finisher. Poor coaches can’t manage that folks.
Todd Boehly and co, yes, reckless overspending and the very basic approach of “get them young on long contracts“ just hasn’t worked in the Premier League. So in the absence of sacking Boehly, Chelsea will be left with hire-and-fire for the next decade unless calm prevails, humble pie is eaten, lessons are learned and a little patience reigns.
Mark my words… Pochettino WILL make Chelsea competitive, but this surgery is deep, long and messy.