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I have to admit to mixed feelings when I heard that Harry Redknapp had been arrested on corruption charges.  The official line at the moment is that he is helping the police with the enquiries and isn’t implicated in any way, but if he was just “helping” then he wouldn’t have been arrested would he?  Surely they would have taken him in for questioning?

However, assuming he doesn’t get sent down at some point in the future or banned from football all together, it could prove to be good new for the Blue Army.

Redknapp is the current English front runner for the vacant England manager’s post, and although I think he would do a good job, I would be worried about what might happen at Fratton Park.  History shows that when smaller clubs with a reasonable team and good manager lose that manager the wheels come off.  Look at Charlton and Alan Curbishley and more recently Bolton and Big Sam.

If any mud sticks to Harry after this then it might mean the FA strike him off their list of possibles.  Bad news for Harry who says it would be his “dream job” but good news for Pompey.

Do I think he could do a decent job as England manager?  Yes I do.  Players at the top level dont need a superb tactician and coach - what they need is a good motivator and somebody who understands the way they think, and the English game, in order to get the best out of them.  Harry has proved he is influential in the dressing room, something which McClaren clearly wasn’t.  With the right person in charge the players should be able to play with confidence and self belief whatever the situation, system or pressure.

There aren’t too many sports that still allow the bloke that goes to the pub with you, to go through a few rounds of qualifying and end up on TV playing and beating some of the worlds top players, while earning the best part of a years salary.  Darts is one of them though.

Last weeks Grand Slam of Dart on ITV4, showed it can still be done.  Unknown Geordie lad Kevin McDine did just that getting all the way to the semi-final, thrashing Jelle Klaasen (a former World Champion) 10-3 in the quarter final. 

It was not only his first time in a major tournament, but his first time playing in front of a huge and boisterous (some would say drunk and a little out of order) crowd, and his first time in TV. But none of this seemed to phase the 22 year old. 

Unfortunately  I missed the semi-final but it sounded like an epic going all the way to the wire with McDine finally cracking under the pressure and miscalculating, hitting a 15 instead of a 10 and leaving himself without a finish. 

Still I’ve seen enough and I’m no expert admittedly, to see that he has the ability to go all the way. His throwing style is very relaxed and he looked totally at home in the atmosphere, so no doubt we will see plenty more of him.

Phil Taylor went on to take the £80k first prize and the title, which will put him in good stead for the PDC World Chamipionship over Christmas and a rematch hopefully with Barney in the final!

Ok so my last post was a little tongue in cheek, but although I didn’t seriously expect England to go on and win Euro 2008, I DID expect them to qualify, as did virtually everybody else.

I knew it wouldn’t be easy and that the Croatians would have a go at us rather than sit back, but I still thought we would manage a draw, although it might have been better had Russia not lost against Israel so that we would have HAD to win.  History shows that when we try and play for a draw we cock it up.

There will be a few million words written about the issues and the game itself but I may as well add my two penneth.

England as I see it are like a mid table Premier League side.  When everybody is fully fit they would qualify for Europe and might even be a top 4 side, but they simply don’t have the depth in squad when a few key players are injured. 

People will blame the formation but truly world class players can adapt to any system, whereas we have proved time and again that is not the case.

People will blame the selection of poor old Scott Carson - I was a little dumbfounded as well and almost posted yesterday questioning the decision but didn’t want to be negative.  As it turned out it was a fatal decision not only for McClaren but for Carson himself.  It will take some getting over that’s for sure.  McClaren/Clemence must have been confident in him but the facts are he has only played 53 Premiership games, is only 22 and would have never experienced pressure like he did last night, which would have been exacerbated by the conditions.

I’m not Calamity James’ biggest fan and Robinson is lacking confidence but both have miles more experience than Carson.  In big games like last night you need experience.  Carson could have been played in over a few friendlies before Euro 2008 if it is felt he is the next number one.

Many people are talking about passion (or lack of it). The problem was not lack of passion but more big night nerves.  For that the management team need to take some responsiblity as do the media, but sometimes there is nothing that can be done.  

I’ve played in a few finals over the years at different levels although nowhere near the international stage it has to be said. The feelings are the same though whatever the level - its all relative.  Sometimes you wake up and are ready to go but on others you just dont feel right.  Its impossible to put a finger on it but your body just wont respond no matter what you try and do to relax.  This is the same in all sports - look at sprinters, who sometimes just cannot get out of the blocks in the big final.

The pressure on last nights game was immense, caused mostly by the failure to take chances in other games, but alos by the media.  Defeat and you will be ridiculed, win and they will say you were lucky or it was expected.

I have some sympathy for McClaren - look at the chances that have been spurned in this campaign - firstly against Andorra, then Richard, and Gerrard against Russia.  Then there was the Rooney penalty that never was against Russia.  Yes they were given a second chance by Israel, but they would have been home and hosed well before then if they had taken the chances in other matches.  

The manager cannot be blamed for missed chances or poor decisions by the officials - if he selects a team which creates the chances surely he has done his bit?.  At some stage the players have to perform don’t they?

However, when all is said and done, McClaren has paid the ultimate penalty and no matter what every England fan felt watching the match, imagine what he must have felt knowing what defeat would mean.

In fairness England started as brightly as they have for a long time, but once the first goal went in there was complete and utter shock/panic - had Wright-Phillips actually stuck his chance away then it might have been different. 

Anyway, that’s the summer ruined.  I might go and sell my tv and if Morinho gets the job I might go and watch netball.

Remarkably England have been given a “get out of jail free card” by their close friends Israel.  Allegedly inspired by some tabloid journalism (which was either an attempt to sell newspapers or a clever mind game - I know where my money is), Israel managed to beat Russia and give England a chance of reaching Euro 2008.  A chance that they probably don’t deserve but will hopefully grab with both hands or at least one foot.

Supposing they don’t throw it away and get the minimum draw that is required to qualify, then go on and actually fulfil their potential and win Euro 2008.  Where will all the “boo boys” be then?  My bet is they will be at the front of the queue requesting McClaren be knighted and the entire squad are given MBE’s as a minimum.  I guess the point I am making is that the media and the average football fan is so fickle as to do a complete 180 degree turn on the basis of a couple of matches.

Cast your mind back to Bobby Robson and the lead up to the 1990 World Cup campaign.  He survived many a shout for his head from the media and we only just qualified for the Finals and then only just qualified for the knock out stage.  However, we reached the semi-final before predictably losing 4-3 to the Germans on penalties.  The media then called for Robson to stay on for another 4 years - an offer which he unsurprsingly refused, and later went on to become “Sir” Bobby.  I wonder if he had taken the offer and later been sacked if he would have achieved the same honour.

I would have been happier if Israel had actually drawn and left England needing a win - we are at our most vulnerable it seems when we try and defend and become over cautions.  The good news though is all the injuries we have.  The last time all of the big names were injured and he was forced into playing the B list players we were great! 

After the near misses of the F1 World Championship and the Rugby World Cup, finally we have had a weekend to be proud of.  I’m not just talking about Portsmouth’s demolition of Newcastle this weekend (incidentally a result, which puts them in the Champions League spot), but the wins of Justin Rose, Paula Radcliffe and Joe Calzaghe.

Joe Calzaghe was the first to win, defending his Super Middle Weight title successfully against the Dane Mikel Kessler.  This fight was not a full gone conclusion and Calzaghe was hit with some good shots and rocked a couple of times, but ultimately his guts, determination, stamina and ability to adapt got him through.  He is now eyeing up a step up to light heavy weight after defending his title an amazing 21 times. 

Then came Paula Radcliffe, who won a close run London Martathon on Sunday.  The win itself is remarkable enough and something to be proud of, but considering she gave birth to her daughter Isla just 10 months ago, it is made even more remarkable. 

And then Sunday afternoon up stepped Justin Rose in the Volvo Masters, knowing that a win would also give him the European Order of Merit Title.  He seemed to be coasting 4 shots clear until the 11th, where he made a double bogey, and then went on to drop 2 more shots in the next 3 holes.  This was compounded when Graeme McDowell produced an Albatross 2 at the 17th to show that anyone of 5 could potentially win.  However, it was the 18th hole at Valerama, which once again gave us the drama, with the top 3 (Rose, Dyson and Kjeldson) all taking bogeys, and going into a 3-way play off.  With Padraig Harrington finishing 2 shots down in 4th, it meant that Rose was assured the Order of Merit title and this seemed to relax him enough to go on and win the play off with a 12 foot putt.

The timing for all three couldn’t be better in terms of spot lighting their sports with the Sports Personality of the Year Award coming up in December.  All should be in contention along with Lewis Hamilton, and of course Jonny Wilkinson. Let’s hope it does go to one of the “smaller” sports and for somebody who actually won something rather than just came close.  Britain needs to celebrate winners rather than the “nearly men”.