Should referees get punished too?

THE MEN in black have recently been the topic of much discussion, as Egypt launched an appeal after the referee awarded a controversial late penalty which Kaka converted to ensure a win for the Samba Boys.

The referee was alleged to have been influenced by the fifth official, who was watching television replays. This is not allowed under the rules.

And last night, Didier Drogba was handed a six-game ban while Chelsea teammate Jose Bosingwa received a four-game ban for their behaviour during the 4-4 draw with Barcelona in last season’s second-leg Champions League semi-final. The London club was also fined £85,000 for failing to control its players too.

While referees who foul up are generally “punished” by relegating them to lower league games, or suspended from duties for a period of time, is such punishment fair, considering what clubs and players get when they foul up?

Should referees get more than just a mere slap on the hand when they make wrong decisions which drastically changes the texture of the match?

Where should Ribery go if he leaves Bayern?

MANCHESTER United has joined the race to land Frenchman Franck Ribery, said Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (read Soccernet story here).

The English champions have joined Chelsea and Barcelona with bids for Ribery, who is touted to be the next Zinedine Zidane, while Real Madrid are said to be interested in the player as well.

Although Rummenigge has insisted that Ribery will see out his contract at the German club, a big-money bid might persuade them to release ‘the jewel of French football’.

If Ribery does leave Bayern, which club is he most suitable for?

Can Man City do a Chelsea next season?

WITH Gareth Barry joining Robinho in the Eastlands and possibly Carlos Tevez on the way, Manchester City are starting to look the way of Chelsea at the start of the Roman Revolution just a few seasons back.

We all knew how that turned out didn’t we? Chelsea won the Premiership title for two seasons in a row under Jose Mourinho, with stars such as Arjen Robben, Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko (still considered a star at the time of signing at least).

The Citizens are attempting to flood their dressing room with the same embarrassment of riches in footballing talent this transfer season, although Mark Hughes is definitely no Mourinho, based on last season’s results.

Furthermore, the Blues were nearly there (i.e. already in the Big Four) when Claudio Ranieri in charge, Abramovich’s money and Mourinho’s managerial nous arguably proved to be the final boost needed for the London club to clinch their first Premiership title in 50 years.

City, however, do not have the same foundation to start with, finishing 10th in the league this season, even with additions such as Robinho and the return of Shaun Wright-Phillips.

But can City do one better than Chelsea and jump from mid-table mediocrity to the Big Four next season, with all the money available for big-money players and maybe even a new high-profile manager?

Transfer season: who will emerge the biggest winner in three-cornered ‘fight’?

THE transfer season has opened with a bang as Real Madrid looks to have claimed Kaka’s signature, with Chelsea launching a late and desperate bid.

Meanwhile, Manchester City has ‘stolen’ Gareth Barry from right under the noses of Liverpool, even though the Citizens are not even playing in the new Europa League, much less the Champions League football the England midfielder had previously said he craves.

The scene seems set for a three-corner battle among the cash-rich clubs Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid in the transfer market, making the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool look like paupers.

New Real president Florentino Perez is keen to revive his infamous Galacticos project at the Bernabeu, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Xabi Alonso in his crosshairs.

On the other hand, City are continuing their rebuilding, following last season’s influx of oil money from the Middle East. On top of Robinho and Barry, the club is hoping to persuade Carlos Tevez to defect to the blue side of Manchester, along with Everton’s Joleon Lescott.

And meantime in London, Roman Abramovich has once again loosened his purse strings for Carlo Ancelotti, in an attempt to revitalise his ageing squad to clinch the Champions League trophy that he so covets.

It will be an interesting three months of transfer activity ahead, as big money gets thrown around carelessly by these three clubs. The question is – which of these three will come up tops by the end August?

Can Ancelotti cut it at Chelsea?

Can Ancelotti make it at Chelsea, where fellow non-English speaking manager Luiz Felipe Scolari failed? (Picture: http://www.dirtytackle.net)

CARLO Ancelotti became the fifth manager to fill the Chelsea hotseat after the Russian Revolution when he signed up with the London club last night (Singapore time).

While the Italian comes with a huge reputation, one cannot help but wonder his credentials as a coach, having won one Serie A title and two Champions League titles in his eight seasons with Milan.

Furthermore, Ancelotti has a weak grasp of the English language, and had never managed a club in England before.

Does that sound a tad similar to a certain Luiz Felipe Scolari? We all know what happened to the Brazilian, don’t we?

Given the circumstances, and Roman Abramaovich’s famous impatience and intolerance to failure, do you think Ancelotti can cut it Chelsea?

Who is going down with West Brom?

THE title race may have sewn up last week when Manchester United retained the Premiership crown with a goal-less draw against Arsenal, but the excitement is far from over.

Sunderland, Hull, Middlesbrough and Newcastle are fighting tooth and nail to avoid being thrown into Championship football with West Brom, with two of the relegation places still “up for grabs”.

Not that any of them will have it easy on Sunday. Sunderland are facing Chelsea, while Newcastle face Aston Villa at Villa Park. Hull are hosting Manchester United at home while Middlesbrough arguably have the easiest fixture of all when they travel to Upton Park to face West Ham.

Which two teams do you think will be relegated after this weekend’s matches?

How to disrespect Gerrard and get away with it

THROUGHOUT his career, Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard has been known as a midfield dynamo who is not one to shy away from challenges.

You can hardly get away with disrespecting the newly-crowned football writers’ Player of the Year without being shown up by the Huyton native…not unless you’re just a little boy.

Check out this little Chelsea fan who had the cheek to turn his nose on the Liverpool captain in the players’ tunnel before the game between Chelsea and Liverpool. Hilarious.

Tevez: too little too late for United?

CARLOS Tevez has shown Manchester United once again what they could be missing if he really does leave Old Trafford this summer.

The diminutive striker scored a cheeky equaliser against Wigan on a night where the champions lacked inspiration and fluidity on a greasy pitch.

While Tevez had earlier publicly stated his love for the club and its fans, his recent outbursts have shown his frustration at not valued as a first-team player, nor as an essential player in the team, with his future hanging in the balance for months.

How frustrated had the Argentinian been? Well he has now gone to the extent of saying that he will not hesitate to move to bitter rivals Liverpool and Manchester City or Chelsea at the end of the season.

And now Sir Alex Ferguson has come out to say that he wants Tevez to stay, and the wheels of his permanent deal are set in motion after last night’s 2-1 win over Wigan.

But would it be too little, too late to make the Argentinian stay?

Drogba, Anelka or…

Will they continue to lead Chelsea’s forward line? (Picture: chickendinner.co.uk)

FIRST there was the debate on whether Nicolas Anelka can play upfront with Didier Drogba.

Since Guus Hiddink has taken over at Stamford Bridge, he seems to favour the Ivorian as the sole striker, bringing on Anelka in the second half when the chips are down or as a replacement for the burly Chelsea star.

Blues deserve expected UEFA backlash?

Understandable Rage? (Picture: Jon Super/AP)

AFTER all it is football and what a boring world it would be without passion.

But where do we draw the line? Didier Drogba looked to have crossed it and even Michael Ballack’s running and gesticulating after the referee during the game could be called into question. Surely though footballers are allowed to be human. With so much money and pride on the line, it would seem inhuman if the boys in blue walked off without so much as a whimper.

Now we await Tom Henning Ovrebo’s match report and the expected fines and suspensions that UEFA will mete out to Chelsea and their angry players on the night.

Given time you could expect Drogba, Ballack and Jose Bosingwa to regret their actions and put it down to everything seemingly going against them at home on a couple of crucial decisions. Also, it was not as though they kung-fu kicked anyone.

Do you think the Blues deserve the stick they are getting? Football is a game of passion and will the expected clamp down by UEFA possibly infringe on the human element in the game?