A Scotsman and a Dutchman react to the news that Roy Hodgson is the new England manager
As England have decided to continue to fail miserably with the appointment of Roy Hodgson, we have decided to bring up this post (originally blogged on April 8th this year).
To compare...
Fabio Capello managed Juventus, Roma, Real Madrid, AC Milan and England. In that time he has won 7 Serie A titles, 2 La Primera Liga titles, 4 Supercoppa Italiano titles, 1 European Super Cup and 1 UEFA Champions League title. In 603 matches as a manager, Capello has lost just 89 - he has only lost 25 matches in the last decade.
The only consequential tournament won by Hodgson in the last 23 years is the Danish Superliga in 2000/01.
You were warned...
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So Roy Hodgson wants the England job: "I could quite easily say there should be a clause in the [West Brom] contract that, if someone else wants me, compensation can be agreed."
This is not a good idea for England...
... it is only marginally better than appointing 'Onest 'Arry to the post.
When you appoint Hodgson, you get John Colquhoun too - Colquhoun has been the club agent to Hodgson at Fulham, Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion.
Colquhoun has been in this position once before when he was agent for Steve McClaren when the talentless one was manager of England.
Players represented by Colquhoun were shamelessly promoted onto the international stage - there were matches, for example, where all three goalkeepers in the squad were on the books of Colquhoun (David James, Chris Kirkland and Scott Carson) - whether this was a good idea when Mr Colquhoun is a professional gambler is a moot point.
England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 through a mistake by Carson under the watchful gaze of Wally Brolly Man. But the real idiocy preventing qualification came in the arrangement of a friendly match in Austria just four days earlier. This was needless and tiring although it did provide one benefit - Michael Owen, the man with the Timeform Squiggle, was injured and missed the Croatia farce.
Bookmakers close to the Colquhoun Set Up were trading on a draw at Wembley. The Three Lions only needed a draw to qualify and there was huge patriotic mug money on the England win.
Playing with the markets cost England a place in the finals.
And Colquhoun is Scottish! He already has a similar arrangement with Craig Levein, the Scottish manager, resulting in the promotion of more of his clients onto the international stage - for example, James Morrison.
Stuart Pearce might have his managerial limitations but he is not corrupt...
... and in a world where Football is Fixed, that is as much as one can expect of your manager.
But...
One England squad, three goalkeepers on Key Sports' books, one manager on Key Sports' books and an agent with a propensity for insider trading...
What a weird fluke!
