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The Fiver | Welsh tiki-taka; and social networks | Jacob Steinberg and Simon Burnton
RODGERS AND IN
Well #talktorafa turned out to be the roaring success we all suspected it would be, because after initially failing to understand that Pep Guardiola was serious about taking that sabbatical, Liverpool have a new manager. #hoorayforrafa! #backwherehebelongs! #unfinishedbusiness! Eh? Oh. Well he's always got his website. No, instead of talking to Rafa, Liverpool have nabbed Brendan Rodgers from Swansea ? or "the fella who nicked me job" as Benitez might put it ? in a bid to make their football all about pass and move again.
In the end, it was a relatively painless process. In the wake of Kenny Dalglish's sacking, there were worrying signs about Liverpool's ability to understand basic Catalan when they took Guardiola's comments about wanting a break from football as a come and get me plea. Jurgen Klopp wasn't interested in leaving the German champions for the chance to work with Jay Spearing. Giving Roberto Martinez the job seemed like a good idea, although one of the conditions was making Dave Whelan their press officer.
That was too high a price to pay, so Rodgers it is, Swansea allowing the man who took them to 11th place in the Premier League while playing a sparkling brand of Welsh tiki-taka to leave with the minimum amount of fuss. Rodgers' Swansea were praised to the heavens last season for the way such a diminutive side held on to possession, beating Arsenal, Manchester City and, er, Liverpool along the way. Now Liverpool hope he can implement a similarly idealistic style at Anfield, after years of stultifying fare under Ged Houllier and Benitez, a situation only briefly enlivened by King Kenny's Komedy stylings last season. Although how easy Rodgers will find it to get $tevie Mbe to opt for a simple five-yard pass when there's a corner flag to be effortlessly picked out 60 yards away remains to be seen.
To that end, the club's owners have acknowledged the difficulty of the task ahead. "We do not expect miracles overnight and nor should anyone else," said John Dubya Henry upon his new manager's unveiling at Anfield, the American downplaying expectations and then immediately contradicting himself by insisting that Liverpool are on the right course to win the Premier League sooner rather than later. At least Rodgers is up for the challenge. "I promise to dedicate my life to fight for this club and defend the great principles of Liverpool football club on and off the field," he roared, wearing a bandana around his head and clutching an AK47.
For a while, it seemed as if Liverpool would never appoint a new manager, but Rodgers claimed that this was too good a chance to turn down. "Once I had found out I was the No1 target from the important people at Liverpool it was quite an easy decision," he continued, inadvertently revealing that it was actually the good people at Spirit of Shankly who offered him the job, not FSG.
Some might have doubts about Rodgers' ability to work with big players, pointing to the epic shambles Mr Roy managed to create during his ill-fated spell. Rodgers has a riposte to that though. "At Chelsea I had experience of working with big players," he said; good news for Andy Carroll then. How he goes about his task is sure to be intriguing. For starters, out of respect for his former employers, Rodgers has promised not to buy any Swansea player for 12 months and as a further gesture of goodwill, perhaps he could also send them Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson for a combined �8.27.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"I am very good at roller skating. When I have got it into my head that I want to do something then I do it. I don't walk around with doubt in my head ? If I decide that something is going to happen, then it will happen" ? ladies and gentlemen, self-confidence's Nicklas Bendtner.
AND HERE COME THE BELGIANS
It is precisely and exactly a single calendar month since Roy Hodgson was appointed England manager. In that time he has ummed, he has aahed, he has pondered long and hard, but with the European Championship just days away the time for thought is over. Now is the time for action.
The action required immediately, to be absolutely specific about it, is to pick a team to face Belgium in tomorrow's sell-out Wembley friendly. This isn't a lot of action, and comes a full week after he last had to combine pen and teamsheet with selective intent. The bad news is that as of this afternoon Hodgson had decided upon just seven of his starting XI. In other words, since he last had to choose players he has been choosing players at the rate of one player per day, at which rate he'll be able to name a full team next Tuesday.
Asked at a press conference to name who will line up against the Belgians, Hodgson swiftly named Scott Parker and $tevie Mbe. After that, he was struggling. "We'll change the back four and the goalkeeper, of course," he admitted, before revealing that he was wrestling with "the problem of what players we use in the wide areas and up front".
Meanwhile after Spain's squad were unilaterally banned from all social networks for the duration of the European Championship, Mbe announced that England's players have "been told not to be tweeting anything unnecessary". This of course still allows them to tweet anything necessary, though if pressed into absolutely essential communication they may find that a phone call remains the best way to reach the emergency services, even in this age of globally popular microblogging services. Besides, the theoretical possibility of a truly necessary tweet is one that would flummox the finest philosopher, and while the Fiver isn't keen on demeaning the nation's top footballers the possibility of the England team nailing that one when they still haven't figured out what to do with Theo Walcott would seem remote at best. And anyway, the time for thought is over ? now is the time for action. Over to you, Roy.
FIVER LETTERS
"With his time at Wycombe, Norwich and now the mooted move to Aston Villa, I can only assume that Paul Lambert is some sort of Martin O'Neill tribute act. Does this mean we can expect to see his erudite opinions mocked by tight trousered goons on State Broadcaster's coverage of the Euros this summer?" ? Chris Low.
"Thanks for the important news about Manchester United's new car sponsor (yesterday's bits and bobs). Was the reason no brand was mentioned a standard practice to avoid free advertising, or did the manufacturer request anonymity to try and avert a boycott?" ? Andrew Hodkin.
"Simon Cherry ask for tips on how 'to tell when Jordan Henderson is on the pitch' (yesterday's Fiver letters). Well, as a Liverpool supporter I have had practice in this and have come up with this technique, which is simply to take note which part of midfield: a) provides England absolutely no attacking impetus; and b) allows England's opposition the ability to repeatedly stroll through unfettered by any meaningful defensive obstruction. That is where you will find Mr Henderson 'plying' his trade. It worked a treat for me" ? Don Callum.
"I read with interest that Capital One will be the new League Cup sponsors. With interest!" ? Graham Haslam.
Send your letters to the.boss@guardian.co.uk. And if you've nothing better to do you can also tweet the Fiver.
BITS AND BOBS
FFP fans Chelsea have agreed a �38m fee with Porto for Brazil forward Hulk.
Ledley King and his knacked knees are discussing the possibility of a new contract with Spurs. "If I can't play here then I shall look to be involved in another capacity," he parped.
Italy coach Cesare Prandelli insists the Azzurri will withdraw from Euro 2012 if they are asked to do so for the good of the game, in the wake of match-fixing allegations. "There are things that I believe are more important," said Prandelli as Republic O'Ireland officials prepped a carefully worded letter.
And the Democratic Republic of Congo have suffered a blow ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Cameroon after eight players failed to show up for the game.
STILL WANT MORE?
Half a dozen memorable moments from European Championships past feature in this week's lovely Joy of Six.
The Republic O'Ireland star in the latest of our potted football history animations.
Proper Journalist David Conn has discovered that Liverpool are planning to ditch a new stadium in favour of expanding Anfield. Here's his story.
And what is the best XI of Premier League free agents out there this summer? Louise Taylor investigates.
SIGN UP TO THE FIVER
JUBILEE YOU SAY? SEE YOU WEDNESDAY THEN
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jun/01/the-fiver-liverpool-brendan-rodgers-england
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Let's enjoy Euro 2012, together, in Poland and Ukraine | Donald Tusk
As prime minister, I know Poland has spared no efforts to guarantee an unforgettable football festival in welcoming cities
In a week from now, the National Stadium in Warsaw will resound to the first whistle of the first match of Euro 2012.
Europe's best football teams will compete against each other. My heart, like the hearts of most of my compatriots, will cheer for the Polish squad. Nevertheless, I expect deep sporting emotions at every match and I hope to share them with you ? fans of football from all over Europe.
Whether you drive to Poland, fly to Poland or come by rail to Poland ? we are waiting to welcome each one of you here. We have spared no efforts to guarantee you an unforgettable football festival, to be enjoyed in a fantastic atmosphere and the most comfortable of conditions.
For the last five years, like the rest of the world, we have been coping with the economic crisis. Despite this challenge, we have invested billions of euros in modernising our infrastructure. New stadiums are waiting for you in Warsaw, Pozna?, Gda?sk and Wroc?aw. Maybe it is not for us to boast, but many people have said that the new facilities are some of the most modern in the world.
Poland has made tremendous progress in her development. Two decades ago, we were a poor post-communist country on Europe's eastern frontier. Today we are the country that has averted recession during the recent turmoil and become the biggest construction site in the European Union. I invite you to see for yourselves the scale of change that our country has undergone.
And there are many more reasons to visit Poland. Apart from our legendary Polish hospitality, you can discover many attractions that are still off the beaten tourist track: the Great Masurian Lake District; the Bia?owie?a primeval forest, unique in the EU; Wroc?aw, with its bridges and canals; vibrant and modern Warsaw; the 1,000-year-old Cathedral Island and the Renaissance city hall in Poznan; and Gda?sk ? a pearl of Hanseatic architecture. These are just a few examples of many places worth seeing.
Most football teams competing in the championship have chosen Poland for their base camps. This is no accident. We have prepared an internet site to help you find your way around our country. By visiting www.polishguide2012.pl, with just a few clicks you can create your own travel itinerary for your stay in Poland. This internet guide will also be available to download as an application on your mobile phone.
I am aware that many of you may be concerned about the situation in Ukraine, which co-hosts Euro 2012 with us. So let me recall something: Yulia Tymoshenko went to great lengths to enable Ukraine and Poland to co-host the tournament. I am confident that, despite all the current problems, she would not want her great efforts to go to waste. Euro 2012 is organised for football fans, not for politicians whose presence in stadiums is unnecessary. However, politicians should use their best efforts to ensure that ordinary Ukrainians are not punished for the difficult situation their former prime minister now faces. After all, Euro 2012 is also their celebration.
British media have recently raised the issue of racism among Polish football fans. As yet, no European country has been able to fully eradicate the problem of racism. We in Poland are also combating this phenomenon, which is neither greater nor smaller than in other European Union countries.
Almost half a million UK citizens come to Poland every year. Many of them relax in Poland in an extremely easy-going manner. They are always greeted with much hospitality. For at least three years, not a single racially motivated incident has been reported by British tourists. With all certainty, everyone who visits Poland during Euro 2012 will feel safe in our country.
With this in mind, do not think twice about coming over to support your team and enjoying Euro 2012 to the full. We are waiting for your arrival.
? Follow Comment is free on Twitter @commentisfree
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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jun/01/euro-2012-poland-ukraine-donald-tusk
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