Four Four Two UK- September 2023

rTwo chats to key figures inside the club to discover their secret – from algorithms to clandestine spreadsheets... BRIGHTOn & HOVE ALBIOn

“WE TRY TO GET THE PLAYERS In BEFORE WE nEED THEM, nOT AFTER WE’VE SOLD SOMEBODY” and the Thursday-Sunday routine that has proved challenging for bigger clubs than us, who have played in Europe numerous times before. But it’s all part of the evolution of the club – we’ve got to be ready.” THE SEAGULLS GO GLOBAL The secret sauce is Bloom’s algorithm, which identifies personnel from around the globe who fit the needs of Brighton’s machine. The modelling is so widely coveted that the vast majority of the club’s own staff don’t have a working knowledge of it, nor access to the clandestine spreadsheet that lists the desired replacements for key individuals. Bloom is a stellar mathematician, and his philosophy follows the same formula that earned him his fortune as a professional gambler: picking out previously undervalued metrics which reveal the crucial ingredients that make clubs – and particular players or coaches – successful. That means Brighton’s recruitment team can spot emerging talent earlier than most of their rivals. Sometimes it leads them to markets very few know at all. The numbers don’t dictate signings; rather, they point the Seagulls in the right direction, so they can take a closer look at players who fit the right profile. Getting eyes on prospects is as important as it’s ever been, but the data helps to refine those player safaris so that scouting missions to far-flung locations are more likely to bear fruit. “A lot of work goes into that process of looking at players all over the world,” says Barber. “There are different leads, different clubs and different levels. The more data there is when it comes to recruiting that player or coach, the better, but there are certain markets around the world where the data is thinner than others. The data will be thinner in places where, for example, players have a longer education or don’t feature in as many league games. When we’re looking at players from those areas, we combine our research to make sure we’ve got plenty of eyes on scouting and character referencing, to build up a picture as best we can.” A list of the club’s acquistions in recent years shows the diversity of the talent pools they’re exploring. Alexis Mac Allister arrived directly from Argentina, Moises Caicedo from Ecuador, Kaoru Mitoma from Japan and Julio Enciso from Paraguay, while other gems were plucked from various less vaunted European leagues. It has resulted in a perception that wherever on Earth you go, you’re never more than a few miles away from a Brighton scout. Clockwise from below Bloom has played his hand – and Albion fans are all-in; hidden treasures Mitoma and Ferguson; Weir (right) has a key role; Enciso – this year’s star? sense of bemusement crept into the room as Paul Barber addressed Brighton & Hove Albion’s 300-strong workforce. The Seagulls’ chief executive had gathered his staff together to lay out his and owner Tony Bloom’s vision for the future on the south coast, and it wasn’t being met with universal agreement. Albion had just completed their first season back in the Championship, finishing a credible 10th in 2012, their highest league position in more than 20 years. But Barber wasn’t in any mood for backslapping and talk of consolidation. Instead, he was discussing what needed to be done for them to become an established Premier League side. It was a display of ambition that inspired some of the assembled group, although the headshaking and facial expressions among the cynics in the room suggested some felt the aim was a mere flight of fancy. Eleven years on, it has proved to be anything but. Now, the Seagulls are embarking upon their seventh successive Premier League campaign and preparing for their first ever experience of European football. Last term’s sixth-placed finish was the highest in the club’s history, earning them a spot in the group stage of the Europa League. This has been no overnight success story. As Barber’s speech in 2012 showed, Brighton have been attempting to break new ground for more than a decade. “It’s something the club has been aspiring to for a very long time,” Barber explains to FourFourTwo. “The first task was to set that vision for everybody; to communicate it and make it real for people, to make them feel as though it was a possibility and a likelihood. That meant looking at every area of the club in a lot of detail and trying to be Premier League-ready, way before we were anywhere near the Premier League.” What makes Brighton’s ascent even more impressive is that it hasn’t been achieved by simply splashing the cash. It has all been down to foresight. Back in the Championship, they prioritised the back office: implementing the most efficient ticketing systems, making sure that internal teams and facilities would be up to scratch for the big league. Today, the focus is on a succession plan for all key playing and non-playing staff, funnelling a seemingly endless conveyor belt of talent into the first team. “It’s about being prepared well before we need to be – I’m convinced that preparation before we got promoted was absolutely vital in giving us the best chance of staying up in the first season or two,” continues Barber. “We’ve been doing very similar things over the past 12 or 24 months, looking at whether we’re ready to play in Europe and what we need to improve, not just on the field but off it, too. The whole club is fully concentrated on continuous improvement. “European football presents a different test: the different volume of matches, the travel, 52 September 2023 FourFourTwo BRIGHTOn & HOVE ALBIOn

“The world is a huge place – people think we’ve got a massive resource and people on the ground all over the planet, but that’s not necessarily the case,” insists David Weir. The ex-Everton, Rangers and Scotland defender was hired as Brighton’s technical director last year, having previously worked as Mark Warburton’s No.2 at similarly recruitmentorientated Brentford, before switching to the Seagulls in 2019. “We have a small, efficient department and the club, in general, know what types of player we like: youngsters who can become what we want them to be. It’s definitely a strength to have a way of working and a streamlining tool that enables you to fish in a smaller pond, but it [Bloom’s algorithm] also allows us to act early, get on the ground and get things moving quickly.” That approach means that the need isn’t as great for regional scouts, as other clubs may employ, with Brighton’s scouting team divided by position rather than geographical location – a striker expert runs the rule over potential No.9s, for example. The ability to mine unheralded gems means Albion have been able to build a stable of talent that is ready to step up whenever the opportunity arises. “We try to have those players through our door before we need them,” says Barber. “In an ideal world, you don’t want to be targeting a particular player right after you’ve sold one in his position, because everybody knows you’ve got money, and that you’re going to be a little bit keener to sign that player than if you’ve already got someone in that position in your building.” COMPETING WITH THE BIG BOYS Having a plethora of youngsters on the books provides a different sort of challenge – one to which Brighton have been adapting as their resources allow them to bring in a greater number of players. Only a handful will feature in the Premier League immediately, while others might never make the grade, but the continuing success of the system relies on each new recruit feeling as though there is still a benefit in moving to Sussex. To boost that development, Brighton lean on the loan market to give their tyros the playing time they need. The club try to match a destination with that individual’s specific skillset so they get the maximum from their experience, and they use global marketplace TransferRoom and its Plus Pitch tool to do so. “It’s a way and means of talking to a lot of different clubs very quickly, making them aware of a situation that might have popped up short-term, or a longer-term solution that you’re looking for further down the line,” adds Weir, who previously worked as the Seagulls’ loan manager. “It’s helpful, although it isn’t everything. We use it in combination with Gordon Greer, our pathway manager, who makes countless calls, talks to many people, and has vast experience in finding clubs that will work for different players.” It’s working. Ben White’s loans at Newport, Peterborough and Leeds helped to turn him into a player that Brighton sold to Arsenal for £50 million after a single season in their first team. Mac Allister returned to Argentina for spells with old club Argentinos Juniors, then Boca, where he even made his international debut. Caicedo adapted to European football during a loan at Belgian club Beerschot and Mitoma also headed to Belgium with Union Saint-Gilloise, the other club part-owned by Bloom. Simon Adingra, a virtuoso Ivorian winger, followed the same path last season. Brighton’s reputation for providing a route to the first team has transformed them into a club that starlets from all around the globe aspire to join. The best endorsement came in 2021 when Irish forward Evan Ferguson decided to sign for Albion from Bohemians, despite reported interest from Manchester United, the team he loved as a boy. Still only 18, Ferguson hit 10 goals in all competitions for Brighton last term. “Part of our big secret is the environment we’re bringing them into: we have coaches, managers and technical staff who want to give people chances,” reveals Weir. “A player can be as talented or promising as they want, but if they don’t get an opportunity to express that and develop, it’s hard. With us, it’s not ‘in for a game and out for a game’: it’s actually an opportunity to come into the building and BRIGHTOn & HOVE ALBIOn

work with very good coaches day-to-day on the training pitch, then get the opportunity to shine on a Saturday. “History tells us that we do give chances to young players; we play them in the Premier League; we develop and improve them with our expertise and club culture. However, it’s also clear that when the time is right and it works for everyone, they can move on to the next level of elite club. People try to take a lot of credence from what we’ve done.” “TODD BOEHLY CALLED... AGAIN...” A raised profile has the potential to make life more difficult as well. In the past couple of years, rivals have circled the Amex to poach players, managers and backroom staff, while the challenge of finding replacements who can hit the required standard rapidly is also bound to become tougher. Departures have already punctuated, but not punctured, Brighton’s Premier League story to date. There has been no let-up yet in their progression. In the space of 12 months, technical director Dan Ashworth was wooed by Newcastle, pivotal players Yves Bissouma, Marc Cucurella and Leandro Trossard moved on to pastures new, and manager Graham Potter left to take charge at Chelsea. In their place came Weir as Ashworth’s replacement, Caicedo, Pervis Estupinan and Mitoma into the starting XI – those four all ‘in the building already’ – and Roberto De Zerbi to inherit the managerial hot seat. Despite the disruption, Brighton had the best season in their history. When Chelsea owner Todd Boehly informed Barber last September of his intention to snaffle Potter and several key staff members to Stamford Bridge – only weeks after signing the Seagulls’ player of the season, Cucurella, and two months before returning for their head of scouting, Paul Winstanley – it was the biggest test of Brighton’s model to date. Barber, who swiftly promoted Paul Jewell’s son, Sam, to be head of recruitment, must have felt like he was constantly having to open his secret succession-planning dossier. “It’s not a perfect science because in an ideal world you wouldn’t, for example, be changing your manager a month into a new season,” says the chief executive of Potter’s move. “But Roberto De Zerbi was available because unfortunately war had broken out in Ukraine, and the role he had at Shakhtar Donetsk was no longer viable for him. I don’t want to say war is a lucky thing because of course it’s not, but the timing was fortunate for us: without it, Roberto probably wouldn’t have been available and our succession plan for Graham would have taken a different turn. Those are the dynamics we can’t control.” With so many variables, there’s the obvious danger that not everything continues to work out exactly according to Bloom’s vision. One misjudged coaching hire, a couple of signings not fulfilling their potential, or simply a run of poor form could threaten to derail progress if Brighton allow doubt or even panic to set in. Barber and his boss – a poker professional, remember – know the importance of holding their nerve when other chairmen and chief executives may lose theirs. Decisions have to be made for the right reasons, without losing sight of the club’s long-term approach. That cold-blooded decision-making was required in 2019 when they decided to dismiss Chris Hughton, the manager who had led them to promotion and twice kept them up, in order to replace him with Potter, who had never coached at a Premier League outfit before. “There are no guarantees in top-level sport and success isn’t achieved in a straight line,” says Barber. “There will be bumps in the road and you have to build resilience. There are times when, despite the best planning in the world and best progression of your talent on and off the field, things don’t work. “We have a culture at this club where we’re transparent, we communicate, and we don’t hide when it goes wrong. We try to be as visible in the bad times as we are in the good times – hopefully that brings stability back faster and breeds confidence, so we can get over that bump and achieve progression in a slightly different way to how we’d initially imagined or planned. “It’s about not deviating from your plan when you hit a bump, because it will happen. If you deviate every time you hit a bump, you will deviate a lot. That breeds instability, reduces confidence and impacts on morale, and then you get people wanting to leave.” That philosophy has helped Brighton to progress further than most people outside of the club ever thought possible. So, how high can the Seagulls fly? “If you get everything right, there shouldn’t be a ceiling,” Barber answers effusively. “I’m not saying we’re going to be challenging for a Premier League title or winning a European cup, but if we keep pushing, keep improving, keep finding new ways to compete and keep being as smart as we can, then anything is possible for us.” It’d take a brave man to disagree: Brighton have proved all doubters wrong up to now. “IF YOU GET EVERYTHInG RIGHT, THERE SHOULDn’T BE A CEILInG. AnYTHInG IS POSSIBLE FOR US” Below De Zerbi was an inspired, if fortuitous, find for the Seagulls Below right Barber plans to stick to the plan Bottom right Albion’s support shows no sign of flagging (sorry) BRIGHTOn & HOVE ALBIOn

Football Scouting Worldwide continue to provide the platform of opportunity to aspiring scouts via their groundbreaking, endorsed and industry-recognised online CPD-accredited scouting programme “This was ultimately the key in beginning my career at 19 and working my way up the pyramid, eventually becoming a European scouting manager for Premier League clubs without any playing experience or relevant qualifications. “Having highly credible speakers including former England boss Steve McClaren, ex-Newcastle and Brighton manager Chris Hughton, Manchester United goalkeeper scout Tony Coton and Premier League winner Joleon Lescott on webinars has been hugely beneficial to course attendees. It has helped them to develop their understanding of the key information a manager or chief scout wants to know from a scouting report, as well as vital attributes to assess for each position. “The evolution of scouting, and particularly video scouting roles, over the last 15 years has opened up more opportunities for people to scout for clubs around the world. “For example, we have had people working in video scouting roles for Dutch side FC Twente who are based in the UK, Europe, Australia, India and the USA. “Using our global network of contacts in combination with our expanding portfolio of client clubs has proved pivotal to our growth, and we have very exciting plans moving forward.” Football Scouting Worldwide were the match ball sponsor of the Newcastle vs Arsenal game in 2023 and have also been a matchday sponsor at Coventry City. Visit FOOTBALLSCOUTINGWORLDWIDE.COM for more information, or simply scan the QR code here F ounded in 2019 by experienced Premier League and European scouting manager Steve Simmons, the company continues to go from strength to strength. Many attendees have since worked for football clubs around the world – including Premier League clubs – in both live and video scouting roles, directly upon finishing the course or via the organisation’s relationships with football clubs. The programme has provided an opportunity to anyone who is interested in becoming a professional scout regardless of academic qualifications, coaching or playing experience via their CPD-accredited online scouting course. It has featured current and former Premier League managers, chief scouts, coaches, technical directors and players as guest speakers on scouting webinars exclusive to Football Scouting Worldwide. Founder and CEO Simmons explained, “It’s been fantastic to give something back and bring everything full circle, from the start of my journey to guiding knowledgeable and enthusiastic aspiring scouts – across a broad range of ages – into professional clubs, in both live scouting and video scouting positions at first-team level. “An understanding of the game is obviously important, although being intrinsically motivated must be at the core for any aspiring scout. That will then naturally form the snowball effect in terms of working hard, going the extra mile, making sacrifices and using initiative, resulting in opportunity. YOU CAN BECOME A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL SCOUT “SPEAKERS LIKE MCCLAREn, HUGHTOn AnD LESCOTT ARE HUGELY BEnEFICIAL” In PARTnERSHIP

WOMEn’S CHAMPIOnS LEAGUE

In 2011 and 2013, the women’s final was staged at Craven Cottage and Stamford Bridge respectively with the men up the road at Wembley. When the men’s charabanc headed to the Millennium Stadium in 2017, the female final was at Cardiff City Stadium. Only in 2019 did that rule change, when Budapest hosted two weeks before the men’s final in Madrid, to give the extravaganza its own space to shine. It then headed to San Sebastian, Gothenburg, Turin and Eindhoven, with this season’s final scheduled to be at Athletic Bilbao’s 53,000-capacity San Mames. POTS FOR POTSDAM It’s eight years since a German victory in the competition, following nine Teutonic wins in the first 14 finals. Turbine Potsdam, whose name recalls the East German era, won two. Nicknamed ‘Turbinen’ and also sometimes ‘Torbienen’, a questionable pun which means ‘goal bees’, the club benefited from a local energy supplier’s backing when founded in 1971 under communist rule. A city of 183,000 people, Potsdam has a mundane history in men’s football – their leading side Babelsberg play in the fourth tier – but Turbine picked up the slack as women’s European champions in both 2005 and 2010. There’s been far less of a buzz around the ‘goal bees’ in recent times, though. Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich have risen to take the top two spots in the Frauen-Bundesliga in each of the past nine campaigns. Potsdam haven’t played in the Champions League since 2014, and were relegated last term. From tooled-up French fans to chair-kicking misdemeanours and goal measuring, the Women’s Champions League has thrown up many an intriguing moment. FFT finds plenty more, ahead of a new campaign... Words Chris Evans “IT’S BRISTOL ACADEMY VS BARCELOnA… AnD IT’S LIVE!” AVON LADIES When WSL runners-up Manchester United make their tournament debut in this term’s second qualifying round in October, they’ll become the ninth different English club to play in the competition in either format. The 2007 winners Arsenal, plus Chelsea, Manchester City, Everton and Liverpool have all featured. Fulham reached the quarterfinals following their domestic title success in 2003, Birmingham made it to the semis in 2013-14 after finishing second in the WSL, while Bristol Academy stunned Barcelona in the last 16 a season later. Nine years ago, the Catalans weren’t quite the force that have won two of the last three Champions League titles (right). Bristol’s away leg victory came in front of only 870 fans at Barça’s Mini Estadi, before a second-leg draw at Ashton Gate sealed the deal. Originally formed as Bristol Rovers, they became Bristol Academy in 2005 after linking up with a local college and completed their cross-city pivot by renaming as Bristol City in 2016. CODRU PSYCHOLOGY Until 2021-22, preliminary round goals were counted in the race to become each season’s leading scorer, opening the door for several eccentric Golden Boot winners. Romanian forward Gabriela Enache took full advantage in the competition’s very first game in 2001, scoring four for Moldovan side Codru Chisinau against Slovenians Ilirija, then netting a double hat-trick in the second leg. Those 10 goals alone were enough to guarantee the gong was hers before August was even over – she bagged two more goals in the next round, but no one else surpassed nine that season. Austrian pronunciation-tester Maria Gstottner (top) emulated Enache two years later, notching 11 times for Neulengbach to ensure her status as top scorer without even getting her club out of the qualifying rounds. THE FINAL DESTINATION The 2009 rebrand meant the replacement of two-legged finals with a one-off fixture – showpieces up to 2018 were held in or near the same city as the men’s final. THE NON-CHAMPIONS NON-LEAGUE The Women’s Champions League kicks off its 15th edition in early September with the first round of qualifying, but a tournament between the best of the best in Europe began life back in 2001 as the UEFA Women’s Cup. A 2009 rebrand came with a change of format – making the competition less about champions, or indeed leagues. Domestic runners-up entered for the first time, and there were also fewer group games. In the old format, the first two rounds had been group phases, but the second was scrapped, meaning that many domestic champions went straight into the last 32 knockouts and never played any group matches at all. Everton were the first English runners-up to feature, cruising through a group played entirely in Croatia – the home country of one of their opponents, Osijek – before bowing out to Norwegian outfit Roa in the last 32. Champions Arsenal entered the fray at that point, crushing PAOK 18-0 on aggregate. WOMEn’S CHAMPIOnS LEAGUE

58 September 2023 FourFourTwo ERLING WHO? A Norwegian goal machine with long blonde hair, wreaking havoc on Europe’s grandest stage? No, not Erling Haaland: he’s a novice compared with Ada Hegerberg, the queen of Champions League goals. Still only 28, Hegerberg has been terrorising European defences for a decade, registering a record 15 times in Lyon’s charge to glory in 2017-18. Despite injuries in recent seasons, her 59-goal haul puts her eight clear as the competition’s all-time leading scorer, ahead of former German international Anja Mittag. Hegerberg’s Lyon team-mate Eugenie Le Sommer is her closest active rival on 47 – the 34-year-old has won the Champions League no fewer than eight times, a joint record with Sarah Bouhaddi and Wendie Renard, who’s played in 10 finals. Woof. STUDENTS OF THE GAME It’s a university student’s modus operandi to skip the odd lecture now and then, but it’s often because they’re a catatonic hungover mess, not because they’re busy playing in the actual Champions League. University College Dublin appeared in three straight seasons of the UEFA Women’s Cup between 2003-04 and 2005-06 but shipped 30 goals in nine matches, winning only once. Cardiff Met have had a few cracks at it since, debuting in a 2012 higher education grudge match against ASA Tel Aviv University that they lost 5-0. They’re yet to progress through a qualifying group in six attempts – despite tonking Tbilisi Nike 5-1 in 2019, they missed out to Hibernian. Back to class… “I PREFER AUSSIE RULES” It’s not just universities that have taken part in the competition – even an entire league had a go at one point. The Mayo Ladies League were allowed to enter a representative side into the 2006 FAI Women’s Cup, and won it to earn their place in Europe. Perhaps because they weren’t an official team, it didn’t go brilliantly – the Irish upstarts lost 4-1 to Gol Czestochowa, 3-0 to Neulengbach and 8-0 to Hibernian. Polymath forward Cora Staunton, better known for a career in Gaelic football, scored their only goal before relocating Down Under and becoming an Aussie rules star. Bonza. FAN POWER Putting their Bristol Academy nightmares well and truly behind them, Barcelona became the first Spanish side to win the competition in 2021, thrashing Chelsea in the final. That Blaugrana success also pipped the Blues to the honour of being the first club to win the men’s and women’s Champions League. The following campaign, Barça welcomed huge crowds for European matches. Some 91,553 saw a 5-2 Camp Nou destruction of Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, before another 95 squeezed in for the ensuing 5-1 walloping of Wolfsburg in the last four. The latter remains the official world record for a women’s match, even if an estimated but unconfirmed 110,000 witnessed Mexico’s defeat to Denmark at the Azteca in 1971. Wolfsburg are also part-responsible for the highest crowd at a women’s club match in England – 60,063 saw them beat Arsenal at the Emirates in last season’s semi-finals. SHOCKING PERM The 2009 final proved less popular with the masses – at least in the first leg, when only 700 people turned up. Russians Zvezda Perm hosted German side Duisburg, but the tie was played more than 350 miles further west in Kazan – a nine-hour car journey from Perm. It was probably just as well there weren’t many home supporters there, as Zvezda lost 6-0. Duisburg protected that nervy six-goal lead by drawing the second leg in Germany 1-1 in front of a 28,000 crowd. Gripping stuff. CROSSBAR CHALLENGE When Arsenal clashed with Ajax in last year’s second qualifying round, they knew they’d need to get the measure of their opponents and surroundings – literally as it turned out. Needing victory to go through after a firstleg draw in England, the Gunners sensed something wasn’t quite right in the warm-up: after investigations, the goal posts at the Amsterdammers’ De Toekomst home were deemed to be 10cm too small. Adjustments were made before kick-off and at half-time, prior to Vivianne Miedema’s winner. “I have never experienced anything like it,” huffed Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall. Ajax blamed “daily maintenance”. Convenient. “DID EVERYONE PACK THEIR KNUCKLEDUSTERS?” All versions of the Champions League appear kryptonite to Paris Saint-Germain – no matter how close they get, they never win the thing. Eight-time European champions Lyon are France’s dominant female force, winning 16 of the last 17 crowns, but 2021 domestic champions Les Parisiens hold the record for the most Women’s Champions League semifinal appearances without lifting the trophy. They’ve reached the last four six times, losing the 2015 and 2017 finals to FFC Frankfurt and Lyon respectively. FFS Frankfurt, more like. WOMEn’S CHAMPIOnS LEAGUE Clockwise from top “Honey, I’ve shrunk the goal”; the Camp Nou’s record-breaking crowd; German giants Wolfsburg have twice won the competition

FourFourTwo September 2023 59 At least PSG Feminine fans aren’t quite as feisty as the men’s team’s supporters, eh? Well, in 2019, police discovered class A drugs, knives and knuckledusters on board a fans’ bus travelling to their quarter-final at Chelsea. Earlier that day, the tooled-up group rocked up at Kingsmeadow and vandalised it with graffiti. It later emerged the ultras had been banned from PSG men’s and youth-team matches, but not women’s games. They were refused entry. Phew. NO MATCH FOR THE PROS These days, the tournament’s latter stages are dominated by clubs with powerhouse men’s teams – 2022-23’s last eight line-up consisted of Bayern, Arsenal, Lyon, Chelsea, Roma, Barcelona, PSG and Wolfsburg – but it hasn’t always been thus. The 2002 octet also featured Arsenal, joined by Toulouse, Odense, Frankfurt, Umea, Ryazan, Trondheims-Orn and HJK Helsinki. Glasgow City were the last part-time team to reach the quarter-finals. In 2020 they lost 9-1 to Wolfsburg in a contest played during a COVID-enforced last-eight tournament in Spain. They’ve since gone full-time, having lost the Scottish league title once in the 16 years, and face Shelbourne in this season’s first qualifying round on September 6. The victors play Cardiff City or Lithuanians Gintra. Scottish runners-up Celtic take on Brondby. LEHENDA-CHEKSIL: NOT BIG IN AYR Scotland’s maiden representatives were Ayr United, who took part in the inaugural UEFA Women’s Cup in 2001. Drawn in a group with Toulouse, Osijek and Ukrainians Lehenda-Cheksil, Ayr were due to play all of their qualifiers in France. However, an explosion at a fertiliser factory damaged Les Violettes’ stadium, meaning a switch to the Scottish coast. An official attendance of just 10 saw Lehenda-Cheksil beat Osijek on a Tuesday night in November, as Ayr drew all three games and went out. “STOP, THEY’RE ALREADY DEAD!” Cypriot champions Apollon Limassol showed Ada absolutely no mercy in 2012 qualifying. The Albanians, it’s probably fair to suggest, were not Europe’s greatest side. They’d lost their first group match 14-1 to Zhytlobud-1 Kharkiv of Ukraine, then current Republic of Ireland international Sinead Farrelly was one of four players to bag a hat-trick as Apollon won 21-0, a competition record. Ada swiftly followed that by losing 11-1 to Klaksvik of the Faroe Islands – three matches, 46 goals conceded, thanks for coming. Not that Moldovans Goliador Chisinau were much better two years later. They shipped 42 in their three group games, including 11 to Amazones Dramas, a Greek side sounding more like a telenovela series. Goliador’s worst loss was 19-0 to Spartak Subotica of Serbia, for whom Milena Nikolic plundered a record eight times – all within the first 48 minutes. Presumably, she got bored. CHAIR-KICKING CHAMPS Only once has an English side been crowned champions of Europe – and they even did it without their best player. Arsenal clinched the UEFA Women’s Cup in 2007 thanks to victory over Umea, a small city in the north of Sweden who’d previously won the competition in 2003 and 2004, and boasted Brazilian great Marta in their squad. The Gunners’ own legend Kelly Smith missed the final – sent off in the first leg of the semi at Brondby, she responded by kicking a chair and giving the finger to home fans, earning a three-match suspension. Third in last season’s WSL, Arsenal’s quest for a second European title begins against more Swedes. They take on Linkoping in the first qualifying round on September 6, with the winners facing France’s third-placed side Paris FC or Ukraine’s Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih, from president Volodymyr Zelensky’s home city. Prevail in both of those ties, then another qualifying round in October, and they’ll join WSL champions Chelsea in the group stage, which runs from November to January. The competition’s schedule has been put back a month this term due to the World Cup, but no matter: let another season of continental chaos commence. In 2019, POLICE FOUnD CLASS A DRUGS, KnIVES AnD KnUCKLEDUSTERS On A PSG SUPPORTERS’ BUS WOMEn’S CHAMPIOnS LEAGUE Below “If you’ve all brought your knuckledusters clap your hands”

Paul Watson chronicled his improbable exploits coaching a tiny Pacific island team in his cult 2012 book Up Pohnpei. More than 10 years on, with Micronesia still struggling for FIFA recognition, an unexpected email inspired him to return this summer, and document the trip for FFT... Photos Matthew Conrad POHnPEI

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under-23 sides from Tahiti, Fiji and Vanuatu. The results were brutal. Micronesia lost 30-0 to Tahiti, 38-0 to Fiji and 46-0 to Vanuatu in what would have been a world record had it not been an U23s affair. Two Vanuatu players each reached 10 goals. It certainly got attention for Micronesia, but for all the wrong reasons. Newspapers around the world reported the routs, social media revelled in it. Many of the players were discouraged from playing again and those who had funded the trip felt embarrassed. The AFC did eventually visit Yap, but only after three cancellations. The ruling on Micronesia’s application was that it had been so long since their initial expression of interest that a ‘time lapse’ had occurred, meaning the application was now void. Defeated by the administrative hoops, the Micronesian FA went quiet again. The game continued to be played across the country, but there was no formal structure in place. HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO Fast forward to April 2022. In the US state of Georgia, high-school footballer Kenny Aldana discovered that he had Micronesian heritage. His maternal grandfather was from Kosrae, the sleepiest of the country’s islands, with just 6,000 people and no history of football. Keen to learn if he could represent Micronesia at U17 level, he tried to contact their FA but got no reply. Before giving up on his dream, he tried one more avenue, a real long shot. “Coach Watson, I’ve got Micronesian ancestry and I’ve been trying to contact the FA to play for the under-17s, but I’ve been coming up dry everywhere I look. I was hoping you’d have some advice?” Kenny Aldana, 2022 Despite FIFA’s claim to ‘develop football everywhere’, there are still spots on the world map that remain exiled from the football family. Currently, six sovereign nations aren’t members of any FIFA confederation. When you discount Monaco and Vatican City, they are all in Oceania: the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia. With a population of about 110,000 across four main islands – Chuuk, Yap, Kosrae and Pohnpei – Micronesia has welcomed football since the 1990s, but attempts to engage FIFA have failed, leaving the game’s status at the mercy of the energies of volunteers. To the north east of Papua New Guinea, the four islands are separated by huge distances – Yap and Pohnpei are nearly 1,400 miles apart – with exorbitant airfares making it almost impossible to gather people in one place for tournaments, national team camps or even FA meetings. A year before the turn of the millennium, Yap – famed for using stone money called rai – hosted a Micronesian Cup. The players had to bring grass from their homes to grow the pitch and the team was coached by volatile Israeli Simon Shenhar, who’d been deployed to the region as a thank you from the state after Micronesia’s support in votes at the UN. Although Shenhar’s authoritarian style clashed with local customs, Micronesia’s newly formed outfit went on to thrash the visiting Northern Mariana Islands 7-0. These days, the Northern Mariana Islands are a full member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and football has gone from strength to strength there – their men’s national side will compete in Asian Cup qualification for the first time in 2024. In the Federated States of Micronesia, meanwhile, things remain at a grassroots stage. Inspired by the Northern Mariana Islands and fellow neighbours Guam, Micronesia also attempted to join the Asian confederation – sadly, their most recent attempt ended in humiliating failure. With the sport blossoming following a successful football competition, won by Pohnpei, at the 2014 Micro Games – a regional mini Olympics – Micronesia chose to reactivate the national team for the next year’s Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea. The hope was it would prove to the AFC that they meant business. However, a lack of coaching expertise and the impossibility of recruiting adequately from all islands led to a very young team of mostly Yapese players taking on the might of 62 September 2023 FourFourTwo POHnPEI Clockwise from right Paul wants Pohnpei to play up; South Pacific beauty; Kenny Aldana, the kid who started it all; where the magic happens

Sifting through the assorted nonsense of my Twitter ‘message requests’, I stumbled upon a missive from Aldana, addressed to ‘Coach Watson’ and asking for my help. It stopped me in my tracks. “I mean, I heard about all the cool stuff you did over there,” he said. “So I figured, ‘Why not ask a hero?’” I was definitely no hero, though I did very much appreciate the appeal to my vanity. Between 2009 and 2010 I’d been fortunate enough to coach in Pohnpei, and my book Up Pohnpei was the result. It came from a childish ploy cooked up with my flatmate, Matthew Conrad, to find the world’s worst football team and feature in a game for them – achieving the dream of an international cap, which seemed unlikely to happen for England. In reality, by the time we jetted off for Pohnpei, listed on Wikipedia as ‘the world’s worst’, we knew that we were heading out to coach, having been informed by the island’s former head of football that obtaining a Micronesian passport is virtually impossible for a foreigner and would involve renouncing British citizenship and marrying a local person. When we arrived, the players in Pohnpei were still reeling from their last heavy defeat – a relatively respectable 16-1 loss to Guam. Over the course of two years, working with keen local players led by captain Dilshan Senarathgoda, we built a league ambitiously named the Pohnpei Premier League and trained a Pohnpei state team to tour Guam in search of revenge in October 2010. We even managed a victory, the first of any kind in Pohnpei’s football history, albeit against a Second Division Guam club team. When a new Micronesian FA formed and was ready to approach FIFA, I’d hoped I was no longer needed. It was when, not if, they would gain admission to a FIFA confederation. Watching from afar, it was painful to see the devastation of the Pacific Games and the AFC’s ensuing rejection. In 2017, I convinced a talented and intrepid British coach, Chris Smith, to spend three months in Pohnpei, during which time he worked wonders with the young players and helped overworked coach Vasantha Senarathgoda – the father of Dilshan – to develop his football programmes. But Kenny Aldana’s message reopened an old wound. Players such as he would never have that chance to represent their nation, an opportunity afforded to almost every other country on the planet, but not Micronesia. Together, we set up calls with the main football people in Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap. Aldana tracked down a Solomon Islander, Chris Diau, who’d moved to Kosrae and was eager to get the sport going there. The calls were productive. Over thousands of miles on a patchy Zoom link spanning a world of time zones, we discussed how best to rejuvenate Micronesian football. The unanimous verdict was that the players needed a competition. BANNED BY THE POLICE The last Micro Games football event took place in 2018 – Pohnpei overcoming Yap in a hard-fought final – but with no football scheduled for the next edition in the Marshall Islands in 2022 (since moved to 2024), there was no tournament on the horizon. It was agreed that Pohnpei would host, although the target was a futsal event rather than football, to be called the Micronesian Futsal Cup, or Micro Cup. There were several reasons why futsal made most sense. The Micronesia region is one of the wettest on Earth. Daily, torrential rain is quite normal, so outdoor pitches (of which Pohnpei has two) flood. Games are often played in ankle-deep water, but postponements are frequent, which makes a tournament involving travel between islands hugely risky. During our first stint in the country, the main playing surface suffered a toad infestation. Without FIFA support and with very limited governmental backing (especially post-2015), funding remained the age-old issue. Futsal presented the major advantage that squads can be smaller, cutting the flight costs in half. Finally, given that it’s within the US sphere of influence, Micronesia has loads of basketball courts, which are viable for futsal. “FUTSAL OPEnS DOORS FOR MICROnESIA. THE ODDS WERE AGAInST THIS TOURnAMEnT. WE’VE MADE IT A REALITY” POHnPEI Below Toad infestations make outdoor football tricky

64 September 2023 FourFourTwo Recently, the Solomon Islands have demonstrated just what can be achieved through futsal. Nicknamed ‘the Kurukuru’ and led by British coach Damon Shaw, they are one of the strongest futsal teams in Oceania, winning the OFC Futsal Nations Cup six times including in 2016 and 2019. They participated at the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2021 with a squad containing forward Raphael Lea’i, who this January became the first Pacific Islander to play professional football in Europe when the 19-year-old joined Bosnian top-flight side Velez Mostar. Across Micronesia, the teams began their preparations. It wasn’t always smooth. While Kosrae faced the not insignificant hurdle that there wasn’t a single football or futsal ball on the island, Pohnpei’s team were thrown off a basketball court by police who believed futsal was an act of vandalism, having never seen any form of indoor football before. Futsal balls eventually made their way to Kosrae in the luggage of a willing passenger, after the regional cargo airline lost its licence at an inopportune moment, but it was still a battle to convince locals to give the game a go. Aldana and Diau were in daily Facebook contact trying to build a team, but the focus soon switched to the Kosraean community already living in Pohnpei, who were more au fait with the sport. As the players trained, the funding search intensified. With few assets to sell, replica shirts became the priority. UK-based kit manufacturer Stingz, who boast a number of unique and obscure strips in their portfolio, from Tuvalu’s CONIFA World Football Cup 2018 shirt to Serbia’s rugby league jersey, stepped in to make kits for each of the four teams. Featuring important cultural symbols and designs sent by the islanders, the shirts were unveiled to a rapturous reception from the sides. Better still, Stingz took the project pro bono, so all profit from sales would fund the teams’ formidable flight costs. Once the shirt designs started to circulate on social media, demand for a Kosrae or Yap jersey was febrile. People from more than 20 nations – Italy, Japan, France, Australia and India included – wanted to show support for islands they probably couldn’t have found on a map days earlier. A Chuuk fan club formed in Brazil, stressing their ‘bond of brotherhood’ due to their green and yellow attire. A capo of FC Cincinnati sent photographs of him wearing the Yap strip at MLS matches, while several five-a-side teams in England adopted the Kosrae outfit as the ultimate hipster accessory. More than 800 shirts were shipped around the world, while generous well-wishers offered their donations. Ironclad Coffee from Virginia in the US continued to sponsor the Pohnpei shirt, a link that began back in 2017 because the company’s founder Ryan and his partner Kelly had adopted a baby boy from Pohnpei. With just a few more flights still to be funded and time not on their side, HA7 Classical Shirts, a vintage football shirts and fan culture shop, stepped in to pick up the bill. Against all the odds, the tournament was on. Fourteen years after our first trip to Pohnpei, Matt and I were ready to return to the island to watch all the madness unfold. “ANYONE GOT A PENNY FOR THE METER?” As relentless rain pounds down outside, the tournament kicks off with hosts Pohnpei easing past Chuuk 10-3. As is customary in Micronesia, matches are running on ‘island time’, beginning roughly an hour after they were scheduled. The second half would have been stress-free for Pohnpei coach Vasantha Senarathgoda, but he spends much of it trying to ensure the electricity bill is paid in time to prevent the lights being turned off. The real headline of the opening day, and indeed the tournament, is Kosrae. Aldana, visiting Micronesia for the first time, had flown into Pohnpei a week before the start of the event, shrugging off a 38-hour journey, to assemble a team as best he could. With time very much against Kosrae, Pohnpei had donated some of its younger players, aged between 14 and 16, who didn’t make their squad. Little is expected of this novice side, especially against Yap, who were already fantasising about settling old scores with Pohnpei. The gathered crowds at the Pohnpei State Gymnasium are soon stunned when Kosrae cut through Yap’s defence again and again, triumphing 7-2. The revelations for Kosrae prove to be Yobi Laurdine and Travis Henly, who fearlessly dribble the ball around players double their size, but the defensive partnership of Diau and Aldana, one that had hitherto only existed online for several months, anchors the side in front of goalkeeper Nick Santiago, a midfielder from Pohnpei’s 2010 squad who answered the call at the 11th hour. A pumped-up Yap team bounce back by beating Pohnpei 6-1. That result noticeably meant so much to captain Sean Southwick and father-coach Brian, who admits they were still haunted by 2018’s defeat, one they feared they may never avenge. “Dad played for Yap in the 2014 Micronesian Games in Pohnpei and would take me with him whenever they were training,” explains Southwick Jr. “I wanted nothing more than to play for my home island. I was lucky enough to make the team in 2018, but we only got a silver medal. The bitter taste in our mouths made us want this win so much.” Chuuk, whose players are more familiar with basketball but are adapting fast, then POHnPEI Below Kosrae (red) clash with Pohnpei (blue) in a group-stage affair, then pose for a united shot “I WAnT MICROnESIA TO SCORE A GOAL In A WORLD CUP QUALIFIER – IT JUST TAKES THAT FIRST STEP”

FourFourTwo September 2023 65 The participants are given their trophies and medals, which only just made it in time, after being carried in the flight luggage of the sister-in-law of one of the players earlier that morning. Then thoughts instantly turn to uniting the islands into a national team... THE WORLD CUP DREAM A new Micronesian FA was founded during the week, with the aim of progressing further than past iterations. The winning coach, Yap’s Brian Southwick, is installed as the president. Pohnpei’s Vasantha Senarathgoda becomes secretary general, while Curtis Graham of Chuuk and Chris Diau of Kosrae are named vice presidents, ensuring that all four islands will be represented among the hierarchy. Perhaps best of all, there’s also a place on the board for Aldana. Though the response of both the Asia and Oceania confederations remains to be seen, Micronesia’s new leadership group is keen to focus on what they can control, by creating events and opportunities for players going forward. The next ambition is a match for Micronesia in 2024, but the priority is finding a stage where they’ll be competitive, whether that’s a futsal friendly against nearby Kiribati, who are associate members of the Oceania Football Confederation, or going on a tour of the Northern Mariana Islands to face youth and club teams. “It meant everything to be able to represent Kosrae,” explains Aldana. “It’s a part of me I don’t really get to tap into, so to captain the team at a first-ever cup felt amazing. But representing Micronesia would be everything to me. It’s how all of this began – it would be completing my dream.” Due to costs and the perennial difficulties in uniting a 16-man squad for one training camp, it appears most likely that futsal will remain the focal point for the time being, as a stepping stone towards their ultimate football goal. But the sole non-negotiable is that the keen young players who enjoyed the event in Pohnpei have another highlight on the horizon. “I absolutely think that futsal opens doors for Micronesia,” insists Sean Southwick. “You could see the passion in the hearts of the Micronesians, from the organisers, to the fans, to the players and coaches. The odds were against this tournament even happening, but we made it a reality.” In the long term, the target for Micronesia’s players is very clear – it’s the same as many footballers around the world. “It may be far off, but I want a Micronesian national team to score our first goal in a FIFA World Cup qualifier,” concludes Southwick Jr. “All it takes is that first step and help from FIFA to get the ball rolling. With the dedication and passion of those involved right now, it looks more and more realistic.” Spread out across vast distances of the Pacific Ocean, geography has always made it arguably the world’s hardest place to develop football. The people of Micronesia have no intention of giving up, though. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. of futsal, more than two decades since his original football experiences. As the competition progresses, attendances also increase, with news of the event spread by word of mouth. Pohnpei is the London of Micronesia and is home to many Yapese, Chuukese and Kosraeans, so each team are greeted by cheers and traditional songs from their island, as well as the deafening backing of a steel drum and the occasional burst of music from the PA system. Yap again vanquish Pohnpei in the semifinals, while underdogs Kosrae power past Chuuk to set up a final nobody expected. In the end, despite having a bare minimum of players due to flight costs, Yap win – inspired by captain Sean Southwick and player of the tournament Maphrick Ruweday, whose skilful dribbling and lethal finishing wow fans. For Aldana, whose initiative had instigated the whole process, defeat remains difficult to swallow, even if Kosrae’s runners-up finish defies expectations. “I never imagined this tournament would even be possible,” says Aldana. “It seemed so outlandish for us to get those funds and organise it well. At the start of the cup, I had a nagging feeling we’d be thrashed in every group stage game. “But when the whistle blew at the end of the first match and we won, I had the feeling we could go on and win it all. I guess that’s why losing the final hurts so much.” beat surprise package Kosrae 5-4 to ensure that every team had a victory on the board. The competition format was designed to ensure as many matches as possible in the week that the teams could be in Pohnpei, so a round-robin group stage was simply used to decide the pairings for the semi-finals. Before then, all players who don’t possess futsal shoes are issued with a pair, donated by supporters around the world, after a bag full of footwear belatedly arrives in Pohnpei, having been lost in various exotic locations. Futsal shoes aren’t available in Micronesia, so players had been wearing whatever they could muster. Lots had to practise barefoot. The difference is immediate, as shots start to fly around the gym with renewed purpose. Though the majority of the players involved are experiencing a first tournament of any kind, one veteran is turning out in goal for Pohnpei. Robert Paul, now 47 and playing alongside son Ryan, was one of the players coached by Israeli boss Shenhar around the turn of the millennium and who travelled to the South Pacific Games in 2003. That was a less doomed assignment than 2015, but still resulted in big defeats against Tahiti, New Caledonia, Tonga and Papua New Guinea. Belying his nearly 50 years, Paul makes some stunning saves throughout this tournament, drawing whoops of adulation from the spectators. He’s barely able to keep the grin off his face as he plays his first game POHnPEI Clockwise from bottom Yap win the inaugural Micro Cup title; Micronesia’s answer to Emi Martinez; plans are in full swing

Drink, drug and gambling addictions threatened Paul Merson’s Arsenal career, but his bravura talent kept him at Highbury. The Gunners great recalls his turbulent life, that night at Anfield and why a former gaffer could never f**k off a Rolls-Royce... Words Mark White I ASKED GEORGE GRAHAM WHY HE HADn’T SACKEDME. THE DAY I WAS nO LOnGER AnY GOOD, I’D HAVE BEEn OUT PAUL MERSOn

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legend is sat chatting to FFT in his garden, with just the rumble of distant traffic and occasional Heathrow departure overhead for company. Yet when he reflects on his first meeting with Graham, conflating the Scot’s arrival with his own fledgling career, he’s 18 again and buzzes with excitement. “Looking back now, he wanted youngsters around who were going to listen to him,” says Merson. “He ruled with an iron rod. Everyone was petrified of him – he wanted people that were going to be scared, and the old guard weren’t going to be.” The vindication in Graham’s methods was quite literally cinematic. The Fever Pitch 1988-89 campaign culminated in Arsenal, who began the season as 16/1 title outsiders, overhauling Liverpool at Anfield in the dying embers of an epic. It provided a platform for PFA Young Player of the Year winner Merson, second only to Alan Smith as the Gunners’ top scorer, to take on the world and all that it had to offer. However, he knew what would happen if he ever got too comfortable. He’d seen it first hand when Graham arrived. “I got suspended by the club twice, done for drink, drugs and gambling,” he admits. “I did ask George one day, ‘How come you haven’t thrown me out?’ I was constantly getting in trouble but these were his words, not mine. He said, ‘If you have a Rolls-Royce, you get it fixed; if you have a Morris Minor, you f**k it off’. “He said it in a nice way, butI knew: the day that I was no longer any good, I’d be out.” FOOTBALL’S JFK MOMENT If you finished above Liverpool in the 1980s, you won the league. That’s what the Arsenal squad believed at least, according to Merson, who compares that Merseyside dynasty to Tiger Woods’ future golfing dominance. “Coming second to Liverpool would have been phenomenal,” he suggests now of the 1989 season’s denouement. “To win it? It’s one of the biggest miracles in football.” Michael Thomas’ last-gasp Anfield winner remains the moment that fans discuss with Merson more than any other. He’ll never tire of such conversations, more than 30 years after that most dramatic finale to any topflight season before or since. Sorry, Sergio. “It’ll never happen again – never again,” he says. “Aguero was nothing close. Manchester City were playing QPR, who’d just found out Clockwise from below Arsenal’s 1988-89 Anfield miracle workers; League Cup joy in 1992-93; not all heroes wear capes; Merson believes ’90-91’s title win was the Gunners’ finest “In THE EnD I THOUGHT, ‘SOOnER OR LATER, I’LL TAKE MY LIFE’. I DIDn’T WAnT TO DO THAT” ack in the 1980s, Arsenal’s stadium was immune from the tides of architectural revolution, its East Stand’s Grade II-listed Art Deco exterior a monument to enduring permanence. Highbury’s footballing residents weren’t so lucky. Paul Merson remembers distinctly the day George Graham first swaggered into the club. Barcelona’s Terry Venables had turned them down. So had Alex Ferguson of Aberdeen, but third-choice Graham was, just like his compatriot, a no-nonsense headmaster keen to strike the fear of god into all of his pupils. Highbury’s hallowed marble halls, underscored by gold and mahogany, were welcoming a demolition man. No one was safe. “We had good kids, good youngsters – but George Graham took a gamble,” reminisces Merson. “He came in from Millwall, got rid of top-drawer players Charlie Nicholas, Tony Woodcock, Graham Rix, Viv Anderson and Kenny Sansom. Then he signed Lee Dixon, Steve Bould from Stoke, Colchester’s Perry Groves and Wimbledon’s Nigel Winterburn.” Merson is going back some 37 years here, to 1986. Now 55, the bespectacled Gunners PAUL MERSOn

they’d stayed up. This was a Friday night, the two top teams, the season had finished and there were never live games on the telly: this one was live. It’s a JFK moment in football: if you’re old enough, you remember where you were. The amount of Everton fans who have come up to me and said, ‘Oh my god, what a night’. It doesn’t matter who you support.” That evening, the young Merson became a man. An inexperienced team crystallised and a winning mentality was born. It was, as lifelong Gunner Nick Hornby recalled in his Fever Pitch memoir and future movie, as if “a light had suddenly shone down on all of us”. Anfield’s crescendo ended an 18-year wait for a league title: Merson was champion again just two years later. “The 1990-91 team was one of the most underrated at Arsenal ever,” he insists. “That team really goes under the radar – 1989 was great for the way we won it, it was a great team. But when you talk about the Invincibles or the Double winners at Arsenal, 1991 is up there, it was a phenomenal team. “We only let in 18 goals and lost one game in a whole season, against Chelsea. In those days, you’d score a goal, run back towards the halfway line and you’d see that the other team were beaten. It was a weird feeling – it was like, ‘Well, that’s the end of this game’. We weren’t going to concede and we could score goals, too.” Does he ever wonder what could have been, had they just found a way to draw against Chelsea that day in February 1991? Instead, Graham Stuart and Kerry Dixon scored in the second half to give the hosts a 2-1 success. Alan Smith’s reply proved too little, too late. Merson umms and ahhs. “It wasn’t the last game of the season, so we might have lost another game after that, but it does feel a bit like being stuck on 99 goals: it’s not good, is it?” he explains, referring to his own nearcentury of Arsenal goals in all competitions. “If we’d gone unbeaten in 1990-91, it would have been the best ever – better than 2004’s Invincibles – because everyone was near the same level in the league. You never knew who was going to come bottom of the table. Nowadays, you usually know who’s finishing round about where.” One person who can claim to have been unbeaten that season was Tony Adams. The centre-back’s release from prison for drinkdriving was still a fortnight away as the north Londoners fell to defeat at Stamford Bridge, but the skipper would return and ultimately lift the league title. By the 1990s, the notorious Tuesday Club was in full swing. Players had Wednesdays off, so took advantage by decamping to the pub once training was done the day before. FFT wonders if Adams ending up behind bars was any kind of wake-up call for Merson, who was himself struggling with alcohol addiction around that period. “No,” he responds. There’s a long pause as he searches for the right words. “I was in my addictions, it was the norm. When you’re so mixed up in your own life, it’s only when you come away from that, that you understand just how unbelievable your own situation is.” FourFourTwo September 2022 21 How did George Graham feel about the drinking? “Despite how hard George was, he liked the lads getting together and having a drink,” says Merson. “We used to go to Marbella three times a year. We’d leave on a Sunday, come back on a Thursday: as long as we worked hard, we’d have that camaraderie.” Eventually, Merson came out to tell the world he’d been suffering with addiction. In a tearful press conference in November 1994, the clearly distressed England international revealed his struggles. At a time when the public discussion of mental health problems was still very much in its infancy, Merson’s bravery is even more affecting nearly three decades on. Merson felt he had no choice. “The way my life was going, I couldn’t hide from it,” he says. “Drinking, gambling, taking drugs... and I was playing for England, and one of the best clubs – one of the best teams in Europe and we were winning big trophies. I needed to come out.” Suicidal thoughts were beginning to swirl around his mind, too. “I was driving to work and wanting to kill myself every single day,” confesses Merson. He speaks about such a harrowing time in his life calmly, with impressive candour and no clear discomfort in his voice. “Everything at my feet and I’m thinking about doing that? ‘You selfish so-and-so,’ that was what was going through my head each day. “I thought if I told somebody, they might say, ‘You’re absolutely mad, we’ll put you away’. But in the end, I just thought, ‘I’ve had enough of this – sooner or later, I’ll take my life’. And I didn’t want to do that.” During the press conference, Merson broke down when he was reminded that he could never drink again. For an addict, living day to day is the norm – the idea of forever felt very daunting. “I’m still not sure I should have done that,” he says of that meeting with the media. “I thought I could be one of those people who comes out and that helps other people. But I did have to go and tell the club that I’d been struggling.” “PUT THOSE TEABAGS AWAY” Arsene Wenger didn’t approve of the same kind of ‘camaraderie’ that George Graham embraced – the Frenchman didn’t want his players consuming so much as a cup of tea. Ian Wright once snuck teabags into his hotel room: he chickened out of adding hot water when Dennis Bergkamp guilt-tripped him into drinking water. It was the new culture. Merson was nearly two years sober by the time Wenger rocked up at Highbury from the J.League, with new ideas of how to conquer the Premier League. “I loved him – training was mind-blowing,” remembers Merson. “With George, for all of how great he was, I could tell you exactly what I was going to be doing on a Thursday in November the next year.” He gazes into the distance and squints, as if reading a calendar. “But it worked a treat! Arsene came in and everything was about thinking. You’d never just go out and play: if you took two touches, FourFourTwo September 2023 69 PAUL MERSOn

Championship for a self-confessed payday sounds like the quickest way to cut ties with the England team. Merson not only went to the 1998 World Cup, he featured in France, too: coming on during the second half of the famous last 16 showdown with Argentina, later converting his penalty in the shootout. “It’s not been done since then and I’d be shocked if it happened again,” he says of his second-tier status at that tournament. “But it wasn’t hard, not in that team. I was really fortunate to go to a Championship club with the players that we had, and Glenn Hoddle liked me: if he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have gone to a World Cup. It doesn’t matter if you’re Kevin De Bruyne playing in the Championship, you need to have your manager’s support. That’s the way it works.” Merson’s club-mate Gazza, who famously missed out on Hoddle’s final squad, found that out to his cost. That summer of 1998, with Merson keen to move further south, John Gregory’s vibrant your second touch had to be moving the ball forward. He told the others, ‘You cut out the drink and you can play until you’re 35 years of age’. They cut out the drinking. They played until they were 35 years of age.” Naturally, a player as creative as Merson relished working under the attack-minded Wenger. “I played every game under him, bar when I had a hernia,” he reflects, having previously played for almost a decade under the more conservative Graham. “George got us closing down, working as a unit. No one moaned in training about how boring it was every day – we won trophies and I couldn’t speak highly enough of him. Arsene was 10 years ahead of his time – that was proven later in the Premier League.” So why did he leave Highbury for recently relegated Middlesbrough in 1997, still aged only 29? He pauses for a moment. “Do you know what? For the first time in my life, greed with my addictions,” he replies with unfiltered honesty. “My addictions back then were really flying. Arsenal offered me a four-year deal on £580,000 a year – and Boro offered me a million pounds a year. I couldn’t quite get my head around it. “No disrespect to Middlesbrough, because I loved it when I lived there, but at the time, Bryan Robson and the money to feed my addictions, that was a massive part of it all.” That second-tier squad was nevertheless packed with talent. Mark Schwarzer, Andy Townsend and Paul Gascoigne were the three mainstays, while Brazilian duo Emerson and Marco Branca also featured as Boro sealed promotion and reached the League Cup final. Briefly house-mates, Merson and Gascoigne became close pals and occasionally indulged in some nocturnal activities that could best be described as ‘eccentric’. A transfer that could have begun a descent into obscurity had little affect on Merson’s international career. Picture the modern-day equivalent: Bukayo Saka or Aaron Ramsdale, for example, dropping from Arsenal to the CHELSEA A year after the Gunners’ 2003-04 invincible vintage, emulating Preston’s unbeaten season in 1888-89, Chelsea lost just one game in 2004-05. In Jose Mourinho’s maiden Stamford Bridge campaign, they romped to the title by 12 points, their solitary defeat a 1-0 October reverse at Manchester City when future Blue Nicolas Anelka fired home from the penalty spot (right). LIVERPOOL Only five teams have lost one game or fewer during an English top-flight campaign – one didn’t even win the league. Again, that defeat was at City. Liverpool bagged 97 points to the Citizens’ 98, a 2-1 January loss for the Reds at the Etihad their undoing. That night, John Stones’ goal-line clearance (right) stopped Liverpool scoring by just 1.12 centimetres. Fine margins… OnE GAME FROM IMMORTALITY Below Merson and Gazza made Middlesbrough magic for a year; “Yes! I’m closer to London now” Merson, Arsenal & Co lost one league match en route to 1990-91 title glory – in English top-flight history, only two other sides have done the same... PAUL MERSOn 70 September 2023 FourFourTwo

intensity and imagination into his football, reinventing himself throughout his career under new managers and in new situations – but while there were good times after his departure from north London, is there a part of him that wishes he’d never left Arsenal? “Wherever you go from there, it ain’t Arsenal, that’s it,” he tells FFT, explaining what it’s like to walk out of those hallowed Highbury hallways as a home player for the very last time. “Football’s a funny old game: you leave and always think that the grass is greener on the other side, but it’s not. You’ve got to make the most of your opportunities when you can – it’s such a short career and you can’t catch a breath.” A fascinating and convivial host, Merson has spent more than an hour remembering certain aspects in minute detail . He can recall some things like they were yesterday – those captivating early years under Graham, as the jewel of a Gunners side challenging for a miracle of a league title, are never too difficult to recount. “I can picture myself sitting in the dressing room at 21 and George saying, ‘Your playing days will go this quickly’,” continues Merson. He clicks his fingers. “George would say, ‘So work hard’. I’d think, ‘Oh, come on’. Then one day, I was the manager of Walsall, saying exactly the same thing to my players – and I could tell they were looking at me thinking the same thing that I was at 21: ‘Oh shut up gaffer, I’ve got ages yet’. “But you don’t. You just don’t. It goes by so fast. You come close to winning something one season, and that could be it for 10 years. That’s football. Chances don’t come often.” Off the field, Graham gave his Rolls-Royce more than one. Morris Minors were seldom afforded such overindulgence, but Merson’s manifest genius deserved every chance it got. Paul Merson was speaking to FourFourTwo in partnership with GambleAware, which offers support to anyone affected by gambling issues Aston Villa came calling. A decade on from Anfield and all that, he was again challenging at the Premier League summit. The Villans spent much of the first half of that 1998-99 season top of the league, with a mercurial Merson supplying for fellow new signing Dion Dublin, Julian Joachim and Stan Collymore. They fell short, of course, with a formidable Manchester United scooping the Treble. In 1989, Merson’s Arsenal had lost a 19-point advantage over Liverpool only to recover to still win the title, but 10 years on there would be no comeback. “People don’t understand what the last eight games are like,” he says now. “If you haven’t been there as a player, I don’t think the public will get it. It’s so, so hard. I never really thought we were certain to win the league until 1991. We were a very good side at Villa but other teams were getting much better then – the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United.” If you finished above Manchester United by the late ’90s, you’d win the league. “We had a great team at Aston Villa,” says Merson. “The biggest regret was the FA Cup final in 2000. We went out to not lose the game and that’s not a way to play football. The last final at the old Wembley: if you’re going to get beat, get beat and don’t go out with a whimper.” Chelsea beat Villa 1-0, thanks to a scrappy Roberto Di Matteo goal. Merson was gutted, but mostly for his team-mates. “I’d won everything in the game, more or less, bar the European Cup by then, and I was OK with it, Clockwise from above In action at France 98 as a First Division player; Wenger: “10 years ahead of his time”; life as Walsall gaffer didn’t go to plan I took it well. But I felt for some of the other players, because you don’t get many chances. With the quality of sides around at that time, it was hard to win something.” “WHEREVER YOU GO, IT AIN’T ARSENAL” Paul Merson played more than 600 league games in English football. He won the title twice for Arsenal before the advent of the Premier League. After leaving Highbury, he was in the PFA Team of the Year three times for campaigns below the top flight – with Middlesbrough in 1998, Portsmouth in 2003 and League One Walsall in 2005. You never really lose it, do you? Despite his off-field tribulations, Merson achieved so much on the pitch. He remains a beloved club legend at Arsenal. He played 21 times for England, including at a World Cup, even though his peak coincided with the national side struggling as a whole. There must be few regrets? “No, no, no,” he declares, shaking his head. “My biggest regret is actually at Walsall, being the manager. I thought I’d be good at it. I always wanted to be a manager, I’m addicted to football.” Having joined the Saddlers the previous summer, Merson became the club’s playermanager in April 2004, less than six weeks after he’d left an Arizona clinic to receive treatment for his gambling addiction. Walsall chairman Mike Lloyd said that Merson had been “an inspirational figure since he joined us as a player, and we lost our way while he was in America”. “It was an amazing opportunity and again, my addictions just ruined it,” sighs Merson. “Absolutely ruined it. I really did think I had a chance to be a good manager, I know the game. My addictions took over and if you’re not well, you have no chance.” One wonders what Merson’s career would have looked like today, had it not been for those addictions. He always channelled such “MY ADDICTIOnS TOOK OVER AT WALSALL – IF YOU’RE nOT WELL, THEn YOU HAVE nO CHAnCE” PAUL MERSOn FourFourTwo September 2023 71

72 September 2023 FourFourTwo PFA AWARDS On August 29, the Professional Footballers’ Association celebrates a half-century of giving out gongs for great individual seasons. Erling Haaland won’t receive the same sort of smooch that Les Ferdinand did, but he should follow in famous footsteps, from Elton John to Steve Ogrizovic Words Andrew Murray T he only thing peers did in July 1973 was wear ostentatious red dressing gowns and occasionally vote in the House of Lords. By the end of the football season nine months later, peers held the key to the sport’s most coveted new individual prize. The Football Writers’ Association (FWA) had been voting for the country’s best player for 26 years, but those who did the on-field heavy lifting each week weren’t entrusted with such significant responsibility. That was until PFA secretary Cliff Lloyd and chairman Derek Dougan combined forces in 1973-74. In the previous decade, the players’ union had won notable High Court cases to abolish the £20 maximum wage and require freedom of contract, thanks to former players Jimmy Hill and George Eastham respectively. Now Dougan, a Wolves forward who espoused collective players’ rights, wanted to promote the image of footballers in a more creative way. Naturally, that involved Norman Hunter dressed in a frilly-fronted pastel dinner shirt, to match lamb-chop sideburns, on stage at a Park Lane hotel as the PFA’s first Players’ Player of the Year. “The footballer’s image as a thick-headed yokel who needs constant discipline and cannot be trusted to manage his affairs is a distant throwback,” declared a beaming Dougan that evening. “Anyone who doubts the social progress of the modern footballer has only to switch on the Player of the Year

PFA AWARDS THE FOOTBALL WRITERS’ ASSOCIATIOn FAVOURED FLAIR. HERE, THE PLAYERS CELEBRATED THEIR OWn

74 September 2023 FourFourTwo In 1990-91, Mark Hughes became the first footballer to win the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award twice, a feat since matched by Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah. Hughes was soon followed by his Red Devils team-mates, Gary Pallister (in 1991-92) and Eric Cantona (1993-94). “I want to thank Alex Ferguson, my coaches, my team-mates and congratulate the players who didn’t vote for me,” quipped the typically enigmatic Frenchman, as the maiden foreign player to procure the award. But it was the first ever winner in the Premier League era who resonated most. Paul McGrath had nearly retired in 1989 through a chronic knee injury and alcohol dependency, yet a move from Manchester United to Aston Villa that year had revitalised his career. Despite a training regime that included little more than a bit of bike work and the occasional hot bath, the defender missed just eight minutes of the 42-match 1992-93 season – and though a late-season surge from his former club deprived Villa of the Premier League title, the Irish defender wowed his fellow pros. Team-mate Tony Daley hailed him in one word: “Awesome.” Some award winners seem predestined. Dennis Bergkamp’s hat-trick goal for Arsenal at Leicester in August 1997 was so sublime – controlling a through-ball, flicking it up over a defender and rifling into the top corner – it warranted its own museum. The non-flying Dutchman’s 22 goals in all competitions, plus a further 13 assists, helped Arsenal to clinch the Double, but his individual prize was guaranteed from that August recital. The only guarantee in 1998-99 was surely that the recipient would be a Treble-winning Manchester United player. Not so. Instead, a winger who scored his first league goal in April, and whose side came 11th, trumped all. “The only thing we didn’t win was the bloody Boat Race,” huffed Alex Ferguson. “And they still gave it to David Ginola!” With the Red Devils vote split between four players, it also helped that the L’Oreal-loving Spurs star had scored a supreme solo goal against Barnsley in the FA Cup and won the Awards on television – without doubt, the best night on the sporting calendar.” Hunter’s crowning as the inaugural PFA winner felt instructive. Sure, Leeds won the First Division in 1973-74 – Don Revie’s final season before taking up the England job – but the grizzled centre-back nicknamed ‘Bites Yer Legs’ was a world removed from smooth Liverpool midfielder Ian Callaghan, who snaffled the writers’ gong. This was the players celebrating their own. Peers had never been so democratic. “THANKS, CAN’T STAY, THE BAR’S CLOSING” If there was a feeling that the FWA favoured flair – after Callaghan in 1974, Alan Mullery and Kevin Keegan claimed the writers’ award in ’75 and ’76 – then PFA members proved to be the opposite. Four of the first five winners were defenders or goalkeepers: Hunter, Colin Todd, Pat Jennings and Peter Shilton. Gradually, attack superseded defence in professionals’ voting minds. Arsenal magician Liam Brady, the first non-UK winner, started a trend of insouciant creative types picking up the players’ player award. You might assume that ‘Chippy’ – so nicknamed for his love of fried foodstuffs – earned his accolade for a starring role in winning the topsy-turvy 1979 FA Cup Final against Manchester United, but his PFA prize had already been gathering dust for two months. Second on Valentine’s Day, and with Brady the early-season star as votes were collected in spring, the Gunners fell away to finish seventh, 20 points behind champions Liverpool. It has often paid to be flying in March. John Wark’s 1980-81 campaign for lesser-fancied Ipswich remains one of the finest individual seasons in English football. The Scot scored an absurd 36 goals from defensive midfield as the Tractor Boys chased a First Division, FA Cup and UEFA Cup treble, but even his lung-busting dynamism couldn’t prevent a run of seven defeats in their final 10 league games, and they duly fell short. Netting in every round of the UEFA Cup as Ipswich beat AZ Alkmaar in the final would have to do, to go with his individual award. “It was an achievement that could have been up there with the Manchester Uniteds and Liverpools if we had won the treble,” lamented Wark. Indeed, Merseyside soon dominated the players’ player award. Terry McDermott had become the first player to win the PFA and FWA prizes in the same season, in 1979-80 – “I couldn’t understand why a ragbag like me should be the first one to do it,” admitted the larger-than-life three-time European Cup winner, who flew back to Quarry Green social club that same night to celebrate until 4am. For five years out of six, the players’ player award resided firmly in the L4 postcode: from Kenny Dalglish in 1982-83 to John Barnes in 1987-88, bookending recognition for Ian Rush and the Everton pair of Peter Reid and Gary Lineker. Tottenham’s Clive Allen, whose 49-goal annus mirabilis in 1986-87 is bettered only by Erling Haaland’s 52 in 2022-23 over the past 92 years, was alone in breaking the Merseyside stranglehold. PFA AWARDS Top to bottom Elton John with his tiny dancer, Peter Reid; even ‘Bites Yer Legs’ scrubbed up for the do; Ian Rush needed a bigger trophy room; “Ragbag” Terry McDermott, the first to claim the PFA/FWA double

FourFourTwo September 2023 75 League Cup for Tottenham in early spring. Ginola and Brady in 1979 are the only two winners whose teams finished outside the top four – Ginola’s, in the bottom half. Scott Parker famously won the 2011 FWA award at relegated West Ham, but he lost out to Bale with the PFA. Ten years after being pipped by Ginola, Ryan Giggs finally emerged on top in the PFA standings in 2008-09, though not without some controversy. The Welshman had made only 12 Premier League starts in the season as he received his prize from compatriot and recently-retired world boxing champion Joe Calzaghe, but was rewarded for his longevity and Champions League consistency, having helped Manchester United to reach a second successive final. “I’ve been fortunate to win a lot of trophies,” smiled Giggs, “but this is the big one.” He would also win BBC Sports Personality of the Year eight months later. Only four of the 13 most recent recipients captured the Premier League title in the same campaign (Eden Hazard in 2014-15, Riyad Mahrez in 2015-16, N’Golo Kante in 2016-17 and Kevin De Bruyne in 2020-21), but that’s due to the competitive nature of the league as much as anything else. Wayne Rooney’s victory in 2009-10 was “the biggest foregone conclusion in football” according to Jimmy Greaves, who presented the Manchester United forward with his trophy. Then there was Salah’s 44-goal first season at Liverpool in 2017-18 and, two years later, De Bruyne equalling 2002-03 winner Henry’s record of 20 Premier League assists in a campaign. Neither Salah nor De Bruyne won the title. “MY NAME IS NOT MICHAEL CAINE” Recognising ability has always been at the heart of the PFA Awards, which is why, half a century ago, Dougan was determined that there should also be a PFA Young Player of the Year. Injuries would rob inaugural winner Kevin Beattie of the stellar career the Ipswich defender’s precocious talent warranted, although he was Michael Caine’s body double in Escape to Victory. Peter Barnes, Gary Shaw and Steve Moran were other early winners whose bodies let them down. For the most part, however, the age-group honour has been a bellwether for future excellence. Aston Villa’s Andy Gray was the first to win Players’ Player and Young Player in the same season – only Ronaldo and Bale have done that double since – yet sclerotic Villa manager Ron Saunders banned Gray from attending the PFA ceremony. “Instead of embracing it and saying, ‘This is great: it represents how well we’ve done this season as a unit,’ he stopped me going,” recalled Gray. “I should have told him to shove it.” Another winning youngster made his own decision to ignore the niceties. Arsenal’s unsettled marksman Nicolas Anelka failed to turn up in April 1999, forcing the Real Madrid-bound 20-year-old into a politician’s apology. “Unfortunately, I was not aware of the full significance of this award and I am sorry for any misunderstanding, upset or ill-feeling it may have caused,” said Le Sulk. Increasingly, winners were met on stage by a familiar face. Andy Cole was handed his award by 1993-94 Newcastle strike partner Peter Beardsley; the next year, Rush gave it to his partner-in-crime Robbie Fowler; and in 2001 England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson passed on the prize to Steven Gerrard. Other presenters have included Elton John (in 1985 as Watford chairman) and prime minister Harold Wilson in 1975. In 2018-19, Raheem Sterling’s PFA Young Player of the Year award prompted a rule change. Initially, eligible players had to be aged 23 or under on the opening day of the campaign, so 24-year-old Sterling qualified despite being a Premier League regular for seven seasons, making 369 appearances in all and winning that year’s senior FWA gong. Now, a PFA Young Player nominee must be 21 or under on July 1 of the previous year. “THE OnLY THInG THAT WE DIDn’T WIn WAS THE BLOODY BOAT RACE, AnD THEY GAVE IT TO GInOLA” PFA AWARDS Top to bottom England’s nearly men of three generations; you should see the photoshoot with Richard Keys...; Lineker dropped the trophy on his toe and missed the next season; Joe, Jeff and part-timer Ryan

76 September 2023 FourFourTwo History also forms a crucial part of awards night. Perhaps the least well-known of the PFA awards is the Merit prize, which honours players, bosses, referees and administrators. Footballing knights Bobby Charlton, Bobby Robson, Tom Finney and Stanley Matthews need no introduction; nor does Eusebio, the first winner from outside English football, nor 1996 recipient Pele. And Giggs completed his PFA set in 2016 as the only individual to bag every award; typically, Steven Gerrard had to share the Merit Award with Frank Lampard a year earlier. It’s the lesser-known stories that demand attention, however. Left-back John Trollope took the honour in 1981, having broken the record for the most appearances for a single Football League club: 770, at Swindon. Dean Lewington at MK Dons started the 2023-24 campaign just five games short of that figure. Tony Ford was the 1999 Merit receiver for smashing another record: the most league appearances for an outfielder, a number he had extended to 931 by his retirement in November 2001. When he made his October 1975 debut for Grimsby, David Essex’s Hold Me Close was UK No.1; when he turned out for Rochdale 26 years later, it was Afroman’s Because I Got High. Long-serving veterans are popular winners, including Steve Ogrizovic in 1998 and Graham Alexander in 2012. Also featuring prominently are footballers who use their platform to inspire change and establish their own charities. Niall Quinn (child healthcare), Gary Mabbutt (diabetes), Shaka Hislop (Show Racism the Red Card), Cyrille Regis (underprivileged youth projects) and Marcus Rashford (government policychanging free school meals) have enhanced the lives of millions. The most unique story has to be 2014’s posthumous recipient, Donald Bell, a century on from the beginning of the First World War. The one-time Newcastle and Bradford Park Avenue defender was the first professional footballer to enlist and even won a Victoria Cross for his bravery on the fifth day of the Battle of the Somme, taking out a German gunner. “I only chucked one bomb,” Bell wrote to his mother, “but it did the trick.” He died five days after his act of heroism, aged just 25, attempting a similar manoeuvre. A DUTCH DOUBLE Manchester City captain Steph Houghton and former England manager Hope Powell were the first women to win the PFA Merit Award, in 2019 and 2022 respectively – significant moments, broadly as well as individually. Inclusivity forms a big part of the modern PFA – BAME representation throughout the organisation is excellent, from new chief executive Maheta Molango down – but it has a complicated history with women’s football. Back in 1997, agent Rachel Anderson, whose clients included Julian Dicks and Don Hutchison, was turned away at the door of the PFA Awards. Her crime? Being a woman. When it happened again 12 months later, despite Dicks writing a letter on her behalf in advance, she took the PFA to court and won. Thankfully, things have improved. The PFA has provided more support for female players since 2000 and began admitting women as members from 2013 after the advent of the professional Women’s Super League. Voting for the 2012-13 Women’s Players’ Player of the Year Award began immediately, with Kim Little a near-unanimous victor as the WSL’s Golden Boot winner, her Arsenal team lifting the title unbeaten. “For years I’ve watched this event on television, so to come here and win the first award is fantastic,” said the Scot, who had starred for Team GB at the previous summer’s watershed London 2012 Olympics. The Women’s Players’ Player of the Year Award is a roll call of excellence. Silky Chelsea playmaker Ji So-yun became the first Asian player to win any PFA award in 2014-15, and Vivianne Miedema’s 2018-19 season was as good as any in English football’s long history. Securing a Dutch double, to go with Van Dijk’s men’s award, the Arsenal forward recorded 31 goals and 14 assists from just 28 outings. “It’ll be quite a big thing back home,” said Miedema. “Two Dutch footballers winning it makes it even bigger than it probably was for me and for him.” Lucy Bronze and Fran Kirby have each won the top individual prize twice, while fellow Euro 2022 heroine Beth England received the trophy in 2019-20. Lauren Hemp, another of England’s European champions, has ruled the Women’s Young Player of the Year like her own personal fiefdom, to the extent that she holds a PFA record. The 23-year-old won the accolade for a fourth time in 2021-22 to establish her own exclusive club as the only player, male or female, to have accumulated as many individual seasonal gongs. “It’s an honour to get this again,” she said, “especially to be voted for by your peers. It’s an honour to be picked from them.” The desired visibility that the PFA Awards first achieved half a century ago now features the women’s game front and centre of the football conversation. And probably that word ‘peers’ as well. ‘50 Years of the PFA Awards’ (St James’ House, £39.95) is available from August 29. To order, head to www.stjamess.org and click on ‘Shop’ RACHEL AnDERSOn, AGEnT TO JULIAn DICKS, WASn’T ALLOWED InTO THE 1997 EVEnT, BEInG A WOMAn PFA AWARDS Anti-clockwise from left A less than successful photobomb...; Gerrard would win the lot over time; Fran Kirby has twice won PFA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year, but Steph Houghton has her Merit

“S o this is the catapult they’ll use to propel the dice onto the field. Over there, that’s the cannon they fire the ball from, to start the match. And then, for the final, there will be a tightrope walker who drops the ball from over the centre of the pitch.” FourFourTwo have arrived pitchside at Atletico Madrid’s impressive Metropolitano home and things have already taken a turn for the weird. We are speaking to Alberto Lambea, our helpful guide for the finals event of the Kings and Queens Leagues. Set up by Barcelona stalwart Gerard Pique, it is akin to The Hundred, only even more outlandish than its cricket equivalent. The seven-a-side footballtournament, which features legends of the game, social media stars and every daft idea you could possibly think of, has become a massive hit in the Spanish-speaking world since its launch on January 1. Less than three months later, it had grown so enormous that 92,522 spectators crammed into the Camp Nou to watch its first finals day, despite the players on the pitch previously being virtual unknowns. Tomorrow, the Metropolitano will be close to capacity for an eight-hour, six-match epic, including performances from pop stars and a penalty shootout with Iker Casillas. Before then, we’re here to meet Pique himself, who retired from playing last November after a career that gave him a World Cup, a European Championship, t four Champions Leagues, nine La Liga itles – the lot. The 36-year-old could have just put his feet up. Instead, he H has ploughed his focus into Kosmos olding, the company he founded in 2017 with a group of businessmen R in a c k luding the head of Japanese firm A uten, then Barcelona’s shirt sponsor. mo year later, they agreed a deal worth Da re than £2 billion to transform tennis’ vis Cup from its conventional format T in h to an 18-team finals event in Madrid. at endured mixed success, and the K p o artnership was cut short this January. fo smos also helped to convert Spanish co o n t t ball’s Super Cup into a four-team est, played in Saudi Arabia. Given the traditions of both events, those moves were controversial, but Kosmos has been better received as innovators in other areas. Two years W ago, Pique launched the first Balloon orld Cup, a bizarre competition that KInGS LEAGUE

A shedload of wacky ideas have made Gerard Pique’s Kings and Queens Leagues a hit in Spain. FFT heads to finals day in Madrid to talk to the man himself and find out what the hell is going on Words Chris Flanagan KInGS LEAGUE

80 September 2023 FourFourTwo La Liga chief Javier Tebas described it as ‘a circus’, but it was never aimed at him – the main audience is aged 15 to 24, and the league has partnerships with major brands including Adidas and McDonald’s. “We don’t want to be compared with traditional football or La Liga – we’re a completely different product for a different audience,” says Pique. “Maybe Javier isn’t a fan, but there’s a young audience out there that’s crazy about the Kings League. The event at the Camp Nou was a big success: we didn’t expect 93,000 people after three months of competition. Then, in May, we started the Queens League, investing in women’s football. “There’s a need in the market where the traditional sports, and not just football... I’m not saying they are boring, but they’re long events where nothing special happens. Football is 90 minutes long and the game sometimes finishes 0-0. The way the new generation consumes their sport is closer to entertainment. The idea was to create a product that was sport but entertainment at the same time. “There’s a video game element, too, as we do things like throwing a dice before the last two minutes of the first half and if the dice lands on a three, the game is three versus three for two minutes. Those things really engage the new generation. They’re craving something different.” Parents and older viewers have also been engaged by the involvement of legends such as Casillas and Sergio Aguero, presidents of two of the teams. Aguero has even played in some matches, striding on for his debut in a clown outfit before revealing his identity. Enigma turned out to be ex-Cadiz forward Nano Mesa, underwhelmingly, but Javier Hernandez made a one-off appearance on launch day, followed by cameos for Javier Saviola, Joan Capdevila, Djibril Cisse, Andrea Pirlo, Andriy Shevchenko and Ronaldinho, who drew an audience of 2.1 million on the day the Brazilian played. “I asked them to play and they really liked the project,” says Pique. “Ronaldinho enjoyed it a lot. Having a Ballon d’Or winner playing was amazing, and then Shevchenko – another Ballon d’Or winner – and Andrea Pirlo, as well as Kun Aguero and Iker Casillas.” Neymar has even expressed an interest in getting involved as a president. What about an appearance from Lionel Messi one day? “Why not? It would be so fun!” says Pique, adding with a laugh, “But I think he’s been very busy since the World Cup!” Pique, who emphasises that he hasn’t had any conversations with Messi on the topic, hasn’t appeared on the pitch, either. “Once,” he adds, “we put a card into the secret weapons and if they took that card at random, they could use me to play on their team. But they didn’t pick that card and they didn’t know I was one of the options, because it was secret. After that, I decided not to put myself as a secret weapon again, because all day I’d been thinking about whether I had to play or not! I prefer to say, ‘I’m not playing; I’m the league president and I’m enjoying it a lot from the outside’.” involves players from 32 countries trying to stop a balloon from hitting the floor. “The day we came up with that, it was like we were high!” Pique recalls to us, laughing. “That was a new sport we created after seeing a viral video between two brothers in the US. We’ve already done two World Cups and this year we’re thinking about maybe a third.” Pique and Kosmos also bought FC Andorra back in 2018. “I’m very passionate about the things we do at Kosmos – I try to take our projects as high as possible,” he explains. “We have taken FC Andorra from the fifth division to the second division in Spain. Now we’re fighting to be promoted to La Liga. Last season we finished seventh, one spot outside the play-offs. I’m convinced we will fight to be there one day.” Like the Balloon World Cup, the Kings League was devised with help from pal Ibai Llanos, Spain’s most famous social media influencer, who has 15 million followers on Twitch. “I went to lunch with Ibai last July and the idea of the Kings League appeared in my head – he liked it a lot, so we started to work on it,” continues Pique. “The truth is, I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I retired, but this idea appeared and now here we are. My career was over and you have to accept that; I’m very proud of it, but life goes on and you have to focus on other things. Starting something from scratch is difficult, but we had the tools to do it.” Combining his status within football with Ibai’s online influence proved powerful. “We started to find the presidents who would own the clubs,” says Pique. The Kings League has 12 teams, most of them headed by a social media star from Spain or Latin America. “That was key,” he adds, “because they have enormous communities and they brought a lot of those people with them. We wanted to lure a really big audience right from day one, and we did.” With fixtures streamed live on YouTube, the first matchday on January 1 – featuring half a dozen games at a Powerleague-type indoor arena in Barcelona and a tiny stand for spectators – attracted a peak audience of 780,000. The second matchday peaked at 945,000 when one team fielded a masked player known only as ‘Enigma’, described by Pique as a La Liga player who didn’t want to reveal his true identity, prompting fevered speculation and guesswork from Isco to Denis Suarez. On matchday three, viewership reached 1.3 million. “WHO THE HELL IS NANO MESA?” The league’s unusual rules, voted for on social media, also helped to catch attention. Matches are two halves of 20 minutes on a small-sized pitch. Normal league fixtures start water polo-style: each team lines up on their goal-line before charging towards the ball on the centre spot. Teams can play one ‘secret weapon’ per match, picking a card at random – options range from an immediate penalty kick to an opposition player being removed for two minutes, or goals scored in the next two minutes counting double. KInGS LEAGUE

FourFourTwo September 2023 81 It’s already been announced that another league will launch soon in Latin America, based in Mexico with Chicharito as one of the club presidents, also including Spanishspeaking teams from the US and South America. “We’re thinking about expansion,” says Pique. “For 2024, we have plans for Latin America and other countries. It’s key that those countries love football and have a gigantic community of streamers. Latin America knows the product well. After that, the idea is to launch in the US, UK, Germany, Italy – those kinds of places. In 2025, I’d love to go to the US and the UK. “A finals day at Wembley would be pretty special. And why not? Dreams come true.” IKER CASILLAS: SECRET JOURNALIST After chatting with us, Pique accompanies the presidents of all 24 Kings and Queens League teams at a press event, streamed to 200,000 people. “When Gerard first began talking about the project and the secret weapon cards, we thought it was a crazy idea,” Ibai, president of the Porcinos team, admits to FFT. “But then we thought about it a second time, and it started to become a reality. I love football and love managing teams, because I already had an eSports team, so it totally works for me.” Colombian video game YouTuber Juan Guarnizo is the leader of the Aniquiladores team. “I’ve spent a number of years creating internet content; I didn’t know very much about football, but now I love it,” he says. Like Ibai’s team, his side is one of the four to have made it through to finals day, after an 11-match regular campaign and then a series of play-off games, all taking place at the indoor arena in Barcelona. The Kings League follows an Apertura and Clausura format more common in Argentina or Mexico. The Camp Nou event in March was the finals day of the first half of the season; this event in Madrid rounds off the second half, and includes the Queens League finals for the first time. “We’re making history,” says streamer Esperanza Borras, invited by Guarnizo to become president of sister team Aniquiladoras in the Queens League. “My mother played for Spain’s women’s team. At the Camp Nou finals day, I took two penalties in front of 93,000 people and missed both! I was nervous.” During a relaxed press conference, Casillas’ presence is kept as a surprise. He sneaks in at the back of the auditorium to pose as a journalist asking a question, before joining the other presidents on stage. “My friend Gerard called me one day and said, ‘We have a project that you have to sign up for’,” the 42-year-old tells FFT. “But I didn’t know what he was talking about! I said, ‘Tell me what it is.’ When he explained it, I saw something fun. In 48 hours, I got involved with all of these wonderful people who have shown me a different world. Because of my age and circumstances, I hadn’t seen it, but now I’m getting to know it and it’s been a wonderful experience. When I go to different parts of Spain, everyone talks to me about the Kings League and Queens League.” Aguero soon arrives as well, and the eight teams involved in the finals are also in the room. Most of the players have come from regional leagues after applying to take part. “You’re here from the UK?” Ximel Bladh asks after approaching us once the press event is over. She’s a Swedish defender for Queens League team Porcinas, and is surprised that anyone from an English-speaking country would be here, such is the Spanish-language bubble the league has existed in. “I share clips with people in Sweden, but everything is in Spanish,” the 37-year-old explains. “I came to Spain 10 years ago; prior to that, I played professionally in Russia and Cyprus. I found out about the Queens League, signed up, got an invitation to a trial, then I was in. “It’s so different to the football I’ve played before – it’s football with board game rules. Even as a player, sometimes I’m like, ‘What’s going on? I’m not following!’ But it has been amazing. I’m so excited about tomorrow – we went to have a look at the stadium earlier and it’s so big.” ACTIVATE THE CATAPULT On matchday, the Metropolitano is buzzing with people who have travelled from far and wide. Plenty are in their twenties and thirties, and many younger fans wear replica shirts of the teams involved – mostly supporting the side of their favourite streamer. “My first team, Saiyans, were eliminated in the last round, but Porcinos is my second team,” says 15-year-old David, who is wearing the shirt of Ibai’s side. He’s travelled from Barcelona “IT’S FOOTBALL WITH BOARD GAME RULES – EVEn AS A PLAYER, SOMETIMES YOU’RE LIKE, ‘WHAT’S GOInG On?’” KInGS LEAGUE Clockwise from top Pique, Kun, Casillas and the rest of the club presidents; Iker tried his hand at reporting; fans packed into the Metropolitano; Shevchenko and Pirlo joined in the fun; social media colossus Llanos helped to create the tournament

82 September 2023 FourFourTwo with family, meeting Madrid-based friends at the stadium. Asked whether they prefer the Kings League or La Liga, his 13-year-old mate answers immediately. “Kings League,” he says. “It’s more fun.” Outside the ground, we meet visitors from Barcelona who enjoyed the Camp Nou event so much that they came to Madrid, including a mother and 11-year-old daughter who’s wearing a shirt of the xBuyer team. Amid the crowds, a chap walks past holding a giant cardboard cutout of Shakira’s face, as a joke aimed at Pique, whose relationship with the singer ended last year. Inside the Metropolitano, Pique is perched on one of several pitchside sofas ready for the pre-show, soon joined by all of the team presidents, driven into the arena on top of an armoured vehicle the size of a tank. Some stand on the pitch as motocross riders drive up a ramp and do acrobatic jumps over their heads. After that, Casillas goes in goal and attempts to save penalties from social media stars. Two singers perform, one entering the stadium with the teams on two open-top buses, because she is also a player today for Queens League side xBuyer. Like Casillas’ outfit, 1K FC, Aguero’s side, Kunisports, didn’t get through to the finals day. He slinks in unannounced once the first match is underway: the Kings League semifinal between Aniquiladores and El Barrio. It commences with the ball being fired out of a cannon, as we were warned. Unsurprisingly, no one fancies heading it. Despite the weirdness, people take it very seriously. El Barrio appeal for a penalty with all the vigour of a Champions League fixture, the coach goes nuts when they don’t get it, and supporters in the stands whistle their disapproval at the referee. With 57,326 fans present, the stadium isn’t far off full capacity. The game is soon halted as Aniquiladores draw a card that gives them a free penalty, only for them to miss the spot-kick, before Kevin-Prince Boateng turns up to operate the catapult. The giant dice lands on a five, so it’s five-on-five for the final two minutes of the half. Play restarts with the ball on the centre spot and both teams running towards it from the goal-line. As they meet, a brutal sliding challenge leaves an Aniquiladores player in agony. Eventually, he’s OK. An own goal finally breaks the deadlock, celebrated as if Aniquiladores have just won the World Cup, and with three minutes left their president, Guarnizo, is summoned to the pitch to take a penalty that will make the score 2-0. The YouTuber warned us he wasn’t a football expert and he scuffs it hopelessly wide, Diana Ross-style, before trudging off embarrassed. El Barrio’s streamer president, Adri Contreras, then comes on, looking like he’s more familiar with a football. He slots home his penalty to take the game to 1-1. All square at full-time, the match goes to a penalty shootout in the mould of 1990s MLS games, with players dribbling from the halfway line. Aniquiladores’ woes continue: one goal is disallowed because the player started dribbling ahead of the starter buzzer sounding, while another player is timed out KInGS LEAGUE

FourFourTwo September 2023 83 XXXXX XXXXX shortly before his shot hits the net. El Barrio triumph, prompting rapturous celebrations. Next it’s semi-final two: Ibai’s Porcinos vs xBuyer. The score is 1-1 when Manolo – the legendary drummer and Spanish national team supporter – operates the catapult and the dice lands on one, to huge cheers. The next two minutes are one versus one: neither player can use their hands and they can only shoot from the centre circle. It’s a sensation. Porcinos’ Hugo Fraile fires two rockets into the top corner, xBuyer also net twice to make it 3-3, and each side’s presidents celebrate by yelling at the crowd, whipping everyone into a frenzy. It’s all a bit WWE, but it is very entertaining. Trailing 4-3, Ibai strolls on to leather home a penalty and leave this game level. xBuyer win the shootout. “MY HERO IS RORY DELAP” Within minutes, the first Queens League semi-final has begun. Curiously, two of the game’s first three goals are scored by men: several Queens League sides have a female president but Las Troncas and xBuyer’s female team are each affiliated with male streamers, who briefly take to the field to convert penalties. The tie is again level going into the final two minutes, when goals count double, and Las Troncas notch to win 5-3. That double-goals rule proves even more influential in semi-final two when Porcinas lead 2-1 in the final seconds against Pio – who seem to be the Stoke City of the Queens League, launching Rory Delap-esque long throws into the box at every opportunity. Pio find the net with the last kick of the game, securing a 3-2 victory, and the commentator gives it the full ‘GOOOOOOOL’ at the drama of it all, as Porcinas collapse to the ground in devastation. Players are crying uncontrollably on both teams, for different reasons. To them, this really matters. As darkness falls, there’s a 45-minute break for concerts by Argentine rapper Nicki Nicole and Colombian singer Manuel Turizo, both huge names in the Spanish-speaking world. Then it’s on to the Kings League showpiece, started by the tightrope walker, who treads his way from the roof to a position above the centre circle, then drops the ball onto the pitch to begin the match. It’s pretty much chaos from there: eight goals and a penalty awarded by VAR after an almighty row, only for xBuyer’s Roger Carbo to do a Simone Zaza impression by stuttering up to the ball and blazing it comically over the bar. The crowd is lapping up every second as the final advances to the day’s third Kings League shootout. As “Barr-i-o! Barr-i-o!” and “Buy-er! Buy-er!” chants compete in the stands, xBuyer win the day, prompting their joint presidents – gaming YouTuber Javier ‘xBuyer’ Ruiz and his younger brother Eric – to race onto the pitch in joy. Fans excitedly jump up and down and Javier yells ‘VAMOS! VAMOS! VAMOS!’ into a microphone, before screaming names of random countries. “ESPANA! MEXICO! ARGENTINA!” It’s way past 11pm now and a significant portion of the crowd disappear ahead of the Queens League final, which Pio win 3-1 in rather less dramatic fashion against Las Troncas. The presentation ceremony finishes at nearly 12.30am, eight and a half hours after we began. “This is the best moment of my entire life,” Pio player Ona Aldea tells FFT. Her feelings are echoed by Miki Fernandez of Kings League winners xBuyer. “In any of our dreams, it would have been impossible to think of this – winning in front of nearly 60,000,” he beams. “I play in a small league. I’m not the greatest player in Catalonia, but I thought, ‘Let’s try it – why not?’ and here I am. There’s a brilliant future for this league. I hope it continues for a long time.” The challenge will be finding a way to stop the novelty from wearing off – throughout 2023, new rules and superstars have regularly been introduced to keep the league fresh. It’s not difficult to see why expansion is on the agenda. In theory, there’s no reason why the format can’t thrive elsewhere. Our two days in Madrid have felt like being thrust into a parallel universe that the nonSpanish-speaking world knows little about. It’s football, Jaime, but not as we know it. And that right there is the beauty of it – sometimes, people just want to have fun. ASKED IF HE PREFERS THE KInGS LEAGUE OR LA LIGA, A FAn’S 13-YEAR-OLD PAL AnSWERS. “KInGS LEAGUE,” HE SAYS. “IT’S MORE FUn” KInGS LEAGUE Clockwise from top Kings League winners xBuyer; Pio (white) tasted Queens League glory; xBuyer seal the deal; singers, tightrope walkers and Sergio selfies kept the 60,000 crowd occupied; Pique’s big prize

EFL •nOn-LEAGUE •SCOTLAnD When you returned for your second spell with Carlisle, in early 2022, the club sat 91st in the Football League. Could you have imagined, 18 months on, you’d be preparing for a League One campaign? No. The very prospect seemed crazy, though I have to say that after staying up in 2021-22 with games to spare, we didn’t head into last season intending to just keep our heads above water. Realistically, I thought promotion was achievable by the end of my three-year deal, so it’s come earlier than expected. I’ve learnt in football that if a chance presents itself, you have to take it – my players grabbed it with both hands. It’s rare for a boss to enjoy success at his hometown club. Does it mean more, being Carlisle born and bred? Yes it does, in the sense that it affects my immediate family and friends. At any club you’ll see familiar faces in the crowd, but at Brunton Park I’ll regularly spot neighbours or people I went to school with and it’s a different feeling. Mind you, so many have come up to me claiming they were in my class at Morton Secondary School, there must have been about 300 pupils in it! Over the years, I’ve learnt that you have to enjoy any success you achieve because there are plenty of lows in this game. It’s been a great experience returning to Carlisle and feeling the buzz around the place. At times, with the supporters flocking back, matchdays have brought memories flooding back of my playing days at Manchester City and Derby. You sealed back-to-back promotions from the Conference to League One during your first Carlisle spell, then joined Preston and almost led them to the Premier League in 2006-07… We flirted with promotion but Preston was a very tough job for me. I inherited a really good squad of players, but then a number of issues cropped up which made things difficult. Looking back at it now, I probably wasn’t sufficiently well-equipped to handle the situation. It was a blow missing out on the playoffs [by a point] on the last day of the season, but the writing had been on the wall since January [when Preston were second] as I wasn’t able to bring in the signings I thought we required. In hindsight, I should have come out and said I wasn’t getting the financial backing I wanted. In the end we fell away, the fans turned on me, and after a rubbish pre-season we didn’t get the good start I needed to stay in the job. Your managerial career has largely been spent in the lower divisions, at clubs like Rochdale, Shrewsbury and Stockport. Do you think individuals get pigeon-holed far too readily in this country and there’s no pathway from League Two to the top flight? It’s a fair point, but I also think the fact we’re English or British goes against us. It’s sexier for clubs to go for foreign coaches, and when that happens he’ll bring in four or five assistants from his own country which denies openings for four or five from here. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of the continental coaches are excellent, but homegrown coaches don’t get a fair chance despite the FA having a great education system. I did my pro licence alongside Ruud Gullit, who was Feyenoord’s technical director at the time. One member of our group asked why English coaches never got jobs in Holland. He laughed and said why should they hire Englishmen when they already had the best coaches in the world? I wish a few chairmen here had so much faith in their compatriots. Before your second stint at Carlisle, you’d held three assistant manager roles. Had you chosen to take a step back from the frontline? Basically I wasn’t offered a manager’s job anywhere, though after having my “AT BRUnTOn PARK I’LL SPOT nEIGHBOURS AnD OLD SCHOOL-MATES. IT FEELS DIFFEREnT HERE” AROUnD THE GROUnDS The Carlisle gaffer chats League One ambitions, World Cup ecstasy with England Under-20s and battling kidney cancer InT ERVI E W PAUL SIMPSOn Interview Ian Murtagh 84 September 2023 FourFourTwo

fingers burnt at Stockport, I needed to step back a bit. Accepting that job was the worst decision I ever made. I was assured there was a five-year plan and my initial target was simply to stay up in League Two. Instead, I walked into a club and had to work alongside two members of staff who were poisonous and did me no favours whatsoever. It’s not a case of blaming everyone else as I admit I wasn’t good either. Anyway, I decided to come out of management and re-educate myself. I worked for the Premier League, did some media stuff and spent several months working at an academy outside Lisbon. Following time out of the game, Steve McClaren invited me to join him at my old club Derby, and those two-and-a-half years there and nine more months with him at Newcastle were a brilliant education. Talk to us about winning the Under20 World Cup with England in 2017… It’s lovely having that on my CV, but it’s just as big a thrill seeing how some of those players have gone on to have good careers – lads like Fikayo Tomori, Kyle Walker-Peters, Jonjo Kenny, Lewis Cook, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dominic Solanke... And while it’s yet to take off for him in the Premier League, Freddie Woodman has established himself as a fine goalkeeper. Back then, it was an extremely tough choice between him and Dean Henderson, but I felt calmer with the former in goal. I’m surprised a few others players have yet to make the grade. Lads like Josh Onomah and Sheyi Ojo, who was at Liverpool, looked poised for fantastic futures, but so far neither have fulfilled what I think they should have done in the game. Maybe they’ll come again – both have plenty of football in front of them. As a group, the squad was really focused and the lads weren’t just terrific players but top blokes as well. If that triumph in South Korea was a personal high for you, a low point came when you were diagnosed with kidney cancer, forcing you to leave your role at Bristol City in July 2021. A frightening experience. I remember seeing adverts everywhere saying that one out of every two people would get cancer and thinking how unlucky they were, then suddenly I’m one of them. At Carlisle, there are five men and two women who’ve been affected by it. It’s all around us. I had surgery two years ago when they removed some swollen lymph nodes. A few weeks later, I was told there were no additional signs of cancer so didn’t require chemotherapy or radiotherapy. I’ve yet to be given the full all-clear – I require a scan every six months. Working in professional sport, we’re often called heroes, but the real heroes are the doctors and nurses who do heroic deeds every day of their lives. Every referee worries about being abused from the stands. But while the majority of officials accept that their on-field decisions will be the cause, Lucy Clark feared her very identity would become the issue. This was back before 2018, when Lucy was publicly known as Nick – an ex-footballer-turned-referee who’d run the rule over hundreds of nonleague matches during her career. Lucy had always felt at home walking out onto a pitch – the problem was, she felt trapped inside a man’s body. “I didn’t think football would accept me, being transgender,” the 51-yearold (below, left] explains to FFT now. “I thought I had to give it all up. The 2017-18 season would be my last.” So desolate was the devoted Sutton United supporter about the prospect of putting down her whistle for good, she even attempted to take her own life. The agonising episode ultimately acted as the wake-up call she needed to stick to her passion. “I had a heart attack at Christmas,” she recalls. “And while recovering in hospital, I thought, ‘You only get one life. Why should I abandon something I love just because of who I am? So, I decided to continue refereeing and the rest, as they say, is history.” In August 2018, Lucy Clark became the world’s first openly transgender referee – recognised by the Guinness World Records – by overseeing QPR Women Reserves against Parkwood Rangers. Complete with pink whistle, the taxi driver was lauded by both sets of players. “I’m not quite ready for the FA Cup final but it was great!” she beamed afterwards. The Surrey resident, who has three kids, has officiated in excess of 500 games since her first public outing as Lucy, with largely positive experiences to look back on. Her ambition now is to help others feel more comfortable in their own skin. She founded Trans Radio UK, from which a transgender helpline (TRUK Listens) and all-inclusivity football team (TRUK United) have emerged. Lucy also serves as player-manager of the side who will compete in the Gay Football Supporters Network league this season, with matches staged across the UK and accessible to anyone. “We’ll keep trying to offer chances to play football for people who thought they’d never play again,” she says proudly. “Nobody shouldn’t play just because of their sexuality, religion or gender identity. Don’t give something up solely because of how you think others will perceive it.” Lucy found out the hard way but she’s been rewarded for her courage, reaping the benefits for herself and also the entire LGBTQIA+ community. Arthur Renard Lucy was speaking to FourFourTwo at the National Football Museum where she’s donated several personal items Lucy feared that simply being herself would prevent her from refereeing games, but a brave move has brought her peace, new friends and even a world record nE W S AROUnD THE GROUnDS “DOn’T GIVE SOMETHInG UP SOLELY BECAUSE OF HOW YOU THInK OTHER PEOPLE WILL VIEW IT”

AROUnD THE GROUnDS XI BEST: Wes Foderingham, Paul Bodin, Colin Calderwood, Glenn Hoddle [right], Shaun Taylor, Nicky Summerbee, Matt Ritchie, Kevin Horlock, Mark Walters, Duncan Shearer, Sam Parkin. WORST: Joe Fryer, Kim Heiselberg, Des Linton, Marko Tuomela, Terry Fenwick, Alessane N’Diaye, Lawrie Sanchez, Kaid Mohamed, Jeremy Balmy, Islam Feruz, Petr Mikolanda. PLAYER B: Hoddle is the most talented player I’ve ever seen in a Town shirt, but I’m going to pick ‘Super’ Sammy Parkin – the shining light during our poverty-stricken early 2000s. He was always reliable, prolific and appeared to give a damn about the club. W: ‘Izzy’ Feruz was the hottest prospect in Scottish football at one stage, yet I only have bad memories of him trying, and failing, to compete against Bristol Rovers’ towering defence. He never played again after a torrid four games on loan from Chelsea in 2017. MOMEnT B: Wembley, 1993 [above right]. Having been denied promotion in 1990 [Town won the Second Division play-off final but were later charged with breaching league rules], surviving the fallout and then seeing Hoddle guide us into the top flight via one of the most dramatic play-off finals in history is hard to top. W: Adam Virgo’s goal for Brighton – in injury-time of extra-time – in the 2004 Second Division play-off semi-final, and then losing on penalties, still aches the soul today. I’ve tried, but still not been able to watch that footage back again. GAME B: I hate that I’m nominating a game that we didn’t even win, but Swindon 5-5 Sheffield United in the 2015 League One play-off semi-final was absolutely bonkers. The best and worst of STFC in 90+9 scintillating minutes [the Robins eventually prevailed 7-6 on aggregate]. Breathtaking attacking play mixed with horrific defending. Pure entertainment. W: Millwall 1-0 Swindon in the 2010 League One Play-off Final. There have been much poorer performances over the years, but this was the match that felt like our best opportunity to get into the Championship. A slapdash showing encapsulated by the Wembley surface shafting Charlie Austin with the goal at his mercy. Sigh. SEASOn B: The 2011-12 League Two campaign under Paolo Di Canio was like watching several seasons rolled into one. A dire start [losing five of their opening seven games], a glorious end, approximately 2,500 players signed, league losses at Torquay, Macclesfield, Dagenham and Aldershot, derby wins, derby defeats, winning the title but losing at Wembley in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final, plus loads and loads of Paolo Di Canio. W: 2020-21. The death rattle of Lee Power’s controversial ownership, losing Richie Wellens and many of the 2019-20 squad, having John Sheridan as the face of our collective woe, relegation, and watching it all unfold from our living rooms due to COVID. CULT HERO B: Simon Ferry [left] was an overexcitable ball of cheekychappy energy and a great player. He was a joy to have around and it’s no surprise that he’s made a profitable media career for himself. W: Shaun Close. The poor ol’ centre-forward played in the top Town era of the early ’90s, but his legacy of making tap-ins appear tricky remains to this day. OWnER B: Andrew Black’s consortium brought a lot of unsustainable fun including the emergence of Austin, Ritchie and the Di Canio era. Town are still feeling the fallout of its conclusion a decade later, but it was undeniably enjoyable. W: Lee Power. As Jose Mourinho once said, “If I speak, I’m in big trouble…” MAnAGER B: Town loved a player-manager back in the day. Ossie Ardiles [below] and Lou Macari were great managers but soon sacked off the playing. Hoddle, however, excelled in both disciplines. W: John Sheridan actually orchestrated Town’s first victory against Oxford in 19 years, but that’s as good as it got. AWAY TRIP B: There are fewer funnier experiences than watching angsty Bristol City fans pretending that they don’t care about ‘Swindle Town’. W: I could build the greatest team of all time, put them in a Swindon kit and they’d still have a stinker at Cheltenham. Richard Pullen from Robins podcast The Loathed Strangers remembers Hoddle magic and Di Canio mayhem... 86 September 2023 FourFourTwo

SCOT T ISH nE W S AROUnD THE GROUnDS Tamagnini approved. “It was clear the manager wanted to spend money on senior professionals, but Queen’s Park preferred to develop youngsters – it was reassuring to hear that,” he says. McKinnon’s assistant, Laurie Ellis, guided the freshlypromoted League One outfit through the first half of the 2021-22 campaign, but when things stagnated he was replaced by coach John Potter. Yet not all was as it seemed. While Potter was officially the gaffer, he had help on the sidelines from a bigger name: former Burnley and Bolton boss Owen Coyle. “Owen had been a Premier League manager in the past, so we were pretty excited,” reflects Tamagnini. The oldest club in Scotland’s attempts to modernise have paid on-field dividends, but also left them homeless a ground move in March forcing them to finish their title tilt at Falkirk Stadium. “We won League Two with ease,” says Tamagnini. “We weren’t expecting progress that quickly, with the stadium situation, so fans were thrilled.” Not everything was smooth sailing. The champagne had barely been quaffed when the club announced McKinnon’s departure. “Managers always want to put the best side out and go as fast as they can,” CEO Leeann Dempster said in July 2021. “Ray is ambitious [and] wants to focus on the first team. Our ambition is about building a club that will prevail for years to come.” 88 September 2023 FourFourTwo Q ueen’s Park are a pub quizmaster’s dream. From ‘inventing’ both the passing game and crossbar, to providing Scotland’s entire starting XI against England for football’s first international fixture in 1872 and playing home games at the colossal Hampden Park, the tiny second-tier side are the most abundantly quirky of clubs north of the border. Over the past five years, however, times have been a-changing for Scotland’s oldest club. In September 2018, the Spiders agreed a £5 million deal to sell their ground to the Scottish FA, whom they’d been leasing it to for international fixtures since way back in 1906. The deal made sense for everyone, not least the 1,000 or so fans who regularly attend home matches. The plan would be for Queen’s Park to eventually move to Lesser Hampden, a 500-seater venue (with plans for an extra 1,200) amid redevelopment in the shadow of its larger sibling. More changes followed. In November 2019, fans held a vote on whether to turn professional, a seismic decision for a club that hadn’t paid its players – or received any money for them, former left-back Andy Robertson included – since their inception in 1867. “Being an amateur football club in this day and age is a nice oddity but, in reality, we’ve had a record of developing some good young players that we simply couldn’t make money from,” explains Spiders Talk podcaster Enzo Tamagnini. “That was frustrating, and the need to switch to a modern format was crucial.” There was another reason for wanting the switch. In 2014, the Scottish FA introduced relegation from League Two, the fourth tier of Scottish football, for the first time. Previously, it had been impossible for existing teams to slip out of the pyramid. “We’d actually finished rock bottom of League Two a few times in the last 20 years,” says Tamagnini. “It was clear our amateur status was now in serious danger of seeing us drop out of the league system.” More than 90 per cent of members opted to turn the club professional. The decision meant Queen’s Park could soon sign players to long-term contracts and collect transfer fees for those who exited. Fresh investment flowed in, not least from chief sponsor Lord Willie Haughey, who’d played a pivotal role in brokering the deal to sell Hampden Park to the SFA. Coffers duly filled, attention turned to improving the club’s on-field fortunes. Former Dundee United and Falkirk gaffer Ray McKinnon joined in January 2020, leading them through the end of a COVIDcurtailed campaign – the Spiders’ last at Hampden. That summer, new recruits arrived. Former Dundee United and Hibernian talisman Simon Murray’s goals fired Queen’s Park to promotion in 2020-21, despite

AROUnD THE GROUnDS “EITHER WE AGREE A LOnG-TERM LEASE OR TURn LESSER HAMPDEn InTO SOMETHInG MORE SUITABLE” the club to try to achieve promotion with some more experience, but the club’s priorities lie elsewhere.” Despite the pain of missing out on a return to topflight football for the first time since 1958, and the loss of the manager that almost took them there, Tamagnini insists the majority of Spiders are upbeat going into the current campaign. “We had the youngest average age in the league last term,” he says. “We have a new season to look forward to, with an exciting new coach to lead us.” That man is Robin Veldman (far left). Just 37, he cut his coaching teeth with Ajax’s youth sides before taking on an assistant role at Anderlecht in Belgium. “With Robin’s track record of developing youngsters and the style his teams play in, he quickly became our ideal candidate,” sporting director Marijn Beuker stated in June. With genuine ambitions of reaching the Premiership in the coming years, Queen’s Park have even hosted their opening matches at the rebuilt Lesser Hampden recently, in a series of test events (below). Reviews from supporters have been mixed, however – there’s a curious ‘Darth Vader’ stand on one side that holds 40 seats – and further enhancements are required to get the ground up to its 1,774 capacity. In a remarkable turnaround, Queen’s Park will again play their home games at Hampden Park on a regular basis from mid-September, after Scotland’s friendly against England. The SFA have allowed them to rent the venue this term, while the Scottish national team will use Lesser Hampden as a training facility. “It does feel a little bit weird after everything that’s happened over the past few years,” says Tamagnini. “And it’s a one-year deal, so we could find ourselves back in the jam where we don’t have a permanent ground in 12 months’ time. “Either we need to agree on a long-term lease of Hampden or develop Lesser Hampden into something suitable. It’s tricky, but overall there is far more to be positive about right now.” Stadiumless, with a young foreign boss and hopes of reaching the top-tier for the first time in 66 years, there’s no telling what might happen for Queen’s Park. Then again, there never has been. Ed McCambridge “He wasn’t officially appointed as our manager that season, but he clearly held some sway.” Under the unorthodox setup, Queen’s Park made the League One play-off final, beating Airdrieonians 3-2 on aggregate to bag back-to-back promotions. “It was incredible,” says Tamagnini. “After the slow start, most of our fans had accepted another season in League One. There’s no doubt in my mind that we’d still be there were it not for Coyle [right].” With Lesser Hampden’s situation still unclear ahead of last season, the Glaswegians confirmed that they would stage their home matches at Stenhousemuir’s Ochilview Park, 25 miles away in Falkirk. Once again, the club resisted temptation to spend heavily, making do with predominantly the same squad that secured promotion. Under Coyle, they led the Championship table going into 2023. “We didn’t have a lot of experience,” remembers Tamagnini. “The difference-maker was Coyle. Up until the New Year, we were playing incredible football.” Even after selling captain and top scorer Murray in January, Queen’s Park still had the chance to become second-tier champions on the final day of last season if they won at home to direct rivals Dundee. Alas, it wasn’t to be. With the score 3-3 at half-time, Queen’s Park ultimately succumbed to a 5-3 defeat. Their heartbreak was then compounded the following week in an 8-3 aggregate shellacking to play-off rivals Partick Thistle. Three days later, Coyle resigned. “It was a case of another manager realising there wouldn’t be much money to invest in the first team the next season,” suggests Tamagnini. “Coyle wanted

TEAMS Atletico Nacional River Plate Aston Villa New York Red Bulls LA Galaxy Chivas USA Colombia JUAN PABLO ANGEL TREVOR STEVEN NEDUM ONUOHA GUNNAR HALLE

“I WAS UnVEILED On THE PITCH AS VILLA’S RECORD TRAnSFER BEFORE I’D EVEn SIGnED” FourFourTwo September 2023 91 money for me. He would be in the hospital, banging his fists on the table while my wife was on the ward next door. I couldn’t even understand what he was saying – I needed an interpreter. I didn’t like it, but I played for the supporters, not the ownership. And John Gregory was amazing. He visited the hospital several times to see how we were getting on. Your first Villa goal came in a derby – not quite River Plate vs Boca Juniors, but the match had big implications for Coventry… It’s one of the goals I remember most from my time with Villa. I was experiencing all of these difficulties, and also struggling to find form. Going into that match, I knew that if we beat them, they’d be relegated. I got it into my head that I had to score. I remember the goal perfectly: a defender basically came in studs up, over the top, but I managed to fire my shot away just before I got whacked, and it went in at the far post. The supporters all surged down to the pitch, celebrating. My equaliser made it 2-2 and we eventually won 3-2 to send Coventry down. You played alongside some big names at Villa Park over the years. Who sticks out? There was a group of big players nearing the end of their careers, such as Paul Merson, Steve Staunton and Dion Dublin. Dion was the No.9 when I arrived and basically played the way I preferred to, sitting in between the centre-backs, so I had to adjust my game to fit around his. Later, this very fast youngster came through the academy: Darius Vassell. I spotted his qualities and knew he’d benefit me a lot, stretching things and opening up spaces. Unfortunately we didn’t have much time together, because just when we started to understand each other better, he was sold to Manchester City. I also knew that Gareth Barry and James Milner would be successful. James arrived at Villa as a young lad, and as soon as I interacted with him I knew he’d have a phenomenal career. Who was the best keeper you played with? Peter Schmeichel, without a doubt. He was getting on a bit, but he’d been so successful at Manchester United that it was amazing to have him around. He used to bring his son to training sessions. Afterwards I’d ask, “Peter, Peter, can we practise more of my finishing?” He’d say, “No, do it with my son instead!” So in he went, and I’d unleash shots at a young Kasper Schmeichel. Can we expect to see your own son in the Premier League one day, now that he’s following in his father’s footsteps at Nacional? He’d certainly love to play for Villa. It’s incredible watching him at Nacional and with Colombia [at the Under-20 World Cup this year]. There’s nothing like experiencing matches involving your kids – how you suffer if things go badly, and the joy you feel if they go well. The way he’s responded to adversities has been fantastic. He’s capable of having a brilliant career. You cut your teeth at Nacional in Medellin before joining River Plate in Buenos Aires. What was it like to play and score in the world’s fiercest derby, the Superclasico? It’s hard to describe the atmosphere in those games against Boca Juniors – the incredible amount of pressure, everything that happens in the weeks before and after the game, what goes on in the stands... it’s just unbelievable. Back then, away fans were allowed in too, and it was very hostile – but that was part of its beauty. In Argentina I learned what it is to play under pressure constantly, in every training session, every match, every friendly. That set me up to make the move to Europe. Was transferring to John Gregory’s Aston Villa in 2000 the move of your dreams? It’s funny, as South American players didn’t really look up to the Premier League at that time. We wanted to play in Italy or Spain; those were the world’s best leagues. I did have three failed moves to Europe: to Lazio, to Parma, then to Real Betis. I didn’t know much about Villa when they approached me. I started to read up about the history, the city, everything about the club, and I soon fell in love with it. I wanted to experience a different project – I knew about Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal, but didn’t know much about the league. It was a great decision in the end, because the Premier League quickly became this powerful force that it is now, and I was able to test myself against some of the greatest players in the world every week. Is it true that Villa chairman Doug Ellis introduced you to the crowd before you’d even signed the contract? Yeah, it’s true. I remember landing in London with my firstborn, Geronimo, about six days old at the time. I travelled from the airport straight up to Birmingham, where Villa were playing Liverpool with Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler, Sami Hyypia, Steven Gerrard, Emile Heskey and so on. At the end of the first half, we were losing 2-0. It was freezing, I couldn’t speak a word of English and I was sat in the stands with Doug and the board of directors. Then, totally out of the blue, Doug took my hand when the first half finished and brought me down to the pitch. Before I knew what was going on, I was standing in the middle of the park, clapping to everybody, being unveiled as Villa’s new record signing. I thought, ‘I haven’t even signed the contract yet and I’m being presented in the middle of a game that we’re losing 2-0 – what am I doing?’ There was no going back after that. That sounds like a crafty move from the chairman... how was your relationship with him after that? To be honest, we didn’t have one. My wife landed in the UK a few weeks later and immediately became very sick, so I was spending a lot of time with her in hospital. Meanwhile, Doug Ellis was telling me that I needed to perform because he’d paid a load of Interview Tom Gennoy The Colombian striker recalls Doug Ellis’ wiliness, as well as relegating rivals and training up a young Kasper Schmeichel JUAn PABLO AnGEL

TEAMS Burnley Everton Rangers Marseille England TREVOR STEVEn How do you think you are remembered as a player? I’ve probably gone a little bit under the radar. I was a quiet and unassuming guy, but I still won 11 league titles, 10 in the top flight: two in England with Everton, one in France with were banned because of the Heysel disaster and that lasted for five years. It was a great shame that we never got the chance. We’d won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1985, beating Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, so I’m sure we could have performed very well. What was the overall impact of that ban on English football? It was a hard time, though we were all in the same boat. But do you know what? I don’t think England got enough credit for having successful 1986 and 1990 World Cups while serving that ban. Think about it: we reached the quarter-finals and semi-finals in those tournaments despite the vast majority of us not playing in Europe. We didn’t get to face Real Madrid, Barcelona or Juventus. We were starved of that action, but it didn’t affect the international side. Why did you leave Everton for Rangers in the summer of 1989? To play European football, which I couldn’t do in England. It was an exciting period to move up there, with so many good players. I also spoke to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, and I got a call from Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool. I told Kenny, “Sorry, I can’t do that.” I never wanted to play against Everton, and especially not for Liverpool. How do you look back on your first spell? Playing in front of 50,000 fans at Ibrox was special, though when you went away it was in front of crowds as low as 7,000, which was a culture shock. Scoring the winner against Dundee United at Tannadice to win the title in 1990 was amazing. I loved it. How did your move to Marseille happen? They bid a lot of money for me. I think it was £5.5 million, a huge amount back then and a [joint] record for a British player. They said, “Come and play with Jean-Pierre Papin, Didier Deschamps and Chris Waddle, and help us to win the European Cup” – how could I refuse? We didn’t manage that, but we did win the French title, so overall it was a great season. But then you returned to Rangers after one season, and hung up your boots there. I loved it – winning titles, being surrounded by terrific players – but by the end, my legs couldn’t do it any more. I finished without any fanfare; without a big announcement – Marseille and seven in Scotland with Rangers – and my first was a Third Division title with Burnley. I may have been a silent character, but I was also a serial winner. I had a strong work ethic and I was dedicated to winning. Which was your favourite league title? It has to be the very first one with Everton in the 1984-85 season – we emerged out of the shadows to topple Liverpool, who were the dominant force in English football at the time and the reigning European champions. It was Everton’s first title in 15 years. We knew we’d achieved something special and were at the start of a memorable era. What made that Everton side of the 1980s so successful? I think it was the environment created by our manager, Howard Kendall, bringing together a squad with both ability and mentality. That dressing room was not for the faint-hearted; it was full of so many huge characters. I was only 20 and can remember thinking at the end of each day, ‘Phew, I’ve survived another day!’ It all came together and we reached three consecutive FA Cup finals, winning it in 1984, then won two league titles in ’85 and ’87. To be honest, we should have won three in a row but threw it away in 1986, despite Gary Lineker scoring 40 goals that campaign. How frustrating was it that your Everton side could never play in the European Cup? It was really frustrating, because I genuinely think we could have won it. We qualified in 1985 as champions, but then English teams “AFTER WADDLE I WAS UP nEXT, BUT GERMAnY DIDn’T MISS OnE SInGLE PEnALTY” Interview Sam Pilger The quiet trophy magnet talks all about bossing Merseyside, the magic of Maradona and his love for Sir Bobby Robson

just on club football. Nigeria did get in touch about the Africa Cup of Nations, but I wasn’t playing for City and thought that if I went off during the middle of the season, I’d get even fewer opportunities to play when I returned. I could have been on that stage, and maybe gone to a World Cup as well, but I didn’t see it that way. I’m very proud that I represented England U21s, but I was born in Nigeria to Nigerian parents, so it would have been nice. What do you remember of Stuart Pearce sending David James up front on the final day of the season against Middlesbrough? The change was premeditated – he had to get an outfield shirt printed for him. People sometimes criticise managers for playing Coming through Manchester City’s youth system with Kasper Schmeichel, Micah Richards and Stephen Ireland, who did you have the highest hopes for? Stevie was one of the best players a lot of us ever played with. He was a bit too skinny, so he worked on that, and technically he was amazing. After the takeover, when Robinho signed, Stevie still won player of the season. As the quality increased, he stepped up. We just wish we’d seen it over a longer period. You represented England Under-21s, but never the senior side. How seriously did you consider playing for Nigeria instead? I considered it more as I grew older. When I was younger, I was probably naive to focus I just left. I picked up my bag, walked to my car, looked back at Ibrox and headed home. How do you reflect on your international career, winning 36 caps over seven years? It was a fantastic feeling every time I was chosen for England. I played in key matches and did well. But I’ve always asked myself, “Could I have done more?” There’s a nagging feeling inside me. Years later, after I’d retired, I went along to a tribute dinner for Sir Bobby Robson. When he spoke, you could hear a pin drop – there was so much respect for him. At the end of the night, I went over to his table to say hello and get an autograph for my son. I touched his shoulder, and when he saw it was me he leapt up and gave me a big hug. I told him, “You know, I think I had more to give to England and didn’t give it.” He put his hand over my mouth and said, “Son, you were brilliant.” It was an emotional moment and I went home that night feeling so proud. How did it feel to represent England at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico? It was a dream come true, and I also got to be a Panini sticker! I loved helping us to win that third game against Poland. There was an Everton connection to the first goal, with me passing to Gary Stevens, who then crossed for Gary Lineker to score. We had some real momentum to progress to the quarter-finals, where we met Argentina and a certain Diego Maradona. I didn’t see him punch that first goal into the net. I just assumed Peter Shilton would catch the ball so I turned away, then I saw the ball bobbling towards the net and Diego wheeling away to celebrate. Suddenly, loads of England players were chasing after the referee! The second goal was something only Maradona could do: picking up the ball and beating half a team. Ridiculous. How close were England to winning the World Cup four years later at Italia 90? I only just made the squad ahead of David Rocastle, who was a wonderful player. I saw action in the quarter-final against Cameroon, then I came on in the semi-final. Of course, we were very close – a shootout away from getting to the final. I think I was up next to take a penalty, before Chris Waddle missed. I backed myself: I was a good penalty taker and had performed the role for Everton. The problem was, the Germans’ penalties were unbelievable. They didn’t miss. You’re now a mental health ambassador for Causeway – what work is involved? I wanted to help raise awareness of mental health issues and suicide, especially in the construction industry, so I got involved with Phil Brown and Causeway. They’ve helped to create a walk-in facility near Goodison Park, which will open soon. Male site workers are three times more likely than other people to take their own life – something needs to be done. They face issues of late pay, a transient workforce and a macho environment where it’s hard for them to talk openly. We’d like to support them in a safe, familiar environment, which football can offer. TEAMS Manchester City Sunderland (loan) QPR Real Salt Lake nEDUM OnUOHA “AGUERO’S GOAL AGAInST QPR WAS THE BEST OUTCOME: WE STAYED UP AnD MY FRIEnDS WOn THE LEAGUE” Interview Sean Cole The ex-defender opens up on Nigeria regrets, Mario Balotelli and another infamous Manchester City striker: David James... FourFourTwo September 2023 93

the wrong formation, but they’d never chuck a goalkeeper up front! Someone needs to ask Claudio Reyna, an international midfielder, how he felt seeing Nicky Weaver come on to replace him when David was still on the pitch! What was the 2007-08 campaign under Sven-Goran Eriksson like? He brought a sense of hope and excitement, which coincided with Thaksin Shinawatra’s takeover. Players like Elano, Martin Petrov and Javier Garrido came in, with their best years ahead of them. We were playing much more attractive football and scoring more goals. Sven was really personable and well-liked: he thought about everyone, whether or not they were regulars in the starting XI. Although the wheels were coming off by the end, loads of people look back on that season very fondly. When Manchester City’s current owners took over in 2008, did you have any sense of how significant that would prove to be? When someone tells you how the future will pan out, it’s difficult to believe. I’d never seen anything close to that in my life. Once things began to change – the training ground, the stadium, the level of expectation – it became more real. Bar Robinho, who was a big splash at the beginning, all of the signings seemed to fit with the club’s timeline. Who impressed you most? I left halfway through the season when City first won the Premier League. Those players were incredibly talented but they also worked incredibly hard – true professionals, striving to achieve something as a collective. Vincent Kompany could see the club was more than 11 players – it was the people washing the kit, serving the food, cutting the grass – and that’s why everyone holds him in high regard. He set a tone that’s still there now. For all of the weird and wonderful stories, what is Mario Balotelli really like? The stories you see online are just the tip of the iceberg. Mario was also a very talented player, which some people forget. He came over from Inter when he was 19 and joined one of the most professional squads the Premier League has ever seen. Emotionally, he wasn’t at that stage, and it was probably much tougher for him than we acknowledge. I spoke to him last year and it’s incredible how much his views have changed. He said his one regret was leaving City too early. He wishes he still had a special bond with the club, like Sergio Aguero and David Silva do. How was your year on loan at Sunderland in 2010-11? I enjoyed it. I never wanted to leave City but I was informed that I wasn’t going to play, so I was sad and frustrated about going. It was a positive experience, however. The people of Sunderland were fantastic. It was brilliant to play at the Stadium of Light, learn the club’s history and have that rivalry with Newcastle. We finished in the top 10, which was the first objective. I made good friends and somehow won the goal of the season award. How would you describe Roberto Mancini? He has a clear vision of how he wants his team to play and you work on it relentlessly. He brought out floodlights in the winter so that we could train at four or five o’clock in the afternoon. He was supremely confident that this was the way to do it, and he found success. But I don’t think he appreciated all of the elite players he had, really, nor if they necessarily loved having him as a manager. How come you didn’t get on with Mancini? We didn’t have much of a relationship – he didn’t like to engage with his players in that way. Some bosses know exactly what they want and there’s nothing you can do about it. Back then, rather than just accepting the situation, I ended up overthinking it. After leaving City for QPR, how did it feel to secure survival against them despite losing to Sergio Aguero’s famous goal? The QPR perspective is the forgotten part of that match. It’s the most insignificant loss of my career, because we achieved our goal. The week before, all I could think about was facing City. Will I be relegated in the stadium I used to call home, in front of the fans who used to sing for me and a manager I hated at the time? Thankfully, once the game kicks off, that’s your only focus. Most of us thought we were relegated when Aguero scored, so it was a relief to realise we weren’t. We stayed up and some of my pals won their first title – the best possible outcome. QPR were relegated in 2013 with a strange mixture of players. How challenging was it to be a part of that squad? The balance wasn’t there at all. You had Julio Cesar playing alongside the likes of Clint Hill, Shaun Derry and Jamie Mackie, who see the game in a very different way. We had multiple perspectives on how to get ourselves out of a tough situation. Esteban Granero may want to show character by receiving the ball under pressure; others prefer to press and make committed tackles. Either is fine if everyone is doing them at the same time, but when it’s a mixture you inevitably have a breakdown in communication, trust and understanding. How would you assess Harry Redknapp’s spell in charge of QPR? We didn’t see the best of Harry, probably as he didn’t see the best of us. He didn’t seem to be enjoying it at first – he didn’t quite give us that boost. In the Championship, pre-season was exceptionally difficult so the people who made it through were the ones he wanted to be there. There were still ups and downs, but we eventually got promoted via the play-offs. What do you recall of the high drama on the final day of the 1990-91 season, after Oldham brought you to England en route to securing promotion to the top flight? For me, it was fantastic. We had the chance to go up and seal the title, but we were 2-0 down at home to Sheffield Wednesday. We got back to 2-2, then won a penalty in injury time. Neil Redfearn was calm, but I think his heart rate was high as he took that one. He scored and we won the title. The following day was wonderful, as we had a bus parade in front of the fans. Most people remember us in that era for the plastic pitch! It was fine with rubber studs, but the surface had a layer of sand on top and it was really hard. If you did a slide tackle on it, you knew about it the next morning! We had a bit of an advantage over other teams, maybe. I prefer playing on grass, but that pitch was special. In the inaugural Premier League season, Oldham narrowly avoided relegation on goal difference – yet only two other teams in the division scored more goals... Yeah, you could say we were an attacking team! It was a big challenge to stay up, but Joe Royle created a strong team spirit to help achieve survival and it was great to be a part of that. Looking back, team spirit was pivotal. Some players liked to go and socialise down the pub, which was something I wasn’t very used to. You shouldn’t drink too much as an athlete, but sometimes the players did. This also meant that the squad developed a real bond. In terms of tactics, the manager was offensive-minded: he tried to win every game, even if that meant taking a few precautions against some sides. GUnnAR HALLE 94 September 2023 FourFourTwo “I WEnT TO SHAKE WRIGHTY’S HAnD AFTER LEEDS BEAT ARSEnAL AnD HE EnDED UP TRYInG TO CHOKE ME...” The full-back recounts spats with Ian Wright, sliding on plastic pitches, and the glory days of Norwegian football Interview Sean Cole

You were also part of Norway’s greatest era on the international stage, reaching consecutive World Cups. You even bagged a hat-trick against San Marino... Not many players have scored a hat-trick for Norway – four or five, I think – so to say that I’m one of them is nice. That win in 1992 was a big statement for us. Being in a group with the Dutch and England, it set the standard. How did Norway beat a Holland side with the likes of Van Basten, Rijkaard, Koeman, Bergkamp and Frank de Boer after that? Our coach, Egil Olsen, gave us the belief that we could beat anyone as long as we followed the plan. We were a Team with a capital ‘T’ and the results strengthened our confidence. He set us up to play in a certain way, having analysed the opponent to see what we could do against them. We were solid defensively, we pressed, and we looked to play forward as early as possible. Perhaps it was boring to watch, but not all of the time. We had guys with plenty of ability, and played lots of short passes against England. How did it feel for Norway to beat England 2-0 on their way to qualifying for the 1994 World Cup, with a set of players who grew up watching English football? When I was growing up, English football was what everyone watched at 4pm on Saturdays – it was more popular than any other league in the world. Maybe it’s because the English and Norwegian mentalities are so similar, but it’s always been No.1 – there are supporters’ clubs over here for pretty much every English team, and kids at school have their favourite side. I mainly liked Liverpool because of Kevin Keegan and John Toshack. In the 30 years since Norway beat England in Oslo, history has perhaps been rewritten to suggest it wasn’t really a good English side – yet it featured Paul Gascoigne, Tony Adams, David Platt, Teddy Sheringham and more. What are your thoughts on it? As youngsters we’d watched and looked up to England, so it was very special. I don’t think people expected us to win. I was named man of the match, and it was interesting returning to Oldham for pre-season – the Scottish and Irish boys were quite happy with me! It was a change for Norway, as English clubs viewed our players more and it opened lots of doors. Defeating Poland meant we qualified for our first World Cup since 1938, and I’ll remember the celebrations until I die. Did you feel a bit hard done by at USA 94, as Norway beat Mexico 1-0, drew with the Republic of Ireland and lost only 1-0 to Italy but exited the group on goals scored? We knew we’d beaten good teams before, so we weren’t there to make up the numbers. Yet we didn’t have the experience of playing at a World Cup finals, and it was boiling – as much as 40 degrees – which didn’t suit our high-pressing style at all. So, the games we played weren’t quite at the standard of our qualifiers. It was a great experience, though – and then we reached France 98. Norway beat Brazil twice in the late ’90s, first in a 4-2 friendly win, then in coming from behind at France 98 (before losing 1-0 to Italy again). What was the secret? We knew we had nothing to lose. Playing against Brazil was different. It was special; a test you don’t experience very often. Our players had been together for a few years, and maybe the way Brazil played suited us. With Ronaldo and the rest, were they better than us individually? Sure. But as a team we were strong, so we knew we had a chance. You could say we had a good grip on Brazil. How did you find life at Leeds? It was a new challenge in my career. There was more pressure to do well there, though that was something I wanted. We struggled at the start, but George Graham was a good manager. I knew the jokes about him – you TEAMS Lillestrom Oldham Leeds Bradford Wolves Norway know, ‘Boring, boring Arsenal’ – but his team organisation was excellent. We’d always have a full house at Elland Road; the fans travelled in numbers away too, and made lots of noise. There was a good connection with them. I’ll always remember my debut against Spurs, and beating Manchester United 1-0 at home was memorable as well. Who was your most difficult opponent? There were so many. Ryan Giggs had speed and could go left or right. David Ginola wasn’t as quick, but he was fast in possession. Then there’s Paolo Di Canio – I think had my worst ever game against him: he was a top dribbler and could turn well. He wanted to be taken off because he felt some of my tackles should have been penalties! Ian Wright was a very good player. In an FA Cup game at Highbury, George Graham told me to man-mark him – Arsenal had their chances but we held out to win 1-0. Afterwards, I went over to shake hands but he wouldn’t, so I made a zero with my fingers and he went absolutely mad and tried to choke me. [Laughs] With the English players, it could often get heated in a match but it was always OK later on. You were still going strong at 34 when you joined Bradford. Was it an achievement to help them stay up in the Premier League? People probably expected us to be relegated, but we had a good side. I remember clearing the ball off the line on the last day when we beat Liverpool 1-0 to survive. It was a superb atmosphere – I won’t forget it.

YOUR nEXT FOURFOURT W O IS On SAL E SEPT EMBER 21 of them in my XI, as they were great players and consistent at Bayern for so many years. A striker’s dream. Fine, if I really have to pick one, then Franck. But only just.” THIAGO ALCANTARA “Thiago has always had quality with the ball which is unbelievable. He still does – he can do it all. He’s a defensive midfielder in theory, but he can drive forward and score goals too. He’s a magician in possession and a pivotal member of any team.” FRANK LAMPARD “I really enjoyed playing alongside Frank. He had a wonderful eye for goal and racked up numbers that most No.9s would be proud of. He could also pass the ball and constantly checked to see where the forwards ahead of him were. As a striker, you adore midfielders like that – a class act.” JEFFERSON FARFAN “He played with me in the Peru national side and I always knew exactly what he wanted to do. Jefferson’s quality was top drawer and his character on the pitch was important for us. A good friend and a fantastic footballer.” DIDIER DROGBA “I can’t leave Didier [below] out of this team. He’s comfortably the most powerful guy I’ve ever played with. He was so strong, physically and mentally. His hunger and desire to score goals was probably the best I saw in a fellow professional – he could be totally unplayable on his day.” GIOVANE ELBER “Giovane was tremendous for Bayern. He was a predator in front of goal and his ability to find the net was so impressive. He could score any type of goal – tap-ins, solo efforts, volleys, headers... He was a dedicated penalty-area forward as well – he always looked to break into the 18-yard box and get on the end of every half-chance that came his way. He was great… and he almost scored as many as me!” [Laughs] Janek Speight JUPP HEYNCKES “It has to be Jupp – we won everything together. He got along really well with all the players and I know how difficult that is. He did a terrific job to keep the dressing room happy. A gentleman.” The Peruvian picks a side packed with Bayern Munich and Chelsea icons, struggles to separate two wing wonders and makes sure there’s space for one compatriot... 01 PEP GUARDIOLA 02 03 ZE ROBERTO ROBERT KOVAC MANUEL NEUER “There’s only one choice for this position in my team. I think Manuel’s just the complete player – he has everything. He can play with his feet but he’s also a top goalkeeper when it comes to the basics, like shot-stopping and catching crosses. He was already a leader in the dressing room during my time at Bayern Munich. He may be the greatest keeper ever.” PHILIPP LAHM “Philipp had an amazing mentality, which is why he captained both Bayern and Germany over such a long period. I know him very well and always knew what he was capable of on the pitch. Everyone did – he was Mr Reliable. He’d be crucial in this team, as a leader and with his performances.” JOHN TERRY “He was similar to Philipp in that he was the undisputed leader of the Chelsea side. John had an incredible mentality, but he was also superb in terms of pure defending. He could mark, tackle and was unbeatable in the air – a winner, as simple as that.” LUCIO “Lucio was another strong central defender and I think he’d work well next to John. He was quick, physical and could carry the ball forward. Perhaps he was a little too offensive at times – we’d think, ‘Where the hell is Lucio going?!’ as he set off on one of his runs, but that’s why I have JT at the back so they can complement each other.” BIXENTE LIZARAZU “I have two big towers in the middle, so can afford a couple of smaller guys on the wings. Bixente and Philipp were fast players and extremely fit – they were able to sprint upfield without sacrificing their defensive roles. They would be indispensable characters for this team.” FRANCK RIBERY “I can’t pick between Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben – seriously, don’t make me choose! Ideally I’d put both T H E G A F F E R T H E S U B S LIZARAZU LB JOHN TERRY CB LUCIO CB PHILIPP LAHM RB MANUEL NEUER GK DIDIER DROGBA CF GIOVANE ELBER CF LM JEFFERSON FARFAN rM FRANCK RIBERY CM THIAGO ALCANTARA CM FRANK LAMPARD