“There Are Children Here Somewhere, I Can Smell Them”

For many, Sunday is a day of rest, relaxation and religion and I’m no different, apart from the religion bit.

Sitting down to watch an episode of Columbo with a tuna sandwich and a glass of milk, I plan a day of tottering around the flat after a busy week of work. Very little strenuous work will be undertaken as I reflect on what has been an enjoyable few days for me.

The same is probability happening in the world of football, but perhaps in more of a thoughtful than delightful mood, after a week that saw Chelsea punished for pinching kids from teams, England awarded a bizarre penalty to help them towards a 2-1 home win over Slovenia and Scotland maintaining the pretence that they’re still going to qualify for the World Cup after beating Macedonia 2-0.

As the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang will tell you there is a business to be made out of pinching kids, but he will also tell you that there’s the possibility of punishment too. Steering clear of using sweets as a lure to trap kids, Chelsea instead offered money and the prospect of success to lure former Lens midfielder Gael Kakuta to London, but got their fingers burnt in doing so.

In an era where an average defender such as Joleon Lescott will set you back more than £20m, taking a gamble on a youth player who shows promise is deemed worth the risk. If the player makes it to first-team, they have got a player for practically nothing. If he doesn’t make it, they can either sell him for a handsome profit, or simply relieve him of his contract. A win, win situation for teams who have the resources to do this.

To add to this, often the youngsters have yet to sign a professional contract because of their young age, so big clubs such as Chelsea are able to offer a nominal compensation fee and grab a bargain for the future.

Personally I have found the business of buying and selling young boys odd. In my simplistic view of youth football, the only move you are ever likely to make is from your local Sunday league side to the academy of a professional club and that’s only if you’re very lucky. So to me the idea of signing a boy who is too young to sign a professional contact is a little perverse in an ethical sense and also in a business sense and rightly Chelsea have been punished and if the tabloids are to be believed, Manchester United could be the next team to feel the wrath of FIFA.

The boys at Stamford Bridge are expected to appeal against their punishment that restricts any transfer dealings for 18 months and will leave them with a squad of Chelsea pensioners, as they push for European and domestic success.

Rammed full of international stars, the Chelsea squad is not short on talent but is short on youth, so the Chelsea pensioners that are left could benefit from fresh legs, if they are to achieve their hunt for trophies.

The oldies looking forward to a life of daytime TV and comfortable slippers include; Michael Ballack 32, Deco 32, Frank Lampard 31, Ricardo Carvalho 31, Didier Drogba 31, Nicolas Anelka 30. Captain John Terry is a youthful 28 in comparison, but as all these players reach the twilight of their careers, this season could be their last collective chance at European and domestic success before the new breed descends on the Bridge.

Back to football on the pitch and England’s first ever appearance against Slovenia, in a friendly at Wembley, proved that when things are going your way anything can happen.

In a game where I was more concerned with avoiding injuries ahead of the World Cup qualifier against Croatia on Wednesday, instead of the result, Fabio Cappello’s side we gifted a penalty in bizarre circumstances. A lofted ball into the box saw Wayne Rooney tumble under the challenge of Bostjan Cesar and the referee awarded what seemed to be a very soft penalty at first glance. On closer inspection it was an appalling decision. Rooney appeared to have tackled Cesar and caused the foul himself, but Frank Lampard was happy to mop up the mess and convert the penalty. To his disbelief Cesar, who twisted his ankle in the challenge, was also booked.

North of the border, Scotland kept their faint and optimistic hopes of earning a play-off place alive thanks to goals from Scott Brown and James McFadden. After their humiliating 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Norway though, Scotland have left themselves with only a slim chance of qualifying for a tournament they love to come home early from. Needing to finish as one of the eight best runners-up, they are currently three points off achieving this and have just one game left to go. To add further scepticism to my rant, they have to overcome runaway group winners Netherlands.

They will have to trade their Scotland the brave tag for Scotland the flippin lucky if results are to go their way and they reach the play-off stage.

To end on a positive note, congratulations must go to David Weir who became the oldest man in a Scotland jersey since the 1920s and makes the young Chelsea pensioners look like little tykes in nappies.

Posted By Dan Mobbs - Sunday September 6, 2009.
Tags: Chelsea, England