A Sticky Situation for The Blades

Two and a half years ago, Sheffield United striker Ched Evans was convicted of rape. Having served half of his five year sentence, he was released from prison in the early hours of Friday morning. With his contract expired at Bramall Lane, United have a tough decision to make as to whether they should re-employ the convicted rapist.

First of all, it would be unfair to say that he should be thrown out of football, as every man has the right to earn a living. You wouldn't be able to refuse a taxi driver or banker a job if they were a convicted felon, so why should it be different in the world of football? On the other hand, the club certainly has the right to offer Evans a new contract, but whether they will or not is a different question. To some people, this question may have a straightforward answer, but when you hear Evans' statistics for the side, it's apparent to see why this a lot more challenging than first anticipated.

In the season of his conviction, the former Manchester City youngster netted 35 goals in all competitions. He achieved numerous personal accolades including League One Player of the Month in March 2012 as well as being included in League One PFA Team of the Year and being nominated for League One Player of the Season. It appears that he was a fundamental stalwart in the Sheffield United side, so his arrest would have come as a major blow to the side. The Welshman's absence was evident as the Blades only scored 56 goals in the 2012/2013 season, 36 goals less than the previous season. Looking at the statistics on the pitch, Evans could be the difference to ensure United secure promotion to the Championship so it is easy to see why the board would like to offer Evans a new contract.

 

Re-signing the Welshman would also spell a few troubles for the Bramall Lane side. The first of which could see a drop in support for the club. Over 150,000 people have signed the petition to persuade the Chairman of the club, Kevin McCabe, to "refuse to reinstate Ched Evans as a player at Sheffield United." With the backing of the charity, Women’s Aid and Rape Crisis, the Welsh international is not a very popular man at this moment in time, and could face a barrage of abuse, if he returns to football. This is not forgetting the torment and tauntings, United would face from their fierce rivals, Sheffield Wednesday. Although not in the same league, I'm sure the Wednesday fans would find some devious way to wind up their neighbours.

 

Leading on from the point above, would the Sheffield United fans accept the player back at the club? That is a question that I don't know the answer to, and one that we will find out in the foreseeable future. I mentioned Evans' not-too-shabby goal scoring record, and, if the fans were not to accept him back, would this affect his on field performance? I think the answer to that question is pretty conclusive. Regardless of his stature amongst the fans, he may struggle to recapture his elusive form having been out of the game for such a long time.

 

If we imagine Evans returning to the red and white of Sheffield, what message would that send out to the youth at the club, both supporters and players? It would not send out a very good impression, particularly as the player is yet to issue an apology to the victim. I don't think he is helping himself in this situation particularly as it looks like he is needing the sympathy. Yes, it is possible that he was wrongly imprisoned, but when it is claimed that the victim was "too drunk to consent," it appears that he is in a differing opinion to the judge and jury on this occasion.

 

On a final note, if United don't employ the striker again, he could find it very difficult to secure another full time professional contract. Who would want a player on their books who has been convicted of rape? If Evans were to find a different club, I am sure that he would have to take a severe wage cut, or possibly even drop down a couple of divisions. Amongst all this gloom for Ched Evans, he as a shining light. Suleyman Koc proved that he can reignite his career after serving a prison sentence and is now bombing it in the Bundesliga with his newly promoted club, Paderborn.

 

Having said that, manager, Nigel Clough has commented that it is "above football matters" and that it's his decision as to whether he will be included in the first team or not. In true footballing fashion, Clough is washing his hands of any major decisions that had to be made. From this it's difficult to tell whether the manager is backing the signing, but I don't think he is too keen. Evans could find himself warming the bench until, he proves that he is truly repentant.

 

In conclusion, it is a very touchy issue with many view points to be considered. Obviously, you cannot deny the player his right to work, but the club can refuse to offer the player another contract - it's part and parcel of the game. According to the MailOnline, Ched Evans is set to be offered a new contract worth £500k, so time will tell whether the Clough and McCabe take into account the opinion of the public.

Euro Qualifying Summary - Rounds 2&3

Another handful of matches have been played now and things are looking relatively rosy for the Home Nations. 

Starting with England, they picked up 2 wins from the the games they played over the international break, albeit against exceedingly weak opposition. Having defeated minnows San Marino last Wednesday by five goals, fans on Sports Yapper were still critical over the performance. Captain Wayne Rooney moved 6 goals behind Sir Bobby Charlton's record of 49 international goals, and with the group that England have, I reckon it will be beaten within the remaining matches. The matches against Estonia and San Marino have proved that England don't need to play at their best to succeed in this group. Having not conceded a goal with three games down, a clean sheet at the conclusion of the tournament will certainly be on the mind of Roy Hodgson.

The Republic of Ireland's matches both entailed two very different challenges - whether you can call the home match against Gibraltar a challenge is a different argument altogether. Robbie Keane netted an 18 minute hat trick in a compelling 7-0 victory over the minnows. What was most notable about the week's fixtures for the Republic was the last minute equaliser from a new centurian in John O'Shea. Having been a rock in the Irish defence for the last thirteen years, it was fitting that he should be the hero on his 100th cap. Toni Kroos opened the scoring in the second half with a shot that deflected of the post and into the net, before O'Shea tied the game with minutes left on the clock. The Republic of Ireland are sitting pretty in second position behind Poland. With Germany firing blanks, the momentum is currently with the Irish side.

Scotland got their qualifying campaign up and running last Saturday with a less than emphatic victory over Georgia at Ibrox. Throughout the game, the Scots dominated in every facet of the game. The home side had 63% possession and recorded 5/17 shots on target, but it took an own goal from Akaki Khubutia on 28 minutes to separate the sides. The 3 points would stand Gordon Strachan's side in good stead as they travelled to Warsaw on Tuesday to face a side who had beaten the World Champions last time out. Scotland came away from the Polish capital with a well earned point after Arkadiusz Milik levelled for the home side on 76 minutes. After going 1-0 down to a Krzysztof Maczynski finish on 11 minutes, Shaun Maloney equalised before an adroit finish from Steven Naismith put them in the lead. Strachan will be pleased with the points picked up and will look to catch the Ireland, whom they entertain next month.

 

Friday night saw Wales take on a useful Bosnian outfit and where able to come out with a draw which saw them stay at the top of the table, even if it was only for a short time. Each side began the first half with a tentative approach, while the second half was set alight with an onslaught of chances at each end, but neither were able to break the deadlock. Moving onto the game on Monday night where Wales hosted Cyprus, a win would cement them on top of the table ahead of Belgium, and Chris Coleman's boys delivered. This game should have been a lot more comfortable than suggested, particularly as Wales raced into a 2-0 lead inside the opening 25 minutes. Cyprus were able to half the deficit 10 minutes before the break, which gave them optimism for the second period. Midfielder Andy King, received his marching orders after a reckless tackle minutes into the second half, but his side were able to hold onto the three points. 

 

Northern Irish fans have been living in paradise for the last week, with more than convincing victories over the Faroe Islands and Greece. What was particularly impressive about these performances, was the management skills of Michael O'Neill, particularly as he was able to change the tactics up to suit the challenges posed by each nation. Two heartening matches from Kyle Lafferty ensured that he took his goal tally to 3 goals this campaign and was a handful for each set of centre backs. Northern Ireland piled more misery on Greece, a side ranked 57 places higher than their opposition, and some may argue that 2-0 was flattering on the former European Champions. O'Neill has his side well drilled and playing nice football so confidence will not be lacking when they take the trip to Bucharest next month.

I don't know about you, but I'm quite looking forward to the next international break in November, and it throws up some mouth-watering encounters. Northern Ireland travel to Bucharest to take on second placed Romania, while Scotland and Ireland lock horns at Celtic Park. England welcome Slovenia to Wembley and Wales travel to meet Belgium.     

Euro Qualifying Round 2 Preview

We're back for another instalment of Euro Qualifying action, with England kicking us off against San Marino on Thursday night. Yet again, the international break is greeted with the same grumblings and rumblings that we have been accustomed to, so in order to lighten the blow, here's my prediction on the fortunes of the Home Nations this weekend.

 

There's no points awarded for guessing the outcome of the England v San Marino game, and I expect it to be as one sided as a FIFA match on amateur. BetVictor make the principality 80/1 to beat the hosts, and frankly, you have more chance seeing the Loch Ness Monster than seeing a San Marino victory. At Wembley, Roy Hodgson will treat anything less than 5 goals as a failure, and if they were to concede, well, it would be well documented in the media the following morning, regardless of the result. With Daniel Sturridge unavailable due to injury, Danny Welbeck will be hoping to add on his 2 goals scored against Switzerland, and will certainly be eyeing a hat trick - and I expect him to get it. In short, it will be nothing more than a training game for England, and I'm not expecting any dazzling activities from the away team. I'll go for a modest 7-0.

Next up we have the Republic of Ireland entertaining newly recognised, Gibraltar at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Having lost to Poland 7-0 in their first ever European Qualifying game, it'll probably be one-way traffic for the Irishmen. The Republic of Ireland will look to capitalise on their 2-1 defeat of Georgia last time out, at the same time as increasing their goal difference. Manager Martin O'Neill could see this as a perfect opportunity to experiment, particularly if they have an unassailable lead at the interval. Hull City fullback, Brian Lenihan was handed a surprise call-up and could make his international debut on Saturday against Gibraltar, particularly as Everton star, Seamus Coleman hasn't recovered from a concussion he received so will not feature. Similarly his club mate, James McCarthy will also not make an appearance against the Gibraltans. I expect Ireland to win this by a comfortable margin, 4-0.

Now our attention turns to the Scots as they entertain Georgia at 5pm on Saturday. An encouraging performance against the World Cup Winners, Gordon Strachan will be hoping that his team can carry the momentum through to this game. Although they lost against Germany, there were many positives to be taken and I'm sure that Scotland will be expecting nothing but a win from this encounter. Their opponents, Georgia, will be looking to bounce back after an Aiden McGeady strike sealed their fate in the dying embers of the game. The Georgians will be out to get points on the board and stop the Scots from getting their tournament up and running. I do think Strachan's men will be able to overcome the challenge offered by the Georgians, particularly as the Georgian legend, Shota Arveladze criticised the away side for having a lack of flair. 1-0 Scotland.

My wee country, Northern Ireland take on the Faroe Islands on Saturday at 7:45pm. After a tremendous comeback away to Hungary last time out, the onus will be on the home side to capitalise on their excellent start. With Jonny Evans injured, Michael O'Neill was set to call up Paddy McNair to his squad, but an ongoing ankle injury has prevented him from winning his first international cap, weeks after gaining his first senior appearance for Manchester United. Sitting poised in second position, Northern Ireland face a tricky trip to Athens after the game, so 3 points is imperative to keep the momentum running. For the Faroe Islands, they suffered an opening game week defeat at home to Finland. As with Northern Ireland over the years, they have always produced inspiring performances against the top dogs, but when it comes to the minnows, they struggle. Let's home that our fortunes have changed as they attempt to beat the Faroe Islands at the weekend. 1-0 Northern Ireland.

Last but not least, we have Wales. Last time out, it took a late Gareth Bale free kick to walk away from Andorra with 3 points. Now, they face Bosnia at home as they hope to produce a better performance this time around. Wales will be missing key midfielders such as Joe Allen and Aaron Ramsey due to injury, however Galactico, Gareth Bale will play, fresh from his 90 minute drubbing of Athletic Bilbao at the weekend. No doubt Bale will decide the outcome of the tie, and, if he puts in a performance that we come to expect from him, he could win the maych for Wales. If Wales reproduce a performance similar to the one they delivered against Andorra, then expect another nervy game for the Welsh fans, resulting in a loss. With key names out for Wales, I am going for a 2-1 win for Bosnia. Edin Dzeko and Miralem Pjanic will be able to take advantage of the notable absentees.

Another weekend of international football is ahead of us and we take one step closer to the finals in France 2016. Hopefully we can relive 1958, the last time all of the Home Nations qualified for a major tournament.

Time up for Pardew?

When people say "Football is just a game," drives me to the edge of combustion. It most certainly is not, it is so much more. However, where Mike Ashley and Alan Pardew are concerned, Newcastle United appears just a game and a hobby to themwant both of them run in to the nd where they were only able to pick up 6 points from their last 10 games has carried on into the new campaign, with no signs of improving. Winless and only newly promoted Burnley below them in the table, things haven't been rosy for the northern club. 

If we remember back to when Mike Ashley awarded Pardew with a spanking new 8 year contract, it caught everyone off guard. Ashley's reasoning in his bizarre actions was that successful clubs are only built on long term management. The Newcastle faithful have been voicing their opinions for months now, and the poor form that has hit the Toon has given them ammunition and evidence.

It is safe to say that Pardew would not be the most popular around St James' Park and the route of this could be narrowed down to a poor transfer window in the summer. In a surprising move, Hatem Ben Arfa joined Hull City, something which wouldn't have pleased the fans. 

After the departure of Yohan Cabaye in January, Pardew signed Jack Colback from rivals Sunderland, so it was always going to be a point of concern. Last season, they had Loic Remy, on loan from QPR, to rely on for goals, and they attempted to make that deal permanent in the summer but to no avail. 

With Remy off to new pastures, Newcastle have struggled to find the net. Having netted 5 goals in 6 games, Papiss Cisse is their leading scorer with 2, but he has been less than impressive. In fairness to Alan Pardew, he tried to replace Remy's goals with AS Monaco's Emmanuel Rivière for a fee of €6m. Yet to open his account for the Tyneside club, Pardew will be hoping for his sake that the goal drought doesn't go on for much longer.

His other signings haven't set the world alight either. Siem de Jong showed great promise at Ajax, particularly during that Champions League match against Manchester City several seasons back. Currently injured, the Dutchman, along with Remy Cabella could give the Toon the creative spark that will give Cisse and Rivière chances to score. De Jong has the ability to be a big hit at St James' Park, hopefully injury doesn't hamper his development at the Tyneside club.

Even more of a concern for Newcastle fans is Pardew's tactics. He is very persistent with his 4-5-1 formation, something which has come under a lot of criticism from Toon fans. Rivière has often being playing as a lone striker and has looked uncomfortable in that position. His tactics have been deemed slightly negative, particularly as the manager seems reluctant to throw on an additional striker when they are in need of a goal. This was particularly evident during the game on Monday night when he replaced Rivière with Cisse. 

Pardew hasn't enjoyed a good 2014, and now with Mike Ashley jokingly saying that he will sack the manager, we can see that he is in a very awkward position. There is no doubt he is under pressure, particularly with managers such as David Moyes and Tony Pulis unemployed. Now with the manager appealing for the media to leave his family out of the equation, we could be seeing a departure very soon. I think your time is up, Mr Pardew.