FLIM 2009 - Part 1

In recent times the UK film scene has been 'blessed' with a vast array of football-related films.

The screen adaptation of Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch enticed the masses during the hedonistic Britpop days of the mid nineties, aided in part by the national hysteria whipped up by England's exploits in Euro '96. That was followed in 2001 by Mike Bassett: England Manager. Several years later, violence was the order of the day when John King's The Football Factory was brought to cinematic life by Nick Love - the heir apparent to Guy Ritchie's throne as the leading Cockney director.

Continuing in the theme of terrace disorder is the screen adaptation of Kevin Sampson's gritty and culturally reflective novel Awaydays. The billing on the front cover describes it as being 'like Catcher in the Rye with Stanley knives' but, having read the book cover-to-cover, it's the Scouse alvernative to A Clockwork Orange.

The film centres around the life and times of Paul Carty, a middle class Birkenhead youngster in 1979 who yearns to be part of the kudos that comes with being a member of Tranmere Rovers' firm The Pack. His ambition is fulfilled when he meets Elvis, a impulsive art student who offers him a route into the firm.

In short, this is a film about sex, punk and adidas Samba. It focuses on the casual culture that emerged from Merseyside in the late 1970s; a craving for football violence, foreign jaunts and picking up a pair of Adi Dassler's finest in between.

Unfortunately the film is an anti-climax to the best-selling novel. The graphic nature of the book is what made it a best seller and Sampson, on board as an executive producer, stuck closely to the storyline - something other screen adaptations have failed to do.

But there was just something about Awaydays that didn't quite feel right. The actors have been touted as some of the best upcoming ones in the country and they lived up to their billing. However the film, for all the gratuitous violence and sexual content, had a watered down feel to it. The friendship between Carty and Elvis was, as in the novel, the focal point as was a punk-orientated soundtrack. The problem with penning a best-selling novel is that readers' imaginations will overshadow the version on the big screen. Credit has to be given to Sampson and his team for making this a crediblefilm off their own back but, as I was told repeatedly by people after seeing The Football Factory, the book's better.

FLIM09 rating: 8/10

Mission accomplished on Operation Truth

Steven Cohen was happy to pose with a big fat Cuban cigar in between his teeth a few years ago after 'his team' Chelsea lifted the Premier League trophy but I highly doubt the LA-based ex-pat will be chomping on one of Havana's finest at this moment in time.

Yesterday Cohen made what he said would be the final tranmission of his radio show World Soccer Daily claiming that he was pulling the plug due to threats made against his friends and step-family by Liverpool supporters as part of an ongoing smear campaign against him.

Anyone who has kept their finger on the pulse with regards to Cohen's behaviour over the past five months will know that he has repeatedly smeared the name of the Liverpool supporters who were at Hillsborough 20 years ago and will no doubt continue to do so. It is also worth mentioning that Nick Geber, WSD's majority shareholder and a Liverpool fan to boot, pulled the show because he was sick of the constant investigations of Cohen by the FBI following serious threats made against Anthony Ananins, a key member of the US-based boycott against Cohen.

Cohen in turn has claimed that he has received anti-Semitic emails and death threats but has failed to supply information of these alleged threats to the LAPD and the FBI which casts further doubt over his claims.

For the time being the hate spewer and his Glaswegian lapdog have stepped out of the public limelight. I have no doubt that they will return and probably reference the turblent five months they have had to endure because of the ill-informed and downright disrespectful comments but as long as they don't make those same mistakes there will be no case to answer and no boycotts to resume.

The memories of the 96 who lost their lives has been preserved after Cohen's slurs on their names and credit has to go to everyone connected to the campaign both here and in the States, particularly Tony, Conor Brennan and Mel Abshier. This campaign was set up in order to gain some justice for the 96 who were slandered by Steven Cohen and his band of merry men at WSD and justice, in some form at least, has prevailed.

RIP 96

You'll Never Walk Alone

Sir Obsessed strikes again

It's such a shame that after yesterday's obituary for a gentleman of the game, I am having to write about another footballing knight but not one that is even fit to lace the boots of the late, great Sir Bobby Robson.

Alex Ferguson's hatred of all things Liverpool FC has surfaced yet again, over two decades after he famously declared that he wanted to knock the Anfield outfit "off their f*****g perch". Ferguson's ramblings against Liverpool have continued since that interview and Kenny Dalglish, the then Reds manager, saw right through them and once remarked: "You might as well talk to my baby daughter. You'll get more sense out of her".

So what has bee is in Sir Alex's bonnet this time I hear you ask? The ill treatment of Michael Owen during his time on Merseyside is the answer. Unless you have been in solitary confinement you will know that little Michael joined the ranks at Old Trafford from Newcastle. Apparently fulfilling his meagre ambition of securing a place in the England squad for the 2010 World Cup is a bigger priority than showing a little respect to the club where he was given his lucky break by joining one of their most bitter rivals. Despite securing the ex-Liverpool hitman on a free transfer, Fergie decided to have a little rant at Owen's former employers over forcing the then youngster to over-exert himself.

“We had Ronnie Wallwork and John Curtis playing in that England Under-20 squad in Malaysia in 1997 and when they came back we gave them six weeks off," the United boss said yesterday.

“But Michael went straight into the Liverpool first team then a year later was playing in the World Cup for England. That was unfair to a young player to have that kind of strain and intensity one summer after another.

“I wouldn’t have done that but he was such a talent that Liverpool needed him in the team and then England needed him in the World Cup.”

How could we forget Ronnie Wallwork and John Curtis - two of the greatest players to ever make the grade at Old Trafford with 32 senior appearances between them? What a mark of a man that Curtis boasts a CV which shows he has played for 12 clubs in as many years and is currently flying high with League Two heavyweights Northampton Town. And who could forget the legendary out-of-contract defender Wallwork who was banned from the game for three years for attacking a Belgian referee when on loan at Royal Antwerp.

Ferguson and Benitez went head-to-head in a war of words last season and despite United lifting the title, the Spaniard had clearly rattled his opposite number. His verbal dressing down of Ferguson was responded to with venom and fury by Ferguson who tried to verbally attack the Reds' manager repeatedly throughout the latter stages of the season. Benitez meanwhile refused to fuel the fire of this one-sided war of words and focused on a push for the title that unfortunately fell short come May.

With the new season a fortnight away, it appears that Ferguson has set out his stall for a repeat of his off-field antics from the previous campaign and has even included United's local rivals - the now megabucks Manchester City - into proceedings but Liverpool are still the priority.

Such was Ferguson's obsession with life at Anfield last season that one Kopite penned a witty poem about him called 'Sir Obsessed'. Here are just some extracts from it; also a fitting way to finish this piece.

Just lie back Mr Ferguson;
you’re frothing at the mouth.
I’m ordering a straightjacket,
to try and sort you out”

You’re suffering from delusion,
born from real fear.
Benitez has you running scared.
Your time is finally near

Unfortunately Mr Ferguson,
your heading for a fall.
Benitez has higher intelligence
your brain is far too small.

You’re suffering from paranoia
brought about by stress
there’s no medical terminology
apart from you’re obsessed.

Sir Bobby Robson - A Footballing Gentleman

Most Liverpool supporters adhere to the mantra of 'We're not English, we are Scouse' and their only concern with the national side is if Steven Gerrard's involvement in the international set up will lead to any potential injury lay off for his club after representing his country.

However perhaps a few of the self-proclaimed 'Scouse separatists' will soften their stance slightly in light of the death of Sir Bobby Robson - who lost a 17-year battle with cancer. Many Reds' fans have paid tribute to the man that the football world will remember as a true gentleman of the game. Robson's managerial career was littered with trophies from championships including three major European leagues. He took Ipswich Town to the heady heights of European football by lifting the FA Cup and UEFA Cup during his time in East Anglia. With the hive of activity in the current transfer market Robson's decision to make just 14 signings in his 13 seasons at Portman Road seems inconceivable for a club who were challenging for major honours under his tenure. The Tractor Boys finished runners-up in the First Division in both 1981 and 1982.

Despite riding high with Ipswich, Sir Bobby chose to go on to bigger and better things by succeeding where Don Revie had failed - by making the transition from club management to country - as England manager. He proceeded over two World Cups, seeing his country dumped out in the latter stages of the tournament in agonising fashion; first to Argentina and Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' in 1986 and in the semi finals against West Germany at Italia '90 - an event which endeared the entire nation to the game for the first time since 1966 thanks to some fine amateur dramatics from Paul Gascoigne. It wasn't the high that he had hoped to sign off on but Robson made the tabloid hacks who crucified him and his England side in the early stages of the tournament eat their words with a performance that was a credit to the Three Lions. In the nine years that followed his England exit, he coached at Sporting Lisbon, PSV Eindhoven, FC Porto and Barcelona where he counted a translator by the name of Jose Mourinho as part of his backroom staff. No doubt the current Inter Milan manager is indebted to the gentle Geordie for some of the pointers he received at the Nou Camp.

Trophies and successful managerial stints are all well and good but Robson had something that most managers in the game today don't - humility and common decency. You only have to look on the various websites and message boards to see the lasting impression he left on supporters of all clubs, regardless of affiliation. He will never be regarded as one of the greatest. The likes of the outspoken Brian Clough will be ranked higher in the managerial polls than him. Arrogance and controversy reigns supreme in 21st century football, much to the misfortune of the late Sir Bobby.

Born in County Durham, Robson was from the old school of football. In the 1960s, when Robson was in the twilight years of his playing career, Bill Shankly, Matt Busby and Jock Stein - three of the greatest coaches at the time - were described as the managerial Holy Trinity as they were all vastly successful with Liverpool, Manchester United and Celtic respectively. In additon, they all came from working class backgrounds in Scotland. I believe that the North East has its own Holy Trinity - all of whom are named Bob. First there was Bob Stokoe who led Sunderland to FA Cup glory in 1973 and promotion to the First Division in 1976, then there was the legendary Bob Paisley whose record of three European Cups has yet to be equalled and finally there is another gentle Geordie in Sir Bobby Robson.

Robson's remarkable story saw him lose his 17-year battle with cancer. He had been diagnosed with five different strands of the disease on five separate occasions but continued the fight on and set up the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation for cancer research. Even when he was told that the cancer in his lungs was terminal, Robson still saw the glass as half full. When asked about his remaining time in life, he said: "I am going to die sooner rather than later. But then everyone has to go sometime and I have enjoyed every minute." Humility and optimism - that was the man down to a tee, You would be hard pressed to find another former Newcastle or England manager anyone could say that about.

RIP Sir Bobby Robson

Gentleman, Ambassador and Footballing Legend.

You'll Never Walk Alone

The end is nigh, Mr Cohen

To paraphrase comedian Mort Sahl's remark about former U.S. president Richard Nixon - Would you listen to a radio show presented by this man?

Yesterday Fox Soccer Channel unveiled Eric Wynalda as the new host of their flagship show 'Fox Football Fone-In'. I wonder what state Steven Cohen's cat was in after the London-born broadcaster received the new last month. The TV giant wouldn't comment on why Cohen's contract with them wasn't renewed but now that his comments about the Hillsborough disaster are common knowledge amongst Liverpool fans and the general footballing public, his broadcasting career is on its last legs. Virtually every main sponsor of his World Soccer Daily radio show has cancelled their agreements with the show and even his beloved Chelsea FC have disowned him.

Last week their spokesman Gareth Mills spoke to LFC's New York Supporters Club and said: "He is not a representative, nor ever has been a representative of the club. We have some 90 million fans worldwide and cannot account for every fan’s opinion.” It appears that nobody wants to have anything to do with someone who launched a scathing attack on the survivors of Britain's worst ever stadium disaster on a national radio show - even if if it is a vehicle of the Rupert Murdoch empire.

The crux of the matter is, as Cohen is starting to find out, that Hillsborough has been a very sensitive subject for Liverpool fans all over the world and the boycott show after the blatant lack of respect shown repeatedly by the 46-year-old has proven have proven this much. Nobody with half a brain can fail to see that Fox dropped him like a piece of dog foul as sponsors started to withdraw from WSD and Cohen started to implode following the refusal by Reds fans to fall for his cheap attempt at an apology. His flippancy knows no bounds and, with the able assistance of his snidey sidekick Kenny Hassan, he has failed to cover himself in glory in the aftermath of the now ongoing uproar he and his show are currently facing.

Some Americans will see the boycott against Cohen started by Liverpool fans in the States as a smear campaign. To those who think that - I suggest you take some considerable time out of your day to do a little research into Mr Cohen's broadcasting history relating to Hillsborough as he has shot himself in the foot time and again on this issue. This is not a hate or smear campaign; it is a basic mission to raise awareness of the true events that happened on that fateful day in Sheffield 20 years ago and not the lies perpetrated by The Sun newspaper and others - a list which now includes Steven Cohen.

By the way, anyone who genuinely believes that Cohen is a lifelong Chelsea fan should take a few seconds to watch this video of hiim switching loyalties from Tottenham to Arsenal in 2002 following the Gunners' league and cup double truimph: