Sky Has Limits

If Richard Keys and Andy Gray had gone through the same period of training and gained a similar level of qualification to perform the jobs they currently do as the assistant referee they challenged on Saturday, then they may not be in the predicament they are in today.

They are not the only ones who appear regularly as 'expert' pundits, some of whom last kicked a ball professionally a very long time ago. Yet after two decades of a largely repetitive script it appears they are not qualified any more to opinionate on the game that has changed dramatically over the recent years.

Players now, more than ever, are skilled in how to deceive, as the Roberto Martinez alluded to after the weekend performance when he witnessed the usual Arsenal and Cesc Fabregas dramas that accompany their sublime football.

Football moves at a pace that few other industries can compare. Perhaps this explains the often rash reasoning behind so much money being squandered on under-qualified individuals.

Where else would £millions be given to people to spend on assets that are only a matter of the judgement of one individual?


Aston Villa 'blinked first' in this transfer window which should now see this money changing hands fast. Harry Redknapp was mugged in Madrid aswell as Everton and Chelsea when he paid £3million for seemingly arranged free transfer to add to his massive squad.

History is often expertly re-written - but in times when the clamour for excessive spending in the face of a worldwide recession it is perhaps time to ask how a manager's achievements can be put down to luck rather than astute management that allow them to spend such amounts of money?

Several instances come to mind immediately.

Probably the most talked about is how near Sir Alex Ferguson was to leaving Old Trafford when Mark Robbins scored 'that' goal. However was it luck that gave him such a crop of talented youngsters coming through at the same time that was to begin his dynasty? It has not happened since. Another key moment of Ferguson's reign was sparked by an apparent fortuitous conversation with Leeds United that led to Eric Cantona coming to the club and asserting his influence on a young squad.

Rafa Benitez earned acclaim for his Cup winning feats at Liverpool, but in Istanbul he took Gerard Houllier's squad who rode the wave of Steven Gerrard's best year to a final, an injury to Harry Kewell and a poor penalty shoot out from Milan won a trophy that made Benitez an instant legend... with a draw. The irony of the finest draw in Liverpool history being forever entwined with his legacy would come back to haunt the defensive Spaniard who is deemed guilty of bringing too many poor players to Anfield and subsequently could not deal with the impressive squad left to him by Jose Mourihno at Internazionale.

Today managers continue to ride their luck. Last November Gareth Bale was nowhere in Harry Redknapp's first team plans. Yet injuries enabled him to get back in the team and Bale seized the moment. The Welshman played his way into superstardom in a Champions League campaign that has been rescued in qualifying by a certain out-of-favour Roman Pavlyuchenko. You can see the pattern. It's a funny old game! Some statements never date.