International Boredom

Nobody at home
By Chris Kirwan
September 7 2002

The break for this weekend’s international fixtures has left a void for many football fans, especially for those who take no particular interest in the England team. I fall into this category.

The fact that there is no Everton involvement in the England camp probably adds to my indifference, but I hardly recall being on the edge of my seat when Andy Hinchcliffe was whipping the ball in from the left in an England shirt. What international breaks do provide is the chance to take stock of the season so far, and this season it gives the opportunity for our new physio to introduce himself to our walking wounding.

Unlike other teams who seem to pick up injuries when their players are selected in an international squad, we are provided with the chance to get our players closer to fitness. Whereas Manchester United deemed Scholes and Beckham unfit, and Newcastle withdrew Dyer, Everton were hit by the bombshell that Scot Gemmill is not yet up to full fitness. I’ll be worried if that’s a case of Moyes copying Alex Ferguson’s tactic of withdrawing his most prized possessions from international duty to protect them for their pivotal role in the Premiership.

Those of us who are unconcerned by the weekend’s international games have been hit hard by the new transfer system. No longer are the papers full of unsubstantiated rumours to keep us going and I am definitely not a fan of this new system. I’m ashamed to say that the tabloid gossip columns do excite me, and that I’m all too gullible where Teamtalk is involved. It’s also a worry that Everton now have to survive to the next transfer window without a creative midfielder. The new system takes away the freedom to tackle problem areas and to cover for injuries, as well as the chance to get rid of the dead wood.

In other news David Unsworth has somehow managed to be awarded the goal versus Birmingham. The FA panel ruled in his favour, and Unsworth told www.evertonfc.tv, “It was the sweetest right-footed volley you’ll ever see and also an important one at that stage of the game”. The FA panel must have consisted of the relatives of David Unsworth and Kenny Cunningham, as how a shot that was travelling away from goal prior to Cunningham’s intervention can be regarded as Unworth’s goal is anybody’s guess. But better news came in the shape of the panel’s decision to take away Nicolas Anelka’s hat-trick, and give the first strike as a Radzinski own goal. I think the ref should go and ask for his ball back.