So the clock ticks ever closer to the season of goodwill and as a self confessed lover of
Christmas, a word of warning for fellow football fans hoping to receive that special something in
their Christmas stocking or under the tree. As the years have gone by, I have sometimes received
presents based purely on the fact that I am a football fan.
If Russia's 2018 bid was seen as high risk in terms of delivering a FIFA World Cup of technical
brilliance then the decision to stage the tournament in Qatar is staggering.
This isn't a jibe at the country but how on earth can they host a World Cup that is going to
capture the imagination of a generation who are looking to football to be their inspiration?
I don't think a year has gone by where I haven't asked for a soccer-related gift for Christmas
or where my Christmas wish-list didn't contain at least one soccer item. This year is no
different.
If I was to be unrealistic (which I sometimes am), here would be my dream-come-true holiday wish
list:
- A promotion for Swansea City from the Championship to the Premier League, and
- A local Major League Soccer team in South Florida.
Two years ago, Liverpool stalwart Jamie Carragher published
'Carra...', an autobiography in which, amongst various jaunty tales of pre-meditated
assault, the centre-back 'questioned' the work ethic of his former Anfield teammate Senegalese
forward El Hadji Diouf, who joined the club six years previous.
According to The Sun, the Senegal international has a built-up resentment towards Carragher
stemming back to their Liverpool days and further inflamed by comments made by the Englishman about
Diouf in his autobiography.
Diouf is quoted as saying: "If Liverpool had 10 players like Carragher, then they would never win
anything.
