October 2008 Archives

Grab a copy of this weekend's Sunday Mercury to see Albion's Gianni Zuiverloon's opinion on this:

So the New Zealand RFU are threatening Cornish outfit Launceston with legal action over their usage of the 'All Blacks' tag.

Does that mean that Randy Lerner will now threaten Pelsall Villa with the same?

Madness.

The below link makes interesting reading for supporters of any of the 92 league clubs in English football. But as you will see in this weekend's print version of Final Word, in my own opinion it's not a particularly positive outcome for us Midlanders.

http://www.footballpools.com/football-fever/FootballFeverReport4.pdf

It seems that Albion's very own Mr Grumpy Roman Bednar may need something to cheer him up again following his substitution sulk shortly into the second half of the defeat at Old Trafford.

But Bednar may have a reason to put a smile on his face if he continues to put in the extra yards on the biggest football stage of them all.

The Prague-born tempermental striker has one Czech Republic cap to his name, a 3-1 defeat to Serbia in August 2006 while he was still a Hearts player.

However judging by the interview requests from Czech journalists coming into Albion's media department, it appears that his the Baggies' top scorer's stock is rising back in his homeland.

And naturally if he continues to cover the back pages, airwaves and TV screens of the Czech Republic's media outlets, that certainly won't go unnoticed by their national coach Petr Rada.

What better motivation does Bednar need to scrap the sulking and start scoring again?

SINCE Wolves striker Chris Iwelumo's shocking howler on his Scottish debut last Saturday, the debate has been raging about football's worst miss.

But forget Liverpool's Ronnie Rosenthal at Villa Park and Kanu's Albion blunder against Middlesbrough, Final Word has unearthed the 'Supreme' sitter.

Wonder if Diana was singing her hit 'Missing You' when she scuffed this one wide?!

HE might have missed out on a call-up this time around, but it seems Ashley Young is very much on Fabio Capello's mind.

Not only has the England boss sent the Villa flyer a letter informing him that he is in contention for Three Lions selection.

Capello also continually referred to Ashley Cole as Ashley Young during a post-match interview following the Kazakhstan qualifier.

No, Fabio, when Young creates goals with impeccable balls from near the touchline, it's usually his own team that benefits, not the opposition.

And you might want to remember that next time you pick an England squad without a proven left-winger.

Zeli Ismail - a name that was unknown barely two months ago.

Yet it appears that something special has been bubbling away at Wolves' Compton training ground.

A new kid that hasn't even stepped out on to the block but he's already attracting national headlines.

It started with speculation that footballing, and financial, giants Chelsea and Manchester City were preparing a multi-million pound swoop for the 14-year-old Wolves wonderkid. Rumours that were swiftly quashed by Jez Moxey.

And as the top brass at Wolves desperately attempted to keep Ismail's talent under wraps, the club's ex-academy director Chris Evans has now said that he believes the teenager could become Britain's first £100 MILLION player!

And no it isn't the four-eyed, carrot-topped, former Big Breakfast presenter of the same name having a laugh!

If the hype continues in the same vein then England Under-16s will start attracting bumper sell-out crowds as people flock to see the mystery that is Zeli Ismali.

They were touted as the next big thing in Aston Villa's history.

Stefan and his younger brother Luke Moore were a feared duo on the youth circuit while coming through the ranks with Villa. The Brummie brothers scored goals for fun when they were kids and, if you believed the hype, they were set for legendary status having helped Villa lift the 2002 FA Youth Cup.

After a loan spell with Chesterfield, Stefan forced his way into the Villa side in 2002 and his sibling similarly followed, following a temporary stint with Wycombe, into the claret and blue two years later.

Yet despite the expectation they never became Holte End heroes, the youngsters set for greatness are now forgotten at Villa Park.

Stefan only ever scored two goals for his boyhood club and after becoming a lower league journeyman (including a very brief stint in Australia), the 25-year-old now looks set for life in non-league football with Kidderminster Harriers.

To be fair to Luke, the younger Moore fared better, he scored 15 goals for Villa and won caps for England Under-21s. Now he watches Premier League football regularly from a bench at West Bromwich.

Barnsley whizzkid Reuben Noble- Lazarus take note because no matter how much potential you show in your teens, nothing can prepare you for the tough world of professional football.

With talented youngsters Ryan Donk and Gianni Zuiverloon wearing the Baggies' blue and white stripes at the back this season, it appears that Albion have gone all double dutch in defence.

Double Dutch! What a fantastic name for a pop boy name and judging by the picture below, that looks exactly what Donk and Zuiverloon could be in.

Tony Mowbray just needs to sign up the Albion duo's former Netherlands Under-21 teammates Boy Waterman and Royston Drenthe to complete the set. Answers on a postcard for the exact identity of mystery band member number five, known in the original caption as Jay Hofs.

Picture taken from www.ryandonk.eu