411 Football/Soccer Fact or Fiction 2.01.08: Keegan lifting Newcastle, Rafa staying at Liverpool, Ronaldinho leaving Barca, Pato, & more!

Posted by Sean Garmer on 02.01.2008

Yes! It is here, this is the first edition of Footy Fact or Fiction, Tim O' Sullivan and Daniel Wilcox discuss Kevin Keegan, African Cup of Nations, Ronaldinho and more.

No, this isn't your imagination. This is actually happening, a Football/Soccer Fact or Fiction. Welcome to the first, of what will hopefully be many editions talking about the World's Sport. So let's get going with the talk about the beautiful game. I'll be your host and from time to time a competitor myself, but what matters is the people at hand here, two footy lovers from England. Expect to normally see this out on Thursdays in the future. Here are today's competitors.

A diehard Arsenal supporter and Football God of sorts, (He was for the longest time the only person on this website with a footy column) Tim O' Sullivan. writes the Round Football Column for the Sports Zone, he also writes for a British Football Magazine called Match that's out in the UK every Tuesday. If you want more information visit: The Match magazine Website Not only that, but he does a few things for the Movies/TV zone as well.

Against him today is, a man that keeps himself extremely busy at 411, and is also a huge Manchester United supporter, Daniel Wilcox. He writes Thoughts from the Top Rope and is a co-writer for The Fink's Payload for the wrestling zone, and he does other various things for them too. However, don't discount the news report he has in the Music Zone called The Greatest Rock News Report. He also formerly wrote a Footy column called Sunday's Soccer Showdown.

Well, you can definitely call these two an eclectic bunch. Let's get on to the questions shall we. I promise they will get better as we progress with this thing.


1. Kevin Keegan will pull Newcastle out of this terrible run of form and get a UEFA Cup Spot?

Tim O' Sullivan: FICTION A million times fiction. I mean, could we ever have another example of a topic falling any harder into the fiction bracket? I was at The Emirates for the Newcastle double-header last week and they were pretty damn awful both times. They had a good spell at the start of the FA Cup tie, but their performance in Tuesday's Prem game was just ridiculously bad. Seriously, Keegan needs to completely revamp the team. Take whatever they can get for Owen, get Butt out, get Smith out, get Ameobi out, get Duff out. I like Martins, N'Zogbia and Given, but aside from that I think they need a complete makeover. I'd be surprised if they finished any higher than 12th.

Daniel Wilcox: FICTION I gotta agree with Tim on this one. As unlikely as it is, even if some of their players actually starting living up to their potential, there are still a handful of potential Uefa Cup teams better than them in West Ham, Everton, Man City, Pompey, Villa and Spurs. It's irrelevant anyway because the team won't suddenly start performing under Keegan. It'll take more than a new manager to get the team performing and back into Europe. They need to get rid of at least a half dozen first-team players and bring in some fresh talent. I hope it never happens though, because they have some of the most annoying fans out there.


2. The African Cup of Nations should change its format to four years or be moved to the summer?

Tim O' Sullivan: FICTION Of course, it's ridiculously annoying. Really annoying. Watching Senderos again this week, I just thank my lucky stars we're not playing one of the big, big teams in Kolo Toure's absence. It's big stuff. Arsenal missing Toure and Chelsea missing Essien and Drogba could be season-turning problems. It hasn't worked out like that yet, but it can definitely happen. However, it's their tradition and it's a big deal to them. Just because some people don't respect it doesn't mean they should mess with tradition.

Daniel Wilcox: FICTION Again, Tim is pretty much spot on. England isn't the only nation that loves their football and under no circumstances should we expect anyone else to change the way they do things because of how it affects us. Besides, as a United fan, I'm hardly going to want the likes of Essien, Drogba and Toure available to our rivals more often, am I?


3. At season's end, Valencia will no longer be in the Primera Division of La Liga?

Tim O' Sullivan: FICTION That old cliche of, "they're too good to go down" is really over-used, especially in England. However, over in Spain this season, that really can be said for Valencia. David Silva and David Villa have had horrible seasons by their ever-increasing standards, but they *should* have the class to dig Valencia out of this horrible mess they're in. Ronald Koeman has had a mare since taking over, the president is a dick, there are problems in the dressing room and David Albelda is trying to sue them for millions.............but they're not getting relegated.

Daniel Wilcox: FICTION They really are too good to go down, and I'm not sure why this is being asked. Yes, they are underachieving and yes they have a lot of problems both on and off the pitch, but they are only a few points of the European places and don't seem to be in any real danger of slipping down the table. I'd be shocked if Valencia were to get relegated at the end of the season.



Its time to make a CHANGE!



4. If Liverpool obtains a fourth place spot, Rafa Benitez still deserves to be at Liverpool?


Daniel Wilcox: FICTION If you're a Liverpool fan you should be expecting a hell of a lot more from 'Pool than just managing to scrape fourth. Rafa has had a good couple of years at Liverpool but aside from that magical night in 2005, he's done very little to improve the club. Signings haven't worked and the rotation system clearly isn't working. The Premiership has to be 'Pool's biggest goal and in that sense he has done nothing for the team. Considering the talent he has available, not qualifying for Europe should not even be in the question, but it is. Whether Liverpool make fourth or not by season's end, I think Rafa has to go in the Summer.


Tim O' Sullivan: FICTION He's a good European tactician, something that can be verified by his record with Valencia and his Champions League runs with Liverpool. However, I don't just think he's a bad Premier League manager. I think he's a terrible Premier League manager. Liverpool fans will always remember him for some fantastic moments, but they have been brought up on league title wins and they want it back. Look at their record against Chelsea, Man Utd and Arsenal since he joined, especially away from home......it's just hideous. I genuinely think he should go.


5. Ronaldinho will be out of Barcelona in the Summer?

Daniel Wilcox: FICTION This is a bit of a toss-up because it would not surprise me if he stayed and it would not surprise me if he moved on.. However, I have to go with fiction because this saga has been going on for years with rumors over the man's future constantly circulating, and yet he we are and he is still with Barca, but as I say, either way I would not be surprised.

Tim O' Sullivan: FACT Ah, Bugs Ronny. I don't know how much Spanish footy our readers watch, but for two or three years in his early days at Barcelona it really looked like he could turn into one of the all-time greats. I'm being totally serious.....up there with Maradona, Puskas, Zidane, Kuyt, the lot. Either way, he really was *that* good. However, despite some incredible stats he lost a little spark last season, and this season he's been absolutely horrible when he's had the chance to play. He's lost a yard of pace, cares more about his commercial contracts and looks void of the invention that made him a star. He needs a better manager to look after him and improve his desire. I wouldn't even put him in the world's top ten players list right now. Seriously, he needs to move, and I think one of the Meeeeeelan clubs will go for him.



6. The Emergence of Alexandre Pato, will save AC Milan's Season?

Daniel Wilcox: FICTION Similarly to Liverpool, AC Milan are vastly underachieving this season and the emergence of any one player is unlikely to change that. Milan are 20 points from the top and their away form is terrible. With the players that are leaving the club or have left recently will not do them any favours and Milan may well struggle to make the Champions League. If that is the case, under no circumstances can there season be considered saved.


Tim O' Sullivan: FACT Yeah, but it's not solely because of his class. It's that extra spark around the dressing room. That bit of freshness. That bit of buzz around the city and media. Oh, and yeah he does look a bit good, doesn't he? I still haven't been able to see him live for 90 minutes yet, but from the highlights he's looked a really lively, mobile and intelligent striker, with decent composure in front of goal. Plus, he seems to have brought Kaka and Fat Ron back to life, so it's all good. I fancy Meeeeelan to nick third actually.



So, there you have it. The first Football/Soccer Fact or Fiction finishes 4 out of 6, Join us next week for more Footy banter