Julian Speroni best keeper in the Football league

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni performed heroics to single-handedly earn a vital point for the Eagles against Barnsley at the weekend.

The Argentinean won huge praise for his performance at Oakwell on Saturday from Palace manager Paul Hart and in my opinion he is the finest stopper in the Football League and up there with the best of them in the Premier League.

Speroni joined the Eagles prior to Palace’s Premier League season in 2004/05 under Ian Dowie but after a series of blunders as number 1 was dropped and replaced by Gabor Kiraly.

But since the Hungarian’s departure from Selhurst Park Speroni has stepped up and become easily one of Palace’s best and most consistent players in recent years. He has won back-to-back player of the year awards to firmly cement himself in the hearts of Palace fans.

While many players’ form dips and troughs under different managers Speroni has continued to be at the top of his game under four different managers.

There is no question that the 31-year-old will provide a crucial role in the upcoming weeks as the Eagles battle for survival. I feel that Speroni is the player that will make the difference between Palace beating the drop come May.

Palace’s goal difference of minus one may be sniffed at by teams occupying the top spots in the league such as Newcastle who boast plus 40. But I find Speroni’s record impressive because of the lack of defensive quality he has in front of him.

The Eagles have suffered since Paddy McCarthy’s shoulder injury and Jose Fonte left for Southampton in January with Matt Lawrence or Clint Hill, both preferred full backs, stepping in alongside Claude Davies.

Both Hill and Lawrence are defenders that I would consider a risk and wouldn’t put too much faith in if they were defending in front of me, especially compared to Newcastle’s solid centre half partnership of Fabricio Coloccini and Stephen Taylor.

However it is no coincidence that Palace’s goal difference looks distinct fully healthier than the teams in the bottom half bar Watford who have England under 21 international keeper Scott Loach.

Loach was reportedly chased by Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp in January and I feel that Speroni is on par if not better than the Watford number one.

While the Crystal Palace January transfer window itinerary focused around the departure of Victor Moses there were many Palace fans hoping that the race to sign the Nigerian born winger would over shadow the signings of other players.

And I feel that no other member of the squad was more important to hold onto than Speroni, who left Dundee to join the Eagles when the Scottish side were suffering financially. The attention on Moses proved a blessing in disguise without a club coming within a sniff Speroni.

David Beckham ruled out of World Cup

The dreaded pre-World Cup injury has hit the England team with David Beckham set to miss out on his fourth World Cup after tearing his achilles while playing for AC Milan.

The former England captain led his nation in their last World Cup outing against Portugal in the quarter-final in Germany 2006 but limped off injured just after half time.

Beckham left the field tearfully as it looked as if he was making his last appearance for England in a World Cup. Well, unfortunately, his intuition proved right as it is almost certain he will miss out in South Africa come June. Torn achilles tendons usually take upto eight months to fully heal posing further questions over Beckham's remaining career.

With many England fans fearing that Wayne Rooney would be struck down with injury prior to this summer’s World Cup Beckham has become the first of the England stars to be ruled out.

While all the talk surrounded Rooney, currently in blistering form for Manchester United, and fans praying he wouldn't get injured it turned out to be one of England's most experienced members of the talented and gifted list that suffered.

Beckham was not a certainty to start in the World Cup but he was sure to feature in some way and I feel that the England squad will miss the 34-year-old midfielder hugely.

There is no question that the team especially Peter Crouch will miss his golden ball delivery but with his future playing career also in question you have to feel for Beckham, capped 115 times for his country.

The injury brings to an the end an eventful week for Beckham who played at his boyhood club Manchester United in the Champions League on Wednesday in an emotional reunion with the Old Trafford crowd.

Beckham was tearful again on Sunday as he discovered he would miss the World Cup and had reportedly already been consoled by England boss Fabio Capello hours after the incident.

In my eyes, Beckham is - or should I say was - England’s first choice right winger ahead of Aaron Lennon, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Theo Walcott in a four-four-two system. And the experience he brought with him into the dressing room having been involved in many highs and lows for England would have been invaluable.

There is no question that this is sad news for England fans – you only have to look at the contributions he has made over the years and the way he has responded from media and public criticism - most noticeably after his red card in France 1998 - to realise that.

But Beckham can take away with him one of the greatest individual contributions a player has made to their country. The moment that rekindled every England fan's fondness when he curled home a free kick in the dying minutes against Greece to help England qualify for the 2002 World Cup.

Neil Warnock joins QPR from Crystal Palace

Warnock's way out to be respected not criticised

Neil Warnock‘s departure as Crystal Palace manager on Monday night confirmed many Eagles fans fears as the Yorkshire man joined Queens Park Rangers.

The switch to the west London rivals ended speculation over Warnock’s future who has set his sights at being a Premier League manager once again.

The 61-year-old has claimed to only have a couple years of management left in him and sees QPR as being a club more capable of giving him his dream of becoming a top-flight manager again rather than Palace.

And I have to admit I agree with him. They are clearly more financially stable and appear to have a better set up in terms of looking ahead to the future while the Eagles are currently concentrating on finding a buyer, a new manager and escaping relegation.

While QPR are just one place above Palace many will question Warnock’s decision but I feel he has made the right one – for Neil Warnock.

Is it a selfish decision, well yes, but it had to be. His position as manager of Crystal Palace could not be guaranteed if a new buyer was found and the temptation of managing at Loftus Road was simply too good to resist.

I doubt that many fans will blame Warnock’s choice especially after it was made clear that he wasn’t just going to walk out on the Selhurst Park club. Warnock was keen to make sure Palace received compensation for his move, he said: “”There is no way I am going to walk out. If they can agree compensation then that's different.”

After agreeing a compensation deal the following breaking news was inevitable. As an Eagles fan who Warnock took some time to win round I am now convinced he is a descent manager and one that is sure to become QPR’s longest serving manager in recent seasons.

But I fear some fans will, wrongly, envy Warnock and blame him for walking out when the club needs him the most. But with an online poll on a dedicated fans website voting 45 per cent in favour of not blaming him while just over 10 per cent will boo him when he returns to south east London as QPR boss on the 10th April as they ‘passionately dislike him’.

There is no doubt we need a manager like Neil Warnock the most now as we battle for survival but his exit is not the same as Steve Bruce or Ian Dowie who left under bad terms with the Palace faithful.

I feel Warnock’s move is more similar to that of former Palace striker Andy Johnson who simply had to leave for the benefit of his own career. But only time will truly tell if his choice is the right one.

Warnock set to leave Crystal Palace for rivals QPR

Warnock the right man, but not the only man

Growing speculation over Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock moving to Queens Park Rangers will worry many Palace fans who believe he is the right man to lift them out of their current turmoil.

While the Eagles are enjoying an exciting and money rewarding cup run their league form appears to be struggling as they dropped into the bottom three after a one nil home defeat to Coventry managed by former Palace player Chris Coleman.

Warnock has admitted that he is concerned over his future with Palace who are set to receive £1.5 million in compensation if the switch goes ahead.

However despite the compensation, which will be a welcomed acquisition for the Selhurst Park outfit, many will fear for the club’s future if Warnock leaves for their West London rivals.

There is no doubt that Warnock is the right man for the job with his passion and desire to win that shines through in Palace’s performances, but he is not the only man.

Ian Wright, who scored twice for Crystal Palace in their 3-3 FA Cup final against Manchester United in 1990, recently claimed that Warnock was not the right man for the job insisting: “They need a young manager with new ideas,” hinting at a possible move for himself.

“If I can be part of that, then it's something I'd have to consider,” he added. While Wright may not be the ideal candidate if a candidate at all to replace Warnock there are many other former Palace aces that could take and crucially want to take the job.

One ideal candidate and only person I feel that can replace Warnock is ex-Palace manager Steve Coppell. The former Reading boss has a soft spot for the south London club, as does the Palace faithful for him, after having four spells as manager.

In many cases the ideal scenario is often the most unlikely but it may not seem too distant especially after the departure of Simon Jordan who Coppell famously had numerous ‘personality clashes’ with.

When questioned by ITV’s Steve Rider before Palace’s dramatic home game with Villa Coppell didn’t deny that he might possibly, one day, play a part in their future.

Ian Wright also confirmed that he thought Coppell was thinking of getting involved again along with former owner Ron Noades.

But Coppell may not be the only man eager to take the job on with Gareth Southgate left jobless after being sacked as the Middlesbrough manager in October 2009.

The former Palace player will be eager to prove himself after a poor record at the Riverside but may pose something of a risk if appointed as Warnock’s successor. Southgate is a man that to me comes across as too nice in an end of season battle that will be fought hard to the very end.

With every vacant managers job there is always one rumoured possibility that shocks fans and could it be too daft to suggest a return for Steve Kember. The Palace legend performed a miracle by rescuing the Eagles from relegation in 2001 but left on bad terms under Jordan who promised Kember a ‘job for life’.

The manager’s job at Selhurst Park is not a very appealing one for experienced managers at the top of the English game and relying on the love of the club may prove crucial in attracting a manager that can lift us out of relegation and look ahead to a bright future.

If Warnock is be confirmed as QPR boss later this week – leaving many Palace fans, including me, devastated - there will be no better way to leave than to mastermind a shock win over Aston Villa in the fifth round replay at Villa Park on Wednesday.

FA Cup provides sanctitude for cash-strapped clubs

Year-on-year the FA Cup provides us with great memories and occasions but this year’s competition has one more reason to be loved in a valentines weekend fifth round that was crucial for financially stricken clubs.

England’s most lucrative cup competition is renowned for ‘David v Goliath’ clashes and money-spinning ties between non-league sides and league opponents with the financial reward a great incentive for teams. This year’s cup, which so far is remembered for Northwich Victoria’s famous victory over Charlton Athletic in the first round and Leeds United’s win against Premier League Champions Manchester United in the third round, involves no non-league sides anymore but still has teams chomping at the bit to progress to the next round for the financial reward.

Cash-strapped clubs Portsmouth, Crystal Palace, Cardiff City and Notts County were all in action in this weekend’s fifth round. Cardiff and Notts County suffered heavy defeats away at Premier League opposition but still earned financial reward through game receipts. However the big earners, for a change, in this weekend’s action were heavy debt rollers Portsmouth, who beat Southampton, and Crystal Palace, who drew with Carling Cup finalists Aston Villa.

Ahead of Portsmouth’s 17-mile short trip to south-coast rivals Southampton on Saturday there was speculation in the morning papers that it could well have been their last game. The 2008 Cup winners have until Friday to prove they can service debts of up to £60million.

Saturday’s 4-1 win over the Saints did not only provide Pompey fans with derby day bragging rights but was a great lift to the fight against the financial problems facing the club. The club are set to receive around £500,000 including TV revenue, prize money and gate receipts. Had they lost that game it could have been the final nail in the coffin but the FA Cup, which for some clubs is becoming less of a concern and overshadowed by league ambitions, could turn the fortunes of Portsmouth football club around.

Albeit half a million pounds is a long way off their totalling debt - an FA Cup run could be the answer to many Pompey’s fans prayers with a quarter-final home draw against Birmingham City in a round that see’s two of the competitions favourites meet each other. Chelsea face Manchester City if they can overcome Stoke City at the Britannia in a reply of the 1-1 draw at Eastlands on Saturday and many Portsmouth fans may be beginning to believe they can achieve something in this year’s Cup.

Am I suggesting they can win it, well not entirely but, with manager Avram Grant firmly behind the side and showing passion previously never shown during his tenure at Chelsea - a cup run with progression through to the semi-finals worth £360,000 it could prove crucial to Pompey’s survival.

Meanwhile Crystal Palace, who were on the verge of producing one of shocks of the fifth round against Aston Villa before a late headed equaliser by Stiliyan Petrov, achieved what administrator Brendan Guilfoyle would describe as the perfect result.

However manager Neil Warnock may disagree after the Palace manager was disgusted with the award of the corner which led to Petrov’s header. The chance to go back up to the Midlands in the FA Cup, this time to face Aston Villa as opposed to previous cup opponents Wolves, will land more finances for the club in a game that is surely destined to be screened live after today’s epic encounter – generating further television money.

Palace are set to cash in on a 20,000 attendance that enjoyed a game played in great spirit, bar an Ashley Young dive early on, and what appeared a terrific atmosphere at Selhurst Park. With television rights worth £247,000 for the game and a replay, if won, set to earn £180,000 the FA Cup will provide the south London club with much needed cash.

And if Palace do perform the unlikely and beat Villa in ten days time Warnock may not feel too heavily aggrieved with Kevin Friend’s decision to award a corner after the ball clearly rebounded behind off Nathan Delfouneso's head. The reward for beating Villa will be a trip to either Reading or West Brom in the quarter final and is it too ridiculous to suggest Crystal Palace in the semi-finals – which between now and then would see them earn £560,000 just in prize money.

The Eagles are soaring since they were plunged into administration less than three weeks ago and the news which devastated everyone involved with the club has seemed to galvanise them.
But the impressive way Palace have managed themselves, or should I say been managed by Neil Warnock, has attracted interest elsewhere and reports before kick-off that Queens Park Rangers have taken a keen interest in Warnock will worry many fans who believe he is key to escaping the financial woe currently surrounding the club.

Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili dies in Vancouver

Competitors worst fears were confirmed earlier today when Georgian’s Olympian Nodar Kumaritashvili died in his last training session in the luge. The devastating news is set to cast a heavy shadow over the Winter Olympics opening ceremony and the remainder of the Games in Vancouver, Canada.

Kumaritashvili’s fatal crash happened during his sixth and final training session when his sled hit the inside of the last turn sending his body into the air and over a concrete wall while his sled continued down the ice.

The 21-year-old smashed head first into a metal pole after he was thrown off his sled, which was travelling at an estimated 90mph, and was later pronounced dead after immediate resuscitation attempts and doctors efforts at a local hospital had failed.

The dangers of luge are widely renown and those that take part know the risks involved but the dangers were further increased at this year’s Winter Olympics. Speeds at Whistler Sliding Centre, the venue for this year’s luge competition, have been worryingly high since the track opened last year with one luger hitting a top speed of 95.65 mph and now Kumaritashvili’s speed of an estimated 90mph are both faster than the recorded World Record speed of 86.6 mph held by US slider Tony Benshoof in 2001.

Competitors raised concerns over the safety of the track and last night Australian luger Hannah Campbell Pegg voiced her own worries to reporters after her practice session.

She said: “I think they are pushing it a little too much. To what extent are we just little lemmings that they just throw down a track and we’re crash-test dummies? I mean - this is our lives.”

As I nervously watched the crash on huffingtonpost.com I had to re-watch the incident three times because of the sheer speed that Kumaritashvili’s sled was going at. And as the opening ceremony gets under way tonight there will be many angry people in Vancouver that will be calling on the luge competition to be scrapped – not only because of the death but because of the how dangerous the track is.

The one big annoyance for me if the luge is to be cancelled is that it takes such a dramatic and tragic experience to happen for a decision to be made. The concerns and issues had been previously raised by experts involved yet it is left to having to be proven and when it involves a sport as dangerous as the luge the proof – which needs to be big in order to have an impact and spark a decision change by those at the top – will inevitable result in a death.

Crystal Palace go into adminstration

The news of Crystal Palace entering administration may not have come as a major shock for Palace fans but there is no doubt that upon hearing the announcement their heart, like mine, would have sank.

The Eagles have been unable to pay players their wages on four occasions this season and have also been handed two transfer embargos. The first came towards the end of the summer transfer window last August for unpaid wages and bonuses to ex-players while the second was handed to the south east London club at the end of September for transfer fees owed to Ipswich for striker Alan Lee.

Cash-strapped Palace were also reported to the Football League last week by rivals Charlton Athletic who were ‘furious’ they had not received £100,000 has part of the transfer for defender Paddy McCarthy in 2008 – sending the Addicks into financial difficulty themselves – something many Palace fans wouldn’t have felt too ashamed of.

Chairman Simon Jordan complained that the poor attendances at Selhurst Park was also contributing to the club’s economic demise and compared the crowd numbers to the likes of League One sides Norwich City and Charlton Athletic.

He said: “People need to look at the reality. Charlton, Norwich, Leeds, Leicester and Southampton have all been relegated in recent seasons with enormous attendances – if we’d had as many fans coming as Norwich did last season we’d probably get an extra £5million or £6m a season.”

So while the news of administration was somewhat expected the impact it may have – if not sorted soon - could be huge. The main danger surrounding the club at the minute is the potential deduction of 10 points which will send the cash-strapped club currently sitting just two points away from the plays offs to hanging scarcely above the relegation zone in 20th position.

Another threat is the possibility of losing players especially highly rated youngster Victor Moses who looks destined to leave. With a host of top English and foreign clubs queuing up to sign the England under-19 International, who picked up the December Championship player of the month award, it now seems that the teenager may be snatched from the grasp of Palace at a knock off price.

The club snubbed Manchester City’s £2million bid for Moses on Friday and having previously valued the player at £5million the Eagles could now find themselves being forced into significantly lowering his price tag. If former Palace midfielder Ben Watson was judged to be worth £2million by Wigan, a club reportedly interested in Moses, this time last year then the departure of the Nigerian born winger for less than £2million would be considered more as a crime than a eligible transfer.

One thing is for certain with whoever ends up with Moses, who signed his professional contract for Palace in 2008 after playing his way up through the youth academy, is that they are sure to have bagged themselves a great bargain that even David Dickinson would be proud of.

But Eagles’ fans needn’t despair too much as the 10 point deduction – although looking inevitable - is not completely confirmed after the club and the administrators have yet to fully inform the Football League.

The club was saved from administration back in 2000 by Simon Jordan but this time the Chairman and lifelong fan, who declared he wanted to sell the club in 2008, was unable to rescue the Selhurst Park outfit. Although earlier this year on January 4 he reportedly hauled the club from the brink of administration after securing a new agreement with London based firm Agilo who they owed £4.5million.

Jordan said: “It is not true that we are on the verge of administration. I am close to signing a new agreement with Agilo so we are not going into administration tomorrow (January 5)”.

But with the club set to go to court tomorrow (January 27) with a tax bill over £1.2million the signs looked ominous for Palace fans. And the news announced today saddened many and sent the message boards into overload with not just Palace fans contributing but football fans across the country offering their condolences.

Finishing on a positive note there is one fan, as I’m sure there are many more, in the form of holmesdale.net editor Gordon Law who took a positive approach to the news and announced a statement that many fans wil hope to turn out true.

He said: “You’re always going to have more chance of a buyer coming along and picking up the club for a knockdown price while it’s in administration than in normal circumstances where there are significant debts.

“In some ways it might be a good thing as the debts will be gone and we might get someone who will be able to take us forward. Precedent is a good thing and there are plenty of clubs who have come through this stronger.”