What a revelation. A two-bit blog going on about how good a manager Jose Mourinho is. However, two points have been raised over the last 24 hours that I feel deserve attention. First, that to leave Inter would be a mistake, and two, that Real Madrid wouldn't like his style of play.
To the first point - Phil Minishull's latest blog claims Mourinho is leaving Inter prematurely. Why? The Italian league is rubbish - the teams who finished behind Inter include a Roma team who couldn't beat Fulham and a Milan side whose quickest midfielder is David Beckham. It's too easy. And any side who have enjoyed success recently have more often than not been found to be bribing referees. The fans may adore him, but that's because they know he's created the only genuinely good side from Italy in the last decade. Why limit yourself to walking Serie A each week; that's like Scorcese focusing solely on commercials. As much as I'd like to see that.
Second - the argument was made several times yesterday that Inter play dull football. Wrong.
Inter had barely 40% of possession last night, but still scored twice, had all of the meaningful chances and seemed to play totally within themselves. This season they have scored the most goals in the league and conceded the fewest. When they break, they do so in waves of five players and it looks like Barcelona. It isn't boring - it's effective. They won the treble.
Plus, what's boring about good defending? As the great (well) Julian Dicks once said, making a big tackle is just as thrilling as scoring a goal, a sentiment I totally subscribe to. In this light, Lucio and Samuel are Messi and Ronaldo. They would score 50 each a season.
If Mourinho does take over at Madrid - he will stop Ronaldo doing everything on his own, buy some giant centre-backs (sorry Pepe) and have Alonso slow the pace down in the big games, allowing the team to wear their opposition down. Will Madrid fans accept this? Well they scored 103 goals this season, finished with 96 points and won bugger all, so I don't see a choice.
The current Madrid manager Pellegrini has done a good job - apart from choking on the big occassion with a team of players who are supposed to get off on these games. Mourinho is hands down the best club manager in the world right now - and he wins for breakfast. And Barcelona hate him. If both Inter and Madrid can't see that he now belongs at the Bernabaeu, they clearly don't know as much about football as I do.
Sunday, 23 May 2010
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Gainfranco Zola: That's amoré
It has to be one of the most inevitable, yet brutal, sackings in Premiership history. West Ham have, quite possibly, discarded one of the finest young managers in the game today, but they would argue, in the cut-throat Premier League where we amassed our worst points total ever, he showed that he didn’t have the stomach for the fight. One undeniable fact, however, is that without Gianfranco Zola the Premiership is worse off.
Along with Dennis Bergkamp, it was Zola who brought the culture of foreign flair to the Premiership, upon signing for Chelsea in 1996. With more of a penchant for cheeky flicks, mazy runs and playing to the crowd than the Arsenal striker, Zola was almost instantly beloved by his own fans and those throughout the league, who began to demand their own clubs’ investment in overseas stars. I had the pleasure of watching him only once, in a pre-season friendly at Reading. I’d never seen anything like it. At the age of 12, here was a man barely my height, who could not be shrugged off the ball, always found a team-mate with his passes, made the ball vanish before re-appearing behind the centre-back, and enjoyed every second with an unforgettable smile.
He arrived at West Ham with barely any managerial experience to his name; an undeniable gamble. His squad had been chastised for failing to match expectations, while the board sold talent that the previous manager had wanted to keep hold of. For a club in crisis, this was an appointment few expected. Yet after one game against Newcastle, many were already changing their minds.
West Ham under Zola immediately had style; what the players lacked in quality they made up for in common sense – choosing the easy ball when under pressure, filling in when a team-mate stepped out of position, and always, always looking to go forward and create. Zola reacted to each and every goal by leaping into the air beaming; the crowd responded and roared for more, the players were infected by this enthusiasm and went for the jugular. More often than not they succeeded. Zola’s legacy of young British talent, the latest in a long line from our academy; Collison, Noble, Tomkins, Stanislas, will be a lasting tribute to his philosophy of letting the players simply play the game, enjoying themselves. Carlton Cole has become England’s fourth or fifth choice striker because the manager took the shackles off him, encouraged him to run at defenders, shoot on sight and showed him nothing but positivity and encouragement. Many Hammers fans will see this feat as nothing short of a miracle.
This season, the team started positively, convincingly dispatching Wolves. Defeats to Tottenham, Liverpool and Wigan happened despite universal agreement that we were the better side. Finding ourselves in the relegation zone, we ground out a win against Villa to highlight that we could mix style with substance. Where Zola’s achilles heel existed was in defense; the enforced sale of James Collins at the close of the transfer window left him with a six-month hole to fill, and he couldn’t quite do it. Sloppy goals conceded to Fulham, Sunderland and Hull cost us the points that would have lifted the club to mid-table. In the previous season, those teams would have been shut out.
Did Zola’s transfer activity help his cause? No. On one hand, he suffered hugely from the trail of inadequate, over-paid players brought in by the previous team; the board were now tightening their purse strings. But when money did become available, Savio Nsereko was not the way to spend £9 million of it. This one error, on a player recommended by Gianluca Nani, cost the manager much-needed funds last summer, when a centre-forward was badly needed. Second time around, he got it right, bringing in Alsessandro Diamanti who has proved one of the best foreign imports of the season. But more often that not, players did not hit the ground running as he would have liked.
The club’s takeover, as with any takeover, spelled doom for the manager unless he went on to take maximum points from the following 20 games. The team he had were already at sixes and sevens, suffering after reams of negative press following the bust-up with Millwall fans, and struggling to focus on the fact that their league position belied a style of football that took points from both Arsenal and Chelsea in previous months.
Our run-in was easy and the team should have walked to safety, but now the frighteners were on. Murmurings in the press questioned Zola’s competence. The players, who had been convinced they could do anything, paid this speculation too much attention. Zola’s spell over them had been broken, helped in no part by the new owners declaring that every single one of them bar Scott Parker were up for sale.
Still, when it really mattered, Zola delivered. Wins over Birmingham, Sunderland and Wigan were all alike in one way – both fans and players poured their relief and joy onto the manager’s head. Images of players running, pointing towards the dug-out followed by a team embrace with the coach, revealed that Zola’s influence remained as strong as it had in his brilliant first season, they just needed everybody else to realise it.
Our survival was ultimately comfortable, but by now it was clear that two East-End heavies were not going to get on with their bouncy Sardinian colleague. To his infinite credit, Zola never walked away from the job, choosing to wait for the chop to be delivered. His last two months in the job were the unhappiest of his career in football, yet he kept smiling through it all, kept translating his enthusiasm and joy for the game into his players, who will now need a serious motivator to rediscover the form they have shown over the last two years.
As he leaves the club, Zola’s integrity and talent is up there with the game’s top managers, and the future holds endless success. One can only hope that some of his fairy dust has been rubbed off in his time at Upton Park. We will be all the better for it.
Along with Dennis Bergkamp, it was Zola who brought the culture of foreign flair to the Premiership, upon signing for Chelsea in 1996. With more of a penchant for cheeky flicks, mazy runs and playing to the crowd than the Arsenal striker, Zola was almost instantly beloved by his own fans and those throughout the league, who began to demand their own clubs’ investment in overseas stars. I had the pleasure of watching him only once, in a pre-season friendly at Reading. I’d never seen anything like it. At the age of 12, here was a man barely my height, who could not be shrugged off the ball, always found a team-mate with his passes, made the ball vanish before re-appearing behind the centre-back, and enjoyed every second with an unforgettable smile.
He arrived at West Ham with barely any managerial experience to his name; an undeniable gamble. His squad had been chastised for failing to match expectations, while the board sold talent that the previous manager had wanted to keep hold of. For a club in crisis, this was an appointment few expected. Yet after one game against Newcastle, many were already changing their minds.
West Ham under Zola immediately had style; what the players lacked in quality they made up for in common sense – choosing the easy ball when under pressure, filling in when a team-mate stepped out of position, and always, always looking to go forward and create. Zola reacted to each and every goal by leaping into the air beaming; the crowd responded and roared for more, the players were infected by this enthusiasm and went for the jugular. More often than not they succeeded. Zola’s legacy of young British talent, the latest in a long line from our academy; Collison, Noble, Tomkins, Stanislas, will be a lasting tribute to his philosophy of letting the players simply play the game, enjoying themselves. Carlton Cole has become England’s fourth or fifth choice striker because the manager took the shackles off him, encouraged him to run at defenders, shoot on sight and showed him nothing but positivity and encouragement. Many Hammers fans will see this feat as nothing short of a miracle.
This season, the team started positively, convincingly dispatching Wolves. Defeats to Tottenham, Liverpool and Wigan happened despite universal agreement that we were the better side. Finding ourselves in the relegation zone, we ground out a win against Villa to highlight that we could mix style with substance. Where Zola’s achilles heel existed was in defense; the enforced sale of James Collins at the close of the transfer window left him with a six-month hole to fill, and he couldn’t quite do it. Sloppy goals conceded to Fulham, Sunderland and Hull cost us the points that would have lifted the club to mid-table. In the previous season, those teams would have been shut out.
Did Zola’s transfer activity help his cause? No. On one hand, he suffered hugely from the trail of inadequate, over-paid players brought in by the previous team; the board were now tightening their purse strings. But when money did become available, Savio Nsereko was not the way to spend £9 million of it. This one error, on a player recommended by Gianluca Nani, cost the manager much-needed funds last summer, when a centre-forward was badly needed. Second time around, he got it right, bringing in Alsessandro Diamanti who has proved one of the best foreign imports of the season. But more often that not, players did not hit the ground running as he would have liked.
The club’s takeover, as with any takeover, spelled doom for the manager unless he went on to take maximum points from the following 20 games. The team he had were already at sixes and sevens, suffering after reams of negative press following the bust-up with Millwall fans, and struggling to focus on the fact that their league position belied a style of football that took points from both Arsenal and Chelsea in previous months.
Our run-in was easy and the team should have walked to safety, but now the frighteners were on. Murmurings in the press questioned Zola’s competence. The players, who had been convinced they could do anything, paid this speculation too much attention. Zola’s spell over them had been broken, helped in no part by the new owners declaring that every single one of them bar Scott Parker were up for sale.
Still, when it really mattered, Zola delivered. Wins over Birmingham, Sunderland and Wigan were all alike in one way – both fans and players poured their relief and joy onto the manager’s head. Images of players running, pointing towards the dug-out followed by a team embrace with the coach, revealed that Zola’s influence remained as strong as it had in his brilliant first season, they just needed everybody else to realise it.
Our survival was ultimately comfortable, but by now it was clear that two East-End heavies were not going to get on with their bouncy Sardinian colleague. To his infinite credit, Zola never walked away from the job, choosing to wait for the chop to be delivered. His last two months in the job were the unhappiest of his career in football, yet he kept smiling through it all, kept translating his enthusiasm and joy for the game into his players, who will now need a serious motivator to rediscover the form they have shown over the last two years.
As he leaves the club, Zola’s integrity and talent is up there with the game’s top managers, and the future holds endless success. One can only hope that some of his fairy dust has been rubbed off in his time at Upton Park. We will be all the better for it.
Monday, 10 May 2010
England's final 30
If it fell to me to pick tomorrow's 30 man squad, god help us all. Nevertheless, I'd have a bash and go with the following:
Goalkeepers: (3) Green, James, Hart
The only three keepers in England who are actually any good, and even then the number 1 shirt should be given to the one who stuffs up the least in the friendlies.
Yeah but no: Paul Robinson, Scott Carson, Chris Kirkland
Defenders: (10) Terry, A.Cole, Ferdinand, G. Johnson, King, Upson, Jagielka, Baines, Richards, Dawson
The position of second centre-back alongside Terry is, in my opinion, open to all who fancy trying. Captain or no, Ferdinand has not shown himself to be fit enough to play more than a game a fortnight. If that stays the same, he won't get picked. Of my selections, Upson has played the most often for England, despite looking increasingly slow, indecisive and heavy, while King is in the best form despite his kneecaps being in constant risk of exploding. In which case, it may be time for Jagielka or Dawson to step up to the terrifying task of making international debuts in front of a gazillion people. They'd be fine, obviously.
Yeah but no: Gary Neville, Wes Brown, Jamie Carragher, Joleon Lescott, Sol Campbell
Midfielders: (11) Lampard, Gerrard, Lennon, Barry, Milner, J.Cole, Carrick, Walcott, Parker, A.Johnson, Huddlestone
If we get this right, it could turn us into genuine contenders. But a few things need to happen; Barry has to get himself fit otherwise we rely on an un-tested Scott Parker, Gerrard has to remember who he is and play like it, and we have to pick a genuine left-winger like Adam Johnson for when shape is essential.
Yeah but no: Shaun Wright-Phillips, Owen Hargreaves, Ashley Young, Stewart Downing
Forwards: (6) Rooney, Crouch, Defoe, Bent, Zamora, Heskey
Second biggest problem area. The jury's still out on whether Alex Ferguson should be crucified for bringing Wayne Rooney back two weeks early for the Bayern game. He isn't right yet, and without him we cease to be special. Two players who definitely deserve a chance, if not a final place, are Bent and Zamora. Pair them up against Mexico, and see what happens.
Yeah but no: Gabriel Agbonlahor, Carlton Cole, we have no other English strikers, umm..... Kevin Davies?
Whittling this down to 23 then becomes a daunting task, although I suppose this is a good problem to have. Two forwards, two defenders and three midfielders seems the best chop to make, and if Barry and King prove to be as crocked as I suspect, two of these changes make themselves.
It's not a frightening list of names, but it's all things and England side should be: solid, committed utterly unpredictable.
Goalkeepers: (3) Green, James, Hart
The only three keepers in England who are actually any good, and even then the number 1 shirt should be given to the one who stuffs up the least in the friendlies.
Yeah but no: Paul Robinson, Scott Carson, Chris Kirkland
Defenders: (10) Terry, A.Cole, Ferdinand, G. Johnson, King, Upson, Jagielka, Baines, Richards, Dawson
The position of second centre-back alongside Terry is, in my opinion, open to all who fancy trying. Captain or no, Ferdinand has not shown himself to be fit enough to play more than a game a fortnight. If that stays the same, he won't get picked. Of my selections, Upson has played the most often for England, despite looking increasingly slow, indecisive and heavy, while King is in the best form despite his kneecaps being in constant risk of exploding. In which case, it may be time for Jagielka or Dawson to step up to the terrifying task of making international debuts in front of a gazillion people. They'd be fine, obviously.
Yeah but no: Gary Neville, Wes Brown, Jamie Carragher, Joleon Lescott, Sol Campbell
Midfielders: (11) Lampard, Gerrard, Lennon, Barry, Milner, J.Cole, Carrick, Walcott, Parker, A.Johnson, Huddlestone
If we get this right, it could turn us into genuine contenders. But a few things need to happen; Barry has to get himself fit otherwise we rely on an un-tested Scott Parker, Gerrard has to remember who he is and play like it, and we have to pick a genuine left-winger like Adam Johnson for when shape is essential.
Yeah but no: Shaun Wright-Phillips, Owen Hargreaves, Ashley Young, Stewart Downing
Forwards: (6) Rooney, Crouch, Defoe, Bent, Zamora, Heskey
Second biggest problem area. The jury's still out on whether Alex Ferguson should be crucified for bringing Wayne Rooney back two weeks early for the Bayern game. He isn't right yet, and without him we cease to be special. Two players who definitely deserve a chance, if not a final place, are Bent and Zamora. Pair them up against Mexico, and see what happens.
Yeah but no: Gabriel Agbonlahor, Carlton Cole, we have no other English strikers, umm..... Kevin Davies?
Whittling this down to 23 then becomes a daunting task, although I suppose this is a good problem to have. Two forwards, two defenders and three midfielders seems the best chop to make, and if Barry and King prove to be as crocked as I suspect, two of these changes make themselves.
It's not a frightening list of names, but it's all things and England side should be: solid, committed utterly unpredictable.
Sunday, 9 May 2010
Ten foreigners the Premiership could do without
At the end of another season, and with quotas for home-grown players on the horizon, here's ten players Premiership teams would most definitely not miss from their lineup, and their wage bill:
1. Mido
Inexplicably brought back from footballing purgatory (otherwise known as Zamalek) by West Ham, and has managed to contribute even less than his £1,000 a week deserves. Missed a penalty, fluffed a number of golden chances, then got injured. Has been on Middlesbrough's books since 2007 but has been loaned out to three clubs since. He must be sodding hard to shift.
2. Mustapha Riga
The most anonymous number 10 to be playing in the Premiership. Two league starts in two seasons, no goals. Meant to be an attacking winger and scored 1 in 4 for Levante. Now kept out of the team by the likes of Joey O'Brien.
3. Salif Diao
Why? Played for four top flight teams, including Liverpool, and all he seems to do is get booked. Signed on the back of Senegal's amazing 2002 World Cup, and expected to take the league by storm. But as with the rest of his countrymen (I'm looking at you Diop, Diouf) managed to prove everybody very wrong.
4. Johann Elmander
Eight million pounds. Eight goals. In two seasons. Has been on two separate goal droughts of 9 months and 11 months respectively. Absolute waste of time and effort.
5. John Utaka
Not technically a Premiership player any more, but it has to be noted that he earned a reported £80,000 per week. Which is more than Portsmouth probably earn a month. For that, you absolutely have to give more than the occasional burst down the wing. Newly-promoted sides, sign him at your peril.
6. Mikael Silvestre
Described as a 'geriatric' to Arsene Wenger who reacted angrily. Which is bizarre, as Wenger probably has a vastly superior reaction time, at the age of 60. Arsenal are meant to have a policy of cutting players when they get past 30. Come on Arsene, Alex Ferguson wouldn't have sold him to you unless he was going to have a bloody good laugh about it.
7. Michael Ballack
What's going on? Never mind the Premier League, he's the seventh highest earning player in the world. I read a comment that he has one good game in five. Since when did this country start being kind to German footballers? He makes one good pass in five games. Abysmal.
8. Luis Boa Morte
Reportedly earns more than the West Ham manager. Who despite being confined to the technical area, has managed to cover more ground than him. Part of the worst spending spree in the club's history, and I'm including the summer of Paolo Futre and Florin Radicioiu. If he isn't making his last Hammers appearance this afternoon I'm.... oh my god he just scored.
9. Emiliano Insua
One of the focal points for Liverpool fans' frustration this season. It was a toss up between him and Ryan Babel, but I feel the latter could be infinitely more effective if he was played consistently and in the right position. Insua is supposed to be a left-back; at least that's what he says.
10. Moustapha Salifou
Villa's Togolese midfielder has made no appearances this season. In one of the smallest squads in the league, how the hell do you not get picked for even one game. His sole contribution to the Premiership has been a rather good chant, Villa fans chant his name to the tune of Daddy Cool by Boney M. Athough they haven't even been able to do that for 18 months.
1. Mido
Inexplicably brought back from footballing purgatory (otherwise known as Zamalek) by West Ham, and has managed to contribute even less than his £1,000 a week deserves. Missed a penalty, fluffed a number of golden chances, then got injured. Has been on Middlesbrough's books since 2007 but has been loaned out to three clubs since. He must be sodding hard to shift.
2. Mustapha Riga
The most anonymous number 10 to be playing in the Premiership. Two league starts in two seasons, no goals. Meant to be an attacking winger and scored 1 in 4 for Levante. Now kept out of the team by the likes of Joey O'Brien.
3. Salif Diao
Why? Played for four top flight teams, including Liverpool, and all he seems to do is get booked. Signed on the back of Senegal's amazing 2002 World Cup, and expected to take the league by storm. But as with the rest of his countrymen (I'm looking at you Diop, Diouf) managed to prove everybody very wrong.
4. Johann Elmander
Eight million pounds. Eight goals. In two seasons. Has been on two separate goal droughts of 9 months and 11 months respectively. Absolute waste of time and effort.
5. John Utaka
Not technically a Premiership player any more, but it has to be noted that he earned a reported £80,000 per week. Which is more than Portsmouth probably earn a month. For that, you absolutely have to give more than the occasional burst down the wing. Newly-promoted sides, sign him at your peril.
6. Mikael Silvestre
Described as a 'geriatric' to Arsene Wenger who reacted angrily. Which is bizarre, as Wenger probably has a vastly superior reaction time, at the age of 60. Arsenal are meant to have a policy of cutting players when they get past 30. Come on Arsene, Alex Ferguson wouldn't have sold him to you unless he was going to have a bloody good laugh about it.
7. Michael Ballack
What's going on? Never mind the Premier League, he's the seventh highest earning player in the world. I read a comment that he has one good game in five. Since when did this country start being kind to German footballers? He makes one good pass in five games. Abysmal.
8. Luis Boa Morte
Reportedly earns more than the West Ham manager. Who despite being confined to the technical area, has managed to cover more ground than him. Part of the worst spending spree in the club's history, and I'm including the summer of Paolo Futre and Florin Radicioiu. If he isn't making his last Hammers appearance this afternoon I'm.... oh my god he just scored.
9. Emiliano Insua
One of the focal points for Liverpool fans' frustration this season. It was a toss up between him and Ryan Babel, but I feel the latter could be infinitely more effective if he was played consistently and in the right position. Insua is supposed to be a left-back; at least that's what he says.
10. Moustapha Salifou
Villa's Togolese midfielder has made no appearances this season. In one of the smallest squads in the league, how the hell do you not get picked for even one game. His sole contribution to the Premiership has been a rather good chant, Villa fans chant his name to the tune of Daddy Cool by Boney M. Athough they haven't even been able to do that for 18 months.
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Keeping the Tories out (if you so wish)
Tomorrow concludes one of the tightest election races in history, and following a combination of media campaigning, ill-advised racial profiling of Northern pensioners and some quite convincing, if at times evasive, speaking in the TV debates, tomorrow seems likely to herald the beginning of another Conservative government. Unless.
The Tories are, rightly or wrongly, associated inextricably with profiteering; a government who will incentivise the rich to help reform the economy, while leaving the poor to fight over the scraps. Privatising, anti-European, upper-middle class; these are all words many can never shake off when thinking of the Conservatives. I know I can't.
With ballot boxes opening tomorrow, many who were brought up in Labour or Liberal households, where the ghost of Thatcher still looms large, are asking the same question: how can I stop the Tories getting in? The answer is simple; not many people like to adopt it but when even your local MPs are advocating it, you have to give it credence.
The vast majority of seats in the UK are contested between two parties; from these you will see posters, banners, leaflets and the like. If, like me, you live in an area of immense wealth; lots of private schools, weeping willow trees and nannies taking the kids out on their scooters, chances are one of the candidates will be Tory. And the other won't be Labour. In which case, you vote for the other guy.
In conversations building up to the election, I have been amazed by the amount of people who 1) don't know how the elctoral system works and 2) don't know how popular their preferred party is in their own constituency. So for their benefit:
1) You can only vote for your local MP, not the Prime Minister. Whoever wins your local seat adds one seat to their party's total.
2) Whose face is on the majority of the posters? Talk to your MP or your party of choice, are they actively contesting your area?
In my case, the neighbourhood has been dubbed 'Jeremy land', due to the huge following enjoyed by Jeremy Hunt, the man who made the monumental expenses claim of one pence last year. The Lib Dems, however, have enjoyed a surge in popularity over the last month, after the stright-talking Nick Clegg switched on a huge number of previously apathetic voters, people who aren't really into politics but like the idea of an extra 700 quid and seeing someone new have a go. The Lib Dems will run the Tories closest here. My hand is therefore forced.
Tactical voting is not an ideal, but in this case, where many would rather any type of government than a Tory one, it has to be adopted. It could be the key for Labour. Generally speaking, sympathies are stronger between Labour and the Lib Dems, meaning that a red voter ticking yellow or vice versa will not cause too many sleepless nights.
Here, in the depths of pleasantville, even this option is probably futile. A key marginal this certainly isn't. But in many other areas of the country, the opportunity remains for a generation who look past the spin, the headlines and the polls, and believe fundamentally in the values of tolerance, equal opportunity and fairness, to lay their vote on the line and opt against a government they were brought up to fear. It may sting a little, but dammit, it will make our parents proud.
The Tories are, rightly or wrongly, associated inextricably with profiteering; a government who will incentivise the rich to help reform the economy, while leaving the poor to fight over the scraps. Privatising, anti-European, upper-middle class; these are all words many can never shake off when thinking of the Conservatives. I know I can't.
With ballot boxes opening tomorrow, many who were brought up in Labour or Liberal households, where the ghost of Thatcher still looms large, are asking the same question: how can I stop the Tories getting in? The answer is simple; not many people like to adopt it but when even your local MPs are advocating it, you have to give it credence.
The vast majority of seats in the UK are contested between two parties; from these you will see posters, banners, leaflets and the like. If, like me, you live in an area of immense wealth; lots of private schools, weeping willow trees and nannies taking the kids out on their scooters, chances are one of the candidates will be Tory. And the other won't be Labour. In which case, you vote for the other guy.
In conversations building up to the election, I have been amazed by the amount of people who 1) don't know how the elctoral system works and 2) don't know how popular their preferred party is in their own constituency. So for their benefit:
1) You can only vote for your local MP, not the Prime Minister. Whoever wins your local seat adds one seat to their party's total.
2) Whose face is on the majority of the posters? Talk to your MP or your party of choice, are they actively contesting your area?
In my case, the neighbourhood has been dubbed 'Jeremy land', due to the huge following enjoyed by Jeremy Hunt, the man who made the monumental expenses claim of one pence last year. The Lib Dems, however, have enjoyed a surge in popularity over the last month, after the stright-talking Nick Clegg switched on a huge number of previously apathetic voters, people who aren't really into politics but like the idea of an extra 700 quid and seeing someone new have a go. The Lib Dems will run the Tories closest here. My hand is therefore forced.
Tactical voting is not an ideal, but in this case, where many would rather any type of government than a Tory one, it has to be adopted. It could be the key for Labour. Generally speaking, sympathies are stronger between Labour and the Lib Dems, meaning that a red voter ticking yellow or vice versa will not cause too many sleepless nights.
Here, in the depths of pleasantville, even this option is probably futile. A key marginal this certainly isn't. But in many other areas of the country, the opportunity remains for a generation who look past the spin, the headlines and the polls, and believe fundamentally in the values of tolerance, equal opportunity and fairness, to lay their vote on the line and opt against a government they were brought up to fear. It may sting a little, but dammit, it will make our parents proud.
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