Spreading like Wildfire, losing Control

So Napoli ‘fans’ are banned from away trips until 2009/10 after they smashed up a train and assaulted Italian railroad staff en route to their first road game of the season at Roma.

While Italian police believe the violence is being orchestrated by Italy’s mafiosi, FIGC President Giancarlo Abete spoke of the need to "eradicate the groups of delinquents who are polluting the world of football."

I agree, starting with the cowardly Italian club chairmen who curry favor with referees before Serie A games (Calciopoli etc) and then let the ultràs, racist banners, weapons and all, into their stadia for free.

When the children are running the school, what does the FIGC expect if they run amok?

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What a dies irae Tuesday was for English soccer. The final day of the transfer window has never seen such fireworks, but has the whole building caught fire in the process?

Perhaps we should be cheering the fact Chel$ki have finally been outbid, but inflation is just what soccer does not need at a time of economic slowdown. The 72 pro clubs outside the Premier League are watching the ladder to the stars moving further out of sight, while Fabio Capello will be sighing that more young potential recruits are slipping down the pecking order.

Worst of all was that Robinho signed for Manchester City before he met the coach. Italy has seen megabucks directors go over others’ heads for longer than in England – think Silvio Berlusconi at Milan, but with Roman Abramovich’s capture of Andriy Shevchenko against Jose Mourinho’s wishes, things changed over here. Who is stopping these Arabs turning the club into a plaything stuffed with galacticos?

It’s not just City. On the same day as Robinho arrived, Kevin Keegan and Alan Curbishley signed off for the same reason: No say over transfers, their job title and their honor diminished as a result. Both are old school men used to the ‘manager’ being in charge.

KK was the megastar of English soccer in the late 1970s, an idol like no other before Beckham. But ‘Mighty Mouse’ as a coach is too emotional to last long anywhere. In taking every goal scored and conceded to heart, Keegan comes closer than almost any coach to the fans, but in doing so always fails to last the course. Sooner or later he takes one defeat too many home with him, and quits impetuously, his eyes full of tears. If not already gone from Newcastle, he will surely be out soon.

Yet it is sad to see him depart again, perhaps for good, from the game. And it is also sad that Curbishley, one of the last remaining English coaches at the top level and the epitome of a steady, mid-table pair of hands, has also called it a day in soccer’s new order.

English football continues to bite the hand that fed it, as it careers ever faster out of control.

If you needed any more proof from Tuesday's shenanigans, how about Man United flagrantly tapping up Dimitar Berbatov before handing Spurs $55m to keep quiet. The Premier League helpfully confirmed their champions had not broken any of their rules...as far as they were concerned....So that's OK, then.

-Sean O'Conor