Beyond The Pitch

Anto and Nico with a quick crystal ball episode on the MLS Playoffs filled with risky picks and surprises including our favorites and what went into these decisions, which will seem like longshots if you consult the perceived favorites after the wild card matches. We take one detour and that is the recent comments by Landon Donovan during the Los Angeles-Vancouver telecast where he doubled down on an ESPN article speculating about his future in the game and with the US National Team. We breakdown the Jurgen Klinsmann response and call into question what the real motivations might be behind the talking points being force fed at the moment. We also examine each of the Conference semi-final match ups, what we think might happen and where the key factors all reside. Are the Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake the two teams that nobody wants to face, and why these two squads have all the major intangibles on their side. We discuss the impact of the Supporters Shield, why this has to be seen as the dream scenario for Major League Soccer and why the Dominic Kinnear holds the cards after taking out Chicago Fire with a performance that accounted for all the best elements of this team. We also take a look at a DC United match up missing Dwayne De Rosario that is offset by the Rafa Marquez madness and always, but always, expect the unexpected. We also look at Real Salt Lake and its biggest X Factor in Nick Rimando and a team that could be playing its last playoffs in its current form, why the San Jose Earthquakes should be feared on any return leg minus the away goal rule and whether the Houston-Kansas City series could spell longer term trouble for Kansas City if they do not solve the Dynamo early on the first leg. Loads of bold predictions here, we pull no punches and just let it roll on a playoff season that could be quite like no other.

Phil and Anto are joined by Brazil and Al-Ahli (UAE) striker Grafite for an exclusive on what may await him next season as rumors of a potential move to Major League Soccer and a return to his country are being hotly circulated at the moment. This is a massive episode with a striker who has performed on some of the biggest stages around the world, a winner of Campeonato Paulista, Copa Libertadores and FIFA Club World Cup in 2005, Footballer of the Year in Germany, Bundesliga Top Scorer and Bundesliga champion in 2009 with VfL Wolfsburg who became UEFA Champions League eligible with its first league title in club history. In his first ever Champions League match against CSKA Moscow, Grafite scored a hat-trick at the Volkswagen Arena in Wolfsburg, making him only the sixth player to score a hat-trick on his Champions League debut. Along with Edin Dzeko, who scored 26 goals, Grafite was half of what would become the most prolific strike partnership in Bundesliga history totaling 54 goals, which surpassed the achievements of Gerd Müller and Uli Hoeness, who scored 53 goals in the 1971–72 season. We examine not only his career, but the important choices behind each one and take a look at the important destinations where Grafite has played his football. He had very candid opinions on Dunga as the manager for South Africa 2010, the comparisons between the Champions League and Copa Libertadores, his affection for his former clubs including why he had to leave in each instance due to either overseas challenges or important family decisions. There is a lot of speculation surrounding Grafite at the moment, but in this interview he gives his clearest indication as to what may await him next in his career. It is very clear that this is a player who makes serious football decisions for his family and is seeking a new challenge once his contract is up at Al-Ahli in Dubai. Another must listen episode with a player with serious hardware and awards including a finalist for the FIFA Puskas Award, awarded to the player who has scored the most beautiful goal over the past year.

Phil and Anto are joined by Manchester City and emerging England international midfielder and defender Jack Rodwell to talk a bit about his summer move from Everton Football Club and how this transition has gone after his big move with that new five year contract. Jack became a first team squad regular under David Moyes as a teenager and has been long seen as a serious future prospect for England who was only 14 years old as he made his U18 debut and made the step up to the reserve level just a year later. Jack also came on as substitute against AZ Alkmaar at the age of just 16 years to become the youngest ever Toffees player to play in Europe at the time, so that provides clear evidence as to his full potential now that he has also made his first England senior team appearances as well. We discuss the big challenges, the larger expectations now in Manchester under Roberto Mancini and how Jack looks at his career moving forward, which appears to see him as a centerback as he finds more regular first team action with time. We also look at the managers who have shaped his career thus far, his thoughts on this next generation of England talent coming through under Roy Hodgson and we even get in a listener question on one of his most famous teammates, Mario Balotelli. In part two we examine the move for Jack from Everton to Manchester City, the challenges for all young players today in the Premier League and why the move to centerback is often delayed for younger players given the mentality and confidence that defenders must have before assuming that duty. Jack was also part of the England U21 Championship second place team in 2009 with England and promises to be one to keep an eye on in the future given his combination of size, skill and professionalism.

Phil and Anto are back with another important episode of Prime Time Football with PFA Chairman Clarke Carlisle who helps us examine many of the recent events in football including the fallout from the John Terry case, the England U21 match in Serbia and how recent protests involving the KickItOut campaign are all signals that people are no longer asking for answers, but demanding action. At the center of this discussion, whether its for club or country, we have clearly reached a seminal moment in how football deals with matters of racism and discrimination and how the wide cross-section of the public has moved way beyond our institutions and how the calls for change have been mistakenly misreported or misunderstood as each hideous or horrible scene in the game adds more to the sense of outrage amongst players and supporters. We examine the situation in Serbia and what it tells us about UEFA and the priorities of administrators and how we continue to ignore the real human cost of not being vigilant in our steps to curb this behavior all across the sport. We also discuss the PFA six point plan that has been at forefront of the news cycle and how even this has been miscalculated given that this same plan has been proposed for close to two years now with all the key stake holders in England, which further illustrates how efforts to promote anti-racism and anti-discrimination causes such as KickItOut are more subject to under-funding and have been largely minimized beyond speeches, photo opportunities and symbols. These organizations need real resources and tougher sanctions at their disposal if we are to see any movement in how incidents of racial abuse are handled in the future. Clarke also responds to some of the reporting in England that has been more sensationalized of late and establishes the objectives of his role with the PFA and how some of the language out there in the reporting also indicates how segments of the organized press largely missed the temperature of the objections amongst the players and a large majority of football fans. Clarke Carlisle is an ambassador for the Kick It Out program, which campaigns for inclusion and equality in football and also currently serves on the Management Committee of the Professional Footballers Association, which seeks to improve and protect the rights and status of professional football players. He is always extremely candid and insightful in his responses and this episode fully reflects the fight he has taken on in the matter of equality in sport.

Phil and Anto are back with another episode of Prime Time Football and are joined by England football journalist Oliver Kay of The Times to breakdown much of the explosive and controversial decisions that happened over the weekend including the Merseyside Derby, Chelsea-Manchester United and the allegations swarming above the head of Mark Clattenburg. We start with the high octane match up at The Bridge where the diving incidents, red cards and an offside goal were thrust into the spotlight, but were overshadowed immediately by rumours and then speculation about whether the match official had indeed used a racial slur toward John Obi Mikel and potentially more discriminatory comments directed at Juan Mata. We not only look deeper into the tactics and things we learned about strengths and weaknesses on the pitch, but also examine the damage that could await the allegations and certain investigation that is now to follow. Without a doubt allegations against a match official of this nature are perhaps the worst thing imaginable for the Premier League on the heels of two other high profile cases and could rock the balance of the season should these allegations bear to be true. We also examine the fallout from the Merseyside Derby, another match with a controversial moment at the end of the match when a Luis Suarez goal was disallowed, but even more importantly we examine the man under the spotlight, Brendan Rodgers, to gauge whether Liverpool might have turned an important corner at Goodison Park on the day for a team seen as struggling to find big results on the largest stages. We also look at the crisis at Queens Park Rangers to determine if a meltdown is now at hand for Mark Hughes given the substantial and misdirected transfer budget that has been extinguished and if Hughes could be on his way out with Harry Redknapp lurking about. We close on the matter of Tottenham Hotspur and Andre Villas-Boas who continue to rise and show great early form on their first season with AVB and examine whether the questions about the former Chelsea manager are already being settled after the departure of a largely popular Harry Redknapp and if success was always in the cards. We also give particular attention to the star crossed reign of Roberto Mancini at Manchester City who continue to play unbeaten football in the Premier League but have yet to make that next giant leap in the Champions League and begin to consider if front office changes will have an effect on the Italian manager himself. Loads in this episode, a real supershow after a massive and explosive weekend in the Premier League.

Phil and Anto are joined by Everton Football Club legend Graeme Sharp to take a look back at the 219th Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park right after the match, a contest that was filled with loads of end to end action, physical play at times and loads of interesting talking points including some issues with match officials during the match. We breakdown many of the key talking points including the tactical changes, the key players beyond the recognized figures and which of the managers will feel more satisfied given the result without the controversy at the end. We also explore the issues going forward for this Everton team, including the issues of depth, the speculation surrounding Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini who is a rare type of footballer given his combination of physicality and finesse and how the Steven Pienaar absence might be symbolic to what could derail the club in its bid for top four football in the Premier League. We also look at the impact today from Leighton Baines and how the Kevin Mirallas injury at half time was the turning point for the match. Graeme Sharp is nothing short of a class act and always is candid in his assessment of Everton Football Club and is a joy with whom to speak. In a career that included more than 400 appearances for Everton, Graeme formed successful scoring partnerships with Andy Gray, Adrian Heath and Gary Lineker. In the 1984–85 season Sharp scored 30 goals in 54 matches, all of these feats making him a legend amongst footballers and club supporters alike. Can Everton make that challenge for Top Four and what should we make of all the Marouane Fellaini talk and speculation - Graeme gives us his take including his thoughts on Leighton Baines who might just be the best England fullback in the league today.

Phil and Anto are joined by Liverpool winger Stewart Downing to take a look at a big night for him against Anzhi Makhachkala in the Europa League midweek ahead of a massive Merseyside Derby on Sunday at Goodison Park. We discuss the impact of that goal on his confidence going forward in the season, his ongoing versatility for Brendan Rodgers given the situation with the forward line and how the club seems to have turned a corner since a very difficult start to the season, which was clearly amplified by the level of the opponents and a bit of misfortune when the effort was clearly there. We also explore the emergence of two young players in Raheem Sterling and Suso and how the manager continues to manage their impact on the squad as well as the expectations overall at the football club given some key missing pieces are there in the forward line due to injury at this time. Surely the signs are there that the team has tightened it up at the back on the heels of three clean sheets while answering the call to a restart to the season from Brendan Rodgers himself. We also discuss the issue of versatility for footballers and whether this should be considered a strength in players or whether being settled in a specific position is more desired given the number of systems players are now required to consider. In part two, we discuss the importance of the Anzhi win and taking control of Europa League Group A, whether Liverpool now has enough to start to build upon and whether the major concern at the moment is to find more goals outside of the talented Luis Suarez until the season reaches the winter transfer window where front line resources can be required for the stretch run after winter. We also discuss the impact of playing for big clubs like Liverpool and how the expectations get shaped differently and how the actions of his manager after his goal might just be the recipe for a player in Stewart Downing who can seriously help this team in the weeks and months ahead. This could happen at no better time for Liverpool as the team heads into a very important Merseyside Derby with timeless rivals Everton FC.

Phil and Anto are joined by Swansea City and Wales international defender Ashley Williams now that he has signed a new contract with Swans during the week leading into a very important match at Manchester City on the weekend. Ashley is the captain for both his club and his country and has become a vital piece of a highly entertaining Swansea side now in its second season with Danish legend Michael Laudrup leading the side into its most challenging period yet with big clubs and its former manager Brendan Rodgers coming into view, now with Liverpool FC. We discuss the impact that Laudrup has had on the club, and what Michu has already done for Swans in his first year in the Premier League and a number of other key points that have emerged of late at the football club. We also discuss Wales in its 2014 World Cup Qualification campaign in a very difficult Group A with two serious contenders in Croatia and Belgium in Group A, the impact of losing Gary Speed to a terrible tragedy and rebuilding the team with Chris Coleman on the heels of his first victory over Scotland 2-1 on 12th October and why the Belgium match holds such significance. We also examine the importance of Swansea City on Wales football, in general, and why its impact on the national team has already had great effect on young players and supporters and what this influence really means for the future. In part two, we examine the Neil Taylor injury, why Swansea should continue to find safety in the Premier League and we also revisit the Michael Laudrup interview done during the summer when the Swans were Stateside to play Colorado Rapids and San Jose Earthquakes during their preseason tour and gauge whether this difficult stretch of games could be a timely opportunity for a club which plays highly attractive football and is a great credit to the league as the sole entry from Wales. Ashley has some interesting takes on how the style has begun to evolve and his thoughts on Major League Soccer are very interesting.

Anto and Nico are joined by US Soccer defender legend Jeff Agoos about his task and role within Major League Soccer as its Technical Director of Competition after what can best be described as a very successful season both in terms of its growth, competition and entertainment level. We explore this role, what it entails and many of the questions involve the emergence of the league itself, but also ventures into areas such as youth development, the economic realities against a global context and finding new success at a federation level in CONCACAF Champions League. We look over the chronology of MLS itself to determine how far this league has come, what it continues to do well in terms of reacting to competitive challenges and benchmarking data and information to get a more accurate understanding about how quality standards will now evolve both philosophically and empirically as the sport gains even more traction in the United States and Canada. We discuss the youth development path for the league and what some of the alternatives could be as the Academy and Reserve systems begin to take hold in North America and if the league is shredding a past impression of being an overly physical standard when comparing it against other leagues around the world. Part of the growth of Major League Soccer can be gauged in how youth development has become an emotional button for a segment of the fanbase and how expectations in CONCACAF now go along with roster allocations and why club international play is becoming more and more of the fabric. We look at lower divisions and college soccer as evolving pieces to the puzzle for North American soccer for young players and if clubs in the league can now become more integral parts of the player development system, duplicating a more traditional model found around the world now that logistics have been largely addressed throughout the league. In part two we discuss the progression from the original days of the NASL, take on the stereotypes about soccer in North America and look ahead to the playoffs and why they make so much sense in the US and Canadian marketplace past what the purists may think about the sport. We also evaluate how the pressure to win now for managers worldwide continues to stunt the growth of youth players and how economics worldwide are beginning to shift expectations for clubs who traditionally worked with the advantages of extreme resources. Jeff Agoos is the owner of five MLS Cups with San Jose Earthquakes and DC United, 134 appearances with the US National Team with whom he won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2002. With DC United he also won the CONCACAF Champions Cup and The InterAmerican Cup in 1998, which marks the furthest any US-based club team has reached on the international level. Jeff Agoos was elected for induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2009 and was named to the MLS All-Time Best XI, before retiring from the game.

Anto is joined by ChangeFIFA Co-Director and General Counsel David Larkin to take a look at the biggest issues of the day involving world football and it begins nowhere more important than the continued failures of administrators and organizations in their handling of racism at every juncture of the game itself. As much an indictment on self-interest as it is seriously placed ignorance, we explore how racism has become yet another key political wedge issue that can be used as currency in the battle for control and commerce rather than a real instrument for change. The recent events all across football, including the outrageous incident in Serbia for the England U21 team is just one more example of how federations and their administrators keep players at arms length, choosing yet again self-interest over the public welfare of fans and players alike, and why now the player associations and player unions will now have to take on this issue because governance has failed even its own members. Recorded before the protests in England over the weekend and the wearing of anti-racism shirts, what is becoming very clear is that people of color and the supporters of anti-racism and anti-discrimination causes are no longer asking for change - they are demanding action from their FAs and governing bodies, and we may have finally hit the important tipping point in this regard. Players and fans appear ready to take action themselves. We also examine how even FIFA and UEFA continue to fail the anti-racim and anti-discrimination efforts worldwide, essentially undermining the process for change because the monopoly of administrators in the game show little to no regard for people of color, minorities or even the cause for women, working on a perverse calculus where even the press is used as tool for collecting cheap political points. In part two we begin to examine Michel Platini who is positioning himself and UEFA for his bid for the FIFA Presidency and we look at his record since 2007 on a macro level to consider whether he should be considered a viable candidacy based on his record as UEFA president, associations with QSI and if he has adopted a Financial Fair Play that seems barely enforceable given the behavior of several clubs already. Also discussed here is the ongoing case of Mohammed Bin Hammam with the AFC in crosshairs, how this case could be a flashpoint that can be exploited by both Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini given their political connections and motivations as 2015 comes into view. We explore why Mohammed Bin Hammam is such an important figure, what his case tells us about sports governance and sporting justice inside football and how journalists such as James Dorsey are becoming shocking casualties throughout this process as football continues to subvert the concept of transparency by controlling information and shooting the messenger, even threatening them with legal action over sources. This is a massive episode that examines the monopoly of football administrators and federations over the players, the fans and the game itself and why we might just be arriving at a key tipping point that could just result in governmental intervention and a wake up call for players unions worldwide.

Phil and Anto are joined by West Ham United legend Julian Dicks for a conversation on the transition from the top flight of football as a player to starting over with a player career. We revisit what Julian discovered here in the United States over the summer, what he saw from American players and whether the woman are indeed further along the men in their average development and why this appears to be so. We also explore how personal expectations for a manager must become transformed almost immediately, assuredly so for a player such as Julian Dicks who literally played the game at full speed and determination at all times. We also discuss how tackling has evolved in the modern era and how the physical part of the game has been legislated out of the sport, and in its place we seemed to get more diving and simulation and players waving imaginary yellow and red cards, which may be even a bigger erosion in the game than the old style of tackling itself. We then discuss how English and British managers are finding it more and more difficult to find coaching slots in football, even with the very clubs that former players once dedicated years of their careers. Julian also weighs in on what Sam Allardyce at West Ham and whether supporters have reason to be more than just optimistic about survival, but can maybe begin to think of mid table resurgence which would be a brilliant return to the Premier League a year removed from The Championship. We also discuss the England national team, the terrible and unfortunate incident in Serbia for the England U21 team and exploring why Premier League success has not always translated well on the international stage for England. Named Hammer of The Year four different times over his unforgettable career, Julian Dicks was always known as a fierce and determined defender with a powerful shot who could also deliver on dead ball situations and penalty kicks. Julian scored 10 times for West Ham in 1995-96 which still remains top for a defender in the English Premier League.

Phil and Anto are joined by RTE football commentator and analyst Eamon Dunphy to have a look at the ongoing issues for Giovanni Trapattoni with the Ireland National Team and whether it is seriously time to make the move to release him and turn into another direction given recent form and questions about how much of the scouting job that the Italian has needlessly outsourced amongst his staff. We break down the record, whether Euro 2012 qualification has papered over some important cracks that are now major fissures and how much of this is largely self-inflicted as the player selection does not appear to have much logic to it. In either event, patience has now run very thin in Ireland and at the center of this is the perception as to whether Trapattoni has performed the basic requirements of a job paying him north of 1.5 million annually. Eamon helps us get underneath the many issues including the eroding tone of the discourse, damaged relationships with several key players and how the emerging players from the youth sector are not up to standard. We also examine whether Irish players may need to look to the continent in the future to advance their football education as the Premier League can no longer be considered youth player friendly for not only Irish players but also British prospects who are finding it increasingly difficult to advance past the the Academy and Reserve League level. Eamon has largely maintained his concern for the systemic problems even while Ireland had qualified for Poland and Ukraine and we consider if the battering the team took from top flight competition and its coach has broken this squad under the current regime, and how Trapattoni will not resign, forcing the hand of the federation to ride out the contract when they clearly should look elsewhere. In the last segment we use the Ireland example as a framework as a discussion point where the new reality of the Premier League may be forcing a new cutting edge process for youth players to swap instant riches for actual career advancement. This explores what real success is in football for younger players, and this includes British players who increasingly find themselves in a revolving door between top level teams and mid level squads at the expense of extremely well financed clubs who are subsidizing lesser teams. In the end we explore why players should look at more gateway leagues like Holland, Belgium and Holland to find their way like the rest of the world does with its prospects past the high priced talent, often informed and sometimes with a bit of humor. This is the bonus cash show, from an Italian management legend on the take in Ireland given his lack of interest in all aspects of the job, to parody twitter accounts enforcing disclosure clauses with often tragic-comic results.

Anto and Nico on a serious late night discussion about Jurgen Klinsmann, the US National Team and what had begun to emerge about this team now that it has essentially claimed qualification for the next round of CONCACAF qualification, leading into the hexagonal round for Brazil 2014. Unless disaster strikes, the United States should be going to Brazil in every cycle, but questions do remain about this team once reaching the group stage in 2014. No matter what happens in Kansas City on Tuesday night, there are clear problems emerging in the center of defense as well as a midfield which clearly cannot support the strikers they have and it appears that at the center of this might just be Jozy Altidore who was left out of this round of international matches by Klinsmann. We breakdown the key things we have learned about this team under Klinsmann and if the only thing he can now control is the expectations he has largely put out there or failed to corral at times. Antigua and Barbuda has illustrated some clear shortcomings that will need to be answered not in the hexagonal, but in the run up to 2014 and we consider whether the expectations are chief among them. Discussed here is the impact of the German players and whether they are completely sold on the project and whether reaching for them at this stage has had an effect on chemistry and longer term commitment given what we have learned through the Timmy Chandler example. Also noted here is why the hexagonal round should not be an issue for the United States, why the central defenders and creative elements in the midfield face the biggest answers still and why the player pool issues discussed in past episodes are showing their effects once again. We also evaluate whether real progress has been made after the first 20 matches in the Klinsmann era, what we can realistically expect from the United States at the next World Cup and whether a lack of validation at that stage would have longer term consequences for the what Jurgen Klinsmann could do for the US program longer term. For now, the important task of qualification has been achieved for the United States to the next round and it could be argued for Brazil as well, but this is a show where we discuss the still unresolved issues for Jozy Altidore and Jurgen Klinsmann, the player pool itself and what may need to be assessed given that numerous mistakes have been made along the way.

Anto and Matteo are back for another massive Milan Insider supershow that was days in the making on the heels of yet another loss for Max Allegri at the hands of cross-city rival Internazionale with all kinds of outrage and speculation surrounding AC Milan at the international break. We begin this episode taking the manager to task about many of his decisions in this match including the player moves, how players were deployed and the clear lessons we have learned about this team since a summer that was filled with more subtractions than additions and whether the result today is accurately portrayed in the general impressions about the talent at the disposal of the manager and whether the lack of confidence in this team is the sum of what Allegri has imprinted on this team. We examine the clear lack of ideas, the constant mistakes in set pieces and the failure to logically approach opponents given the players at the disposal of the manager, which includes the failures in design, players who clearly have no confidence and whether the performance turned in this season by Kevin Prince Boateng is symbolic to what has happened to this team. We also explore the financial implications of what has begun to reveal itself with the Champions League knockout rounds and a top three slot being left in jeopardy and how these are the two fronts from which the performance should be accurately measured. Also in view here is the rumblings about the immediate future for Max Allegri and whether AC Milan is about to move to Mauro Tassotti as a caretaker manager to accomplish the two most important financial objectives until the manager position is evaluated for the best possible solution longer term. We try to separate the ideology form the facts which seem to have swallowed up the analysis when Milan continues to under-perform and under-deliver against even the easiest opposition. This episode in part two gets into more pressing news including a glance at whether AC Milan actually did sell Thiago Silva at the right moment in time given his form since moving from the Rossoneri, the recent comedic outbursts by Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the press and whether the rumors of Pep Guardiola arriving this summer really have merit from a number of angles including the economics and prestige elements along with the requirements that would be stressed by any top flight manager and whether this is the point where Silvio Berlusconi extends equity to improve the business bottom line to attract top line talent and the former Barcelona coach. We also dig into the record, the ramifications for Max Allegri, the clear and present financial issues and three of the youngest players on the roster now finding their level at the international level. In focus here as well has been the emergence of Stephan El Shaarawy as the next big Rossoneri star and how Cristian Abbiati might just be what has separated AC Milan from treading water and extreme embarrassment at the break. If you want information and entertainment all wrapped in one episode with one of the biggest clubs in the world in the spotlight, Milan Insider digs into all the issues that matter both on and beyond the pitch.

Anto is joined by Italian football commentator Owen Neilson of ESPN, Al Jazeera and Now TV to take a look at Serie A at this international break after seven matches played, and we start nowhere more volatile at the moment than the outcome of the Madonnina where AC Milan lost yet another home match to its cross-city rival Internazionale. Left in the dust and amongst the speculation firing squad will be Max Allegri who continues to either chaperone this unfortunate decline or become the catalyst for an underperforming Rossoneri that finds itself in mid-table, conceding too many set pieces and seemingly rudder-less barely a quarter into the season. The answers will now come from either Silvio Berlusconi or Adriano Galliani who will now have to respond or risk the high ticket nights of the Champions League both this season and next. We also examine the Juventus-Napoli peloton at the top of the table where separation seems inevitable given the quality of these two squads and who exactly holds the advantage as the season progresses forward. Then we look over at Zeman and AS Roma who may have turned something of a corner with its first clean sheet over Atalanta, but lingering questions between Daniele De Rossi and his manager have now appeared going into the international break, possibly a cooling off period or signs of further trouble ahead. In focus here is the nature and longevity for football characters like Zeman himself, who is brilliantly entertaining both as a manager and a public figure, but often seems doomed to the fractures his style seems to deliver. We also examine the fortunes for Udinese and Parma at this key phase as they are currently mired with single win seasons to the point to gauge whether their off-season business leaves them with hope or despair, and then we glance over to Fiorentina and Lazio where two very surprising teams finds themselves within striking distance already of a highly valuable third place slot that could deliver them to the Champions League. We also examine new arrivals Sampdoria under Ciro Ferrara to weigh their great chances for first year survival after promotion, take a look at Serie B with Sassuolo making an impressive start to their season, but the real story here is AC Milan where a combination of sporting decisions and full blown economics leaves a football power in search of some answers at the break.