Football Dispatch

08 March by Jerrad Peters The Winnipeg Free Press opted not to print the opening paragraph of my column for Saturday, 08 March 2008. Here is the article in its entirety. They’re accustomed to growing Cabernet Sauvignon along the Garonne river. Wine, incidentally, is the economic engine of the Bordeaux region of France. Annual output of more than 700-million bottles from 9000 local wineries accounts for approximately $22-billion in revenue. The finest grapes for many of the world’s premium red wines are grown here. Understandably, and not unlike the farmers who proudly turn ground to grain in rural Manitoba, the Bordelais winemakers carry a certain swagger when it comes to their red grapes. It was with a measure of reluctance, then, that Laurent Blanc was chosen to succeed Ricardo Gomes as manager of the local soccer team, the Girondins de Bordeaux. Not only did Blanc arrive at the club with a troubling lack of coaching experience, but his surname flew in the face of the regional association with red wine. Had he stumbled out of the gate, he might well have been run out of town by the same pompous crowd which believes that no good can come of anything Blanc in Bordeaux. Blanc, however, has become embraced by the region in more ways than one. Since arriving at the Ligue 1 side in the summer, the manager has exceeded all expectations. Like a fine Crémant, he has sparkled – inspiring a diminutive squad to the cusp of French football glory. In so doing, he has stressed teamwork and cooperation while skillfully manipulating his tactics to turn aside even the most resilient of opponents. Blanc is not a graduate of the Kevin Keegan school of Champagne football. He preaches winning. And his players listen. Even so, the 42-year-old relies on a handful of individuals to deliver results. David Bellion, astutely purchased from Nice in the summertime, paces Bordeaux with 11-goals. Brazilian wing-back Wendel has contributed nine – three of which came in a hat-trick performance against Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday. Another of Blanc’s shrewd buys, Alou Diarra, has provided considerable stability in the midfield since arriving from Lyon in July for $11.7million. Diarra was considered expendable at Stade Gerland, in part, because of the emergence of Jeremy Toulalan. Long touted as one of the best defensive midfielders in France, Toulalan is finally realizing his potential. Partnering Kim Kallstrom in the center of manager Alain Perrin’s formation, the 24-year-old has been integral to Lyon’s push for a seventh successive championship. Nobody, however, has been more central to Lyon’s success than Karim Benzema. The 20-year-old striker leads Ligue 1 with 23-goals and is sure to be targeted by a host of foreign clubs when the transfer window re-opens in the summer. Tall, muscular, and powerful, Benzema is built like a truck – but with the handling of a Mercedes. He is almost reminiscent of a young Ronaldo. Such is his ability to dribble at top speed. Stopping Benzema will be of fundamental importance if Bordeaux have any hope of toppling the champions and claiming a share of first place when the two sides tangle at the Gerland on Sunday. Not that Laurent Blanc will have lost any sleep over the matter. The World Cup-winning France international had his strategy plotted weeks ago. And, if recent form means anything, he will have blown the title race wide open by Monday morning. This is a man, after all, who has given new meaning to Blanc in Bordeaux. He’ll never be a Chateau Haut-Brion. Smooth and deceptively charming, he’s more a Sauternes. Supporters of the Girondins are crossing their fingers that he will age just as nicely. Match to watch: Lyon vs. Bordeaux, Sunday, 2:00pm, Setanta Sports. This match should go down nicely with a Sauternes and foie gras or mild cheese. FA Cup The world’s oldest knock-out competition resumes in earnest this morning. Eight clubs remain in contention, but only two could be considered favorites to book their places at the May showpiece at Wembley. Chelsea and Manchester United, coincidentally, were last year’s finalists. And, barring disaster, they will probably clash in the final once again. United has had the more difficult schedule of the two. The luck of the draw has produced matches against Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, and Portsmouth in succession. If they can advance from today’s quarterfinal, however, the chances of facing a fourth consecutive Premier League side will be somewhat less certain. Chelsea, meanwhile, will be expecting to progress when they battle Barnsley at Oakwell in today’s late kick-off. After thrashing West Ham and Olympiacos by a combined score of 7-0 in their past two outings, the Blues seem to have fully recovered from their apathetic performance in the Carling Cup final two weeks ago. They will underestimate the opponent at their own peril, however. The Tykes advanced into the last eight after defeating Liverpool at Anfield in the round of 16. Sunday’s matches are rather less straightforward. After requiring a re-play to defeat Sheffield Wednesday in the last round, Middlesbrough will host a tricky Cardiff team at the Riverside. Don’t be surprised if the Bluebirds emerge unscathed from the encounter. In Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Robbie Fowler, manager Dave Jones has experienced, top-level goalscoring talent on which to draw. Paul Parry and Joe Ledley have been in good form as well, with 14 league goals between them. In the final contest, West Bromwich Albion will journey southward for a match against Bristol Rovers. One of the best non-Premier League sides in England, the Baggies play some of the most attractive soccer in the country. Striker Kevin Phillips has already been named Championship Player of the Year and each of Roman Bednar, Zoltan Gera, and Ishmael Miller has had a hand in the club’s success as well. Match to watch: Manchester United vs. Portsmouth, Saturday, 6:30am, Setanta. Portsmouth striker Jermaine Defoe is running red-hot, with goals in each of his last two matches. Your questions Logan from Winnipeg asks, “Will there ever be a salary cap in soccer?” No. At least not in Europe. The big clubs, such as Real Madrid, Manchester United, and AC Milan, wield more power than any national association; and they will never even contemplate the notion. In North America, however, Major League Soccer is already operating with a salary cap.