Birmingham City FC

Stiftet: 1875 (som Small Heath Alliance)

Stadion: St. Andrew’s Stadium (Kapacitet: 30.009)

Kælenavn: Blues

Seneste tre ligaplaceringer: (07/08/09): 1 (ch)//2 (ch)

Første fem kampe: 15/8 Man Utd (U), 18/8 Portsmouth (H), 22/8 Stoke (H), 29/8 Tottenham (U), 12/9 Aston Villa (H)

Manager: Alex McLeish (Siden november 2007).

Den tidligere Rangers – og skotske landstræner blev hentet til Englands næststørste bys næststørste klub sidst de var i Premier League. Dengang var målsætningen at redde klubben fra en truende nedrykning. Dette lykkedes som bekendt akkurat ikke. Den mellemliggende tid har McLeish brugt på at sætte sit præg på klubben, og det lykkedes altså i første hug at sikre Birmingham City FC direkte oprykning til den bedste række, da andenpladsen i the Championship blev sikret. Birmingham har imidlertid været oppe og nede adskillige gange de senere år. Den sympatiske skottes opgave bliver denne gang, at få holdet af elevatoren inden den kører nedad igen.

Truppen generelt: Gamle stoddere en masse

Birmingham har generelt et meget rutineret, og dette kan blive utrolig vigtigt i den kommende sæson. Næsten samtlige spillere i truppen har prøvet at spille i Premier League før. Samtidig kan denne omstændighed også været holdets største problem; for hvis den nuværende gruppe spillere var gode nok til Premier League, synes det underligt at de ikke spiller der allerede. Af kendte ansigter kan nævnes den tidligere Villa-centerforsvarer Liam Ridgewell, den kuglerunde irske back Stephen Carr som tidligere har spillet for såvel Tottenham som Newcastle, den tidligere bagersvend og Premier League topscorer for Sunderland – Kevin Phillips, samt den skotske humørangriber James McFadden (tidligere Everton) som den ene dag laver de mest spektakulære langskudsperler og den næste ligner Bo Hansen på en seriøst dårlig dag. Ligeledes råder Birmingham over et par rutinerede backs i Franck Queudrue og Stuart Parnaby (tidligere Fulham/Boro og Boro henholdsvis). I buret står oldgamle Maik Taylor og i angrebet giver firkanten Marcus Bent og evighedstalentet Cameron Jerome konkurrence om pladserne. Midtbanen styres af med hård og kærlig hånd af det tidligere Arsenal-talent, svenskeren Sebastian Larsson og nordirske Damien Johnson.

Væsentlige transfere:Hvor godtfolk er…

Netop midtbanen er umiddelbart Birminghams svageste led, og der er da også blevet købt godt ind her. Engelsk fodbolds infant terrible – Lee Bowyer – er kommet på fri transfer, efter et succesfuldt låneophold mod slutningen af sidste sæson. Ligeledes er Rangers mangeårige anfører Barry Ferguson blevet lokket sydpå af sin gamle træner. Sidst Ferguson prøvede lykken i engelsk fodbold, var det med fiasko i Blackburn til følge, men nu 31-årige Ferguson burde have kvaliteterne til at begå sig. Samtlige andre kæder på holdet har dog også allerede fået en saltvandsindsprøjtning i løbet af transfervinduet: den engelske U-21 landsholdsmålmand Joe Hart er blevet lånt for hele næste sæson, og den Equadorianske landsholdsspiller Giovanny Espinoza er blevet hentet i sydamerikansk fodbold til at styrke det centrale forsvar. Forsvaret er yderligere blevet forstærket af den talentfulde Scott Dan som er blevet hentet i Coventry, og som tidligere har opnået 2 U-21 landskampe for England (han var i øvrigt udlånt til Køge BK i 2005 uden større succes). For et beløb i omegnen af £ 5 millioner har man ligeledes til forsvaret hentet Roger Johnson i Cardiff og for et potentielt endnu højere beløb endnu en Equadorianer: Angriberen Christian Benitez, som hvis alle klausuler aktiveres bliver Birminghams dyreste spiller nogensinde. Han har de seneste år lavet cirka et mål i hver anden kamp for Santos Laguna i den mexicanske liga.

Forventninger: Elevatoren stoppes…

Birmingham er i mine øjne på mange måder den oprykker som er bedst rustet til et eventyr i Premier League. Deres træner har tidligere været med hvor det sker, klubben er veldrevet, og en af de eneste klubber i engelsk topfodbold som ikke er forgældet, og truppen er bundrutineret. Det ser ligeledes ud til, at man for klubbens side har erkendt behovet for forstærkninger, hvis det skal lykkes at bevare statusen i den bedste række, og hvis de Birminghams projekt: Equadorianere bliver lige så succesfuldt, som da Wigan lavede en lignende satsning på Wilson Palacios og Antonio Valencia, så har Birmingham gode muligheder for at overleve. Det kræver dog, at en række af de
gamle travere kan finde motivationen til en sidste ærefuld optræden på den helt store scene.

Tip: Forventet placering: Nummer 17 Supersæson: Nummer 17 eller derover.

Wolves hot-shot Sylvan Ebanks-Blake has returned to the top of the Coca-Cola Championship Actim Index after helping his side rediscover top form this week. Wolves` stutter appears to be over after wins over Crystal Palace and Sheffield Wednesday – and Ebanks-Blake scored the only goal in both of them. That gave him an Actim Index of 60 for the week and saw him leap above Reading striker Kevin Doyle, who himself collected 38 points from the Royals` games at Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth. He scored in the 2-1 win at Hillsborough but drew a blank at Home Park, which allowed the former Manchester United man to move back to the summit.

But the best player of week 26 was Plymouth`s in-form striker Paul Gallagher. The on-loan Blackburn man has smashed five goals in his last four games, including three in this Actim week. He first scored both goals in the vital 2-1 win over Watford, before making it 12 for the season with the opener against the Royals on Saturday. That gave him a tally of 73 points for the week and helped him climb up from 89th to 47th in the overall standings.

Also flying high this week is Derby striker Chris Porter. The former Oldham man moved to Pride Park from SPL side Motherwell in January and opened his Rams account with three goals this week. He started off with a brace in the 2-2 draw against Swansea, before netting another in the 2-1 win over Bristol City, which earned him a weekly score of 65.

Two games in the week gave players two chances to shine, and Southampton`s Jason Euell had what can only be described as a mixed week. The experienced former Middlesbrough man was a major influence in the outstanding 3-0 win at Ipswich in midweek, with his two goals helping him on the way to an excellent Index score of 60. However, he somewhat blotted his copybook on Saturday as the Saints` mini-revival stuttered to a halt with a 1-0 defeat at high-flying Birmingham, when he registered a score of -10.

Maik Taylor seems determined to prove that youth is not the be-all and end-all of the modern game as he continued to defy his 37 years of age to maintain his place amongst the higher echelons of the Actim Index. The Birmingham stopper is still the highest-rated goalkeeper in the Championship, leaping two spots to seventh place following his heroics in The Blues’ 1-0 wins over Bristol City and Southampton. The Northern Ireland keeper was kept busy as he made 15 saves on his way to collecting 51 Actim points for the week. And no-one can claim the veteran is running out of steam in his old age – he has accumulated the most minutes played in the division at 3574.

Taylor unsurprisingly takes his place in a team of the week which also includes Birmingham`s two match-winners in the week – defender Franck Queudrue and midfielder Keith Fahey – and two players each from Cardiff and Sheffield United. Blades defenders Chris Morgan and Kyle Naughton earned 59 and 53 points respectively, while the Bluebirds` Roger Johnson completes the defence and midfielder Peter Whittingham`s tally of 62 was the third best tally of the week. Wolves winger Michael Kightly, Crystal Palace midfielder Neil Danns and strikers Porter and Gallagher complete the line-up.

View the latest Championship Actim Index >

Wolves striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake is the new leader of the Actim Index – the official player rating system of the Coca-Cola Championship. He posted a score of 25 – the 19th best total of the week – and that was enough to see him overtake Reading`s Kevin Doyle at the summit. Swansea forward Jason Scotland was the other big mover in the top 10, jumping two places to fifth after he was on target in the 3-1 win against Doncaster last weekend.

Roger Johnson and Mike Williamson were reunited in the centre of defence in this week`s Actim Team of the Week. The duo played at Wycombe together a number of years ago, with Johnson now at Cardiff and Williamson moving to Watford. Williamson recorded the best score of the week with 44 points, helped by his goal in the 2-0 victory at Blackpool, while Johnson posted a score of 33 after keeping QPR at bay in a goalless draw at Ninian Park.

Marek Saganowski was the highest-scoring striker in this week`s Actim Index. The Southampton forward scored twice in an impressive 3-1 win against play-off hopefuls Preston on Saturday to take his tally for the season to six goals. The Poland international leapt 60 places to 331st in the overall standings with his season`s best total.

Sheffield Wednesday youngster Sean McAllister posted the highest score of the weekend for a midfielder following an impressive display in the victory against Crystal Palace. McAllister scored 42 points after breaking the deadlock in the 2-0 win – his second goal of the season. That was his best total of the campaign and moved him up 43 places to 132nd.

Kris Commons recorded a season`s best score of 52 points with a superb display in Derby`s 4-1 win against Blackpool at Pride Park. The Scotland international scored two goals and moved up 44 places to 86th in the overall standings. Rob Hulse and Lewin Nyatanga stole the show when the Rams claimed victory at Nottingham Forest in their following match, with Hulse scoring 41 points to move 37 places to 41st – Derby`s top-ranked player – while defender Nyatanga scored 26 points to earn a place alongside Hulse in the Team of the Week.

Bristol City goalkeeper Adrian Basso is on the fringes of the Actim Index top 10 in 11th after moving up five places following superb displays against Doncaster and Reading. The Brazilian kept a clean sheet against the Royals but was beaten once at the Keepmoat Stadium. He is the third highest-ranked keeper overall, with Preston`s Andy Lonergan ninth overall and Maik Taylor at 10.

Blackpool loanee Liam Dickinson continued where he left off on his debut last week after earning the week`s highest score on the Actim Index with 51 points. Dickinson, on loan from Derby, scored 38 points in just 15 minutes of football on his Tangerines debut and doubled his goals tally to four with another brace against Charlton last time out. It leaves the striker with a match average of just under 45 points per appearance for Simon Grayson`s men from just 111 minutes on the pitch – his four goals coming from seven shots on target and two off.

Norwich midfielder Matthew Pattison was edged into second in the list of the week`s top scorers with 44 points but took his place at the head of the team of the week`s engine room as a consolation. The South African took 43 games to open his Canaries account but now has three in five appearances, climbing 94 places in the Actim Index to 264th overall after his goal in the 2-0 defeat of rivals Ipswich.

Pattison saw off the challenge of fellow midfielder Chris Eagles, who turned in the Index`s third-best score of the week after pulling in 42 points in Burnley`s victory at Sheffield United. Eagles has been an important part of boss Owen Coyle`s armament this term and sits in 15th overall with 284 points. He`s not afraid to have a pop at goal either, sitting fourth on the list of midfielders for shots on target with five goals from 22 attempts.

Stephen Hunt remains the striker`s friend, leading the Index with the most assists so far this term. Hunt has laid on 11 goals in his 21 appearances in the Championship, two ahead of Michael Kightly, who has played a game less but also, more significantly, played 203 minutes less than the Reading man. Hunt has also put in 87 crosses this term, one less than league-leader Wade Elliott.

On to `pass masters`, Southampton`s Adam Lallana leads the way with completed passes in the opposition half with a whopping 275. He leads Preston`s Paul McKenna and Swansea`s Leon Britton (both on 262) in the race to be the Championship`s version of Cesc Fabregas.

It`s only fair we give goalkeepers a shout and the race to rack up the most saves is hotting up. Preston`s Andy Lonergan is currently ahead with 143 stops, eight clear of Reading`s Marcus Hahnemann. The American remains the top-ranked keeper on the Index in 9th overall (311 points), 19 points clear of Birmingham`s Maik Taylor but is set to miss a couple of games through injury so it could be all change.

At first glance, the top 10 of this week`s Championship Actim Index appears to be a fair reflection of the way the league table is shaping up. Reading striker Kevin Doyle once again tops the Index with team-mate Stephen Hunt and Wolves strike duo Chris Iwelumo and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake close behind. But upon closer inspection, there is a distinct lack of second-placed Birmingham players. Goalkeeper Maik Taylor is the highest-ranked Blues player in 13th.

League leaders Wolves hold a six-point advantage over Birmingham, and their superiority is illustrated in Week 13`s Actim Index with Iwelumo, Ebanks-Blake, Michael Kightly and Kevin Foley making up more than a third of the top 10 ranked players.

Actim leader and the league`s top goalscorer Doyle may well sit proudly at the top of the Index again this week but the Ireland international is eclipsed by former team-mate Ibrahima Sonko when it comes to his average score. Senegal international Sonko scored an average 28 points during the three games in which he played before securing a move to Premier League Stoke. Doyle currently averages 24 points per week.

This week`s biggest mover is Norwich midfielder Matthew Pattison who scored the opening goal in last weekend`s 2-1 win at Nottingham Forest before also making the scoresheet in his side`s midweek loss to Crystal Palace. The former Newcastle man notched up 35 points as he moved up 172 places from 567th to 395th position.

Former England international Lee Hendrie has certainly suffered a fall from grace in recent years and his unenviable position at the foot of the Actim Index will do little restore his confidence. The Sheffield United midfielder, currently on loan at Blackpool, scored a week 13 total of minus 11 points including a yellow card in the past seven days.

Spare a thought for another player tumbling down the rankings this week. Luckless goalkeeper Matt Murray had his loan at Hereford cut short by another horrendous injury. The Wolves keeper, who had already suffered five other potentially career-threatening injuries, was sent out on loan to recover from a cruciate ligament problem in his right knee but collapsed with a ruptured tendon in his other knee. Murray fell seven places to 557th position, but of more concern is the news he could be ruled out for a further year.

It’s no wonder Norwich want to keep hold of Leroy Lita.

The on-loan Reading man has netted four goals in four games for the Canaries up until last weekend and was the Actim Index’s top-scoring player over the round.

Lita earned 61 points for his hat-trick in the win against high-flying Wolves, his treble coming from three shots on target and three off. It was the fifth highest score of the campaign.

Lita wasn’t the only striker to showcase his talents over the round. Birmingham’s Garry O’Connor moved up to 21st overall with his best score of the season so far – a healthy 54 points in his side’s 3-1 defeat of Sheffield Wednesday last weekend.

O’Connor has scored five Championship goals for the Blues this season from just eight shots on target, playing just 540 minutes so far in the league campaign.

Speaking of shots, there’s a surprise name at the top of the list of those on target so far this season. Most money would be on one of the division’s frontmen to be pulling the trigger. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (18) is up there, as is Neil Mellor (20), David McGoldrick (21) and Nicky Maynard (19). However, the man most unafraid to chance his arm is Wolves midfielder Michael Kightly, who has made the keeper work 24 times. Throw in 18 efforts off target and you see why with five goals he is the second-highest scoring midfielder in the Championship.

At the other end of the pitch, the race to be the golden glove of the Championship is a close-run affair. Two stoppers with plenty of Premier League experience currently lead the way in the shape of Birmingham’s Maik Taylor and Reading’s Marcus Hahnemann.

Taylor is the top-ranked keeper on the Actim Index as it stands, sitting in ninth place overall with 192 points from 13 games.

Hahnemann is just a point and a place adrift in 10th, having played just seven minutes less than his rival.

QPR’s Radek Cerny is 10 places further back and 21 points shy – with 16 of the division’s goalkeeper’s occupying a place in the top 100 rated players in this week’s Actim Index.

We turn our attention to youth in our next segment as we investigate the battle to be the top teenager in the Championship this term.

Surprisingly, no player under the age of 20 occupies a berth in the current top 100. The kids aren’t cutting the mustard it appears, with Norwich defender Elliott Omuzusi the highest-placed nipper in 142nd. The 19-year-old has 109 points from 12 appearances, averaging nine points per appearance. Maybe the Championship is no place for the kids after all.

We can’t look at our whippersnappers without eyeing the old timers. In the 35’s and over bracket the aforementioned Taylor and Hahnemann lead the way in 9th and 10th. Burnley defender Graham Alexander is a couple of places further back in 12th, with Kevin Phillips surging into the top 20 in 19th spot with a good climb this week. Sheffield United’s veteran midfielder Gary Speed is the other old boy in the top 100 in 88th.

Not even a red card could scupper top-ranked Chris Iwelumo’s Preston party. The 30-year-old striker was dismissed just four minutes after completing his hat-trick in the 3-1 victory at Deepdale which took his side three points clear at the summit for the Coca-Cola Championship. His treble catapulted him to the top of the Championship scorers chart alongside Reading’s Kevin Doyle and ensured he kept his place at the top of the Actim Index for a second consecutive week with a week six score of 65 points.

The Molineux outfit have made an impressive start to the season but they will be keeping a cautious eye on one former player as they attempt to preserve their unbeaten league record against Bristol City next weekend. Robins midfielder Michael McIndoe put in a man-of-the-match performance as he scored two goals in City’s 4-1 victory over Doncaster. McIndoe’s 48-point haul boosts him up 125 places to to 40th in this week’s Index.

However, McIndoe’s exerts did not earn him the title of biggest mover this week as Reading striker Noel Hunt scored two goals in the 6-0 demolition of Sheffield Wednesday to earn himself a place in the starting line-up for the controversial 2-2 draw with Watford. Alongside highly-rated brother Stephen in midfield, Noel scored 53 points this week to move up 321 places from 497th to 176th.

Women all over the world would kill to discover the secret of eternal youth, so it would not be surprising if Burnley full-back Graham Alexander and Birmingham goalkeeper Maik Taylor are employing 24-hour bodyguards at the moment. Scotland international Alexander has defied his 36 years to net three goals in three games, while Blues keeper Taylor, 37, has accumulated 112 points this season as the pair take their place amongst this week’s top 20 to become the Index’s golden oldies.

Two of the league’s most high profile stars find themselves marooned toward the foot of the Actim Index this week. Former England international James Beattie has struggled with injury this season but he will not offer that as an excuse for his current position of 515th out of 520. Meanwhile, wantaway Derby midfielder Robbie Savage matched Beattie’s paltry haul of -10 points last week and is currently lingering in 507th position.

As the Actim Index continues to track the trials, tribulations, successes and failures of the Championship’s finest week-in, week-out, we should spare a thought for those players stranded on the sidelines. But although the likes of top-ranked trio Iwelumo, Doyle and Michael Kightly consistently rack up 20-30 points a week, the player with the best average points haul remains Sheffield Wednesday’s crocked star striker Akpo Sodje. The luckless Sodje was only only on the pitch for 20 minutes of the Owls’ opening game of the season before being stretchered off but still claimed two goals and 46 points. I’m sure I speak for all Owls fans when I say get well soon, Akpo.

His side may be bottom of the league and his fellow defenders may well be leaking more goals than the Kazakhstan national team, but Stephen Foster continues to be a shining beacon of hope at Barnsley. The Tykes may have collected just four points this season but Foster’s impressive performances have earned him 72 Index points.

Charlton’s Luke Varney was the Coca-Cola Championship’s top dog on week three – earning 60 points against Reading last weekend. It was the second-highest score of the new season, behind Billy Sharp’s 65-point haul. It saw the former Crewe man rise a whopping 215 places to 10th overall.

Chris Iwelumo climbs to the top of the Actim Index with 85 points, one ahead of Reading’s Ibrahima Sonko and two in front of Cardiff striker Ross McCormack.

McCormack moved up 24 places after scoring 44 points against Norwich – where he scored twice.
Wolves star Michael Kightly and Bristol City defender Jamie McAllister are the top-scoring players away from home – both scoring 53 points on their travels but just 18 and nine points respectively in home surroundings.

As for McAllister, you’d do well to stay away from the 30-year-old on the pitch, he has a Championship-best 14 tackles won so far this term in just three games – and has come out second best just once.

Bristol City striker Nicky Maynard’s not had much luck in front of goal, he’s fired in a league-leading eight shots on target so far this season but has only one goal to show for it.

Derby veteran Robbie Savage isn’t enjoying the best of times at present, like most at Pride Park, but after a Match Index of minus-10 against Southampton, the former Wales international dropped 181 places last week and sits on minus-three points overall.

Between the sticks, Birmingham keeper Maik Taylor is the top-ranked number one in 26th place overall – his 55 points seeing him four clear of Preston’s Andy Lonergan in 31st position.

Ryktet om Abidal bekreftes av større medier. Inler-representanter på Merseyside? Peter Crouch til Pompey? Nytt talent hentes fra Cardiff? Barry har bestemt seg. Ny keeper fra Birmingham?

I forrige uke kunne jeg fortelle om ryktet som gjaldt Barcelonas venstreback Eric Abidal. Dette ble da meldt av netsttedet FansFC, men noen pris ble ikke antydet, annet enn at han kom fra Lyon for et år siden for 15 millioner Euro. Noe som tilsvarer omkring £10m.

Dette ryktet blir nå gjentatt av de store avisene The Daily Mail og The Daily Telegraph og det hevdes at et bud fra Liverpool vil ligge på omkring £8m. Representanter for Liverpool skal ha vært tilstede da Barcelona knuste Valencia 6-0 i helga.

Spilleren blir sett på som en direkte erstatter for John Arne Riise, som skal ha fått beskjed om at han ikke lenger har noen framtid i klubben.

Et annet rykte som dukker opp i dag stammer det ikke veldig troverdige nettstedet TribalFootball, og må tas med en klype salt.

I følge nettstedet skal Liverpool være i samtaler med den italienske klubben Udinese for spillerne Gokhan Inler (bildet) og Andrea Dossena. Klubben skal ha hatt representanter tistede på Merseyside sist uke for å ha samtaler om duoen som har vært svært gode i Serie A denne sesongen.

Inler er midtbanespiller og tidligere omtalt her på bloggen, mens Dossena er 27 år gammel ving-back. Udinese forventer å hente inn penger for de to i sommer.

Forøvrig fortsetter ryktet om at Peter Crouch skal til Portsmouth å vokse. Avisa Daily Mirror mener å vite at klubben ønsker å tilby ham en ukelønn på utrolige £75.000.

I tillegg skal klubben være villige til å legge £8m på bordet for å hente ham og dermed slå Newcastle, Manchester City og Middlesbrough som også holder øye med langemann. Portsmouth-manager Harry Redknapp skal også ha forsøkt å hente Crouch i januar, uten å lykkes.

I tillegg skal Pompey også være interessert i Crouch’ tidligere omtalte lagkamerat John Arne Riise.

Og i dag kom også nyheten om at Liverpool skal ha lagt inn et bud på £3m for Cardiff Citys talentfulle Aaron Ramsey. Cardiff skal imidlertid ha avslått tilbudet og bedt Liverpool hoste opp mer penger om det skal bli aktuelt med en overgang, melder Wales on Sunday.

Ramsey er 18 år og spiller på midtbanen til Cardiff. Han debuterte i fjor på Wales’ U21-lag som en av de yngste noen sinne. Han var tidligere kaptein på U17-landslaget. Ramsey har Ryan Giggs som sitt største forbilde og har tilnavnet “Rambo”.

Og rykteflommen vil ingen ende ta denne tirsdagen. Rett før jeg skulle publisere denne bloggen kom nemlig saken fra The Independent om at Gareth Barry kommer til å avslå et nytt kontraktsforslag fra Aston Villa og heller skriver under for Liverpool.

I følge avisa skal klubbene stå langt fra hverandre hva gjelder pris på spilleren, men når Barry har bestemt seg for hvor han vil spille, vil dette tvinge fram en enighet mellom partene.

Men i tillegg forteller avisa at Rafa Benitez ønsker seg ytterligere backup på keeperplassen, i tillegg til Charles Itandje og i følge avisa er Benitez nær en avtale om å hente Birmingham Citys Maik Taylor (bildet).

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Andre nyheter:
Liverpools nye stadion godkjent – igjen! (Liverpool Daily Post)
DIC ‘vil ha med fans’ i Liverpools styre
Riise sur for å ikke ha fått noe nytt kontraktsforslag (The Daily Mail)
Tottenham vil også ha Man Citys Johnson (Talking Soccer)

Mit vækkeur ringede.. Højt og grusomt, syntes jeg selv…

Jeg klaskede min knyttede næve ned over det lille SWATCH-ur og åbnede mine øjne, så godt som jeg nu kunne..

Det var middag, og jeg kunne godt mærke, at jeg havde siddet oppe til klokken 3 i nat…

Jeg rejste mit dvaske kadaver fra sengen, og begyndte at klæde mig på…

Sløvt gik jeg langsomt ned af trappen, og indtog en plads i køkkenet..

Jeg var dagen forinden taget hjem til de gamle, da jeg skulle have lidt afstand fra alle distraktionerne (jf. øl, kabeltv og Football Manager) i Dobbelt A, så jeg kunne blive færdig med mit teori til P4 projektet på Uni..

Anspændtheden var tydelig i mine skuldre denne morgen, og min mimik viste en smule nervøsitet, mens jeg slubrede mine cornflakes ned i mavesækken..

Jeg sad og stirrede lidt tomt ud i luften, og mest af alt lignede jeg en fjernstyret robot, der i takt løftede og sænkede skeen gang på gang..

Det var lørdag den 3. maj 2008, og Fulham skulle møde Birmingham i Premier League..

En vigtig kamp i den engelske bundstrid, og en af de vigtigste kampe i Fulhams historie..

Begge hold lå under nedrykningsstregen, og med en sejr kunne Fulham, hvis alt flaskede sig, rykke op over den røde streg..

Jeg varmede lidt op til bundbraget med kampen mellem Manchester United og West Ham, hvor ”De Røde Djævle” klart var deres modstander overlegen..

Jeg sad selv og håbede på samme scenarie i Fulham kampen, men tvivlen lagde stadig i baghovedet..

Klokken var nu 15.46, og stillingen var 4-1 til Manchester United, der, selv med en mand i undertal, havde forholdsvis let spil mod et svækket West Ham mandskab, der dog bed godt fra sig i dele af kampen…

Tilbage i Kanal 5 studiet sad Claus Thomsen og indikerede, at han ikke troede på Fulhams overlevelseschancer, mens Jacob Laursen høfligt mente det modsatte..

“Bare Jacob Laursen får ret”, tænkte jeg, hvorefter jeg søgte mod køleskabet for at finde en lille let snack til kampen..

Tilbage i lænestolen med et par leverdrenge i mit skød, var jeg nu klar til dagens helt store brag: Fulham versus Birmingham på Craven Cottage..

Kampen havde påtaget sig klart mest opmærksomhed i de engelske medier, da det var en kamp mellem liv og død, og man kunne næsten føle nervøsiteten gennem skærmen fra alle involverede…

Fulhams startellever havde fået selskab af tomåls-skytten fra sidste weekends meriterende comeback mod City, Diomansy Kamara, mens David Healy havde taget plads på bænken..

På slaget fire fløjtede dommer Chris Foy kampen i gang, og jeg kunne nu se frem til 90 neglebidende minutter i selskab med to hårdt kæmpende mandskaber i bunden af verdens bedste liga.

Brian McBride – GOOOOOAAALLLL

Fulham var altdominerende i startfasen af kampen, og man fornemmede, at de virkelig prøvede at vise deres fans, at de fortjente deres plads blandt de bedste..

Flot flydende spil langs jorden førte til flere gode chancer for Fulham, der kulminerede i Brian McBrides hovedstød på overliggeren allerede efter fem minutter, som dog fejlagtigt blev dømt offside.

Efter tyve Fulham dominerede minutter, begyndte Birmingham at komme bedre med i kampen. Brede Hangeland kom godt imellem et par halvfarlige Birmingham forsøg, og den gigantiske midtstopper viste rigtigt format i denne hektiske fase af matchen.

I det 42. minut kunne det dog være gået galt, da James McFadden, efter et Jimmy Bullard boldtab på midten af banen, fandt en fri Mikael Forssell oppe i front, men en befriende fod fra nordirske Aaron Hughes reddede Fulham fra at komme bagud..

De to hold måtte gå til pausen med stillingen 0-0, men man fornemmede stadig en opløftet stemning på et fyldt og larmende Craven Cottage.

“Pyha…”, tænkte jeg, “… jeg er sgu for gammel til det her pis”, mens mit hjerte langsomt begyndte at optage en normal hastighed efter hektiske 45 minutter.

Et hurtigt kvarter senere gik de to hold på banen til anden halvleg, og pludseligt røg mit signal på computeren… “NEEEEEJJJ”, råbte jeg, mens jeg bandede og svovlede…

Jeg spurtede ind og hev kablet til modemmet ud, som man nu gør, når Internettet ikke virker… Men intet skete, og forbindelsen var stadig ikke at se nogen steder… “Argggh.. Det er ikke fair”, småhulkede jeg, mens jeg forbandede alt og alle…

“GOD DAMMIT YOU F*CKING PIECE OF CRAP”

“Det er ikke fair, det er ikke fair, det er ikke fair”, blev jeg ved med at gentage, alt imens jeg rodede rundt med ledningerne bag i computeren…

Efter 7 minutters frustrationer var signalet på mystisk vis tilbage, og jeg hoppede ind i det 50. minut…

Bare to minutter senere sendte Jimmy Bullard et frispark ind i feltet, hvor Brian McBride dukkede op med sin amerikanske skal, og gjorde det til 1-0!!

“JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!”, råbte jeg højlydt, mens min mor var ved at tabe både potter og pander… “Du var ved at give mig et hjerteanfald”, vrissede hun, mens jeg hoppede rundt i køkkenet som en kænguru på speed…

Troen var for alvor tilbage, og det var da også Fulham, der stadig havde teten.. Bare få minutter efter havde Kamara en ganske god chance for at afgøre kampen, men hans flade skud voldte ingen problemer for den tidligere Fulham-keeper Maik Taylor.

Mellem det 70. minut og det 80. minut begyndte Fulham at have lige lovligt mange boldtab, som dog ikke førte til det helt store for modstanderholdet, der kvitterede med selv at smide bolden tilbage i Fulhams sort/hvide favn.

I Fulhams højreside fortsatte  walisiske Simon Davies med at voldtage Birminghams venstreback med mange gode raids op af kanten.

Bagved ham fortsatte, den i Tottenham, lånte Paul Stalteri med at overbevise ledelsen om, at han ikke skulle have en permanent kontrakt.. Jeg ved ikke selv, hvor mange gange jeg råbte: “Hvad Fanden laver du Paul Stalteri din canadiske retarderede skovhugger”!!!

Klokken rundede nu de 85 minutter..

Frustrationerne hos Birmingham-spillere og tilhængere var nu brudt ud i lys lue, mens Fulham fansene optimistiske sad og svingede med flag, tørklæder og hvad de ellers havde i hænderne..

Ude på sidelinjen stod træner Roy Hodgson og var eftertænksom, mens ejer Mohammed Al-Fayed så mere rolig ud med et uldtæppe foldet hen over sine ben.

Fulham har dog i denne sæson indkasseret mange mål i de sidste ti minutter, så jeg sad stadig og borede mine negle ned i egetræsbordet foran mig.. Desuden har Fulham været foran i 13 kampe og kun vundet tre, så intet under at dette sad i baghovedet…

Erik Nevland – Pure Class

Men ud af det blå kom forløsningen i det 87. minut…

Venstreback Paul Konchesky tonser en lang bold op ad banen, hvor Birminghams venstreback, den tidligere Fulham-mand Frank Queudrue, ser ud til at have styr på begivenhederne..

Men Queudrue går håbløst galt i byen, og får slet ikke kontrol over bolden, hvorefter indskiftede Erik Nevland hugger til den lille runde kugle og udplacerer Taylor i Birmingham målet..

Mine øjne blev større end tekopper (Lige en lille intertekstuel reference til Fyrtøjet), og jeg gryntede højt i triumf, som levede jeg i stenalderen og havde lige nedlagt et vortesvin…

Jeg strakte begge arme op i luften, knyttede mine næver og skrålede: “FULHAAAAAAAAM… YAAARRRRRRHHHH… TRIUMF!!!”..

Min mutter fik igen et chok, men undlod at kommentere på det, andet end: “Nå, nu står der to nul eller hva?”… Jeg havde store bloklys i øjnene, og smilet fyldte hele mit lalleglade fjæs, for hun havde ret..

2-0… Nu kunne det ikke gå galt… Og det gjorde det da heller ikke…

Chris Foy fløjtede af efter fire minutters overtid og alle supporterne holdte deres “Come On You Whites” -skilte op mod himmelen..

“Klasse perfomance med gude spillere”, som Martin Birn sikkert ville have udtrykt det!

Samtidig tabte Reading til Spurs, og det betyder, at Fulham selv kan afgøre sin skæbne på udebane mod Pompey i næste uge.. En gyser af dimensioner!

Portsmouth har ikke noget at kæmpe for samtidig med, at de har en pokalfinale få dage senere… Fulham har naturligvis ikke den bedste udebanestatistik, men med to udebanesejre i træk er formen god, og jeg håber naturligvis på et hattrick…

“Cheer Up Roy, you old buggar, We got a fucking Victory”

Come On You Whites!!!

Das Zimmer direkte fra Craven Cottage blandt eufori og pure class!