One year in: 2008 in review

twofootedtackle is one year old today, and because I started this here humble blog conveniently close to New Year, it seems rude not to make my anniversary post a quick review of 2008.

Clearly there will be (or have been - I'm writing this on 23rd December, sorry!) many, many 2008 reviews in the football blogosphere. I'm not going to cover anyone else's ground - deliberately at least - and have elected to run through my Top 10 Stories of 2008 instead.

At this point, I'd like to thank you. I thank you if you're Gary, Mat and Kerry, who've taught me plenty about blogging this year and turned me into a fully-fledged social media geek. I thank Mrs Chris for putting up with me being one.

I thank you for reading if you're a reader and commenting if you're a commenter - even if you only came on to slag me off because I hate rugby, or you're one of the mardy Bournemouth fans who got upset because I wrote a controversial post about Harry Redknapp, football's biggest sore. Gotta love it when someone posts a link on a Bournemouth forum and my traffic spikes like nobody's business. Joke's on you.

Circus at Newcastle United

2008 was a difficult year for Newcastle fans. Unhappy with the football served up by Sam Allardyce, now in charge at Blackburn Rovers, United supporters were delighted when Allardyce left the club in January - and positively ecstatic when Kevin Keegan returned to replace him.

But Keegan was unable to manage. Sorry, mis-placed full-stop. I mean Keegan was unable to manage relations with owner Mike Ashley and the newly-dubbed 'Cockney Mafia', completed by Dennis Wise and Tony Jimenez. Predictably, Keegan walked. Less predictably, only Joe Kinnear heeded Ashley's advances, kicking his initially short-term Newcastle reign off with a spectacular 50-swear rant at journalists in an early press conference.

Success is unlikely, but Kinnear has done well and Newcastle now look likely to remain safe. The former Wimbledon and Nottingham Forest man has been installed until the end of the season.

Bournemouth, Luton and Rotherham docked points

AFC Bournemouth, Luton Town and Rotherham began the current League Two season at a huge disadvantage - not good when the price of failure is relegation from the football league. Bournemouth and Rotherham were heavily punished for administration and CVA problems, while Luton had an additional deduction - bringing the total to 30 - for financial irregularities of which a previous ownership regime was guilty.

As it stands, all three have made a valiant attempt at making it out of the red. Bournemouth and Rotherham succeeded - Rotherham much faster - and none of the three were relegated before 2009. Word has it that Luton fans have been fantastic this season, and that can only be admired.

Patrice Evra and the Chelsea groundsman

Way back in the 2007/08 season, with Manchester United and Chelsea battling it out for the Premier League title, the fight literally came to blows when United made a late-season visit to Chelsea's Stamford Bridge - but not in the manner you might have expected.

After the game, some of the United players were warming down on the pitch when words were exchanged with a gobby member of the Chelsea ground staff. Said groundsmen can now tell his mates that he had a punch up with United left back Patrice Evra, who served a four-match suspension for the fracas when he was finally punished.

I do believe Rio Ferdinand booted a female steward instead of a wall around the same time.

England miss Euro 2008, Spain win it

By the beginning of the year, England fans were coming to terms with Steve McClaren's total failure as national team manager and the fact that his appointment had cost us a trip to Austria and Switzerland for Euro 2008.

As it turned out, the football was so entertaining and exciting that I almost enjoyed the fact that I wouldn't want to cry after a quarter final. Several teams looked genuine contenders, including Germany, Portugal and Russia, while the Netherlands started at a staggering pace and didn't let up until Russia did for them in the knock-out stages. Turkey played in three of the most incredible European Championships matches of all time, and won plenty of unexpected fans - me included.

In the end, Spain's midfield - built on Marcos Senna and inspired by Xavi and Iniesta - were good enough to win the competition. It supplied the ammo for the excellent David Villa and the final goalscorer, Fernando Torres. What a shame they had a racist old duffer in charge.

Ronaldo, Adebayor and Barry stay put

2008 was the summer of failed transfers. Following Manchester United's Champions League victory in Moscow, Cristiano Ronaldo announced that he wanted to sign for Real Madrid - and they certainly wanted him. Sir Alex Ferguson (who has since suggested he wouldn't even sell Real a virus - top quote) held firm. Ronaldo currently plays for Manchester United.

Even before Ronaldo's sensational strop, Aston Villa skipper Gareth Barry had caused problems for himself. Few could begrudge him a move to Liverpool - Champions League regulars - but the manner in which Rafael Benitez and Steven Gerrard tapped him up (a scheme in which I believe Barry to have been complicit) left a sour taste. Only now is Barry returning to favour for some Villa fans. I've covered my thoughts on this in detail once or twice already.

Gareth Barry currently plays for Aston Villa, and Emmanuel Adebayor currently plays for Arsenal. The criminally over-rated striker was linked heavily with a move abroad and quotes were attributed to him suggesting he was all for it. He's still in England. Big up the (non-)selling clubs.

London 0 Hull 4

Hull City's promotion to the Premier League in May was a bit of a fairytale. Dean Windass fired his beloved club to the top flight with a storming volley at Wembley, but few outside Hull would have thought the goal was anything but the end of the fairytale. There was plenty of fairytale to go.

City spent a good portion of the first third of the Premier League season in or around the top four, picking up some mighty impressive results. Being the chipper northerners they are, Hull City took great delight in four wins in particular. Defeating Fulham, Arsenal, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur gave City four wins from four in matches against London clubs.

Goals from Geovanni added some Brazilian magic to that grit and determination, but Hull look a different proposition as 2009 begins. Phil Brown has slightly lost the plot, grabbing the headlines by lecturing his players on the pitch at half time at Eastlands, and complaining to the authorities about a decision against Villa which he feels should have been awarded to Hull - despite all evidence to the contrary - because of the way the decision may or may not have been made.

Portsmouth win the FA Cup

Some say the magic of the FA Cup returned last season, with Sky's four favourite teams finally missing out before the semi finals. Barnsley disposed of Liverpool and Chelsea before finally crumbling against Cardiff City, conquerors of Middlesbrough. Portsmouth's win over Manchester United was rewarded with a semi against West Bromwich Albion.

The final wasn't exactly a cracker, but fans of Portsmouth - who basically clocked off from the Premier League season early to prepare - won't care about that. This season Blyth Spartans, among others, have made sparkling progress, but special recognition must be given to Histon for their second round win over ex-giants Leeds United.

Ibrahimovic turns world-beater

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is generally seen as a remarkable judge of a player. He managed to get plenty of use from Craig Bellamy, he's getting the very best from Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor, and has previously helped turned Gareth Barry into an England regular. But I agreed with him many a year ago when he criticised lazy, lumbering Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, currently plying his trade at Serie A champions FC Internazionale.

I still think he was right at the time. But the Inter goal-getter has made 2008 his own. Despite the occasional injury and suspension, Ibrahimovic was instrumental in the second half of the 2007/08 season in Italy, even bagging the vital goal in the title race on the final day, Inter pipping Roma to the honour.

But this season? Well, Ibra has been an absolute revelation. He seems to score goal of the decade every week. We've seen 80mph rockets, kung-fu flicks and the bendiest shot since Roberto Carlos stunned Le Tournoi in 1996. His swagger, intelligence and arrogance have finally harmonised to the benefit of the Inter team, and I genuinely believe Zlatan Ibrahimovic to be the best player in the world at the moment. He's so hot right now.

Leigh Genesis

During the early season I read a fascinating piece by Gary Andrews in When Saturday Comes about Leigh Genesis, formerly Leigh RMI, a Unibond Premier League side from the same egg as Manchester United. Chairman Dominic Speakman renamed the club (epic fail) in honour of its move to a new home (epic fail), shunned shirt sponsorship in favour of a snazzy logo (epic fail) and generally...branded. Eugh.

Sure enough, Genesis are slightly in the shit now. Speakman has pulled out, leaving the club short of cash. I hope they pull through.

Manchester City become world's richest

Transfer deadline day, August 31st 2008. News begins to filter through that Manchester City has been taken over by Abu Dhabi United (basically the royal family, I think). Going by current ownership superlative-creation logic, that makes City the world's richest club, taking over from Queens Park Rangers.

City's new owners mean business. Before the deadline passed, they snaffled Brazilian forward Robinho from under the noses of Chelsea (possibly telling him he was signing for 'Manchester') and were close or not-so-close to snapping up Spurs striker Dimitar Berbatov, who ended up at neighbours United as expected.

I'm afraid to say that I think this takeover was the beginning of the end of English football. So I'll be delighted if it all goes wrong. Fingers crossed (sorry City fans, I'd say it about any club with such a transfer strategy).

So that was 2008. Rock on 2009. What was your story of 2008?

(Photo: Sporting Life)