In his latest column, the Betway ambassador gives his thoughts on the Premier League title race, Erling Haaland’s place among the greats and why Thomas Tuchel’s appointment is disappointing for English managers.
Liverpool and Arsenal poised to push City
Arsenal’s draw with Liverpool was a great game and I think both sides are going to challenge Manchester City for the title this season.
Even with Rodri out injured, I still think Man City have enough strength in depth to win go on and win the league, but I do think that Liverpool will push them. They have definitely been a surprise so far, because they have got a new manager and it usually takes a little bit of time to adapt, but Arne Slot is fitting in very well.
There was a lot of talk that Liverpool had been looking for a No. 6 in the summer, but Ryan Gravenberch has been their most impressive player. He’s naturally a No. 8 with how he can carry the ball, but he’s fit in really well into that deeper role in their midfield. He’s been very, very impressive.
In terms of Arsenal’s discipline, if you want to be challenging for the title then you need your best players on the pitch. They’ve had too many red cards, which probably could cost them and it certainly seems like it did against Bournemouth. If Saliba didn’t get sent off, would they lose that game? Probably not. I think they need to address that and I’m sure Mikel Arteta is doing that.
Spurs must prioritise cups, starting with Man City tie
Spurs need to take the cup competitions very seriously given they haven’t won anything since we lifted the EFL Cup in 2008. It’s too long a drought for a team with the quality that Spurs have. I think it’s vitally important that they stay in the cup competitions as much as possible.
I think it’ll be a very good game against Man City this week. To be fair to Ange Postecoglou, no matter who he plays against, he has a go and wants to attack teams. What that does is leave you vulnerable at times to conceding a goal.
It should be a fascinating game, and I think Tottenham could win it. It’s going to be tough, but I think with the way both sides play, I’m going for 2-1 to Tottenham.
Haaland on pace to be a Premier League legend
What Erling Haaland’s doing at the moment is ridiculous. You’d have to put him in the bracket of Alan Shearer, Didier Drogba and Thierry Henry when it comes to Premier League strikers.
As a proper No. 9, he’s the closest thing to Shearer. Like Shearer, he doesn’t get too many touches of the ball, but when he does, he knows where the back of the net is. Pep said it a few days ago – he touched the ball 18 times but might have seven or eight chances. That’s the quality that he has.
At the rate that he’s going, with the goals he’s scoring and if he keeps winning league titles, he will be up there with the very best in the Premier League.
Tuchel a great appointment but English coaches need a chance
I think Thomas Tuchel is a great appointment for England. He’s obviously a proven manager and he’s won things. The next step for England now is to win a major tournament. The job that Gareth Southgate did was very, very good but they’re desperate to get over the line.
My only worry is that they do all these Pro licenses and courses for English and Irish coaches like myself, and they’re trying to develop and help us, and then they go and get a foreign coach.
I know they have a lot of great young coaches in the English system, but they didn’t feel at that time that Lee Carsley was ready. We just have to be careful in England and Ireland that we try and promote as much as we can. What’s the point in doing the best you can on these courses if you’re not given an opportunity?
It’s about getting the opportunity at clubs first, but unfortunately they seem to be going down the road of hiring a lot of foreign managers. Of course, if they’re good enough then I have no problem with that. But if you’re going to do your coaching courses then all you want to do is have a have a fair crack of the whip like everybody else.
Just because you don’t have a foreign name, it doesn’t mean that you don’t play attractive football. I was lucky enough that with Maccabi last year, we played really good, attacking football with a style of play similar to Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. There are definitely young coaches out there just starting out who have got the ability to do it, and the experience because of their playing careers.
Ready to step back into coaching
I’m definitely getting the itch now to get back into management, and I’m looking forward to getting back on the grass again, which is something I absolutely love.
My plan is to just wait for the right opportunity. I had a few offers, but they didn’t seem to be right at at that time. Hopefully it comes sooner rather than later.
I’m open to managing abroad or in England. I’m quite flexible. I enjoyed working abroad and I think you learn a lot about yourself. You learn different cultures and different personalities, and I’d be very open to going abroad again.
It has to be the right team with the right environment and the right owners. Sir Alex Ferguson said to me: “Don’t pick the club, pick the owner.”
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