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- See magazines condensed to their 70-71 content !!

January 2002

'Close Up: Jamie Redknapp'

Sky One. First broadcast 27/01/2002

Bob Rating: B

The second in the series of four documentaries about top footballers was on Bob's 70-71 Pages Next Generation star, Jamie Redknapp.

The first programme had kicked off the previous week with Michael Owen. This week, by complete contrast, the subject was a Liverpool and England player whose father had been a professional footballer himself... Er ...

In fact, Michael was even one of the players interviewed to take part in the programme, which will have handily cut down production costs, but to be fair the programme did stand up in its own right, as the focus was on Jamie's recovery from injury. But the most interesting new angle was the inclusion of Jamie's Mrs, Louise. The couple came across as well matched - good looking, ambitious, big media names in the UK, yet nice people underneath it all.

'Jamie was not just good, but very good at his chosen sport'

'Arry, Jamie's Dad, was there explaining how he'd kept his son from going to school behind his mother's back. Had Jamie not turned out to be an International level footballing superstar, this may have led to a visit from the Social Services.

Uncle Frank (Lampard) was in a shot or two. But the main footballing C.V.references came from his first manager, Graeme Souness (Tottenham Hotspur), who was positively gushing with enthusiasm for his young prodigy.

In Jamie's early years he was with his Dad in the USA. Harry listed some of the stars he played alongside - Bobby Moore, Franz Beckenbauer, Pelé, Alan Hudson, are a few that come to mind. Jamie was natrually sporting, and had the family remained there, he will doubtless have been lost to an American sport. Even his accent at this time was American.

As it was soccer took precedence, and soon it became clear that Jamie was not just good, but very good at his chosen sport. Initially he stayed with his father's side at Bournemouth, to ensure he got first team football, but by the age of 17 it was becoming clearer that Liverpool really wanted him, and not just as a squad player, so he moved.

To start with he moved in with one of Souness's friends, who accomodated Jamie by making him a golf course in his back garden ! After which Jamie spent a year in digs near Anfield, Liverpool's ground, eating off spagetti bolognaise.

Jamie settled well into his chosen club, and now eleven years on, he is Liverpool's longest serving player.

'Jamie may never play International football again. It's a horrible reality to face'

Once again a criticism of the programme is that it was all very pro-Jamie. Only Louise had a bad word to say, but even this was suger-coated in loving care, as she offered how hard it was to live with a footballer unable to play football due to his unfortunate injury. I imagine the strength of their relationship has had a lot to do with Jamie succeeding in making a comeback.

One of the more touching football moments was seeing Jamie lift the FA Cup for Liverpool last season, even though he had not participated in the game itself. The Liverpool team wanted to recognise his incredible efforts and personal drive for fitness following his knee operation.

As Jamie's personal trainer pointed out, Jamie was lucky to have the cameras there to show this frustrating side of football the fans do not normally get to see, and had Jamie been a Third Division journeyman, we still wouldn't be seeing it. What the programme did not make as much of is the fact that Jamie may never play International football again. It's a horrible reality to face.

That'll be it for Next Generation Stars for this series, but currently I'm penning a letter claiming to be my son, in which I ask the producers to feature Frank Lampard (junior) in the next one ! Although my first choice would be Darren Currie if only in the hope it will feature a few of his Uncle Tony's goals amongst the library footage...


'Close Up: Michael Owen'

Sky One. First broadcast 20/01/2002

Bob Rating: B

The first in a seires of four documentaries about top footballers kicked off with Michael Owen - Terry Owen's son (Bradford City). And what a nice bloke he is ! He really is just yer average millionaire World -Class footballing 21 year old...

Although the cameras attempted to get a true picture of Michael's life, one couldn't help but feel, that ultimately Michael bottled out. So scared of the tabloid exposure it would doubtless cause, we didn't see him drunk on a night out, or even a picture of him holding hands with his long-term girlfriend. Is he a man or not ?????

Instead, we see his mate's bum (thankfully fuzzed out) and lots of old bores saying what a sensible young man he is. Yeah right. I reckon he was born aged 52, what other bloke of his age relaxes by playing golf, for goodness sake.

Personally, I don't really believe the hype, I'm sure he lives a real life just like any other man his age, but he wasn't going to ruin his fun by having a camera crew there with him.

In terms of Bob's 70-71 Pages, we saw comments from a family friend, Steve Heighway (Liverpool), who was also Michael's coach when he was with Liverpool youth. We briefly saw Michael's dad living it up at the Races. But the highlight of the programme for me (this just shows how sad I am) was when Michael walked through the corridors of Chester City keenly looking out for pictures of his father when he was a player. (Terry was there between 1972-1977,and it was the club he played the most games for.) He found him in a team picture, too, and I was shouting 'there he is, there he is !'

The programme did have the usual pointless padding - comments by Sporty Spice and Michael Parkinson, for instance. And as pointed out by reviewers, this was a 'fan's-eye view', there wasn't a word of criticism in sight. But hell, anyone who can buy his whole family an entire street to live in, can probably bribe a camera crew to drop, say, that shot of Michael phoning the Masterful Suzy chat line - or whatever ...

In truth I rather warmed to him. When his mate took the micky out of his lack of interesting life, young Michael laughed out loud. He probably laughs all the way to the bank, too. What a great footballing talent Michael is, everyone who follows the England team, will hope he saves his drunken craziness till after his international career. Our country's fortunes have suffered from one Gazza, nobody really wants another ...

'100 Greatest Sporting Moments'

Channel 4. First Broadcast 19 and 26 January 2002

Bob Rating: BBB

I always think there is nothing that shows to you more how boring your life has become, than watching those programmes that compile meaningless top tens / 100s. Top Ten Punk Bands, Top Ten Glam Rockers, Top 100 Splatter Movies - that sort of thing.

It is kind of saying ... do you remember when you were living your life, rather than watching the essence of it being catagorised into Top Tens ?

And just to rub salt in the wounds, they are all shown on Saturday night, the night you would never have been at home watching telly in your youth.

But the Top 100 Greatest Sporting Moments, was actually worth cancelling your Saturday night-out for ... in fact, TWO Saturday nights-out for.

Based on votes cast by Channel 4 viewers and website visitors the list was packed with 70-71 Football Fun. Any regular visitors to the site will know I can twist any footballing event into having 70-71 relevence, so rather than do that, here's the full list of footballing moments.

Bob 70-71 highlights have to be 1) the Mexico World Cup double at numbers 41 and 36, which are from June 1970, just weeks before the beginning of the legendary 1970-71 season, and 2) George Best's six, placed at no.26, which happened in February 1970.

For the full list see C4 - 100 Greatest Sporting Moments

'1966 and All That: My Autobiography' Geoff Hurst with Michael Hart

Headline, London 2001. Advertised at 18 pounds 99 pence, but shop around and you'll see it for less.

Bob Rating: BBB

'...mostly the book is a meaty run through of his spectacular footballing career, and beyond...'

As the reviewing cliché goes, if you only read one autobiography of a Bob 1970-71 Footballer this week, make sure it's this one. But start another one next week, of course. Ah I forget, other people actually do have a life ...

I have to praise this book. Geoff's footballing career is so fascinating and Micheal Hart's interpretation of Geoff's words, so clear, that I couldn't put the book down (or hurt its feelings in any way ho,ho). All right, so there's no scandal or saucy revalations. The closest we get to that is Geoff's stories of the time Alan Hudson lived with his family in Stoke, but mostly the book is a meaty run through of his spectacular footballing career, and beyond.

'There's no 'I'm Not Spock' denials'

There is plenty for the nerd (such as me) to get his/her teeth into, a season by season run through of his time as a footballer, lingering on the main matches in his career. Did you know, for instance, that he once scored three goals in a World Cup Final ? Actually, I rather like his attitude towards this event in his life. There's no 'I'm Not Spock' denials about how it's affected other people's perception of him. He accepts he happened to score the most famous hatrick in English football, and accepts this is going to make everyone who meets him for the first time curious. He acknowleges it with modest gratefullness, and does his best to supress his irritation towards the inevitable comments.

The 70-71 season unsurprisingly is pretty much brushed over, as it was such a terrible one for West Ham United. They finished 20th in the League, yet he personally still got 15 goals. Not bad at a time when defensive football was rife and goals were harder to come by than nowadays.

But in the summer of 1970 at Mexico, was one of the best World Cup Final tournements to date, and Geoff's account of it is one of the highlights of the book . Geoff blames Peter Bonetti for England's lack of progression from the quarter-final stage, which is a bit harsh. He reckons Peter's mind was on family matters !

'...his best, worst, first, and last internationals were all against West Germany...'

As Geoff points out his best, worst, first, and last internationals were all against West Germany. The best obviously being the World Cup hatrick, the worst being the 1970 Finals. His account of his debut and final England match, gives us an interesting take on Sir Alf Ramsey's managerialship of England.

On the '66 Final, Geoff obviously talks on his selection ahead of Jimmy Greaves. It seems the team have all talked about it since, and Alan Ball reckons it was he who was the last minute replacement for Jimmy not, Geoff ! Could be true, I guess.

Other highlights: - his grouping with Bobby Moore and Martin Peters, his time at Stoke and Chelsea (as manager), and his life after his football career. Sir Geoff talks with some pride at excelling in a second career in Insurance, and good luck to him

So thanks Geoff, this was a treat. They thought the review was over ... and it is.


'FourFourTwo' February 2002 No.90

Bob Rating: BBB

This month, for no clearly defined reason, it is a 'Special Collectors' Edition', by which it means that for anyone silly enough to do so, it is possible to by three different front covers. Natrually, Bob's 70-71 Pages bought just the one, and selected that adorned by Terry Owen's (Bradford City) son, Michael Owen. Ruud van Nistelrooy and Alessandro Del Piero being the cover stars of the other editions. Wot no Leeds United choice ?

• Micheal Owen's edition advertises an exclusive interview in which the lowdown is given on every one of his 14 goals for England. It's great stuff. He manages to criticise his classic goal v Argentina in the '98 World Cup - one of England's most famous goals.
  Michael says,'why did I hit it to that corner ? There's a big gap at the near post.' Yeah, that's right Michael, get a grip! I know how I would have played it ... I would have hoofed it to the throw-in side of the corner flag, along with the several thousand other less talented players, no doubt ...

• Brian Clough (Derby County manager) once again has his name on the cover advetising his regular column. The problem of being a monthly is highlighted again as I read about Brian's views on Man U's decline, theday after their 6th successive League win... Brian urges Sir Fergie to share all the bottles of whisky he's won. Brian says ' he certainly didn't pour me generous measures !'. I think he was joking.

• Don Givens (Luton Town) is the magazine's 30th subject of the 'Adidas Golden Boot' review. Don won the boot in 1972-3 season when he scored 23 goals with Queens Park Rangers. Don is still the coach of the Irish Under 21 team.

• World Cup Classics no.3 - this month is Archie Gemmill's (Preston NE) classic for Scotland versus the Netherlands in Argentina 1978. This is how it is described ...
  
  After defeat by Peru and a humiliating 1-1 draw with Iran, Scotland need to beat Holland by three goals to progress to the second phase. When Rob Rensenbrink gives the Dutch a 35th minute lead, it doesn't look likely. But either side of half time Kenny Dalglish and Archie Gemmill put Scotland 2-1 up. Then with 68 minutes gone, Gemmill collects the ball outside the Dutch area, skips past Wim Jansen, knocks the ball under Jan Poortvliet and nutmegs Rui Krol before curling a perfect left footed shot beyond Jan Jongbloed. For three minutes, the Scots have hope. Then Johnny Rep scores from 30 yards.
  
  Ah yes, I remember it well...

• Sven-Göran Eriksson (Karlskoga) is nearly featured in a double page spread advert. In the Schwepps campaign, which has famous people supposedly photographed candidly, Sven-Göran is seen in the bathroom. with perfect shirt and tie, but without his trousers on. His underpants are bold Union Jack, of course. We're reassured the people are actually lookalikes, but whoever this is, he's an excellent ringer...
  
  

• And finally, Sir Geoff Hurst is featured in the 'My Perfect XI' feature in which a top star chooses their perfect 11. Natrually he's heavily leaned on the 60s and 70's era for his choices. In brief his team is: Gordon Banks, Carlos Alberto, Bobby Moore, Franz Beckenbauer, Ray Wilson, Bobby Charlton, Johan Cruyff, Duncan Edwards, George Best, Eusebio, Pelé, subs. Lev Yashin, Franco Baresi, Steven Gerrard, Ferenc Puskas and Alfredo di Stefano. His XI shared 7 players with Rodney Marsh, last month !

For further January 2002 news see ...

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