Take Note UEFA & Take A Stance!

Once again racism within sport has come to forefront on both sides of the Atlantic, with one league taking an immediate strong stance by banning LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life and fining him $2.5 million. Not that it was right on any level, but Mr Sterling could feel a bit hard done by as he thought he was talking in a private conversation before having his thoughts blasted out across the world. Compared to European football's publicly racist actions evident for the whole world to see.

This strong stance by the NBA seems impossible for UEFA to replicate, whether its standing up to national leagues, clubs, managers or players. The entire NBA bullied Donald Sterling out of the league, from his own players and fans standing up against his remarks. The thought of a European football team doing that would never happen, due to the ludicrous nature of UEFA's disciplinary code and the risk of being punished for standing up to racism. Just ask Nicklas Bendtner who was fined £80,000 for flashing a betting companies name on his underwear when scoring a goal at Euro 2012. That is £15,000 more than Serbia were fined for the racist behaviour of their under 21 team and fans in a game against England where the English players were the bullied on that occasion. This weeks flash point within Europe came when Barcelona Defender Dani Alves had a banana thrown at him, which he consequently took a bite out of and got on with the game (one of the only actions of his that I've respected).

The Villarreal fan has since been banned for life by the club and arrested by the Spanish police. The football world has also jumped on the twitter bandwagon by taking a picture of themselves posing with a banana. But is this just to get followers for their own twitter accounts or an actual effort to eradicate racism from the game. UEFA's record of dishing out fines of pitiful amounts need to take notes off NBA commissioner Adam Silver who fined Sterling the maximum amount allowed under the NBA rules. If this continues the Dani Alves incident will once again just be another case of racism that has been swept under the carpet until something much worse occurs due to a racist fan or organisation. 

Winning With Class, Losing Without

Was Saturday 19th April the day the title shifted it's way to Anfield? Or perhaps we should wait a day for that to be confirmed at Carrow Road? Either way it looks likely that Liverpool and potentially more deservingly Steven Gerrard will be lifting the Premier League trophy on May 11th.
Chelsea's latest slip up at home to Sunderland today has not only given the North East club a boost in their survival hopes, but ended the seemingly never ending juggernaut of a home record for José Mourinho. But what is perhaps more surprising is the way that Chelsea, seasoned winners on both at home and in Europe have reacted through out the season when the going has got tough. The way Chelsea players hunt down the referee for every bad decision led on pitch by John Terry and backed up post game by Mourinho shows a lack of class that José was once known for during his first spell in England.
Whether this is down to the lack of belief the Portuguese manager has placed on his team, publicly claiming that they cannot win the league. Which has led to each player fighting for every decision to go their way to prove him wrong? Or that Chelsea believe that decisions should go their way because 'The Special One' is watching and a sarcastic interview will follow if it goes the other way?
Shift 200 miles north up the country and the way Liverpool have conducted themselves this season has been perhaps Anti-Liverpool of previous years. Luis Suarez has made all his headlines with his goals and feet (despite the odd occasion where they seem to disappear from underneath him). With a manager placing belief back into players who may have never felt that the title could be heading their way. 
Another plus for the England fan watching this title race unfold is seeing how an English spine is helping Liverpool sit at the top of the league in a World Cup year. Daniel Sturridge, Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling may have produced performances that will get them a trip to Brazil this summer along with captain Steven Gerrard. But Liverpool's faith in John Flanagan has also been a joy to observe over the year, with him on the fringes to break into the full side for the Euro 2016 campaign.
I didn't think I'd be saying a Liverpool side would be winning the league and especially not with any class this season (especially containing Luis Suarez). But the way the cards have fallen this campaign it shouldn't surprise anyone. What it also produces is a fascinating summer and 2014/15 season, with a few managers at top teams finding their feet when entering 2nd campaigns at their respective clubs (sacking pending). Liverpool as potential defending champions having the added distraction of European football on their minds as well as having to rebuild one their England players ego from missing a penalty in a World Cup knock out match- some things still don't change!

Mourinho's men losing the league without class