Danny Caro's blog



Authorities right to take action

By Danny Caro, September 4, 2009

Over the years, I have been critical about the way that football authorities have wimped out of making tough decisions.

Up until now, Uefa has been weak in its punishment of racism and antisemitism in football.

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The good, the bad and the utterly ridiculous

By Danny Caro, August 18, 2009

The last few days have featured some dramatic events on the field of play.

The good - the new 100 metres record by Jamaican wizard Usain Bolt was out of this world. The scary thing is that he never appears to be going flat out. I think it’s just a matter of time until he betters his 9.58.

The bad - Dean Richards and Tom ‘the winker’ Williams should hang their heads in shame. Rugby is meant to be the gentleman’s game. Theirs was the act of a coward. I’ve heard of clutching at straws but their desperate actions was the lowest of the low.

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The football world has lost a true gent

By Danny Caro, July 31, 2009

The football world has lost a dear friend and gentleman in Sir Bobby Robson.

I have wonderful memories of his best achievement on the international stage where he led England to the 1990 World Cup semi-final.

Not around to see the heroics of 66, I was kept on the edge of my seat as his team made hard work of getting out of a group.

Aged 18, my heart was pulled this way by a team in which Gary Lineker made his name.

It ended with tears from Gazza and yours truly after a penalty shootout defeat against Germany.

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Democracy. Take it or leave it.

By Danny Caro, July 30, 2009

Whilst living in a democracy has many advantages, there are many things that are still wrong with this country.

For one reason or another, we have fallen into recession and I think it is only fair to say that bankers and the money men must taken their share of the blame.

Then there are the weather forecasters. I am not saying that their job is easy but either it is going to rain or it isn’t. Either it’s going to be windy or there might be a light breeze. But how wrong they have been in recent weeks?

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So near but yet so far

By Danny Caro, July 24, 2009

The dramatic scenes at the end of the Open football and rugby finals are what makes the world of sport so special.

Who would have thought that Team GB would lose both matches? After the defeat against France, Jonathan Kestenbaum’s men kept stepping up a gear and the difference between gold and silver came down to the pressure-cooker atmosphere of a penalty shootout.

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An ode to Team GB and a song for the British Zions

By Danny Caro, July 22, 2009

An ode to Team GB

It's coming home
It's coming home
It's coming
Maccabiah's coming home
(x4)

JK (Jonathan Kestenbaum) seems to know the score
He's seen it all before
He just knows
He's so sure

That GB's gonna
Throw it away
Gonna blow it away
But I know they can play
Cos' I remember

Three lions on the shirt
Maccabiah's still gleaming
40 Years of hurt
Never stoppped me dreaming

So many jokes, so many jeers
But all those oh so nears
Wear you down
Through the years

But I still see that
Tackle by Craig
And when Hakim scored
Sloma belting the ball

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Back with a bang...

By Danny Caro, July 17, 2009

I know that football is a funny old game but saw the same GB Open football team go from the ridiculous to the sublime within the space of two days.

A poor display against France was followed by a top-class performance against the boys from Brazil of all teams.

It made me feel proud to be British as I know that this is how the team can play.

I still feel justified in my criticism of the same group following the France game but now the smile is back on the face of the players, the management and me. I could not be happier for everyone involved.

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Stumped...

By Danny Caro, July 17, 2009

I thought that trying to explain the offside rule to my wife was hard but that is nothing compared to explaining the rules of cricket to my Israeli cab driver.

I mean how do you explain LBW and the different ways of getting out?

I tried hand gestures but he looked stumped!

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Now we must go for broke

By Danny Caro, July 16, 2009

Going into the Open football competition, so much was expected from a talented squad but they appear to be playing well within themselves and with the handbrake on. It appears that something is not right.

Now we are in dire straits and knowing that desperate times call for desperate measures, I urge the management to pull out all the stops and play their strongest possible starting XI.

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Postcard from Lod

By Danny Caro, July 14, 2009

Do not enter. That is the sign I was expecting to see after hearing some unfavourable reports about Lod – the venue for Team GB’s Open Cricket match against South Africa.

The drugs capital of Israel, as described by my driver Ami, who reminds me of Mr T, is somewhere one should try to avoid. Ami is no weakling. He regularly lifts heavy weights and is built like a brickhouse. He has given me plenty of sound advice since I arrived to cover the Maccabiah, so when he talks, I listen.

The fact that he was less than enthusiastic about taking me there said everything I needed to know.

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Let the games begin

By Danny Caro, July 13, 2009

So the big day is finally upon us. The 18th Maccabiah Games Chai started today, although some competitors find it strange that the Opening Ceremony takes place 24 hours later.

My whistlestop tour included a one-hour shlep up to Haifa to see the GB Open Ladies Football play Australia. There is nothing better than a bit of competitive banter although Tanya Willman was not best pleased when one of the parents of an Australian player told her to "go home you dirty girl." Whatever happened to Maccabiah spirit?

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Maccabiah fever

By Danny Caro, July 10, 2009

Can anyone tell me if four hours, five minutes from Heathrow to Ben Gurion Airport is a world record? That is how long it took my El Al flight to take me to the Promise Land ahead of the Maccabiah Games.

The airport was rocking with Maccabiah fever but with no time for jet-lag, I continued my journey with a cab ride to the Wingate Institute in Netanya to interview World Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton.

It’s not every day one interviews a legend and credit to the Manchester United man who braved scorching temperatures to stand and deliver hundreds of autographs to the local kids.

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Avram’s still unique

By Danny Caro, May 7, 2009

Avram Grant. Remember him? Still the only man to take Chelsea to a Champions League final.

While referee Tom Ovrebo has been struck off the Christmas card list of every Chelsea supporter, the conduct of German captain Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba, who was off the pitch having been substituted, must be punished by Uefa.

Two of the most high-profile players in the Premier League lost their cool, chasing the match official to protest and vent their anger at several decisions they felt he had got wrong.

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Broiges with Barnet council

By Danny Caro, March 27, 2009

Barnet council have a lot to answer for after a second Jewish-owned shop was forced to close due to the ongoing road repairs along Station Road in Edgware.

First, Completely Kids, the clothes store, pulled down the curtain as the shop-front was impossible to see with the ugly roadside barriers and machinery turning the street into a real eye-sore.

After pressure from the owner’s partner, the site foreman agreed to lower the height of the barriers but it was not enough as business dried up.

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Right to reverse Big Brad decision

By Danny Caro, March 25, 2009

It’s not often that authorities receive praise so I would like to take this opportunity to say well done to the Premier League for overturning Brad Friedel’s red card against Liverpool.

As a member of the goalkeeper’s union, and a Liverpool fan, I couldn’t believe it when Martin Atkinson dismissed the American stopper after the clash that saw Fernando Torres tumble to the ground and set up Steven Gerrard for a penalty to complete his hat-trick.

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Time to put Jade in the shade

By Danny Caro, March 3, 2009

I don’t want to sound callous or cold-hearted but have had enough of the coverage of Jade Goody’s battle against cancer.

Don’t get me wrong, I feel for the poor girl but I know many people who have been affected by the illness.

The media coverage of her brave fight has been applauded for making the public aware, but at the end of the day, Jade is one of millions of women in this unfortunate position.

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Yoss is boss

By Danny Caro, February 27, 2009

After a turbulent week for Israeli sport, how refreshing was it to see Yossi Benayoun on the front and backpages of virtually every national newspaper after scoring a crucial Champions League winner for Liverpool in Madrid?

With all eyes on manager Rafa Benitez, whose future remains in doubt over a contract wrangle, injured captain Steve Gerrard, on the bench, and star striker Fernando Torres, hobbling around on one leg for an hour, the Israel captain found the perfect moment to grab the headlines with a rare headed goal.

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Now who's in demand?

By Danny Caro, February 9, 2009

On June 2 last year, I was probably just about the only person who said that Avram Grant would be a tough act to follow after he was sacked as manager of Chelsea, and how right I was.

Many Chelsea fans believed that the grass would be greener under Luiz Felipe Scolari but I wasn’t so sure. He might have led Brazil to the 2008 World Cup but club football is a completely different kettle of fish.

Avram who was the headline when Grant took over at Chelsea but it appears that he’s had the last laugh.

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Blink and you’ll miss it. I wish I did!

By Danny Caro, February 5, 2009

I've never been a big fan of ITV's football coverage, well, maybe the Champions League final 2005 apart, but last night's blooper was the mother of all embarrassments.

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In Rafa we trusted, but now I’m losing faith …. rapidly ….

By Danny Caro, January 29, 2009

On January 16 I posted a blog advising Liverpool’s owners to get Rafa Benitez’s new contract agreed as quickly as possible. As per last season, it has been a very frustrating month for us Liverpool fans and the uncertainty over his and the future of several other key players has seen the team slip off the pace.

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