In the UK, and very possibly elsewhere in the world, there is a saying that goes, 'a week is a long time in politics'. Well in football it's a lifetime. In fact five minutes can change your entire world. After all it only takes a second to score a goal.
At Fratton Park, home of Portsmouth this weekend, beleaguered manager Tony Adams must have thought he had saved his skin when with only five minutes left his Pompey team were leading Liverpool 2-1. How wrong any premature feelings of relief proved to be when Liverpoool's Dirk Kuyt was picked out by Fernando Torres, before creating half a yard and shot wide of David James in the Portsmouth goal to make it 2-2.
As if that wasn't painful enough, Liverpool grabbed a winner with seconds remaining when Yossi Benayoun's cross was put away by Torres to win the match. Tony Adams has no doubt seen it all before in his long and impressive playing career with Arsenal, England, and his management career to date.
Back at his first managerial role at Wycombe Wanderers, he only won 12 out of 53 games, losing 20 before leaving the club. Since succeeding Harry Redknapp, never an easy thing to do, he won only two out of his 16 in charge at Portsmouth. In fact this defeat was the seventh out of the last eight games. In that time last season's FA Cup winners have been knocked out of the same cup, and slipped to just one point above the relegation slot.
Something had to give and today the club announced that Tony had been sacked. That last five minutes could have been so different. Football can be so very cruel. This set of circumstances proved once and for all that 'if' is indeed the biggest word in any sporting dictionary.
There seems to be two candidates for the Portsmouth hot seat. Firstly there is the favourite ex-West Ham United manager Alan Curbishley. Also in the running is ex-Chelsea boss Avram Grant, and some newspapers are mentioning ex-SS Lazio, England, and Manchester City manager Sven Goran Eriksson. Meanwhile Paul Hart takes temporary charge of the team.
Elsewhere in the Premiership Manchester United won 1-0 again, this time at West Ham United to stay top, two points ahead of Liverpool. Their goal came from a glorious effort by the evergreen Ryan Giggs. Picked out by another United legend, Paul Scholes, who drilled a long pass out to the left touchline where Giggs was lurking, the winger cut inside, skipped past two challenges, and threaded his shot into the West Ham net.
Article comments
1 - Dr Dreadful
Aston Villa are showing no signs of wobbling but I wouldn't put money on them for the title, at least not this year. Still, it's looking likely that they'll crash the Big Four party, which is always a welcome happening!
Arsenal look like they might miss out on the Champions' League next season (unless they win it this!), although they should remain hopeful of catching Chelsea. It remains to be seen if Hiddink (assuming Abramovich gets his man) can turn things around at Stagnant Bridge.
Next manager for the chop? Hiddink in three games' time if he hasn't won :-) or Gareth Southgate at 'Boro, who are circling the bowl rather picturesquely of late.