Doubts over whether Sam's the man to lead West Ham when they take Olympic Stadium, Rooney keeping United sweating on new deal and Spurs want Saints starlet Shaw
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The pressure that has started to
mount on Sam Allardyce eased a little at the Boleyn Ground as West Ham
beat Fulham 3-0 to surely bring to an end Martin Jol's reign at Craven
Cottage.
But Allardyce is no longer as fireproof as he was in the summer, when the club gave him a new contract following immediate promotion back to the Premier League after his appointment and a top ten finish last season.
Publicly the club's complex board have dismissed any notion that Allardyce's position has come under any threat.
There has, however, been some scrutiny
and questions asked about whether Allardyce can take the club to the
next level required as the club looks ahead to its move to the Olympic
Stadium.
Suddenly avoiding relegation has become the priority. That wasn't part of the plan.
And while the prolonged absence of record signing Andy Carroll has been a big factor in West Ham's dour form this season, the lack of options upfront has suddenly put the spotlight on Allardyce's activity in the transfer market.
After nervously hanging on to a one-goal lead the Hammers suddenly sparked into life when Carlton Cole and Ravel Morrison came off the bench and inspired a late adrenalin rush that relieved many angst-ridden Hammers fans - some of whom have started to turn on Allardyce.
But West Ham go straight back into the bear pit when they visit Crystal Palace on Tuesday for another six-pointer.
A big factor in Allardyce's favour is that despite their reputations owners David Sullivan and David Gold tend to be patient with their managers and there is no obvious candidate to succeed Big Sam, who would also command a substantial pay off.
But the next four weeks could still prove to be make or break for Allardyce at West Ham.
..........................................................
#justsaying
Last season Carlton Cole became the butt of jokes amongst many West ham fans. For some it was a relief he was allowed to leave when his contract expired.
Yet West Ham's striker crisis meant he returned to the club on a new deal. And with every game He HASN'T played this season he has become a better player.
So when he came off the bench he got a hero's welcome. And within a few minutes his name was being sung to the Spandau Ballet tune Gold as he hit the back of the net to set up a knees up finale by The Irons.
With typical east London wit, a fan in the West Stand quipped: 'A comet passes the the earth... Then Carlton Cole scores!'
.................................................
Wayne Rooney is keeping Manchester United sweating over a signing a new deal.
Rooney is still considering the option of running down his current contract, which has 18 months to go, and then be in the position to bank a massive signing on fee and big wages elsewhere - possibly abroad.
Grapevine revealed in October that despite having rediscovered his form and fondness for the club after relations became strained during Sir Alex Ferguson's final season, Rooney - who according to Fergie wanted to leave in the summer - would still play hardball over a new contract.
Ideally he wanted a new five-year-deal which would cost the club around £68million.
Within a few weeks reports emanated from United that the club were now prepared to keep him in the £250,000-a-week bracket but only for four years.
The club had hoped Rooney would sign by now.
But the players and his advisers have yet to make a commitment.
A source told Grapevine: 'Rooney is no rush. He doesn't need to be. There is a possibility he could sit tight and let his contract run down.
'His people know how much he could be worth as a free agent'
Jermain Defoe has put his place in England's World Cup squad in jeopardy by agreeing to join Toronto in the MLS.
But Defoe could satisfy Roy Hodgson's concerns if Defoe works out a loan deal until the MLS season starts in March.
The move would mean West Ham - who wanted to buy Defoe in the January transfer window - could have him for what will prove two vital months in their bid to pull away from the relation zone.
It may well suit the Hammers who would then still have the £6m fee allocated to buy Defoe.
In turn Hodgson could then be satisfied that Defoe was still in the right shape and view just a couple of months in the MLS ahead of England's final World Cup preparations as perhaps a blessing.
Hodgson recently admitted that had Frank Lampard joined LA Galaxy last summer he would probably have dropped out of his World Cup plans.
West Ham have drawn up a long list of targets to bolster their woeful strike force.
And Chelsea's Demba Ba and Tottenham's Emmanuel Adebayor are also possibilities as loan deals.
Luke Shaw is a target for Tottenham
Spurs, who have several big names strikers on their January shopping list, also want a left back.
Real Madrid's Fabio Coentrao is preferred choice of manager Andre Villas-Boas but if that deal doesn't come then the club would move for the 18-year-old, who is also on the radar of Manchester United.
That is, if they can't secure the signing of Leighton Baines, who they are still pursuing even tough Everton again insisted this weekend the England international won't be allowed to leave in January.
Southampton would want at least £10m for Shaw.
Just who Spurs chase the hardest may well reveal much as to who has the bigger sway in transfer policy at Spurs - AVB or football director Franco Baldini, who reports directly to chairman Daniel Levy.
It is believed Baldini would favour Shaw as he attempts to pursue Levy's preferred policy of buying in the best young British talent available, as clubs start to align to requirements that will come in under UEFA Financial Fair play regulations.
But while Baldini's role is long-term, AVB's priorities are, as it appears at the moment, much shorter term.
The pressure has started to mount - as first revealed in Grapevine two weeks ago - after Tottenham's impressive early start in the Premier League lost some momentum, culminating in last weeks 6-0 humiliation at Manchester City.
Spurs spent £107m on new players in the summer but while AVB will point out that with the Gareth Bale money and other sales Spurs were in net profit, questions have started to be asked about some of the new faces.
FIFA will block any attempt to extend the uses of technology beyond goal-line calls
The goal line Hawk-Eye system has been introduced seamlessly into the Premier League this season.
As many feared that has lead to quick called from some in the game to extend 'RoboRefs' to decisions in the penalty area or even all over the field for contentious or close calls.
Former Ref Mark Halsey - now a pundit for BT Sport - has been vocal in favour on that front. Former England boss Terry Venables is in favour too.
But FIFA president Sepp Blatter and his possible successor, UEFA supremo Michel Platini, will not budge on that front.
But after years of opposition FIFA did agreed to goal-line technology to be used at the World Cup next summer.
And with an unsurprising twist of irony for those who still favour Russian linesman types, the company that is providing the equipment for FIFA is... German.
Mon: AVB goes all OMG and admits Tottenham’s 6-0 defeat at Man City was an embarrassment. That Spurs players then complained about the frank assessment was even more embarrassing. But if Tottenham’s players are mentally that fragile then it doesn’t augur well for Andre Villas-Boas’s position.
Tues: Jack Wilshere produces another commanding display as Arsenal put themselves in poll position to qualify from their Champions League 'Group of Death', proving he is a world class midfielder in waiting. Time for Jack to start proving it with England.
Wed: Man United produce their biggest away triumph in Europe since the 50s as they thump Bayer Leverkusen 5-0. It was as if it was a eulogy to one of the Munich disaster survivors and European Cup winner of 1968 who passed away on Monday aged 81. Bill Foulkes, RIP.
Thurs: Serious allegations of match-fixing emerge, which proves English football is not immune to the disease.
Fri: Mourinho claims Lukaku wanted to leave Chelsea to go on loan to Everton and tells the Belgium striker to 'come clean to the country'. No he didn’t. Lukaku wanted to be given a chance as Chelsea's lead striker. Jose doth protest too much.
I–bet
Surely David Moyes wasn’t serious when he said that at 40 Ryan Giggs is getting better.
But if he’s not joking, I thought it was just worth checking what the odds were for Giggs to carry on for another decade and surpass Sir Stanley Matthews, who played his top flight match of a career that started in 1932 at the age of 50 for Stoke City in 1965.
Traders at Paddy Power don’t see it happening, given they are offering 500-1 for Giggs to play in the Premier League after his 50th birthday. It’s worth a quid.
BTW
Referees' chief Mike Riley has made a rod for his own back by issuing a public apology to West Brom for a wrong decision made against them at Chelsea three weeks ago.
Although that could be a good thing, because it now puts Riley’s role as the refs supremo under sharp focus. About time too.
Now there would be nothing wrong with the referee concerned - Andre Marriner - having a quiet word with the Albion manager shortly after the game when, having seen replays, he then holds his hand up and admits he’s made an honest mistake.
Indeed, I gather he did - to Clarke’s assistant Kevin Keen who went to see Marriner half an hour after the final whistle.
The task then for Riley should have been to start looking at why there have been so many glaringly bad errors this season from the referees he is meant to manage.
The feedback Grapevine is hearing from officials is that they are not getting the right sort of support and coaching from Riley, who would rack up a rather large phone bill by going around saying sorry for every bad call.
I hear that many refs are going into games so scared of upsetting Riley’s directives and making silly mistakes they are actually making more.
Many would be delighted if Riley was shown the red card with Keith Hackett stepping back in to run the PGMOL for the rest of the season, before Howard Webb being appointed if he decides to retire at the end of this season.
FOTB
Not content with saying it’s not really worth watching the World Cup without him, Zlatan Ibrahimovic now boasts he is better than Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery rolled into one.
Despite being out of the running for the World Player of the the Year award, Zlatan said this week: 'I don't need the Ballon d'Or to know I'm the best. It matters more to some players.'
Maybe it does. But it’s time for the shy Sweden striker not just to put his foot on the ball but sit on it for a while and stop making stupid statements.
Libero
The FA have invited the public to offer their suggestions to the commission which has been set up to come up with solutions for what is so wrong with the English game.
Chairman Grey Dyke wants help to find answers as to why English football is not producing enough top players and why it is falling behind the rest of the world.
But is English football really rotten to the core? Are the grassroots scorched earth?
Not on the evidence of what I saw at Bromley FC on Tuesday night where Cray Wanderers beat Dulwich 5-1 in the Robert Dyas Cup.
Nowhere else in the world would you see a game of such good quality amid good facilities, between two teams who are down amongst the seventh tier of the English football pyramid.
Despite the myths you might hear it wasn’t all ‘ave it kick-and-rush. Far from it.
And there were some good young prospects out there…a few on loan from Football League clubs. Top tier managers and scouts can stop relying on agents or videos to pluck players from abroad.
Aside from the impressive technical level it was all played in a good spirit. There were no egos out there and no dissent to the referee.
Above all it was a good night’s entertainment for an admission price of £10.
Cray are the second old oldest club in England - Sheffield FC is the oldest - but currently they have to share with neighbours Bromley who play a tier above them.
Wanderers chairman Gary Hillman though has ambitious plans to build a new stadium for the club back at their home near St Mary and St Pauls Cray in Kent but is currently being frustrated by Bromley Council not granting planning permission.
Perhaps the FA commission should step in and add their weight of support.
Surely one of the best ways to help improve grassroots and development of 'local' English talent is to give more support to a club like Cray, who want to put football back at the heart of its local community.
Back Heel
In case you hadn’t noticed, Ryan Giggs turned 40 on Friday.
I last interviewed him at the World Cup finals in France in 1998. He wasn’t there playing of course but was doing some gigs for sponsors.
Eventually I asked him the obvious, and to him, annoying, question.
Did he not wish that instead of being in this hotel foyer in Paris he was with the England squad in St Etienne, preparing for the match against Argentina?
Giggs sighed: 'Can we put this one to rest once and for all. I wouldn’t have wanted to play for England even had I qualified. I am Welsh.
'I was born in Wales. All my relatives are Welsh. Under the rules the only country I could play for is Wales.
'Yes I’d love to play in a World Cup and hopefully I will with Wales one day. But it’s not the be all and end all for me. There are a lot of good players who haven’t played at a World Cup.'
Like George Best, who in many ways Giggs has surpassed as a Manchester United legend - certainly so in terms of longevity. Best’s United career was over by the age of 27.
Just to put the record straight, yes, Giggs DID play for England schoolboys because he went to school in Salford once he was on the books at United.
But such are the vagaries of FIFA’s current rules, it means a Belgian-born son of a Kosovan Albanian, United’s wannabe 'New Giggs', Adnan Januzaj, could qualify to play for England, but back then Ryan Giggs couldn’t.
It was never a debate. Never a choice. But neither does Giggs have any regrets on that front. And after all what a career it has been.
Below is a picture of Giggs making his first appearance at Old Trafford playing for Salford Boys against St Helens in 1989.
It is now 14 years since Ryan Giggs scored THAT goal against Arsenal in an FA Cup semi final replay which put United on the way to the Treble that season.
Ronaldo and Messi eat your heart out...
And now for a reminder of George Best’s top three goals...
Here is a look at Giggs career in numbers:
Premier League: 626 appearances (including 108 as substitute)
Division One: (pre-1992): 40 appearances (including seven as substitute)
FA Cup: 74 appearances (including 12 as substitute)
League Cup: 40 appearances (including six as substitute)
European Cup/Champions League: 148 appearances (including 23 as substitute)
European Cup Winners' Cup: 1 appearance
UEFA Cup: 5 appearances
Other matches (Charity/Community Shield, European Super Cup, Fifa Club World Cup): 19 appearances (including 3 as substitute)
He made his debut against Everton on 2 March 1991, coming off the bench to replace full-back Denis Irwin in a 2-0 defeat.
109 - Since scoring his first Premier League goal against Tottenham in a 1-1 draw on 19 September 1992, Giggs has gone on to hit the back of the net a further 108 times in the league. He has yet to score this season but has netted in every other year since the start of the Premier League.
34 - In Giggs's time at Manchester United, he has won 34 trophies (13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, two Champions Leagues, one European Super Cup, one Intercontinental Cup, one Fifa Club World Cup and nine Charity/Community Shields), making him the most decorated player in English football history.
This is what they have said about Ryan Giggs:
'I remember the first time I saw him. He was 13 and he floated across the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind.' - Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson
'He's an outstanding player and it's a privilege to be working with him on my staff. I've seen something different since I've come here - just how good he is, close up - and it's incredible.' - Manchester United manager David Moyes
'Only two players made me cry when watching football, one was Diego Maradona and the other Ryan Giggs.' - Italian World Cup winner Alessandro Del Piero
'Ryan Giggs for me is one of the best players in the world. Now maybe he is old but he is a fantastic player.' - Former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini
'Maybe one day people will say I was another Ryan Giggs.' - Manchester United legend George Best
'Eric Cantona is a great player, but he's not as good as Ryan Giggs.' - Dutch legend and three-time world player of the year Johan Cruyff
But Allardyce is no longer as fireproof as he was in the summer, when the club gave him a new contract following immediate promotion back to the Premier League after his appointment and a top ten finish last season.
Publicly the club's complex board have dismissed any notion that Allardyce's position has come under any threat.
Questions: Some people are wondering whether Sam
Allardyce is the right man for West Ham - they are planning a big
future as they look ahead to their Olympic Stadium move
Boost: Andy Carroll's return will be welcome and
the striker was back at West Ham on Saturday, pictured here after the
game with comedian Russell Brand
More from Rob Shepherd...
- THE FOOTBALL GRAPEVINE: Ronaldo's United move isn't dead yet, Benteke could be the answer to Arsene's problem, and Balotelli and Mourinho might be reunited 23/11/13
- THE FOOTBALL GRAPEVINE: Terry must take a pay-cut to stay a Blue... Messi to City (it's not as crazy as it sounds)... Kagawa to end United misery... and which Spurs legend tops the list if AVB fails to crack the top four? 16/11/13
- THE FOOTBALL GRAPEVINE: Barca poised as Jose loses patience with Luiz... Hart could revive career as Buffon's replacement... Spurs eye incredible Hulk signing and will Big Sam pay the price? 09/11/13
- THE FOOTBALL GRAPEVINE: Chelsea to make Lewandowski swoop, Arsenal scouts watch Benteke and Reid... but could Beckham really snap up Rio and Lampard for new MLS side? 02/11/13
- THE FOOTBALL GRAPEVINE: Rooney's £70m demands turned United off, Arsenal join Spurs in battle for Benteke, Benzema could be on his way to England... and who's the surprise new favourite as Palace boss? 26/10/13
- THE FOOTBALL GRAPEVINE: Zaha seeks a loan move from United to save his World Cup dream while Carroll hasn't given up on England either... but FA launch investigation into Hodgson's team talk leak 19/10/13
- THE FOOTBALL GRAPEVINE: Sol's spot on with FA whitewash... Ravel and Adnan set for big bucks... Townsend harks back to swaggering Laurie... how Hoddle's being primed for the England job... and Little Pea to Spurs? 12/10/13
- THE FOOTBALL GRAPEVINE: Bale could be caught in cross-fire of Spanish football's civil war... why would Januzaj choose England over Belgium... and has the Head and Shoulders curse struck Hart? 05/10/13
- VIEW FULL ARCHIVE
Suddenly avoiding relegation has become the priority. That wasn't part of the plan.
And while the prolonged absence of record signing Andy Carroll has been a big factor in West Ham's dour form this season, the lack of options upfront has suddenly put the spotlight on Allardyce's activity in the transfer market.
After nervously hanging on to a one-goal lead the Hammers suddenly sparked into life when Carlton Cole and Ravel Morrison came off the bench and inspired a late adrenalin rush that relieved many angst-ridden Hammers fans - some of whom have started to turn on Allardyce.
But West Ham go straight back into the bear pit when they visit Crystal Palace on Tuesday for another six-pointer.
A big factor in Allardyce's favour is that despite their reputations owners David Sullivan and David Gold tend to be patient with their managers and there is no obvious candidate to succeed Big Sam, who would also command a substantial pay off.
But the next four weeks could still prove to be make or break for Allardyce at West Ham.
..........................................................
#justsaying
Last season Carlton Cole became the butt of jokes amongst many West ham fans. For some it was a relief he was allowed to leave when his contract expired.
Yet West Ham's striker crisis meant he returned to the club on a new deal. And with every game He HASN'T played this season he has become a better player.
So when he came off the bench he got a hero's welcome. And within a few minutes his name was being sung to the Spandau Ballet tune Gold as he hit the back of the net to set up a knees up finale by The Irons.
With typical east London wit, a fan in the West Stand quipped: 'A comet passes the the earth... Then Carlton Cole scores!'
.................................................
Wayne Rooney is keeping Manchester United sweating over a signing a new deal.
Rooney is still considering the option of running down his current contract, which has 18 months to go, and then be in the position to bank a massive signing on fee and big wages elsewhere - possibly abroad.
Grapevine revealed in October that despite having rediscovered his form and fondness for the club after relations became strained during Sir Alex Ferguson's final season, Rooney - who according to Fergie wanted to leave in the summer - would still play hardball over a new contract.
Ideally he wanted a new five-year-deal which would cost the club around £68million.
Within a few weeks reports emanated from United that the club were now prepared to keep him in the £250,000-a-week bracket but only for four years.
The club had hoped Rooney would sign by now.
But the players and his advisers have yet to make a commitment.
A source told Grapevine: 'Rooney is no rush. He doesn't need to be. There is a possibility he could sit tight and let his contract run down.
'His people know how much he could be worth as a free agent'
Keeping them hanging: Wayne Rooney could let his contract run down and earn a huge signing-on fee
I am hearing...
That
Paulo Ferreira, who retired at Chelsea last summer, having turned down
several offers from Championship clubs (including Blackburn) could come
out of retirement.
The former Portugal international is considering some offers from clubs in Dubai and Qatar.
The former Portugal international is considering some offers from clubs in Dubai and Qatar.
But Defoe could satisfy Roy Hodgson's concerns if Defoe works out a loan deal until the MLS season starts in March.
The move would mean West Ham - who wanted to buy Defoe in the January transfer window - could have him for what will prove two vital months in their bid to pull away from the relation zone.
Eyes elsewhere: Jermain Defoe has agreed to move to Toronto in the MLS and it could cost him
I am also hearing...
On
learning that Teddy Sheringham has named his Essex home Camp Nou in
memory of his 1999 Champions League triumph over Bayern Munich in
Barcelona, Neil Ruddock who grew up at Millwall when Sheringham was the
star striker, is thinking of calling his house in Ashford The Den.
In turn Hodgson could then be satisfied that Defoe was still in the right shape and view just a couple of months in the MLS ahead of England's final World Cup preparations as perhaps a blessing.
Hodgson recently admitted that had Frank Lampard joined LA Galaxy last summer he would probably have dropped out of his World Cup plans.
West Ham have drawn up a long list of targets to bolster their woeful strike force.
And Chelsea's Demba Ba and Tottenham's Emmanuel Adebayor are also possibilities as loan deals.
Spurs, who have several big names strikers on their January shopping list, also want a left back.
Real Madrid's Fabio Coentrao is preferred choice of manager Andre Villas-Boas but if that deal doesn't come then the club would move for the 18-year-old, who is also on the radar of Manchester United.
That is, if they can't secure the signing of Leighton Baines, who they are still pursuing even tough Everton again insisted this weekend the England international won't be allowed to leave in January.
Southampton would want at least £10m for Shaw.
Impressive: Southampton youngster Luke Shaw (centre) has been turning heads
Another option: Andre Villas-Boas is more keen on signing Fabio Coentrao than Shaw
Just who Spurs chase the hardest may well reveal much as to who has the bigger sway in transfer policy at Spurs - AVB or football director Franco Baldini, who reports directly to chairman Daniel Levy.
It is believed Baldini would favour Shaw as he attempts to pursue Levy's preferred policy of buying in the best young British talent available, as clubs start to align to requirements that will come in under UEFA Financial Fair play regulations.
But while Baldini's role is long-term, AVB's priorities are, as it appears at the moment, much shorter term.
The pressure has started to mount - as first revealed in Grapevine two weeks ago - after Tottenham's impressive early start in the Premier League lost some momentum, culminating in last weeks 6-0 humiliation at Manchester City.
Spurs spent £107m on new players in the summer but while AVB will point out that with the Gareth Bale money and other sales Spurs were in net profit, questions have started to be asked about some of the new faces.
Who's the boss? AVB is having some of his summer signings put under heavy scrutiny
Y-factor
Why
is it that a red card can be overturned or a player can be a carpeted
on video replays but once a player has been given a yellow card no
further action can be taken, no matter how clear retrospective evidence
is?
The goal line Hawk-Eye system has been introduced seamlessly into the Premier League this season.
As many feared that has lead to quick called from some in the game to extend 'RoboRefs' to decisions in the penalty area or even all over the field for contentious or close calls.
Former Ref Mark Halsey - now a pundit for BT Sport - has been vocal in favour on that front. Former England boss Terry Venables is in favour too.
Where will it end? FIFA do not want to use technology beyond that which is already in place
But FIFA president Sepp Blatter and his possible successor, UEFA supremo Michel Platini, will not budge on that front.
But after years of opposition FIFA did agreed to goal-line technology to be used at the World Cup next summer.
And with an unsurprising twist of irony for those who still favour Russian linesman types, the company that is providing the equipment for FIFA is... German.
I-say
Mon: AVB goes all OMG and admits Tottenham’s 6-0 defeat at Man City was an embarrassment. That Spurs players then complained about the frank assessment was even more embarrassing. But if Tottenham’s players are mentally that fragile then it doesn’t augur well for Andre Villas-Boas’s position.
Tues: Jack Wilshere produces another commanding display as Arsenal put themselves in poll position to qualify from their Champions League 'Group of Death', proving he is a world class midfielder in waiting. Time for Jack to start proving it with England.
Wed: Man United produce their biggest away triumph in Europe since the 50s as they thump Bayer Leverkusen 5-0. It was as if it was a eulogy to one of the Munich disaster survivors and European Cup winner of 1968 who passed away on Monday aged 81. Bill Foulkes, RIP.
Thurs: Serious allegations of match-fixing emerge, which proves English football is not immune to the disease.
Fri: Mourinho claims Lukaku wanted to leave Chelsea to go on loan to Everton and tells the Belgium striker to 'come clean to the country'. No he didn’t. Lukaku wanted to be given a chance as Chelsea's lead striker. Jose doth protest too much.
Surely David Moyes wasn’t serious when he said that at 40 Ryan Giggs is getting better.
But if he’s not joking, I thought it was just worth checking what the odds were for Giggs to carry on for another decade and surpass Sir Stanley Matthews, who played his top flight match of a career that started in 1932 at the age of 50 for Stoke City in 1965.
Traders at Paddy Power don’t see it happening, given they are offering 500-1 for Giggs to play in the Premier League after his 50th birthday. It’s worth a quid.
Old boy: Sir Stanley Matthews (left) played for Stoke at the ripe old age of 50 in 1965
Referees' chief Mike Riley has made a rod for his own back by issuing a public apology to West Brom for a wrong decision made against them at Chelsea three weeks ago.
Although that could be a good thing, because it now puts Riley’s role as the refs supremo under sharp focus. About time too.
Now there would be nothing wrong with the referee concerned - Andre Marriner - having a quiet word with the Albion manager shortly after the game when, having seen replays, he then holds his hand up and admits he’s made an honest mistake.
Quit it: Many referees would be happy if Mike Riley was ousted as manager of the PGMO
Indeed, I gather he did - to Clarke’s assistant Kevin Keen who went to see Marriner half an hour after the final whistle.
The task then for Riley should have been to start looking at why there have been so many glaringly bad errors this season from the referees he is meant to manage.
The feedback Grapevine is hearing from officials is that they are not getting the right sort of support and coaching from Riley, who would rack up a rather large phone bill by going around saying sorry for every bad call.
I hear that many refs are going into games so scared of upsetting Riley’s directives and making silly mistakes they are actually making more.
Many would be delighted if Riley was shown the red card with Keith Hackett stepping back in to run the PGMOL for the rest of the season, before Howard Webb being appointed if he decides to retire at the end of this season.
Not content with saying it’s not really worth watching the World Cup without him, Zlatan Ibrahimovic now boasts he is better than Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery rolled into one.
Despite being out of the running for the World Player of the the Year award, Zlatan said this week: 'I don't need the Ballon d'Or to know I'm the best. It matters more to some players.'
Maybe it does. But it’s time for the shy Sweden striker not just to put his foot on the ball but sit on it for a while and stop making stupid statements.
Leave it out: Zlatan Ibrahimovic should be quiet for a while instead of producing silly comments
The FA have invited the public to offer their suggestions to the commission which has been set up to come up with solutions for what is so wrong with the English game.
Chairman Grey Dyke wants help to find answers as to why English football is not producing enough top players and why it is falling behind the rest of the world.
But is English football really rotten to the core? Are the grassroots scorched earth?
Not on the evidence of what I saw at Bromley FC on Tuesday night where Cray Wanderers beat Dulwich 5-1 in the Robert Dyas Cup.
Nowhere else in the world would you see a game of such good quality amid good facilities, between two teams who are down amongst the seventh tier of the English football pyramid.
Despite the myths you might hear it wasn’t all ‘ave it kick-and-rush. Far from it.
And there were some good young prospects out there…a few on loan from Football League clubs. Top tier managers and scouts can stop relying on agents or videos to pluck players from abroad.
Grassroots: Rio Ferdinand will sit on the FA
Commission, but with strong lower tiers, is the English game really in
terrible shape?
Aside from the impressive technical level it was all played in a good spirit. There were no egos out there and no dissent to the referee.
Above all it was a good night’s entertainment for an admission price of £10.
Cray are the second old oldest club in England - Sheffield FC is the oldest - but currently they have to share with neighbours Bromley who play a tier above them.
Wanderers chairman Gary Hillman though has ambitious plans to build a new stadium for the club back at their home near St Mary and St Pauls Cray in Kent but is currently being frustrated by Bromley Council not granting planning permission.
Perhaps the FA commission should step in and add their weight of support.
Surely one of the best ways to help improve grassroots and development of 'local' English talent is to give more support to a club like Cray, who want to put football back at the heart of its local community.
In case you hadn’t noticed, Ryan Giggs turned 40 on Friday.
I last interviewed him at the World Cup finals in France in 1998. He wasn’t there playing of course but was doing some gigs for sponsors.
Eventually I asked him the obvious, and to him, annoying, question.
Did he not wish that instead of being in this hotel foyer in Paris he was with the England squad in St Etienne, preparing for the match against Argentina?
Giggs sighed: 'Can we put this one to rest once and for all. I wouldn’t have wanted to play for England even had I qualified. I am Welsh.
'I was born in Wales. All my relatives are Welsh. Under the rules the only country I could play for is Wales.
No split loyalties: Giggs says he always wanted to play for Wales and not for The Three Lions
'Yes I’d love to play in a World Cup and hopefully I will with Wales one day. But it’s not the be all and end all for me. There are a lot of good players who haven’t played at a World Cup.'
Like George Best, who in many ways Giggs has surpassed as a Manchester United legend - certainly so in terms of longevity. Best’s United career was over by the age of 27.
Just to put the record straight, yes, Giggs DID play for England schoolboys because he went to school in Salford once he was on the books at United.
But such are the vagaries of FIFA’s current rules, it means a Belgian-born son of a Kosovan Albanian, United’s wannabe 'New Giggs', Adnan Januzaj, could qualify to play for England, but back then Ryan Giggs couldn’t.
It was never a debate. Never a choice. But neither does Giggs have any regrets on that front. And after all what a career it has been.
Below is a picture of Giggs making his first appearance at Old Trafford playing for Salford Boys against St Helens in 1989.
Back to the start: Giggs pictured playing for the first time at Old Trafford, for Salford Boys
It is now 14 years since Ryan Giggs scored THAT goal against Arsenal in an FA Cup semi final replay which put United on the way to the Treble that season.
Ronaldo and Messi eat your heart out...
And now for a reminder of George Best’s top three goals...
Here is a look at Giggs career in numbers:
Premier League: 626 appearances (including 108 as substitute)
Division One: (pre-1992): 40 appearances (including seven as substitute)
FA Cup: 74 appearances (including 12 as substitute)
League Cup: 40 appearances (including six as substitute)
European Cup/Champions League: 148 appearances (including 23 as substitute)
European Cup Winners' Cup: 1 appearance
UEFA Cup: 5 appearances
Other matches (Charity/Community Shield, European Super Cup, Fifa Club World Cup): 19 appearances (including 3 as substitute)
Longevity: Giggs began his United career in 1991 and still played in the Champions League this week
He made his debut against Everton on 2 March 1991, coming off the bench to replace full-back Denis Irwin in a 2-0 defeat.
109 - Since scoring his first Premier League goal against Tottenham in a 1-1 draw on 19 September 1992, Giggs has gone on to hit the back of the net a further 108 times in the league. He has yet to score this season but has netted in every other year since the start of the Premier League.
34 - In Giggs's time at Manchester United, he has won 34 trophies (13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, two Champions Leagues, one European Super Cup, one Intercontinental Cup, one Fifa Club World Cup and nine Charity/Community Shields), making him the most decorated player in English football history.
This is what they have said about Ryan Giggs:
'I remember the first time I saw him. He was 13 and he floated across the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind.' - Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson
'He's an outstanding player and it's a privilege to be working with him on my staff. I've seen something different since I've come here - just how good he is, close up - and it's incredible.' - Manchester United manager David Moyes
'Only two players made me cry when watching football, one was Diego Maradona and the other Ryan Giggs.' - Italian World Cup winner Alessandro Del Piero
Brought to tears: Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero hailed Giggs and put him alongside Diego Maradona
'Ryan Giggs for me is one of the best players in the world. Now maybe he is old but he is a fantastic player.' - Former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini
'Maybe one day people will say I was another Ryan Giggs.' - Manchester United legend George Best
'Eric Cantona is a great player, but he's not as good as Ryan Giggs.' - Dutch legend and three-time world player of the year Johan Cruyff
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