It has been reported that Arsene Wenger will make an enquiry to the F.A about attaining an emergency loan goalkeeper following the injury sustained to Wojciech Szczesny on Tuesday night against Barcelona.
The Frenchman told the media today that Szczesny will be out of action for a ‘while’, which has left him considering a move for a temporary substitute.
Manuel Almunia has taken up the position between the posts for now, and is currently the only fit goalkeeper Wenger has at his disposal. Whilst second-choice goalkeeper, Lukasz Fabianski, has been ruled out for the season after undergoing surgery to his shoulder injury he picked up in January against Manchester City.
Wenger has since recalled reserve team keeper James Shea early from his loan spell with Southampton, and is rumoured to be on the bench this Saturday at Old Trafford.
Vito Mannone is another option for the Arsenal boss to ponder over. However, the Italian goalkeeper, who is currently on-loan at Hull City, has picked up a knock and it is unknown how long he will be out for.
So, if given permission by the F.A, who should Wenger look to acquire?
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New signing Aleksandr Kolarov believes he can challenge for Premier League and Champions League honours with Manchester City.
The Serbia full-back became ambitious City's latest big-money signing when he joined in a £19million deal from Lazio on Saturday.
Manager Roberto Mancini had already signed David Silva, Yaya Toure and Jerome Boateng this summer, with Kolarov's arrival increasing his spending to approximately £75million since the end of last season.
"I'm very excited to be here at a great club like Manchester City. Even the training ground is fantastic, better than Lazio's," he told the club's official website.
"I'm coming back early next week to train with the players who aren't touring America. I want to start as soon as I can, and I can't wait to meet all the other guys.
"I had the opportunity to join other teams – the names are not important. When I spoke with Mr Mancini, my choice was Manchester City because I know they are a good team. I think maybe a great team.
"The Premier League is the best in the world and he wants us to go further and win the Premier title and the Champions League.
"For a young player like me, this is the best opportunity. It's the dream."
Meanwhile, Mancini has denied suggestions that the arrival of Kolarov will lead to the departure of current left-back Wayne Bridge.
Liverpool are reported to be keen on signing England international Bridge.
"'I want two top-class players for each position," explained Mancini.
"I first saw Kolarov in his Lazio debut back in 2007. I have watched him a lot since then and so have the Manchester City scouts.
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"His attacking capability is very good. He is fast and can shoot with power and accuracy.
"He also has the ability to play in numerous positions and is very good in midfield.
"This is an additional benefit to the team. He has a fantastic international career ahead of him. I am looking forward to working with him."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
A Roman Pavlyuchenko strike gave Tottenham a 1-0 win over Rubin Kazan at White Hart Lane on Thursday night, as the Premier League club move to the top of Europa League Group A.
The Russia international striker downed his countrymen with a 33rd minute free-kick, hitting back at claims made the day before by manager Harry Redknapp that he could be set for a January exit.
Spurs fielded a strong side without risking star players Luka Modric, Emmanuel Adebayor, Rafael Van der Vaart or Gareth Bale, and will be happy with the victory as it keeps the London team unbeaten in the competition.
After the game Redknapp expressed his satisfaction with the three points, and singled out his goalscorer for specific praise.
“It was a good result for us. I didn’t want to over-stretch too many of senior players and one or two of the young kids like Jake Livermore and Tom Carroll did well,” he told reporters after the victory.
“Pavlyuchenko is a great striker of the ball. He really can hit a ball. When he lined it up I had a feeling he was going to score because he is a very clean striker of the football.
“He’s got two great feet. Technically he’s a top, top player – there was never any doubt about that. It was good to see him score,” he concluded.
Spurs now face Blackburn at Ewood Park on Sunday, with Pavlyuchenko holding his hand up for selection despite the return of the team’s big names.
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Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano believes his side thoroughly deserved their Champions League round-of-16 win over Arsenal on Tuesday.Trailing 2-1 after a first-leg loss at the Emirates, Barca hit back hard at the Nou Camp to take a 3-1 win and a 4-3 aggregate victory to book a spot in the quarter-finals.The match changed complexion in the 56th minute, when Gunners striker Robin van Persie was sent off for a second bookable offence – a decision that left Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger fuming – yet Mascherano believes his side deserved to progress.”We were the team who went out looking for the win, looking to make the difference,” the Argentina midfielder said. “Even though it ended 2-1, it could have been 5-1 or 6-1.” “The chances that we had were clear, and although Wenger has every right to think what he wants, the statistics and highlights show that it would have been very unfair for Barcelona not to go through last night.” “We didn’t receive one shot on goal, so how the game went is more than clear. Wenger also know how the game went, but obviously it was a tough defeat. Nobody likes to be eliminated.””I think that the game was won by how the team played, not by any specific incident.” “I am always pleased with the job done by the team, more than anything individual, and Barcelona didn’t let Arsenal breathe. This was the key to getting through to the quarter finals.”Despite his insistence the victory was earned through an even team performance, Mascherano saved special praise for Argentine marvel Lionel Messi, who opened the scoring with a sublime effort and sealed the win from the penalty spot with 20 minutes to play.’What Leo is doing now isn’t normal, because he is the only one doing it,” Mascherano said. “At the moment, whatever he does seems normal. It is a time that will go down in history, and I think that he is writing his own history.” “I hope that he continues like this for a long time to come, for our benefit.”
Barcelona’s Yaya Toure has been somewhat in the transfer spotlight as of late, after several clubs in the Premier League have shown a keen interest in the Ivorian defensive midfielder this summer.
However, is the 27-year-old really worth all the hype? Or is he in fact the ‘real deal’ like so many claim?
Last season, the 6’ 3’’ midfielder did not feature as regularly in the Barcelona side as he would have hoped for, after the emergence of Sergio Busquets in the first-team.
Intense speculation continues to grow as the player’s future at the Catalan club appears to be coming to an end, prompting the Ivorian international to look for a new club this summer.
Many Premier League sides including the likes of Chelsea, Manchester Cityand Arsenal have expressed their interest in the solid midfielder and for good reason. Toure himself has also stated that he would relish the prospect of playing in England next season, which will no doubt boost the interested clubs confidence in signing the player this summer.
Reports suggest that Barcelona are willing to sell the midfielder during the summer window, but only for the right price. His suitors have valued Toure at an estimated £20 million, although they are reluctant to sell unless a bid of £30-35 million is tabled during the summer window…overrated and overpriced? A resounding yes springs to mind.
Yaya Toure has propelled his status within the game as time has gone by since making his move from Monaco in 2007. However, many fans (along with me) may argue that the player has been receiving a bit too much praise and hype as of late. He’s good, but maybe not as good as people make him out to be. His price-tag appears to be a bit far-fetched in some fans eyes (which includes me), especially when taking into consideration the fact that there are other players in the world who are better in his position (and generally in the midfield area) and for some strange reason they are valued at a lower price (Cesc Fabregas springs to mind).
Toure has a fairly good knowledge of the game and reads it pretty well. The midfielder possesses good agility and physical strength as well as tremendous aerial ability (only because of his height of course)…clearly everything that makes a fine defensive midfielder these days.
His job is to primarily break up attacks, plain and simple. Toure is definitely not one to create a magical moment or thread killer balls, far from it, he lets the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta produce this on the pitch. Yaya rarely pushes up beyond the half way line, the only time he ever does this is, is when his team have earned a free-kick or corner.
Arguably the player does obtain natural ability and has a football brain in his head, However consider this, if the player cannot get into the Barcelona squad as a starter ahead of Sergio Busquets (who is worse than Toure in my opinion), then surely this suggests that Toure has lost something in the past year or so, so why so much hype over him? Many would believe that the player gets such notice because he is signed to Barcelona, and as such, plays with the best footballers in the world week in week out (well when he used to play that is), So, the next question would be, would Yaya draw as much hype as he has been if he weren’t apart of Barcelona? Don’t think so.
Is he really a £30-£35 million player? Debatable, considering the fact that Barcelona want Cesc Fabregas this summer for a similar price. Finally, is Toure really worth all the hype? Again, it’s a contentious issue which really depends on whether you (the fans) believe Yaya is a good player or not.
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Click image below to see a gallery of the Brazilian babes at the World Cup
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has defended striker Wayne Rooney after his sending off against Montenegro, and has stated that the forward’s discipline has improved over the last couple of years.
The in-form attacker was dismissed in England’s 2-2 draw in Podgorica on Friday, and is now set to be suspended for at least one of his nation’s group stage fixtures at Euro 2012 next year.
Despite the petulance of Rooney’s behaviour in getting sent off, his club manager has came to the player’s defence.
“I think he is showing tremendous improvement in terms of his temperament in the last few years,” the Scottish coach told SiriusXM whilst on holiday in the United States.
“But maturity brings other things and he is improving all the time. I texted him and he never got back to me. I didn’t see it but I was told it was a reaction – to my mind it is not the worst thing in the world,” he stated.
When quizzed about his own future at the Premier League champions, Ferguson gave no sign that he would step down from the Red Devils hotseat any time soon.
“I have been manager for 25 years. I have got time on my side we can look forward, and we are able to evolve, rather than being a results business – nothing changes at United.
“It is decided by first youth, health and enthusiasm. These are the things that are important and my health is good at the moment, touch wood and prey to the lord, but you never know how things go,” he concluded.
By Gareth McKnight
[divider]
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Hernandez Match Statistics: (2 Goals/3 Shots, 18/19 Successful Passes)
Hernandez is simply put, the ready made successor to Ole Gunnar Solksjaer. He is electrifying and ice cold in equal measure in the box – a fantastic combination and one hopes for his sake that he makes his name as a starter rather being reknowned as a super sub. As he has scored nine league goals in eight league starts for United it seems that might not end up being the case.
However we must remain remindful of the fact that Ole’s greatest goal total for one season was the 25 goals he scored in the 01/02 season and that number was more the exception rather than the norm during his 11 year Career at United, his second best goalscoring season being his debut season. So if Hernandez wishes to be a first team regular, clearly being a good finisher is simply not going to cut it.. he has to prove to the manager his general build up play is of a sufficient level to match the likes of Berbatov and Rooney, basically he needs to make himself undroppable, a player for all situations rather than the go to guy for when United need bailing out of a sticky situation.
Aspects of his game he can develop include his physical strength/Hold Up Play, his dribbling in 1 v 1 situations both in terms of directness, agility, adding a few more tricks in his locker and perhaps even adding new weapons to his arsenal including set piece ability.. a problem area where United are looking for someone to step up and solve. If he can do this and keep demonstrating his fantastic aerial prowess, one touch passing and clinical finishing ability then there is no reason why he can’t break into the side for the big games.
2. Rooney’s Attitude
Quite frankly it stank today and he was guilty on numerous occassions of placing his ego above the cause of the team, a pet hate of mine regardless of how good you are as a player. He had no concern with regards to how the side would fare if he got himself sent off and for what… some unneccesary desire for retribution or perhaps a need to lash out to compensate for his frustration with the quality of his performance.
Statistically he didn’t have that bad a game, only 10 unsuccessful passes out of 45.. but what cannot be revealed by stats is the frequency with which he is now prone to being caught on the ball when running at players and the predictability that plagues his dribbling when not a his best. His bottom level for a creative player is poor when you compare him to the likes of Messi and Ronaldo.. and that is incredibly frustrating for both him as a player and for us as fans because we know what he’s capable of and yet we are sometimes subjected to him being made to look no better than a drunk Sunday League player.
Finally another potential problem I envisage with Wayne is his relationship with Nani. I remember when Ruud Van Nistelrooy clashed with Cristiano Ronaldo on quite a few occasions and whilst it was never that apparent to the fans, clearly it had got to a point where Fergie felt the need to back his younger talent with superior potential and give him the room in which to showcase his talent and if Rooney continues to whinge at every little thing Nani does, it may get to the stage where Sir Alex feels that Nani is the horse he needs to back and that Rooney needs to go in order to allow Nani to flourish further. This is all hypothetical of course and even Berbatov has had problems with Nani and despite this all three have formed a fantastic partnership but it does bear thinking about.
Continued on Page TWO
3. The Good, The Bad & The Nani
Nani Match Statistics: (2/8 Shots on Target, 22/38 Successful Passes, 8/14 Tackles Made, 2 Clearances)
There is no doubting the importance of Nani to the United cause this season, he’s been an everpresent whether it is on the right or the left, his versatility in conjunction with his indefatigability making him practically undroppable. How important though has been a point of debate, there were a few who believed that Berbatov was the main man responsible for us being on top, some have championed the cause of Vidic, keen to not be seen as favouring attacking players but in my opinion it is Nani who strikes fear into opponents regardless of their quality and I wouldn’t put it past him to win the PFA POTY Award ahead of Lionel Messi aka Gareth Bale.
Today he featured on the left which isn’t to my liking normally. I do think he is a better player at this moment in time in terms of his mental development on the right, as he is more likely to cross on that flank and retain possession rather than give into temptation and cut in to unleash a strike one time too many. On the left he can’t cross as well with his left and nor does he seem willing to and against strong intelligent defenders, he might be a tad more predictable on that side than he is on the right for now, though I might be underrating the speed of his development intelligence-wise and worrying for no reason.
He was a mixed bag today but still the most crucial forward player in the United side, constantly demanding the ball, getting past opponents and drawing attention away from our strikers. As we saw against Marseille, he seems to be our go to player now regardless of the situation and he rarely disappoints. I will forgive his brainfarts on the ball, greedy shot-taking, as long as he produces goals and assists at the rate he is doing at the moment and hopefully the fans and Mr Rooney are willing to do the same.
4. We’ll Miss You Edwin
He kept us in the game today with two quality one v one stops and a reassuring leap to prevent a long range effort from Figueroa. Whilst this has not been a vintage season thus far for Van Der Sar, its always near the business end of the season that his class comes to the fore.
We generally take his steadiness for granted, spoilt by his fantastic consistency and he makes it look so effortless… some of us forget what a talented shot-stopper he is to go with his fantastic ability on the ball and aerial composure on crosses. I don’t know how much his replacement is going to cost but I’m not worried about that.. I’m more worried about whether the new keeper we bring in is capable of tying the Dutchman’s shoelaces.
After an impressive start to the 2010-11 season, he picked up a serious ankle injury against Bolton Wanderers on 23 October 2010, keeping him out of action for three months. He scored on his return to the lineup against Aston Villa on 25 January 2011 and today he demonstrated once again why he is one of the upcoming young midfielders to keep an eye on in the Premier League this season.
I’ve kept a keen eye on him and one game in particular which caught my eye was Wigan v Chelsea, a game in which they were unfortunate to get thrashed in and an encounter in which McCarthy was more than holding his own and at times looking a class above players from both midfields. He is technically very sound, no real weaknesses and in comparison to Jordan Henderson a very similar player, he has a touch more flair and is more likely to take players on rather than play the simple pass, an attribute we would very much like to see in our own midfield.
His best position for me would be as the attacking midfielder in a midfield trio and I see him developing his goalscoring further, a 10 goal a season player who can rack up a great number of assists as well as being relied on to ‘run’ games. At what level he could do this remains to be seen but I do think he is too good to be at a club like Wigan… likewise Rodallega and N’Zogbia.
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Conclusion:
A frenetic encounter in which both sides could’ve easily won it and Wigan will feel hard done by to a certain extent. As for United fans, they’ll feel happy to see signs of a potential partnership between Rooney and Hernandez, even if there was a feeling that the ball wasn’t sticking up front unless Nani was the one driving past opponents.
As for Wigan, the quality of their possession would tell us that they’re too good to go down but the problem this season is that their competitors Wolves, West Brom and Blackpool are all competent on the ball and the likes of McCarthy, N’Zogbia and Rodallega may not be enough to keep them in the league.
With Thierry Henry looking set to depart Barcelona this summer, it seems strange to see that the MLS is likely to be his next destination surely; the former Arsenal striker could do a lot better?
Prior to his move to the Catalan club, Henry was one of the greatest strikers ever to play in the Premiership. He was a perfect striker and at times watching him in action could be like an art, on his day he could be considered as one of the best players in the world. The way Henry would terrorises defences and show-up players on a regular basis with his dazzling skills was incredible. When Henry left Arsenal he was their all-time top goal scorer with an impressive 226 goals to his name and also had 92 assists.
At Barcelona, Henry has never been able to hold down a starting shirt and has mainly been used as an impact-sub during his time there. It is strange that he wasn’t even able to get in the team when he had a past-his-best Ronaldinho in front of him. This season he found his options even more limited with Pedro and Bojan preferred to the Frenchman. When he has played he hasn’t looked like the same player at Arsenal and you can clearly see that there is something missing to his game, he doesn’t have that slightly arrogant swagger that he had about him whilst playing for the Gunners. He doesn’t run at defenders like he used to and looks more now for the pass rather than to beat a man and it appears that he has lost his confidence from not playing week-in, week-out. With the arrival of David Villa from Valencia, Henry has seen it as a necessity to leave Barcelona.
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However why is such a fine player not being linked with top-clubs, granted he is now 32 but he still has so much to offer. The most high-profile name he has been linked with is West Ham, and without disrespecting the East London club he could do a lot better. Although the MLS is a slowly improving league, Henry would be better off signing for a side in the Championship then going there.
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Although a return to England looks unlikely and so does a move to another Spanish side there is another league where at 32 Henry could still thrive, Serie A. Henry only spent six months in Italy, at Juventus in 1999, where he struggled to adapt to the slow-paced nature of the league and was regularly played out of position. But a return to the Old Lady could be the perfect move for both parties, with Juventus having a poor season and struggling in front of goal, someone with the guile and vision of Henry could be just what they need. As for Henry, well he arguably has ‘unfinished business’ with the club, because he left not being able to show what a great player he is and not winning anything. He was won major honours in the best leagues in Europe except for Italy and it would be another challenge for himself. At Inter and Milan he would face competition for places and so Juve would be the logical choice. He would be one of the ‘main men’ at the club and he would be able to build his confidence back up and hopefully return to his old form.
It is sad to see the favoured destination as the MLS for a player with the calibre of Thierry Henry. A good player doesn’t turn bad overnight and his career is far from over. So when he makes the likely exit from Barcelona he should seriously consider a move to Italy before he commits himself to the stars and stripes of the USA.
A more dramatic title victory would be hard to find, and the last day of the season for Manchester City provided thrills and spills not seen before. Mancini and his men were crowned Champions after just piping United to the post, and will be looking to retain their crown in slightly less dramatic fashion this time out, not to mention a better show in Europe being a must.
City will look ahead to this season to show that they are not just a rich flash in the pan, but are here to stay and the only way to do that is by adding more trophies to the already growing loot. So is that what lies in store for the formerly noisy neighbours?
Signing of the Summer –
Something that has caused somewhat of a stir at the Ethiad, City have been very quiet in the transfer market this summer with even a lack of silly season rumours. Of course they were players in the RVP love square but did not really need the player and for whatever reason have decided that the Dutchman is not for them. It is a slim pickings award, but the title goes to promising former Everton player Jack Rodwell who cost City £15 million – mostly because he is English and thus price becomes seriously inflated. Will the boy break through? It remains to be seen, but Rodwell is highly rated and given the chance could make an impact at the club.
One To Watch –
Without a doubt City’s most unpredictable player has to take this honour. Love him or loath him, Mario Balotelli is a fantastic player who is only growing in stature after a brilliant Euros. If the player finally manages to curb his eccentricity slightly – not all the way, after all we love him for it most of the time – and the Italian would be my bet for not only top scorer, but for player of the season too.
Breakthrough of the Season –
Jack Rodwell could again feature here, as despite his move to City he is by no means a starter and will have a huge fight on his hands to land a regular first team place at the Ethiad. Whilst many feel that going across the North West may have been career suicide, Rodwell himself must believe he can make an impact in not just the City squad but potentially the England one too – this will be a huge season for the young player – make or break.
Prospects In Europe –
A difficult group last year was the undoing of City and they will be in a similar situation this time around with the seeding, so it will be hard from the offset. Mancini never won the trophy with Inter and looked out of his depth at times tactically, yet with a much better squad than when he was in Italy and indeed great pressure for a better showing from the owners, City will simply have to improve on last season – but to win the trophy? Unlikely at best.
And Retaining the Title –
Whilst there has not been a flurry of transfer activity at City this summer, there was not really much need for one, and their champions will be a year older and wiser. United have promised big spending but thus far failed to really deliver and Mancini will fancy City’s chances again. They will have to make sure not to take their eye off the ball should they progress in the Champions League, but barring a mass disaster, City look odds on to retain their crown.
What Will They End Up With?
Carling Cup – Not one that City will really have their eye on, so expect to see the reserves and fringe players making appearances in this competition. A last 4 showing with a subsequent defeat will be their lot in this one.
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FA Cup – Although it is not seen as a huge trophy, a domestic double is what City could well be looking at this season, and an appearance in the final of the FA Cup with a probable victory – depending on if they have made the final cut in Europe.
Champions League – After the poor showing last time out, City have the benefit of experience behind them and will be looking to make it out of the groups as a minimum requirement. The Champions League is very dependent on the draws, and should City get a decent one, a last 8 appearance is what they should be working towards here.
Premier League – It is always harder to retain a trophy than to win it in the first place, and City will make that their top priority this season. With yet another ACON coming up they will have to do better than last year without Toure and will be praying Kompany stays fit and avoids suspensions – again something that cost them dearly last term. It will be hard going, but City will become Champions once again.
Last night, the IndigO2 theatre in London held the Stella Atrois World Draught Master Final for the United Kingdom, where 28 bartenders battled it out for a place in the Global Final set to take place in Buenos Aires on October 26th. Stella Artois are a brand desperate to empahsise the importance in pouring the ‘perfect Stella Artois’, and their Quality Draught Masters programme was set up to ensure a superior customer experience through the art of pouring lager. In a stylish and sophisticated theatre inside the O2, guests arrived to this ‘smart and 60s chic’ dress-coded event to watch these bartenders compete with one another to represent the United Kingdom at the World Draught Master Global Finals.
Mark Dolan presented the evening to a crowd made up of friends and family of each bartenders, as well as some of biggest names in Stella Artois. Alongside Dolan, ‘Master Beer Sommelier’ Marc Stroobandt talked the audience though the ritual of pouring the perfect Stella Artois, and explained just what these bartenders had been training to achieve. Bartenders from over 600 pubs across the UK had registered with the programme, and attended exclusive masterclasses throughout April, May and June with Stroobrandt, where they were taught not only the ritual behind pouring the perfect pint, but how to appreciate different beets, which food pairings work with Stella Artois, as well as improved serving standards.
These 28 finalists were the crème de le crème of the UK, the “best of the best” according to Stroobandt, and would compete in pairs over 14 rounds where a panel of judges including the 2010 World Draught Master Chris Myers, Stella Artois marketing manager Alexander Lambrecht, and brewmaster Paul Van de Walle would decide their fate. The contestants had just two minutes to perfect the ritual and serve the perfect Stella Artois to the judges in the first round, and only 7 of the 28 would make it through to the next round. The nine-step ritual that these bartenders must follow is one of such intricate detail and skill, that those thinking there can be no ‘art’ or ‘beauty’ in pouring a pint of Stella Artois will surely think twice in making such assumptions. The contestants are given a mark between 1 and 10 for each step of the ritual, which is broken down as follows.
1. ‘The Purification’ – the glass must be perfectly clean and rinsed, held by the stem at all times, and with the Stella Artois logo facing forward throughout.
2. ‘The Sacrifice’ – the tap is opened in one quick action, with the first drops of beer allowed to flow away; “sacrificed”.
3. ‘The Liquid Alchemy Begins’ – the glass is held at a 45° angle just under the tap but must not touch at any point.
4. ‘The Crown’ – the glass is lowered to allow the natural formation of the foam head, a ‘two finger’ head is necessary with a slight overflow to be removed.
5. ‘The Removal’ – the tap is closed quickly and the glass removed so that beer does not drip into the head.
6. ‘The Skim’ – while the head overflows slightly, it is smoothed over gently with a ‘head cutter’ at a 45° angle “with the flow of the bubbles.”
7. ‘The Cleansing’ – both the bottom and sides of the glass are cleaned and dabbed dry, and a drip catcher is placed on the stem of the chalice glass.
8. ‘The Two Finger Rule’ – the right amount of foam is usually about two fingers, and the head should be “rounded and without big bubbles.”
9. ‘The Bestowal’ – the beer is presented to the consumer on a clean coaster with the logo again facing forward at all times.
Alongside the nine-step ritual, contestants are judged on their preparation, attention to detail, and for their personality in engaging with both the audience and the judges.
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After 14 rounds, the judges had narrowed the 28 bartenders down to just seven. In the next round the remaining contestants would again perform the ritual, but this time on their own, and would be asked a question by the panel of judges as to why they deserved to be in the Global Final. After much deliberation and discussion among the judging panel, the evening came to a close when Alexander Lambrecht announced this years winner was Mark Simmonite of Henry’s in Sheffield.
Speaking after the UK finals, Simmonite was overjoyed not only with the result, but with the opportunites that Stella Artois were giving himself and others. “The commitment, passion, and drive from the team at Stella is fantastic” he told us, and the UK champion shared the belief that the “perfect pouring ritual can only improve business” for pubs and bars across the country. Simmonite claims that “Pubs are in competition with Facebook”, and they “need to give people a reason to leave their home, because anyone can pour a bottle of beer.” The UK Champion seems adamant that the Draught Masters programme will certainly make a difference to pubs, and believes it already has in some places.
On stage, Simmonite was presented to the audience for having the best shoes out of all the contestants, and he told us he had been “up all night” polishing them to impress the judges. Until October, where he will now represent the UK in the World Global Finals, Simmonite plans on making a microbrewery with his brother in Sheffield, so that he can continue to offer people “something better than sitting at home” He described his experience so far to have been “mind-blowing, awesome, and crazy”, and expressed his relief to being on the other side of the panel next year. Before then, Simmonite will prepare to tavel to Buenos Aires, where he will compete with the best bartenders from around the world for the Stella Artois World Draught Master 2011 title – and we wish him the best of luck from all here at FFC.