The Longshot: Brazil can maintain unbelievable record
REALITY TV, the lowest form of lowbrow of television, where ‘real’ people cavort or unburden or crush people’s dreams, has been a breeding ground for politicians for a while.
Nigel Farage is taking part in the Celebrity Jungle at the moment and that most distasteful of gentlemen is 7/1 (the same price as jockey Frankie Dettori) to be the last person standing in whatever tropics they are abandoned in these days.
No party Farage has ever been involved in has ever won a seat in the House of Commons, thanks to the first past the post system in the UK. The US’s fairer system, where any idiot can dream of becoming president, delivered in 2016 when we got an orange buffoon taking charge of the world’s biggest arsenal of warheads for four years.
And Trump is now the 6/4 favourite to retake the White House next November, despite, let’s not forget, attempting to overturn the results of the last election. Something to look forward to next year anyway, a significant turn towards inevitable nuclear annihilation.
But idiots everywhere want to get in on the action, and in Argentina over the weekend, they voted in as president Javier Milei, a volatile far-right libertarian (and Mick Jagger impersonating TV celebrity-turned-politician) who has vowed to take a chainsaw to the state (he was on the campaign trail wielding an actual chainsaw).
Trump wrote congratulating him: “The whole world was watching! I am very proud of you. You will turn your country around and truly Make Argentina Great Again.”
Another big beast of the global far-right, Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro, who had championed the campaign claimed: “Hope is sparkling in South America once again,” calling the victory one for “honesty, progress and freedom”.
There will be less cross-continental good cheer in the early hours of tomorrow morning when Brazil host Argentina in a 2026 World Cup qualifier at the Maracana.
Brazil enters the most iconic Latin American fixture amidst a turbulent phase, grappling with a three-game winless streak and placed fifth in the standings (they would be sixth if Ecuador had not had three points deducted from their total prior to the start of qualification for using a player whose legal passport contained false information — football administrators do not look kindly on teams beginning with ‘E’ apparently).
Their coach Fernando Diniz faces mounting pressure to rejuvenate his squad’s form following on from the incredible heroics of Luis Diaz last week, when the Liverpool ace’s brace overturned a 1-0 deficit (Gabriel Martinelli netting his first international strike) late on in Colombia, giving his country their first win over Brazil in a qualifier just days after his dad had been released by kidnappers.
Of course, as there will be a 48-team field for the 2026 tournament, the jeopardy is diluted for Brazil, as six teams will qualify automatically from South America and a seventh will reach the six team inter-confederation playoff tournament.
Argentina enter the game after a first defeat to Uruguay in 22 years, but they are still on top of the table.
The World Champs were shocked by their neighbours in an ill-tempered affair last week, with goals from Ronald Araujo and Darwin Nunez giving the visitors a 2-0 victory, inflicting Argentina’s first defeat since going down 2-1 to Saudi Arabia in the World Cup.
Lionel is still lining out for Lionel, with Messi yet to become surplus to requirements for Scaloni, suggesting the Miami-based magician might stick around for the tournament in North America, although Julan Ãlvarez is looking like a not half-bad replacement.
In the last 20 matches between Brazil and Argentina, the Selecao leads the series with 11 wins. The Albiceleste has accumulated only five wins, while four matches have ended in a draw. The World Champs are 2/1 to win but when you consider the amazing stat that Brazil have never lost a home qualifier in their history, it’s likely they will stop the rot in Rio.
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EVERTON faced a major setback last Friday as they were handed a 10-point deduction for breaching the Premier League’s financial regulations.
This unprecedented penalty pushed the Toffees down to 19th place, leaving them with a total of only four points. Considering there has been greater focus on potential penalties for the likes of free-spending clubs Man City and Chelsea, the Everton decision seemed to be cherry-picking— although if it was maybe Bournemouth were fortunate not to get punished too.
It does seem incredibly unfair and in response, Everton immediately announced their intention to appeal the decision. Despite this challenge, the commendable efforts of Sean Dyche’s managerial work offer a glimmer of hope that, even if the sanction stands, Everton might salvage their Premier League status.
Being a Luton fan, this should have been welcome news. It’s not like the Hatters haven’t suffered similarly in the past. At the start of the 2008-09 season they were hit with deductions totalling 30 points. They were docked 20 points or leaving administration without having made a company voluntary agreement with creditors, before a further 10 were taken away by the FA for financial misconduct relating to transfers. They were relegated from the Football League for the first time in 89 years as a result.
Most recently, Derby County went into administration in September 2021 and were hit with a 12-point deduction, dropping them to the foot of the Championship. Just two months later, a further nine points were deducted from the Rams’ total, due to financial mismanagement and their relegation — with then manager Wayne Rooney at the helm — to League One was confirmed in April last year.
Despite the setback last week, Everton’s chances of survival remain a 5/2 shot with the bookies. Their recent track record, winning four of their last six games, including progression to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, hints at resilience.
Victories against West Ham and Crystal Palace and a hard-fought draw against Brighton should instil confidence among the Goodison Park faithful.
However with matches against Man United, Newcastle, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Man City looming, that price could narrow significantly before the turn of the year.
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WE’LL take a wild guess and say this will be Stephen Kenny’s final game in charge this evening.
Our shout of a 1-1 draw went close against the Netherlands but Adam Idah’s effort was rightly adjudged to be offside and some kamikaze defending, with the Oranje amassing 19 shots across the course of the encounter, suggested that such a result would have been far from deserved.
Lurgan man Neil Lennon is now the 2/1 favourite to take over the role, with the FAI’s apparent number one choice Lee Carsley remaining at 5/1. The midfielder qualified to play for us through the granny rule and he made 40 appearances in all, one at the 2002 World Cup.
Carsley is currently in charge of the England U21s, who he led to European Championship glory this summer.
Steve Bruce has drifted from 9/4 to 5/1, and still seems an unlikely choice, despite having semi successful stints in the Premier League with clubs like Birmingham and Hull City.
Gus Poyet has been sending signals that he would not mind leaving Greece and taking over here and he is a 10/1 shot right now, just behind our Roy on 9/1.
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BACK to tonight and Kenny’s 40th match in charge with James McClean calling it a day.
New Zealand’s stock as a footballing nation has also fallen in recent times, with the Darren Bazeley-managed side winning just one of their last 11 matches, so revenge for the rugby looks possible and the boys in green could give the Dubliner and Derryman an uplifting send-off at least.
The All Whites failed to score for the eighth time during that run when falling to a 2-0 defeat to Greece in a friendly on Friday.
Nathan Collins is out after sustaining an ankle ligament injury in the closing stages of Saturday’s 1-0 loss. Evan Ferguson might shake off recent back and hamstring issues to feature against the men from the other side of the globe, who are considered a 13/2 shot. Ireland are 8/13 to win and the draw is 3/1.
The Bet
BRAZIL to beat Argentina and Ireland to draw tonight at just shy of 9/1.
