NFR (or is it) - The Guardian's Secret Footballer

[AlFayedsChequebook]

The Guardian are currently running a series about the lives and views of footballers using an inside man. For those who have not had a read, I would highly recommend it:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/series/the-secret-footballer

There has been lots of speculation about who it is, with lots of names touted, although the most convincing name that I have heard is our very own Danny Murphy's (argument stolen from another MB):

new article by TSF on guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/feb/19/the-secret-footballer-managers

1) He's moved clubs a few times, but stayed in the Premier League, and has a good agent that he trusts and he knows is loyal to him. ( Not Pini Zahavi, Jorge Mendez or any of the big agencies, )
2) Played for a very technically prepared coach ( Mourinho, Benitez, Hodgson,O'niell??)
3) is a deep thinker and knows how the footballing system works ( B- Essou-Ekottu, Lamps, Parker, Murphy, K Davies )
4) comment re manger playing wrong tactics, making team look bad ( I think Blackburn/Bolton/Newcastle under Allardyce, Avram Grant at West Ham/Chelsea, sanchez at Fulham, Dowie at charlton,)
5) has been at a club where the manager has lost the dressing room.
6) has played under what he called a great manager, as well as 1/2 crap ones.
7) Played for a manager who wanted to be "one of the boys"—- Steve McClaren, ( any others?? )
8) Became disillusioned with great manager who started asking him questions regards management.

My guess - Danny Murphy.
smart guy, many clubs, excellent footballing brain - points 1 &3
Played under Gerard Houlier @ liverpool—points 2, 3,6 & 8   
Curbishly, Dowie, Reed,  @charlton—points 4, 5, 6 & 7
Jol @ Spurs
Sanchez,Hodgson & Hughes @ Fulham points 2,3,4, 5,6,7,8.


Who could it be?

[jarv]

Michael Owen? 

[TonyGilroy]

My guess was David James wanting to continue his column but with a bit more freedom to be frank. To me it reads very much like James' articles but maybe they've both got the same ghost writer.

[ImperialWhite]

Danny Murphy wrote a column for Yahoo Sport last season, so he can write. He stopped writing for them at the end of last season, too.

[ImperialWhite]

My guess was David James wanting to continue his column but with a bit more freedom to be frank. To me it reads very much like James' articles but maybe they've both got the same ghost writer.

Possibly the latter.

Can't be James though, it's a Premier League player.

[finnster01]

Sounds to me like a Chelsea player

[richie17]

we were talking about this during the game.  Kevin Davies was our conclusion, although perhaps hasn't played under enough managers.

[b+w geezer]

I suggest that the ghost-writer is fed by James Beattie. Ticks all the boxes in terms of managers and clubs he has played for. Deep thinker, dunno, but he was academically qualified for medical school and has always been rumoured to have strong opinions.

[White Noise]

The language is very sophisticated for a footballer - which rules most of them out and it is very strident and aggressive in tone which makes me think it is not Murphy.

Having read a few of those articles now though I think it is a striker speaking and I could see Kevein Davies saying all of that.

[richie17]

The language is very sophisticated for a footballer - which rules most of them out and it is very strident and aggressive in tone which makes me think it is not Murphy.

Having read a few of those articles now though I think it is a striker speaking and I could see Kevein Davies saying all of that.

He was in cahoots with Barry Glendenning etc I think, twitter back and forth, which made me wonder if there's a link there.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

The mystery deepens (from twitter)

Sir Alex as a favourite manager goes without saying, I wanted a couple of less obvious choices for you to ponder.

Surely there could be no way this is Danny now, or is this an elaborate double bluff.