Three To See – The Weekend’s Football (4.4.09 – 6.4.09) – Newcastle United, Cardiff City, Roda JC

Well that was a pretty eventful international week wouldn’t you say? Sven sacked, Argentina pummelled and the unveiling of England’s new Real Madridesque kit were just some of the headlines that dominated the football world over the past seven days.

This weekend sees club football return though. With many European leagues now at a key stage of their respective domestic seasons, here are our ‘Three to See’:

1, Newcastle United vs Chelsea (English Premier League) 15.00 GMT, Saturday 4th April 2009

Wor Shearer is back! Newcastle United fans finally had something to smile about this week when club legend Alan Shearer was appointed interim manager for the last eight games of the Premier League season.

The Magpies are in dire straits at the moment, stuck in the relegation zone after a miserable season so full of turmoil and gloomy storylines the bosses at Eastenders must be green with envy. All the off-field chaos conducted by chief protagonists Ashley, Wise, Keegan, N’Zogbia and supporting cast has had a profoundly negative effect on the squad, and together with some horrible bad luck, injuries to key players and unfortunate heart problems for Keegan’s replacement Joe Kinnear, Newcastle have slipped dangerously into the bottom three.

Shearer’s first match in charge could hardly be more daunting. Chelsea are the visitors to St. James’ Park this weekend, but Newcastle’s new boss has been defiant, describing it as a ‘great game to have’ as his managerial debut. Five of the eight newly appointed bosses in the Premier League won their first game in charge this season, and Shearer will be hoping the magic new manager’s potion that often seems to positively affect players can invigorate his team and push them to victory.

Guus Hiddink suffered his first defeat in charge of Chelsea against Tottenham a fortnight ago. Nevertheless the Blues, although not widely talked about as title contenders, still sit within touching distance of Manchester United at the top of the league, four points behind the champions. Hiddink’s buzzword in English football has been ‘reaction’ and he will be looking for exactly that in response to the loss at Spurs.

Will the luck of the new manager prevail at St. James’ this weekend?

2, Cardiff City vs Swansea City (English Championship) 11.00am GMT, Sunday 5th April 2009

The incredulously inconvenient early kickoff time of 11.00am only goes to accentuate the strength of the rivalry in this one, as Swansea City take on Cardiff City in the South Wales derby.

Firstly a note on that kickoff time – what a farce. Between them Sky Sports and the South Wales police force have conspired to take the sting out of what is no doubt one of the most intense rivalries by staging it as early as possible. Reasoning from the police perspective being that earlier kickoff = less time to get drunk before the game = less violence. Playing at 11am will do little to deter two sets of fans who have been baying for each other’s blood for decades though. In fact it will most likely have the opposite effect; encouraging those intent on a ruck to start drinking even earlier and leaving them the whole day to go looking for trouble after the match.

Regardless, whatever time it kicks off this is certainly one of British football’s most heated, violent derbies. On the field its Dave Jones‘ Bluebirds against Roberto Martinez’s Swans. Off it, it’s the Jack Army vs the Soul Crew, two of the UK’s most notorious hooligan groups. After a game in 1993 now dubbed ‘The Battle of Ninian Park’ wide-scale fighting and a pitch invasion led to away fans being banned from this fixture for several years, the first such ban in British football history. Sunday’s game is the first meeting between the two at Ninian Park for 10 years, and also the last. Cardiff move to a new ground at the end of the season. Clashes here are all but inevitable.

On the pitch, both are desperately fighting to become the first Welsh side to play in the Premier League. Cardiff are currently sixth, Swansea eighth. Both teams play with a certain attacking flair, a style not so commonplace in the Championship. Even the football itself should therefore prove enticing. “Every angle you look at it, this will be a huge football occasion,” stated Swans boss Roberto Martinez. He is not far wrong.

3, Roda JC vs Ajax (Dutch Eredivisie) 11.30am GMT, Sunday 5th April 2009

It has not been much of an enjoyable season for Roda JC fans this season, whether on or off the pitch. On it the South Dutch outfit sit in the bottom three of the Eredivisie, primed for a spot in the league’s relegation playoffs should they fail to climb out. This is bad – Roda have never before been relegated.

What is worse however, as if the haunting spectre of relegation is not cause enough for doom and gloom, are events off the pitch. Due to financial difficulties (and, one suspects, the political posturing of both the KNVB and others) Roda JC are being forced to merge with local rivals Fortuna Sittard to form Sporting Limburg. The new club would incorporate second division Fortuna into Roda JC, consolidating both southern outfits into one giant, manufactured Limburg franchise.

Fans are disgusted by the merger. Several protests have taken place, from fans of both clubs. Unfortunately however, it looks increasingly inevitable that the wishes of the clubs’ lifeblood (its supporters) will be ignored and the project will go ahead. Consequently this could be the last ever fixture between Roda JC and Ajax.

Ajax for their part are not having a great season either. They currently lie in third, and desperately need a win to put pressure on Steve McClaren’s FC Twente for the remaining Champions League spot. The likely funereal atmosphere amongst Roda supporters following recent events might just benefit Ajax in their quest.

Fan of any of these teams? Neutral? Who will you be watching this weekend? Let us know by leaving your thoughts in the comments field.

Ajax, Cardiff City, Chelsea, Dutch Football, English Championship, English Premier League, Newcastle United, Roda JC, Swansea City, Three to See